“Yes, they are,” I murmured, glancing down at my belly. “For the sake of my kind, I hope I’m already pregnant...”
Taylor grunted. “It’s not your sole responsibility to restore the black-footed ferret population. Don’t take that burden on yourself.”
I shook my head, grateful for his reassurance. “I’m not. I do honestly want to have a kid with Aurum. Maybe even a couple.” I sighed. “But I’m kinda nervous about the whole thing.”
Matteo offered me a gentle smile and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “That’s normal. We all felt the same way before we delivered our eggs.”
My brows shot up. “Eggs? Oh... I guess that makes sense, since the alphas are dragons.” I searched everyone’s faces. “So, did any of you give birth to a baby fromyourshifter heritage?”
Matteo, Taylor and Muzo shook their heads. I couldn’t help feeling a pang of disappointment. Had I let my kind down by falling in love with a dragon instead of another black-footed ferret?
“I guess dragon genes are strong,” I murmured.
“Even though they’re dragons, Ruby, Heather and Lazuli all kept traits from the other shifter’s side,” Taylor pointed out. “Maybe there’s a spectrum of how much they inherit.”
Poppy fidgeted with his hands. He’d been quiet this whole time, but he finally spoke up. “Maybe... you could pray for ferret kits?” he said in a small voice.
Alaric snorted, ready to tease him, but then he saw Poppy’s face and realized his suggestion was genuine. “Oh. You were serious.”
“Yes, I am,” Poppy confirmed.
“Pray to who, Pops? The shifter gods?” Muzo asked, puzzled but curious.
Poppy stared down at his hands folded in his lap. “You could... but don’t the dragons have their own god? Holy Drake?”
Alaric arched an eyebrow. “I assumed that was a figure of speech when they needed to curse.”
Matteo crossed his arms thoughtfully. “Putting gods aside, it’s not a bad idea to wish for ferret kits if that’s what you want, Mylo. The placebo effect is real. You can influence your body in ways that might surprise you.”
I wouldn’t have believed that if the idea originated in my own mind, but hearing it from someone as cool and confident as Matteo swayed my opinion.
“It wouldn’t hurt to try,” I said, hope budding within me. “Thanks, everyone.”
Matteo smiled. “No problem. We’re here for you, Mylo.”
“Yeah, we omegas gotta stick together!” Muzo agreed.
Taylor nodded. “Going through a pregnancy can be nerve-wracking, but you’re not alone. We’re all here to support you.”
Emotion welled up in my chest. Everyone in the extended Chromatimaeus family was so kind and uplifting. I wasn’t used to having this many friends and supportive family members.
I put my hands over my plump stomach. “Um, how will I know when I’m pregnant? I’m already chubby, so I don’t think getting bigger will be a good clue...”
Matteo chuckled. “Getting a larger tummy isn’t the only clue you’re pregnant. You might get morning sickness, or—”
“Or getsuperhorny,” Muzo butted in.
“That, too,” Matteo agreed.
I blushed. That sounded like a more... pleasant symptom.
“Or you could do the smart thing and simply take a pregnancy test,” Alaric pointed out, examining his nails.
“Yes, if you desperately want to know ASAP, a test is a valid option,” Taylor said. “But since you’ll technically be gravid, not pregnant, you’ll feel the egg inside you sooner or later. I laid Ruby’s egg about a month after conception.”
“The egg,” I murmured. Could ferret kits really hatch from an egg? If I prayed for them, would I get pregnant the old-fashioned mammal way? Then I blurted out, “Wait, did you say a month?”
Taylor, Matteo and Muzo all laughed.
