We stayed there on the couch, exchanging only a few words here and there until our food arrived half an hour later.

“You ordered… Four?” Rene asked with wide eyes after I closed the door.

“So you can try different things,” I said with a smirk, holding the four boxes of pizza in my hands. “Come. Let’s see if we’ll find your favorite.”

After we entered the kitchen, I laid out the boxes in the middle of the dining table and opened all of them. Rene stayed behind to stare at all the food while I went to grab us plates and something to drink. Sodas. Rene was way too underweight for anything alcoholic.

“It smells like heaven,” I said with a groan when I returned to Rene. “Smell anything good?”

He glanced at me, then leaned closer to take a sniff. “I… This…?” he then said, pointing at the pepperoni one.

“That’s my favorite,” I said with a smile and took a piece for him. But when I gave him the plate, he only stared at it, not saying a word. “What’s the matter?” I asked quietly.

He finally took the plate from me, but again, only stared at it for a long time. Then he opened his mouth, but glanced at me and closed again.

“Hey…?” I breathed out, resting my hand on his back.

“It looks good,” he said, his voice weak again.

“What’s the matter, baby boy?” I asked gently.

“Last time I ate pizza…” he said, staring at his slice. “I’d dug it out of trash…”

“What…?”

“I was homeless before he…” he muttered. “Before he found me.”

“Oh, baby boy…” I said quietly, hugging him gently. “I’m so sorry.”

He shook his head. “It wasn’t that bad. The homeless people are nice… There always was someone who could help, so… But I don’t miss the moldy food.”

“No more moldy food,” I promised, trying to smile even though my heart was bleeding for this kid.

His family was dead… That’s why he’d lived on the streets.

I watched as he picked up the slice, then took a careful bite out of it. He froze for a brief moment, then groaned, his eyes closing.

“Good, right?” I asked.

“So good…” he said, taking another bite.

“You’ll need all the greasy food for now,” I said, moving my hand on his side, careful whenever my fingers ran past his ribs. “So eat up. There’s plenty.”

“You should too,” he said.

“Huh?”

“You should eat too. You don’t usually eat much,” he said.

I frowned, not really understanding his words, but then it hit me. “Oh, uhm… I do eat, but… When you’re around, I’m too busy watching you. You know, to make sure you’re eating well.”

“Oh,” he said, glancing at me. “Just to make sure I’m eating well?” he asked innocently.

I couldn’t stop a smile forming on my face. “Well… It just so happens that you’re very nice to look at,” I said quietly, sounding braver than I felt.

A shy kind of smile appeared on his lips, and he bowed his head and looked away from me. My alpha read it as an invitation, but I held back in case Rene’s alpha didn’t understand what kind of message it was giving us, and he was inviting us to bond by accident. I feared he’d never learned our natural body language while in captivity, and I didn’t want to take advantage of that. Especially since he was showing submissive behavior by looking away, leaving his neck and shoulder vulnerable.

Rene stayed still, peering at me from the corner of his eye. He then lowered his shoulder and moved his chin toward it, still watching me. Now that was a clear invite, not an accident.

With a smile, I slowly leaned in to caress his skin with my nose. He shivered while I tried to find his scent. My touch must’ve tickled him… but I didn’t stop. I slowly moved my nose up on his neck, then back down, breathing out in loud bursts to send a message of my own: ‘your scent pleases me’.

In response, he put his plate away and turned a little toward me. When I returned to the crook of his neck where his scent was the strongest, he carefully pressed his cheek against mine and nose on my shoulder. He mimicked my loud breaths as he took in my scent, and I smiled.

So… He felt the same…

I focused on his scent and rubbed that specific spot on his neck a little harder, trying to trigger his pheromones. His body probably was still too weak to produce them, but maybe if I teased him a little, I’d get a little something out of him. In the meantime, Rene didn’t have to do much for my alpha to drown him in mine. A simple touch was enough, so I didn’t have much time before he’d get too sleepy to stand.

“You should keep eating,” I muttered against his skin. “You’ll fall asleep if you breathe in my pheromones.”

“But I want to learn more…” I murmured.

“Eat first, then you can continue,” I said.

He let out a disapproving snort, but turned his head away and grabbed his slice.

“That’s a good baby boy…” I murmured, then continued massaging his neck with my nose.

He put his arm around my waist and rested his head on my shoulder, but kept it turned away so he could keep eating. I wrapped my arms around his lower back to hold him still while I tried to tease a little bit of pheromones out of him. I was determined… I needed to learn everything about his scent. The fact that it was just about strong enough for me to know I absolutely adored it was driving me crazy because I wanted more.

I pulled back and tried with my fingers instead, but no matter how carefully I tried to feel my way around, I couldn’t find the gland. I had no better luck when I tried to find it on the other side of his neck. They were completely dried out.

