Harris growled. Licked Sam’s scent gland, then dragged the points of his teeth over it. A jolt of pleasure raced down Sam’s spine.
Over and over, Harris’ cock hit Sam’s prostate, winding the tension up inside him. Sam writhed, right at the edge, his balls heavy with come. Harris’ cock swelled. “H-H-Harris, I—”
“Come for me,” Harris panted, fucking deep.
Sam obeyed, coming in a rush of pleasure, his ears ringing, his spine arching, waves of sensation rippling through his clenching body.
Vaguely, he felt Harris picking up speed, his thrusts growing feverish. “Want—Want my come?”
“All of it,” Sam mumbled.
Harris groaned, sliding in deep. He came with a snarl, his cock pulsing in Sam’s body, his teeth sinking hard into Sam’s skin.
Pleasure jolted through Sam a second time; he shuddered, jerking in Harris’ arms. “H-Harris! F-fuck!”
Harris held Sam against himself, his breathing ragged. “Do you... want my knot?”
“Yeah,” Sam whispered.
Harris hugged Sam from behind, rolling them both onto the mattress. Sam bumped into his sweaty chest. Moaned when Harris’ knot swelled inside him, stretching his body open.
It was good, drifting in Harris’ arms, not thinking about anything but Harris’ knot inside him, its weight soothing. Sam belonged to Harris. Harris was his alpha.
It was another long moment before Sam’s thoughts filtered back into his mind. He was Harris’. And he was also Valen’s.
Then he realized he’d fucked Harris, that Harris had knotted inside him. Sam froze. Smelled the musk and oak and sandalwood around him. He was in the bedroom Harris shared with Valen.
And Valen was in the hospital.
“Shh,” Harris said, setting his palm on Sam’s chest.
“But Valen—”
Harris sucked in a shuddering breath. “Visit Valen right now if you want. I’m starting to crash, though. Been awake more’n twenty-four hours. Don’t think I could drive straight right now.”
Sam breathed in, held the air inside his lungs. Would there be any improvement in Valen’s condition, even if he went back? Harris needed Sam too, didn’t he?
Slowly, Sam relaxed back into Harris’ arms. It was safe here. He trusted Harris completely. And maybe he needed someone to hold onto, himself.
“Stay with me right now,” Harris murmured. “We’ll go back when I wake.”
Sam fought away the worry that threatened to creep into his chest. “I will.”
Harris kissed him sloppily on the shoulder, his hand sliding down to Sam’s belly. He held Sam there, right over where the baby was, and Sam’s throat tightened.
It had been a long night. He didn’t know if Valen would be okay, and neither did Harris.
But in Harris’ arms, it felt like he was making a difference. He was helping. He wanted Harris to feel better, because Harris had given Sam so much. Harris had accepted Sam into his home. Shared his lover with Sam. He had taught Sam a little about valuing himself.
In return, Sam wanted to give him everything.
Sam closed his eyes, listening to Harris’ steady breaths. After a while, he fell asleep, too.
19
Harris
Harris woke to the scent of dahlia and honey, and a barely-there hint of sandalwood. Valen wasn’t around.
Gods, is Valen still mad at me? It’s been a week.
He faltered in the midst of stirring, wondering how the hell he was getting through the cold spell with Valen. Or if it would cease at all.
Then he realized that someone was breathing against his chest, soft hair tickling his skin. It wasn’t Valen. Valen liked shoving his face in Harris’ armpit when he slept, or grabbing Harris’ ass. Or he would’ve been sleeping on the other side of the bed, still pissed.
Harris knew this scent. It was Sam.
Warily, he cracked his eyes open. In the weak sunlight creeping around the blackout curtains, Harris found the mess of dark hair against him, and pale skin. He held his breath. Tried to remember how Sam had gotten into his bed.
Then the events of the night before crashed back into his mind. Harris froze, his arm slung haphazardly across Sam’s waist. Valen’s in the hospital.
Valen should be fine, it should just be a routine smoke inhalation recovery. But what if? Harris closed his eyes. If Valen wasn’t stable... What would Harris do, then?
His chest squeezed. Harris cast his mind around, trying to think about something else. Valen would be fine.
I went and fucked Sam.
His face burned. Sam wasn’t for Harris. Harris had never even knotted in Valen. How was he explaining this to V? “Fuck.”
Sam sucked in a deeper breath, stirring. Harris closed his eyes. Wondered how much more he was going to mess up.
Sam nuzzled closer to Harris, breathing in. Then he froze. “Valen?”
“Valen’s not here,” Harris said, his voice rough with sleep.
Sam made a soft noise, his eyes flying open. He leaned back. “H-Harris?”
“The one and only.”
Sam blinked, then looked down between them. Even in the dimness of the room, it was clear that both of them were naked. Sam’s cheeks darkened. “Oh, gods.”
“Yeah.”
“I, um.”
“I should apologize,” Harris said, feeling like one of those alphas again. After last night... “You came here for comfort, and I... took advantage of that.”
Gods, he was sick. And yet he didn’t want to let go of Sam.
Sam shook his head. “No. I should apologize. I mean... I forced myself on you.”
“Then that makes two of us, doesn’t it?”
Sam bit his lip, squirming away from Harris so they didn’t touch. Cool air slid between them. Harris almost wanted to pull Sam back, hold Sam against himself.
“I hope Valen is okay,” Sam said haltingly.
Harris closed his eyes. Didn’t want to think about the possibilities, when he could see Nicholas bleeding out again, at the back of his mind. “I’ll call the hospital.”
“They’ll give you updates?”
Harris snorted. “Perks of being second-in-command at the station.”
He rolled around, fumbling for his phone. Hit the hospital’s number, which was on Quick Dial after Valen, Sam, and the station. Set the phone against his ear, trying not to think too much.
He’ll be fine. He’s not gonna die on me.
Sam curled his fingers into Harris’ hand.
Maybe they both needed the comfort. Maybe last night happened for a
