Page 22 of These Little Heirs (Moonscale Heirs Duet #2)

Ciro

While I uncovered casseroles and put them into the toasty oven, I wondered just how pregnant I was.

There was no such thing as being a little bit pregnant but there was such a thing as being very pregnant.

AKA carrying multiples. I glanced down at my naked stomach.

It didn’t look any different. My abs were still intact.

Where did they go when people got pregnant?

I mean, they came back. I’d seen enough people have babies and then look just as fit a few months later.

I always figured it was magic, exercise, or the fact most of us are stuffed full of inner beasts with succinct metabolisms.

I took a moment to ground and center while Teal cleaned up.

Since meeting him, I’d felt as if my center of gravity had shifted and the world spun around me like a record upon which I was meant to balance.

My life had never been smooth sailing, and I prided myself on riding the waves but if kittens were inbound, we had to become water witches quickly and calm it all the hell down.

I wouldn’t be another dead big cat leaving his kids orphaned.

Grabbing Teal’s phone, I sent a quick text to his brothers about where we were in the process of being ‘normal.’ I could’ve poked them over the link, but I didn’t know them well and it felt like an intrusion to pop into their heads without warning.

It was bad enough that I felt their emotions nearly as much as Teal’s.

Ambry and Odie seemed to accept affection from the brothers interchangeably, but I wasn’t sure I could be that guy.

Cuddling was one thing. Big cats slept together a lot. Beyond that I wasn’t sure.

“You don’t have to be like Odie or Ambry. You don’t have to be like anyone. They’re not going anywhere but no one expects you to act like they’re your mates too. I’m rather fond of the lot of them but that doesn’t mean---”

“I know that,” I cut off his rambling. “I’m just sorting out my thoughts. Now that we’re about to go around people again, I have to figure out where I fit in.”

“By my side. Don’t worry about fitting in.

You’re family. They’ll make room for you,” Teal reassured me.

“As much or as little room as you want. I’m so not worried about you fitting in.

I’m more worried about Torvan or someone trying to blow someone up because a dragon on another planet made me wonder why anyone goes hungry when we have so much food. ”

“Because they’re greedy,” I shrugged.

Evil wasn’t a complicated question for me.

Some people were just assholes. Not everyone who did a shitty thing had a tragic backstory.

They looked at the world like it was a cake and they wanted to gobble up every crumb they could reach before anyone else even had their first slice and they would if no one kept them in check.

The group I wasn’t sure I’d fit in with showed up at the back door before Teal was out of the shower. Cobalt said his hellos and headed into the house to find Teal before I even had a chance to tell him that his brother was in the shower.

“Nothing he’s not seen before,” Indigo shrugged.

“Is it okay?” Odie asked me, Guardie standing at attention next to him.

“To bring him in? Yeah. He’ll be okay,” I said, waving the rest of them in.

“I meant, is it okay that we’re here? That Cobalt stormed in like he owned the place?” Odie asked as the others made their way into the kitchen.

“You’re his family,” I shrugged. “Look, if I had living parents or siblings or whatever and they came over and he left them to wait outside I’d be pissed. So, come inside and sit down before you tip over.”

We both glanced at his big beachball of a pregnant belly and laughed.

I took his hand and helped him inside to sit down at the kitchen table.

The timers chimed for the casseroles, and I served him first. Sure, Teal was ravenous, but he wasn’t eating for two.

Odie and Steel ate first and everyone could kiss my fluffy, fat ass if they didn’t like it.

“Are you alright?” Ambry asked.

“Am I missing something? You keep asking questions like there is something I don’t know about,” I paused, holding a handful of forks, ready to set the rest of the table.

“You smell nervous,” Indigo said. “So they’re trying to make sure that we’re not interrupting.”

“No,” I shook my head. “Teal’s just cleaning up. He might go hunting. He’s excited about Moonscale Meals and ---”

“What about you?” Odie asked.

“I think it’s a good idea. Look, I wasn’t a poor orphan but I knew plenty of kids that were going to grow up and have nothing if they didn’t work a million times harder than everyone else.

So, feed them. Hell, feed the aliens. I don’t care for a second about some rich guy worrying about his third yacht.

I’m not even worried about Torvan coming back.

Pregnant cats fight in the wild every day,” I said, setting the table and bringing the casseroles and baked pasta dishes to the table.

“Then what is worrying you?” Ambry asked.

Part of me wished they’d give up and leave me alone. I was trying to be a good host and get them fed. The other part of me knew this came along with being part of a family.

“Shit! You’re probably tired,” Indigo said, scooting his chair away from the table. “Do you want some help?”

I blinked. That would actually be nice. Not that I’d have asked for it. I didn’t really need it. I was more than ----

“Just say yes,” my cat yawned, stretching out inside his inner sanctum.

“That would be great,” I managed a smile.

“Okay,” Indigo said, pulling out my chair and taking over bringing the rest of the stuff to the table.

“They’re giving me dirty looks because I told them not to come here and take over and now I’m taking over.

Teal’s one of us, of course, but we ---” He stopped as if the next words were life and death.

“After everything that happened, we aren’t sure how much a part of us you want to be. ”

“I’m probably not going to plop on top of you like Odie but I’m not going anywhere,” I said, hoping the words sounded playful. “And as long as you don’t break him, I don’t care who sits on Teal.”