I let out a sigh, finally giving up. All I could do was to wait and be patient. He would grow strong soon enough.

I hugged him gently, holding him just to enjoy him in my arms a little while longer. Eventually, I had to force myself to let go of him so we could sit down to eat.

We had a fun little pizza tasting party. Rene’s initial guess had been correct, and he quickly declared the pepperoni-and-cheese pizza his favorite. He was able to eat quite a lot, which soothed my mind. His appetite was growing each day, and even though he couldn’t eat even half as much as I did, it was still good enough for a man his size.

We did end up with a lot of leftovers, but since I was supposed to cook the next day as well… Well… We’d end up needing those leftovers.

I also treated Rene’s hand, cleaned it, and used a lot of salve to help it heal and numb the pain before wrapping it up in bandages. The stronger he became, the faster the wound would heal, though it was healing quite nicely already. Maybe in a week it would be fully healed.

Then it was time for him to get some sleep.

“One day, I will make the best damn casserole anyone has ever heard of,” I declared playfully as I was taking him up in his room.

He snorted lightly in amusement. “It’s always good to have goals.”

I laughed at his words. “You don’t believe in me?”

He glanced at me from the corner of his eye and said nothing. I shook my head in amusement.

We stopped behind his door, and I opened it for him.

“You should try to get some sleep. It’s been a long day,” I told him quietly, leaning against the doorway.

He glanced at his bed, then at me. Then, slowly, he reached for my hand. I let him take it. I also let him pull me into his room.

“You need company?” I guessed while he closed the door.

He gave me a little nod, then led me to his bed.

“I sleep better… With you here,” he explained quietly.

“I see,” I said gently. “Of course I’ll stay if you want.”

He took off his hoodie and pants, leaving only his T-shirt and boxers on, then climbed in the bed and hid under the covers. I sat down on the edge, watching him get comfortable next to me. Once he settled down, he gave me an expecting look.

“Is this not enough?” I asked.

“No…” he murmured, patting the spot next to him. “Stay with me.”

“When you say stay…?”

“I don’t want to wake up alone,” he whispered.

“Okay,” I said and stood back up to take off my clothes.

I could feel those baby blue eyes on my body the entire time…

Once I had only my boxers on, I climbed back in the bed. Rene lifted his covers, and I joined him under it. I had a small smile on my face while he nestled against my chest, using my arm as his pillow while I carefully rested my hand on his side, slowly pulling him closer.

He was so tiny next to me…

“Is this better?” I asked once he’d made himself comfortable.

“Uh-huh…” he said with a nod, but he wasn’t closing his eyes. They were still on me.

“You’re supposed to sleep now,” I said.

“I know…”

I carefully moved my hand up to rest it on his cheek. I caressed his skin gently, tenderly.

“Will you now fall asleep?” I whispered.

“Maybe…”

“You need to close your eyes first,” I noted.

“I know, but…” he murmured, bringing his hand to my face to play with my beard again.

“But what?”

“I don’t want to just yet,” he admitted.

“I see,” I breathed out.

I didn’t mind staring into those pretty blue eyes, especially when they were staring back, his delicate fingers studying my face, his smooth, soft skin against mine. There was a small, happy smile forming on his lips. And I guess mine as well, but I was too mesmerized by him to realize that.

He shifted even closer, his body pressing against mine. Our noses touched, and he tenderly rubbed the tip of mine with his. I loved it… I loved this closeness with him. The alpha in me was almost purring because of how comfortable he was with this smaller alpha. I was fine with the idea of staying in this bed with Rene forever…

And then, he moved his chin up… just a little… and I felt the whispering touch of his lips against mine. I couldn’t tell if he got a little spooked by it, or waiting for my response since he stayed still, holding his breath. I smiled before moving my bottom lip just a little against his, encouraging him. He gave me the cutest little smile when peered at my lips. He knew what he wanted…

And he was ready to take it.

His eyes sparkled when he shyly leaned in and carefully pressed his lips on mine, giving me a soft, lingering kiss. I melted under his touch…It felt right. It felt so right I couldn’t understand how I’d been able to live all these years without him…

But now I was his. Like he was mine, I was completely his.

When he pulled back, he looked adorable… He was smiling widely, but he tried to hide it by biting his lower lip. He turned his head away, blushing, so I touched his chin to get him to look at me. When he did, his expression was so tender and warm I wanted to kiss him again. Somehow, I managed to hold myself back.

“Will you now sleep?” I asked him with a smile.

“Maybe,” he murmured.

I chuckled lightly and pulled him tightly against my chest.

“Try to sleep now. I’ll watch over you,” I muttered in his ear, slowly caressing his back.

“Okay,” he whispered, his arms slowly going around me. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, baby,” I said.

And I stole another kiss by brushing his cheek with my lips.