Gabriel shifted without warning, laughing, tears streaming down his eyes.

  “Oh, my gods. That was what Hallr was doing behind me?” Gabriel laughed so hard, he snorted and Sacha bristled. Hallr went red-faced again, and Suyin hid a polite snicker.

  Sacha side-eyed Hallr and smirked. “You’re so lucky that Leo isn’t the jealous sort.”

  “Can we just forget that almost happened?”

  “Hallr…Hallr… No. We will not forget this.” Sacha shook his head. “I am offended! You nearly besmirched my Dette’s honor!”

  Leo shifted and bounded over, shrugging into his clothes before the pups could try playing tug of war with his pants. Leo was an expert at getting dressed in under five seconds.

  Gabriel didn’t seem to have the same compunction with nudity. It’d been a long while since societal norms came into play. Leo squinted at his Dette father. “Whoa, he’s a little jacked, isn’t he?”

  Sacha stuck his hands in his pockets and didn’t say much. Leo stayed thin mostly, save for his blanks. He’d gotten a little softer in some areas that Hallr didn’t complain about, but muscles didn’t really grow on Leo. Once upon a time, they didn’t grow on Gabriel, either.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Gabriel

  “Okay, we all calmed down?” Leo asked as Gabriel shrugged into his clothing, not fast enough to stop the pups, the green ones joining his own in the inappropriate behavior. “Whose pups?”

  “Mine. Their dam passed, so I’m caring for them.” Gabriel winced like he thought Leo might look sad, but when he glanced up, Leo had a half smile on his face.

  “We’ll try to find their nearest kin first, but I suspect they’re all wild and we’ll take care of them.” Sacha turned his head away and a mote of hope blossomed in Gabriel’s chest.

  “You’re their Greg,” Leo said, and Gabriel’s nose wrinkled.

  “The human that kept Leo as a pet for the first few years of his life,” Hallr clarified, much to Sacha’s dismay.

  Gabriel’s eyes went wide as he balked at Sacha. “You’re serious?”

  They had to tell him, breaking down and explaining how Leo started his life. Gabriel went straight into tears, hugging Leo with tight arms and whimpered apologies.

  “Hey, hey! It’s fine, Dad.” Leo patted his back. “You know Hallr marked me on our first night together, right?”

  Gabriel glared at Hallr from his spot, clutching Leo. Hallr held up his hands anxiously. “He made me!”

  “Damn right,” Leo said, patting Gabriel’s back. “And had I not been… ‘misplaced.’” Leo looked around cautiously. “I’d have never found Hallr like I did. I’d never have had my pups. I’d have never—” Leo paused, sniffing a bit. He gave Sacha a look but didn’t say anything. “I’d have never been this happy.”

  “Oh, that reminds me!” Hallr tugged on Sacha’s sleeve and they scooted off somewhere. To where, Gabriel didn’t care.

  “Dad?” Leo asked, and Gabriel sniffled, huffing in acknowledgement. “I’m not sad or upset. I’m happy to know you’re okay.”

  “I’m better now that I’ve met you, but, Leo…it’s. Your speech comes through my head so very clear, like you can talk to me and my dragon separately.” Gabe pushed Leo back at arm’s distance, holding his shoulders while staring strangely.

  “Yeah. There’s Papa dragon and Dad in there.” Leo tilted his head, blinking innocently.

  “Sacha never told me how adept you were. For your age… Leo, you’re special. I hope you know that. You put my dragon at ease…”

  Leo smiled brightly, pushing in for another hug, resting his head against Gabriel’s shoulder, sniffing lightly.

  “I smell good?”

  “Nah. You smell like Pops. The newly mated thing is no joke, is it?” Leo laughed heavily. “If you want us to find pupsitters for Storm and Cinder and my little brothers there, I will if you like? You two really should be bonding.”

  “No. I want to spend time with the pups. Sacha said we’re sitting those two, right? It’ll give me time to get closer to them.”

  “Yeah…you’ll never forget Cinder.” Leo shook his head.

  “He a rascal?”

  “He brought home a skunk a few weeks ago and dragged it through the house.”

  “Yuck.”

  “No, yuck was him eating it and then crying when it made him sick. If you think skunk smells bad… Skunk: The Sequel, doesn’t smell better.”

