My Life as a Beast Keeper

Layla Manfred already keeps a show-quality service beastkin, Salem Tarr, who wants nothing to do with her and only wags his tail for her sister. Drunk and stressed outside a bar, she lets a street vendor talk her into buying a cheap venting beastkin, Clayton Yarrow, for 5800 dollars.

Venting beastkin come from an illegal trade in kidnapped or low-grade beastkin, trained as living punching bags. Clayton is muzzled, chained and bruised, yet Layla brings him to a hotel and vents her stress on him in another way entirely. Her friend Helen Watkins scolds her by text, and Clayton, hearing it, offers to lead her back to the vendor for a refund.

Layla refuses. She wants him to obey only her, and she buys him a new collar and muzzle. But Salem Tarr is still waiting at home, and he will not tolerate another hound.