“These come in handy. Sometimes I go on rescue missions with my friends, and my masks get torn up.”
Scars or not, how was an alpha like that still single? Doc went on rescue missions. He was taking Ottis and Marcie out to buy clothes for them. And he had given up his emotional support scarf just because Marcie wanted it.
He’s too good to be true,Ottis told himself.I can’t fall in love with him. He has to have a flaw somewhere.
“Thank you,” he said aloud, feeling like the words weren’t enough.
Doc smiled. “You’re welcome.”
They pulled up at a department store that was starting to get busy now that it was mid-morning.
“I have to reapply the scent suppressant,” Ottis said as Doc was unbuckling his seat belt. “Marcie doesn’t like it. Could you... hold her while I spray myself down?”
Doc’s eyes grew round. He nodded and stepped out of the car, holding out his arms. “I’ll keep her out of spraying range.”
“Thanks.” Ottis unstrapped Marcie from her chest carrier and carefully handed her over, watching the way Doc moved his huge hands to support her weight. Marcie wastinyin his arms.
And Doc looked like a natural dad, smiling down at Marcie, turning her around to cradle her against his chest. Of course he knew how to hold babies; he was a doctor.
Ottis tried not to stare. He sprayed the scent suppressant all over himself, before getting out of the car and spraying his ass too. Marcie sneezed.
“There. Now I’m invisible from the paw patrol,” Ottis said dryly.
Doc chuckled. “Your pack cares about you.”
“They can care about me from a distance. Or maybe they can find their own omegas to care about,” Ottis grumbled. “I don’t need protection.”
Well, not from that many alphas, anyway.
Doc raised an eyebrow at the skip in Ottis’ pulse, but he didn’t comment on it. He stepped closer to hand Marcie back. Marcie had gone quiet in Doc’s arms, her limbs wrapped around Doc’s lumpy scarf.
“She took to you fast,” Ottis said, surprised.
“Maybe she got used to the scent on the scarf,” Doc said, sounding pleased.
Ottis wondered what it meant, that Marcie made a soft sound of protest when he took her back from Doc.
They made their way through the parking lot, Ottis trying to disguise his limp so they wouldn’t draw attention. Unusualmovements made people stare, and he always tried to blend in if he could.
That was especially important right now.
At the front of the store, several shopping carts were chasing each other around the planters.
There was magic in metals. It began as wisps of energy in metal ores, growing concentrated as the ores were refined. Eventually, the purified metals were turned into parts, and the parts were combined to form objects. When the metal parts of an object moved, their magic interacted, turning the objects sentient. It was how locks could smile, faucets could bite, and shopping carts frolicked in the parking lots.
Ottis slowed down when he spotted a cart that was limping along, one of its wheels bent out of shape.Just like me.But unlike Ottis, the cart could be easily fixed. When the cart noticed him, it turned, squeaking one wheel in question.
Ottis swallowed and peeked at Doc. “I know you’re a people doctor, but... do you think you could...”
“Bend its wheel back? I’ll see what I can do.”
Doc knelt down right there in the parking lot, placing one hand on the side of the cart to soothe it. “Hey. I’m going to try and fix your wheel, so I’ll need you to stay still for me. Don’t move, alright? This shouldn’t hurt.”
The cart held itself still, lifting its flap as though it was curious. Doc tipped the cart up on two wheels and carefully gripped its bum wheel. Slowly, he bent the metal back into shape, his biceps straining against his sleeves.
“Wow,” Ottis blurted before he could think. “You would burst a condom like that.”
Doc paused and glanced over his shoulder, eyebrows raised.