  “Gross. The more I hear about Cinder, the more he sounds like Sacha when he was a pup.”

  “Did you two grow up together?”

  “No, no. He’s older than Hallr. I’m not even a hundred yet.”

  “I feel a little less weird about Hallr being older than me now.” Leo sighed with relief.

  “It’s just the way of things. As a Dette gets older, we get less complacent, and most Drakes want a submissive Dette.” Gabriel trailed off.

  Leo huffed a laugh.

  “Yeah, I’ve heard. You’re a little monster, aren’t you?”

  “Oi! I’m not little. You guys are all too big.” Leo sniffed indignantly.

  “You don’t deny being a monster?” Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

  “Depends on the Drake you ask. Felix—”

  Gabriel growled beneath his breath.

  “Yeah, Felix and I are mending fences. I think half the Dettes or better had a moratorium on sex and a general threat to lock them out for their heats after the whole debacle. Long story short, from what everyone tells me, since Hallr dropped the price of those flowers for everyone and gave a few freebies out, things have calmed down.” Leo beamed. Though, Gabriel was afraid that it was far too little, too late.

  Sacha returned with Suyin behind them, nervous and confused. Hallr smiled at Leo and Gabriel.

  “Gods, I wanted to put this talk off,” Sacha sighed, rubbing his forehead.

  “Sacha?” Gabriel turned to meet Sacha’s glimmering eyes.

  Hallr whispered something to Sacha and took off, gesturing for them to sit out on the sculpted patio furniture. Leo nestled down, sitting on the ground before the low patio coffee table. He seemed comfortable sitting on the floor, happily chewing on what looked to be a madeleine cookie, its little scalloped edges sugar dusted and chocolate dipped. Leo turned with the plate, offering one to Gabriel. Nibbling on it, he found it not exactly tasty but good in a strange, textured way.

  Sacha watched Gabriel with fascination, a flicker of a smile shooting between their hearts, not in their faces but in their souls.

  “So, what’s wrong?” Gabriel peered up at Hallr when he returned, clutching a Tupperware in his hands.

  “Gabe. I.” Sacha bit his tongue.

  Leo moved closer to Gabriel, sitting beside his feet as they almost dangled from the side of the stone bench. Leo leaned into Gabriel’s legs and pursed his lips as Sacha swallowed.

  “Just tell me, Sacha,” Gabriel huffed.

  “Neither of the eggs were blanks!” Sacha blurted out and Gabriel tensed.

  “The human got Leo to hatch, but the other one didn’t. He tried to open the shell on his own, but he didn’t think the pup had survived, caught it in a stage of half-transformation.”

  “That’s him, isn’t it, in that container?” Gabriel reached down and found Leo holding his hand for a lingering minute.

  “All that’s in here is the shell,” Sacha whispered, and Gabriel bristled.

  “Just the shell? No pup? What happened to it?” Gabriel fretted for a moment.

  “We’re investigating,” Hallr spoke up. “I sent a piece of the shell for testing, and he was a Dette, so he’s somewhere going through heats alone and scared, if he made it.”

  Gabriel coughed a soft sob, folding in on himself as he squeezed Leo’s hand. “I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Gabriel slid down to the ground at Leo’s gentle coax and hugged his father, squeezing him tight.

  “Shh. Nobody blames you,” Leo cooed.

  “You have to! You were alone and scared! You had no savings, no fortune. You had to do manual labor.” Gabriel tugged at his hair.

  “Still do manual labor. I like it. I’m very lucky, Dad.” Leo spoke the last word reverently, almost in a whisper. “Everything that can be done is being done. They told me how hard it’d be to draw you out of the wilds, and I can feel how strong your dragon is. I’m proud to have a dad that can bully his dragon back like that.”

  “But you have so much control.”

  “Zero control. I made friends with my dragon. We’re buddies. I have certain agreements with him and he’s easy to please, thankfully. He just wants feeder rats, the occasional rut, and sky time. As long as I give him my word and keep it, you know?”

  Gabriel shook his head, half laughing. “Few are the dragons who can barter with their scales.”

  Suyin shuffled awkwardly as Leo glanced over. “Suyin, it’s lovely to meet you. Shui is on his way here. I can’t make you see him and Sile, but they miss you and love you.” Leo smiled up at Suyin and hugged Gabriel tighter.

