19. Olson’s Mysterious Illness

Olson disappeared toward late afternoon.

Rex had been patiently waiting for his omega to be done with office work, because Olson had asked not to be disturbed. But Olson had allowed Rex to text him; he’d even texted back each time.

Except Olson hadn’t replied for a while now.

Rex growled at his phone. Then he felt bad for growling because his phone still had that picture of him and Olson when he unlocked it.

When Emmy and Aaren wandered past, Rex threw his arm out to catch their attention. “Where Olson?”

Aaren tripped over his own feet. “I thought you knew?”

Rex scowled. “Office. But...” He shook his phone. “No more text.”

“Hmm.” Emmy seemed thoughtful. “C’mon, let’s go look. Maybe he’s still in there.”

The three of them made their way to the back of the Wine Shack, where Olson’s office door was closed. Emmy knocked lightly on the door. Then he opened it very quietly, and poked his head in.

Rex peeked over the top of Emmy’s head. His chest squeezed.

Olson had slumped over on his desk, his cheek flattened against some papers. He looked like he was sleeping.

“Not again!” Emmy whispered. “I thought he’d save the sleeping for when he’s got his butt in your bed.”

Rex frowned. “Again? Be... fore?”

“He used to stay up late and sleep on this couch instead of going home.” Emmy sighed and shook his head. “He was so lonely before he found you. Maybe you should wake him up.”

Olson, sleeping on that lumpy, cramped couch in the corner where he’d have to curl up to fit? Rex growled.

“Wait,” Aaren said, sniffing. He glanced at Emmy. “It smells sweet in here.”

Emmy lifted his nose and sniffed, too. Then his eyes grew wide.

They both looked at Rex.

Rex stared blankly back at them. Olson had been smelling sweeter for a while now. “Bad?”

Emmy shook his head, opening his mouth to answer.

Instead, Aaren clapped his chubby hand over Emmy’s face. “I think Olson should tell you himself.”

They looked at Olson again. Then Aaren took Emmy’s arm and led him out of the office.

Rex shut the door, gently scooping Olson off the desk.

Olson stirred in his arms. “Mmmph?”

“Olson sick?” Rex growled.

“Wha’s going on?” Olson mumbled.

Rex sat them both on the couch, Olson cradled in his lap. “No text,” Rex said, thinking back to how Emmy and Aaren had known something he didn’t. “Olson sleep. Why? Sick?”

Olson rubbed his eyes blearily. “I feel... so tired.” He leaned heavily into Rex’s shoulder, his eyelids drooping again. “Damn it. I... I have a shift, don’t I? What time is it?”

He couldn’t work like this. He looked like he’d fall over if Rex let him stand up.

“Go home,” Rex growled.

“But the bar...”

“Olson rest. Need rest.”

“But...”

Rex kissed him on the lips. He stood and lay Olson on the couch, scowling. “Sleep. I fix.”

Olson scowled back, but he didn’t attempt to stand. He was feeling really terrible, then. “What’re you going to do?”

“Fix.” Rex left the office and went to the kitchen, where he found Emmy and Aaren whispering between themselves. “Need.”

Emmy looked up, all bright eyed. “What do you need?”

Rex gestured to the space behind the bar. “Night. No Olson. Need.”

Aaren’s eyes lit up in understanding. “You want someone to replace Olson at the bar?”

Rex nodded.

“I think this counts as an emergency,” Emmy said. “We’ll find someone to take over for tonight.”

“Thank.” Rex breathed a bit easier.

“Are you gonna take Olson home?” Aaren frowned. “You can’t drive, right?”

Rex scowled. No, he couldn’t.

“I bring,” Rex said anyway. “Olson home.”

“You’re going to be okay?” Emmy asked worriedly. “Do you know the way home?”

Rex nodded. He’d sat with Olson through a lot of car rides by this point. He knew how to get home.

“Okay. But just in case, I’m gonna send some butt blessings with you.” Emmy produced some from his apron pocket and shoved them at Rex. Then he shoved some at Aaren, too. “And you need extra because you’re looking for an alpha.”

Aaren beamed and tucked the butt blessings carefully into his own pocket.

When Rex returned to the office, he found Olson sitting up on the couch, rubbing his eyes.

“Emmy fix,” Rex said. “Home now.”

Olson frowned. “You want me to go home now?”

Rex nodded. “Sleep.”

“But I’m fine,” Olson grumbled. “I can still work.”

Rex growled. “Olson sick.”

“No, I’m not sick.” Olson hesitated.

And he glanced down, pressing his hand over his belly.

When Olson looked up, he met Rex’s eyes. And still he did not take his hand off his belly.

It struck Rex like a thunderbolt. He forgot to breathe. He looked at Olson’s belly and back up, and Olson seemed the slightest bit... worried?

