“Ready to go?” I ask, following him as he moves across his well-appointed office toward the door.
The familiar hunting theme song echoes in my mind as I walk behind my unsuspecting friend:duunnn dunnn... duuuunnnn duun... duuunnnnnnnn dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn dunnnn.
Every step he takes makes the music grow louder in my head, building tension and anticipation for when I’ll spring my romantic trap. The predatory excitement courses through my veins, though this time it’s tempered by deep affection for the man I’m about to surprise with the greatest gift imaginable.
He locks his office door with practiced movements, and before he can turn around to face me, I wrap my arms securely around his middle and phase us both directly back to the hidden chamber.
The transition from academy office to steamy cavern happens instantaneously, leaving Callan disoriented as reality reshapes itself around us. He wobbles slightly on his feet and looks around with obvious confusion.
“Why are we in the birthing chamber?” he asks, genuine puzzlement coloring his voice as he takes in the luxurious furnishings and humid atmosphere.
Smiling with barely contained excitement, I look over his shoulder to where Mina emerges from the shadows like a predator stalking prey. Her movements are silent as death itself,each step calculated and purposeful as she approaches her unsuspecting target.
Her eyes glow with brilliant intensity—dragon fire made manifest—before she wraps her arms around his middle from behind. I watch his eyes widen with shock, desire, and dawning understanding as the reality of his situation becomes clear.
“Enjoy your time with our mate,” I say warmly, looking at my dear friend with genuine affection and happiness. “All of your dreams are about to come true.”
The sight of his face transforming from confusion to overwhelming joy fills my chest with profound satisfaction. This is what I live for—these moments when careful planning and deep love converge to create pure happiness for people I care about.
I wave goodbye with genuine cheerfulness before phasing out of the chamber, leaving them to the privacy and intimacy they’ll need for what comes next.
Two out of three future fathers have been successfully delivered to the staging area. Now comes the challenge of stalking daddy number three—Vaughn, who I suspect won’t be nearly as cooperative as his predecessors.
The hunt continues, and with each success, our family grows closer to the beautiful expansion we’ve all been dreaming of.
Chapter
Ten
It has beenseveral hours since I left Callan with Mina in the hidden chamber, and the weight of exhaustion is settling into my bones like lead. From what I can sense through our mate bond, they’re both sleeping peacefully for now, their bodies recovering from the intense mating that has blessed our family with another precious life.
It’s well after regular hours now, which means Vaughn has begun his usual patrol—a solitary routine where he checks the vast territory surrounding our nest. The man takes his protective duties seriously, sometimes ranging for miles in any direction as he ensures our family’s safety. He could literally be anywhere within a territory that spans hundreds of square miles.
I phase from place to place with growing urgency, checking all of his usual haunts and favorite observation points. The familiar locations where he often pauses during his rounds remain frustratingly empty, and each failed search drains a little more of my already depleted energy reserves.
So far, I’ve had no luck whatsoever—he’s proving far more elusive than I expected. The irony isn’t lost on me that the verythoroughness that makes him such an excellent protector is now working against my romantic conspiracy.
Suddenly, I feel the familiar sensation of a gentle brush traveling down our mate bond, and the summons fills me with both relief and renewed urgency. I rush immediately to Mina’s side, phasing directly into the chamber where I find Callan curled up in peaceful sleep, his smile stretching literally from ear to ear in an expression of pure contentment.
I know that look in Mina’s eyes—the satisfied glow that speaks to successful mating and new life taking root within her magnificent body.
“How is our little mama doing?” I ask tenderly as I scoot closer and wrap her in a gentle hug, breathing in her familiar scent now enriched with the subtle changes that mark her fertile state.
Mina purrs contentedly in my arms and nuzzles my cheek with an affection that never fails to make my heart skip a beat. “Doing wonderfully, my love. Two eggs are growing safely in my womb, developing exactly as they should.”
She reaches into the carefully prepared snack basket and begins eating with the focused intensity that comes with nourishing developing young. Watching her fuel her body for the incredible task of growing new life fills me with profound tenderness and protective instinct.
“Rest, my love,” I whisper, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple and savoring the warmth of her body against mine. “I’ll take daddy number two home and return to hunting for daddy number three.”
Soon, I’ll be hunting different prey entirely—tracking down deer and other game to help sustain Mina as she grows the nextgeneration of our family. The thought fills me with anticipation for the weeks of devoted care that lie ahead.
“Thank you, my Ziggy. I love you,” she murmurs with a smile that makes my entire world brighter, though a soft yawn escapes her lips as exhaustion claims her.
“Stay awake for now,” I urge with sudden urgency, a small jolt of fear shooting down my spine. “We can’t risk you shifting back to human form before I can collect Vaughn.”
We’re so incredibly close to achieving the perfect trifecta that the possibility of failure at this final stage terrifies me more than I care to admit.
Before either of us can utter another word, I close the distance between Callan and myself and phase him carefully back to his room at home. The transition is gentle, designed not to wake him from the peaceful sleep he’s earned.
