“You never did give me the details about your project,” Linus said with a faint smile. “Dragon was pretty vague in his comments.”
Storm laughed. “I can’t namedrop ongoing projects on the internet. Those comments are public! But I’m currently coding for one of the Frog Island franchises. You know, that island survival video game. It’s gotten really big over the years.”
Linus nodded. “Perry—one of the robotics professors—he and his alpha met over some Frog Island videos.”
“That’s really cool,” Storm said. Then he patted the couch next to himself. “Come sit with me.”
Linus glanced at the empty doorway and hesitated. Then he shuffled over, sitting gingerly on the other end of the couch.
“Close enough,” Storm murmured. “I like having you nearby.”
Linus blushed and ducked his head. “Thanks for getting my clothes and the spray. They really helped.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Storm got to sit with his omega for all of three minutes. Then a student showed up, and Linus retreated behind his desk.
It was still a delight to hear his voice, to watch him from the corner of his eye. Getting to spend this much time with Linus—this was one of Storm’s biggest goals in life.
It wasn’t until two hours later, when Linus’ office hours were drawing to a close, that someone of note stepped through the door.
Two someones.
Storm stopped breathing when he recognized Olson and Rex.
Olson glanced over and narrowed his eyes at Storm. Then he pinned Linus with his gaze, and Linus... sagged.
“We need to talk,” Olson said.
21
THE DREADED TALK
Linus panicked a little.He had thought Olson might call, or wait until the weekend to visit.
Nope.
Apparently Olson had sniffed out his secret like a bloodhound.
He sat in the chair on the other side of Linus’ desk, his belly round and prominent under his shirt. “Talk.”
Linus tried to appear pathetic. “What’s there to talk about?”
Olson narrowed his eyes. He had always been fiercer than Linus, more so after he lost his alpha decades ago. Olson had gotten his alpha back recently, but the years of being protective had stuck with him. “You and Storm.”
Linus’ face heated; he could feel Storm watching them from the couch. “It’s really new. We haven’t even talked about it.”
“You didn’t tell me you were sick.” Olson looked hurt.
Crap.“I didn’t want to worry you.” At Olson’s incredulous frown, Linus reluctantly admitted, “Storm took care of me. Hehadn’t passed any of your tests, and I didn’t want to go through all thatwhile I was sick.”
“Linny,” Olson groaned. “That’s a lot of trust for someone you barely know.”
Linus fidgeted. “We, uh, we had known each other for years by that point.”
That wasn’t something he had known while he was barely conscious, but right now, Linus was filled with the urge toprotect Storm.
The same way Storm had protected him from all those alphas.
