Page 18 of Purple Protector (Eiloren Clan #3)

It was their turn to get food, then Aaron’s. He got a salad and a slice of bread, then made his way toward the table where Palmer and Taylor were sitting. He was still thinking about the conversation he’d heard, so as soon as he was sitting down, he turned to Palmer. “Do dragons get sick?”

Palmer blinked. “Is this for one of your articles?”

“Birch has been feeling a little off.”

“Oh, I see. Well, as you know, I’m here mostly for Hedley and the other humans who decide to move in with the clan, but I’ve been studying. Dragons can get sick. It doesn’t happen as often as it does for humans, but Birch could have a cold or something like that.”

That reassured Aaron. He’d tried talking to Birch a few times because he’d noticed he wasn’t eating much, just like the yellow dragon earlier, but Birch had brushed him off and told him that he was fine. That hadn’t stopped Aaron from worrying, though.

“I can’t say I’ve ever heard about dragons being ill,” Taylor said. “They really do?”

“They might be dragon shifters, but they can turn into a human form,” Palmer said. “They have some similarities with us, so it’s not surprising that they can get sick. I’m not sure what kind of illnesses they get, but it’s one of the reasons I’m here.”

Aaron smiled. “To learn.” It was something they all had in common.

Hedley had moved here because he’d wanted a different life but also because he’d wanted to know more about dragons. They all did, including Aaron. Hell, he was writing a series of articles so that humans, in general, could get to know dragons better.

And he thought he was doing a pretty good job.

* * * *

S OME DAYS, LIKE TODAY , Birch was glad to be so close to Killian.

It meant he could stay sprawled on the couch under the window even though he was at work.

Killian hadn’t said anything when Birch had flopped there earlier.

He’d arched a brow and had opened his mouth, but Tito had interrupted him, and Birch had been relieved.

He didn’t want to have to tell the king that he wasn’t feeling great.

He just wanted his cold or whatever he had to get over with so he could put his focus back on finding Aaron’s attacker.

“Something’s up with you,” Marlin said.

“Are you complaining because I stole your spot?”

Birch hadn’t. Marlin always sat in one of the armchairs, and Birch was on the couch.

Still, he didn’t want his friend to worry.

He was sure it was just a combination of not sleeping and eating enough.

He’d been running himself ragged, trying to find Aaron’s attacker, and something was bound to break eventually.

Birch hoped it wouldn’t be him.

“You can say whatever you want and try to deflect, but you’re not looking right.”

Birch groaned and stretched. “It’s just stress.”

“It’s not.”

Birch scowled at Marlin. “What do you know?”

“I have eyes.” Marlin gestured at Birch’s stomach. “There’s your explanation.”

Birch looked down at his stomach and swore. He didn’t need this right now, dammit.

“That explains everything,” Killian said from his desk. He’d been working , which meant that he’d been listening to the conversation between Birch and Marlin.

“Shut up, your Majesty.”

“You’re even grumpier than usual. I thought it was because of the whole Aaron thing, but maybe that’s not all there is to it.”

“It is because of the Aaron thing. I can’t believe we still haven’t found his attacker. Pearl has to be involved, but no one’s talking.”

“I know, and it’s frustrating for me, too, but you have to take care of yourself, Birch. Maybe you should go find Aaron and take the rest of the day off.”

Birch dragged his attention to his king. “What are you insinuating?”

“Well, now might be a good time for you to start a family if that’s what you want.”

Birch was already shaking his head. “No, it’s not. Aaron and I just got together, and I’m still worried about that dragon coming after him. Now would be the worst time to get pregnant. And what about you? I can’t abandon you.”

“What am I, chopped liver?” Marlin grumbled.

“Shut up. You know what I mean.”

“I know that you’re way too attached to the job. You need a personal life.”

“I have one. I just moved in with Aaron. We haven’t even talked about having kids.”

“Maybe you’re pregnant already. You didn’t even realize you were fertile.”

Birch glared at the dark line on his stomach. He supposed he should feel lucky that he knew what was up with him. “I can’t be pregnant, so stop worrying about that.”

“I’m not worrying. I’m just saying it could be a possibility.”

“I was too busy to keep track, but trust me, there’s no way I’m having kids anytime soon.” He pushed himself up. “But since you’re both annoying and Killian offered, I think I will go find Aaron.”

Marlin grinned. “I thought you just said you’re not ready for kids.”

Birch leaned over and slapped him on the back of the head. “Very funny. Maybe you want to have kids. You’re the one talking about them.”

Marlin shuddered in fake horror. “I’m not one for kids.”

Maybe it wasn’t fake horror. Maybe Marlin really didn’t want kids.

