Page 85 of The Aurora Marelup Complete Saga Omnibus

I throw my catch up onto the island and swim to the edge after it. My shift comes quickly, and it just so happens, my baby’s shift too. They wiggle out of their father’s and grandfather’s arms to head over to my catch. I quickly skin the catfish, lower my muzzle, and rip a chunk of flesh off to eat. The babies imitate me, biting and ripping at their food.

My wolven and bear mates look at the scene before them in horror. The twins and I are eating sashimi as our animals. The dragon’s side of the family is happy to see my young eating so well. I eat at least half of the catfish, leaving the rest for the babies. Slowly, I shift back to my human form and sit close by, watching over my children. For now, my enemies have been given a reprieve. I’ll soon be going over all of the intel I’ve been given, and I’ll formulate a plan of action.

The babies eat their fill and come over to me, ready to go to sleep. “We need to be thinking about heading back. The babies are safer if they remain as their animals for now. At least they can run, hide, and defend themselves if they have to.” I lay a hand on each child before looking to my mates. Slowly they nod, agreeing with me. Alaric moves to the end of the cavern and starts making arrangements for our trip back. Klaus helps me stand and dress in my flight clothing.

Now that I’m not pregnant, I have room in my coat for my babies. I haven’t bounced back one hundred percent yet; a few more shifts should have me back in top form. I gently pick up my sleeping babies and bundle them in my coat to protect them from the wind. Alaric gives me a look as if to say, “What the fuck are you doing?” I open my coat to show him our babies, and his dragon’s head nods slowly. He then gets into position so I can climb on. Once in place, my father joins us, sitting just before Alaric’s wings.Are you ready, love? Are the babies settled?Alaric asks me through the bond.

I gently rub my cargo and smile.Our children are asleep. Tomorrow, however, we will rain hell upon those that may stand against us. Then we leave as quickly as possible to Klaus’s pack and then summon the others,I say to Alaric through our bond. I feel Dominik’s fear through the bond as his guard goes into free fall out of the mouth of the cavern. Jayce, on the other hand, is elated, enjoying the fall. I swear those two crack me up.They are such opposites. One tough, one soft, one terrified of heights, the other loves it. It’s kind of comical if you ask me.

Alaric carefully launches us out the mouth of the cavern. We gently glide upon the thermals until he feels it’s safe to start really flying. I feel my babies moving about within my coat, so I pop two buttons in the middle, allowing them to poke their heads out.Is it too cold for them out here, Alaric? They are quite curious about the flight.I gently stroke my babies’ heads, waiting for Alaric to answer me.

No, love, they are part Ice Dragon after all. Take them out one at a time and let them see over the top of my head as I fly. Make sure to keep a good grip on them, so they don’t go into free fall.Alaric’s concern for the babies’ safety warms my heart.

Carefully, I pull Tiamat out first and rest her little taloned hands on the ridge of her father’s dragon’s crown. She calls out her excitement, making her little baby dragon noises. We spend the remainder of our flight with the babies taking turns watching the flight over the top of their father’s head.

My own father is quite amused watching me with the babies. I guess, in a way, he wishes he could have done this with me. I mean, have my mom hold me while he flew us around. It makes me want to cry over all that we have missed out on, all because of Vladimir. There will be no mercy for him, nor for the rest of his bloodline.

We arrive back at the castle by early morning and apparently, we’ve attracted the attention of all of our guests. I pull both babies out of my coat, and they perch on my shoulders. They are looking around curiously at all the people. “Do not trust anyone other than whom your fathers, grandfather, and I say it’s okay to go to. There are bad people here who would love to see us dead.” Both babies move to look at me, and I shift my eyes to that of my beast and begin to teach them the recent history.

Alaric senses what I’m doing, and keeps his head held high, and remains standing. I gently pat his scales, letting him know I’m done, and he slowly lies down when the rest of my mates gather. My father slides off first and moves to back the crowd up. My War Dragon guards assist my father in containing the group. Jayce and Dominik are already shifted to their wolves waiting for me. Dimitri and Klaus are in a position to help me off of Alaric’s neck.

