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Theodore opened the door and promptly smacked into Royce.
“Jeesh, couldn’t you tell I was inside?” Theodore’s complaints died in his throat as he looked up, then he instinctively curled into himself. Royce’s eyes were solid gold, his nostrils flared as he panted, his mouth hanging open. He looked like a rabid raccoon.
“Theo,” he rasped. “Did you …” He inhaled violently as he looked at the shower with murderous intent.
“Oh no, you could smell that?” Horror struck Theodore, and for a moment, the brain haze vanished. He wanted to crawl into a hole and die.
“My mate is going into heat, of course I could smell that.”
“Maybe I should go.”
Theodore went to sneak by Royce. His arm shot out, blocking him in.
“Please,” he rasped. The hand gripping the doorjamb flexed and a cracking splinter rang in Theodore’s ears. “Don’t hurt me.”
Theodore’s whimper snapped Royce into focus. He removed his arm instantly and took a step back.
“Don’t leave,” Royce pleaded. “If you leave, it will only make it worse for me. But I won’t—I wouldn’t hurt you, Theo. Hurting you is the last thing I’d—I can’t even fathom you in pain.”
“But we don’t have a mate bond. You can’t feel what I’m feeling.”
“It doesn’t matter if we’ve formed the bond or not, I still don’t want you hurting,” Royce said. “I know your scent. I know your face. I know you care about your patients, and doing what’s right no matter the repercussions to yourself. I know you’re strong and brave, yet lonely. I know you’re mine.”
Theodore gazed into the liquid gold glowing out from Royce’s face. He missed the storm gray, yet there was something about the gold; it was warm. And knowing its brilliant shimmer was glowing in an alpha’s eyes just for Theodore, it made something inside him all fuzzy and melty.
In the past when he’d witnessed an omega turn to a docile pile of mush for an alpha, Theodore had scoffed and rolled his eyes. He vowed that would never be him. But now Royce was here, smelling like oranges, storms, and raw alpha musk, and he’d been so attentive and kind. Kind and genuine, more so than any alpha Theodore had ever known. It was overwhelming, to say the least.
“Royce.” Theodore licked his lips. He got the urge to climb him like a tree and dry hump Royce’s leg. “I-I was going to make pancakes. Do you like pancakes?”
Royce gave a stiff nod.
“Do you want to help?”
He nodded again.
“Why don’t I start while you clean up?”
After some more staring and awkward shuffling, Royce shut himself in the bathroom. Theodore tried to focus on the pancakes, locating the applesauce, flour, sugar … He kept getting turned around and forgetting what he’d already placed on the counter. Was it hot in the cabin? He flapped his shirt to make a breeze. Why did his body feel like it was on fire?
When at last Royce reappeared, Theodore about jumped out of his skin. Royce grabbed him to keep him from toppling over. Unbidden, Theodore leaned into Royce’s chest and sniffed. Royce’s hands flexed on his biceps.
“Nutmeg.”
“Wha—?” Theodore couldn’t form whole words, slick was leaking out of him at an uncomfortable rate, and he had the oddest sensation that he could feel the vibration of his every molecule.
“Nutmeg. Pancakes. Nutmeg is good in them. Cinnamon too.”
“Oh.”
“Especially … applesauce pancakes.”
Theodore whimpered. He couldn’t believe these sounds were coming from his body, yet here he was. Not only whimpering, he was noticeably leaning into Royce, as in full-body pressing every hard edge of the alpha into his own small, soft omega body. And oh boy, was Royce hard.
Emboldened by the combination of stupidity and hormones, Theodore straddled Royce’s forward leg. Rocking his hips, he ground against the alpha. A torrent of slick made Theodore’s briefs wet and his skin slippery. He gripped the front of Royce’s shirt and did it again.
Theodore tilted his head upward, reaching on the tips of his toes. He was too short to reach, so he brushed his lips against Royce’s throat. The reaction was instantaneous.
Royce growled, his grip on Theodore became biting. His body jerked and twitched, and the scent of alpha musk intensified. Had Royce just cum in his pants?
