Keep Me

by Piper Scott

  It had to be Uncle Martin’s fault, he thought. Dylan wasn’t in the bed across from him, and Harrison was gone. Nathaniel wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but he knew that Dylan’s absence meant one thing for certain: his uncle had found out that he was in heat. Harrison’s absence meant that he’d probably discovered them in bed together.

  Nathaniel wasn’t even self-conscious about it. He slung his legs over the edge of the bed and rose, then stumbled. His knees almost gave. On uncertain footfalls, he crossed the room and pulled open his dresser drawer, dressing. The scent of heat rose from his skin, and his slick was constant, but Nathaniel didn’t care. He wouldn’t need his clothes for long, anyway. If Uncle Martin wasn’t still in the apartment, the furthest Nathaniel needed to go was downstairs. He couldn’t think of another place his uncle would be.

  He needed answers.

  Nathaniel did his best to hold himself together as he made his way through the living room, then to the front door. He heard neither Dylan nor Sean, and figured they’d been moved to another location for their own comfort. Nathaniel wasn’t dangerous when he was in heat, but it wasn’t a pleasant environment for others to be in—especially when that other had recently given birth and had a baby to look after.

  The cool air outside chilled the sweat on Nathaniel’s skin as he stepped through the door and made his way down the steps. He didn’t have the stretch or agility to jump the railing and hop onto the landing outside Five Pie’s back door, so he walked all the way down, then took the few steps up to the landing, and struggled to fit his key in the door. Nathaniel’s hand trembled as he did it, and the key scraped around the lock until at last, he dropped them. He cursed under his breath and bent down to try again, only to have the door swing open on his face.

  Nathaniel fell on his ass. The door nudged open a little further, then Brandon poked his head out. He frowned. “Nate?”

  “Brandon,” Nathaniel said. The first stirrings of heat began to addle him again, and he squeezed his thighs shut to try to keep himself from thinking about his need. “Is Uncle Martin here?”

  “Yeah,” Brandon said. His frown grew. “You’re in heat. What are you doing here?”

  “I need to talk to Uncle Martin,” Nathaniel insisted. He rose on wobbling legs, clutching at the door handle to help his ascent. “Now.”

  “He’s up front,” Brandon said hesitantly. “Nate, you need to get yourself home. It’s not good for you to be out like this. I mean, no one here at Five Pie is going to be an issue, but—”

  “All I need,” Nathaniel said through gritted teeth, “is to talk to Uncle Martin, and then I’ll go home.”

  “Just… make it quick?” Brandon looked nervously over his shoulder. “I mean, I know it must’ve taken you a lot to get down here while you’re in heat and all, but we don’t need you succumbing to it in the shop, you know? You need to make sure you can still get home.”

  “I will. Thanks.”

  When Brandon stepped away from the door, Nathaniel entered. He crossed the tiny kitchen to the swinging doors leading to the front of the shop and peered through the window, hoping it was a slow day. There was a few customers sitting at the tables in the front, but the one that drew his eye right away stood at the counter, face drawn with anger.

  Harrison.

  Nathaniel’s heart skipped a beat, and he pushed open the door before his mind could process if it was a good idea or not. Harrison and Uncle Martin both turned to look at them, their eyes wide with shock and concern. Uncle Martin swept from the counter to the door, ushering Nathaniel back, but he dug in his heels and shook his head. “No. I’m not moving until you and Harry agree to tell me what the hell is going on.”

  “Nate, please, be reasonable,” Uncle Martin said. “You’re in heat. You can’t be here. Right now, you need to go back to bed and rest. Everything is fine.”

  “Everything is not fine,” Nathaniel said. His gaze flicked toward Harrison, and his arousal lit aflame once more. “Why did you make him leave? It had to be you. It had to be.”

  The customers seated at the front tables were all looking their way, some more discreetly than others. Nathaniel gaze them a frustrated look, then shook his head and took a few steps back. Uncle Martin moved to enter the back room in his wake, but Nathaniel took a bold step forward and blocked him. “Harrison comes, too.”

  Uncle Martin looked over his shoulder at Harrison, pursed his lips, and went to raise the folding counter dividing the front of the shop from the employee only area.

