Returning to Cornwall was out of the question because of the bad memories it held for Cinder. We decided to take Medwin up on the offer to move his old house to Moonscale Island. It’d been in Sivan’s family for generations and it’s where Cinder felt the most at home. I liked the house Brendan designed, but for me home was where Cinder wore the gaudy medal and smiled the most.
We moved into the new-to-me house and days faded into weeks. Cinder started a new blog for widows. Together, we scoured the internet and Brendan’s library looking for anything we could find on second chance mates. It was a slim chance on a gnat’s wing that it would happen for any given widow, but we needed the widowed mates of the world to know love was possible after loss.
“You still haven’t unpacked your stuff,” Cinder frowned at the stack of boxes which moved from one living room to the next.
“Sorry. I’ve never been much for putting down roots.”
“Mind if I unpack it?” He asked.
“Not at all. Like I said decorate however you want.”
“So, I can spray paint glow in the dark glitter everywhere?” He teased.
“Not in the bedroom. That would kill the mood.”
“You have to see like a dragon one day.” He laughed.
I took Cookie for a walk down by the boardwalk and left Cinder to put away the stuff. He’d become a real homemaker sense we moved into his old house. Maybe he always was, and I just didn’t see that part of him before. He enjoyed decorating and organizing. He moved my stuff around until I couldn’t find much without his help. Though, I didn’t mind, because we were never far apart.
I picked up a few glitter coated knickknacks for him from a local tourist shop. One was a manatee and the other a tiny replica of Brendan carrying off my boat the day he woke from his hexed slumber. I arrived home to find him lounging on the sofa wearing the green and yellow sweater Stacy knitted all those years ago.
Moonscale Island drifted north bringing a few cold breezes our way now and then. He looked cozy and toasty in the sweater almost as if Stacy knitted it for him and not me.
“She couldn’t have known she was going to die,” my wolf sighed.
“I hope you don’t mind. I found it in all your stuff. This is really nicely made. I can’t believe you don’t wear it.”
“Those aren’t my colors,” I laughed and plopped down next to him on the couch.
“Where did you buy this at? I wouldn’t mind having another one or a dozen of them,” he rubbed the sleeve of the shirt.
“It’s a one of a kind piece, a la Stacy.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Should I take it off?” Cinder tugged at the hem.
“Are you kidding? It looks great on you,” I slung my arm over his shoulder. “Besides, I bet she’s thrilled someone is wearing it.”
“Are you sure?” He asked.
“Positive,” I kissed him and handed off the gift bag I picked up at the shop.
“You really do know that glitter is the way to a dragon’s heart,” he laughed looking inside the bag.
I looked around the living room at the new additions he made. Stacy’s photo hung above the mantle place next to Sivan’s. We were all home for good now.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Cinder
I almost couldn’t believe Seth agreed to move out of his new house and into my old one, but I was glad he didn’t mind the change of scenery. Outside of my parents’ house, the one I shared with Sivan, was the only place that ever really felt like home. Now, it was as if the four of us were finally on the same page. With Reggie out of the picture for good our blog turned into a vlog some days. Seth wasn’t fond of being on camera but understood the value of keeping up with the times. At least that’s what I told myself when he groaned, “I’m only doing this for you,” every time I pointed the lens at him.
“You represent half of the equation. Most of the blogs out there are from widowed omegas. We just talk about things more, I guess, but who knows who’ll see this video and get help from it. Besides, you’re a badass and Alphas love taking advice from badasses.”
“I said I’d do it. You don’t have to keep buttering me up.” He laughed.
“I know, but I like to butter you up,” I wiggled my eyebrows at him. “I meant it, though. You should wear your medal this time. Everyone knows you have it. It’s listed on all the official Moonscale lists.”
“You wear it. It looks better on you.” He slid the ribbon over my head. “I didn’t take out Reggie to be a hero. I did what I did to make sure you were safe. Being a good mate doesn’t deserve a medal. What’s next? He’s going to give me a medal for remembering to rinse dishes before I put them in the dishwasher?”
