Feral Northern Shifters 2

gut. Even if that kiss, that eager tongue on his, still had him hard.
“Of course it’s not wrong,” Doug said calmly, bringing Bram’s thoughts back to the important issue— Ethan. “He’s trying to bond with you.”
“ Bond? ” Bram hadn’t thought cats formed bonds. Ethan was just reaching for whoever was there. And Bram was surely there. He’d been watching the cougar for three days.
“Yes. Cougars form bonds. That one female cat shifter—”
“She’s real? I thought you were making her up for Ethan’s sake.”
“Don’t interrupt me.”
“Sorry. Sorry, Doug.” Christ, Bram didn’t know how much longer he could apologize to Doug without getting sick. It was exhausting, this constant apology. It should have been natural, since Bram was omega, and yet it never was.
“She’s real, yes,” Doug said finally. “I didn’t lie to the cat. Anyway, she’s apparently bonded to a human. So Ethan is bonding to you, which makes sense. You’ve spent the most time with him and should continue to do so.”
“It doesn’t seem right, to lock him up. To force him to bond with me because he sees no one else.” A relationship was being forced on Ethan, and even if a part of Bram craved a relationship, he didn’t want it like this. Sordid. Under Doug’s control. On screen.
Doug rolled his eyes. “Stop whining, Bram. It’s irritating. The fact is Ethan’s entire life has been unfair.” Doug held out three fingers and started ticking them off. “Our pack gutted him more than a few times.” Second finger. “He’s been feral, though quite obviously not irreversibly so, thanks to us.” Third finger. “His friend Lila was killed before his eyes.”
Doug paused, as if his dimwitted omega would take a while to soak up this information, before he continued. “Being attracted to you is hardly Ethan’s worst nightmare. At least you’re concerned for his welfare.” The alpha’s expression actually softened. “You’re not so bad, Bram. Don’t loathe yourself, and don’t bring your self-loathing into it.”
“I’m not,” Bram said quickly, trying to forestall a conversation about himself. Those lectures never ended well. “This isn’t about me.”
Doug’s smile turned patronizing, indulgent, and Bram had this very unomego desire to slug him.
Don’t react. Don’t get off track. Turn the subject back to what’s important—Ethan . “The point is he’s too vulnerable to bond with anyone. It makes things…wrong, twisted. He’s a prisoner, malnourished, fearful most of the time—” Shit . Doug looked pissed.
“Are you suggesting that what I’m doing is wrong?” Doug asked quietly in clipped tones.
“No.” Maybe , but Bram couldn’t say that. Too dangerous.
“You need to trust me on this. I expect your trust, Bram, after all I’ve done for you.” Doug paused, giving Bram a chance to respond. He didn’t take it. Doug sighed. “I’m the bad cop in this situation. That will make him turn to you even more, and that’s better for his mental health. He needs to connect to someone. Do you not see that?”
Bram found he could no longer nod, no longer agree, so he just stood there, but Doug didn’t notice. “Also I’m the alpha. Cats are unlikely to be drawn to alphas. They don’t like authority. But omegas…that’s a different story. You’re perfect.”
At the word “perfect”, Bram snorted.
“Don’t lose sight of what we’re trying to accomplish here,” Doug lectured on. “This is nothing, a slight awkwardness. You’ll get past it.”
It doesn’t feel like nothing.
Placing a hand on Bram’s shoulder, Doug squeezed, but instead of letting go, he held on, his grip firm. “Is the problem that you need an outlet after that kiss? I can give you that.”
Bram went still, wondering if Doug meant what Bram thought he meant. His heart rate picked up. The oblique offer filled Bram with an awful anticipation and he shivered in reaction.
“Kneel,” ordered Doug. “You need this.”
Bram breathed quickly, confused thoughts tumbling through his brain. Before today Doug had always kept their transactions away from the office.
“I don’t mind if you take yourself in hand this time. I know you’re under stress.” Doug’s other palm came to rest on Bram’s shoulder, and he applied pressure, forcing Bram down to his knees.
“Unzip yourself, Bram. You know you want to. I can smell your arousal.”
Looking down, he obeyed, finding his dick while Doug undid his own zipper. The