Why would Olson be worried?

Rex fought down the blooming joy in his chest, falling to his knees in front of his omega. “What... What wrong?”

“I don’t know what to do.” Olson sagged. “It’s a lot of responsibility, Rex. I’m in charge of the Wine Shack. And I’m already so tired right now. It’s going to pass, but... With both you and the baby, it’s going to be a lot for me to handle.”

Rex flinched. He knew he wasn’t like everyone else. He couldn’t talk properly. He needed so many things explained to him. He wasn’t good enough for Olson as he was. “Rex learn. Learn hard.”

Olson’s gaze softened. He leaned in and cupped Rex’s face gently. “I know. You’re trying your best.”

And maybe... Rex should’ve asked before he’d given Olson a baby. “Sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Olson said gently. “Neither of us knew I was going into heat.”

“Is fault.” Rex swallowed. “Rex want... I want... give baby. Mate Olson. Give baby.”

Olson sucked in a slow breath. “Why?”

“Olson want.” Rex placed his palm over Olson’s belly. “Olson want baby.”

Olson huffed, a small smile curving his lips. He leaned in and pressed their foreheads together, covering Rex’s hand with his own.

“Sorry,” Rex said again. “Rex not... I not... good alpha.”

“Why do you say that?” Olson frowned.

Because Jag would’ve asked if Olson wanted a baby before he gave him one. Jag would’ve known what to do.

“Olson... want Jag?” It hurt Rex to say it. But he wanted his omega to be happy. And that meant offering Olson the option to choose better alphas, alphas who could protect both him and the baby. “Jag more good. More strong. Or... Or...” He pulled out his phone. “Jag friend.”

Everything went blurry. Rex couldn’t see anymore. It hurt so much to think of Olson going to another alpha, Olson wanting another alpha instead of Rex.

“S-sorry,” he mumbled. His chest really hurt.

“Hey. Rex. Hey.” Olson cupped Rex’s face, tipping his head up. He rubbed his thumbs over Rex’s eyelids and brushed his tears away. “I’m not choosing another alpha.”

“But...”

“I don’t want another alpha. I want you to be my alpha, all right?” Olson said softly, looking into Rex’s eyes.

“But Olson... no bite.” Rex twitched his wrist.

Olson breathed in slowly. “Because I thought you might want a different omega when you’ve got a better understanding of everything. When you can go out into the world without depending so much on me.”

Rex shook his head rapidly. “No, no, no. No omega. Just Olson. Olson in dream. All dream. All night.”

“Oh, Rex.” Olson pulled Rex into a tight hug. “You dream of me all the time?”

Rex nodded. “Even... Even... be-fore. Be-fore here.”

Olson hugged him tighter. “I’m not choosing another alpha, either. Just you. Just you, Rex. Just... Don’t regret it if I give you a bonding mark, okay?”

He took Rex’s wrist, looking into his eyes. Rex couldn’t breathe.

Olson sniffed Rex’s wrist to find the spot that smelled most strongly of maplewood. He exchanged another look with Rex, and it felt heavy and full of meaning.

Then Olson opened his mouth and pressed the sharp points of his teeth to that sensitive skin, and bit down hard.

It hurt. But it also sent pleasure twisting down his spine. Rex groaned.

When Olson released his bite, droplets of blood welled up on Rex’s wrist. The bite would scab up, scar, and become a bonding mark.

Rex’s heart swelled. “Olsonnnnn.”

His vision was blurry again.

“Rex,” Olson said worriedly. “Are you okay? Did I upset you?”

Rex shook his head. “Happy. So happy.”

He pulled Olson into his arms, hugging him tight. Olson wheezed. “Too tight.”

Rex released him hurriedly. “Olson hurt?”

Olson shook his head. “I’m fine.” He cupped Rex’s face in his hands, giving him a warm smile. Then he kissed Rex, and it was soft and sweet, like everything he was. “I don’t want another alpha, okay?” Olson whispered. “I’ve spent half my life missing you. I’m not looking for anyone else.”

“Even... Even if... alpha more good?”

“Even then.” Olson tangled their fingers together. He pressed their hands against his belly, and Rex’s heart felt too big for his chest.

“Mine,” Rex growled. “Mine.”

Only then did Rex allow the worry to seep out of his body. Olson wanted him. Wanted Rex to be his alpha. All his instincts quivered with delight.

He looked down at Olson’s still-flat abdomen, pawing at it. It seemed so impossible that there was a baby in there.

“How... How know? No round.”

“How do I know I’m pregnant? My scent changed,” Olson murmured. “I smell sweeter, don’t I? Like honey.”

Rex nodded. So that was what had caused Olson’s sweet scent.

