“We’re finally seen as equals now,” one of the young males says with obvious pride, his stone wings rustling with emotion as he speaks.
“There’s no fear of being executed simply because of what species our mate is,” another adds solemnly, bowing his head respectfully to Abraxis, then Vaughn, and finally to me. The gesture carries the weight of gratitude for freedoms that were once unimaginable.
“Our mate is a just and fair ruler,” I agree wholeheartedly, feeling my chest swell with pride for the female who holds all our hearts. “The entire continent is incredibly lucky to have her in charge of protecting our future.” I reach out to slap Vaughn on the shoulder, giving it an affectionate squeeze that conveys both friendship and respect.
“My mate laid her first egg the other day,” another young male announces with the excitement that only comes with impending fatherhood.
Cheers erupt around the group immediately, everyone taking their turn to congratulate the proud father-to-be with backslaps, handshakes, and the boisterous celebration that makes supernatural communities feel like family. The joy is infectious, spreading through the gathering like wildfire.
But it’s in this moment of celebration that I see it—the longing that flashes through Vaughn’s eyes like a physical pain. The want is so raw, so desperate, that it makes my chest ache in sympathy. He wants to be a father so badly that it’s written on every line of his face, every careful smile he offers the celebrating gargoyle.
The urge to tell him that Mina is about to make his deepest dreams come true is almost overwhelming. The words pressagainst my lips, demanding to be spoken, promising relief from the ache I can see consuming him from the inside out. But then my survival instincts kick in with crystalline clarity—I choose life over premature revelation, and I definitely don’t want Mina skinning me alive for ruining her romantic surprise.
I excuse myself from the group with casual words and vanish from sight, phasing away before my expression can betray the secret burning in my chest.
My next stop brings me to Callan’s office, where I find him exactly where my detailed observations predicted he would be—seated at his immaculate desk, surrounded by carefully organized stacks of lesson plans for his Shadowcarve Academy classes. His predictability borders on obsessive; it’s almost too easy to track someone whose routine is carved in stone.
As I compare nearly two weeks’ worth of meticulously gathered intelligence, a familiar warmth strokes along our mate bond like fingers trailing across my soul.MyMina wants me, and that call takes precedence over everything else in existence.
I abandon my surveillance mission immediately and phase directly to my beloved mate, reality bending around me as I cross space in a heartbeat.
There she is, sitting like a vision of maternal perfection on one of the weathered wooden benches beneath our favorite weeping willow tree. The ancient tree’s drooping branches create a natural cathedral around her, filtering the afternoon sunlight into dancing patterns that play across her skin like living jewelry.
Her last two clutches’ worth of hatchlings have shifted and are napping in the dappled shade, their small bodies creatingthe most adorable pile of scales, fur, wings, and contentment I’ve ever witnessed. The sight makes my heart swell with such profound love that I wonder how my chest contains it all.
I sneak up behind her with playful stealth and press a gentle kiss to her cheek, breathing in the familiar scent that means home and safety and everything good in my world.
“My Ziggy,” she says so softly that her voice seems to blend with the whisper of wind through willow branches. She pats the bench beside her in invitation, and I settle next to her warmth with the contentment of a cat finding the perfect sunny spot.
“My Mina,” I whisper back, letting my gaze wander over our sleeping clutches with the pride that makes my chest feel too small to contain it all.
“Are you ready for the next grand adventure?” Mina whispers next to my ear, her breath warm against my skin and sending delicious shivers down my spine.
“Of course! I absolutely love being the stay-at-home daddy,” I purr as I nuzzle against her cheek, reveling in the simple pleasure of being close to her. The role of primary caretaker for our hatchlings has brought me joy I never knew existed.
“About that...” She glances down with a smile that holds secrets and surprises. “I was thinking about letting Callan have a turn at primary parenting duties. Two out of three hatchlings will be able to fly by then, and...” She pauses, and the warmest, most knowing smile crosses her lips like sunrise. “He was positively green with jealousy during the last two clutches when you got to play daddy.”
“Yeah, his daddy bird instincts nearly drove him to insanity last time,” I agree with a fond chuckle, remembering how he’d hoveranxiously whenever the hatchlings so much as sneezed. “I can pop in and help him whenever he needs backup or guidance.”
A laugh escapes my lips as I look out over the other seven babies sleeping so peacefully in their dragon forms. “Just wait until he realizes they’re going to want him to sleep with them—and then all the hatchlings from different clutches will pile in together for maximum comfort and warmth.”
Mina muffles her laughter behind her hand, shaking her head with fond exasperation. “He’s going to pluck himself completely bald from stress.”
“He’s going to end up looking like a giant roaster turkey,” I add, and that mental image sends both of us into near-hysterical laughter that we have to muffle so we don’t wake the sleeping babies.
“I’m sure you’ll help him adapt to the chaos,” Mina says once our laughter subsides. “He’s got all of our wonderful daughters who absolutely love helping with hatchling care. And I’m never going to be far away when he needs support or advice.”
She shrugs with the casual confidence of someone who’s mastered the art of managing a complex mixed-species family; her smile never wavering as she looks out at our hatchlings sleeping so peacefully in the dappled shade.
“It’s days like today that I know without any doubt that I am extremely blessed,” I say before pressing another gentle kiss to her cheek, tasting the salt and sweetness that is uniquely hers.
“I’m the lucky one in this relationship,” Mina corrects with quiet conviction. “I have eight wonderful mates who make our family’s well-being their absolute top priority. Everyone works together in perfect harmony. We have our regular check-ins tomaintain communication, and we’ve built a very healthy and stable relationship that I treasure every single day.”
Her radiant smile makes my entire day brighter, and I feel that familiar surge of pride knowing that I’m part of the reason for her happiness. Being one of the sources of joy for the most incredible female in existence is a privilege I never take for granted.
“Don’t forget we have the nest check-in tonight,” Mina mentions with an arched eyebrow that suggests the evening’s activities will be both necessary and potentially entertaining.
“You know the ancients absolutely hate the suggestion bag system,” I sigh, looking back toward our expanded compound with its impressive growth over the past few years.
