“Come, come.” She nonchalantly tossed her bag on his bed and clapped her paws together. “Let us have a better look at you. Strip.”

The command—and it had definitely not been a request—broke his stupor. He let the door close, though he didn’t take more than a half-step into the room. “Wait, hold on, I didn’t think… I mean, I didn’t know you’d be...”

Tatiana rolled her eyes and growled, her muzzle revealing a lot of very sharp, very canine teeth. “You do not understand this arrangement yet. Very well.”

Stepping to the bed, she reached into the bag and withdrew a long, coiled strip of leather, then whirled and advanced on him, her glare icy and imperious. Derek’s back hit the door before he’d realized he was retreating, and then she was on him. The lucario moved so fast, he barely had time for a strangled protest before a loop of leather closed around his neck, a clasp snapped, and a padlock clicked into place around it. His hands flew to his throat, tugged at the collar now securely fastened there.

“W-wait, you can’t just—”

She yanked on the leash, cutting him off with a yelp. She nodded, apparently pleased, then tugged again, forcing him to bend down until he was on eye level with her, his nose inches away from her muzzle. He resisted at first, but she seemed as strong as a tauros, her paw not so much as wavering.

“For this evening, you will be my pet. Good pets obey their mistress without question. Good pets are rewarded. Naughty pets…” She took a section of the middle of the leash in both paws, and yanked it taut with an ominous snap!

“Is that clear?”