Page 28

Eggs

Deke

M ost of us shifted to sleep in our animal forms for a nap during the day. The dragons didn’t have the space to shift with us, but they certainly got in on the big puppy pile! Chaotic, yet perfect.

Winter came to the house to check on Ozyn and see the eggs later on in the day. He also helped us cook. Ozyn making friends with him really was a blessing because I didn’t have the energy and people needed feeding. There was still a lot of tension in the house, but a decent meal certainly helped tempers. No one seemed to want to leave even though we could probably do with some space to process shit.

Blake ran the pack out of our place rather than return to the mansion. I think he was struggling to deal with all that had happened. Besides, Chase was not himself, which I got. He’d just been through an ordeal, and Blake sensed it. We all did. Rather than us all separate further from the two groups we were already in, Blake kept us all together where he could watch us. I think it helped his wolf.

Even with it being tight for space and everyone being under foot constantly, it was kinda nice. I worried about Ozyn, except he was thriving on the chaos. The kids, they loved him. A couple of times, he shifted so he could be their jungle gym in the wrecked yard. They clambered all over him while their parents watched on with fond smiles. The boys helped while putting the fence back together.

My mate was stuck to the eggs like glue, though. He never ventured far from them. Getting him to go to the bathroom was a problem! He only agreed to it if I was with the eggs. Not an issue for me, since the nest was super comfortable.

Chase still had injured person privileges. He was allowed into the nest when the rest weren’t. The boys didn’t even try, so it was obviously a dragon culture thing. Given how low the dragon birth rate was, we probably wouldn’t experience all this again, it was better for me just to enjoy it. I hunkered down in the nest with my laptop, keeping a close eye on my cousin, the eggs, and my mate.

Later on in the day, Blake announced everyone could go home. The SDF had stationed magic users and officers around our compound to protect us. Thyme had added more wards further out, giving us more of a warning. Demon magic from our partner in the cider business, Toth, and his father-in-law, Mori, had been added in.

We were as protected as we could get. Especially considering the dragons were still with us. We’d lost Miraghan and Rezoth back to Abrocaelum. As much as both wanted to stay, they had responsibilities to their people. They had added their magic and protected the pack. Really, their work was done. Valethar was only staying because of his connection to Chase. They had bonded while flying, not in a romantic way. Kade said they were platonic soul mates. Ozyn agreed, so I guess that was that.

The rest of the boys stayed. Balon had missed Nhil while the enigma tried to convince Micah to take a chance on him. I figured we might have Balon staying with us for a while once this was all said and done. Hence why Mira had returned with Rezoth to act as his advisor in Balon’s absence. Not that I minded. It would have been great to spend more time with Gedith and Ryoko, too. I hoped they would stay beyond the battle.

Vale went to the house Chase was staying in with Safi before the fae lived with us. With so many dragons in the house, not all of them were terribly fond of the fae, Safi went with them. Besides, he had bonded with my cousin. They were good friends, he wanted to be there for Chase.

We went down to Nhil, Balon, Gedith, and Ryoko not long after dinner. Ah, almost blissful silence. Look, I was coming to love the boys, but wow, they were noisy!

“We can sleep in our bed tonight,” Ozyn informed me, his fingers running over the eggs.

“Yeah? What about the babies?”

“Look into yourself. Ask your wolf what he feels.”

I did what Ozyn suggested and found my wolf pacing.

What do you think?

Babies are ready. He nosed one, it was the same one Ozyn spent more time with than the others. The one I sensed less magic in and secretly worried about. Strong. Alpha.

Huh? So can we move them?

Keep them warm. Protected.

Convinced, I opened my eyes to see Ozyn smiling at me. He already had two of the eggs in his arms.

“Give me an egg, Papa,” Balon said, reaching out for one of our treasures. He cradled the pale blue egg in his arms.

“Here,” Ozyn passed a darker blue egg to Gedith before reaching into the nest to give one to Ryoko.

Helping, I reached in to hand an egg to Nhil, then one to Ozyn, leaving the one my wolf had touched for myself to carry.

Leading the way, Ozyn climbed the stairs to the primary bedroom, where we had another, smaller nest set up on our bed. We would wrap ourselves around it, keeping the eggs warm. We even had heating pads, spelled with magic so we could have a moment to wash or be adults without the little babies listening in or taking up all the room on the bed.

Each of the boys laid their eggs down carefully with whispered words. Then, as one, they left the room.

Gedith paused by the door. He grabbed a one way silencing ward from the dresser and slapped it on the door, activating it. “Thought you might need some privacy.” Then he shut the door firmly.

