Chapter Eighteen
Blaze
Two years later…
I climbed out of my truck, every muscle in my body aching.
It had been a particularly trying day with a fire at a grain mill a couple of towns over.
Not our usual area, but we’d been called to help their team of mostly volunteers.
The fire had been relentless, bringing down some of the towers holding the grain.
And when they fell, we had to make sure the flames didn’t spread to the fields beyond.
It didn’t help that there was no water source, so we sometimes had to wait for more tanker trucks to arrive.
By showering at the station before going home, I tried to leave it all behind me, but sometimes it proved hard to do. I wanted to focus on Ladon and Kirin, both of whom had their last day of school before summer holidays.
I didn’t know what to expect when I came home, but it wasn’t finding Ladon sitting in the middle of the living room with tears streaming down his face while I could hear Kirin playing in the basement.
“What’s wrong?” I rushed to Ladon and wrapped my arms around him. “What’s got you so sad?”
“You.” He sniffled and wiped his eyes. “I was so worried about you. I heard about the fire while at work and my stomach has been in knots all day. I wasn’t sure if you were going to make it home to me. I don’t want to lose you.”
I wiped his face with my thumbs and kissed his forehead. “I told you, I will always try with everything I have to come home to you two. Besides, the fire wasn’t too bad, just more than their brigade could handle.”
“I didn’t know.” His voice cracked as more tears trailed down his cheeks. “I’m just terrified I’m going to have to do it all over again. I don’t think I can handle it this time.”
“Handle what?” My heart started to race, confused by his words. “What are you going to have to do all over again?”
“Raise a child.” He sobbed, closing his eyes before leaning against my chest.
“A child? What do you mean? Kirin’s fine, right?” The exhaustion from the day made it hard for me to figure out what Ladon was telling me.
“He’s fine.” Ladon looked up at me. “But raising two kids on my own without you or any family is going to be too much.”
I sucked in a quick breath. “Two kids? You’re eggbound?” We’d been trying, but I hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly. I don’t even remember Ladon going into heat. We just had sex whenever we had a chance.
He nodded. “I saw the doctor on my lunch break. I told him I haven’t been off suppressants for that long, but he confirmed it.”
I held him close. “I’m here. I’m here for you, and Kirin, and for any eggs and hatchlings to come. I don’t plan on going anywhere.”
A sob caught in his throat. “I need you. I love you. You can’t leave me.”
“Never.” I stood, taking his hand in mine. “C’mon over this way. Sit with me on the couch.”
As soon as I settled on the cushion, Ladon curled up beside me, resting his head on my lap.
I ran my fingers through his hair until his whole body seemed to relax. Then I heard his soft snoring.
Carefully taking my phone out of my pocket so I didn’t wake him, I called Nancy’s diner and ordered dinner to be delivered. My mate needed to rest because he was eggbound. I was going to be a father.