Page 32 of The Ruby Dragon's Unconventional Mate

“Thanks, love. Get you a plate, and I’ll give you some warm ones. The girls each gnawed one, and are now waiting on bacons.”

“I knew I smelled bacon…”

“Do you two like bacon?”

“BACS!” they roared together.

“I guess so,” Bryant murmured. “They’re such little dragons.”

“Dwaaaaagons.” Ari chomped her wee teeth.

“Anyway, it’s in the oven,” Bryant said.

Lachlan chuckled. “There will be lots.”

“What can I do to help?” He grabbed plates from the cabinet and put them on the counter.

“You can make up a plate for you and Samuel, and one for Lach if you don’t mind. He’ll need to eat to keep up his energy, and he’s really busy right now becoming a wing guardian uncle…” Bryant winked at him and Samuel, and if he had a moustache, he’d be twirling it.

Lars cracked up. “I’m on it.”

Lachlan seemed overjoyed, the twins even happier to have someone’s complete attention, to be cradled in Lachlan’s arms and wings. They clearly felt safe with him, and Lachlan’s smile shone with happiness, his platinum scales glinting.

He seems really happy.

He does. Is. This was a good idea.Bryant’s gaze seemed satisfied, more settled than he’d seen it since Lachlan had been attacked.

He was a wealth of good ideas. He almost said that out loud, but then he remembered that he hadn’t been the one with theidea to bring Lachlan here. He wasn’t sure if that credit went to Lachlan or Bryant, to be honest.

Lars started putting plates together as he pondered. He even managed to get pancakes on two of them before Logan called for him.

Uncle Lars. You have two nephews to meet. Can you come up?

Could he come up? Bah. It was his honor and blessing. “I have to go and meet the new babies. I’ll be right back.”

Before he went, he stopped. “You know what, I’d better put together a couple of bottles…”

Because if these two were anything like the other two, bottles would be absolutely necessary. Ari and Mari had been hungry from the beginning.

“Good idea,” Bryant agreed, and Samuel started putting the bottles together for him, as he snarfed down half a pancake. “Are you excited, Uncle Lars?”

“I’m always excited to meet new friends and family.” He glanced at the girls, who were watching him suspiciously. “When you’ve eaten, should I bring you up to see your da and meet the babies? After pancakes?”

Mari shook her head, and Ari nodded.

“Excellent.” It was going to happen regardless, and he wasn’t sure they quite understood babies or what nodding meant.

He took the bottles upstairs. Sally, the midwife, was heading out with a relieved smile on her face. “That was a good result.”

“Yeah, we were a little worried,” he admitted.

“All of us were.” She held his gaze. “I’m of the opinion that four is a good number.”

Lars nodded. He got it. They couldn’t risk Dakota. “Personally, I think four is a great number. Two boys, two girls, it’s perfect.”

He gave her a gentle hug of thanks for all her work, then went in. Simon immediately handed him one of the two babies and took a bottle. Logan was holding Dakota and rocking him, the waves of relief pouring off his brother almost nauseating.

“And who is this?”

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