Chapter 15
Aleric
“It could be any day now,” Father said.
I nodded as I placed the beam on the roof with Father’s help. “It could, but my dragon says it’s too soon. I feel for my mate though. He is so very uncomfortable. I would think he was having two if not for the fact that I have only heard one heartbeat, and my dragon agrees.”
“Do not repeat this to your mate or mine,” Father said. When I did not reply right away, he kept quiet. Once I had my end of the log secured, I looked over at Father, giving him my attention.
“I make no promises. I do not keep secrets from my mate, Father.”
“Wise man. I will take a chance anyway.” Father secured his end now that the top was tightened down. “Konrad’s stomach is so much larger than your da’s was. Either time.”
“Every pregnancy is different,” I said, dropping to the floor below. Now that we were putting the roof on, next would come the wood flooring.
Father dropped down, and we went to get another log we had cut for the roof.
“Yes, but your mate is…so very large, my son.”
I stopped and looked at my father. “Is there something you aren’t saying?”
“Just that sometimes, unexpected things happen. Things we cannot explain.”
“What does your dragon say, Father? Mine and Konrad’s both insist there is only one baby.”
Father bent down and picked up his end of the log. As dragons, we could easily carry them alone. But it took both of us to secure each one.
“My dragon says your mate is carrying two.”
I froze and shook my head. “No. He…there is only one heartbeat.”
“That you hear. But what if the other baby is behind his brother? Shift, son, and go scent your mate.”
“I have. My dragon says one.”
Father started walking, pulling me back to the cottage.
I climbed the ladder first, then walked along the previous logs.
We placed the log, then secured it as we had for the others.
Just a half dozen more, and then we could put the clay we would mix in between them, sealing the gaps in the sides.
We would use woven together sticks and thick grass for the roof before we would cover it with a thick clay as well.
It wasn’t perfect, but it kept us dry and warm.
I thought about what Father said as we finished placing the logs for the roof.
Could there be two? Was that why Konrad was so miserable?
Already, he tired easily. He did not wish to venture too far from the cottage, even with me accompanying him.
But he had experience with someone carrying twins, and even his dragon insisted there was only one.
We were preparing for one baby. Not two.
I looked at the small cottage and was suddenly worried about the size.
“Did you wish to start with the clay?” Father asked after we had the last log secured.
I looked at the skies, then the direction of the cottage where Da and Konrad were. “No. I think I should return to my mate.”
I jumped down from the roof once more. After we secured our tools inside, we left for the other cottage. The snow was knee-high now, but we had a path worn from our trips to and from, making our trek easy enough.
We heard laughter as we approached, Father placing a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. “There are more than two inside.”
That was what I thought. I could distinctively make out Da’s laughter as well as Konrad’s. But I too heard other voices. They sounded…familiar. And the lingering scent. I’d smelled it before.
Father’s dragon was close to the surface; his mate was inside with someone he did not know, but I had heard that laugh before.
“Elias?” I asked absently.
“What?”
“The one voice, it sounds like Elias. We left him in Berlin. How did they arrive here? The other sounds like Wilhelm. They wished to be left with Wilhelm’s family in Berlin.”
We stomped our boots, then opened the door.
Immediately, my nose was met with the scent of my mate.
My happy and pregnant mate. Once our coats were hung by the door, we walked to the back of the cottage and spotted our mates sitting at the table.
Elias and Wilhelm were indeed here. With them was… He smelled like a warlock.
“Elias? Wilhelm?” I questioned. They turned and smiled at me.
“Aleric! Surprise,” Elias said. He had a huge smile on his face,
I walked over to the table, leaning down and kissing Konrad before I placed a possessive hand on his shoulder while staring at the warlock.
Why was he here? Wait…that scent. I looked at Elias but could not see him fully as he was sitting down.
When I stared at the warlock, I noticed a claiming bite low on his neck.
A quick glance back at Elias showed a smiling dragon.
He had not looked nearly that happy the last time I saw him.
“Do you want something to drink, Aleric? Or something to eat?” Konrad asked, starting to stand. I pushed on his shoulder, keeping him seated.
