Page 22 of The Feral Alpha

Olson would’ve protested the way Rex crowded so close on the trip back to his car, but...

It was kind of nice, actually.

Nice to have an alpha so keen on seeing him safe. Nice to have an alpha who couldn’t keep his eyes off Olson.

It had been a long, long time since Olson had felt this desirable.

Mostly, he’d forced himself to be independent after he’d lost George. He’d learned to rely on his own two hands; he’d built his business from the ground up so it was now his pride and joy.

But sometimes... he wished he could have someone to lean against, so he didn’t have to be the strong one all the time.

Rex prowled up to the car when they drew close, scrutinizing it. He had two bundles under his arms; Olson opened the trunk and made Rex put his things in there. Then he opened the passenger side door, and Rex eyed it warily.

“Is this your first time in a car?”

Rex shrugged. He carefully climbed in, though, crouching on the seat. Olson laughed and grasped his ankle, guiding it into the leg well.

“Feet on the floor.”

Rex complied. He still looked out of sorts sitting properly in the car, but there wasn’t much they could do about it. Olson helped him put on his seatbelt. Rex leaned in to nuzzle his neck.

“This is a seatbelt. Don’t take it off until I tell you to,” Olson said. “It’s to keep you safe while we’re driving.”

“I keep safe,” Rex muttered.

He was so endearingly sweet. Olson cracked a smile and patted his hand. “Both you and the seatbelt can keep me safe. But don’t grab me while I’m driving, all right? Especially my hands. Or it won’t be safe. We could die.”

Rex growled, his eyebrows drawing low.

Yeah, Olson didn’t want to think about vehicle accidents, either.

He drove slowly to get Rex used to the car, before taking them downtown, pointing out things like the grocery store and the Wine Shack.

Rex made to grab him, suddenly. Except he froze with his hand barely an inch from Olson’s arm.

“What is it?” Olson asked.

Rex looked out the window.

Olson slowed the car down, following his gaze. Huh.

It was an ice cream shop with a large, faded ice cream cone on top of the building. The same one he and George had been to countless times in their youth. Somehow, it was still in business.

“You want an ice cream? We could stop for one.”

Olson flipped his turn signal and pulled into the parking lot. There, he showed Rex how to unbuckle his seatbelt and open the door.

Rex followed close behind as Olson made his way to the ice cream shop; the bell on the door jingled when they stepped in.

The shopkeeper—Mrs. Bentham, Linus’ mom—smiled. “Olson! It’s been a while since... Oh! You’ve brought a friend.”

“Mine,” Rex rumbled, curling his fingers around Olson’s hip. “Not friend.”

Mrs. Bentham’s eyebrows went up, more so when she took in Rex’s general state of... cave-alpha.

Olson flushed, glad he’d made Rex put on a pair of pants that didn’t have rips in the important areas. Granted, they both smelled like sex and Rex’s unwashed-ness. “Uh, it’s complicated. We’re just stopping by.”

“Well, all right. Take your time.” She waved at the coolers of ice cream and stood back, watching them curiously since business was slow right now.

---