Page 83 of The Ruby Dragon's Unconventional Mate

“Wow! Look at those little pies.”

“They’re cherry cheesecake tarts.”

He moaned, then picked one up and ate it.

Mate? You okay?

I am. Cherry. Cheesecake. Tarts.

Oh, the Keepers are swinging for the fences now.

They are. Is everyone okay?

It was one of the girls, actually. She fell and hit her sister’s teeth.

Oh, ow.

Yeah, but she’s fine.

Okay, good.

Was this what parenting felt like? Always worrying and then breathing a sigh of relief. He would bet it was, especially if what Dakota and Logan told him was true. And gods knew he had no reason to doubt them.

Come back and sit with me?Suddenly, he wanted Bryant with him. Desperately.

Of course, love.In seconds, he could see Bryant wading through their friends, and Lars picked the best little cheesecake on the plate to offer to Bryant, popping it into Bryant’s mouth.

“Mmm. That is amazing.” Bryant settled in by him, Samuel moving to Jake’s lap when Jake sat. Grant was with Celeste, playing with some kind of a top, and the wee one was with some of the other smaller babies in a sleepy baby area.

This was his wing. His family. And his mate was right there with him when it came time to open presents. He loved presents. All the surprise and the pretty paper and?—

“Aw. Books. Amber, thank you. Tiny cloth baby books.”

“You’re welcome, sweet one.”

And it went to theme from there, but Bryant handed him one final gift, a long, flat box just big enough for a piece of jewelry, the kind of box that usually held a necklace.

“What’s this then?” He undid the bow and opened it, gasping when he saw what lay inside.

It was an intricate silver chain, and dangling from it was a square-cut brilliant diamond that managed to be both gorgeous and yet fitting to his body. “For my silver dragon.”

“Oh, Bryant.” He touched it gently. “It’s gorgeous.”

“I wanted to get you something to remind you that you’re my mate, and a pregnant omega, but you’re still a guardian. I love you.”

Tears stung his eyes, and he stood so he could toddle over to sit in Bryant’s lap. “I love you too. So much.”

Bryant kissed him, and there was a collective, “Awwww,” from around the room.

Their baby chose that moment to kick him and Bryant both, just boom, and Bryant broke the kiss by laughing.

“I love you too, little one,” Bryant said, hand on Lars’s belly. “I promise. I’ll take good care of you and help Daddy protect the wing.”

“I know you will.” He stared into Bryant’s dark, beautiful eyes, and he knew then that he was all right. His friends had come to him, and his mate understood him and trusted him.

Now all he had to do was to get through having this baby.

Chapter

---