Page 25 of Mated in the Stars

“It’s safe with Teddy,” Fred said. “We trust him.”

“We just don’t like to be away from it long. The delivery was difficult,” Elio admitted.

“Then we go to the house,” I said. “Your house,” I added on since it wasn’t technically mine at all.

“It’s your home too, if you want it to be,” Elio said and Fred added, “That’s a given or it should be.”

“Can you make it home?” Fred asked a second later.

“I’ll be okay. Heat or not,” I nodded and slid off his lap to sit in my own seat. “Eggs come first. I don’t need to be a Starscale to know that.”

“But you are,” Elio nodded at my chest.

My yellow star was covered up with a green shirt but it was there nonetheless. It had itched like a hellion coming in and nowit was rock hard but flexible enough to move at the same time. It burnt hot to the touch and tickled the skin close to it now that my mating responses to Fred and Elio had begun. Fred rested a hand on my knee and the other on Elio’s. I wrapped my arm around his and hugged it to me.

“It’ll be alright,” Fred told us. “The crazy, surreal feeling doesn’t last forever.”

Chapter Thirteen

Teddy

I was in the middle of canceling my plans at Sprinkles for that night when I realized without a doubt that Nelum had once been my mother. Minter napped next to the egg that housed our youngest sibling while I texted my newest lust interest that I’d have to call in a rain check. Part of me hated to cancel because he gave some of the best head I’d ever had but the munchkins came before that. Family came before a guy I only knew by his first name and for his ability to nearly swallow my cock whole.

I did my best not to listen in to Dad and Elio talk with him over the flight link. I only half-assed paid attention because I needed to know their plans. If they shacked up at one of the hotels that saved rooms for newly mated dragons, I’d ask one of the other guys to grab some of my stuff from the house because I wasn’t going to leave the egg alone even for the few minutes it would take me to cross over to my own home. I also wasn’t about to carry the egg around either. We almost lost the baby and maybe Elio too if he hadn’t gotten sick when he did. One dead mate was enough for my dad. I wasn’t sure I could watch him go through that again and stay upright.

My phone vibrated and I figured it would be Gem from the club about our canceled plans or Sunny telling me what I already knew but it was Selt double-checking what everyone felt over the flight link. I told him he had it right and then he texted me again.

SELT: How are you feeling about it all?

Somehow despite him meeting Liatris, Selt and I still had discussions about the big things in life. Only now we discussed them with our clothes on and keeping our hands, dicks, andmouths to ourselves. As much as I knew Sunny was only my best friend – anything romantic there was made out of homesickness. He’d seen his sire and calmed down a bit because he knew soon, he’d see his carrier and younger siblings too. Selt on the other hand kept me confused. We went into things knowing it was only short term but sometimes I still missed him. I didn’t hold it against Liatris and if it was obvious to everyone else, he didn’t hold it against me either. I sulked before I worked through it by helping Sunny and Laken get ready for their twins. Now I was finding my good times where I could again.

ME: Relieved about it all, honestly. It would’ve been really awkward if I had been wrong. Between us, I might go over to stay with Sunny and Laken for awhile when this is all said and done, and things have calmed down for Dad and them. I thought I worked through my bullshit but apparently, I lied to myself. I still see him as my mum and that’s fucking strange.

SELT: Maybe it is strange but does death undo family relationships? I mean, obviously, his current body didn’t house your egg but neither did Fred’s and he’s still your dad. If you need time, take it. Just remember you promised to help guard the door here too. Actually, if you can’t, that’s okay. We’d miss seeing you, though.

ME: I haven’t forgotten and I’ll keep helping. Remember, my mate is still out there somewhere. Sooner or later, he’ll probably waltz through that door. Hell or maybe I’ll meet him if I go home with Sunny for a while. Dal and Seq are supposed to visit soon but I bet they put things off now that Mum is back or sort of back. Hell, I don’t know. There’s no book to read about this. Though, maybe that’swhat I’ll do. Maybe I’ll write a book after I figure this shit out. They’re almost back. I gotta go. Kiss the baby for me and thanks for checking on me.

SELT:Anytime and if you want to hide closer to home, you know our house is always open.

Chapter Fourteen

Elio

I snuck Nelum into the bedroom and left Fred to deal with Teddy. None of us were hard by the time we arrived at the house but I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk to anyone else while my head was so boggled. Teddy and Minter would clear Fred’s up because of the biological drive to protect our young that most dragons and other shifters had. I was relieved not to have to explain anything to them but then realized I was alone with Nelum in the bedroom for the first time. Hell, it was the first time we’d ever been truly alone. Even in the Other World there were usually people around unless we were messing around.

“You can take your shoes off if you want. Whatever you need to do to get comfy,” I said when the silence started to drill into my eardrums.

“Thanks,” Nelum said and knelt down on one knee to untie one of his boots and then the other. I watched his long, nimble fingers work the laces loose and tried not to think about where those same fingers might roam over my skin later.

I sat on the edge of the bed and took off my own shoes and socks. What else could I do? I started this. I had the memory and dove into the past. Now he was here – gorgeous and smelling like a dream come true. Only now, my tongue was tied up in knots. Maybe being almost burnt alive was easier to process than silence for all dragons.

“It’s a nice place,” Nelum said, breaking the silence as he slid his second boot off. “Really nice. Smells cozy.”

“Thank you. We try. I made Fred help me clean up before we left. Usually, Minter has toys, pillows, and the ancestors only know what else everywhere around the house.”

“Eh, he’s at that age. At least you know he knows this is his home too if he’s leaving stuff everywhere.”

“So, wooly pigs?” I asked him.

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