21. Rex Takes Care Of Olson

Olson wasn’tsure what day or week it was when he woke up. Time had blurred into a mess of fatigue and nausea, of going to the Wine Shack and barely staying upright.

Rex had been doing most of the heavy lifting.

How he’d acquired pickles and crackers, Olson didn’t know. All he knew was Rex staying in bed with him, helping him sit up, making him drink water or ginger ale. He’d brought Olson to the bathroom to wash up, he’d carried Olson to the toilet when he needed to throw up.

A number of times, Rex had sat with Olson in the shower, both of them on the floor, Olson drowsy in his lap as Rex soaped him up and washed the suds off, and then dried him with a towel.

And now the fatigue was finally easing off.

Olson scrubbed his sleep-crusted eyes, pushing himself upright. Next to him, Rex had his arm curved protectively around Olson’s waist, his face peaceful as he slept.

The moment Olson tried to ease Rex’s arm off, his eyelids fluttered.

“Olllsonnnn?” Rex mumbled, tightening his grip.

“Hey. I need to pee.”

Rex snuffled. He made himself wake up immediately, scooping Olson into his arms.

“Rex. Rex!” Olson patted his arm. “It’s okay. Put me down. I can get there myself.”

Rex squinted at him, his eyes red from exhaustion. Olson’s heart squeezed.

“Why are you so tired? No, don’t answer that. How much sleep did you get while I’ve been...” Olson waved at the pillow.

Rex shrugged. “I sleep.”

“Not enough.” Olson pouted. He pointed at Rex’s pillow. “Go back to sleep. I can make it to the bathroom.”

Rex watched as Olson got to his feet and wobbled his way to the bedroom door. And he climbed out of bed to follow close behind, so close that Olson felt the heat of his alpha against his back.

In the bathroom, Rex helped him down onto the toilet; sitting was less tiring than standing. Then he helped Olson back into bed, and Olson snuggled up against him, burying his face into Rex’s shoulder. Rex rumbled, giving a sleepy smile.

It was nice like this, just the two of them snuggled up in bed, Rex’s scent all around him.

“I find,” Rex said quietly.

“What did you find?”

When Olson looked up, Rex reached for something on the nightstand.

It was a white ring, made from an old, rusted twist-tie.

Olson’s heart missed a beat.

Rex took Olson’s hand. He tried to fit the ring on Olson’s ring finger, but it was sized for a child and too small. So he slipped it onto Olson’s pinky finger instead, where it got stuck at the second joint.

“Rex.” Olson’s voice stuck in his throat. Did Rex... remember that? “Do you know who gave me that ring?”

Rex met his eyes. “Me.”

“H-how much do you remember?”

Rex shrugged. “Kitchen,” he said, rubbing the ring with his thumb. Then he smacked his forehead. “Mom.”

A laugh bubbled out of Olson’s chest. “She did that. She texted my dads, and they shook their heads when they saw the ring.” When Rex didn’t volunteer any more information, Olson wet his lips, suddenly nervous. “Do you... Do you remember why you gave me this ring?”

Rex’s gaze softened. “Marry.”

Olson swallowed hard. “Yeah,” he whispered.

At that, Rex looked uncertain. He touched the ring and looked into Olson’s eyes. “Marry?”

You’re asking me again?

Olson’s heart thumped. He opened his mouth, his answer on his tongue.

The doorbell rang and shattered the moment.

Rex stiffened immediately. He cut his gaze in the direction of the front door, and left the bedroom.

Olson scrambled to follow him.

“Stay,” Rex growled.

“You’re naked,” Olson said. “At least put on some clothes.”

Olson had noticed Rex growing wary, ever since he’d first begun feeling fatigued.

Rex scowled but followed Olson back to the bedroom, pulling on his pants. Olson struggled with his own; Rex helped him into it. He helped Olson put on a shirt, too. “Stay,” Rex growled.

“No, I need to know who’s at the door. This is also my home.”

Rex frowned. After a staring contest where they both refused to back down, Olson took Rex’s hand and walked with him through the apartment.

Rex looked through the peephole first. Then he pushed the chair aside, and opened the door.

Olson’s dads stood expectantly in the doorway, smiles on their faces.

“Dad! Papa,” Olson squeaked. He’d completely forgotten about introducing them to Rex—it had to be such a shock for them to see Rex’s face. “Uh, this is—”

“Rex, yes.” Dad laughed, stepping in and pulling Olson into a hug. Dad was small and slight, like Olson, whereas Papa was broad-shouldered and muscular like Rex. “We’ve met.”

