Page 45 of Alpha Dragon’s Mating Contract (Babies For Broken Dads #3)
Raptor parked in front of his mansion, raising an eyebrow when he heard several whispers and some stifled giggling.
“Not yet,” Hassel said chidingly. “I know you can all hear him, but wait just a little longer.”
Wait for who? Raptor knew better than to ask his butler. Hassel knew better than to tip off the person being surprised.
He got out of the car and jogged up the front steps, grinning when the excited whispers grew louder.
Raptor paused in front of the double doors and drew a dramatic breath. Then he flung open the doors.
“Surprise!” yelled a chorus of voices.
Fifteen-year-old Zebbie stood to the side, looking amused. Fourteen-year old Matilda and Delilah grinned, holding up the youngest set of twins—one-year-old Tony and Bruce. In between them stood eight-year-old Peter and Wade, and five-year-old Natasha and Pepper.
It turned out that Walren did still have a bit of trouble conceiving, but his success rate was much higher with Raptor trying his best to knock him up during his heats.
Walren stood behind their children with his face buried in his hands. “Oh, gods,” he mumbled.
This was going to be good. Raptor grinned. “What is it?”
“We learned a song!” Matilda said.
“Totally not taught by Hassel,” Walren muttered under his breath. Go Cart squeaked next to him.
Hassel began clapping out a beat. Then everyone burst into a cacophony of song.
“We found a treasure at the bottom of the sea
It’s a wet roll of sentient TP!
It says it likes you and me
We’ll wrap it around us and be crap-free!”
Their faces were all bright and excited. Go Cart squeaked its wheels in time to the melody. Even Walren was reluctantly singing, and cringing the whole time. No one was in tune. The song was screechy in places.
A long time ago, Raptor would’ve called it bottom-of-the-trash-can bad. But now... His entire family had just sung it for him.
“That... That is beautiful,” Raptor cried, clutching his chest.
“Ha! I knew you would like it!” Hassel said gleefully. “It’s just like that other trashy song, the one you rejected. About people swinging through the forest on TP.”
At once, the younger kids surrounded the butler, clamoring to know more.
Raptor laughed and let them, pulling Walren into his arms. Walren tipped his face up for a sweet kiss.
“So, how was your day?” Raptor asked. Walren had stopped by at Nood’s Good earlier with a few of the kids so he could work in the back office, and the kids could get some ramen. Walren had taken the kids home after a few hours, though.
“Exciting,” Walren said with a touch of sarcasm. “I heard many versions of the TP song before they decided on this one. Lots of them involved sentient poop.”
Raptor snickered. “Did it drive you a lil nuts?”
“Very nuts,” Walren muttered. “Very poopy.”
“Aww, my poor Walry-babe. How about I make everything better?” Raptor whispered, so quietly that the kids wouldn’t overhear and want to join in.
Walren cheered up visibly. “Maybe.”
“Good.” Raptor dropped a kiss on Walren’s nose. “Give me a bit to catch up with the dragonets, and I’ll come for you.”
Walren’s mouth twitched. “Promise?”
“Always.” Raptor petted Walren’s beautiful ass. Then he turned to their children, his heart so full.
After the war, he had changed so much that he’d thought he would never get this. But now, with his mate and their children’s voices filling up his heart, Raptor treasured every day dearly.
“I know!” he said to the kids, raising his voice to catch their attention. “How about we sing a new song while bouncing up and down?”
The older children rolled their eyes, but they were still amused. The younger ones shrieked and ran over so they could bounce with him. Hassel pulled out his phone to record them, and Go Cart circled them wildly.
Next to Raptor, Walren shook his head and laughed, his eyes crinkled with joy.
Yeah, Raptor loved his family so very much.