Zac was flustered and frustrated as he headed up to Shaw's office. For a second, he thought something might actually happen between them. Zac adjusted himself before he walked into Shaw's office, embarrassed by the fact that something as small as that could get him turned on. It didn't help that he kept replaying that look Valentine had on his face as he looked down at his lips. He too had the same thought cross his mind. 

He told himself he would have to rub one out once he got a chance to shower. If he kept thinking that way, it might be for more than just a single rub out. 

Shaw's office to Zac's surprise wasn't that bad when he walked in. He had expected the worst. Yeah, he won the fight, but everyone saw how he dropped to the blow on his knee. There was no true coming back from something like that. He limped as he walked in, taking the seat Shaw motioned to as he leaned back in his chair. 

"You're going to fight at the end of the month. I already have you on the books, so I'm not changing it. As far as fighting goes that will be the last one you ever fight under my name." 

Shaw glared at Zac for a long moment. His brain was working overdrive as to how he was going to fix this shit show now. 

"I had plans for you. Big ones." He huffed, "I guess I'll just find someone younger next time." 

Zac wasn't old by any means. He was only thirty-three, but maybe for fighting like he did, that was old. Most alpha's in their thirties sat on the other side of the desk where Shaw was. Stable job, even if it was an unsavory one. Zac was never good in school. College was never a thought that crossed his mind. He thought with his fist, and that was it. Most companies weren't too fond of an alpha spinning off at the drop of a hat.

"Cut my losses now, you know before, things get ugly," Shaw commented with that twisted smirk of his. 

Zac saw the light that seemed to go off in his head as if he just had the best idea possible. 

"I'll have the paperwork drawn up to void our current arrangements." 

Zac didn't sign the same contract as most of the people who came to work for Shaw. He was on a month-by-month basis, so when Zac won he stayed on. When he lost he was cut. That had always been the agreement. 

 Zac chooses to work for him over most who had no other choice in the matter. He signed up to be here and to be treated with a certain kind of love that only Shaw could give. Zac personally wanted to stay on for as long as he could because he had nothing else to go to. So maybe he wasn't so different from all the rest of the people here. 

"Fine." Zac agreed as he stood up. 

The swelling in his knee was the worst it's ever been for him. Holding back the pain he felt as he stood there. 

"One more fight. Then I'm gone." 

He had his run. He had the longest run here since Shaw started the underground fight nights. 

* * * * * 

"How's the knee?" Asked Valentine as he walked in. 

Zac laid out on the couch, his leg propped up on the coffee table. The ice pack he had on his knee was now warm. It had melted a while ago, but he couldn't find the urge to get up and replace it. 

"Hurts," Zac said with sarcasm in his voice. 

Valentine shot him a look, "Well, I was going to be nice, but now I think I'm just going to go." 

"Stay. And get me a new ice pack, please." 

Valentine had full intentions of getting him a new ice pack. He wanted to check up on him before he thought of leaving the room. 

"So, what did Shaw have to say?" Asked Valentine as he walked back from putting the old ice pack back in the freezer. 

Zac shifted and gave Valentine somewhere to sit next to him. "That I'm out." 

"OUT?!" 

"Yes, out." 

There was no way Shaw was just going to let him go, not after all he's been through to try and keep him here. 

"No. Shaw's not going to let you go like that." Valentine stood up in anger. "He's just going to drop you after. . . . after what he did to me. To make me more motivated . . . no." 

Valentine couldn't believe it. He shook his head. If that was the plan all along, why would Shaw do that to him? Unknowingly he started to rub the base of his neck. The motion made Zac feel uncomfortable. 

"He's cutting his losses." Commented Zac, leaning up, "He marked you because he wanted to. Nothing more. He might have said it was because of me, but, no he did it for himself. Just like all the times before." 

The mark had since healed. Zac honestly wondered why Shaw hadn't gone after him again. He knew what it was like for Asher when he first came here. He bonded with him almost weekly. If not sooner. 

"Look, I have one more fight left. Shaw has me on the books already, so after that, I'm out. Not sure where I'll be going, but it won't be here." 

Zac's way of saying he won't be around for much longer so Valentine but figure out what he wanted to do. His mind might have run a little wild in his dreams last night. The moment they shared in the hall got to him. He now felt this even greater sense of fondness for Valentine. Zac just wasn't sure how to show it. He's never been good at showing emotions other than that of anger. 

"That's fine. I get it." Valentine commented as he headed for the door. 

He was once again on his own, what's new. He did better on his own anyway. Not sure what he was thinking, to begin with, this was a job that was it. He was pretty sure Shaw would shift him over to the next fight that walked in the front door. Or keep him on the floors till his contract was up. He could deal with that for a year.