23. Practice With A Baby

Rex stared at the tiny,giggling child.

“Are you ready?” Emmy asked, rocking Hunter into the air and swooping him back down. Hunter squealed, his mouth open in a happy grin.

Rex held out his hands, gulping nervously.

He had to impress Olson. He needed to prove that he could take care of their child, that he was the best alpha.

Under Olson’s watchful gaze, Emmy gently placed Hunter in Rex’s arms, adjusting Rex’s hands around the wriggling baby.

“Small,” Rex said.

Hunter was so young, so fragile and soft that Rex was so afraid he’d accidentally hurt him somehow. And in a few months, he’d be holding his and Olson’s baby just like this, too.

“Babies like it when you smile at them,” Olson said, sliding his arm around Rex’s waist. “Go on, give him a smile. We’ll play Peekaboo.”

Rex smiled hesitantly at Hunter, who kept watching him. Olson pulled Rex down onto a chair. And he leaned in from behind, covering Rex’s face with his hands.

“This is how we play Peekaboo,” Olson murmured. “Keep smiling.” He pulled his hands away from Rex’s face suddenly, exclaiming, “Peekaboo!”

Hunter giggled and kicked, and Rex’s heart swelled.

He wanted to be holding his and Olson’s baby, a lot. He wanted to see their baby smile, he wanted to rock their baby to sleep.

When he turned, he found Olson smiling softly, his face a lot closer than before.

“Think our baby will be just like him?” Olson whispered.

Rex shrugged, his heart pattering. “I want.”

Olson sucked in a quick breath. “Yeah? You really want our baby?”

Rex nodded, glancing at Olson’s belly. His hands were full right now, and Olson’s belly wasn’t even a bump yet. But Rex had been touching it a lot more, nuzzling it when Olson slept.

Emmy beamed. “There! You’re doing great, Rex. You’re gonna be a great dad!”

Rex glanced at Olson hopefully. Olson grinned.

“So,” Emmy whispered, leaning in and eyeing Olson meaningfully. “Does this mean I can sell butt blessings at the Wine Shack?”

Olson sighed. “How did we get from babysitting to butt blessings? We’re doing you a favor!”

Across the living room, Varrick snorted. “You mean we are doing you a favor.”

“We’re watching Hunter for a few hours so you can have a date night,” Olson pointed out.

“We’re letting you practice parenting with our kid,” Varrick said.

“You want me to sell butt blessings at the Wine Shack?” Olson asked his brother incredulously.

Varrick shrugged, his mouth curving into a fond smile. “I’m supporting my omega no matter what he does.”

Which was the way things should be. Varrick was a good alpha.

Emmy whooped. “See! See! My banana muffin agrees!”

Olson groaned. “Five more nights with Hunter,” he said. “And we’ll work out a sales agreement.”

Olson drove a hard bargain; Rex swelled with pride.

“Deal!” Emmy pumped his fists into the air and did a wriggly dance. Then he eyed Rex, whispering, “Have you said them to him yet?”

“Said what to me?” Olson narrowed his eyes.

Rex blushed and tried to appear innocent, which only made Olson more suspicious.

The timing of Olson’s fatigue had turned out to be a blessing. Because Olson had been sleeping so much, Rex had spent that time learning all of Emmy’s pickup lines, reciting them until he could read full sentences at a time. He’d been practicing with lines from videos, too.

But in their day-to-day life, Rex didn’t have the confidence to use that many words at a go. Not yet.

“Baby,” he said, lifting Hunter between them and giving Olson a bright smile.

Olson shot him a look that said he knew this was a distraction, but he reached over to take Hunter into his embrace.

At the sight of Olson holding a baby, Rex’s instincts purred.

He couldn’t stop watching the way Olson’s gaze went soft, his lips pulling into a smile.

The way Olson curved his body protectively around the child, almost subconsciously.

The way Olson crooned and tickled Hunter under the chin, looking as though he was glowing from within.

Yeah, Olson really wanted a baby. Rex had been right in giving him one.

Did Olson... want more?

Rex swallowed hard, saving that question for later. When they were alone, maybe he could put another baby in Olson’s belly.

“Awww you’re so sweet,” Emmy said, before his voice hardened. “Don’t wave your tentacles in front of Hunter!”

Olson grimaced. “Of course we won’t! Who does that?”

