He Waited at the Second Table

Premise

Alessio Conte checked his shirt collar one last time before settling into the table reserved by the Second Chance agency. At fifty-three, he felt ridiculous for being this nervous over a simple date. His long, scaly tail rested beside his chair, and his thick fingers tapped anxiously against the edge of the table. A wealthy woman had agreed to meet him. Him. The crocodile hybrid nobody wanted.

In a world where humans and hybrids coexist, appearance often determines the value granted to others.