I went to my mate, wrapping my arms around him from behind, I dipped my head to nibble in his neck.

“Hmm, I think we should take this to the bathroom,” Ozyn said, his voice husky. I continued to kiss along his throat. “Not in front of the babies!”

We showered together, spending time washing each other, teasing with kisses and lingering touches. I’d missed the feeling of having my mate in my arms.

“Deke, I need you,” Ozyn murmured, barely audible over the spray of the water.

Bending to pick him up, I leaned him against the wet wall. His legs wrapped around my waist as I took his mouth in a deep kiss. My fingers trailed down his back, over the curve of his ass to his crease. I worked Ozyn open until he could take my cock easily. When I slid inside him, we both moaned. It had only been a few days, yet it felt like forever since we’d had time for anything more than some kisses and hugs. Just being near him had been enough. This was better.

The feeling of his passage around my length was heavenly. I pumped my hips into him while he stroked himself. We came together, my orgasm short-lived because I willed my knot back. Both of us wanted to get back to the eggs. I could feel Ozyn’s growing worry.

“Thank you,” Ozyn said with a lingering kiss. “I have such a caring and understanding mate.”

“I love you. I’d do anything to make you happy.”

“You already do. Now, let’s get some sleep.”

We lay on either side of the eggs, sandwiching them between us. In the room’s silence, I could hear their heartbeats. They were perfect.

I sensed a fight coming with my mate. The eggs had been wrapped in their heating charms while we took care of our needs rather than carrying them around the house. I had thought the plan for their care was simple. I was wrong.

During the day, Ozyn could take them outside and shift with them when I was working, or I could take a couple with me to work. Between us, Ozzy, Safi and I could take them to the office. Then I could sit with the eggs all day and do whatever. Or so I thought.

Ozyn wanted to be more active and would not wait at home, in the safety of the pack, while I went to the aviary to potentially fight a battle for leadership with our Alpha. I hoped it would be a case of breaking in so Blake could issue the challenge, but I feared it would be bloodier than that.

My mate wouldn’t like me going into danger, but it was my job. He had wanted me to stay on as Head Enforcer, telling me my job was part of my identity. He was right, of course, since he knew me better than I knew myself. Ozyn understood me, still I thought he would hate me leaving him behind.

“Where are you going?” he asked, seeing me ready a couple of knives and potions.

I strapped the knives to each thigh. We weren’t going to shift if we could help it since they had an advantage, being able to fly. In my human form, I’d have better reach. I thought about getting a gun.

“We’re leaving soon.” I answered, feeling tension creeping into my body.

“We?” Ozyn cocked his head. “I thought you were staying here with the eggs.”

“No. I’ve got to go.” Please, please, please understand, I begged him silently. My wolf whined. He did not like upsetting our mate.

“Okay, let me get ready. I’ll come with you.” He moved to the closet to get a fresh outfit. “Would you like me to fly you there? It’d be faster. If our sons come too, then there will be less need for a large party.” His words were spoken quickly, like he thought I’d interrupt him with objections.

He made perfect sense, but there was just one problem.

“Ozyn, you need to watch the eggs.”

His hands paused on a shirt, his eyes narrowed. “I carried them. It is the alpha’s responsibility to care for the eggs during roosting.”

Fuck. “Maybe in Abrocaelum. Not here. We can’t leave them unprotected.”

I saw him mentally assessing the situation. “So it is not that you want me to stay behind?” What was he planning?

“If it wasn’t for the eggs, I’d love to fly in on your back and roast some birds with you,” I said, honestly. I really would have loved that. Sighing, I continued, “We’re parents, we have to think of the eggs.”

“You’re only worried about them being left behind? You don’t feel like I’m incapable?” He cocked his head, judging me.

“No, you can handle this. And yes, it’s only about the eggs.” I tried to keep my cool. It wasn’t his fault. This was a stressful situation. I didn’t love the idea of leaving him at home, but Blake needed me there. He didn’t know how to fight with Ozyn in my place.

“Okay. I have a way we can both get what we want.” Ozyn climbed onto the bed. He brushed his fingers over each egg. “We’re going on an adventure,” he told them in a sweet voice. He loved them so much.

Then he partially shifted. It was grotesque! His body, from the waist down, was all human. The middle upwards, including his massive wings, was all dragon. He took up most of the room! Tucking his wings, he knocked things off the dresser.

“Oops, sorry,” he said in his draconian voice.

My feet were rooted to the spot while I stared at my mate.

Talon tipped hands or feet or whatever, curled around three of the eggs, scooping them up from the bed. He lifted them towards his giant maw. He opened, tipped the clawed hand into his mouth, and swallowed the eggs!

