“Aww,” Ottis said, melting into Doc’s side. “That was so nice of you.”
Doc shrugged. “I’m a doctor. I want to help.”
Even then, he couldn’t help feeling proud. He had his omeg—He had... He hadOttis’approval.
That cheered him up like nothing else did.
“Will you give me a foot rub?”
“Of course,” Doc said, arranging Ottis on the bed. He began with light touches on Ottis’ foot, rubbing under his toes and between them, fingers kneading firm lines into the arch of Ottis’ foot. Hemassaged the ball of it, then back down to Ottis’ heel, going up his ankle to the tangled mess of scars on his calf.
Ottis froze a little. Doc didn’t stop touching him, and eventually, Ottis relaxed.
There was some uneven muscle development in Ottis’ legs because of his limp, and increased muscle strain because he favored his good leg. Slowly, Doc worked through the knots in his muscles, then the rest of his legs, until Ottis melted into a puddle.
“That feels so good,” Ottis whimpered. “Why hasn’t anyone married you yet?”
Doc snorted. “For my hands?”
“Yeah! And your cock.” Ottis paused, then cringed. “Ugh! I can’t believe I just said that.”
“You forgot the free medical services,” Doc said, only for Ottis to pull a pillow over his face.
“Just kill me now,” Ottis moaned.
“Only the little deaths, sweetheart,” Doc said, amused.
“Sorry in advance for all the awkward, terrible things my mouth says.”
“I’m not sorry.” Doc was already thinking up different plans for the nest he wanted to build. Something amazing, worthy of his omega, but he couldn’t take too long because Ottis’ pregnancy would go fast.
Doc kept up his foot massage, kneading long lines up and down Ottis’ legs. He worked loose Ottis’ deep muscles and dropped akiss on the side of his thigh. “Hey, would you like a canopy over your nest?”
No answer. Only the sound of soft breathing.
When Doc looked over, he found Ottis fast asleep, his mouth hanging open, his hair mussed and his face relaxed.
So perfect.
Doc’s heart skipped again.
Well, there was no better time than the present to work on his nest.
“Consider telling them,”Doc said two weeks later.
Ottis was sitting on a stool up against the wall, his legs swinging above the floor. At Doc’s suggestion, he wrinkled his nose. “They’re going to rain hell on you, Doc. Surely you aren’t that masochistic.”
Doc snorted. “Sweetheart, they’re going to react to the news no matter how far along you are. Worse if they see you swollen with child. Besides, you can’t keep this a secret from your pack forever. At least tell your dads. I’m sure they’d like to know.”
Ottis sagged. “You have a point. It’s just... You’re the one who’s going to suffer. I don’t want to do that to you.”
“I’m the one who knocked you up.”
Even now, that fact sat warmly in his chest like a tiny burning flame. He had put a child into Ottis. Ottis was carrying his dragonet, and scarcely an hour passed without Docremembering it. These days, he always wanted to touch Ottis’ belly, just to remind himself that this was real.
Doc set down the lumber he had been sawing, crossing the room. As he drew closer, Ottis tipped his face up to give Doc a smile. Doc couldn’t get enough of Ottis’ happiness. It made his instincts snarl possessively, eager to protect.
Of course, there was still the mystery of the men he had taken down outside his lair. But Doc had come no closer to figuring out why they had attacked. Or who had hired them.