Birch couldn’t help but think about his brother, but he’d decided he wouldn’t stick his nose in that situation, and he hadn’t changed his mind.

Maybe Marlin and Curran would find their way to each other, or maybe they would both end up with someone else.

Either way, it was none of Birch’s business.

He’d support whatever they chose, and that was that.

“Take tomorrow off if you want, too,” Killian said. “I know how it is.”

They all did. Birch was a bit wary of leaving Killian alone with Marlin—not because Marlin couldn’t do his job but because it was easier to get past one guard than two—but he knew Killian would push until he agreed.

He narrowed his eyes at his friend because if he was going to leave, he needed a few promises from Killian. “You’ll stay in your office.”

“I will. I have nothing planned for the rest of the day except go home to be with my consort and my children.”

“Good. If you do leave the office, call another guard. Maybe the one who helped Aaron the other day. They were good.”

“Stop worrying about me and worry about yourself and your boyfriend. Go.”

For once, Birch obeyed easily. He knew that if anything happened, Marlin would protect Killian and would contact him right away.

If he hadn’t had anyone to go home to, he would’ve pushed to stay, but he was eager to see Aaron and spend time with him.

Maybe Aaron could take the rest of the day off, too.

There was a bounce in Birch’s steps as he made his way towards the dining hall.

Aaron had mentioned that he’d be having lunch with Palmer and Taylor today, and while Birch didn’t know what time they were supposed to meet, there was a good chance that the three of them would be there.

There was also a chance that half the clan would be there, too, but Birch didn’t mind.

He didn’t care that everyone knew he was with Aaron.

Hell, he wanted people to know he was with Aaron.

He wasn’t hungry, so he ignored the food. He looked around the dining hall, his gaze stopping on Palmer and Taylor’s usual table. Aaron was a regular addition to that table these days. The sight of him made Birch smile.

Aaron was talking and gesturing with his hands. He almost smacked Taylor in the face with his fork, and Taylor laughed and pushed Aaron’s hand away. Aaron laughed, too, and Birch’s chest squeezed.

Aaron was all his. He’d never really been possessive, but he was in Aaron’s case. He wasn’t jealous or anything like that, and he would never forbid Aaron from having friends, but he was happy when Aaron noticed him and his smile widened even more.

Birch pushed his way through the crowd until he reached the table. The spot next to Aaron was occupied by Taylor, so he slid onto the bench next to Palmer, who was watching him.

“Aaron told you I wasn’t feeling well,” Birch said.

Palmer grinned. “He did.”

“Well, it’s nothing you have to worry about. I’m fine.”

“You haven’t gotten food,” Aaron pointed out. “And you’re here in the middle of the day, which is unlike you.”

Birch reached over the table and took Aaron’s hand. “I really am fine. I do need to talk to you, though.”

Aaron’s expression instantly changed. “That doesn’t sound good.”

“It’s nothing bad, I promise.” Aaron didn’t know much about dragons and how they worked.

To be fair, neither did Birch. He just knew that every so often, he became fertile and that he had to be careful not to get pregnant.

He had no idea how his body decided it was time or anything like that. He wasn’t a doctor or a healer.

Palmer was. He probably didn’t know much about dragons and their anatomy, but Aaron would trust him if he confirmed that Birch was fine.

Birch turned toward the doctor. “Would you mind coming with us?”

Palmer frowned. “You realize that makes it sound worse, right?”

“It wasn’t what I was trying to do. I swear I’m fine.”

Aaron was already on his feet. “Let’s go. I can’t eat as long as I’m not sure you’re not dying or something like that.”

Birch wanted to tease him a little about how dramatic he was, but he appreciated it. It was nice to know that Aaron cared so much about him.

Hopefully, that wouldn’t change after Birch told him what he had to tell him.

* * * *

A ARON WAS FREAKING out. He wanted to believe that nothing bad was happening, but why was Birch here in the middle of the day? Why had he told Aaron that he needed to talk to him? Why was he involving Palmer if he was okay?

He wanted to drag Birch out of the dining hall, but unfortunately, that would get everyone’s attention. He couldn’t eat anymore, and thankfully, Palmer was already done, so they left Taylor at the table and made their way to the infirmary.

Palmer had suggested the place, which was good because if it had been Birch, Aaron would be freaking out even more. Birch didn’t need the infirmary, right? They were going there just because Palmer had to get back to work after they were done.

“I can see you freaking out,” Birch said softly as they walked. “You don’t need to. I’m not sick. I’m not dying.”

“You weren’t feeling well these past few days, even though you didn’t tell me anything,” Aaron pointed out.

“There’s a logical explanation for that.”

“And you can’t tell me?”

