One of Jack’s eyebrows winged up. “I would think you, of all people, would know, Triton, since he’s your mate.”
“We’ve agreed not to talk about it too much right now.” Triton shrugged, his cheeks going darker. “I admit I don’t like the idea of him being in contact with some of the keeps out there.”
“It can be dangerous.” He waved his spoon. “However, we’re working very hard to establish contact first with the ones we know are safe. We’ve had some very good luck with a few of the lowland keeps on the West Coast.”
Most dragon keeps in the traditional sense were along the coastal regions of the world because that was an easier place for dragon settlements to maintain separateness from the humanworld. And if they had to make a run for it, they could fly off out over the ocean and be less likely to be shot down or captured.
“I suppose that’s good.” Talon wasn’t sure. They got used to feeling like an island of their own here in the Rocky Mountains, and he didn’t like to feel afraid of things, but sometimes he feared dragon culture. So many bad things had been done in the name of tradition.
Reno shrugged. “It’s necessary, right, Jack?”
“Unfortunately, I think it is. We would love to be completely isolated here, wouldn’t we, but we can’t be. And we do have some people here in our keep who are influential still within the dragon communities they left.” Now Jack was the one licking a spoon, and they all looked away because it was kind of oddly attractive. Jack really was the alpha of all alphas.
It was impossible to ignore Jack’s kind of magnetism, even for someone like him, or Triton, or Reno, who were used to being the ones who drew that kind of attention.
And that was enough of that weird thought pattern, thank you very much. Maybe he should order another banana split.
Chapter
Ten
Mercury had bought several books, four to be exact. Two of them were mysteries that seemed very cozy, was that the word he thought that he was supposed to use?
The other two were actually romances—dragon romances, which he thought was hilarious. Because they weren’t written by dragons, they were written by humans. And really, what did humans know about dragon society?
Still, he very much loved curling up under a blanket and reading a book on the couch. Not because he was ill, but because he could. And because he had time and because he could have all the books he wanted, really. That, and he could have snacks. Books and snacks went together so well, and he was never having to look another can of beans in the eye as long as he lived.
He wiggled his toes, got comfy, opened his book again and started reading about these mountain dragons and the snowboarders who fell in love with them.
How cute was this? Clueless humans were fascinating.
He was about halfway through, around where this clueless human got pregnant when a knock came to the door. “Coming!”
Dammit.
Triton’s omega mate stood at the door, three babies in hand. “Good afternoon, I was wondering if you’d like to go to the pool?”
Why on earth would he want to go to the pool? He was warm and happy and reading. He didn’t say that though because it was very kind of Elowyn to come and invite him, and the babies were cute. And Elowyn, to be honest, looked like he needed a little help.
“I would love to. Please come in, and I’ll get a swimming suit.” Here, they had swimming suits that you wore in the pool if you weren’t going to be a dragon.
Also, here the pool was warm even in the dead of winter, which was lovely. And there was a place to eat food near the pool. It was good to be here.
Elwynn nodded, his expression grateful. “I’m so glad. Everyone’s very active today, and I’m not. I feel very tired today for some reason.”
“Well, I’m happy to help. I am their xoffan, after all.”
Talon had assured him that, now that they were mated, he was absolutely family. So that meant that these babies were part of his family. That was kind of wonderful.
He put his book aside, folded the blanket up, and Leilani immediately went to sit on top of it, as if she were the king of the mountain.
“Yes, Xoffar Mercury did that just for you,” Elowyn rolled his eyes, sitting both of the smaller girls down, who were like carbon copies of one another, except for their eyes, which were the wildly different.
He chuckled when she crossed her arms and nodded as if that was that. Goodness. She was hilarious.
He went to grab a swimsuit, his feet getting cold, so he put on thicker socks, as well. The drier cold here was nice compared tothe frigid ocean area he came from, but he still felt a little like his scales were too thin.
Mate, I’m going to go swimming with Elowyn and the children.
