Page 58 of The Dragon at the End of This Pregnancy

I didn't trust my paragon, but I trusted Mac. He was all I needed.

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When Rapture arrived a week later with more supplies, Mac took advantage of his willing transportation and rode him further into the mountains, to the ancestral caves. I didn't want to speak to my paragon, but it couldn't wait. I had questions about my egg-laying process. Their books were just as vague about it as they were about "magic."

While Mac was gone, I tucked blankets around our kobold egg, which was now the size of a grapefruit. I knew our little one wasn't cold inside, thanks to the magic draining from me, but I didn't know how far Mac could travel, or for how long, before our egg would feel his absence.

I was still shifting and spinning, trying to find a comfortable way to curl around the newly wrapped egg when Mac returned with my paragon. Mac sent Rapture on his way, while my paragon approached cautiously.

"Hello, Galen. Is that your little kobold egg? Not so little anymore, is she?"

"She's growing by the hour." My wings spread with pride and banged into the hard wall at my back.

"Your beta said you wanted to see me."

"He has a name," I reminded them. "He is not my beta. He is Mac, my mate."

"Mac." Paragon bowed their head to him. "I did not mean to offend you. My relationship with your father was far different from yours with Mac."

That gave me pause. "What happened to him?"

"He ran away." They sighed. "He's still alive, somewhere to the west, on this plane."

I swallowed around the lump in my throat. I'd been to the west. I'd met several kobold betas who worked the fields and tended livestock for the other villages. Had I met my kobold father and not known?

"What's his name?" I asked.

"Goff."

The lump in my throat threatened to choke me. "I don't know a Goff."

"He is shy." Paragon leaned in, and I stretched my neck out so we could rub our necks together the way dragons hugged. The action reminded me how much I missed hugging Mac in my kobold alpha form. Tears sprang to my eyes for a new reason.

"I remember all the dragon tears," Paragon said when they pulled back. "It's exhaustion from carrying the egg." They motioned for Mac to come forward, dragging a large burlap sack behind him. Mac's nose wrinkled at the smell, but one sniff told me the bag was full of my favorite treats.

"Bovinji organs?"

"They will keep you strong and aid in the delivery."

"How much longer?" I was already over my six-week gestation period by two days, and the egg hadn't budged.

"When it's time." Paragon laughed at the face I made and curled their neck around mine again. "This will help, I promise. Once you've eaten the whole bag, you will be in prime condition."

"Either that, or I'll have indigestion so bad, I'll wish I was in labor." I tried to smile, but it probably looked more like a grimace. "Thank you for the organs."

"Is it all right if we visit you here in a few days? If you haven't laid the egg by then, it might take more drastic measures." They turned to Mac and winked. "You know what to do?"

Mac met my gaze with a nod, and a deep blush darkened his cheeks between his stripes. "Yes."

"Good. I'll give you three days. One to eat, one to set things in motion, and one to rest. Then, expect a visit from us."

"Thank you," I said again.

They smiled. "I wasn't here to watch you grow up, but I raised you when it counted. I intend to help you with my grandchildren, as well." Their eyes sparkled a radiant amethyst, and they huffed a gout of smoke. "You grew into a fine dragon on your own, Galen. I am proud of everything you've done at the village. The new pavilion and game yards, and your cave is so tidy."

"That's all Mac and the other kobolds," I said.

Mac tried to interject, but I talked over him. "Mac cleans my cave every week, and a plucky kobold omega and his alpha partner built the recreation spaces."

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