Page 69 of Thrown into the Mob

Conrad pushed back his chair and told all the kids to sit on the grass. I plonked the chair in front of them, and my mate cradled his belly and explained he was going to show them something exciting, but he couldn’t shift.

“Cause you have a baby,” Brielle said. “My daddy has a baby too.”

Conrad began by asking the kids what they knew about dragons.

“Do you have a dragon in your tummy?” Kendric asked.

“I don’t think so, but the baby might be a little bit like a dragon.”

Lottie whispered to her little brother that we wanted to see the dragon and not talk about babies.

“I like babies.” He pouted.

“Okay, look at this.” Conrad held up his hands and talons appeared. The kids cheered and wanted to touch them.

Storm said they weren’t as sharp as his dad’s claws, and Ranger folded his arms and grinned.

“Can you show us your scales?” Lottie asked.

Blue and green scales appeared on my mate’s outer arms and everyone, adults included, clapped. None of the family had seen my mate’s dragon.

“I want fire, please.” Allegra pretended to breathe flames.

“Please don’t burn us.” Lottie giggled and put her hands over her face. All the little cousins copied her, yelling, “Please don’t burn us.”

“I can only do a little.”

I helped my mate to his feet, and we walked away from the family group. Holding his hand to steady him, I waited while he communicated with his beast. Wispy smoke wafted from his nostrils, and the kids cheered. Tiny flames curled around his lips, and he bent his head back and sent a stream of fire into the air.

Everyone cheered and clapped.

“My beast can’t wait to meet you after the baby’s born.”

“Can I fly on the dragon?” Storm asked.

“No, me.”

“Me too.”

“I don’t want to.”

I took over. “No one gets to ride on my mate’s dragon, just like no one rides on any wolf.”

“Oh,” the kids said in unison.

Yeah, no one gets on my back, my wolf agreed.

THIRTY-THREE

CONRAD

“Are you sure you want to sleep?” Madd was tucking me into bed.

“Why not?” I’d been experiencing mild contractions all week, and this evening, they’d been closer together and more urgent. “We’re about to become fathers, and sleep is low on the agenda for new parents.”

“Okay.” My mate furrowed his brow. He wouldn’t close his eyes tonight but would keep a close watch on me and my bump. He’d listen for every gasp or sniffle, and if I turned over, he’d check the time. Those were the skills that’d made him an efficient undercover guy.

Madd already had a note opened on his phone, and he’d recorded the length and frequency of the contractions.