by J. R Fox
“Peter!”
Peter looked up at the voice, his heart leaping in his throat as Gabriel appeared and cut the creature off in mid-jump, slicing his hand through the air and leaving gashes behind. The lion roared in pain and lumbered off, jumping back into the lava pool that it’d first appeared from.
“Peter,” Gabriel grabbed him, his hands warm as they searched his face. “Are you hurt?”
“Fine,” Peter breathed, collapsing against Gabriel as his wings finally gave out. “How did you…?”
“The bond brace,” Gabriel said, hugging Peter to him. “You called me with your sapphire.”
“Did I?” Peter asked softly. Relief was making him numb.
“Peter, you’re shaking. You’re—” Gabriel cut himself off with a curse, pushing Peter away at arm’s length. “You’re going into labor.”
“What?” Peter blinked. “Labor?”
“Here,” Gabriel tucked him close. “We’re flying to Rauwel’s.”
By the time they arrived, Peter found that he was getting short of breath. As they stepped onto solid ground, Gabriel gave up all pretenses and swept Peter up properly in his arms, holding the smaller dragon close.
“Rauwel!” Gabriel called, already marching toward the gates.
“It isn’t like a Karros to come unannounced,” Rauwel answered calmly, already at the door.
“He’s gone into labor,” Gabriel panicked, still striding forward.
“Well then,” Rauwel straightened, throwing out an arm to indicate the room behind him. “By all means, come in, come in. But, if I may ask—”
“Manticore,” Gabriel explained as he brushed past him. “He flew himself to the edge of the underworld.”
“No doubt the fiery climate expedited the arrival,” Rauwel nodded in understanding. “Bring him here…”
Rauwel’s voice was the last thing that Peter remembered. The heat wave that he’d experienced last time pushed him under a sleepless dream in his weakened state, and it was with a groggy headache that he awoke hours later.
“A girl,” was the first thing that Gabriel said to him. “It’s a girl.”
Chapter Ten: Epilogue
“Daddy!”
Peter half-turned to smile at his daughter as she raced into the kitchen. “Not so fast, Gwen. Remember what we talked about? No running in the house.”
“Aw, c’mon daddy,” Gabriel winked. “You’re only young once.”
“Don’t you start that again,” Peter muttered, accepting the kiss on the cheek that his mate planted with a smack.
“Smells great,” Gabriel said as he leaned an arm on Peter’s shorter shoulder, glancing at the bacon he was cooking.
“You have time to eat?” Peter asked with a raised eyebrow. Ever since the museum had made Gabriel curator two years ago, the dragon never seemed to have time for anything other than a to-go mug of coffee and a bagel.
“Nope,” Gabriel smiled, squeezing Peter’s shoulder fondly as he moved to the coffee pot.
“Of course not,” Peter rolled his eyes. “Gwen, take a seat, dear. The eggs are almost done.”
“Yes, daddy,” she mumbled, struggling to climb into the seat with her favorite princess wand clutched in her hand.
“There we go,” Gabriel said as he grabbed her under the arms and easily lifted her into the chair. “Now,” he gently took away the wand and swapped her for a fork. “Eat all your food, or you’ll stop growing like daddy.”
“Okay, Papa,” she nodded vigorously, her blonde curls flying every which way around her pale face.
Straightening, Gabriel whispered, “Who knew your genes would win out in the end, eh?”
“She’s six,” Peter said dryly. “We don’t know who she’s taking after yet.”
“Nah,” Gabriel smiled. “With big sapphire eyes like that? She’s definitely your daughter.”
“Our daughter,” Peter reminded him. “Shouldn’t you be flying off to work right about now?”
“Of course, of course,” Gabriel laughed. With a final kiss to Peter’s lips and Gwen’s forehead, he waved goodbye and left the manor with his briefcase.
“Funny how much quieter it gets when your papa isn’t around,” Peter commented, placing a plate of scrambled eggs and a smiley bacon face in front of her.
“He’s funny,” Gwen said happily, tearing into her bacon.
“Yeah?” Peter asked, sitting down with some bacon and a cup of coffee of his own. Plus, a few golden flakes stirred in. He had never quite gotten over that addiction, not yet, anyway. “Is daddy funny?”
Gwen wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “Daddy likes rules,” she said simply.
“That doesn’t mean I can’t be funny,” Peter snorted. When Gwen just shrugged, he nudged her arm and said, “Hey, how’d you like to fly to school today?”
“Really?” Gwen gasped.
