Page 31 of The Monster at the End of This Molt

I frowned. "What? Who said that?"

"No one had to say it. He's the only one who didn't welcome us."

Weld was the most stubborn kobold I knew, and that was saying something after growing up with my papa. Nothing I could say would change my mate's mind. Instead, I grabbed his hand and teleported us to Tuft and Axel's cabin on the other side of the fortress.

Weld leaned over his knees, coughing. "Wow. Could I have a little warning when you're going to do that?"

"Weld? Robin? Is that you?" Tuft opened the front door and he and their crew of four raced onto the porch.

Penelope ran to the porch railing in front of Weld but stopped short when she saw him bend down to run his hand across the top of the little monument there. "You're him!"

"Yes, that's him, Statler and Waldorf's daddy." Tuft grinned and waved at me. "Welcome home, Robin! Glad to see you convinced him to come with you."

"He thought you were mad at him." I shook my head.

"Weld, I could never be mad at you.”

My mate stared up at him with open skepticism.

“I would have been part of the welcoming committee, but I got stuck with the kids while Axel cleaned Clementine's latest mess."

"I thought she was moving to the fortress," I said.

"She did. Didn't stop her from breaking and entering on game night."

I laughed. Only my sister would sneak away from a volleyball game to work an experiment at our parents' empty house.

"Don't tell her the two cabins next to ours are vacant," I whispered when Tuft leaned over the railing above us.

"Axel's got them locked up tight, don't you worry." Tuft sighed. "Weld?"

My mate looked up, as though just now realizing we'd been having a conversation without him. "Huh?"

"Would you like to meet our second batch of hatchlings?"

Weld swallowed hard and nodded.

Tuft dropped his hand to the top of Penelope's head, covered with white ringlets between her pointed ears. "This is our little girl, Penelope." He pointed across the porch. "Odysseus is our gray alpha. I call him my shark boy. Poseidon is dark blue, and Aeolus is light blue. Axel said they all reminded him of the sea, so he named them after characters fromThe Odyssey."

"You're … not mad?"

Tuft laughed. "I was sad when you left, but I understood." He changed the subject as only Tuft could. "We've got a spot opening on our volleyball team next Thursday night. One of our omegas just laid his eggs. We'd love it if you'd join us."

Of all the sports, volleyball was my favorite, but Weld looked uncertain. "We'll talk about it and get back to you," I said.

Tuft grinned. "Great. That's all I ask." He pointed. "Axel's on his way back. Did you want to stay for dinner?"

"No," Weld said. "We should go." He started walking toward Axel, and our new home.

"Is he all right?" Tuft asked, his brow wrinkling with concern.

I wished I knew.

ChapterTwelve

Weld

By the timeI reached our new cabin, Robin was already standing on the porch. Yes, I could have teleported, too, but the walk helped me clear my head.

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