On it.
That was my cue to take a seat next to Ronan. If I was his true mate the calm radiating within me would flow through to him. “Can I get you something to drink?”
Ronan’s head shifted my way so fast I thought it would snap. “You? How? Where?” Yeah, he wasn’t calming down anytime soon.
“It’s okay,” I took his hand in mine, thankful when he didn’t immediately jerk it away. A few seconds later, in walked Emerson with my happy, chatty nephew in his arms. Caro kissed him and lifted Cade, tossing him into the air and catching him as the room filled with his giggles.
“Hi, Ronan, remember me?” Ronan nodded but said nothing. “I’m Emerson, Caro’s mate, and this is our son, Cade.” He’d likely not seen Emerson pregnant, nor knew of Cade, given Emerson pretty much secluded himself during his pregnancy. Mostly by choice, but after Cade was born it was for their own safety, given his sperm donor, his words, not mine, was one of the prisoners who’d escaped. “Would you like something to drink?”
“Wa-water, please.”
Okay, it was anowhen I asked but ayeswhen Emerson did. Kind of a half step forward.
Emerson returned and handed him a glass, then took a seat on the other side of him. Ronan drank the entire glass, sat it down on the coffee table, and sighed.
“All of this is real, isn’t it?” His question was directed at Emerson.
“It is and while it’s overwhelming right now I can assure you it’s the best thing that will ever happen to you. These brothers love their mates unconditionally and with their whole hearts. They’ve been alone for a long time, so finding their mates is everything to them.” Calling Emerson was definitely the right thing to do. Ionus was our leader for reasons besides being the first born.
“Would you like to hold him?” Caro asked Ronan. Cade was the happiest baby ever, I swear.
“I-I’m not too good with babies. Well, I haven’t really been around many.”
“Here,” Caro held him out, “You won’t break him, trust me.”
As soon as Ronan’s hands touched him, Cade’s tiny wings popped out, and Ronan gasped. Emerson, Caro and I were only an arm’s length away so there was no way Cade would fall.
“He’s a-a…”
“Dragon,” every dragon in the room said as one.
“We all are,” Emerson ran his hand over Cade’s fuzzy head, the cutie currently staring up at Ronan with wide eyed curiosity. Drooly bubbles ran down his chin, which I wiped away before they could stain Ronan’s pants. He seemed the type that would own clothing that didn’t weather well where children were involved.
“So, I’m having a dragon baby? How does that work, exactly? I mean, I know how babies come out, but will it be a dragon or a baby or?”
He’s overwhelmed.
Thanks Caro, never would’ve figured that piece out for myself.
Calm him down, smartass.
“Eggs,” I said, gently taking Cade from him. “Pregnant for a couple of months, lay an egg, it hatches a couple months later. Easy, peasy.”
“Eggs? Like a chicken? I just kick out this tiny egg and that’s it?”
“Well,” Emerson cringed. “Not exactly tiny. None of the protectors are tiny so neither are their eggs.”
Yeah, add that to thedidn’t go over wellpile. Ronan passed out, Caro ran to get a cool rag for his head while Emerson cradled his head on his lap.
“What should I do?” Besides playing with the baby, but I left that part out.
Ionus shook his head. “Just sit there and look pretty, princess.”
Mattias, Quint and Ionus left shortly after and it wasn’t long before Ronan came to. “What happened?”
“Well, you didn’t take the egg conversation well. Good thing we didn’t mention the chance for multiples.”
“Brother, when brains were handed out I swear you must’ve taken the day off,” Caro said.