  Once Harrison was safely on the other side of the counter, Nathaniel crossed the kitchen to stand by the back door. The heat from the ovens paired with the heat ravaging his body and left him drenched in sweat, and he couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to go back outside. Uncle Martin and Harrison followed.

  “Nate,” Uncle Martin said once they were all through the door and standing on the landing by the stairs. “I know you’re high strung right now, but you need to listen to reason. Right now all you need is to get back to bed. You’re in heat. It’s not safe for you to be out.”

  The smoldering arousal in Nathaniel’s gut confirmed it, but he refused to let it be the end of him. He could hold out and be strong, even when Harrison’s scent filled his nostrils and warmed him from the inside out. “I’m fine, Uncle Martin.”

  “You need to listen to your uncle,” Harrison said softly. “I only want you safe, Nate. Please, go back inside. Let this pass.”

  Nathaniel’s eyes clouded with tears, and he shook his head wildly. The omega inside of him craved to obey his alpha, but the little rational thought that Nathaniel still possessed urged him to rebel and stay put. He needed answers and he needed them before he spent the next week beside himself with lust, pining after a man who wasn’t allowed to be in his life.

  “What the hell is going on?” Nathaniel asked, his voice quivering. “I don’t understand what’s happening. Why did Harrison have to leave? I was happy.”

  “You’re in heat,” Uncle Martin said. “When it passes, you won’t be so happy with your choices. Your father trusted me to look after you, Nate. I can’t let you do this.”

  “It’s not your choice to make!” Nathaniel argued. “It’s mine. He’s mine. We… Harry and I were seeing each other before any of this happened. My heat triggered just for him.”

  “Nate,” Harrison said softly. “I know you’re upset, but we can take this up later, when you’re not in such a sensitive state.”

  Nathaniel looked between the two of them, unsure where to direct his anger and confusion. He’d seen Harrison verbally sparring with Uncle Martin in the shop, but now they’d joined forces to try to get him to calm down.

  “I don’t understand,” Nathaniel said. He looked to Harrison, seeking guidance. “Why didn’t you stay? We’ve already mated. What else could have happened? I was so happy.”

  “I told him he needed to get out,” Uncle Martin clarified. “He came into my apartment to help my nephew deliver a child, not to knock my other nephew up. You have no clue what you’re doing, Nathaniel.”

  They kept saying that, insisting that it was true, but Nathaniel couldn’t accept it. He was horny—god, was he horny—and the heat was starting to eat away at his brain, but he was still a person. He still had thoughts and feelings and needs. Harrison was a need, and without him, Nathaniel knew he would be miserable.

  “All I want is Harry,” Nathaniel said meekly. He dropped his gaze, unwilling to fight anymore. All he wanted to do was curl up against his alpha and let the cool touch of Harrison’s skin soothe him until he was knotted again. “That’s all I want. It isn’t so much to ask.”

  “You don’t know what you’re saying,” Uncle Martin said. “I’m sorry, Nate. We’ll talk about this next week, okay? We’ll get this all sorted out.”

  “What do I need to do to let me keep him?” Nathaniel asked. He knew it was an odd question, but he hoped it struck Uncle Martin in a way that made him reconsider his stance. “I was happy. I rea
lly was. He wasn’t taking advantage of me at all. I wanted it, and he gave it to me.”

  “Now is not the time. I told Harrison and I’ll tell you, we can discuss the matter of your living arrangements once your heat has subsided.”

  Nathaniel’s mind was clouded with lust, but it wasn’t so far gone that he missed the meaning in Uncle Martin’s words. Surprised, he glanced between his uncle and his lover. “The matter of my living arrangements?”

  “I want to do what’s best by you,” Harrison said. “I needed to respect your uncle’s wishes, but I also don’t want you to go through this heat—or any heat, for that matter—alone again. I was asking for his permission to let you move in with me.”

  The champagne-like joy was back, and Nathaniel’s lips trembled as he held back the airy laugh it inspired inside of him. Harrison had left him, but it had been for a good reason. And not only that, but he wanted Nathaniel to move in.

  He wanted to be a family.