“I can get it, mate. No need for you to get up. I am fine though. What I would really like is to know who the warlock is.” I sat sideways, straddling the bench Konrad was sitting on, wrapped my arms around his shoulders, and pulled him a little closer.
I stared at the other pair at the end of the table.
“I apologize. I should have introduced myself when you entered. I am Claude. I am Elias’s mate.”
I gathered they were mated; I simply did not know Elias had a mate now. There was no way to have known. We had not seen him in months. I looked to Wilhelm, who held his hands out in front of him.
“I am not mated. They are though. I just came because I didn’t wish to stay behind.”
“Mate?” I asked, looking at Elias, then my own mate, hoping for an answer somehow.
“Yes. I was traveling, searching for my One as we tend to do. I felt drawn to Berlin and happened upon a pair of dragons at a shop. The rest is…well, fate.” Claude looked at Elias as only a mate could look at their other half.
“How did you get here?” I asked.
“Oh, that’s easy. Claude used magic to get us here. It is the only way I can travel now. I am not nearly as pregnant as Konrad is though. But my dragon is very much resting and preparing for a little one.”
I could not believe it. Elias was mated to a warlock, one that could simply use magic to bring them here to us. I knew warlocks had magic but did not realize the extent of their abilities.
“Elias had the shirt you had given him,” Claude said, interrupting my thoughts. “It still had your scent on it, and I used it to find the general area. After that, I simply kept searching until I found dragons. Wilhelm and Elias said they scented the two of you, so we took a chance.”
How was that even possible?
“Amazing,” Father said. “Are you staying for a time, then?”
“I would like to. I mean…” Elias looked to Wilhelm, who shrugged.
“It’s okay, Elias. I do not blame you. I guess now we know why my parents were where they were instead of with the rest of my family.”
I was confused. We had left Wilhelm and Elias with Wil’s family. They were happy to welcome the pair into their home.
“Wilhelm’s family was nice, but they just…” Elias sighed.
“They what?” I asked, my patience waning.
“I’m an omega, as is Wilhelm. We have our place there, and it was even more strict than how we were raised. They’d never acted like that when they visited the village. We were to be servants to earn our keep, and if an alpha became interested, we could be bartered to him in exchange for a price.”
My dragon stirred, coming to the surface quickly. They were selling omegas? That was barbaric.
“Calm, my mate. Claude found him, and now he has his own mate to dote on him. Besides, he can travel with magic and was able to get both of them out.”
“We were with my coven for a time, but Elias missed being around other dragons. I have no issue with bringing him here to visit from time to time.”
“But not stay? I told you before we left you behind you are welcome here with us. There is more than enough room on the mountain. It will take some time to finish a cottage for you though,” I told Elias.
Perhaps they could have ours, and Konrad and I could stay in the room we were in for a bit longer.
I wanted my mate to have his own place in the worst way, but Elias can Claude did not have any sort of privacy here as they would be sleeping here in the great room with Wilhelm.
Elias looked at Claude before he eyed Konrad in question. I looked at my mate.
“You know you do not need to ask me what I will say,” Konrad said. “We were born two days apart—Elias and I have been together since the two of us could crawl.”
“Since my One will not come out and say it, I will, then.” Claude looked to Father, knowing he was the alpha here.
“We would not mind being here if you do not have an issue with there being a warlock among you. I can look after and provide for both Elias and Wilhelm, as I’ve already assumed responsibility for his care.
I am also willing to help out with anything you require assistance with. ”
“I am in agreement with my son. You are welcome here, Elias, as is your mate. Our dragons can be social creatures at times, and if yours is missing other dragons, we can appease him, perhaps.”
Da snorted before he shook his head.
“What my mate is saying is welcome to the family.” Da got up and walked over to the counter, coming back with a kettle.
“Where is your coven, Claude?” Father asked.
“My grandparents are in England. My father left in search of his One. He found her in France. She’s a human, but they are fated, so it did not matter.
There were a few other warlocks in the area, and they petitioned to join that coven.
They were given permission shortly before my older brother was born.
I have two older brothers and one younger. ”
I glanced at Father over Konrad’s head. I, too, did not have any issue with them staying with us. Only we did not have anywhere for them to stay. We suddenly needed more room.
“We will work out the logistics of everything, but you are welcome here,” Father said.