Dom walked around the bed.
Linc held up his arm.“Nope, don’t sit there.Mind his arm.You can sit over here.”
A few seconds later, I had Dom on the bed with me, and Linc had gone out to find me tea.Dom brushed my hand away whenever I tried to pull his sleeves up and get a look at him.
“Look at you being all tenacious, Little Red.”
“I just want to see what they did to you.”
He caught my wrist and sighed.“Marcus, stop.It’s okay.It’s scratches.They’ll be completely gone in a few days.Benefits of being a werewolf.Hey, can you stop the cute pouting and listen to me for a second?”
“I’m not pouting.”
He chuckled.“Sure.Whatever you say, Little Red.Too bad though.Your pout is adorable.”
“Oh, shut your mouth.”
He leaned forward.“Really?”
I shrugged.“Whatever.”I looked him over, trying to figure out if he was really okay.His skin was chalky, and while he seemed in a good mood, his back wasn’t quite as straight and his eyes weren’t quite as bright as normal.He looked tired.“What did you want to say?”
He sighed.“I wanted to apologize.When we told you you were pregnant, I obviously wasn’t thinking straight and I was saying really offensive stuff.Or…what I said wasn’t offensive, but it wasn’t the right order of doing things.I should’ve said that—” He cleared his throat.“Linc and I had talking points, just so you know.I don’t remember what they were now, but I should’ve said that I’m going to be with you, whatever you decide to do.I loved you first.I’ll always love you first.”His eyes turned skyward as he thought.“Not chronologically speaking, obviously.I mean, I love you first, and that you’re an omega who can have kids is something I love because it’s a part of you, but I care about you first.As a person.Oh!It’s like the tea snobbery.I love you, and the tea snobbery is okay, almost as cute as your pout even.That’s how I feel about the pregnancy too.I just got carried away.Don’t hold it against me, okay, Little Red?”
“I didn’t know you did speeches.”My voice was crackly, like static on an old-timey radio.
Dom shrugged.“Hidden talents.I’m also really good at geraniums.”
“I noticed.”
“I want to be good at you too.I’ll learn how.Starting right now.”He looked at my arm.“Bet that gets itchy.”
I laughed.“Are you kidding me right now?”
The door slid open, and Linc walked in holding a tray with several cups on it.
“Okay, so they had green tea, but I didn't like how that smelled, and they had a black tea that’s not like your oolong at all, and I also got you chai.Not sure what’s in that, but it smelled really fresh.There’s also some herbal tea in case you prefer that.”
Dom looked up.“Hey, are you good?Stupid question.”He got to his feet, moving slower than he normally did.He walked around Linc and hugged him from behind.“I told Marcus I’m sorry.I don’t think he hates me.You look like you think someone should hate you, but I don’t think anyone does.Marcus?”
I hated Steven, but I didn’t want to say his name, not then.“Nope, I’m good.”
Dom kissed Linc’s neck.“Hear that?Now, you figure out if our boy can stand any of those teas, and I’ll go get the nurses to tell me where the good coffee is at and bring one to you.That sound like a plan?”
Linc’s controlled expression unraveled, and while he didn’t cry, a wet sheen washed over his eyes.“You should be resting.”
“Yeah, but I’m getting you coffee first.Then I’ll beg Marcus to let me sleep in the bed with him.That sound like a plan?”
Linc nodded.I did too.I didn’t even want tea anymore.Dom next to me sounded a whole lot more appealing than the tea.
Dom kissed Linc’s neck again then walked toward the door and slid it open.
Linc looked at him over his shoulder.“Thank you, Dom.”
“It’s what family does.”Dom shrugged and closed the door behind him.
I sipped some of the tea, but I was getting so tired.I was asleep before Dom came back with Linc’s coffee, but in the middle of a pleasant dream, I felt something warm settle against my side, and I knew I was home.
36
