Chapter 12 Secrets
SECRETS
Doc stepped in front of Ottis. Ottis nearly crashed into his back, twisting to protect Marcie from the collision.
But instead of taking up a fighting stance, Doc sighed. “Zenith?”
“I recognized the address,” said the voice. “This is convenient.”
Ottis peeked out from behind Doc.
A huge alpha stood in a doorway, roughly Doc’s size. He looked younger, with an easy smile and a pencil tucked behind his ear.
“What’re you doing here?” Doc muttered.
“This is my writing retreat,” Zenith said. “I remove all distractions so I can focus on getting work done. Unfortunately, you have given me an excellent reason to procrastinate.”
Doc rolled his eyes. “Get back into your writing cave.”
“Nope. I need some inspiration.” Zenith grabbed a notebook and shut the door behind himself, gesturing for Doc to keep moving. He eyed Ottis curiously but said nothing, falling into step behind them.
“You trust him?” Ottis whispered.
“He’s Ace and Raptor’s brother. He’s also on the alpha chat. Apparently everyone is starving for gossip today,” Doc said dryly.
“Oh! That’s right,” Zenith said. “Your mystery mate. How did you two meet?”
Ottis blushed.
“I kidnapped him,” Doc said.
Ottis’ jaw dropped. Was he really telling his friends...?
Zenith sucked in a sharp breath. But instead of accusing Doc of anything, pages rustled, a pencil scratched. When Ottis looked over his shoulder, he found Zenith scribbling in his notebook.
Ottis whipped his head back around, confused. Only to find Doc grinning.
“You’re going to make kidnapping your next romance plot, Zen?” Doc asked.
“Sounds pretty good right now,” Zenith said distractedly. “I hit a writer’s block on this enemies-to-lovers thing. Not my usual cup of tea, but I was paid to write it.”
“Your employer must have a lot of money,” Ottis blurted. Didn’t books take forever to write?
“Well, it’s your b—” Zenith blinked, and snapped his mouth shut. “Hmm. I said nothing.”
Ottis’ b...?
Ottis didn’t have any money. And he didn’t have a lot of things starting with B. Book? Baby? Birthday? Brother?
Crush did have a lot of money, and so did Vigil and some of Ottis’ other brothers.
Hmm. Had someone commissioned Zenith to write a book for them?
One of Ottis’ brothers?
But none of them read romance books, especially the enemies-to-lovers trope.
Still puzzling over this, Ottis followed Doc, who kept moving down the hallway. Doc stopped at the last door and knocked quietly. “It’s me.”
“You brought friends,” said a voice inside. The door opened.
Bruiser peered out at them, taking in Ottis, Marcie, and Zenith. Marcie had shifted back to her human shape. “This is a crowd. Is that your—Wait. Isn’t he the omega who went missing?”
“I was never missing,” Ottis grumbled. “My brothers couldn’t find me and declared me missing.”
Doc laughed and slipped his arm around Ottis’ waist, pulling him close. Zenith continued to scribble in his notebook.
Bruiser sighed. “C’mon, get in here.”
Doc handed him the bagged phone. “I haven’t decontaminated it. Wasn’t sure if it’s necessary, but since its owner is a tree person, I didn’t want to risk spreading around any unidentified pollen.”
Bruiser nodded, bringing the phone into the sparsely furnished living room. “That’s fine. I’ll handle it.”
Doc led Ottis to the couch, pulling both Ottis and Marcie onto his lap. Then he wrapped his strong arms around Ottis’ waist, coaxing him to lie back.
For the first time in what felt like hours, Ottis relaxed. He breathed out his nerves from the parking lot, the worry that someone had followed them here. He set aside the memory of Doc narrowly escaping the spiky tree branches, and the slimy feeling of someone wanting to steal his baby.
“You’re safe,” Doc murmured in his ear. “You were safe the moment I got you out of there. I would rather calm you down back at my lair, but we’re safe here, too.”
“Is this a safehouse?” Ottis blurted.
“More like an all-purpose disposable HQ. Somewhere to bring questionable things, away from prying eyes.”
“You don’t have enough chairs in here for a HQ,” Ottis said. “There’s a ton of alphas on your chat.”
Doc laughed. “No, we don’t usually all show up. That’s difficult to coordinate, with everyone’s schedules.”
He ran his hands over Ottis’ body, over his hips and thighs.
He rubbed Ottis’ forearms where they were folded around Marcie, then his upper arms too.
Doc brushed his fingers through Ottis’ hair, tucking his nose against the crook of Ottis’ neck.
With every touch, he left more of his smoky scent all over Ottis, claiming him.
Without meaning to, Ottis began to purr.
Doc rumbled. “Feels good?”
“Yeah,” Ottis whispered, his limbs going loose. “So much better.”
Doc massaged Ottis’ scalp and nibbled on the crook of Ottis’ neck, reminding him of the plug that was still inside. Holding in the other evidence of Doc’s claim.
