Dr. J had the guards let me in. Eric could smell Victor, his [scent] twisted with the acrid note of fear. Eric tore his eyes from him. He couldn't look at him and maintain any cover. 

"Dr. V, what is it? Have you uncovered something important?"

Here it was. Eric was doing this. "I've uncovered another set of markers. I'm not entirely sure what it means yet, but the markers are exclusive, you have one of the three strands, not all, not zero. 

Dr. J looked a little frustrated. "That sounds intriguing, but what use is it until we know what it is for?"

'It's new data!" Eric exclaimed. "It means we're coming closer to unlocking the key to metamorphosis!" He knew he sounded frantic; crazy. He slowly shifted his way over until he was standing between Dr. J and Victor. 

"But what do you think it means? Your last report was useful because it had immediate practical application. We're not just in this for the pure knowledge, Dr. V, we are in it for the application. Knowledge is weak when it can not be applied."

Eric changed his mind; Dr. V was not the kind of man he would have liked to work for in other circumstances. Dismissing a report of ground-breaking news just because they didn't know the practical application yet? Not to mention the whole evil mastermind schtick he had going here. 

The door opened again, and a tech came in with a small tray. She set up and immediately started prepping Victor's arm for a blood draw. Eric's vision went red when he saw her hand approach Victor's arm with the needle. Eric lunged forward and shoved her away, sending her toppling back to the floor. Eric felt the change come over him faster than it ever had before. He was going to rip Dr. J limb from limb. The man would cause no more damage to Eric's mate or any others. He was--

Something bit his hindquarter and he yelped, turning around to bite at it. His teeth pulled a fluffy, bright pink dart from his skin and he began to stumble, snapping out at anything near. But his vision was going blurry, and as he collapsed to the floor, the last thing he saw was a dark figure approaching him.

* * *

Eric couldn't stop shivering. He was so cold. Except for the warmth at his back. That was nice. And a [describe scent] aroma told him that no matter what else, he was home.

Eric faded in and out of consciousness for some time before his eyes finally blinked open and stayed open. He observed his surroundings without processing them. Hard mattress. Bottom bunk. White walls. He turned to face the warmth at his back. Victor. In that moment, it all came together. He had failed. He had failed to protect his mate. His mate. Eric reached out to run a tentative hand down his mate's face. So strange that he had not yet had the privilege of doing so. 

Victor's hand flew up to catch his. "They're watching," he grumbled.

"Let them watch," Eric said defiantly. He'd failed, utterly and completely. As a spy. As an alpha. No matter that they were fated mates--how long would it take for Victor to realize that Eric wasn't good for him? Victor needed an alpha who could hold off hordes for him. Eric had been unable to protect him from a few scientists. And damn it, he knew he was being selfish, but he didn't fucking care right now. He wanted to commit his mate to memory while he could.

He pressed his lips tentatively to Victor's, and for a moment, Victor kissed him back, his lips parting in invitation. But as Eric broached his lips with a questing tongue, Victor suddenly pushed him away and scrambled out of bed, rushing for the toilet. The initial sharp sting of rejection disappeared as soon as Eric realized Victor was not well. He hurried after him, wrapping his body around a weeping Victor, holding him as he cried.

"Is it...?" Eric left the question hanging. He couldn't give a fuck about being watched while he showed his omega basic affection, but there was no way he would reveal the pregnancy if they didn't yet know about it.

Victor understood what he meant without finishing the sentence. "Yeah. Strong."

"How long have you been like this?" Eric asked. He knew the basics of pregnancy, but he'd been a researcher, not a medical doctor; his knowledge was maybe only slightly greater than your average shifter. 

"Couple days," Victor rasped. 

"Let me get you some water," Eric said, starting to push away, but Victor leaned more heavily against him.

"No. It'll just make me heave again. It's... normal, though."

Eric knew morning sickness was common, but he'd never imagined it being this brutal. Eric remembered being that sick once with some kind of twenty-four hour bug, but as soon as he'd evacuated his stomach once, everything had calmed down after that.

"I'm sorry," Eric murmured into Victor's hair. 

"For what?" Victor whispered, his strength ebbing.

"For putting you in this position. For not holding my cover. I just wasn't able to control myself when I saw her coming at you with that needle. It felt... wrong."

"It's not your fault."

Eric's laugh was bitter. "It is my fault. I knew I wasn't a good candidate for something like this. If--" Victor nudged him and he realized he had nearly forgotten himself in his misery. Gecko might suspect the White Falls pack and Alpha Williams, but if they were unsure, it would be unwise of him to confirm their suspicions. Yet another way he would have fucked up on his own. If he had said no, Alpha Williams would have found someone else sooner or later. Someone who wouldn't have been Victor's mate, who wouldn't have been tempted to put him in this position. Someone who would have been able to keep his cover and continue to be useful to the pack. 

Victor was asleep, he realized. He carefully shifted on to his knees and lifted the small omega. He had bags under his eyes. As if Eric's guilt needed more fuel. He tucked Victor gently into bed and then went to the cell door. He grabbed the rails and leaned against it.

"What happened?" he called out.

A short, dark haired man appeared in the door of the cell across from him. Eric took a deep breath. He was a beta. 

"You his?" the beta asked with a jerk of his chin to Victor.

"Yes." If he'll still have me.

The beta nodded. "They came in, pulled me and Bob outta there and stuck us over here. Then they tossed you in on the floor and dragged Victor in after you."

Eric felt the hair prickle at the back of his neck, his hackles raising. He wanted to make them pay, but what could he do from here? He could feel the beta looking at him, the unasked questions burning in his eyes. But Eric didn't have answers. He turned away and curled up around Victor. He couldn't do much, but he would provide what comfort he could.