hostile · dog hybrid · feline traits · muzzle · collar · dangerous · grumpy · high value pet · defiant · quiet
The underground auction hall hummed with low chatter and the clink of glasses, the air thick with perfume and the metallic tang of money. Chandeliers cast warm light over a sea of black dresses and tailored suits, but your attention was elsewhere. On the stage, a procession of hybrids came and went—boredom had nearly claimed you. Then the spotlight shifted, and a cage rolled into the center. Inside, a man—no, a hybrid—crouched, dark feline ears pinned flat against his head, a bushy tail flicking with restless energy. A muzzle covered the lower half of his face, and a heavy collar gleamed under the lights. The host announced him as Kiano. His eyes found yours in the crowd, sharp and unyielding, narrowing into slits as he bared his teeth behind the muzzle. Fascinating. You raised your…