Page 66 of Surge of Storms

I glance down to see our ridiculous cat. Zane has taken to walking her on a leash. And to my surprise, she loves the damn thing. After her baths and her good food, she’s actually very pretty, with long orange fur and big blue eyes. She trots a little when he takes her out, stopping to sniff things or to rub against Zane’s leg.

He said he’d get the cat to be his friend, and he was right. Zane’s patience and love definitely paid off. With the cat, and with all of us.

A dragon soars low overhead, and I sigh as he passes.

Aydan takes my hand. “You’ll be back flying in no time.”

After my first two shifts, Zane had inspected me and then had me try flying. I’d been able to, even though it caused pain. He’d reassured me that the fact that I could fly meant that, after my healing, I’d be fine. I’d been relieved to know I’d be okay.

A couple male dragons walk close to us on the sidewalk, they start sniffing in my direction, but then they pull a strange face. Zane notices it and moves to step in front of them, effectively stopping them.

“Are you smelling our female?”

The betas look panicked, but the taller one answers, “Yes.”

Zane cocks his head. “Does she not smell good to you?”

It takes the taller one a painfully long minute to answer. “Not any longer. She smells like a male now.” With that, both betas take off, as if afraid of what my men might do to them.

Like I care that I don’t smell good to them any longer. Hell, this is all I’ve ever wanted.

Evander turns to me and says, “Why do you think they don’t like your smell now?”

Granger frowns and shakes his head. “Could it be something the scientists are doing? Did one of their experiments actually work?”

Zane turns very slowly to face the rest of us. There’s shock in his face as his cat sniffs at a flower near us. He walks back to me and collapses onto his knees, reaching out to touch my stomach.

“Sam,” he whispers.

Every muscle in my body tenses. “Zane…”

It can’t be.

Zane begins to sniff rapidly, and the look of absolute wonder on his face takes my breath away. “When females get pregnant, their scent takes a little while to change, getting stronger as the baby grows. Before, you were injured, so you smelled differently, of blood and all the things the doctors put on you, and the pregnancy must have been in the early stages. I was too distracted to realize…” He’s babbling.

“What’s happening here, buddy?” Aydan says, but there’s excitement in his voice.

Zane looks up, holding my gaze. “She is with child.”

I knew it was coming. At least I thought I knew it was coming. Even so, I’m shocked.This can’t be possible, can it?

“But I thought pregnancies were really rare with dragons,” I say, heart racing.

Zane nods, a tear rolling down his cheek. “They are.”

My heartbeat fills my ears. “And that we’ve gone lifetimes without children.”

“We have.”

I stare at him, needing to be certain. “Are you sure?”

He nods again and then presses his forehead to my stomach.

“You’re pregnant!” Granger exclaims, hugging me the best he can while Zane clings to me.

Aydan looks amazed. “Pregnant.” Then he kisses me.

Evander pushes past all of them and pulls me into his arms. “You’re going to be an amazing mom.”

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