  “Gabriel. I’m not sure how you’ll take it, or even if you’re up to it, but Storm and Cinder were going to stay with Sacha for a week or two. I didn’t intend for you to bring back the twins at that time, and we made the plans before we got word of you being sighted,” Leo rambled, and Gabriel watched him shift uncomfortably.

  “Why only Cinder and Storm?” Gabriel asked, tilting his head curiously.

  “They’re so much higher energy than the rest. Cinder’s a little handful and I have to stay on him more. He means well though.” Leo smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his pained eyes. “He’s small and has a lot to prove.”

  Gabriel blinked rapidly and moved away from Leo, staring down at his small belly. “You’re near ready to lay, aren’t you?”

  Leo shrugged. “I’ve been twingy all day. It’s getting a little worse, but I don’t feel anything like I did with my first clutch. I feel more relaxed. You know. I feel whole and safe now.”

  “My ass, you bit me this morning,” Hallr grumbled.

  Leo grinned up at him, teeth sharp for a flash as blue eyes flicked. “That was a love bite.”

  “Damn near needed stitches. My poor nip won’t ever recover,” Hallr grumbled.

  Sacha, Gabriel, and Suyin snorted with laughter. One of the green pups went scampering by, making a beeline for the patio door. Toward the clean crystal-clear glass.

  “Nope!” Leo jumped and grabbed Raphael before he could slam headfirst into the glass. He was not fast enough to grab the second, Michael running a few seconds behind him with a loud thump and ringing gong-like sound.

  “With eight little ones, you get used to this.” Leo handed Raphael to Sacha and went to pick up Michael, kissing over his head as he fussed over the bruise. “There we go, little brother. Gimme skin so I can see the booboo.” Leo tugged the pup’s neck and cradled the fussing infant. Leo inspected a bruise forming across Michael’s nose and kissed it better. “Can you say Leo?”

  “Pa!” Michael shouted.

  “Pa is over there.” Leo turned so the pup could see Gabriel and he soothed marginally.

  “Can you say Leeoooo?”

  “Pa!” Michael’s mood improved greatly. He nuzzled against Leo’s chest, seeking comfort.

  “Brother,” Leo tried. Michael’s repertoire was small, but it’d grow, especially if his own pups spent time with them.

  “Annie, dear, if we don’t get you down to the nest soon… You may end up laying the egg in the yard.” Hallr rested a hand on Leo’s shoulder.

  Leo scoffed and handed Michael back to Gabriel. “I’ll look forward to spending more time with you after I lay. Go spend time with Pops.” Leo turned and faced Hallr, hands on his hips. “Come on, big guy. You’re more nervous than I am. It’s one. There are three blanks. Remember how big Tomas’s egg was? We’re fine.”

  “We need to be down in the nest, though, love.” Hallr kissed over Leo’s head and nuzzled sweetly.

  “Alright. How about this? Gabriel and I stay here. Suyin, you’re welcome to stay at my place, but I’m sure Hallr would offer you a room,” Sacha said, and Hallr nodded. “Good, now how about we stay here for a few days, make sure Leo is fine, watch the pups, hmm?”

  “Marten is going to help. Sile and Shui are on their way,” Hallr rattled off and Leo winced. “You know what, everyone make their own plans! The Lochs owe us favors. Fuck it. We gotta go, Leo!” Hallr pushed at Leo’s back.

  “I’ll go, but you wait up here to greet people. I’ll send for you when I’m ready.” Leo frowned.

  “But you’ve the nest to make yet!” Hallr stroked over Leo’s shoulders, a nervous gesture.

  “Did it last night. I couldn’t sleep, so I blanketed it and everything.”

  “Dammit, Leo, you’re too much.” Hallr sighed and shooed his mate away.

  Sacha’s eyes followed Leo as he made it out of sight into the house. “Is it just me, or is he a lot calmer than he usually is?”

  “He’s worried and trying not to show it. He never goes aggro unless there’s no harm in it. It’s all show these days.” Hallr sighed, love plain on his face.

  Gabriel wilted slightly, hefting the pup on his hip. “Hallr. This is how these pups lost their mother, a single egg.”

