Now that they each had an ovary and uterus implanted, Rutherford had given them a hormone suppressant to prevent unexpected heats from happening.
“Your turn, Ulric,” Rutherford said. “A few sit-ups, please.”
Ulric took his spot on the bed; Gage caught his ankles, leaning close. Just like they did at home. Ulric’s mouth twitched. With some effort, he heaved himself up, enough that he could now meet Gage’s lips over his knees. Gage kissed him lightly, his mouth tingling.
This was the best part about exercising with Ulric—all the rewards Gage dangled in front of his alpha, he enjoyed, too. And Ulric was motivated by the rewards a lot more than he was by the exercise.
With the doctor watching, Ulric did a total of five sit-ups, before sagging back against the bench. “Haven’t done that many in a while,” he puffed.
“You did great,” Gage told him.
“Does any part of your abdomen hurt?” Rutherford asked, carefully prodding at Ulric’s belly.
Ulric shook his head. “Just tired from the strain. That’s all.”
The doctor went over their progress from the last few weeks, and they discussed the details of an alpha pregnancy.
Then, armed with some alcohol swabs and a scalpel, Rutherford removed the hormone suppressant implants from their arms, stitching them back up with some surgical thread.
“All done,” Rutherford said. “You should experience your heat in a couple hours. You’d best start looking for a room.”
He smiled crookedly as they stood to leave. It had to be weird, an omega like him helping alphas get pregnant. Gage glanced at the wall of pictures to Rutherford’s side, with happy families and smiling parents. No pictures of Rutherford himself.
Did he not have a family? Rutherford was in his forties, Gage figured. Surely he had to have found someone.
“You’ve done this surgery several times, huh?” Gage asked, gesturing at his abdomen.
The doctor froze, as though surprised. Then he recovered. “Ah, just a couple times in the last few years.” He smiled, tight-lipped. “Most of my patients request mammary implants for breastfeeding—that’s what this clinic specializes in, after all.”
“Did something go wrong?” Ulric asked, worried.
Rutherford shook his head. “Just the circumstances surrounding some surgeries, that’s all.”
He looked honest, but beneath his smile was a dark, bottomless regret that Gage wasn’t going to touch. He hoped someone would help the doctor with it, though. It seemed that even doctors couldn’t heal everyone. Or maybe they just couldn’t heal themselves.
“Come visit Meadowfall sometime,” Gage said. “The sunshine might be good for you.”
“That’s where Nate is, isn’t it?” Rutherford smiled wanly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Gage tugged Ulric along as they left the clinic. “He seemed sad, don’t you think?”
Ulric winced. “Yeah, he did. I wish I could help.”
“Like being his alpha?” Gage wriggled his eyebrows.
“Pfft.” The next moment, Ulric looked sorry. “You know I can’t get hard for an omega, Gage. Like, I’ve tried. It just doesn’t work.”
Gage patted between Ulric’s legs. “Works for me, though.”
Ulric flushed a bright red, looking around. “We’re not alone,” he hissed.
Gage just laughed. “You’re fucking adorable when you’re flustered.”
Ulric flipped him off.
They found a hotel—a decent one, not the best. Even with the discounts Nate and King had worked out with Rutherford, this was still a costly endeavor. It was kind of crazy, every time Gage thought about it. And yet they were here, they both had uteruses grown from their own DNA implanted in their bodies.
As they waited for the hotel’s computer system to check them in, warmth began to pool in Gage’s veins, a hungry, incessant whisper that raked down his spine. He wanted his alpha closer, he wanted to breathe the scent off Ulric’s skin. And he wanted to hear Ulric groan in his ear.
He squeezed Ulric’s hand. “Is it just me, or are you feeling it, too?”
Ulric’s pupils had dilated. “Not just you.”
His voice had deepened into a delicious rasp, musk coiling off his skin. The implants weren’t the only thing that was different about them, though. Instead of Gage’s pine, his scent had sweetened into clove. Ulric’s honey oak had turned into an enticing anise scent.
Gage all but grabbed the key card when the receptionist handed it over. The moment the elevator door shut, he shoved Ulric roughly against the wall, dragging him into a scorching kiss.
Ulric growled, his pupils blowing wide. “Fuck, Gage.”
“I hope you’re as wet as the doctor said you’ll be,” Gage whispered, reaching behind to stroke Ulric’s ass. Something about the omega hormones.
Neither of them identified as omegas, but Gage sure wouldn’t say no to some extra lube. Especially when it’d make Ulric feel good. “Ready to take my cock, babe?”
Ulric groaned and hauled Gage closer, pushing his tongue into Gage’s mouth. “I’m gonna fuck you first,” Ulric hissed. He shoved his hand down the front of Gage’s pants. “Cream inside you.”
“Mm.” Gage’s blood surged south. “I thought you were blazing hot before, babe. But if this is you in heat, maybe I want you in heat all the fucking time.”
Ulric’s smile turned hungry; his eyes lit up. He bit hard on Gage’s lip, sucking it into his hot, wet mouth. Gage fucked Ulric’s mouth with his tongue, he rocked their bulges together until Ulric groaned.
Then Ulric wheezed, his breath punching out of him. He panted, looking down as though he was... surprised?
And a wall of musk slammed into Gage like a sledgehammer.
“Think I’m in a rut,” Ulric whispered, the aching need on his face going straight between Gage’s legs.
“Yeah?” Gage had never been with an alpha in a rut before. He grasped Ulric’s bulge, squeezing it. It had grown thicker, harder. The touch yanked a snarl from his alpha.
Ulric slammed him into the elevator wall, dragging him into a savage kiss. Fuck, he was hot. Gage panted, pulling him closer, trying to get enough of his alpha. Trying to just breathe.
Someone cleared their throat loudly. Gage glanced over to find people outside the elevator, waiting to get in. Crap. He shoved Ulric off and dragged him out, fumbling with his bearings.
Then he realized they were on