“Tentacles?” Rex asked, confused.

“He means the thing in your pants,” Olson said dryly, nodding at Rex’s hips. “Which is not actually a tentacle.”

“Of course they’re not doing that,” Varrick said fondly. “You are the one doing strange things, Dicky, not them.”

Emmy beamed. He and Varrick handed over the rest of Hunter’s things. Then they left, and it was just Rex and Olson and the baby, Olson still making faces so Hunter giggled.

Rex crowded close, watching his omega play with Hunter. “Olson want baby.”

“I... Yes.” Olson sighed. “I didn’t realize how much I did, until I held Hunter in my arms. Then I thought, ‘This will be us in another eight months.’”

Rex swallowed. He slid his hand under Olson’s shirt to touch his belly, admiring Hunter’s gummy smile.

A family of their own. That sounded so good.

“Mine,” Rex whispered.

Olson beamed and nuzzled him. The nuzzling went on for a while, until Rex caught a new smell. He looked down at Hunter and wrinkled his nose.

“What’s wrong?” Olson followed his gaze. Then he checked Hunter’s diaper and murmured, “Huh, I didn’t smell that.”

Rex shrugged.

Olson took a mat out of Emmy’s bag, spreading it out on the floor with one hand. He shook his head when Rex offered to take Hunter, carefully laying the baby on the mat. “You’ll to have to practice doing this on your own,” Olson explained. “We might not always be around to help each other.”

Rex nodded. Olson would go back to running the Wine Shack at some point. Would Rex be the one caring for their baby while Olson worked?

Somehow, that didn’t sound bad, either.

Olson leaned in to sniff at Hunter’s diaper. “Now I smell it. Can you really smell him from that far away?”

Rex nodded again.

“Huh.” Olson showed him how to clean up the mess and put Hunter into a new pair of diapers. Just as he was about to seal the diaper, Hunter peed all over it, and smiled.

Olson sighed. “And this is why they always pack lots of extra diapers. Babies pee like these things don’t cost money.”

It hadn’t occurred to Rex that they might not have enough money for diapers. He frowned worriedly. “I... I job?”

Olson’s forehead wrinkled. “No, you don’t need a job yet. I want you to focus on getting your life back. Get more comfortable with talking, maybe learn to read.”

Rex chewed on his lip. “Olson sad if... if I no read?”

Olson rolled his shoulders thoughtfully. “I won’t like you any more or less because you can’t read. I just worry that things might be harder for you if you don’t fit in with other people.”

“Fit Olson,” Rex rumbled. “Enough.”

Olson cracked a small smile. “You won’t be able to help Hunter with his homework, either.”

Rex frowned. “I learn.” He pulled out his phone. “Watch video.”

“All right.”

Olson showed Rex how to clean Hunter again. Then they dressed him and took turns playing Peekaboo. Rex gently swooped Hunter through the air; Hunter giggled loudly and charmed them both.

Olson showed Rex how to prepare formula next. He did it all with such ease that Rex was torn between pinning him down, and stroking his scent all over Olson’s body.

“Olson... know...?” Rex waved at the bottles, at Hunter, and the apartment around them, trying to find the words he needed.

“How do I know how to care for Hunter?” At Rex’s nod, Olson grinned. “Varrick’s my brother. I’ve been helping him and Emmy sometimes so they can rest. Our dads taught us.”

Rex rumbled, nuzzling him again. “Good mate.”

Olson’s smile was so fond that Rex had to kiss him.

With some help from Olson, Rex fed Hunter with a bottle. Olson taught him how to burp Hunter next, and showed him how to wash the bottle.

It was a while before Hunter finally fell asleep. Rex watched the baby in his travel bassinet, half-expecting him to wake up crying. But Hunter just slept, his chest rising and falling, and he looked so peaceful.

“He’s fine,” Olson murmured, taking Rex’s hand and leading him away. “Let him sleep.”

They ended up in their bedroom with the door closed almost all the way. Rex pressed Olson up against the wall, all his instincts clamoring for his omega. “Olson gooood.”

Olson grinned. “You liked that? Liked me showing you how to care for a baby?”

“Good dad,” Rex growled, trailing his knuckles over Olson’s belly. “Want.”