“We know cats aren’t---” Ambry started but Odie flashed him a dirty look.

“Lions live in pards,” Odie announced.

“And tigers live mostly on their own,” Ambry countered.

“And Ciro lives with me,” Teal announced, walking into the kitchen wrapped in a towel with Cobalt on his heels. “You alright?”

“I’m okay. Unsure of what to say,” I admitted. “But that’s my usual MO.”

“He doesn’t know how to relax in a group,” Teal announced.

“So, just pretend he is relaxed until he gets it.” He kissed me on top of the head before sitting down next to me.

“I’m too hungry to argue about the ins and outs.

He’s here. He’s one of us. He doesn’t want to have sex with any of you. Does that cover everything?”

“I wouldn’t have been so blunt, but I think so,” I said, relieved that Teal got it.

“Uhh…. We’re not trying to seduce you. We’re trying to be your friends,” Odie said.

“I know but ---” I didn’t even know what my but was anymore.

“You’ll get used to it,” Teal said. “I mean, if you want to. I’ll make them give you space if you need it.”

“Dude, we’re right here,” Cobalt chuckled.

“I know that,” Teal rolled his eyes. “I’m not blind.”

“I don’t need space,” I said and meant it. “I---” I wasn’t about to admit I was worried they wouldn’t like me. That had been the story of my life until I became a guard.

“Am on edge because you had to tackle a dragon after he tried to blow you up?” Odie asked. “That part we get.”

“And then they let the dragon out of jail,” Ambry said, making a sour face.

“Torvan will be fine,” Teal sighed.

“Let’s just eat,” Cobalt said. “Everyone will be nicer with a full stomach.”

After our meal of which Teal and I ate the most of because the others had already eaten at Cade and Eston’s house, we talked about Torvan, seed bombing, and of course Moonscale Meals.

As soon as we felt up to it, Teal and I would go over so that he could talk to Clarence and see the forms in person.

Cobalt would go with us if Odie wasn’t too close to having his baby and Indigo would go with us if he was.

I offered to stay and let them both go but they weren’t leaving their mates without one of them around and Teal had to go since he was the guest of honor.

Once business was handled, the conversation turned to whether or not we’d move to Heartville.

I hadn’t seen much of the town since being cooped up with a rutting alpha didn’t leave me much time to explore but leaving behind a studio apartment wasn’t that big of a gut punch.

I’d figure out work later because Clarence and Medwin Moonscale would surely give me some grace since part of the next generation of Moonscale would grow inside my body.

So when it came time to vote, I voted for the move along with everyone else.

“Then whoever comes with me will have to help us pack everything up,” Teal said, leaning back in his chair.

“Dad will help too,” Ambry added in.

“I’m sure lots of people will want to help but outside of family I don’t think we should let them,” Cobalt said. “And I mean direct family.”

“You mean not Morvan,” Teal said, his jaw twitching from tension.

“Well, yeah,” Cobalt nodded. “He’s your friend.

He’s been good with the warehouse stuff, but we don’t really know where he stands now.

Torvan is his brother, and I think that means more to him than you think.

The guy didn’t wash his Frost-damned balls for a week, Teal.

That’s not something you do just out of family honor. ”

“In this family we wash our balls, Frost-damn it!” Indigo said, trying and failing to break the tension between his brothers.

I frowned. This wasn’t the foot I wanted to get off on with everyone. Back in the nesting tower they didn’t know I was one of them. Now they knew.

“Teal!” Ambry spoke up over the heated voices.

“Yes?” Teal answered through gritted teeth.

“I’d feel better if only people we knew packed our stuff. Mine and Robin’s,” Ambry said.

Touche! Using the baby card was probably the best thing he could’ve done.

“It’s just that he does so much by smell still and I don’t want angry people touching our stuff because later he’ll smell it and it might upset him. He’s still so tiny and—” Ambry said and his bottom lip quivered.

Shit in a tree! He wasn’t playing a card. He meant what he said.

“Exactly,” Cobalt said. “And Guardie. Guardie might get confused and—Look, brother, I’d take a bullet for Ciro. The least you can do is not let your friend play with our mates’ underwear.”

The blood drained from Odell’s face.

“Maybe we should all go,” he piped into the conversation. “I’m not sure I want anyone messing with my underwear.”

“I’ll buy you new underwear if something happens,” Cobalt said.

“But I like my underwear. They’re mine,” Odie said.

“I’ll pack them myself,” I said. “I won’t kick them under sofas like some people.”

“Well, don’t throw your underwear at strangers!” Teal snapped at me.

“STOP!” Indigo said, tapping the table. “If you guys make my baby cry, I will personally chuck both of you.” He pointed at his brothers. “Into the well. We’re a family. I’m not sure about Morvan either but Teal is still one of us. Teal, you are still one of us, right?”

“What bloody else would I be?” Teal snapped again.

“Hungry,” Odie whispered. “Maybe you should hunt and then we’ll decide.”

“You’re bloody right,” Teal sighed. “I’m sorry I yelled at you, Ciro.”

“It’s okay. I’d rather you yell at me than pregnant people. Do you want me to come or---” I started but Teal was already out the back door dropping his towel on the porch.