Chapter 15 #2
“If I may,” Claude said, holding up a hand. When we looked at him, he smiled. “I can help with the housing situation. If you will just tell me where is okay to put a cottage, I can have one there in moments.”
There were perks to being a warlock, obviously. I pulled Konrad to me. He laid his head on my chest and sighed.
“How close do you wish your friends to be to our new cottage, my mate?”
“Hmm…not too close. Same distance as we are to here? That gives everyone a bit of space, but we can all be with one another in just a few minutes.
Da gasped, Father chuckled, and I grinned. That was my mate. “I think I have a good place for them,” I said to Father. He nodded at me, trusting my thoughts.
“Are you saying you do not like being close to us, Konrad?” Da asked, overly dramatic, his hand on the middle of his chest. It was difficult to not laugh outright.
Konrad sat up and pointed a finger at Da. “I love you, Da, but if you wanted us to be closer, you should make sure you keep the moaning and shouting to a lower level. I struggle to sleep as it is because I cannot get comfortable.”
I had done so well in keeping my laughter in until Konrad let Da have it. When he turned on Father, I was a bit surprised. Konrad had been slow to open up toward my alpha father, but apparently, being pregnant and uncomfortable changed things.
“And you.” His finger now pointed at Father.
“You need to stop teasing your mate like you do. Give him what he needs to get him there so the rest of us can get some sleep. Some of us are pregnant and cannot get comfortable, and when we finally do, he starts begging because you won’t give it to him how he likes. ”
Konrad grumbled as he got up from the bench and walked off toward the bedroom. He was still grumbling when we heard the door to our bedroom close.
When I finally got my laughter under control, I looked at my parents. Da was bright red, and Father looked…well, thoroughly chastised. I cleared my throat, then stood to follow my mate.
“Yes, well, then…umm…if you will give me a moment to check on Konrad and get him settled in for his nap, I will show you a good spot, Claude.”
“Perfect. Thank you so very much.”
I hurried to the bedroom, finding Konrad sitting on the edge of the bed. I rushed to him, kneeling in front of my mate and taking his hands in mine.
“Are you okay, my mate? Do you wish for me to bring you something? Boot my fathers from the cottage?”
Konrad smiled. “No. I’m just tired. Every time I finally dozed off last night, it seemed like they were at it again.”
I understood that. It was the reason I would often spend time in my cave. Now I wished I had simply built myself a cottage of my own to live in. This wouldn’t be an issue at all if I had.
“Let me tuck you in. I will be back after I show Claude a good spot for a cottage for them. Well, a pair of them because I am not going to ask that Wilhelm stay here or anywhere else. He should have his own place, even if he doesn’t yet have a mate. We will have to see about helping him find one.”
Konrad groaned, then ran a hand down his face. “He really should. You promise you will be here soon to curl up behind me? I sleep so much better when you are here with me. My dragon rests still, but he knows your scent and warmth. It helps relax us and makes it easier.”
“I will be back in just a bit,” I told him. I helped Konrad lie down and covered him, and then after kissing his hair, I left my mate in our room. The others were talking quietly when I reentered the great room. Da was the first to speak up.
“I am sorry, Aleric. I will talk to Konrad and apologize to him later.”
I shook my head. “There is no need, really. You two are mated, and even Konrad knows what it is like to be mated. It is how he got into the position of carrying my child.” I grinned. “Perhaps cover your face with your pillow?”
Elias started coughing, and Claude reached for his mate.
“I will show you a good spot if you wish,” I said to Claude.
“Yes, please. If you are sure it is okay?” He looked to Father again, who nodded.
“I will go with if you do not believe I have no issues with you joining us here. It has been many years of just the three of us. I know Konrad, and Egon will be happy to have more here to spend their days with.”
Claude nodded. “Very well, then. It is settled. I will be back in a bit, love.” Claude got up from the bench, and I followed him to the door. After he had his coat on, I led him outside and to the cottage I had been working on with Father for me and Konrad.
“You know, Alpha, if you wish, I could finish your cottage for you as well. That way, you and your mate could sleep in peace at night? It was one of the reasons Elias had no issues with leaving. Our coven was in one very large house in the city. Not only was it not ideal for dragons to shift and take to the skies, but the noises during the night, well…some of them could be a bit disruptive.”
I did not wish to ask for such a gift from someone whom I had just met, but my mate was indeed irritable. I knew it was the inability to get comfortable in his current state, but he was becoming more irritated by the day.
“I will not say no, but I cannot repay such a gift just yet. It will take time for me to collect more furs and take them in to be traded.”
With a wave of his hand, the clay was in place, the windows filled with glass, the roof completed with wood, not clay and sticks, and the chimneys were in position. I blinked several times at the sudden changes.
“After our evening meal, I will help with furniture if you wish. There will be no need to trade furs in exchange for the items I provide. It is not necessary. You have already given me the greatest gift I could ever hope for, Aleric, when you rescued Elias along with the others.”
I looked to Claude, stunned. I could only nod. I had only been doing what any decent alpha would. There was no way I would have ever considered leaving the others behind.
“Very good. Is there a place you had in mind?”
“For the furniture?”
Claude chuckled. “We will get to that later. I was meaning for the cottages for me and Elias and another for Wilhelm.”
“Oh, this way,” I said, pointing off in the direction of another clearing. It was perfect for a cottage, and I had almost built mine there, but the place I had chosen was closer to the waterfall, which would always be special to me and Konrad.
I led Claude to the clearing and watched, completely fascinated, as a cottage suddenly appeared, smoke rising from the chimney.
“Now Wilhelm. Here? Or somewhere else?”
“This way,” I said, leading him a short five-minute walk away. I observed once again as Claude used magic to place another cottage in position, this one a bit smaller.
“When he finds his mate, we will add on to his place. For now, he will feel more comfortable in just the two main rooms. Shall we return to the others? I believe you have a sleeping mate that will be giving birth soon.”
I stopped. “What do you mean? He has a month still, from what we can guess.”
“Children come when they are ready, Alpha. Not all of them like to wait a certain amount of time to make their appearance.”
I thought about those words as we walked back to the cottage, as well as Father’s just a bit ago.
Was Konrad carrying twins? Would he be giving birth soon?
His father had given birth to twins. It was not uncommon for dragons to do so, although it was not nearly as common as it was in wolf or feline shifters.
When we returned to my parents’ cottage, I let Da and Father see to our new family members while I hurried to my mate.
He was still sleeping, but I could tell it wasn’t peaceful.
After removing my clothing, I crawled in behind him and pulled him back into my chest. Immediately, Konrad’s dragon seemed to settle, allowing my mate to do the same.
That was odd because I had not really felt Konrad’s dragon to that level for some time.
Perhaps what the others were saying was true.
Maybe Konrad would give birth soon. Time would tell, and even I knew there was nothing we could do except wait.
For now, I lay there holding my mate and listening to his and our baby’s heartbeat.