“When all of you are still looking for omegas.” Ottis rolled his eyes. “You need someone to tuck between your paws and fawn over, and that someone can’t be me.”
“Well, I have an omega to court now,” Titan said, his heart skipping.
Ottis’ gaze dropped to Titan’s chest; his frown melted away. “You’re building a nest? You don’t have to go that far if you’re faking a relationship.”
Titan blushed, and Ottis sighed.
“Fine. I’ll help if you promise not to tell me what I should or shouldn’t do.”
“I promise, but I can’t say the same for everyone else.”
“At least hold them back for me,” Ottis grumbled, but he was already stuffing pillows and blankets into the cart. “If everyone tried to help you right now, I’m sure you’d be mad, too.”
“Yeah.” Titan had specifically told his pack not to help unless he asked for it. Which he hadn’t. “I just feel like crap because I want to court Mathlin properly, but I can’t. Because my arms are fucked.”
“So do something that doesn’t need arms.”
“Ham says pickup lines.”
Ottis grimaced, then laughed. “You should.”
“No!”
“You know, Math blurts out all the thoughts that go through his head. He doesn’t actually like that he doesn’t have a filter, but he’ll feel better if he’s not the only one saying random crap.”
“Huh.” Titan hadn’t thought of it that way before. “Okay, maybe you have a point.”
“See, I’m not helpless!” Ottis sighed loudly.
“I didn’t say you were!”
Ottis stuffed as many pillows as he could into the cart, then draped a fluffy blanket around Titan’s shoulders. He tucked some blankets under his own arms. Together, they made their way back to Titan’s cabin.
“I don’t suppose you want my help building that nest,” Ottis said.
“No,” Titan grumbled.
He was about to say more, when Hamilton’s voice broke through the quiet.
“Titan. Mathlin’s sick. He’s throwing up.”
Titan and Ottis exchanged a look, and took off into a run.
25
OOPS
The front doorwas open when Titan reached the cabin. Hamilton stood aside as Titan shrugged off the blanket around his shoulders.
“I called as soon as it happened,” Hamilton said with a frown.
“Thanks,” Titan said gratefully. He followed the sounds of retching to the bathroom, where Mathlin was hunched over the toilet. “Sweetheart?”
“Maybe I ate something wrong,” Mathlin said. “But Hamilton opened a pack of apple gummies and the smell was just terrible.”
Titan glanced at Hamilton, who shrugged.
“Smelled fine to me,” Hamilton said.