“You’ve met? When?” Olson opened and closed his mouth like a fish. He ushered his parents in and shut the door, trying to imagine how that meeting must’ve gone. “I mean, aside from twenty-one years ago.”

“We visited last week with Emmy and Varrick,” Papa rumbled, pulling Rex into a quick hug. “We wanted to come just by ourselves, but you weren’t answering your phone. Varrick said he should tag along or Rex wouldn’t let us through.”

“Rex answered the door wearing only suds,” Dad said, trying not to laugh.

Olson hid his face in his hands. “Oh, gods.”

“He was in the middle of giving you a shower,” Papa added approvingly. “We offered to help, but he didn’t let us.”

Olson vaguely remembered sitting alone in the shower for a while, dozing until Rex returned. “Oh.”

“Anyway, we brought you both food.” Papa lifted some bags—Olson only noticed them now. “Varrick said he and Emmy were making you casseroles, and we wanted to help. We taught Rex how to make tea and cook simple things on the stove. How to clean up. Tell the time.”

Olson had been on the verge of giving Rex hands-on cooking lessons before he’d sunken into his fatigue. Did other pregnant omegas also lose so much time? He didn’t think so, but at least he was feeling better now. “Thanks for being there for Rex.”

“Thank you,” Rex said.

Dad smiled warmly. “You’ve always been part of our family.”

Rex grinned shyly, and Olson wrapped his arms tight around his alpha. Dad and Papa both hugged Rex, too.

“You’re better with meeting new people now, huh?” Olson murmured, rubbing Rex’s back. Rex was more comfortable with the idea of having parents, and belonging to a family. That was amazing news.

Rex nodded. “Good people.”

“They are.” Olson leaned in, and Rex nuzzled his forehead.

Papa unpacked his bag of casseroles, exchanging them for the empty dishes in the fridge. When he was done, he stood next to Dad, facing Rex and Olson.

“Varrick said there’s been some suspicious people around?” Papa asked, eyes narrowed.

“Really?” Olson glanced at the chair that Rex had placed behind the front door. “I... I think I remember Rex being worried about something.”

“I tell,” Rex said haltingly. “Tell Varrick and Jag.”

“Yeah, Varrick told us that Rex spotted some strangers lurking, but he wasn’t sure what they’re after.”

“There’s more than one?” Olson’s insides chilled.

“We don’t know for sure,” Dad said. “But it’s better to be prepared for the worst.”

Considering George’s, and now Rex’s, luck, yeah.

Rex growled. “Protect Olson.”

“Now that you’ve gotten some energy back, it’ll be best if you get started on some self-defense refresher lessons,” Papa said.

“I text Jag,” Rex said. “Jag visit tomorrow.”

Olson’s eyes widened. He hadn’t noticed it before, but Rex’s vocabulary had grown, too. “Have you been watching videos while I was sleeping?”

Rex nodded.

“I taught him how to use Youtube,” Papa said with a grin. “We stayed for a while during our visit. Rex started watching that new TV show, the one with all the drama. He began snarling at the screen and I had to convince him to watch something else.”

“Hurt omega,” Rex growled.

“Yeah, we don’t need you stressing out over fictional characters,” Dad said dryly. “Unless you have Olson around to make sure you don’t smash your phone.”

“I... not smash,” Rex grumbled, looking so adorably offended. “Phone is... is gift. Olson gift.”

Olson hugged him tighter. “Why don’t you show me what you’ve been watching?”

Rex lit up. “Olson want see?”

“Yes!”

“Looks like our work here is done,” Dad said to Papa. They smiled at each other, then at Olson at Rex. “By the way, sweetie... Congrats.”

Olson blushed, rubbing his hand over his belly. Rex rubbed Olson’s belly, too.

“We really are happy for you, you know,” Papa rumbled. Both of Olson’s parents glanced at Rex, and Olson didn’t have to mention the months he’d walked around in a daze after he’d lost George.

“You don’t think I’m too old for him?” Olson blurted.

“Hell no,” Dad said. “Rex is an adult. He’s tried very hard to return to you. We won’t trivialize that by harping on your age, because there’s more to love than just a number. You’re very lucky to have your alpha back, Olson. This doesn’t happen to everyone.”

Olson bowed his head, painfully aware of that. He squeezed Rex’s fingers. “You’re right. I’m lucky.”

“I lucky too,” Rex said, nuzzling Olson’s temple.

Olson couldn’t help the grin that consumed his face.

“Are you going to see if Emmy will let you practice with Hunter?” Dad asked.

It would be good practice, especially for Rex. And maybe Olson really wanted to know what Rex would look like, cradling a baby.

Hopefully, Emmy wouldn’t use his butt blessings as a bargaining chip.