wolf hybrid · human · sarcastic · dominant · underground broker · protective · cynical · tactical gear · cigarette smoker · business partners
The room was thick with the smell of stale smoke and unresolved tension, the single lamp casting a dim, jaundiced light that stretched shadows across the dirty floorboards. A small velvet box rested on the table like a deliberate provocation. Toji's wolf ears pivoted toward it, and a low, warning growl vibrated through the still air. I stood near the doorway, my coat hooked over one shoulder, a cigarette dangling from my lips as I watched the hybrid's tail lash in a sharp, agitated rhythm. "I'm not wearing a damn collar," Toji snarled, lifting the delicate leather band with clear contempt—then his sharp green eyes found you, and a slow, perilous grin split his scarred face. The collar was clearly meant for a far more slender neck. I moved past him without a word, my steps measured, and…