  Hallr nervously shifted from foot to foot, and his face morphed into something pained. “It’s not a twin egg. It’s just a single one. We even did a real ultrasound because he was a bit worried that was the case.” Hallr buried his face in his hand.

  Gabriel nervously faced Hallr and stepped forward, resting a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll figure things out. I’m honestly loving all the pups around. I’ve never had this experience before, and the twins are learning a lot.”

  Hallr nodded, and Sacha shoved him, sending him scrambling inside the elevator.

  “Alright, pups!” Sacha shouted out. Every pup out in the yard froze in place and galloped up, forming a line. “Good boys. Now, I have presents for you all, but let’s go into the playroom for now. Your papa isn’t feeling well, and he needs you guys to behave.” Sacha held up a bag of snacks he’d brought from his trip.

  Gabriel and Suyin followed Sacha and the trail of excited pups down a wing into a room with a sturdier door than the others. It didn’t appear to be reinforced more than necessary but rather meant to last. Sacha swung the door open to reveal sturdier stone walls, small gouge marks and chips taken out of it over a polished concrete floor lined with blankets, pillows and mattresses to make a large sort of nest. A TV mounted to the wall seemed to be the only uninjured thing in the room, save for a few prized toys.

  As the pups bounded in, they all rustled into a corner, obediently shifting into their skin as they slipped on shirts and shorts then ran toward the pile of mattresses with yelps of joy. “Grandpa, let’s watch a movie.” Tomas blinked up happily, a gap in his smile, the gums there still reddened and irritated, as if the loss were recent.

  “Okay, but nothing with fighting in it. We want to be calm and quiet tonight. Gabriel isn’t used to all the noise and your papa needs the rest, okay?” Sacha went about finding stuff for the twins and Rune plucked a movie from the rack, standing up on a stool to push it into the DVD player. Sacha stared at the TV as some silly cartoon movie with very upset birds came on. “Oh, not this again,” he muttered, but Gabriel stared up at it with awe. CGI didn’t look like this twenty-five years ago.

  “Puppy pile,” Sacha said, nestling down into the blankets as a few of the pups made themselves comfortable lying over Sacha’s back and legs. Gabriel snuggled in and gasped when Raphael and Michael crawled on hands and knees around to join the other kids. The television made their eyes go wide.

  The front doorbell rang, and the pups barely moved, shuffling to let Sacha get up.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Sacha

  “Gabe, relax with the pups. I’ll get it.” Sacha jogged out and opened the front door. Marc slipped in and made his way to the elevator with barely a wave.

  “I passed Sile’s car on the way here. So, expect them soon,” Marc said, pressing the elevator button to descend. Sacha took a deep breath, worried. He paced for a few minutes until he saw motion through one of the fractal accent windows. He stepped out and smiled lamely as Shui and Sile came in with their four pups.

  “May we go play?” One pup looked up at his parents with polite expectation. Sacha nodded and Shui waved them on. They ran happily toward the playroom and a cacophony of childish squeals rang out.

  Suyin stepped out of the room, his lips shifting into a forced smile. “Baba, Fu?”

  Shui stepped aside in time for Sile to run forward and grab Suyin like he was still a pup, swinging him in a hug.

  Sacha wished he’d had that grand reuniting moment when he’d first met Leo, cuddled up on the bed with his first clutch. He’d gotten overexcited, tested Leo’s patience, and made a horrid first impression that Hallr had worked for months to fix. He’d still not patched things with Felix.

  Felix and Hallr had been long-time enemies, and his last full encounter with the man had been chasing him off his property. From Felix’s story, he said Hallr was trying to seduce Ryan. From Ryan’s perspective, Felix was being a “sensitive little bitch,” and Hallr had sent them his first nestblossom he could spare, to help him with his difficult season as thanks for the information he’d passed on.

  Sacha wobbled over the years on whether Hallr was a brilliant and clueless dragon or just a pervert. The first time he saw Hallr in tears over Leo, all doubt left his mind. He was both but mostly the former.

  Suyin and Shui spoke to one another about where Suyin had been and Sacha waited for the inevitable, for Shui or Sile to bring up mating him off and ruining the whole moment. But they didn’t. They were so happy to have Suyin back.