Epilogue 1 – Peony
“You two are in so much trouble!” Peony shouted, dragging her sons by their ears down the hall as they yelled out in pain, begging for mercy. “Just wait until your father hears about this!”
“Don’t tell dad!” Viktor yelled.
“It wasn’t even that bad!” Temnavi added.
Peony glared over her shoulder, making him wince back.
Temnavi had hit his first hormone surge, and immediately shot up taller than her – though his muscles had yet to fill out his gangly frame.
He had to bend over now for her to take him by the ear.
Viktor was still her little boy, adorable and small enough for her to pick up.
Or, at least, he had been before her belly got big with her newest pup.
But regardless of how big her pups were, they were never too big for her to grab them by the ear and drag them to their father for punishment. Especially for being fools.
“Tree running in the wilds. I cannot believe you two,” she said, shaking her head. “There’s no safety nets out there. You two could have fallen to your death! You, Temnavi, should have known better! Viktor doesn’t even have his claws yet!”
“I was watching him,” he assured her. “We were fine!”
“You two are grounded for a year! Two years!”
“Mom!” Viktor whined plaintively.
She dragged both of them to their father’s office. Atem was hard at work. Peony had been there with him until she had to leave to go to the bathroom – Atem’s newest son apparently enjoyed sitting right on top of her bladder and she had to pee every quarter mark it seemed.
On her way back, she had received a message from Tuvo telling her that her wayward sons had decided to spend their morning tree running through the wilds outside the city.
A place that had no safety nets and no one watching to make sure they were okay.
Neither of them were old or strong enough for that and she had nearly choked on her fear when she heard what they had done.
Atem lifted his head as Peony marched to his desk and pushed them at him.
“Atem, get your sons! They’re going to give me an aneurysm!”
“What did you two do now?” He asked, very obviously hiding his amusement.
Peony glared at him as Temnavi tried to explain that it wasn’t even that bad, that he had everything under control, and Viktor was completely safe.
Peony interjected to tell him the truth and Atem frowned. He was a bit calmer as he began lecturing them on the dangers of what they had done. Peony came around his desk, rubbing her bulging belly, feeling their unborn son swimming and twisting around inside her.
No more after this, she decided. Two sons was bad enough. They were constantly getting into fights and getting into danger. And while she knew that they were domini and Temnavi had to get out his aggression, she refused to allow them to do it unsafely.
“Viktor, go finish your lessons for the day,” Atem said. “And Temnavi, go find the palace steward. Ask him what chores you can finish for him. I’ll come get you when I’m done.”
Peony frowned at her wayward sons as they left the room. She didn’t hear Atem stand, but she felt his arms come around her. He circled her belly, lifting it and taking some of the weight off her back, pulling a sigh of relief from her.
“Tree running, huh?” She could hear the grin in his voice when he said it.
“I know you’re not proud of those heathens for this.”
“No, of course not,” he said far too innocently.
“I’m going to pretend to believe you. For the sake of our mating.”
He chuckled, kissing the side of her head. “You worry too much, vi Seerin. They are growing, curious boys. They’re going to get into trouble. You can’t protect them from that. Nor should you. Adversity is the soil that nourishes growth.”
“Don’t you quote the Omini Otorsi at me,” she grumbled, not at all willing to be placated. “And now you’re getting another son. I don’t have three hands. I’m not going to be able to drag all of them by the ear at once.”
“Well, just message me, and I’ll come lend you a hand.”
“Kind of ruins the point of dragging them to you if you have to come get one of them.”
He chuckled, turning her in his arms, holding her with a smile. “You’re so sweet.”
She sighed, relenting. “I’m a cranky mess with this pregnancy. And Temnavi is pushing boundaries. And Viktor is… my baby is growing up so fast! How are they both so big already?!”
Atem kissed her forehead. “You can ask me for another pup whenever you want. I’ll be more than happy to oblige you.”
“Wow, what a sacrifice.”
“Really, I do everything to please you.”
She couldn’t help it, she started snickering. Atem had been beside himself with excitement when she told him she was ready for another pup. If she wanted to be like Holly and never stop being pregnant, she was sure he would be overjoyed.
Peony had many years ahead of her. Over a hundred, with advanced technology. And she would be fertile that entire time if she liked. Who was to say she wouldn’t want another baby in ten or twenty years when this group had grown up?
At the end of the day, she might gripe and complain and be worried for them, but she loved her sons more than anything.
Life with Atem was perfect.