  Trembling, Nathaniel took a small step toward Harrison. Uncle Martin stood in his way, arms crossed.

  “What did I say?” Uncle Martin asked firmly. “You’re in heat right now. You’re not able to make an informed decision. Once you work your way out of this, we’ll resume this conversation. Is that understood?”

  Nathaniel was too happy to be upset. He nodded, stealing a glance at Harrison over Uncle Martin’s shoulder. He beamed, letting his happiness show, and Harrison smiled back.

  “But after it’s done?” Nathaniel asked. He breathed in deep, letting the scent of Harrison fill his lungs. The next wave of his heat rose up, and he wobbled backward and caught himself on the railing. Uncle Martin rushed forward and grabbed him by the arm to hold him steady.

  “After it’s done, you, him, and I will sit down and discuss it,” Uncle Martin said. “But not until then, and only if you go back to your room and rest.”

  “I…” Nathaniel smiled at Harrison from over his uncle’s shoulder, too overcome with emotion to properly express himself. “Yes!”

  “Good boy,” Uncle Martin said. He cast a look over his shoulder at Harrison, who was too busy being enraptured by Nathaniel to notice. “I’m going to take you home now and get you to bed. Say goodbye.”

  “Bye, Harry,” Nathaniel said shyly, cheeks burning with wanton need and excitement for the future.

  “Bye, Nate,” Harrison said softly. He smiled. “There’s a note for you in your journal. Make sure you read it.”

  “I did,” Nathaniel promised. “I’ll call. I will. It’s not over.”

  Uncle Martin slid an arm beneath Nathaniel’s shoulders and guided him down the short flight of steps to the ground, then up the staircase to their apartment. As he walked, Nathaniel watched Harrison, brimming with love and hope.

  A new beginning. A new take on life. A lifelong lover to call his own.

  And maybe, if Harrison’s seed took, a baby.

  The excitement gripped him and refused to be shaken, even when Uncle Martin saw Nathaniel into bed, and Nathaniel’s heat flared back up into full force. Time ticked by at a crawl, each second another barrier in the way to meeting up with Harrison again and starting something new.

  Time passed nebulously. When Nathaniel was in his right frame of mind, it crawled by. The blackout periods of lust were blessings, chunks of time he didn’t have to agonize over. The week slowly crept to a close, and with it, Nathaniel prayed his heat would end.

  Normalcy couldn’t come soon enough.

  Epilogue - Harrison

  Leaves crinkled underfoot, dry and crisp in a satisfying way Harrison often didn’t take the time to appreciate. He made his way from the driveway to the front door, breathing in the fall air and letting it do away with the stress of the day. He’d seen several expectant parents that day and begun to form relationships with new clients. It wouldn’t be long before he stood by once more as another omega gave birth, but for now, all of his future deliveries were distant. Life had come hard and fast, and Harrison needed time to change and grow with it.

  He fitted his key into the lock and opened the door. The house was new—a gift from his mother, who was thrilled to know he’d found a mate, and insisted that he move somewhere much more ‘family friendly’ for whenever it was that they decided to have children. She’d handed him the keys and Nathaniel had moved in the next day.

  Uncle Martin, it turned out, was a good man. Harrison didn’t think anything less of him for trying to protect his nephew. In fact, it only endeared him in Harrison’s eyes. The love the O’Tooles had for each other was spectacular, and Harrison was glad to get to share it.

  “Nate?” Harrison called as he stepped through the door. “I’m home.”

  “Hi, baby,” Nathaniel called from the living room. “My brother and Sean are here. Say hello.”

  “Hi Dylan, Hi Sean,” Harrison called. He shrugged off his jacket and hung it by the door, then made his way to the living room. Nathaniel and Dylan were seated side by side, curled up comfortably together on the couch while Dylan rocked Sean in his arms. It looked like they’d been having a quiet conversation. “Would you rather I give you two some privacy?”

  “No,” Nathaniel said. “You’re fine. How was work?”

  “Good.” Harrison sat in an armchair across from the couch. He watched as Sean stirred and Dylan laid him in Nathaniel’s arms. Nathaniel rocked him carefully. A baby suit him. Harrison couldn’t help but smile. “I met with my newest expectant fathers today. In about three months, I’ll be back to my duties as a doula.”

