“I wouldn’t have turned you away,” Doc murmured, pulling Ottis closer. “Maybe this makes things easier, because then I wouldn’t have to hunt down that fucker. What he did to you was not okay, sweetheart. None of it was okay.”
Doc’s voice cracked.
Ottis swallowed, his throat tight. When he dared to look up, he found the alpha’s eyes flickering red, like Doc was trying to hold back his shift.
“I’m furious that he did all that to you,” Doc growled. “Especially because he started when you were so young. Fuck. I want to riphim apart. I want to get out there and hunt him down. Beat his skull in. But I don’t want to leave you alone here, vulnerable.”
“I’ll be okay,” Ottis said.
Doc pulled him into a tight hug, holding him for a long moment. Ottis trembled. Maybe he cried a little, but any wetness was soaked up by Doc’s clothes.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” Doc said quietly. “I was alive and capable of stopping it. Hell, I was living in the nearest town. And yet...”
He exhaled noisily, his gaze shadowed.
Ottis shook his head. “You didn’t know. Besides, you couldn’t have been watching me all day, every day, or you would’ve been hovering like my brothers did. I would’ve been mad at you too.”
“But I would’ve been an alpha who would court you. Maybe not when you were eighteen though,” Doc said dryly.
Ottis huffed. He rested his weight against Doc’s chest, relaxing when Doc ran his hand up and down his spine. “Will you please... not mention this to my brothers? I never told them about the other alphas. After all the things they’ve taught me about punching people, I just feel like I’ve... disappointed them. And myself.”
“It isn’t your fault that terrible people exist,” Doc murmured, hugging him tighter. “I promise not to tell. This is your past, and yours alone to share.”
“Thank you,” Ottis whispered, relief filling him.
Doc kept on rubbing his back. He massaged Ottis’ neck too, the steady rise and fall of his chest calming Ottis down. Eventually, Ottis sagged bonelessly, feeling less afraid than before.
“Better?” Doc asked.
Ottis nodded. “Thank you. Sorry for all my crap.”
“Everyone has difficulties to deal with,” Doc murmured, releasing Ottis when Ottis pulled away. “Hell, I haven’t showed you mine.”
Ottis perked up, glad for the distraction. He grabbed a bowl of scrambled egg that Doc’s cook had made, scooping some out for Marcie. “Will you show me your scars? I mean the ones on your body,” he said hurriedly when Doc twitched. “The small ones. I thought your scales were impenetrable.”
Doc huffed, relaxing. “Myscalesare, but not my human skin.”
Ottis winced at the mental image of Doc bleeding. “I’m sorry that you were hurt.”
“It’s a risk I take when I go out in the field.” The alpha shrugged. Then his eyes crinkled. “You should’ve seen the people I was fighting. They were hurt worse.”
Ottis snorted. “Alphas. You and my brothers, always saying the same thing.”
“Unfortunately, we do have similar traits.”
Ottis’ grin lingered as he set a bowl of boiled pasta in front of Marcie. Doc pulled up a chair and sat next to them, wrapping his arm around Ottis’ waist again. While Marcie played with her food, Ottis leaned into Doc, secretly breathing in Doc’s scent.
“I smell good?” There was a smile in Doc’s voice.
“All of you smells good,” Ottis admitted. He climbed onto Doc’s lap and tucked his nose into Doc’s armpit. Doc’s scent was so concentrated there, Ottis almost moaned. He could lose himself so easily in that scent.
He quickly pressed his nose against Doc’s chest instead. This was safer. So he wouldn’t lose control and make a fool of himself. Ottis nosed his way up Doc’s neck, sniffing at the scent gland there.
The edge of Doc’s medical mask rustled against Ottis’ hair. Out of curiosity, he trailed his fingers up Doc’s neck. Doc watched him and didn’t move.
When Ottis got as high as he could without touching the masks, he hesitated.
“I meant what I said, you know,” Ottis murmured. “About the dark room and being without your masks. I want to learn to see you. To accept you like you did with my leg.”
