26. Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ionus
Brother, pull your head out of your ass. And that is a direct order.
Our other brothers remained silent. They knew now was not the time to step in nor make jokes.
Look at him, he’s a mess.
As you would be too after so many centuries of not mating.
There’s no way he’s gone untouched.
Yes, there is. Look around you. He’s buried his nose in books, archives to save our kind, and kept to himself. Treat the omega kindly or you’ll not like how you get treated in return. Listen to your dragon, you hardheaded fool.
“Well,” I rose and extended a hand to help my pregnant mate up. “I will stay behind and help protect our clan and our town. Caro will lead the expeditions for us along with Baird. If I can assist from here in any way, do not hesitate to reach out but I must remain with my growing family.”
“Understood and as the soon to be great-great grandfather, it settles me to know you’re with them.” Baird nodded. “I have much to share with Emerson.”
“My mate and I have a bit of shopping to do. I’d say light shopping though I know better.” Alexander huffed and rubbed his belly. “So, we are off. Again, do not hesitate to reach out if my assistance is required.”
Brother, I know you are fully capable but with an unknown lurker I would feel better if I tagged along with you.
My dragon ruffled.
Simmer down, Dragon. This is best for our family.
Thank you, Mattias. I feel it wise as well.
“I’ll stay with Ionus. We can assist Larkin in shifts.” Mattias’ words went straight to my heart. As with all my brothers, we may fuss and argue but our love for one another ran deep.
As we stepped outside, Raven and Carver arrived.
“Did we miss anything?”
“Aye, much, Raven. They’ll fill you in. We have errands to run. Come by later, please, so we may speak.”
“Will do, Ionus. Be safe.”
“Always.”
We all felt it, even if we didn’t allow ourselves to say the words aloud. Something was amiss and it wasn’t going down without a fight.
“Alexander, my love. We have more blankets and pillows than one needs.” Mattias and my arms were laden with bags of billowy frills. “What is there left to buy?”
“Diapers?”
“We got them.” Alexander insisted on using the washable ones, citing it was better for the earth. He was correct, though the act of washing them after usage churned my stomach.
“Clothes?”
“I think you covered that, too.” Mattias shook the bags he carried. “Remember, dragons grow much faster than human babies so you’ll be buying new ones as fast as they wear these.”
Lord, Mattias, don’t tell him that or we’ll be back in the store purchasing all garment sizes.
My bad.
Now you sound like Odem.
Take that back.
Never.
“Talcum, diaper rash medicine, baby aspirin.”
“None of that will be needed aside from the talcum. Dragons don’t get ill or rashes.” It would take some time for that to sink in given how new this was to Alexander.
He sighed and plopped down on a nearby bench. “My feet are swollen, and the eggs are playing kings and queen of the mountain inside me. I swear, they all just shifted places, and that double egg is no joke. How in the hell is that coming out of me?”
Thankfully the midwife was due this week. She’d need to explain that one to both of us.
“I’m sure there’s a way.” Right? There must be.
“Let’s drop the bags at the van and eat before we make the drive home.” I for one was tired of holding our wares. Plus, we still had loads of boxes at the post office to retrieve. Back to the van we went and while the post office was still open, we piled those packages inside as well, leaving just enough room for the three of us.
Mattias shook his head. “Is this what I have to look forward to?”
“Aye, it is.”
“I’m starving. Let’s eat.”
“The pregnant mate has spoken and so it must be.”
Alexander stuck his tongue out at Mattias. When my turn came to tease my brothers, I’d not hold back. Much like the stories Odem shared with Alexander, I’d do the same with their offspring. Oh, the things I’d teach their little ones. Their mates were out there, I could feel it, and soon enough the buzzing sounds of tiny wings doing their best to rise above the ground would be heard through all our homes. Along with many crashes and fire extinguishers at work.
Do I even want to know what that smirk on your face is for?
Just something along the lines of payback in the form of teaching our future nieces and nephews a few things.