I glanced at the camera. Seth didn’t know it was already recording.
“No, but you went above and beyond.”
“He shot you. He’s lucky I didn’t skin him alive. I hope Clarence burned his scales,” said Seth.
“Actually, they were boxed up and sent home to his parents. They haven’t made a public comment yet. Clarence says his grandpa’s probably kicking his ass from one side of the Other World to the other.”
“I hope someone is. We don’t need him reincarnating with the same bullshit attitude.”
“What are we talking about today?” Seth asked adjusting the shiny medal to the center of my chest.
“It’s just a daily vlog. Actually, we’re already recording.” I flashed him a sheepish grin.
My stomach fluttered for a microsecond. Ignoring it I leaned up and gave Seth a quick kiss to sooth the annoyed lines from his forehead. Cookie raced through the living room and leapt on the sofa. Whenever the green light was on, she was a camera hog. She danced back and forth across the sofa raising up on her hind legs and begged the audience for treats. Neither of us taught her the trick, but she loved the camera.
“Okay, but what are we talking about?” Seth laughed.
“Nothing in particular. That’s the point of a daily vlog.”
“I thought the point of our videos was to raise awareness?” He arched a brow.
“They are, but the proof’s in the pudding.”
Seth scooped up the squirming Cookie and carried her into the kitchen for her lunch. I followed them through the house careful to hold the camera as steady as I could. Seth was a natural with camera angles and not moving the camera all over the place, but if I was ever going to get him on screen I needed to squeeze in some practice.
He fed cookie her specially designed food for small dogs and topped it with some of my expensive roast beef. I gave up on trying to break him of the habit after the vet said the extra protein was good for her as long as we didn’t overdo it. He suspected Cookie lived with her previous owners for a long time and was likely exposed to high levels of magic. Magical exposure of a positive nature often extends the lives of pets. Cookie could be with us another thirty years if we took care of her. Neither of us were naturally magically inclined, but Prince Brendan threw out spells and charms for just about everything these days. I secretly hoped spending time around him would keep her around even longer.
“This is our baby,” I zoomed the camera in on Cookie scarfing on the roast beef. “There’s a dog under all those curls, I swear.”
“Quit picking on her. She’s au-natural.” Seth smirked.
I panned the camera to his smile and then back to Cookie. My stomach fluttered again, and bile rose in my throat.
“No more spicy omelets for breakfast. They’re giving me indigestion.”
“Are you okay?” Seth narrowed his eyes on me and looked me up and down.
“If you panic each time something upsets my dragon’s fire, you’ll do nothing else.” I laughed.
“Do you want to try some milk and see if it helps?” Seth asked.
I sat down at the table and Cookie plopped down on my foot. A second later, Seth set a glass of milk in front of me. I sniffed it and my stomach turned.
“Run!” My dragon roared inside my head.
Cookie raced on my heels as I charged past Seth to the bathroom. I slammed the door shut before she followed me inside.
“Babe?” Seth called from the other side of the door.
I couldn’t answer. Smoke rumbled out of my nose as I lost my breakfast. My eyes watered as my stomach rumbled. My dragon mumbled something I couldn’t make out.
“I’m calling the doctor.”
“I’m okay. My fire just didn’t like breakfast.” I said sitting down on the edge of the bathtub.
“Babe, it could be something else.”
“Are you smiling out there? If you’re smiling and I’m sick I just might eat you.”
“Babe, it could be eggs.”
“Yes! It was the eggs that made me sick… Oh. Oh.”
I didn’t have time to fully process what Seth said before my stomach lurched again. When I was sure the fire in my stomach was settled, I cleaned the toilet and stripped my clothes off.
“Babe,” Seth said again and tried the door. “Are you okay in there?”
“Give me a minute.”
“You think I’m pregnant. If I’m pregnant you know this is natural. Go sit down and let me clean up,” my dragon grumbled.