“I know you do,” Olson whispered. He cupped Rex’s jaw and kissed him, and Rex lost himself in the taste of Olson’s mouth, the slide of his soft tongue, Olson’s scent all around him.

Now, Rex decided.

Now was a good time to impress Olson with his lines.

He slowed the kiss, squeezing Olson’s hips the way he loved. “Your mouth,” Rex murmured against Olson’s lips. “Your mouth is round and juicy when you’re singing about the magic of my love rod.”

Olson froze against him. He pulled back slightly, his eyes wide. “Wh-what?”

That wasn’t the reaction Rex had been expecting. He frowned. Maybe he’d used the wrong line?

So he tried another. “In bed, we’re like two halves of a lost treasure. The treasure is a giant eggplant and when we fit our eggplant pieces together, our meat rods bang like drums and become one.”

A furrow had appeared between Olson’s eyebrows. The longer Rex spoke, the more flabbergasted Olson became, his eyes round, his lips trembling.

Rex stiffened. “No like?”

“I...” Olson sucked in a shaky breath. Then he sucked in another, and his expression—he looked like he was torn between laughing and crying. “Those are Emmy’s lines, aren’t they? You—Oh, gods. You practiced so hard with them, didn’t you?”

Rex could only nod, his heart sinking.

“Oh, Rex.” Olson wrapped his arms tight around Rex, his shoulders shaking. He buried his face in Rex’s chest. “You—You did so good. But. But Emmy’s lines. Emmy writes terrible pickup lines. I’m sorry I didn’t think to warn you earlier. It’s not your fault. I’m sorry!”

Rex slumped. “Want... want impress Olson,” he growled, so disappointed in himself. He’d learned all the lines. He was so sure they’d have ended up in bed tangled together, Olson so pleased with him.

Olson tipped his face up, still looking so torn. Then he nudged Rex backward, and Rex’s heart sank further.

“I’m going to show you that I appreciate this a lot,” Olson murmured, taking Rex’s hand and tugging him over to their bed. “I’m going to give you some lines. Better lines. Things I like. You don’t have to learn them, but you can if you want.”

He got Rex onto the mattress and pushed him onto his back. And he slid his thigh across Rex’s hips, sitting right on top of Rex’s bulge, his weight a soothing, good pressure where it mattered.

“Relax, all right?” Olson whispered, slipping his hands under Rex’s shirt. Rex shivered. The contact between their bare skin was always exquisite. “I’m so glad you put in so much effort to learn those lines for me,” Olson murmured, leaning in to kiss Rex’s neck. He sucked on Rex’s pulse point; Rex’s hips jerked up on instinct. “Thank you,” Olson whispered, grinding down onto Rex’s cock so pleasure burst through his body, and the bad feelings began to fade. “It means so much to me that you tried so hard.”

Rex growled. “Want impress,” he muttered. “Want... want Olson think... think I good.”

He blushed at that. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was good at so little right now.

Olson gave him a warm smile, cupping his face and kissing him softly on the lips. “I know you’re good. You don’t have to impress me, you know.”

“Want,” Rex insisted. “Important.”

Olson’s gaze softened. “You impress me plenty. In bed. And with how much you care for me.”

Rex grumbled, but the weight in his heart eased.

Olson pressed kisses all over Rex’s face, soft, wet touches that distracted Rex with how plush his mouth was. Olson nipped at his lips and jaw; he kissed down Rex’s neck and tugged up his shirt, kissing down his chest and his stomach, down the line of hair delving into his pants.

Having Olson’s mouth anywhere near his cock... it always made him hard with remembered pleasure.

Olson moaned softly, rubbing his face against Rex’s bulge. Bliss whispered up Rex’s spine.

He growled and held Olson down against him. And he bucked his hips up, grinding into Olson’s face.

A soft, helpless sound fell from Olson’s lips. His pupils dilated; he clutched at Rex, his chest heaving.

It occurred to Rex, suddenly, that maybe he didn’t need words to impress Olson.

That he didn’t need words to make Olson want him, just like how Olson somehow understood his broken sentences and never once judged the way he spoke.

Rex cupped Olson’s face with his palm; he rubbed Olson’s soft mouth with his thumb, and pushed it between his lips. With a moan, Olson dragged his damp tongue over the pad of Rex’s thumb; he hollowed his cheeks around Rex and sucked, slow and sweet in a way that made Rex’s cock hurt.