Poor Emerson.
You feel that, too, do you?
Without a doubt.
I can’t wait to fly with you.
Do you really believe it will happen? I want it so badly.
After today, without a doubt.
Proudly, I turned his own words back on him. Alexander’s dragon would be as beautiful as he was. Inside and out.
“Where to for lunch, my love?”
“The diner, please. I’d like to say hi to Mable and Cicily.”
“Sir, I am no one’s omega and you have two point five seconds to get your hand off my ass before I break it.”
“Ronan, turn the snark down, boy, or you’ll be back to washing dishes.” Mable wasn’t having any of that.
“Sir, you will be warned once and only once,” Mattias stepping in had both my mate and I shellshocked. Though once what we’d walked into sank in, I was inclined to do the same.
“Omegas are to be treated with respect.” Mattias towered over the unfamiliar citizen, his warning growl had the man shivering.
“S-s-sorry.”
“Don’t apologize to me, apologize to Ronan and do not ever treat an omega with such disrespect again.”
The packed diner cheered as the man apologized, tossed his money on the table and sprinted out the door. I’d send a text to Larkin to keep his eye on this one. Hopefully he was only passing through.
“Speaking of omegas,” Mable said as she hugged mine. “Look at you, you’re practically glowing, Alex.”
“You know, there’s a way to prevent that,” Ronan pointed to Alexander’s belly.
“I’m sure there is but I didn’t want to. Have you met my mate?” Alexander pointed at me. “Ionus.”
“You’re a big one, just like my protector over there.” Alexander growled at Ronan. “Down, boy, I don’t take what’s already taken, though I do like my alphas big and strong.”
“Ronan, get back to work,” Mable warned him. “You’re still on new hire probation. Come along, you three, let’s find a comfy spot for Alex.”
“Thank you. I need to get off my feet for a bit and feed these babies.” He didn’t dare say eggs, not in this crowd.
“Wait, honey, did you just say babies, as in plural?” The sassy omega returned.
“Four to be exact.” Alexander beamed. His happiness flooded our connection, and my silly dragon was back to figure eights.
“Nope. No. Not happening. No way,” Ronan muttered to himself as he got as far away from us as he could. If he thought pregnancy spread like germs, he was due a lesson or two in anatomy.
“I feel for the alpha bound to that one,” Mattias teased as we sat.
“He’d be perfect for Odem.”
Alexander’s comment hit Mattias and I like a punch to the gut.
Dear Goddess, you might want to rethink that one.
Cicily ran a couple of appetizers out to sate my mate while we waited for our meals.
“Alexander, do you have enough room for all the food you ordered?” Burger, steak, salad, potato, fries. Yes, potatoes two ways.
“That’s what they’re asking for.”
Mattias’ eyes widened. “You can hear them?”
“I can and they’re getting louder and larger by the day. Speaking of which, Ionus, they can hear us now and I’d like to address them by name. We have two and for the twins, how about we name them Kane and Hunter? What do you think?”
“Kane and Hunter.” I rolled the names around. “I like them. Strong, sturdy names.”
“There you go, little ones,” Alexander rubbed his belly again. “Griffen, Luna, Kane, and Hunter. We can’t wait to meet you.” Visible ripples rolled across his abdomen.
“Griffin and Luna?” Mattias’ voice cracked and he cleared his throat.
“Aye, brother.”
Is Mattias okay? Caro called out, feeling the emotional shift.
We’ve just shared the babies’ names.
Don’t leave us hanging, man. Odem and his lingo.
Griffin, Luna, and for the twins, Kane and Hunter.
You’ve made us and our parents proud, Ionus.
Thank you, Caro.
I second that.
Third.
Will be like having our parents back in a sense.
Odem had a point there.
Now that the five fearsome protectors were all in tears, it was time to shift gears.
“Well done, Alexander and Ionus. Well done.”
“Thank you, Mattias. It felt right, respectful even.”
