Page 6 of Matched By the Dragon

“I was going to make gravy for breakfast,” Brad said. “Before my panic attack.”

“He’s panic attack worthy,” Alby nodded.

“He should go get breakfast for us,” Brad said.

“He could go with Bennie to Mama Dragon’s and pick it up,” Alby agreed.

Sighing, I walked toward the car. It was if the others had discussed a plan without me and made some agreement that they wouldn’t speak to me directly. The passenger side door of the car opened when I got close. I slid in. I knew Bennie or at least I had talked to him a few times while volunteering at the temple.

“Morning,” I said, sliding into the passenger’s seat and buckling up.

“Morning,” Bennie grinned at me. “Did they tell you where we’re going?”

“I think they want breakfast,” I said.

“Sounds about right. They’re both still chest feeding,” he nodded.

“Are they always like this?” I asked, knowing they weren’t. At least not Alby. He actually spoke to people at the temple.

“Not really,” Bennie shook his head. “Usually, they talk for hours. Brad’s… Recovering.” He said the last word as if he selected it carefully and just for the occasion. “He’ll warm up to you eventually. You just might have to court him for a while. That is unless you plan to turn tail and run. If you’re going to do that you should do it now before he changes his mind about you.”

“Why would I do that?” I blinked.

“Because you’re going through a lot and he’s a lot and he has babies already and I’ve heard what some alphas say about that. I’m not saying Raziel won’t kick your ass for leaving before things start. I’m just saying I won’t kick your ass for leaving now, but if he gets his heart set on you and then you leave, it’ll be bad. Look, I wasn’t his biggest fan to start out with, but Alby loves him. What makes Alby happy makes me happy. I’m a simple tiger.”

“Are you giving me the talk?” I blinked at him.

“If that’s how you want to take it,” Bennie shrugged. “I’m merely stating that it would be better for both of you for you to decide now if you’re going to be an asshole or not. You don’t seem like an asshole, but I don’t take chances with Alby’s happiness.”

“Look, I didn’t come here to start trouble.”

“I know. Raziel meddled. Maybe he jumped the gun with whatever little voice inside his head talks to him and tells him things about future true-mate meetings but you’re here now.”

“I’m not abandoning him because he had a panic attack and is now acting like I’m invisible,” I rolled my eyes and tried to ignore my bear grumbling away inside his inner sanctum.

Bennie nodded and started the car. Was he trying to annoy me? I was willing to put up with whatever was going on with Brad. I was even willing to tolerate Alby’s part in it, because I was a firm believer in omegas sticking together. I wasn’t ignorant. I knew how some alphas were, but I wasn’t going to put up with another alpha poking at me.

Bennie glanced in the rearview mirror at the backseat. I followed his gaze. Two babies were out cold in car seats. A third car seat sat empty. I smiled despite how irritating their sire was.

“I’m glad you’re irritated by me questioning your honor. It means you have some,” Bennie shrugged. “Let’s get them fed and see if that improves things. At the very least, it’ll stop them from being hangry later.”

“He’s rather athletic for a man who has twins,” I said.

“He doesn’t have an off switch. Look, I don’t like to talk about it because it pisses me off, but when he showed up at our place with a gun when Alby was alone and pregnant, he was already suffering from some pretty bad hemorrhaging. He managed to stay upright for long enough that he could’ve killed Alby if his heart was in it. He was still feeding the baby he had with him. So, you should know, he has an iron will, forged by whatever hell his family put him through. Climbing up and down that wall with cubs in tow is nothing to him. He runs up and down our spiral staircase with them in their carrier like it’s nothing.”

“I’m… I’m glad he recovered after that,” I said.

“Me too,” Bennie nodded.

We drove past a lot of trees and flatland. There were a few old estates out this way, but mostly it was nature. It was beautiful countryside and I’d have enjoyed it a lot more if I wasn’t pondering what the hell to do next. The car fell into a near silence only broken by happy baby sounds coming from the backseat. Every thirty seconds or so, Bennie glanced at the babies in the rear-view mirror.

“They’re about three months old now,” Bennie said as if I had asked. “Getting huge. Not in that form of course, but in their other form they’re starting on meat. Since you’ll probably be around, I should warn you, Razlin likes to bite new people. He’s the biggest of them in either form. He doesn’t take to a lot of people and seems to think every new person is a snack or a threat. He’ll also peck sometimes.”

“Your tiger cub has a beak?” I blinked.

“Only sometimes. He’s part of the Crow King’s lineage on Alby’s side. Ashlin and Clydus haven’t shifted to have a beak yet, but sometimes in his tiger form, Razlin shifts to have the wings and the beak. If he gets upset with you in that form, watch out!” Bennie laughed, glancing back at the babies again. “The other day he was asleep and Slyvin – my dad for a lack of a better word – was eating a chicken sandwich. Well, he woke up and I guess his grandpa didn’t notice quickly enough and share, because he pecked Slyvin right on the elbow. We heard him all over the temple! He dropped his sandwich and like a true cat Razlin only ate the chicken and left the bread and veggies. Cub acts like we never feed him. Thankfully, Slyvin was more amused than mad. We think his hunting instinct is coming in younger than the others. Though, he doesn’t try to take food from other kids. Adults, on the other hand, are free game.”

“What about Resin and Oaklan?” I asked, wanting to know more about my mate’s life.