Chapter 25 Oops #2
If Titan could use his arms, he would be installing little shelves around the nest so Mathlin could store a variety of things within reach. He wanted to fill the nest with amazing things, like Mathlin’s favorite food, books, and maybe some stuffed toys.
Do I save my money for the pup’s future needs, or spend it on gifts for Mathlin now?
It was a surprisingly difficult decision. If Mathlin didn’t want to stick around, then there wasn’t much point in Titan saving for the future.
More importantly, Mathlin was pregnant with his pup.
Before he could work himself into another panic, someone knocked on the open bedroom door.
Titan turned to find Mathlin watching him, his face pink.
“So I know Uriel warded all the pack homes when there was that threat against Crush’s omega,” Mathlin began, fidgeting. “But I thought... maybe you wouldn’t mind if I added some boundary defense spells to your cabin? They won’t be very strong, but... it’s something.”
Titan’s heart swelled. “You want to?”
Mathlin nodded firmly.
“I would be honored, sweetheart.”
Mathlin turned pinker. “I’ll work on that right now.” He ducked his head and slipped away; Titan stepped back into his shoes and trailed after his omega, eager to see his abilities.
He’s not mine, he tried to tell himself. Mathlin hasn’t agreed.
Mine, his wolf said.
Titan swallowed, watching as Mathlin strapped Jannie to his chest. Jannie looked over Mathlin’s shoulder at Titan; Titan reached out.
The little girl grasped his finger, brought it to her mouth, and chewed on it.
“Ow,” Titan said, but he didn’t pull his hand away.
“Jannie!” Mathlin yelped.
“It’s fine. She can chew on my finger however much she wants.”
“If you say so,” Mathlin said uncertainly. “Her teeth can be sharp.”
“I know, and I don’t mind.”
“Oh.” Mathlin’s smile brightened his whole face.
Jannie kicked her legs and gnawed on Titan’s finger. Just like a pup, really.
Led by his finger, Titan followed Mathlin around the cabin, watching as the omega collected a few pieces of chalk.
On the front porch, Mathlin frowned up at the door. “I want to write a spell above the door, but the lintel is way up there and I can’t reach it.”
“Oooh! Me, me! You can step on me!” Hamilton said from inside the cabin.
Titan growled.
Hamilton snickered.
“I’m taller,” Titan grumbled, sinking down on one knee in front of Mathlin.
Mathlin breathed in sharply. “Wow, this is like a proposal.”
Titan froze.
Mathlin froze too.
Inwardly, Titan wished he could propose. He badly wanted to. Just not right now.
Mathlin squeaked and hid his face in his hands. “I didn’t say that! Pretend I said something else! Like you’re a good guy about to be knighted by my sword. I... I don’t mean the one in my pants. Oh gods. I’m sure there’s porn of people being ‘knighted’ with ‘swords’ and splashed with ‘holy water’.”
Titan coughed. “I’m just kneeling because you can’t climb onto my shoulders otherwise.”
“Actually, I can climb you like a tree,” Mathlin said. “I’m a cat, remember?”
“Oh,” Titan said sheepishly.
Mathlin grasped Titan’s shoulder. In a single graceful movement, he had scaled Titan, sitting on Titan’s shoulders with his thighs pressed on either side of Titan’s neck.
“At least I’m not sitting with my crotch in your face,” Mathlin said. “That would be awkward.”
“I’m not opposed, really,” Titan said. “In fact, I might prefer it that way.”
Mathlin made a quiet, choking sound.
“Quit flirting where everyone can hear you!” someone yelled. “It’s going to rot our fangs!”
“Sink your fangs into someone and they’ll stay intact,” Titan yelled back.
Mathlin giggled. “Is it bad that I find that funny?”
Titan grinned, his wolf rumbling with pride. We made him laugh. “It’s not so bad if they bite someone who wants to be bitten.”
Mathlin made a soft, considering noise. “I like being bitten.”
Titan’s thoughts splashed into the gutter. He coughed. “I’ll remember that.”
Mathlin purred. Then he froze. “Crap, I was supposed to write a spell. Forward, great steed!”
“I’m a steed now, huh?” Titan brought Mathlin close to the doorway so he could scribble something above the doorframe.
“You’re kind of hung like one,” Mathlin said, and coughed. “Fuck.”
“You’re saying ‘Fuck’ in front of Jannie?” Titan teased.
“I’m trying not to! The words just fall out of me,” Mathlin said miserably.
“I’m sure you’ll be fine,” Titan said, trying to reassure him. “Words don’t matter so much as the intent behind them. If she’s not using them to hurt others, I think you’d be doing alright.”
Mathlin perked up, his thighs squeezing around Titan’s neck. “Okay.”
With his piece of chalk, Mathlin wrote a spell carefully above the doorway. Then he pressed his hands to the wall and closed his eyes. Magic prickled in the air. The runes glowed faintly, before sinking into the wood.
“That’s a spell to keep out people with bad intentions,” Mathlin said.
“That’s amazing,” Titan said sincerely.
Mathlin grinned. “You think so?”
“You’re amazing.”
Impossibly, Mathlin’s smile grew even brighter. Titan’s heart could’ve burst.
“Next spot,” Mathlin said, pointing at the window.
Slowly, Titan carried Mathlin around the cabin, so Mathlin could scribble spells on the eaves and above the windows. When he was done, Mathlin scrambled off Titan easily, without even needing a hand.
“So... it’s warded?” Titan murmured.
Mathlin nodded. “Your cabin is safer now.”
Titan wanted it to be our cabin, but maybe it was still too early to mention it. “I was wondering,” he said instead. “What do omegas like to have in their nests?”
Mathlin perked up. “All their favorite things! Like snacks, books and blankets!”
Those were manageable. He wasn’t asking for diamond rings and jewelry. Titan breathed a sigh of relief.
“Don’t forget the pickup lines,” Hamilton said helpfully.
“No,” said Titan and Mathlin at the same time.
Hamilton cackled. “You didn’t forget, did you? You said you would pay me in the form of pickup lines. I want to hear you reading them.”
“Oh, hell,” Titan groaned.
Hamilton’s eyes gleamed. “Also, don’t forget about the magical healing cock.”
“That’s not real,” Mathlin said doubtfully. “I mean, it’s just a thing that happens in books.”
“But have you personally tried it?” Hamilton asked.
“Well... no,” Mathlin mumbled.
“So you can’t say it doesn’t work!” Hamilton crowed, flouncing away.
Titan chewed his lip. “I won’t say no to trying. There’s a ton of things I need my arms for.”
Mathlin blushed bright red. “Fine, we’ll try it.”