Before Ottis could get distracted by Doc’s touch, the alpha scooped him and Marcie into his arms, carrying them to the kitchen. He sat Ottis on the counter and opened the fridge. “Drinks? There’s milk, juice, wine, soda...”
“Grape soda?” Ottis asked hopefully.
“You’re in luck.” Doc fished out a can from the fridge, popped it, and stuck a straw in.
When he held it out, Ottis didn’t immediately accept the can. Instead, he opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue, trying to catch the straw with it.
Doc made a choked sound.
“Hmm?” Still with his tongue out, Ottis looked up. He found the alpha staring at him.
The straw eluded his capture, though. Ottis leaned in and wrapped his tongue around the straw, trying futilely to guide it into his mouth.
Doc breathed out sharply. “Your fucking tongue.”
Ottis perked up. “You like it?”
Two coughs broke out in different parts of the apartment.
“Don’t fuck in the kitchen!” Bruiser snapped.
“We’re not fucking,” Ottis said, rolling his eyes. “Stop assuming things!”
But he finally managed to capture the straw, closing his mouth around it with a sound of triumph.
The first suck drew cold, fizzy soda into his mouth. Ottis sucked again, glancing up at Doc.
Doc hadn’t looked away. Or rather, he hadn’t looked away from Ottis’ mouth.
“Want some? It tastes good,” Ottis said, releasing the straw. He nudged at it with his tongue; Doc made another strangled sound.
The alpha didn’t attempt to share his soda. So Ottis chased the straw again, with his mouth open and his tongue out, finally sucking it back between his lips. Then he hollowed his cheeks for another hit.
“Fuck,” Doc growled.
Was he...?
Marcie reached out and smacked the can with her little hand, shattering the moment.
Doc and Ottis jerked, remembering her existence. Ottis cringed. “I can’t believe I forgot about Marcie for two seconds.”
“More like thirty seconds,” Doc said, clearing his throat. He adjusted his shirt collar and looked away, his neck decidedly pink. “Anyway, I should—”
Marcie tried to grab the soda can again. Doc pulled it out of her reach, except she scrunched up her face and made an unhappy sound.
“Aww shucks,” Doc murmured, his demeanor going soft. He tapped the cold can against Marcie’s fingers. “There. Don’t regret it, lil spitfire.”
Marcie cheered up and grabbed the can. Then she shuddered and sneezed, a spark of flame shooting out of her mouth.
Ottis yelped. “Marcie!”
“It’s the cold,” Doc said, setting the soda can aside. He caught Marcie’s hands and flattened them against his wrist, rubbing her fingers gently. “I’m warming up her hands. Dragonets breathe fire when they encounter cold things, to balance out the temperatures around them.”
How much more was there to learn? Ottis swallowed. “That’s... Okay. I just... can’t believe she’s a dragon. It’s been eight months. Eight months of me being her dad, and I... I didn’t know until now.”
Doc leaned in, nuzzling Ottis’ forehead. The medical masks rustled against his skin. “It’s okay. It happens. This doesn’t mean you were negligent. You’ve been a great dad.”
“Really?” Ottis mumbled.
“She’s a happy child. You’ve been taking care of her. You’re trying your best, sweetheart, and that’s something I respect.”
Relief filled Ottis’ chest; he hadn’t known that he’d needed to hear those words until now. “Th-thanks.”
“I’ll be happy to say that again, as often as you need.” Doc’s gaze was warm as he looked from Marcie to Ottis. “If you’d like, we could see if she wants to shift again, when we get back to my lair. I would offer to do it here, but this place is too small for my shift.”
Ottis nodded gratefully. “Please.”
“Anytime.”
Doc’s gaze lingered on Ottis, fond and bright.
No alpha had looked at Ottis with affection like that, after he’d started limping.
Sometimes, alphas thought there was something wrong with him just because he couldn’t walk like everyone else did.
And here Doc was, treating Ottis like a regular person.
“You’re beautiful, you know that?” Doc murmured, his voice barely audible. “Strong and capable. The perfect omega.”
Warmth crept through Ottis’ entire body. Doc released Marcie’s hands to cradle Ottis’ cheek, brushing his thumb over Ottis’ lower lip. Tingles raced across his skin; Ottis’ breath hitched.
Doc’s gaze was so intent, so unwavering, that Ottis dared to wonder: What if he wants to kiss me?
Then Doc leaned closer, and Ottis’ heart thundered.
“Who’s shifting?” Bruiser asked, stepping through the kitchen doorway.
Doc and Ottis jumped.
“What dragonet?” Bruiser added, like he had no idea what he’d just interrupted.
Ottis could’ve kicked him. Maybe he even understood why Uriel hated Bruiser so much.
Doc sighed. He exchanged a look with Ottis, then glanced at Marcie. “Your call,” he said to Ottis. “This place is soundproofed.”
“Would’ve been nice to know before I blabbed earlier,” Ottis grumbled, but he wasn’t surprised. Doc had been looking out for him ever since they’d met.