Page 27 of The Ruby Dragon’s Unconventional Mate (Oro Escondido #3)

Chapter

Twenty-Five

B ryant couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t really that Arthur was here that was keeping him up. He quite liked the little guy, and he would admit it, no question, that Arthur made life easier.

No, he was worried about Lachlan, who couldn’t defend himself if something terrible happened. Well, what were they going to do if someone attacked? Not Alban. But someone else.

He stared down at Lars, who was sound asleep, hand resting on his belly, the swelling obvious and amazing, but it didn’t comfort him.

What if Lachlan couldn’t do it and got hurt and then something happened to Lars or the baby?

The worry made him dizzy. It made his heart hurt.

What are you going on about? The question was sharp, surprising.

Lachlan? What are you doing?

My rounds. I’m a guardian, remember? It’s Bea’s night off. What is going on with you? You’re acting psychotic. Have you lost your mind?

He rolled his eyes. No, I’m worried about you. I had a traumatic experience.

There’s no question there. It was traumatic. I was traumatized. You were traumatized. It sucked, but it’s time to get over it for a while. You’ve got a baby coming.

You can’t just get over it.

No, you can’t just get over it. I’m doing a really good job.

I’m not helpless, you know. Not even a little bit.

I’m actually a guardian. I’m happy. I have a good job.

My brother’s here, my brother-in-law’s here.

I have a new baby niece or nephew coming.

Not only that, but I have the twins tomorrow. We’re going to learn how to swim.

His eyebrows lifted. Dakota is just going to let you have them with a pool?

Honestly, as much trouble as Dakota is having with them, I think Dakota might just drop them off and leave them for a month. As it is, they’re just staying for the day. Lars is going to come and help.

Just Lars. That kind of hurt his feelings.

Well, you’re welcome always. I didn’t think I had to ask, but if I do, would you please come over tomorrow and help me with the twins? There are going to be hot dogs.

It’s really not the right time of year for hot dogs. Hot dogs are for summertime. Silly brother.

Are you going to tell Mari and Ari that they can’t have hot dogs? Because I’m not going to.

He shook his head instinctively. Nope, I will personally fry those hot dogs all by myself with my breath.

That’s what I thought. Sort of like exactly what I thought. We could have stew and bread. There was a pause as Lach made a gentle banking motion. Yeah, I like that—stew, bread. You bring whatever sweet thing that your husband is going to devour.

Right? I can’t believe that all of his teeth don’t just fall out. That baby has got to be super sour to need this kind of sweet.

I’m gonna tell Lars that you said that. He had the sensation of Lachlan soaring over the wing.

Uh, no. That would be a terrible mistake. He knows how I feel about all the sweets, but the midwife says it’s perfectly normal so I’m just going to leave it alone. Because he didn’t have a death wish.

I think that’s smart. From what I understand, it is a super mistake to bother pregnant omegas. Let them eat what they need.

I’m so in.

Right. Got it.

So how is it going with you and Alban? he asked, desperately curious.

He’s very good. He’s quite charming. He plays cards if I’m bored, but for the most part, he’s very busy.

He’s very good with the children, and they adore him.

Celeste has come over with Grant and the baby once, and Simon came over with all the twins once.

They all were fine. I mean, I thought I’d be worried.

I thought I would be scared, and I’m not. This doesn’t feel like before.

Are you sure?

I really am. Lachlan admitted. I really am, and I feel a little dumb because I feel like I ought to be freaked out, but I just can’t quite seem to manage it. How about you? Are you all right?

I’m in the same boat. I kind of like Arthur.

He makes everything easier, and he’s not in the way, and he’s just sort of, you know, there every time we need him.

It’s a little terrifying. And wonderful.

He shook his head, not even believing he was admitting this.

I’m so glad, though, that I wasn’t born to do what they do. I just don’t think I’d want to.

I would imagine if you asked them if they wanted to be an alpha, they would say no. To think how sad Lars was when he had to pretend. When everyone thought he was somebody he wasn’t and he had to fake it. He was miserable, and now he’s just blooming.