  “I can’t recommend you highly enough,” Dylan said. Over the last few months, he’d changed. The broken, stoic individual Harrison had come to know had come out of his shell. Sean had given him a new lease on life. “The way you helped me through delivery, even with the limited relationship we had, was phenomenal. I can’t wait to see you in action again.”

  Harrison smiled. “Thank you. I take pride in what I do.”

  Nathaniel shot Dylan a pointed look, and Dylan grinned at him. It looked like something passed, unspoken, between them. Harrison tried to place what it was without success. If Nathaniel and Dylan’s relationship was anything like the relationship Harrison had with his brothers, he knew that it was better he not look into it too deeply. There were some things that only siblings could understand.

  “I mean, not that I’m planning on being pregnant again. Ever. Probably. At least not until I find the right man for me,” Dylan said. “And even then, maybe not, but you never know, right? And I’m sure it won’t be long before you get to practice those skills again.”

  “Right,” Harrison said. “In about three months. I have four expectant fathers who are all set to deliver in the same month, so I’ll be busy.”

  “I’ll have to make sure to stay with Nathaniel when you’re out, then,” Dylan said. “An empty nest feels very empty when you’re—”

  “Dylan,” Nathaniel hissed. “Really?”

  “What?” Dylan arched a brow playfully. “Is something wrong, baby brother?”

  Something was definitely going on. Harrison looked between the O’Toole brothers, trying to figure out what it was.

  “I’m going to get something to drink and get a start on dinner,” Harrison said. “Can I get you anything?”

  “No,” Dylan said. “It’s not really good for the baby.”

  Nathaniel narrowed his eyes, looking fed up. Dylan snorted.

  “Alright,” Harrison said uneasily. He rose and left them to their devices, wondering if he should call to make plans with Thad or Silas just to get out of the house. It looked like Nathaniel and Dylan were off in their own little world, and he didn’t want to intrude.

  In the kitchen, he took a lowball glass from the cupboard and poured himself a thimble of scotch. It wasn’t very often that he drank, but Harrison had a feeling it was going to be one of those nights when he’d benefit from cutting a little loose. When Nathaniel and Dylan got together, things tended to get silly, and it looked like they were alrea
dy well on their way to ridiculous.

  As he poured, Nathaniel entered the kitchen and came up behind him. He slid his arms around Harrison’s waist and held himself loosely against Harrison’s back.

  “Is Dylan gone?” Harrison asked.

  “Oh, no. He’s still in the living room. I um, it’s just I thought that it would be good if we talked for a minute.”

  “Oh?” Harrison set the bottle down and turned. His arms looped around Nathaniel as Nathaniel held him. “Well, I’m all ears.”

  Nathaniel bit down on his lip and smiled at him in a shy way that made Harrison’s heart throb. Their relationship was still in its infancy, but the intense feelings of desire he’d harbored for Nathaniel since day one were as strong as ever. Harrison couldn’t get enough of Nathaniel, and he didn’t think he ever would.

  “Well,” Nathaniel said. “What Dylan was going on about before? In the living room? He was teasing me.”

  “About?”

  Nathaniel laughed and buried his head against Harrison’s chest. Harrison ran a hand through his hair, holding him loosely, but holding him close. The freedom and joy in Nathaniel’s laughter made him want to laugh, too, and he ducked his head to press an affectionate kiss to Nathaniel’s crown.

  “Well. Um,” Nathaniel said. He laughed again and shook his head. “We’re pregnant.”

  Harrison froze. He leaned back until he hit the counter, then gripped Nathaniel by the shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. Nathaniel’s lips were curled in satisfaction, and he was glowing.

  “You’re serious?” Harrison asked. “I mean, I knew it was a possibility, but it’s been a few months since your heat, and when you didn’t say anything I figured it didn’t take.”

  “It took,” Nathaniel said in little more than a whisper. He took one of Harrison’s hands and led it to his stomach. In awe, Harrison traced his hand along it. “I hope that after your four expectant fathers three months from now, you’ll have time to fit me into your schedule. I know you’re busy, but—”