Exclusive Excerpt from To Love & Protect His Omega

by Quinn Michaels

Gunnar fiddled with his wedding ring as he took a step towards the table. That simple motion wiped any thoughts of scents or biology class from Liam’s mind. The way he was acting, he was proving the omega detractors, the ones who said omegas couldn’t be trusted with important work because their hormones would get the better of them, right.

Puff lifted his head, and his meow was stronger this time. He even moved his paws, scraping a pad lightly over the towel.

Liam smiled. He glanced up at the fluid bag. A bubble had begun to form under the skin of Puffs flank from the fluid. Another 10 mL would be enough for now.

“He looks better, doesn’t he?” Gunnar asked. “What’s wrong with him? What did you do?”

Liam pinched the line and pulled the needle out as he explained about the low blood sugar and everything he had done so far. “A normal kitten will usually eat one to two full 5 1/2 ounce cans of cat food over the course of the day. Or an equivalent amount of dry. It’s usually best to do a little of both.”

“That much?” Gunnar fiddled with his wedding ring again. “I didn’t know.”  He took another step so that he was catty-corner to Liam. Puff squirmed a little on the towel and sneezed. Gunnar reached out and then stopped. “Can I touch him?”

Having an alpha so close should have scared Liam, but Gunnar was so gentle with Puff that Liam felt calm too. Damon had pretended to like Liam’s pets, but he had rarely tried to touch them. And the feeling had been mutual. Ferrous, who liked most everyone, had given Damon a disdainful hiss and stalked off, tail twitching. Liam should’ve known then.

“You can pet him. Of course. He’s going to get a bit more active in a few minutes, but we have to get some real food into him. Dextrose is a simple sugar, and easy to absorb, but once he is strong enough to swallow, we’re going to have to hand feed him. I’d like to keep Puff for the day, just to get him off on the right foot, if that’s okay.”

“Yes, please.” Gunnar petted the kitten gently. “Do you think he’s going to…? I know you can’t say for sure, but he’s looking better, isn’t he?”

“I can’t say for sure, but it’s clear this little guy is a fighter. And I’m going to do everything I possibly can to make sure Puff stays with us. My cat, Ferrous, was in a similar place when I took him home, and now he’s so chubby, it’s embarrassing when I tell people I’m a vet.”

Gunnar laughed, and for a moment the grimness lifted from his expression and Liam’s breath caught in his throat. Gunnar’s omega was a very lucky man. 

Maybe. You never really knew.

“Can my daughter see him?” Gunnar asked. 

“Absolutely. I’ll have Carolyn mix up some – –.” A bowl of diluted prescription cat food and a syringe were already sitting on the table. “Thanks, Carolyn,” Liam said.

Carolyn was already setting up a cage for Puff to spend the day and be monitored. She was going to be an excellent veterinarian. She was detail oriented, intelligent, and kind. Liam really loved working here. Back home, he had worked in an emergency clinic, and while he loved knowing that his split-second decisions could and would immediately save lives, he never really got a chance to know the clients or patients beyond the duration of their emergency. Here, he could build longer-term relationships. As lonely as he was being so far from everything he had known before, he liked this. And more importantly, he was safe.

“I’ll be right back,” Gunnar said.

Liam breathed a soft sigh through his nose after the alpha had left. The attraction was biology. Even if Liam had wanted to act on it, which he didn’t, the man was married, and he had a kid. Continue reading →