Doc shrugged. “Eventually, I recovered. But I quickly realized that omegas were intimidated by my face, if not outright repulsed. There were a handful who stuck around for a while, but sooner or later, they always confessed that they felt uncomfortable about me meeting the rest of their family.”
That still hurt.
Ottis growled. “That’s not fair of them. You’re great.”
Doc huffed. “Sweetheart, you barely know me. We met each other two days ago, and half of that time, we spent in bed.”
A soft laugh. “Well, I know enough. You like having Marcie around. You touch me with care. You bought things for me without really knowing who I am, and you don’t think I’m terrible when I make a fool of myself.”
“You’re mine,” Doc rumbled, loving the words in his mouth. “I’ve kidnapped you for the foreseeable future.”
Ottis wriggled. “You made me sign a kidnappingcontract.That was what made me start to trust you, I think.”
Warmth unfurled in Doc’s chest, bright and hopeful.
Well.
They were still talking to each other in pitch-darkness, and Ottis still didn’t know what Doc’s scars looked like.
That was a sobering thought.
“We should... discuss the possible consequences,” Doc said slowly. “I’ll pay for any medical care you need, if you conceive. I’ll be responsible for your comfort and safety. Food, shelter, foot rubs, and all that.”
“Okay,” Ottis said.
He submitted so easily that Doc’s alpha instincts roared. “Good.”
Ottis snuggled closer, fitting himself against Doc’s chest. “This is better than what I had before.”
Doc almost didn’t want to know, because he didn’t want to get upset in front of Ottis. “What did you have before?”
“It was just me. Like I said, it was a one-night stand. I didn’t have a way to get in touch with the alpha after that, and I didn’t particularly want to. He wasn’t all that great.”
Hot anger surged through Doc’s chest. He swallowed it down, taking a few moments to breathe deeply. The rage went away. “I would’ve punched him for you.”
Ottis laughed and draped his arm over Doc’s waist. “I would have appreciated it. Thank you.”
Doc breathed out, trailing his palm down Ottis’ back. “I really am sorry. I should’ve done better with your heat. You weren’texactly in your right mind, but I still was. And I... forgot. I let my desires get the better of me.”
The shame was suffocating.
“It’s okay,” Ottis said.
“It’s really not. You shouldn’t just tell an alpha it’sokay.I would’ve punchedme—”
But Ottis shook his head against Doc’s chest. “The fact that you’re saying all this tells me that it’s okay. I trust you. I enjoyed your... loss of control.”
Ottis rubbed himself against Doc, all bare skin.
Doc exhaled shakily. Ottis’ forgiveness was more than he deserved, and it felt like a balm against his ragged edges. “Ottis Whiteclaw, you are precious.”
“I am?” Ottis snuggled harder, his tail twitching against Doc’s hip. Doc brushed his fingers through Ottis’ hair, following the slope of his thin shoulder down his back, along the dip of his spine.
“Of course you are,” Doc murmured. “Any alpha would be lucky to have you as their mate.”
Ottis purred louder, wrapping himself around Doc. After a stretch of quiet, he said, “Doc?”
“Hmm?”