Don’t be grouchy to Alpha.
“It’s alright. Are you okay?” Seth asked.
“I just need a shower.” I turned on the water and drank directly from the shower head washing the yucky taste from my mouth.
“I’ll call the clinic and tell them to send a doctor over.”
“Don’t. I can go to the clinic like everyone else. I don’t want anyone to think I’m throwing my weight around because we’re engaged.”
“You’re not throwing your weight around. I’m throwing mine around. If you’re sick, they should come to you.”
“Would you say that if I were any other omega?”
“Actually, yes, I would. My granddad was a doctor who made house calls. He never made his pregnant patients trek out to see him.”
“We don’t know I’m pregnant.”
“You eat those omelets at least twice a week. They’ve never bothered you until now.”
“I know.”
Seth fell quiet on the other side of the door. Most likely to call a doctor. I closed my eyes and let the warm water wash away the result of my queasy stomach. My dragon’s fire burnt higher than usual, but it was manageable.
“Ice cream helps,” Prince Brendan piped in over the flight link.
“Huh?” I blinked. “Did Seth already tell the whole damn flight? We’re not even sure yet.”
“He sent Rhett a text. Dragon fire’s get a little wonky when they carry a furry shifter baby. You’re likely having a pup. Ice cream helps neutralize some of the fire’s ingredients and makes it more manageable. At least, that’s what all the blogs say. I mean, I’ve been reading up for a while. Eventually Rhett and I will have another baby and he or she might be a wolf. I’ll send some over. It might be best just to start with the plain vanilla sort.”
“Can we please wait until we know for sure?” I said biting back a growl. “I’ve wanted this for a long time, but don’t want to get my hopes up before we know for sure.”
For the first time, I slammed my flight link shut on the prince. He wanted to help, but I refused to think today was the result of anything except spicy omelets until I knew for sure. After my heat I thought we’d conceived for certain. I was devastated when I hadn’t. Some nights Reggie haunted my nightmares. He’d laugh and tell me I’d never conceive. He made sure of that with the arrow. I wasn’t cursed. Moonscale doctors always tested for curses and hexes after such injuries. My mind was playing games with me again.
The bathroom doorknob clicked a few times and then opened. Seth picked the lock and opened the door.
“Hey, Alpha,” I peeked out from behind the curtain.
“Sorry about the invasion of locked doors, but when you feel like this I can’t stay away.”
I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower into Seth’s arms. I nuzzled into his shoulder.
“Thank you,” I said. “I’m excited. I am. At least I will be once we know for sure. I just don’t want to get my hopes up. Our hopes up.” I added. “I never want to disappoint you.”
“If not this time then next time.” Seth leaned back to look at me. “We don’t need some grand plan. We’re not trust fund babies who plan to have all their children by thirty and run Daddy’s business by one hundred. My only plan is to hang out with you until you get tired of me. Babies will come when they’re ready.”
“I’m not going to get tired of you.” I laughed.
“I hope not.” He kissed my forehead.
“You called a doctor to come out here, didn’t you?”
“Yep and I might have called Clarence too.”
“Why Clarence?”
“If you’re pregnant we need to move the wedding up.”
“I don’t want to do another big wedding. I did that once. It was for everyone else.”
“I know. I figure he can perform the ceremony. Rhett and Brendan can be our witnesses and then we’ll just keep living life like we always have. But within Moonscale law the baby will be an official heir.”
“Sivan would’ve liked that.”
“What do you say? We see a doctor and then we elope either way? We’ll order a giant ice cream cake from the bakery down the street.”
“Brendan told you about the ice cream thing, didn’t he?” I laughed.
“Maybe. Either way you like ice cream cake.”
“I do, but I like you more.”
I leaned in for a slow kiss. A knock on the front door drew us apart.
“Time to know for sure.”
I dried off and pulled on a clean pair of pants. While Seth let the doctor in, I examined my flat muscular stomach in the mirror. The only sign of a growing life was my dragon’s unpredictable fire. Smoke puffed out of my nose and I sneezed.
