Chapter 11 Danger
DANGER
Ottis’ heart pounded. He knew he had to keep moving. He knew he had to keep Marcie safe.
But he also couldn’t help worrying about Doc.
He strained his ears for signs of life. None in the cars ahead.
So he ducked behind the nearest SUV, listening for the nearest threats.
Some cars away, Doc straightened to his full height. “What do you want?”
His voice had gone cold and hard, dangerous in a way that Ottis had never heard before. It was a voice that said he wouldn’t hesitate to use his fists, and hurt people if he had to.
Ottis’ mouth went dry. This was totally the wrong time to be turned on.
“Nothing, man. Just wanted to check out that kid,” the stranger said. His voice was oily and it sounded all kinds of wrong.
Doc’s answering growl was so low and threatening that Ottis’ insides jolted.
“What do you want with the baby?” Doc asked, taking a step forward.
When Ottis moved a little, he managed to see the man through a few clear windows. The man was shrugging and holding up his hands like he was trying to pacify Doc, but something about his face... It was an act.
From the way Doc snorted, he knew it too.
“Look, pal,” Doc said. “I’m going to give you one chance to walk away right now, and take your harassment with you. We’ll all get to go home happy. Sounds good?”
“No,” the man said, his face twisting. “Hand it over.”
“Why should I?”
“Kid like that, makes fire, worth fifty grand,” the man hissed.
“Oh? Who’s paying?” Doc asked, sounding very calm.
“I’m not telling unless you give me the baby. We’ll split it, 50-50.”
Ottis felt sick. Doc didn’t seem to feel the same way. Or at least, he didn’t react the same way.
The alpha took another step closer, towering over the man. “Who’s paying?”
And his hand shot out, grabbing the man around the throat.
“I’m not asking twice,” Doc growled, lifting the man off his feet. “Where would I find these buyers?”
“I’m not telling you!” The man’s throat bulged. He lashed out, suddenly, his hand growing long and thin, skin turning dark as his fingers stretched into the branches of a tree, shooting dangerous spikes at Doc’s eyes.
Doc swore and flung him aside, leaping away before the spikes could connect.
Instead of lunging after Doc, the man began scanning the parking lot.
For Marcie, Ottis realized.
His heart hammering, Ottis kept as still as he could—because movement was easier to spot.
But the man didn’t give up. He reached up with his tree branch hand and stretched his twig fingers thinner, until they swayed like tendrils tasting the air.
The man snapped his head in Ottis’ direction.
Fuck!
Before Ottis could move, Doc grabbed the man and punched him in the face. His next punch knocked the man out cold.
“Sweetheart,” Doc growled. “Get in the car. Ride shotgun.”
He fished out his key and unlocked the car. Ottis scrambled, half-expecting the man to get up and attack Doc again.
He threw himself and Marcie into the front passenger seat just as Doc jogged over.
“Open up a bag from the glove box,” Doc said.
Ottis popped open the glove box and grabbed a resealable bag. The next thing he knew, Doc was sliding behind the wheel, thrusting a phone at him.
“Don’t touch it. Straight into the bag.”
The phone went into the bag, and Ottis zipped it up. Doc grabbed a bottle of hand sanitizer and squirted it all over his hands. Then he started the car.
With a screech of tires, they tore out of the parking lot, leaving the man lying on the asphalt.
“Jinks,” Doc said as though Hijinks was in the car with them. “Ottis and I are leaving first. I’ll get a friend to pick you up.”
Ottis stared at Doc’s large hands on the steering wheel. “Do you need help with that?”
“It’ll be nice if you could, yes,” Doc said, cocking his hip. “Grab my phone.”
Ottis got his hand on Doc’s jeans pocket just as Doc took a sharp right turn. The momentum threw Ottis sideways, his hand sliding from the phone straight onto Doc’s bulge.
“Um,” he said.
“That was not intentional,” Doc answered, but there was a smile in his voice. “Phone, please. The code to unlock it is 8950.”
Ottis wriggled the phone out of Doc’s tight jeans, valiantly not looking at his muscular thighs. “Don’t your balls get squished when you wear pants this tight? Does it kill your swimmers? Or does it make your cum more concentrated?”
There was a brief silence. Ottis only realized then, too late, how terrible his mouth was. “I did not just say that in the middle of a big escape!”
“It’s fine. There doesn’t seem to be anyone following us.”
“Good.”
“Well, there’s no one on our tail right now,” Doc said. “But I can’t promise that the guy’s phone isn’t being tracked.”
“Ugh!” Ottis almost flung it away.
“It might be best if you’re in the backseat for the rest of this ride. Here, I’ll pull over.”
