And suddenly he can hear his father’s voice in his head, echoes of him telling Daniel not to be a needy slut. Daniel straightens, hurrying into position. Who does he think he is, wanting a bite and a fuck like a whore, ungrateful for the gift and power he’s been given?

His father never would have let Daniel do this if he’d known Daniel would be so weak. Too weak to be a Dominant, to realize the change’s full potential.

He needs to fight his instincts. Make some effort, his father would yell, voice sharp and angry. That was when he’d look to his handlers, to the doctors, silently pleading for someone to step in.

They’d started shocking him when he’d offer his throat, get slick, try to present, or cry. It seemed like whatever his instincts were, everyone hated them. They did their best to get him trained into behaving like the Dominant he was meant to be, trying to salvage something from the disaster.

And that’s all Daniel really knows. He’s learned those lessons thoroughly through fear and pain. They’re drummed deep into his skull, carved into his bones. His submissive responses are wrong.

Which makes it hard to trust this. He should go back to hiding.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? Why are you anxious?” Liam asks, petting his hair, his voice a rumble.

“This is bad. They’ll hurt me.” Even before he finishes saying it, he realizes where he is. The circumstances have changed, even if it’s just for a while. His father is sick. This isn’t his father making this decision, but a doctor who wants him to be treated like a submissive. He tries to chuckle. It doesn’t sound right. “Sorry, I got confused.”

“You thought you were somewhere else? Does that happen a lot?” Liam asks.

Daniel knows he’s trying to keep his voice even and calm. But it isn’t normal or healthy to make that sort of mistake. This isn’t his first experience with doctors. He knows the tone of voice they get when they’re surprised or disappointed with him.

“It’s fine. I know where I am. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t need you to be fine, and I don’t need you to be sorry. I need you to answer the question honestly.” His warm hand squeezes the back of Daniel’s neck. “You always answer me, Daniel. You always tell me the truth.”

He risks a glance. “What makes you the exception?”

“You’re mine now. My submissive.” And then his hand is on Daniel’s bare bottom, sliding between his cheeks, rubbing over his hole. He gives him a gentle spank, right on his hole, and that explodes through Daniel in a burst of pleasure. He gasps and shudders. It takes him a moment to remember what they were discussing.

This man owns him.