Is he ? He hoped that was the truth, but was he dragging Lars down?

Bryant. Now Lach was snapping at him again. You used to be happy and charming and secure. I want that for you again. Do you need therapy?

Maybe? Dragon therapists? Was it a thing?

I’ll talk to the healers. If it’s possible, they’ll know about it. But I love you no matter what, and so does Lars. Trust in that, if nothing else.

He knew Lachlan wasn’t belittling him or his fears. To a human, Lach’s words might have sounded harsh. But dragons were magical. They had a way of resetting themselves, even if some wounds wouldn’t heal. But he could sure use a little help finding the reset button on this one.

I love you so. And yeah, if the healers have any insight… Lachlan saw them for his own problems already, anyway.

I’ll ask. Now, hold your mate tight and try to sleep.

I’ll try.

He actually yawned, feeling heavy as he curled up to Lars and sank into the mattress.

Knowing that Lachlan was out there, doing what he was meant to do, guarding the wing…

Well, it meant that Lach felt safe here.

He wouldn’t even leave the house at their last wing, but here he was making great strides.

That, if nothing else, made it easier to rest.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was good.

“Mmmmph.” Lars snuffled, shifting back against him. “Y’kay?”

“I was worrying. Lachlan yelled at me.”

Lars chuckled. “About wha’?”

“Who would protect you and the baby if something happened. Not with Alban, but from outside.”

“You would. And if not, Bea and Logan and Jake would. Amber and Mari. Everyone…” Lars dozed right back off, his words kind of slurring together.

Bryant, though, was wide awake again, but for a totally different reason. Lars was right. They were a wing. That was what was different here. In their old wing, it hadn’t just been the fake Keeper. Everything had been about business. Politics. Advancement.

This wing was a family, and even though he’d been holding himself apart, they had accepted him as Lars’s mate. They’d accepted Lars as an omega. They’d taken in Lachlan, even though he would never be the kind of dragon their old wing insisted he had to be…

Gods, he was an idiot. Over and over again. And Lars and his brother still loved him. And the wing still took him in…

He kissed Lars on the back of the neck and slipped out of bed. Not because he was worried, but because he was suddenly craving warm milk and a ginger cookie.

He padded downstairs, the sounds of Slippy and Andine playing making him smile.

And there was Arthur in the kitchen, putting a pot on the stove. “Warm milk, Bryan?”

“Please. I’ve been such a fool, Arthur.”

He got a curious look from those changeable gold eyes, colors moving through like clouds in the sky. “About what?”

“I’ve been so worried about everything that I couldn’t see what was right under my nose.”

Arthur poured milk into the pot, then stirred, silent for long moments.

Then he chuckled. “You’ve had a lot of change, you know.

In a short time. We dragons pride ourselves on magically knowing things, but we still have emotions.

Thoughts. Deep feelings. We love hard. And we can take things we should be dealing with and internalize them because we feel shame that we can’t just move on.

” Arthur’s grin flashed bright. “Don’t knock yourself about, but definitely strive to remember what you learned tonight. ”

“I will. Thank you.” He sat, watching the almost hypnotic motion of Arthur stirring. Now that he knew what a keeper was meant to feel like in his home, he knew that what Simon and Celeste said was true. Whatever it was he had killed, it had not been a keeper.

Not even close.

“Do you like a little sugar in it?” Arthur asked.

“Not tonight. I’ll just take it as it is.” He stood to get a ginger cookie, and he took the milk Arthur handed him. “Are you having the rest?”

“With a little for Slippy and Andine.” Arthur was clearly already in love with the weasels. “Good night, Bryant.”

“Good night, Arthur.” He sipped his milk, then dunked his cookie in it. So good.

He would still talk to the healers about ways to cope, but he did feel better. Willing to trust his instincts. It was all a matter of relativity.

And he was relatively sure that this wing and Lars was the best thing that had ever happened to him.