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Morgan pov.

“The trading grounds? Really?” It’s not the seediest place to find yourself in but it’s not the best either. People who come here only want two things, money and a fast hook-up, compliments of the Red-Light district just a block away.

“We’ll leave soon. I have to meet someone here.” Margot pulls me along with her, not giving me an option to wait for her in the car. We make it through the doors and inside is a mess of people in the middle of various deals. I spot a third-tier woman standing next to a brand new AS21 who looks pretty much indistinguishable from the other humans around it, except for the demo tattoo displayed on her left arm. She’s dolled it up to look handsome enough, sharp jawline and wide shoulders but still just clockwork that I have to ensure doesn’t kill her in the middle of the night.

I follow Margot through the masses, my eyes catching random people I know but won’t want to be caught in small talk with, so I wander away from my friend and find myself standing outside a boxing ring. I watch as a blond beast man enters the ring, it’s cat features unmistakable and I wonder who he might belong to for its owner to enter it into boxing. There’s so much they can do and yet this is the first thing owners think about when they buy them. How much money they can make on the trading grounds. The cat bounces around some, looking focused and ready for whoever he has to fight against. Seconds later another hooded figure enters the ring, and I turn my head to the side, interested in seeing the person behind the dramatic entrance.

My breath gets knocked clear out of my lungs when the hood falls away from his face and twitchy grey ears beneath a head of grey curls are revealed. The beast man looks angry, his white eyes narrowed on the blond beast standing in the far-left corner of the ring. He’s tall, lean and looks ready to plummet something, someone, into the ground. I watch as the circle each other, the cat bouncing all over the place and the wolf taking calculated strides before landing the first punch on the cat’s right side. Cheers erupt and chaos ensues as the fight officially begins. A hand on my arm is what finally gets me to look away from the fight and Margot frowns at me.

“You can’t just disappear.” She scolds but I waver her away, looking back at the ring. “I’m done, lets go.”

“I’m not done.” She cocks her head to the side, and I point at the grey eared wolf in the ring. “I want him.” I tell her, smiling when her eyes widen in surprise. The crowd cheers again and I look at the ring just in time to see the cat spit blood from his mouth, glaring at the agitated looking wolf. I watch as he gives the cat a swift punch in the side and steps away, bouncing on the balls of his feet. I look into his eyes, catching something like amusement flash in them before the cat advances, clearly stumbling on his feet and the wolf side steps him, allowing him to walk straight into the ropes.

“If he’s in there he belongs to someone.” She gives me information that I already know. “They might not want to let him go. You can find a better way to get a wolf if you want one.” The wolf waits for the cat to turn around and his fist connects with the side of the blond’s face. I watch the wolf take a deep breath, his ears twitching as he delivers a series of swift punches to the cat’s body, cornering him into the side of the ring.

“I want that wolf.” I’ve never been interested in beast men, especially not wolves but there’s something about those twitchy grey ears. Something about the look in those eyes. Time slows as he bounces back from the corner and turns his head in my direction. We make eye contact for a brief second and it’s all it takes to solidity the choice inside of me, not that I was in anyway unsure.

“You’d have to buy a contract.” She huffs, looking downright annoyed with me.

“Then I’ll buy the contract, Margot. I’ll wave the liability policy and just cut him loose if I don’t like him.” I tell her and she rolls her eyes. Not saying anything because she knows there is nothing to say. My watch pings and I look down to find an alert that Sinclair has proposed an expansion of the glaze pending approval. I sigh and show Margot whose eyes widen.

“We’re screwed.” She mutters and I nod, looking back at the wolf in the cage. He throws a punch that sends the blond crumpling down on the apron and the crowd goes wild. The look in his eyes isn’t one of pride though, it’s one of a caged animal trying to fight its way out and I’d be damned if I don’t help it.

“All the more reason to follow our instincts.” I leave her standing ringside, and head towards the information desk, finding a very bored looking attendant swiping through his tablet. “I need to find the owner of the grey wolf in the ring.” I tell him and he gives me a once over before nodding and walking away. He comes back with a man in a white suit, hair gelled back displaying his maple tattoo under his left ear.

“Gerald Hutting, I hear you’re looking for me.” He reaches out his hand and when I shake it my skin crawls.

“I would like to talk to you about the grey wolf in the ring.” I know a sleezy businessman from a mile away and Gerald is about as sleezy as they come but he has something I want and I’m not walking away without those twitchy grey ears tonight.

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