The car stopped. Ottis wriggled through the space between the front seats, awkwardly cradling Marcie in his arms. While he did that, Doc squirted hand sanitizer all over his car key, steering wheel, and door handle.
“Okay, I’m buckled in,” Ottis said.
“Good. Now, unlock my phone. 8950,” Doc said with an air of command. Ottis snapped to attention.
He hurriedly unlocked the phone, looking for the messaging app that they all used. “Alpha chat?”
“Alpha chat,” Doc confirmed. “I need someone to pick up Hijinks, along with the things we bought. I also need someone to hack into this phone.”
“Got it.”
Ottis almost revealed his identity in the chat, but at the last moment, he decided not to.
Doc
Hi, I need help. 1) Hack into a phone, 2) Pick up my butler and a cart of stuff we just bought
Crush
?? Doc? We’re literally still at the store? You could’ve asked us. What happened?
“Oh,” Ottis said. “Crush is still at the store. He wants to know what happened.”
“Oh,” Doc said like he had forgotten it as well. “You may as well tell him. But his family is there; I don’t want him more involved than picking up Hijinks. Warn him about the guy.”
The memory of those spear-like branches stood out in Ottis’ mind. He shuddered. “Okay.”
Doc
Some guy attacked us in the parking lot, on the hunt for special babies. I knocked him out and took his phone. 6ft something. Wearing a ratty blue hoodie. Looks evil. His hands turn into tree branches. Stay away from him
Ace
“Looks evil”?? This is the first time you’ve described anyone as evil, Doc
Raptor
More importantly, “us”?? You and Hijinks, or you and someone else? Why was he attacking you if he wanted a baby? You don’t have a baby
Telos
(eyes emoji)
Duke
(eyes emoji)
Titan
(eyes emoji)
Crush
Ha, I know something y’all don’t
Yaeger
What’s this I hear?? Doc has some new secrets???
Crush
It’s not Doc at his phone, is it? (smirking emoji)
Telos
WHAT
Crush
We’re picking up Hijinks. Guy in the parking lot is gone, FYI. He wasn’t there when I scoped out the place
Telos
NO wait Crush tell us more
!!!!!!
Crush
I’m too busy, sorry
Telos
I can’t with all these secrets, they’re killing me
Ace
Tell us, tell us
Raptor
Tell us, tell us
Doc
We still need someone to hack the phone. There might be kidnapper info on there
Yaeger
“We”?? You and your mate, Doc??
Ottis turned to Doc. “Your friends have figured out that you have someone with you, and they’re suspecting a mate.”
Doc scrunched up his forehead. “That couldn’t have been more than two minutes. Did you tell them?”
“Crush kind of did, he was being an ass. I’ll punch him the next time I see him.”
“Hmm,” Doc said. “But no one has made the connection between you being missing, and me... having a mate?”
“Doesn’t seem like it.”
“Hmm,” Doc said again.
“Anyway, Crush is picking up Hijinks.”
“Tell him thanks.”
More messages popped up in the chat, but none of them were relevant. Ottis stared. “No one wants to hack the phone. They want gossip.”
Doc sighed. “That figures.”
His phone buzzed.
Bruiser
I’ll hack the phone.
Doc
Thank you. When will you be available to do it?
Bruiser
Now’s fine.
Ottis kicked his legs excitedly. “Bruiser says he’ll hack it now.”
“Great.” Doc huffed, relaxing slightly. “So, are you up for some gossip?”
They exchanged a look.
“Straight from the horse’s mouth?” Ottis asked.
“Uriel calls him a gecko.”
“That’s amazing.”
“No kidding. Every time he does it, Bruiser just about pops a vein. It’s hilarious.”
“I gotta see this,” Ottis whispered. “I’m gonna ask Uriel to call him a gecko, and then I’m going to take a picture of his face.”
“How did you get so close to Uriel? He hasn’t lived in Cartfalls for very long.”
“I got to know him through the other omegas, actually. We have a group chat that includes him.”
Doc raised his eyebrows. “Huh. Just him and you guys?”
“Yup. But I can’t tell you why. Not my secret.”
Doc looked thoughtful. “I understand.”
“That’s really nice of you,” Ottis said.
“I deal with it all the time. Doctor-patient confidentiality.”
“You’re a great doctor.”
Doc’s eyes crinkled. “Ask Bruiser where he wants to meet.”
Bruiser gave them an address that had Doc driving through a shabbier part of town, to a five-story building that had seen better days. The building contained several tiny apartments. As they made their way down the dingy fifth-floor hallway, a door opened.
“Oh good,” said someone who wasn’t Bruiser. “I timed it right.”
Only then did Ottis remember—anyone could be tracking the baby-seller’s phone.
Had its owner found them?