Chapter 23 The Pack Will （Not?） Kill You #2
Joe turned back to Ottis, ruffling his hair. “So, you’re not coming back for now?”
Ottis scowled. “I’m staying away from my brothers. Other people have helicopter parents. I have helicopter brothers.” He made a disgusted sound.
“Yeah, we love you too,” one of the alphas said.
Ottis hugged his dads and pack. There was a movement at the corner of Doc’s eye.
Joe came up to him, reaching up to clap him on the shoulder. His crow’s feet deepened when he smiled. “Thanks for taking care of Ottis. We’ve been worried about him for a while.”
Ottis whined. “Dad!”
“It’s true,” Crush said dryly. “You have a terrible dating history.”
“Hopefully it’ll be less terrible now,” Doc said. “I’m building him a nest.”
Ottis’ parents lit up. The pack murmured with approval, smiles all around. Doc stood straighter.
Mischief flashed through Joe’s face. “Do you need some pregnancy tips?” he asked Ottis. “You’ll have to mate three times a day to keep your hormone levels balanced, and to keep things tightened up to stop the fluids from gushing—”
Ottis turned bright red, yanking himself away from his alpha dad. “Oh gods, no. I don’t need tips!”
“Speaking of tips,” Ashton said with a grin that matched his omega’s. “Keep them moist and polished. Dry tips can cause discomfort—”
Ottis wailed and barreled into Doc. “Please take me away. Oh gods.”
“But there’s still so much more that you don’t know,” Joe said innocently. “Exercise is very important in all three trimesters. You should keep your muscles well-stretched.”
Ottis scrambled up Doc’s chest and wrapped his legs around Doc’s waist; Doc had to hold Marcie away so Ottis didn’t crash into her. “Great stallion, take us away. Please.”
“Oh, the horse puns,” Ashton said sagely. “If you’re dealing with anything horse-sized...”
“No horses,” Ottis bellowed.
Marcie roared next to him, kicking her legs excitedly. Ottis’ brothers snickered. Some of them looked disgusted.
Doc huffed and gave the pack a polite nod. “Thanks for meeting us. I promise to keep Ottis safe.”
“Take care of him,” Joe said.
With one arm around Marcie and the other around Ottis, Doc turned and headed back into the forest, toward the clearing they had landed in.
“Don’t be ashamed to use lube if you need it!” Joe called.
“I’m going to die from embarrassment,” Ottis moaned into Doc’s chest.
Doc chuckled. “They do have a point.”
“No! They do not! They’re just as bad as Hijinks.” Despite all his whining, Ottis was relaxed, fingers curled loosely into Doc’s shirt.
“They were pleased to see you again.”
Ottis sighed. “Yeah. I know. I love them. It’s just... kind of overwhelming sometimes. My brothers especially. They need omegas so they don’t all try to protect me.”
That answered Doc’s unasked question—whether Ottis would want to move back to live with his pack. He set Ottis on his feet so he could pull him into a hug.
“What you said earlier...” Ottis trailed off.
“You’ll have to be more specific. What did I say?”
“About you being pack.” Ottis looked up. “Did you really mean it?”
“Yes.” Doc hadn’t considered it before, a dragon joining a wolf pack.
But after seeing the way the pack had welcomed Ottis, seeing the way they were all so at ease with each other, it felt like having a second family.
Doc didn’t have that, not quite. His own brothers were scattered all over the world, and even though he had friends he trusted to have his back on rescue missions, none of those friendships were as gently warm as Ottis’ pack bonds.
This felt like... the little village he had left once upon a time, the one he had fought the kraken for.
“Would they... want me in their pack?” Doc asked uncertainly.
“Yes,” Ottis said firmly. “Mates are—”
He stopped and turned red. He was adorable; Doc wanted to scoop him up and kiss him. “Mates are...?”
“If we’re mates, they would welcome you.”
Doc swallowed. He didn’t want to push Ottis into a decision. The possibility of them becoming mates... That had to be enough for now. “Okay. I understand.”
He cradled Ottis’ jaw, tipping up his face to press a masked kiss to his lips. Ottis grinned.
“Home?” Doc asked hopefully.
“Home,” Ottis agreed. Both their hearts skipped.
Doc handed Marcie over. He pulled off his clothes so he could shift, saving his mask for last.
Maybe it was their new closeness. He took off the mask while Ottis still had his gaze averted, holding himself as still as a statue.
Ottis glanced up at the lack of movement. Scarcely had his eyes widened—he was looking at Doc’s throat, realizing that the mask was off—when Doc shifted into a dragon.
His heart thundered. That was the closest he had come to letting an omega see his face.
He hadn’t done that in nearly two centuries.
“Ready to fly?” Doc said, clearing his throat. He gathered his clothes off the ground and tucked them into Marcie’s blanket.
“Y-yeah,” Ottis croaked. He was pliant when Doc scooped him into his arms, molding himself easily against the shape of Doc’s chest. “Mmm. So warm.”
Then Doc took to the sky, and Ottis was back to quietly whimpering.