"What's wrong?"
Allan tried to pull away.
"If you really want me to let go, I will," Doc said.
Did he want Doc to let go? No. He wanted Doc to pull him into a hug. Wanted him to kiss Allan like he had kissed Nikolai. He sniffed the air. The mage's scent was all over Doc. He growled slightly.
"If you don't talk to me, I can't fix it."
"I don't know how to answer you," he bit out.
Doc dropped his hand and shoved his hands into his pockets, eyes roaming over him.
The intensity of his gaze twisted Allan up even more inside.
"I think I was prepared to lose Sofia to Nikolai," he finally admitted. "I wasn't prepared to lose you, too."
Doc's eyes widened, and he ducked his head, hair falling forward around his hunched shoulders. "You haven't lost either of us, Allan."
"No, Sofia and I haven't had as much time to explore our relationship as you two have. And that's okay. We have time, and I don't feel like I've lost her, but you…" Allan shook his head. "I never really had you to begin with, I guess. I mean, I was happy with the way things were between us, but I can smell Nikolai all over you, and it's pissing me off." He shrugged, realizing his words didn't quite make sense.
Doc took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Allan." He looked up and met his eyes. "This is new for me, too. All of it. I know we talked about figuring you and I out once Sofia was safe, but maybe we should figure it out now."
"What's to figure out? Don't you think if you were interested in me, you would have said something before now?"
He turned away, though the memory of the one time he had kissed Doc surfaced, and he hugged himself, not sure why he was so upset. He had Sofia. He did not mind sharing Sofia. His pack brother, though…
He didn't hear Doc move, but suddenly he was there, putting his arms around him and hugging him from behind.
"Allan, I didn't know before that you were interested in me. I've always thought of you as a brother, and it never occurred to me until recently that you might want more. It also didn't occur to me that I might be willing. I'm not used to getting close to people like that. I can only hide what I am for so long, and it's just not safe to reveal ourselves. I have next to no experience actually being in relationships. I honestly think Nikolai is the only one who does. Sofia, probably a little. I'm sorry I'm not good at this. Please tell me what you want?"
Sighing, and feeling like he might actually cry, he leaned back against Doc and turned his head so he could bury his face in the vampire's hair. He inhaled Doc's scent, mingled with Sofia and Nikolai's. Ed and his own lingered as well.
"I don't know," he finally answered. "How am I supposed to know what I want? I have Sofia, shouldn't that be enough?"
Doc laughed gently. "You would think, wouldn't you? Maybe the answer is that we all have each other. Maybe we have to concentrate on bringing Sofia and Nikolai into our pack so tightly that we're all as close as you, Ed, and I were. Maybe that means we get different things from each other. Or…" He hesitated when Allan tensed. "Maybe this is a bad idea, and we shouldn't even try."
"Do you really believe that?" He shuddered at the thought.
"No. I think we weren't ready for Nikolai. But he's here, and we need him."
"You like him."
"I…" Doc hesitated. "Yes, I do."
Allan sighed.
"That doesn't mean I don't like you, Allan."
He didn't reply. He wondered if he was being unreasonable. A lot of things had changed in a short amount of time. Maybe he just needed to focus on Sofia for a while. He inhaled Doc's scent, mingled with the others' again. That was what pack smelled like. Even Nikolai. Sofia wanted and needed him. That had to be enough for Allan. That Doc also wanted Nikolai was tweaking him out, though.
Something in the vampire's energy changed. He spread his hands out on Allan's stomach, and his breath hitched in response.
"You know," Doc whispered, sliding his hand up Allan's chest until he cupped his chin. His other hand he kept against his stomach, pressing the werewolf back against himself, his grip suddenly as rock hard as earlier when he'd stopped Allan from running. Damn, he was strong. "The only thing I don't want to lose more than Sofia, is you." He hesitated, then said, "And Ed, of course."
Allan's breath came fast, and his heart raced. He was afraid for a moment, completely trapped by Doc's iron grip, not used to being so completely helpless. Doc tilted Allan's neck like he was going to bite, but instead, he kissed him on the neck.
He melted, still a little afraid, but more from this being new territory than actual fear of what the vampire might do to him. He panted as Doc nibbled his way up his neck. "What do you want, Allan?" Doc breathed against his neck.
He turned his head, and Doc released his hold on his chin. "I think I want Sofia and you." Turning his head had put his face a breath from Doc's. He smelled a hint of blood on Doc's breath and guessed it was probably Nikolai's.
Doc pressed his lips to Allan's.
He growled, biting at Doc's lip. Doc opened his mouth and Allan ran his tongue along Doc's teeth, surprised to find them elongated into fangs. He really was turned on, not just trying to make him feel better.
He turned to face Doc and pushed him backward until Doc was pressed against a tree. Then