“Want,” Rex groaned, pulling his thumb out so he could shove his pants down. Olson’s mouth always felt good around his fingers, but they made him want Olson’s mouth on his cock, licking and sucking as though he wanted Rex to cover him in come.

The moment his cock left its confines, it strained toward him, aching and musky and big.

“Big cock,” Rex whispered. “For Olson.”

Olson gave a soft whimper, his pupils dilating further. It made Rex’s instincts rumble with pride. He pulled Olson back down, rubbing himself against Olson’s soft cheek so Olson would smell like his cock.

Olson blushed prettily. He nuzzled Rex’s hard length like he couldn’t get enough of it. He closed his fist around its base and trailed hot, wet kisses up its length, giving its tip a slow, wet kiss and lick, before he took it into his hot mouth.

Rex’s growl ripped out of him. He pushed into Olson, needing to fill his omega. But that wasn’t enough. He slid his fingers into Olson’s hair to hold on, and he began thrusting up, pushing into Olson over and over, showing Olson how he’d fill his hole later.

Olson began panting. He loved this part, too. He tried to take more of Rex inside; he sucked hungrily, his lips stretched obscenely. Pleasure hummed through Rex; his cock felt like a raw bundle of nerves. “Olllsonnnn.”

Olson slid his mouth off Rex’s cock and blushed. “Yours.”

Rex’s heart skipped. That was the first time Olson had said it.

He trembled with desire—desire to claim Olson, desire to spread Olson open and push in deep, to hear Olson cry out as he came.

Olson pressed more soft kisses down Rex’s length; he closed his mouth around Rex’s base where his knot would swell, sucking an open-mouthed kiss into his skin. Rex snarled, bucking against his face, his instincts needing to claim.

But not yet. Rex held himself back so he could watch his omega. Olson’s beautiful fingers squeezed around his cock; his tongue flicked against Rex’s skin, his lips dragging softly. He played with Rex, his incredible mouth sliding up and down, until Rex thought he might burst.

Rex lost control of himself. He grabbed Olson under his arms and hauled him up, pushing his hand down the back of Olson’s pants. Down his underwear, between his cheeks, to where he was completely wet.

All for Rex.

Rex pushed his fingers roughly inside, so Olson gasped and arched, his body opening.

Rex found that special spot. And he pushed hard against it, so Olson thrashed against him, his eyes glazed over as his entire body grew taut, and he came.

“Mine,” Rex growled.

He thrust his fingers into Olson a few more times, but the angle wasn’t good. So he pulled out and lay Olson on the bed, pulling off all their clothes.

Until they were completely naked, Olson’s knees tucked under himself, his ass lifted into the air.

“Please.” Olson’s voice broke.

“Give baby,” Rex growled, covering Olson with his body. “Give baby.”

Olson shuddered. “It’s not possible to put another in. My heat is already over.”

“Give,” Rex insisted, thrusting along Olson’s slippery cleft, before he fitted his tip against that loosened hole and plowed all the way inside.

Olson barely stifled his scream with his hands. He came around Rex, the scent of his come filling the air. Rex’s entire focus switched to pinning him, to breeding his omega.

He caged Olson with his body and pounded inside, deep and hard the way Olson liked it. Olson writhed, panting roughly, a flush fanning up his neck.

“Give,” Rex whispered into his ear. “Fuck. In—Into Olsonnn.”

“P-please.” Olson’s voice broke.

The harder Rex slammed into him, the more Olson came, his body sucking around Rex’s cock as it swelled.

“Come,” Rex panted. “I come.”

“Inside me.” Olson pushed himself all the way down onto Rex, needing him so much that Rex’s climax exploded through him. He buried himself as deep as he could, so he’d give Olson every drop of his come.

His knot grew, locking inside Olson with a hum of pleasure. Rex covered Olson’s belly with his hand. It was a little rounder now, stuffed full with Rex and his come, and Rex wanted it to always be like this. Them joined together, Olson’s body full of his claim.

“Fuck, that was so good,” Olson mumbled.

“More,” Rex whispered into his ear. And he rolled his hips, grinding his knot into that one spot so Olson choked on his moan, his spine bowing, his entire body shuddering in Rex’s arms.

