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He waited expectantly for the next round of commentary.

Instead he found them watching him, staring rapt.

“‘I saved all your letters,’ she told him. ‘I waited for you.’

‘But you made me prove myself with this gift. You do not love me as I love you.’

The omega was sad that the alpha felt slighted, and so she revealed to him what she had hidden before. ‘I needed this golden dragon to heal me so I could leave my tower. Now I am free to go out into the lands with you and be your mate.’

The baby dragon curled around her, the glow from the two of them blinding the alpha for a moment. Then she rose from the bed he’d never seen her leave and came to him, putting her hands on his cheeks.

‘Thank you for this gift. I am ready to be yours if you will have me.’

And the alpha realized that his gift had been about far more than greed, so he took her away from her tower, and they made it their mission to keep the golden dragon safe as he grew.”

“Oh, that’s sweet,” Cullen muttered, forming a golden egg between his hands, then letting it go in a shower of sparkles. “I do love a happily-ever-after.”

“Why didn’t she just say that she doesn’t feeling well, and that she required help to get up and do shit? I don’t understand.” Corbin looked constipated. “Say what you need. Get it? It’s logical and sensible.”

Cullen glared at his brother. “Don’t be a fucker. It wouldn’t be a story otherwise.”

“I’m not a fucker, you are. That is a story. It’s a good story.” Corbin waved his hands. “I need help here. How do I help you? Well, there’s this egg that’ll fix things. All right, I’ll go get it because I love you. I really appreciate it. The end. Story. Beginning, middle, and end.”

Hawk glanced at Cosmo, who was just sitting there, staring at him and crying.

Oh dear.

He stood and walked over to his mate, which drew the other triplets’ attention.

“Oh no. What’s wrong?”

“Cullen,” Corbin snapped. “Don’t flutter. He’s hormonal, and he’s got this thing about the baby never being able to leave the house, and Hawk never being able to leave the house. It stresses him out. We know this.”

“The thing I love best about you?” Cosmo sniffled. “Is that you’re so delicate.”

Corbin rolled his eyes. “The thing you love best about me is that I don’t lie. Also cookies. You all really like my cookies.”

“Of course we do.” Cosmo held up his arms to Hawk, who picked him up and nuzzled his cheek. “Can we go have more? And can someone make me tomato soup?”

“I can make that.” Hawk squeezed Cosmo hard. “I did not mean to upset you, love. That was the story I remember.”

“No. I loved your story. Seriously. I just worry that I’ve doomed you.”

“Stop it. No stress. It’s bad for the baby. It’s not good for you.” He headed down to the common area.

“But—”

“I will kiss this mood out of you, you know.” Bakli’s words about enjoying this time kept coming back to him, and he was learning to tease Cosmo back into a good mood anytime he fell into sniffles or worry.

“Will you?” Cosmo’s eyes went wide, but there was a blessed hope there. “Promise?”

“I promise, love. I want nothing more. After you have your cookie. But before soup.” He would put the tomatoes in to roast and then steal his mate away for a make-out session.

“Mmm… a man who prioritizes food and sex appropriately.” Cosmo purred and wiggled for him.

“I try, my love.” He chuckled, because Cosmo was already drying those tears, smiling for him, and that was what he wanted to see.

His mate didn’t need to be sad. He was no alpha in search of a golden egg.