“Yep. We’ll fly, just as soon as you’re done eating,” Peter promised.
He’d never seen his daughter gobble down a plate of food so fast.
“C’mon, Daddy!” she yelled, her open backpack thrown over her shoulder while her untied shoes threatened to trip her at her feet.
“Hold on,” Peter said, stooping down to fix them. “And zip up your backpack. You don’t want to lose anything while we’re flying,” he warned.
Gwen just huffed and yanked the zipper closed, sighing and stomping her foot all the while. “Daddy,” she demanded.
“Oh, sorry,” Peter said, amused and not at all sorry. “Am I sucking the fun out of it?”
“Yes,” she huffed, nodding.
“Well,” Peter smirked, standing. “Better safe than sorry. Now, come on,” he said, taking Gwen’s hand as he led her out to the garden. “Don’t want to be late.”
“You can’t be late when you fly,” Gwen told him. “You blink, and you’re already there.”
“But it takes a lot of energy to fly,” Peter advised. “And you don’t want to waste energy by not being prepared.”
“Mhm,” Gwen nodded, biting her lip. It was something she did whenever she wasn’t really listening, but knew that she should be. A little habit that she’d picked up from her papa.
“Okay, we ready?” Peter asked, pulling on his jacket to hide the bond brace. Gabriel and Peter had long agreed to send Gwen to a human school for as long as she could still fit in, and the last thing Peter wanted was for the wrong man to see his brace and kidnap Gwen for a ransom.
“Ready,” Gwen said, squeezing his hand.
“Okay,” he said, breathing deep. He could hear Gwen doing the same beside him, and he smiled despite his concentration. “Here we go.”
The End
Bonus Story 4 - The Lafie Clan’s New Omega
Chapter One
Dean liked the omega he was being shown from the first glimpse he got of him. He was taller than Dean had been expecting, and with a lot more fire in his eyes, even as he stood still and allowed himself to be poked and prodded as if he were a horse for sale. His people didn’t have the wealth Dean’s did, but they had far greater numbers, and that made them a threat—or valuable allies.
If this would mean peace, once and for all, Dean would have bonded to an actual horse. Gabriel, though, was beautiful, with the raven hair and bright green eyes that the purest line of his clan was famous for. He might have been an omega, but Dean wasn’t sure he’d want to test him out in a fight, either.
“Stop… doing that.” He waved his parents away, unable to articulate how degrading the poking and prodding seemed to him. He got it, they wanted a healthy mate for their child—but Gabriel was a werewolf. He’d be healthy, regardless. He spent most of his time outdoors, doing things with his hands and being useful. If anything, it was Dean who should be being poked around the middle, where he was softer than any of the O’Connor werewolves.
The Lafie clan had money, and that often led to weakness. They were incredibly lucky to live in a time where the kind of power it bought protected them, mostly, from outrig
ht murder.
The O’Connors could have taken them all out in one night if they wanted to. The consequences of doing that were the only thing stopping them, as far as Dean knew.
Dean’s parents backed off, his mother winking at him as she went past. She liked this omega, which, despite her method of determining that, was all the information Dean needed. He stepped forward to stand in front of the other man, and felt an immediate sense of calm.
This was going to be his mate, for life, and everything about him was perfect. “Hi,” he said, and then paused, at a loss for words. “I’m Dean.”
“I know,” Gabriel said wryly. “You’re a hard man to miss.”
Dean laughed nervously. “Yeah, well. I guess you know why we’re here, too, so tell me this: are you up for it? Because I am, and I want us both on the same page.”
“This will protect my family.” Gabriel sighed. “I’m sorry if that’s not as romantic as you’d like it to be, but there it is. I’m happy to do this because it’ll protect what’s most important to me, and you don’t seem to be the actual embodiment of evil.”
“I’m not that bad.” Dean grinned. Gabriel beckoned him closer, so Dean leaned in obligingly. He didn’t want to be like his father, demanding the complete, unilateral obedience of everyone beneath him in rank. Gabriel was, rightly, his equal. There could be no alpha without an omega.
“You’d better hope not, because if you touch me in anger or outside of my consent a single time, you won’t see the next morning. We are not like you, and I am not a delicate flower.”
Dean nodded seriously, and then smiled again. “That’s exactly why I like you already. You look like you could tear my throat out without even shifting, and like no one would believe you’d done it.”
“Are you going to call me angelic? Because I’ve heard that before.” Gabriel raised an eyebrow.