During the entire let’s name our babies conversation, I hadn’t once considered my brother’s feelings on the matter of naming two after our parents. Quite possibly I should have at least reached out to them first, but we now knew where they stood on the matter.
The sun sat whilst inside the diner and the air was crisp as we walked back to the van.
Ionus, do you feel that?
Aye, I do.
That unfamiliar presence once again.
I’ll take to the skies. Get Alexander home and I’ll meet you there later.
Thank you, brother.
Caro, Odem, Quint, are you still in town?
We are and feel it, too. The others wish to spread their wings as well. Mattias, stay with Ionus and Alexander. Caro’s direction meant safety in numbers.
Will do.
The three of us reached the van in record time. It appeared when my mate feared danger near our eggs, his dragon stepped in and swollen feet were forgotten.
“Did you feel your dragon that time, Alexander?” I asked as we hit the open road.
“I did and it was like I weighed next to nothing. My feet no longer hurt, nor did I waddle.” I laughed. “Seriously, it was like a huge jolt of adrenaline. I hope I get to meet my dragon soon.”
“As do I, my love. Now, let’s get you and our eggs safely home.”
The contractor came today while we were out and opened the wall between the nest and library. He texted to say that tomorrow he’d hang the door and then get started on the nursery.
Mattias and I unloaded the van and Alexander immediately got to work sorting the pillows and washing the blankets. As they dried he placed them where he saw fit. It was quite interesting to witness the erecting of the nest, especially one of this size, height, and to the level of comfort he sought. My dragon itched to curl up around him and our eggs.
“My love, that nest is amazing.”
“Do you think?” He nibbled on his thumbnail then adjusted a couple of the pillows he’d just placed. “I want all of us to be one big happy, comfy family here.”
“I can promise you we will be. The others have returned, would you like to sit in while they debrief us?”
“I’m antsy. I think I’ll float between here and the library if that’s okay. You can give me the highlight reel later.”
I pressed my lips to his. “I can promise you that. Do what you must but please don’t overdo it.”
I for one was glad Sarah was coming by this week. With Alexander’s continued nesting I wondered if we weren’t in for an early egg arrival.
“Gentlemen, did you find anything?”
“Not a single sighting,” Baird replied. “Knox swears he saw a dragon, dark as night, but none of us did.”
“But being the only one who isn’t full dragon here, it was likely my eyes were playing tricks on me.”
I felt bad for Knox. He was accepted by all but himself and now being in the presence of all these dragons, it weighed heavily on him that he couldn’t shift.
“You may not fly as of yet, Knox, but don’t downplay your senses. You are still a dragon.” Hopefully my words were taken to heart as they were meant to be. I wished nothing more for our newfound family as well as for my brothers that their mates were out there and we’d soon find them. “Had Emerson been able to locate any more clans?”
“Aye, that boy is a jittery one. Caro stayed behind to help him sort through some things?” Baird’s raised brow told me he felt their connection as well.
“Yes, we’ll leave Emerson to Caro to, um, sort out.” Best not to tap into that any further. “Are you hungry?”
“We hunted on the way back. It felt good to stretch the wings again and sharpen our hunting skills. The mages are working on locator spells, directing them toward the areas on the map we’d picked to start with. We’ll organize the troops tomorrow. This old bird is off to bed, goodnight all.” Baird waved then disappeared upstairs while the rest went their separate ways. I was off to rescue my pregnant mate from himself.
The scene I entered warmed my heart. There amongst the throng of colorful pillows and blankets was my adorable mate, softly snoring. I paused for a moment and took a picture to show him later, though for me it would sit in a frame atop my desk.
I scooped him up and he barely stirred. This jam-packed day wore him out. Carefully I undressed and tucked him beneath the sheets while I too prepared to join him in slumber. Our dragon slept best when curled around our mate and I made him a promise that tomorrow we’d take Alexander to the springs so they could float as they both loved to do.