“And the fatigue. Tiredness,” Olson said. “I’ll also feel like vomiting sometimes, because of the pregnancy hormones. So chances are, I’m not sick if I’m sleeping, okay? Just pregnant.”

Pregnant.

His omega.

Rex stared at Olson’s belly, trying to imagine a baby in there. “No big.”

“It’ll be round in a few months,” Olson murmured. “Human pregnancies are nine months. Right now we’re just a couple weeks in.”

Rex rubbed Olson’s abdomen, awed at the life in there. Proud that he’d put his claim inside his omega. That Olson wanted his baby, that Olson wanted Rex as his alpha. “Olson... Olson good dad.”

Olson’s lower lip wobbled. He leaned into Rex, just breathing. “I’m not even a dad yet. We are not even dads yet.”

But the thought of being dads with Olson... that gave Rex a good feeling, too.

“Olson want... want I... be dad?” Rex’s breath hitched.

“Yes. I want you to be dads with me.” Olson’s mouth curved into a beautiful smile. “But the right way to say that is ‘want me’, not ‘want I’. Like this: Do you want me to be dads with you?”

“Want... want me.” Rex nodded and rubbed Olson’s thigh. “Home now?”

Olson gave a fond sigh. “Let me see what you’ve done with my bar, and then we’ll go home.”

Rex scooped Olson into his arms, bringing him out of the office. Some of Olson’s staff whistled at them.

Emmy and Aaren hurried up with bright smiles. “We got Maria covering for you tonight, Big O,” Emmy said.

“Go home and rest with your alpha,” Aaren said.

“Here are more butt blessings!” Emmy stuffed some dick drawings into Olson’s hand, too.

“Emmy!” Olson groaned and laughed weakly.

“They work. You know they work,” Emmy whispered loudly.

“Don’t give them out to all the customers,” Olson warned.

Emmy’s eyes widened like it hadn’t occurred to him. “You’re a genius!”

“No,” Olson said firmly. “I’m going to tell Landon to make sure you don’t.”

“Landy will understand,” Emmy whined. “Everybody needs butt blessings all the time!”

“Then they can buy them from you, instead of you giving them out,” Olson said. “But no selling them in the Wine Shack, either.”

Emmy pouted. “What about outside?”

“I’m not paying you to set up a stand outside.” Olson made Rex set him on his feet. He leaned heavily against Rex as they moved around, checking on various things at the bar. Finally, he decided that he could leave the Wine Shack running, and it wouldn’t fall apart without him.

Emmy intercepted them at the back door. “What if I split the profits with you?”

Olson hesitated. “Let me think about it.”

He dragged Rex into the parking lot, pointing to his car.

Rex frowned. “Olson drive?”

“I’ll go slow. We’ll be okay.”

“Rex carry. Walk home.”

Olson winced. “It’s a long way home by foot. Let me drive. I promise I’ll get us home safe.”

Reluctantly, Rex helped Olson into the driver’s seat. Then he got into his own seat, and watched like a hawk as Olson started the car.

“It’ll be fine,” Olson said quietly. “I do this when I’m sick, too.”

Rex’s heart hurt. He should’ve been here to take care of his omega, but he didn’t have the words to tell Olson that.

As though Olson could read his mind, he cracked a smile, reaching over to squeeze Rex’s forearm. “You would have taken care of me. I know.”

Rex watched Olson the whole drive home, making sure he stayed awake.

It was only when they’d pulled into the apartment’s parking lot, that Rex relaxed. He hurried out of the car right after Olson turned it off, going to the driver’s side so he could open the door.

The back of his neck prickled. Like someone was watching him.

Rex froze, whipping around to check for danger.

“Rex?” Olson opened the door slightly.

“Stay,” Rex growled. He shut the door on Olson, catching a slight movement from the next building.

Rex ran toward the movement, careful to watch for other dangers he might’ve missed.

By the time he reached the alley, he saw a person wearing a hoodie on the far end, running away.

All of Rex’s instincts told him to hunt down the threat, to extinguish it.

But Olson was back in the car, unprotected, and it scared him more to know that someone else might prey on Olson while his back was turned.

He turned and sprinted back, his heart pounding until he found his omega safe in the car, Olson’s gray eyes wide and worried.

“Rex?” Olson asked. “What’s wrong?”

Rex scowled and shrugged, looking around them again. “Dunno.”

He scooped Olson out of the car, waited for Olson to lock it, before holding Olson extra close to his side, scanning their surroundings over and over as he brought Olson to his apartment.

When they’d gotten the front door locked, Rex moved a chair behind it, so it’d make a sound if someone tried to enter the apartment.

“Rex?” Olson frowned harder.

Rex checked their surroundings from every window. There didn’t seem to be anyone else lurking around, so he very slowly let his guard down.

“Safe,” he muttered. “Safe now.”

He could only hope things stayed this way.