“No!” I screamed. I trembled in place, utterly frozen, and unable to protect my babies.

Ozyn spared a moment to frown at me, a strange expression on his dragon face. “They’re fine, Deke. Trust me. I’d never harm them.”

Harm them? He fucking ate them! What did he mean, he didn’t hurt them? Three of our beloved eggs were gone.

I stumbled towards the bed, but it was too late.

He repeated the motion with the remaining eggs, devouring them in the blink of an eye until the nest lay empty.

I slumped to the floor with an agonized wail. “No!” Tears flowed freely down my face. I wondered who this monster was. How could I fight the aviary with a broken heart? How could I ever look at my fated mate again?

A knock sounded at our bedroom door. The ward was down, someone must have heard us.

“Just a minute,” Ozyn said, sounding perfectly normal once more.

“We heard a scream,” Nhil said from the other side of the door.

“A misunderstanding,” Ozyn replied.

A fucking misunderstanding? I was here, traumatized, and he thought I’d just gotten it wrong? How was this me getting things wrong here? He was broken. His imprisonment had damaged his brain. Had to be that. It was the only explanation I had for what he’d done.

His footsteps trailed along the floor. One look up told me he was back to normal. I hoped in vain this was all just a bad dream.

He crouched next to me. “Deke?” I flinched away from him. I saw sadness flit over his face. “What’s wrong?”

“You… I… how…?”

“What is it?” He cupped my face with his delicate hands. The same ones which had just picked up our eggs and eaten them. I shivered with disgust.

“You killed our babies!”

He laughed! The monster laughed. He took another look at my face and laughed even harder! Until tears were rolling down his face.

“They…. they’re… fine,” he hiccuped out between giggles.

Another knock. “Dad? Are you okay?” Nhil sounded worried now.

I assumed Ozyn used his link with the boys to tell Nhil to enter. I wished I had the same link. For some reason, it hadn’t formed. I think Dakota had one with Angelica. Maybe it was a case of both sides wanting to build that bridge. Maybe it would come in time.

Nhil strolled into the room. He took a glance at me on the floor, devastated, and then frowned at his papa.

Ozyn waved a hand at the bed and then me, still chortling away. Little savage monster.

“Oh, the eggs are fine,” Nhil said nonchalantly. He smirked when he looked at the horror on my face. “No, really. They’re fine. It’s our treasure belly. That’s where he’s hidden them. Perfectly safe.” He grinned at Ozyn. “Great idea Papa!”

“Treasure belly?” I repeated, still in shock. “Hidden? They’re not gone?”

“Of course! I would never harm my babies!” Ozyn stood, frowning at me like he was sad I had the audacity to be mad and upset at him. He rubbed his stomach. “You can’t see them in either form. It’s part of our magic.”

Nhil rounded on his papa. “You didn’t explain it to him first? Just swallowed the eggs?” Nhil was clearly horrified.

Chastened, Ozyn slowly nodded, face filled with shame. “He said I could go to the aviary and roast birds if we didn’t have the eggs to worry about!” He turned to implore Nhil for understanding. “I can’t let Deke and our pack go without me. They need me! I have to be there to fight with them, to protect your dad.”

“Papa!” Nhil sighed. He leaned down with a hand to pull me up. I took it and was soon enfolded into a bone-crushing hug. “I promise they’re safe. Let’s go outside and I’ll show you.” He drew Ozyn closer since my mate was hanging back looking ashamed of himself. “Come downstairs so Dad can see the treasure stomach in action.”

Ozyn reached for my hand. Tentatively, I took it, daring to hope this was all just a lack of communication, and the babies were fine, safely locked away in this weird treasure belly. He did suddenly hold a lot more magic. I could feel it inside him with my gift. My wolf told me to trust our mate.

We walked through the house. The others followed us out to the yard with muttering going on between them.

“Okay, Dad, let’s show you this. I’m not going to make Papa spit them back up, but I’ve got something stored away for safekeeping.”

With that, Nhil shifted, taking on his massive dragon form. He was a light blue on top and a darker blue, almost navy underneath, with his pretty blue eyes, he was quite impressive. He coughed, stretching his neck, then coughed again, made a gagging sound and spat a crown onto the ground.

The crown was shiny with massive sapphires surrounding a diamond the size of a fist.

“I thought it was pretty,” Nhil explained, now back in his human form. He picked it up and wiped it on his shirt. “Matches my scales.”

My brain went completely offline. “The eggs…”

“Stored safely in my treasure stomach.”

“Ha! I never thought of that,” Gedith cried. “The treasure stomach, of course! Great idea, Papa. Now we can all go.”