“Time to face the music,” my dragon grumbled.
You do want a baby, don’t you?
“Of course, I do. I just don’t want to see the doctor or anyone else who isn’t Seth.”
That’s the best sign I’ve gotten so far that we’re pregnant. That sounds like something a pregnant dragon would say.
I joined the short doctor and Seth in the living room. The doctor only came to Seth’s shoulder and smelled like an omega fox. I sniffed again to double check if he was a Cromwall. The Cromwall foxes aligned with Moonscales a long time ago through a business arrangement. A recent marriage of Lotus Cromwall to Frederique Moonscale official sealed the deal with a true-mate wedding and an egg to boot. He wasn’t, but I was glad the doctor wasn’t some giant Alpha I had to look up at. Moving my head to quickly jarred my fire.
“Good afternoon, Cinder. I’m Doctor Christopher Ramsey. Seth says you’re a little on edge and wasn’t sure about me coming out. We can drive to the clinic if you like, but I have everything here to take care of you.” He reached his hand out.
Blinking I shook hands with the doctor.
“I wasn’t nervous about you coming out. I didn’t want to make extra work for anyone.” I sat down on the sofa.
“We don’t mind. Don’t tell anyone, but we love getting sent on house calls. Gives us an excuse to take a stroll. Who’d complain about fresh air?”
“Someone too busy to run around the island.” I laughed.
“The island isn’t that large and besides most of the population are students. Not many pregnancies there,” he laughed.
“Am I pregnant?” I cut to the chase.
“From what Seth told me all signs point to yes, but I’d like to do a quick exam and an ultrasound to see what’s going on. I also brought some fire-soothe tablets for you. That way you can be more comfortable during the exam. They’re peach chewies.”
“Thanks,” I said as the doctor dropped the tablets into my hand.
I ate the tablets and looked at Seth. If we conceived, there were so many people to call. Carter and Dad
would be my first calls. Could I get married without them being here? Carter came to my first wedding but didn’t get to participate. Maybe we could wait and add a few people to the guest list.
“Seth, I need my parents to come to the wedding. Dad would never forgive me if he wasn’t here for it.”
“Then we’ll make the calls.” He grinned and took my hand.
“How’s your belly feeling?” The doctor asked.
“Better. Those actually worked really fast.”
“They do. They don’t last too long, but if you take them with some ice cream it extends their help.”
“Everyone wants to feed me ice cream.”
“I’ll leave the actual feeding to your mate,” he winked at me. “I’m excited to meet both of you. I volunteered to come on this house call because I follow your blog and vlog.”
“Are you a widower?” I asked.
“My sister is. A therapist friend recommended I show it to her. She’s doing this speed dating thing now and having lots of fun.”
“I’m glad to hear she’s doing good.”
“Now, let’s talk about you,” the doctor said. “If your tummy’s up for it go ahead and lay back. I’ll heat up the portable ultrasound and we’ll find out if it’s a baby or something caught in your dragon’s gullet.”
“There’s nothing in my gullet!” My dragon protested.
I squeezed Seth’s hand hard and lay back on the sofa. I undid my jeans and pushed the top of them down out of the way. I’d never had an ultrasound before but had seen plenty of them with my friends when I was younger.
“The gel’s been in a warmer so it shouldn’t be too chilly.” The doctor said.
He turned on the machine and a whooshing filled the living room. I startled and laughed.
“It’s completely normal to be a tad bit nervous. A baby’s a big change.”
“This baby is very wanted,” said Seth.
“Can we find out if there is a baby before we start talking about him or her?” I laughed.
“Sorry.” Seth flashed me a sheepish grin.
The machine set on the coffee table facing us. The monitor was a black and gray static mess until the doctor pressed the wand against my belly and spread the gel around. Slowly, my womb came into view. I squinted at the screen searching out the jellybean tell-tale sign that a new life grew inside my stomach.
Saving Cinder Page 19
