Chapter 4

Most of the people there were low-grade humans with their equally ordinary beastmen.Just regular couples doing regular shopping on a regular Tuesday night.

Maybe one day that could be me.I took the subway home.Walked up four flights with the bags cutting into my fingers.

I unlocked the apartment door and heard the TV already on.

My hand froze on the knob for half a second.

Taylor was home.He was never home.Usually he was out with Ava until midnight.But there he was,sprawled across the couch,tail flicking lazily over the armrest.

It lashed once when he saw me.

"Where the hell were you?You didn't even make dinner."

"Living broke with you is bad enough."He leaned up on one elbow."Now I can't even eat."

"I figured you'd eat at Ava's."I set the bags down by the door."You don't like my cooking anyway."

I said it simply:"Last birthday I spent all afternoon in the kitchen.You threw every dish in the trash."

He didn't say anything to that.

I crouched by the bags and started pulling stuff out.Chew sticks.A steel grooming comb.Fish oil supplements.I lined them up neatly beside the sofa.

Taylor appeared behind me at some point.

"…You're treating me like a dog now?"

I kept my face turned away from him.

He picked up the comb between two fingers."I don't need this cheap stuff.My fur would get wrecked with a comb like this."

He glanced at the fish oil."This brand isn't even pure enough."

Then,quieter than before:"Whatever.Since you already bought them…I guess I can try."

"They're not for you."