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“Woof.” I added a growl to that bark.

Tony just shook his head. He was laughing, too. He wasn’t overt about it, and he was trying not to, but the corner of his eyes got so wrinkly. It was a good look on him, and I hated that now I got soft over that kind of shit when I was supposed to be showcasing my prowess.

I compensated by growling again.

Tony ignored it.

Instead, he got rid of the paper—finally—and opened the so-far-nondescript gray box for me to see.

Oh.

Oh shit.

I glanced back up at him, but it was hard. My gaze kept drifting between the content of the box and Tony.

That was…

My paw went to my training collar.

I gulped.

“It makes no sense to upgrade your suit without upgrading everything else, does it?” Tony tucked two fingers under my chin. I huffed because it was the only way to not completely lose it. I didn’t get emotional. I didnot. “The bracelet has a lock, with a key I would hold if you’re okay with it, pup.”

I glanced back at the box. There was the leather collar, similar to the one I was wearing now, but higher quality. Thicker. The thing that had stolen the air from my lungs was the bracelet. It was a wide band of stainless steel with a braided pattern that reminded me of leather craftsmanship. Understated, but not really.

It fit what I was. What we were. What he wanted us to be, and what I agreed to as if it wasn’t the exact same thing.

“Do you want to try it on, pup?”

Now the insecurity made sense. The faint tremor in his hand. This wasn’t just a new collar or a new bracelet.

It was a proper collar.

One that he’d want to turn into a high protocol collaring ceremony at some point, and I’d pretend it was a chore and would whine about it even though the idea reminded me I was still horny as fuck.

“Woof!”

Silly handler.

No way was I saying no to this, all previous impulsive, questionable decisions aside.