Page 44 of The Monster at the End of This Molt

"What? He doesn't even need us?"

"We'll get to play, and we'll keep their main players hydrated."

Weld huffed a sigh. "I get it. This is my reintroduction to society or some bullshit." His bottom lip jutted out. He looked adorable, but I wouldn't tell my grumpy alpha that.

"I'm finished here." I slipped my tablet into my desk drawer and locked it with a spell. "Let's stop in the cafeteria on the way. We need game fuel."

"Game fuel?" Weld looked at me like I'd grown a second head or sprouted a new tail.

Game fuel was high carb fare. Tuber fries, veggie burgers, and plenty of snack cakes and desserts lined the buffet table. "Don't eat too much, or you'll be sick as a dog out there."

Weld bumped his buffet tray against mine. "Okay, Dad."

My face burned. Fuck. I didn't like that, did I? Our kids were supposed to call me Dad, not my fated mate.

"Oh, shit. I'm sorry." Weld scooted past me in line, grabbed a gelatin salad, and sat at an empty table without another word.

I grabbed a piece of cheesecake for me and a chocolate mousse for him before taking the spot across from him. "Why are you sorry?"

"You would make an excellent dad, Robin. We both know it. I'm an asshole for keeping you from it."

"You are not an asshole."

Two kobolds I didn't recognize with a clutch of five between them walked past, both glaring at us like we were both degenerates for swearing in a public place.

"I am."

"Then you're my asshole." I shrugged. "What are you going to do about it?"

He grinned. "I'm going to kick that volleyball's ass."

I chuckled at his silly attempt at a joke. "I don't think it works that way."

High on our dessert carb rush, we teleported home to change and then walked to the beautiful dragon pavilion that gave our home its new name. Axel had designed the beautiful scrollwork on the wooden platforms.

"It's breathtaking," Weld said, though he was staring at me.

"What?"

"I can feel your love for this place through our bond. I liked it before, but now … spectacular."

"Stop. You'll make me blush."

He pulled me into a hug and kissed my cheek. "You're gorgeous when you blush."

ChapterSixteen

Weld

Volleyball wasn'tmy favorite sport to watch, but playing it was a rush unlike any other. On Tuft's team, "You call the ball or you die," and I believed him. At first, I had been too nervous to call it, for fear I would miss and lose the point, but then Tuft started calling them for me.

"Weld." I bumped the ball over the net, and the opposing alpha lobbed it back to me in the center back.

"Weld." I bumped it up, and my teammates called their shots and hit the ball back over. This time, the alpha spiked it at my head.

"WELD."

"Mine!" I finally shouted as I dug it out of the sand.

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