This. This was Rex’s favorite part of mating. Making Olson feel so good. He pushed into Olson over and over, taking him through orgasm after orgasm, until Olson wrapped a trembling hand around his forearm. “Th-that’s enough. I need a break.”

Rex nuzzled him. “No more?”

“Not right now. Fuck. That was so good.” Olson slumped against the bed, his skin sweaty, his back rising and falling as he breathed.

Rex pressed soft kisses down Olson’s neck, inhaling his orchid scent. So beautiful. “Mine,” he whispered, trailing his wrists down Olson’s front, leaving his scent all over his mate.

He played with Olson’s hair; he linked their fingers together and rolled them onto their sides, smearing Olson’s come all over the sheets. “Bed smell,” he whispered. “Smell like Olsonnnn. And... and I.”

“Olson and me,” Olson murmured. “That’s the right way to say it.”

“Olson and meeee,” Rex purred, burying his face in Olson’s sweaty hair. “Olson feel good. Here.”

He hugged Olson to show him what he meant, savoring how perfectly his omega fit in his arms.

“You feel good too, you know,” Olson said, a smile in his voice.

Rex knew. Olson loved cuddling with him in bed. Sometimes he got too warm right before they fell asleep, and they slept just holding hands. By the morning, Olson would always be in Rex’s arms.

They lay together until the sweat began to cool on their bodies and Rex’s knot went down.

“We should make some dinner,” Olson said.

“I make.”

Olson hummed. “That’s right. My dads said they taught you how to cook some things. Why don’t you show me?”

Rex sat up excitedly. Maybe now he could impress his mate.

He helped Olson to his feet; Olson pulled on his pants and followed Rex to the kitchen.

They’d just gotten out some eggs when there was a knock on the door.

Olson frowned. “Are they back already? They were supposed to pick Hunter up much later...”

He drifted out of the kitchen.

The door opened. Some voices spoke. Not Emmy or Varrick.

Unease prickled at the back of Rex’s mind; he set down the frying pan and hurried out.

“Who are you?” Olson asked sharply.

At the door were two burly alphas dressed in black. Rex didn’t recognize them. But the moment they saw him, they reached for their guns.

His insides went cold.

Olson gasped and threw himself between Rex and the men, holding his arms up like it’d make a difference. “Don’t hurt him!”

“No,” Rex growled, dragging Olson behind himself. He couldn’t let them hurt Olson, when what they wanted was him.

“Rex,” Olson cried. “You can’t just—”

On the other side of the room, Hunter began to cry.

One of the men pointed his gun at Hunter.

Rex snarled, lunging at them.

The other man aimed his gun between Rex’s eyes, his finger on the trigger. “Come quietly, and we won’t shoot the baby.”

Rex’s instincts were to attack, to rip apart the men for threatening Olson and the baby.

But years of captivity had taught him that guns were much, much faster than anything he could do. One wrong move, and he’d be shot down, Olson and Hunter both completely vulnerable.

The one thing that scared Rex more than guns, was Olson being taken to the place of his nightmares.

They would break Olson. Just like they’d broken Rex. And Olson was pregnant.

He yanked himself back, his heart pounding.

Olson made a soft, terrified sound. “No—”

Rex squeezed Olson’s hand. He turned to look his omega in the eye. “Stay.”

Olson’s mouth fell open. “But—”

Rex shook his head urgently. “Stay.”

He glanced pointedly at Olson’s belly.

Olson’s lower lip wobbled. “I can’t lose you again. Not like this.”

Rex’s heart beat for him. Strong, steady thuds that said, Olson, Olson, Olson.

He reached up to brush his thumb across Olson’s lips. “Mate. Love.”

Olson’s heartbreak was in his eyes, devastating. “No,” he whispered.

“Hurry up,” one of the men barked. A gunshot rang out.

Rex startled, whipping around with his teeth bared. “I go,” he snarled. “No hurt Olson.”

He took a step toward the men, stealing one last glance at his omega.

They couldn’t possibly end like this. Not after everything Rex had done to return to him. But there was nothing he could do, not if he wanted to keep Olson out of their claws.

“Love,” Rex said again.

He’d died once to save Olson’s life. He would do it again.

The moment he was close enough, one of the men shackled his wrists behind his back, the cold, heavy manacles impossible to rip apart.

He had to follow them. He had to bide his time.

He didn’t know how else he was going to survive this.