Page 52 of The Ruby Dragon's Unconventional Mate

“Yeah. I mean, maybe the sauce is just too acidy and I need to toss a potato in there.”

“The sauce is fine.” Dakota looked at him like he was insane.

“Okay.” He shrugged, feeling a little weird. He was a dragon. He rarely ever got sick unless it was a magical illness, so he didn’t think he was coming down with something. Maybe he was just wonky…

Samuel kept staring at him, stealing glances, and it made him a little concerned.

He just laid out salad and drained noodles, but when it came time to eat, he put butter and parm on his, going for that and the garlic bread.

“So, tell us everything.” Dakota poured three glasses of wine, settling on the big sofa to eat. “How’s it going with Bryan? Better?”

He nodded. “He’s amazing. Seriously. He’s even better than he was before he left.”

“Well, he’d better be,” Samuel snapped.

“No, not when he left, dork. Before he left.” His cheeks heated. Bright. “He told me he loved me.”

Dakota beamed at him. “Oh, yay! That’s great, hon.”

“Do you believe him?” Samuel asked, and he nodded.

“I do. He’s said his apologies, and I believe he meant them.” He reached out and took Samuel’s hand. “My fierce defender. I swear, he’s a good dragon. His actions are backing it up. He’s really stopped worrying about if Lachlan is going to be mad about him spending time with me, or vice versa. He was so worried. And he shares his life with me.”

“Mmm.” Samuel didn’t sound convinced, but he would see.

He took a bite of noodles, but the bread smelled awful, so he left it alone.

“Is everything okay?” Dakota shook his head, staring at him. “You love that bread.”

“It just—” He swallowed hard. “It doesn’t smell great tonight. I hope I don’t make you guys sick. I mean, what if I have some weird magical malady?”

“What if you have a bun in the oven?” Samuel asked.

“What?” Lars blinked, not following at all.

“What if you’re pregnant?” Dakota put in gently.

“No. No way!” He hadn’t been in heat, and they hadn’t done it that much. “I’d know, don’t you think?”

“Well, this is how it starts. You don’t always know. I mean, it’s not like they start off talking to you. What does Slippy think?”

“He thinks I smell good.” He knew that. He wasn’t stupid.

“Well, then. I bet you are. You guys have wild, unprotected sex?”

Lars was going to go up in flames. “In the tub.”

“Well, then. If you didn’t want babies, you shouldn’t…” Dakota winked at him.

“Shut up. I know. I do.” What was he going to do, for fuck’s sake? What could he do?

“You’re freaking out.” Dakota reached over to put a hand on his arm. “No one is going to kick you out of the wing for being an omega, Lars.”

“But if I have a baby…”

“You think you can’t be a guardian. Bah. If you and Bryant are together, you can be one combined guardian, right?” Samuel waved a hand. “You both worry too much.”

“Everyone’s always believed I was an alpha, but…” Whoa. A baby. “Well, if I am pregnant, it’ll be something else.”

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