OohsandAh’s, and a ton ofoh, they’re so cutesare heard as I’m escorted into the castle, then back to our private chambers. I’m starving, and I have two babies I still have to nurse yet. Everyone gathers in what I call my bedroom, and the babies are let loose to play as they wish. “Any updates while we were gone?” I ask, looking towards my father and Alaric.

My father is the first to respond. “Your personal guards snuffed out several more usurpers in our absence. Having them sleep in your bed was a stroke of genius, daughter. All appears to be settled here. We just need to have a gala to announce the babies’ births, and then we can leave. We can plan the christening for some time after we take back the Marelup throne.” Nicodeamus smiles, then jumps because it seems that Ladon just tried to freeze his grandfather to the floor. I can’t help but laugh at their actions. Alaric, however, is just shaking his head, looking at the twins.

“Oh, relax, grumpy! They are just playing!” I say to Alaric as I try not to continue to laugh at my children’s antics. The babies continue to run and play as the guys sit down to do all the planning.

When I say the guys, I mean Jayce and Klaus. Dominik, Alaric, and Dimitri are handling setting up security, and Nicodeamus is on the floor playing with the kids now. My mates are all bonded to me, my babies are happy and healthy, and myfather has a perpetual smile on his face. Everything is very good in my world right now.

CHAPTER 72

Alaric

February-

I’m back at my favorite crystalline desk; it feels like forever since I’ve sat here to conduct business. I still have all the maps and sketches I made when I was first aware of Aurora. I run my fingers over the charts and my doodles I had made of her face. It’s hard to believe that almost a year has passed, and here I am a father, her mate, and now king. Slowly, I open the top drawer of my desk, taking out my favorite parchment. I begin to write the birth announcements that shall be personally flown to the different kingdoms around the world.

To my right is the list of godparents that Aurora and I have come up with for our children. Aurora barely trusts any females so there will be no godmothers for our kids. She has however picked out three godfathers, and I agree with her choices wholeheartedly. I have chosen my long-standing friend Austin Skybane as a guardian for my daughter. Austin’s Kingdom is on a hidden island off of New Zealand. Aurora has chosen Ellis as a guardian for our son, as well as both War Dragons. She figured since Polar Bears are not long-lived, the War Dragons would be a good backup. I decide to write Austin’s letter first.

Dear Austin,

It feels like forever since the last time I have put pen to paper. I have wonderful news to share with you. Remember that unique female I wrote to you about? The hybrid? Well, she’s my mate, we married and have birthed twins! Can you believe it? I hope you would do me the honor and agree to be my daughter, Tiamat Andrea Kraus’ Godfather. No pressure or anything. If you have found your mate, I would be honored if she would be Tia’s Godmother. I hope all is well with you and your family. As soon as we have a date for the christening and the proper coronation, I will send word.

Respectfully,

King Alaric Kraus

I laugh to myself,thinking about how I have signed the letter to one of my best friends. He’s going to shit bricks when he sees I’m now king and not my father. I feel the guys panicking and Aurora’s agitation. Something’s set my mate off. I need to go defuse the bomb before there’s a slaughter on our hands.

I run downstairs and head to the fitting room. Aurora looks like a heavenly vision in her flowing gown. That is until I noticeher arms are shifted, and she has a seamstress in an ice prison. “Aurora, baby, what seems to be the matter?” I look at the beautiful dress and then over to the seamstress.

“She said she had a hard time with you and your trousers. She doesn’t belong anywhere near your trousers. Where’s the usual seamstress that does your clothing?” Aurora is using her talons to accentuate her displeasure over a single female making adjustments to my wardrobe. That’s where the problem lies.

“Love, Helline passed on while we were gone. Her granddaughter took over her duties so that we wouldn’t be without a head seamstress.” I hold my hands up in a placating manner, trying to get my mate to calm down. She’s definitely more territorial now that the babies have been born.

Aurora looks between the young seamstress she has trapped and me. “Sorry for your loss.” She releases the girl quickly, then her eyes move between her other mates and me. “No one gets fitted alone.Ever.” Aurora’s eyes land on the young girl now, and she looks her over. “You’re a wolf, am I correct?” Aurora slowly shifts her hands back to humans as she waits for an answer.

“Yes, my Queen,” the girl answers softly with her eyes low, staring at the ground.

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