(Thank you for your patience. Been super busy and still am x.x)

Richard-

Was it even possible to be cuter than you're own child?

I kept asking myself that as I hugged Sam, feeling his little stubby tail nudge against my leg as it gave away his emotions. I knew he didn't like being touched, likely because he didn't trust people. For good reason. However; a smile slipped onto my face as I leaned over and nuzzled my nose into the soft fur atop his head.

"I got you something."

He froze, curious soft brown eyes looking up at me with interest. His tail still wagged, but its pace had slowed as he focused on my face.

"Well, for you and the kids. Here." I set him aside gently on the sofa, then stood up and grabbed three small bones from my back pocket. Sitting on them had reminded me of them in a painful manner but I couldn't not give Sam attention when he finally decided to ask for some. Thus, I waited.

"Here," I said, handing him the bigger of the three. His little pup was suddenly in my lap, gnawing on one of the other two with fervor.

"I suppose you claimed that one, hm? Mr. Stinkybutt."

Instead of being embarrassed by the very pungent pile of poop in his diaper, Coda just kept going at the bone, completely oblivious to everything else. Ah, to be young again.

Setting him down on the floor so that he didn't accidentally fall off the sofa, I offered my daughter the last bone and got up.

"Alright, I'll go start dinner, then get Coda changed and cleaned up."

I saw Sam nod slightly, but that's the only reaction I got as all three of them went to town on their treats, Sam on the sofa while the kids laid on the floor. Figuring they'd be busy for awhile, I headed into the kitchen and began getting out some ingredients. I really wanted to make something nice for them. Especially Sam, but I could barely stand with the waves of exhaustion washing over me at random times, so I hoped they'd all be okay with something simple again.

Having gotten everything out, I began cutting up the bell peppers as chicken simmered in a small pan with a bit of coconut oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. "Need help?" Before I even heard his question, I could smell that odd scent from before waft to my nose, overpowering the smell of the food with ease. I had to bite my lip hard to get the disturbing thoughts that swam through my mind out, adding a good shake of my head to be sure they were at bay.

"Sure. Can you finish cutting these while I make sure the chicken doesn't overcook?"

Asking him to watch the cooking was also a possibility but I knew he probably wasn't very skilled with it yet, so chopping stuff up was probably for the best. I thought it would also let me relax a little... Boy was I wrong. The second he cut his finger I had his hand in mine, grasping his wrist gently but tightly as my tongue danced along his miniscule wound. His faint intake of breath told me that I had caught him by surprise, and hell, I don't know why, but I couldn't pull away. My bear was nudging at the surface of my consciousness, rumbling to get out and do what?

Dammit.

Shoving Sam back, I stormed out of the room and down the hall. The bathroom door slammed behind me before I found myself standing under cold water in the shower, still fully clothed.

"The hell was that?" I whispered quietly into the water, letting it wash away my words as they left my mouth. Something had made me begin to think things about him that I shouldn't. Again. It had happened before but this time it was much stronger. I didn't want to think about it, but as soon as the realization came to mind, I couldn't manage to push it aside. For some disturbing reason I wanted him in front of me, naked.

"Against the wall," I whispered hoarsely, feeling my body begin to react.

My head snapped back and forth in a harsh shake, trying to rid my mind of the terrible thoughts. It didn't work well, especially because I heard the door to the bathroom creek open.

"Get out."

My voice was rough, tired. Both words were hard to push out as I my hands shook and clenched at my sides. Instead of heeding my warning, Sam moved closer, his feet sounding on the tile until he came to a stop way too close to the shower for comfort. When I heard his clothing begin to drop to the floor my heart dropped too.

Don't. Please don't.

My prayers weren't answered as I heard him step into the shower behind me. It was hard. So hard not to turn around and begin ravishing his body. My bear wanted to. God dammit, I wanted to! But something was wrong with this situation. This sudden attraction that shouldn't be there. At least not yet. We barely know each other and he's still learning how to be a normal person again for god's sake!

"Rich...ard."

Hearing my name moaned from his lips was a turn on, but surprisingly not as strong of one as I'd thought it would be. In fact, something in his voice told me that he was actually struggling. That's what made me turn around and actually look at him. Not his body, even though my instincts told me to look at what was being offered. But no, I paid attention to his face. Picked up the fear in his eyes. The stress in his features. The lust. Everywhere. He was very visibly hard, but that wasn't what had my attention when it came to his body.

"It's okay, Sam. I think I'm beginning to understand a little," I whispered as I very slowly, very carefully, reached out to him. He was shaking terribly, arms against his chest defensively.

I gave him a very gentle smile and waited. Watched. It took him at least a full minute to move. It was just a gentle grasp of my offered right hand, but I could tell that the small touch actually relaxed him a little. Since he was trying to focus on our touching, I chanced another question. One that's been nagging at my mind since I ran out of the kitchen.

"Sammy?"

His head snapped up, eyes wide as his hands gripped mine tightly.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I think I get it, but can you answer my question? I want to help you any way I can, but I swear, I will do nothing you don't want me to."

He took several moments to calm himself enough to nod. I flashed him another small smile and nodded, then spoke quietly. "Are you in heat, Sam?"

If he had been under the water enough to get wet I might think that it was just droplets from the showerhead running down his cheeks. But he wasn't. And it hurt me so much more than I thought it could.

"Come here, hun. I'll hold you for as long as you need. I know you need relief, but I can't give it to you physically. I just can't." I sighed, taking in a deep breath afterwards to try and calm myself as he slowly inched his way into my embrace. It was easy to feel his need as we got close and it pressed against my pants.

"Go ahead, Sam."

He tensed and began to shake but I quickly rubbed his back and pressed a soft kiss to his hair.

"It's okay. I'm completely dressed and I'll stay this way. Don't worry about anything getting stained. I can just wash it."

His worried eyes rose to meet mine but I didn't give him time to ask worried questions. I just leaned over and pressed a kiss to his forehead, then hugged him tight as I felt him begin to hesitantly rub against my thigh.

"There you go. Just let it out. Deep breaths."

I knew it took more than just having orgasms to release someone from their heat. Usually it took a partner and actually intercourse, but I just couldn't give him that and I had a feeling he wasn't able to handle such a thing right now anyways. So I stood there in the shower, under the cold water utterly exhausted, yet determined.

He came four times over what had to be at least an hour. By the time I got us cleaned up and dried off, he was barely able to sit upright on the toilet seat.

"Come here, you. Time for bed."

If he was anymore awake he'd probably growl at me for treating him like a child, but as soon as I spoke his arms were up, silently asking me to carry him to bed. I did just that, not even realizing that I was tucking him into the spot that had been vacant for so long. When he was comfortable I tugged on a pair of shorts and put the extra food away, relieved that he'd remembered to turn off the heat for the chicken and at least put a plate of cut and crushed vegetables down for the kids. I then went and tended to Coda, changing his diaper and carefully brushing his teeth as my daughter did the same.

I wasn't really sure where to put Coda because I didn't want him to wake his mother after Sam had worn him out so badly in the shower. That's why I decided to drag the small crib I'd bought into the bedroom and tucked Coda in with a small blanket. I thought he might raise a fuss not being next to his mother, but the kid proved me wrong as he passed out, paws in the air and mouth open wide.

Since he was already out cold, I took a little bit of time and read Jess a few pages from her bedtime book, then tucked her in with a hug and kiss. When I returned to my room I was ready to crash, only pausing for a moment to turn off the light, climb into bed, and unknowingly tug Sam into my arms beneath the blankets.