“I’m about to tell you. I just thought it would be better to do so in a place where people wouldn’t overhear our conversation.”

“And Palmer?”

“He knows something about what’s going on, probably more than me. I wanted him to be there so that if you had questions, he could answer them.”

“I’m not sure what you expect from me,” Palmer said. “I’m a doctor. I wasn’t trained by a dragon healer, and your bodies are very different from ours.”

“But not that different.”

Palmer looked Birch up and down. “Could have fooled me,” he muttered.

He wasn’t wrong. Even though dragons had a humanoid form, they weren’t human.

Aaron just had to look at Birch to know that.

Birch’s tail was wrapped around his waist. He had patches of dark purple scales scattered all over his body.

His eyes were a dark purple and slitted, and of course, there were the fangs and claws.

The fact that he and the other dragons didn’t wear clothes made how different they were from humans even more obvious.

Aaron swallowed. He and Birch hadn’t done anything in bed yet.

It wasn’t that Aaron didn’t want to, but his life had been all over the place recently, and he’d been happy with going to bed and falling asleep in Birch’s arms. He would also be happy if they did more, but part of him was hesitant because he had no idea what to do and how to make it good for Birch.

He eyed Palmer. Maybe Palmer could give him some tips. Otherwise, he’d have to ask another dragon, and he wasn’t sure he’d have the guts to look Marlin in the face again after he did. There was no way he could ask Killian, and those two were the dragons he was closest to apart from Birch.

By the time he reached the infirmary, Aaron felt he was about to explode or start screaming—possibly both. He barely waited until the door was closed behind them to turn to Birch. “Tell me,” he ordered.

Birch rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know how much attention you’ve paid to me and my body, but you might have noticed that it’s different these days.”

Aaron blinked. Where the fuck was Birch going with this? “What are you talking about?” Aaron had paid attention to Birch’s body—how could he not when Birch looked the way he looked—but he didn’t know what Birch was talking about.

Birch pointed to his stomach. Aaron looked down at it, frowning when he saw a dark line. It hadn’t been there a few days ago, right?

“That’s the sign that Birch is fertile,” Palmer explained.

He was leaning against one of the beds and had crossed his arms over his chest. “As you might know, Aaron, dragons of both sexes can get pregnant. They don’t have a regular cycle like humans, and frankly, I couldn’t tell you how their cycle works because I haven’t studied it, but I do know that they know they’re fertile when this line appears on their stomachs. ”

Aaron blinked. Birch was fertile? That meant he could get pregnant.

Aaron had to reach for the closest bed. “Oh my God. I’m not ready to have children.

I mean, I want kids, but it’s too soon. We barely know each other.

I guess that in a few years, we can make beautiful babies, but now?

I just moved in with the clan. I have no idea what I’m doing half the time.

I can barely take care of myself, let alone a child. ”

Birch put his hands on Aaron’s shoulders and squeezed. “Breathe. I’m not telling you we need to have kids right now. There’s an easy way to avoid having kids, you know.”

Right. The two of them hadn’t had sex yet, so Birch couldn’t be pregnant.

Aaron’s shoulders slumped. He was relieved, even though he did want kids. In a few years, hopefully, the two of them would have settled down and could have a conversation about it, but right now? Aaron wouldn’t know what to do if Birch told him he was pregnant.

Palmer cleared his throat. “And even if you were to be doing something that might result in a pregnancy, there are ways to avoid that. I can give you birth control, Birch.”

Birch didn’t hesitate. “Please.”

“You’re lucky that even though I’m not trained to heal dragons, I like to learn enough that I talked to several of your healers.” Palmer moved toward one of the closets on the side of the room. “This is something that I’ve already seen happen often. Don’t you people keep track of your cycles?”

“Not particularly.”

“Well, maybe you should start.”

He dug into the closet for a moment, and Aaron took the opportunity to lean closer to Birch. “Even with the birth control, we’re not doing anything that can get you pregnant.”

“You might want to rethink that,” Palmer said without even looking at them. “Unless I’m wrong, Birch will have a heightened libido until he’s not fertile anymore.”

“It doesn’t mean we have to do anything about it,” Birch said.

Palmer finally turned and moved toward him again. “It doesn’t, but remember that Aaron isn’t a dragon. I’m not going to explain to either of you how sex works between two human males, but I don’t think I need to.”

Aaron was going to die of embarrassment before he and Birch could have sex. He just knew it. “Thanks,” he mumbled.

Palmer grinned at him, clearly satisfied with having embarrassed him. “Now go. I have more important things to do than talk to you about the birds and bees, and I’m pretty sure you do, too.”

Aaron had never left a room so quickly.