Page 18 of The Ruby Dragon’s Unconventional Mate (Oro Escondido #3)

Chapter

Sixteen

L ars hummed, stirring his spaghetti sauce for omega night.

Not that he would call it that if anyone but Dakota or Samuel asked to come, but there it was. They were going to get together, have pasta and bread and salad, and dish on their alphas.

He had a lot to tell his friends about Bryant and Lachlan, and that was without really betraying any confidences. He’d spent a lot of time with either or both of them, and he adored them. Bryant was his mate, but Lachlan was a brother of his heart just like Logan was a brother of his blood.

He wrinkled his nose. “Ugh, Slippy. Will you taste this? I think it’s weird.”

Slippy popped up on the counter, chittering at him. So he put some sauce on a wee tasting spoon and let Slippy have a bit.

He got a happy chitter, and a definite feeling that he was stupid and that it tasted wonderful.

Huh.

“I’m not sure I trust you. I’ll wait for Dakota. He never lies to me.”

Slippy squinted at him, whiskers twitching. Then he was presented with a weasel back. Clearly Slippy was a teensy bit peeved at him. That was okay. A noodle or two and he would be right as rain.

“I’m sorry, friend. I just feel a little off, you know? I just don’t feel quite with it.” He stroked Slippy’s back gently. “Forgive me?”

Slippy came up to him, sniffing hard, starting at his wrist, then moving up to the crook of his elbow, and that chittering started again. This time, it didn’t sound aggravated. It sounded joyful and cheery, so obviously the apology was what his sweet familiar had needed.

The guys landed with a thud, and he went to open the door and hand out robes. The babies were all staying with Simon and Celeste.

Both Simon and Celeste insisted to him that there was no way that a true beta would be able to attack their family members, but that they would look into it through their resources. Lars was grateful for that, because he didn’t want Lachlan to hurt.

Really, he didn’t want anybody to hurt.

“I brought garlic rolls!” Dakota handed them over.

Samuel beamed. “And I brought a cheesecake!”

“You guys rock.” The cheesecake sounded the best of everything. “Come in and taste my sauce, will you? I think it tastes like ass, but Slippy says it’s good.”

“Well, Slippy has good taste.” Dakota winked, but he bustled into the kitchen, putting down his load, then going to taste his sauce. “Yum. This is so good, Lars.”

“Oh yeah? Excellent. I didn’t make it any different than usual.”

“But your taster is all off?” Samuel squinted at him, frowning.

“Yeah. I mean, maybe the sauce is just too acidy and I need to toss a potato in there.”

“The sauce is fine.” Dakota looked at him like he was insane.

“Okay.” He shrugged, feeling a little weird. He was a dragon. He rarely ever got sick unless it was a magical illness, so he didn’t think he was coming down with something. Maybe he was just wonky…

Samuel kept staring at him, stealing glances, and it made him a little concerned.

He just laid out salad and drained noodles, but when it came time to eat, he put butter and parm on his, going for that and the garlic bread.

“So, tell us everything.” Dakota poured three glasses of wine, settling on the big sofa to eat. “How’s it going with Bryan? Better?”

He nodded. “He’s amazing. Seriously. He’s even better than he was before he left.”

“Well, he’d better be,” Samuel snapped.

“No, not when he left, dork. Before he left.” His cheeks heated. Bright. “He told me he loved me.”

Dakota beamed at him. “Oh, yay! That’s great, hon.”

“Do you believe him?” Samuel asked, and he nodded.

“I do. He’s said his apologies, and I believe he meant them.

” He reached out and took Samuel’s hand.

“My fierce defender. I swear, he’s a good dragon.

His actions are backing it up. He’s really stopped worrying about if Lachlan is going to be mad about him spending time with me, or vice versa.

He was so worried. And he shares his life with me. ”

“Mmm.” Samuel didn’t sound convinced, but he would see.

He took a bite of noodles, but the bread smelled awful, so he left it alone.

“Is everything okay?” Dakota shook his head, staring at him. “You love that bread.”

“It just—” He swallowed hard. “It doesn’t smell great tonight. I hope I don’t make you guys sick. I mean, what if I have some weird magical malady?”

“What if you have a bun in the oven?” Samuel asked.

“What?” Lars blinked, not following at all.

“What if you’re pregnant?” Dakota put in gently.

“No. No way!” He hadn’t been in heat, and they hadn’t done it that much. “I’d know, don’t you think?”

“Well, this is how it starts. You don’t always know. I mean, it’s not like they start off talking to you. What does Slippy think?”

“He thinks I smell good.” He knew that. He wasn’t stupid.

“Well, then. I bet you are. You guys have wild, unprotected sex?”

Lars was going to go up in flames. “In the tub.”

“Well, then. If you didn’t want babies, you shouldn’t…” Dakota winked at him.

“Shut up. I know. I do.” What was he going to do, for fuck’s sake? What could he do?

“You’re freaking out.” Dakota reached over to put a hand on his arm. “No one is going to kick you out of the wing for being an omega, Lars.”

“But if I have a baby…”

“You think you can’t be a guardian. Bah. If you and Bryant are together, you can be one combined guardian, right?” Samuel waved a hand. “You both worry too much.”

“Everyone’s always believed I was an alpha, but…” Whoa. A baby. “Well, if I am pregnant, it’ll be something else.”

“Yeah. Boom crash.” Dakota giggled, and he had to laugh. But inside, there was a kernel of worry. What if?—

“Stop.” Samuel poked his arm. “I should know. All this worry does you no good. You or Bryant.”

“When should I tell him? Should I tell him?”

“Eventually he’s going to notice…” Dakota was a little wide-eyed. “You do know that, right?”

“I—” He bit his lip. “Yes. Yes, I should just be honest. We’re doing that. Being honest now. Not avoiding things because we’re freaking out.”

“There. See?” Samuel nodded, grabbing his garlic toast. “Eat your noodles.”

“Hush. I will, but I want the cheesecake, dammit.”

“Then have cheesecake.” Dakota got up to cut him a slice. “Start now on being a diva. You’ll need the practice when you can’t see your feet.”

“Right on.” And if Bryant wasn’t going to be able to live with him? Well, he’d count on his friends to be there when Bryant couldn’t be. It wasn’t the end of the world.

“Here, honey.” Dakota put the cheesecake in front of him. “Does it smell good?”

Lars whimpered. “Yes. Oh my god.”

“Oh, yeah.” Samuel cackled like a big bird. “So preggers.”

“Shut up.”

He was going to have to deal with it. He was most surely pregnant. But right now? He just wanted his friends and his cheesecake.

The rest, he would deal with when Bryant came back to spend the night.