“We’ll teach them to be careful,” Doc said.
This was them planning for the future, Ottis realized. For when the pups were old enough to get into scrapes. That was... a lot of time they would be spending together. His heart skipped.
Doc glanced at Ottis’ chest, then his face. “Good thoughts?”
“Maybe.” Warmth flooded Ottis’ cheeks.
Doc smiled and reached over, tangling their fingers together.
Before they could say anything else, a car engine rumbled just beyond the iron gate.
“That’ll be Zenith and Yaeger,” Hijinks said. “Bruiser too.” He pulled out his phone and used an app to unlock the gate.
“What the hell happened here?” Bruiser’s voice rang out as the car headed up the driveway. “Is thatcum?”
“If it is, then that’s a lot of cum,” said Zenith’s voice. “How the hell did Doc manage it? His balls aren’t that big.”
Ottis choked on his laugh. Doc frowned, but his lips were curled up at the corners too.
“Do you want your mask back on?” Ottis asked suddenly. Doc always wore a mask around everyone.
Doc chewed on his lower lip. “I... I suppose I don’t need it. You’re the one I was afraid of chasing off.”
Ottis squeezed Doc’s hand, his chest tight. “I’m not running away.”
“Yeah?” Doc’s smile spread through his entire face. He looked younger like this, hopeful and perfect.
“Yeah,” Ottis said.
Doc drew Ottis close and kissed his knuckles. It felt... different, watching Doc’s scars against his own skin. It made everything more real.
They looked up when car doors slammed. Footsteps headed up the front steps.
“I’ll get the door,” Ottis offered.
“Thanks,” Doc said. He took his time releasing Ottis’ fingers, though.
At the front door, Doc’s alpha friends towered over Ottis, taking up the entire doorway. Ottis recognized Zenith and Bruiser, but the third alpha was new to him. That had to be Yaeger.
“Thanks for coming to help,” Ottis blurted. “That was my ex causing all the problems.”
“Yeah, we’ve been dealing with those lately,” Bruiser said. “Whatever my jerk friends might say, this love thing sounds like a pain in the ass.”
Zenith shot Bruiser a pointed look. Bruiser elbowed him. Yaeger snickered.
“Just wait ‘til you have your very own omega,” Yaeger said. “You’ll move Heaven and Earth for him.”
“Yeah, right,” Bruiser muttered.
“I kidnapped mine,” Yaeger said, puffing out his chest. “Consensually.”
Ottis choked on his spit.
“It appears that this consensual kidnapping thing has been going around,” Doc said from the living room.
“Well, I started it. Y’all copied me,” Yaeger said.
The three alphas followed Ottis into the mansion, to where Doc was still being patched up. They froze when they saw Doc.
