Six visits in two years, each time to purchase the same three pregnancy-related books. Not that we didn’t appreciate the repeat business, but was he some kind of serial impregnator? How many babies—and baby mamas—could one guy have? I felt ill thinking they likely weren’t aware of each other.
“Elton, you know....”
I frowned at Kate’s wiggling eyebrows. “Yes?”
“You’re the manager. You can see his credit card information.”
“No.”
“It’s for research!”
“No. And put that away.” I pointed at the paper. I might not approve of how this guy lived his life, but we’d invaded his privacy way too much already. I checked my watch. “Don't forget I'm leaving early for a doctor appointment this afternoon.”
She nodded. “I got it covered.”
The exam room was simultaneously too cold and too warm. Dr. Alvarez’s voice seemed to get both louder and fainter with every beat of my heart. Desperately I kept my gaze fixed to his face, trying to absorb what he was saying and not let my panic overwhelm me. This was my worst fear come true.
I’d known, deep down, as soon as I’d found the lump, but I’d also had trouble accepting the reality of it happening again.
“The safest option to prevent the cancer from metastasizing and spreading is a radical orchiectomy like we did with your other testicle. But you’d have to be on hormone replacement therapy for the rest of your life. If you choose radiation, you’d still lose all fertility, but some of your hormone production might remain. However, with radiation there is a slight risk that not all of the cancer cells will be eradicated.”
My head was spinning. I couldn’t think, couldn’t wrap my head around the options he was presenting. “Can I have some time to decide?”
“Of course, but not too long. We don't want to give the cancer a chance to spread to your other organs. While you consider your options, I recommend you make an appointment with a fertility clinic to store your sperm in case you wish to have children one day. My receptionist will help you get a priority appointment so we can schedule your treatment as soon as possible afterward.”
I could barely force my mouth to form the words to thank him.
INSTAGRAM REEL FROM EJVIBES – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11
The blond man is sitting on one end of a couch. He isn’t smiling. “Hey, y'all. Sorry I’ve been silent most of the week. I got some disturbing health news, and I needed a little time to process it. Which is a reminder for all of you. Make sure to prioritize your mental health, and don’t let friends or family make you feel bad about setting boundaries.”
CHAPTER 2
RAFFERTY
I openedmy favorite porn site on my phone’s web browser. The clinic provided “inspirational materials” in discreet drawers under a decent-sized TV, and their selection did include gay porn, but the magazines and DVDs were, shall we say, well-used. Don’t get me wrong, they appeared clean to the casual eye, and I was certain the clinic’s human clients didn’t notice anything wrong with them. But my nose could tell exactly how many men had handled the items with less-than-clean hands. This was my sixth visit, and I hadn’t bothered opening those drawers after the first time.
You were allowed to bring a partner in to “help” you, but I hadn’t had a partner for over a decade now. The cute clerk at the bookstore came to mind. Too bad I'd felt weird about trying to get to know him until after I was done with this little task. The flowers on the counter at the bookstore had prevented me from catching his scent. With as compatible as our magics were, I had no doubt my wolf would’ve loved to pretend to roll around in the adorable clerk’s scent. I tried visualizing him for stimulation anyway, but my wolf was anxious for some reason, and I couldn’t concentrate.
In the hallway I heard the nurse who’d escorted me in here walk another client to the room next to mine. Well, this would either be distracting or exactly the “inspirational material” I needed. The walls were thick enough that humans wouldn’t be able to hear what their neighbors were doing, but wolf shifters could hear everything.
And smell everything. The client’s scent wafted under the door, and I inhaled to get more of it. He smelled like honey and spice, like pine needles crushed underfoot in a forest, like sun-warmed stone. He smelled like compatibility.
My dick started to get hard.
What were the odds? Two men I was compatible with in one week? First the guy at the bookstore. I'd never had my magic reach for anyone so strongly. And now this guy, who was apparently trying to have a baby with someone else.
I looked down at the collection jar waiting for my donation. Maybe he was here for a friend, like I was.
After I was done here, I'd been planning on returning to the bookstore to get the clerk’s scent and ask him out for coffee. But now there was someone else. I’d gone decades without encountering anyone I resonated with. What the fuck would I do with two? My wolf was doing a happy dance. He didn’t care about complications.
The nurse was showing the guy the drawers of porn and the sink for cleaning up. “Don’t use any lubricant or saliva. When you’re done, leave the collection cup on the counter. You've already signed all of the forms we need, so just head to your right and follow the exit signs.” He shut the door to the man’s room behindhim as he left, walking past my room to get back to the front office.
I waited, dick in hand, for the man to unzip or pull down his clothes, but instead there was silence. Then a whispered, “Fuck.” His tone sounded... defeated?
After another moment he heaved a huge sigh, and I finally heard the rustle of fabric. I gave myself a preparatory stroke, trying to spread what little precum I’d generated to ease the way. Quiet from next door. My dick began to lose what little hardness it’d gained. What was the guy waiting for?
The sounds of stifled sobs began. What the fuck? Who cries when they're donating sperm? Did he have horrible performance anxiety?