Dean laughed. “I wouldn’t dream of it, but you’ve got the whole righteous fury thing going on.” He waved at Gabriel’s whole person to indicate what he meant.
“Now that part is true.” Gabriel smiled wryly. “Pay my family and I’m all yours.”
“But the dowry goes to you,” Dean said, confused. “It’s kinda meant to take the sting out of having to deal with me.”
“If you give it to me, it’ll only go straight to my family. Might as well cut out the middle man.” Gabriel shrugged.
“You really do love them, huh?” Dean nodded to the lower-ranked wolves behind him, indicating that they could hand over the dowry now. He was grateful that the final say in the matter was his. He wanted to have made this decision for himself, lest he resent Gabriel in years to come for having been forced on him.
Not that he thought it was likely. He’d already formed a fledgling crush on the other man, and bonding was bound to make it grow.
“I love them more than anything. Family is… everything. Especially to us.”
Dean smiled again. “I hope you’ll feel the same way about me someday. And the rest of my family about yours.”
“That is the general idea.” Gabriel looked up, and for the first time, smiled at Dean. As far as Dean was concerned, the smile was worth every penny they were handing over right now. “I could have done a lot worse, from what I’m seeing so far. I hope you’ll understand that I’m not used to dealing with people, and I’d need time to adjust to anyone. My… coolness, I suppose, isn’t about you.”
“I think I have enough weird nervous warmth for both of us, and I think we’ll both be happier when we’re not being watched by every relation we have.” Dean glanced around at the O’Connors, all of them eyeing him as though he wasn’t quite good enough for their favorite son, but that he’d do for the sake of peace.
“Maybe.” Gabriel stuffed his hands in his coat pockets, no longer standing to attention as he had been when he’d been under inspection. He suddenly seemed that much more human. “If you’re ready to get going…”
“Of course. Follow me,” Dean held his arm out to guide Gabriel, not game to actually touch him, and moved toward his own car.
“You do have good taste in cars,” Gabriel said as he ran his fingertips over the American Beauty red of the Challenger’s beautifully restored paintwork. “The level of detail here tells me you are capable of loving something.”
Dean held the passenger door open for Gabriel and let him settle before going around to the other side.
“If you’re into cars, we’re gonna have a lot of fun together.”
“I’m more of a motorbike man, but I can appreciate something like this.” Gabriel ran his fingertips over the glossy walnut of the dashboard. “Even if you don’t believe in original features.”
“There’s nothing that can’t be improved.” Dean shrugged. “We’ve got plenty of room for a bike or six, if that’s what’ll make you happy.”
Gabriel snorted. “I can only ride one at a time. But if I’m going to be kept barefoot and pregnant, I’d appreciate a project.”
“Hey,” Dean turned to him. “I want you as a mate, okay? Not a weird fifties housewife. An equal. And I’d love a family and stuff, but that doesn’t have to be right away or anything.”
Gabriel looked at Dean as though he was an idiot. “You’ve… your people don’t do soulbonding ceremonies, do you?”
“Not really, but I understand it’s a big deal. A clan alpha has to be soulbonded to an omega in good standing to maintain their position, or it’s open season.”
“I have literally no doubt you were conceived the same day your parents were bonded. We’re both young and in good health. Unless you want to lock yourself in a different room once we’ve been bonded, I will fall pregnant within a day.”
“And you’re… you’re ready for that?” Dean swallowed. He hadn’t realized fatherhood was already on the horizon.
“I made this agreement, didn’t I?” Gabriel shrugged. “One thing I have always wanted is a baby. You’re an excellent prospect for a father, and you’ll have no choice but to be loyal to your children. You can protect them. That’s more or less what I’m here for.”
“Huh.” Dean took a moment to process that information, and then grinned. “So I’m gonna be a dad.”
“Yes. Are you ready for that?”
“I think I am,” Dean said slowly. “I think I’d really like that.”
“Good. Then we’re on the same page.” Gabriel rolled the window down a crack and sniffed at the air. “I’m going to miss these woods.”
“They’re fifteen minutes from the house. You should still be able to smell them from there. And you can spend every day out here, if you want.”
Gabriel laughed softly. “You still have no idea how bonding works, but you’re about to find out.”
That sounded ominous to Dean, but his parents had always seemed fine to him. Perhaps there were things he didn’t know, but that was half the fun in life—rushing headlong into the unknown.
***
“Hey.”
Gabriel jumped at the sound of Dean's voice, barely stopping himself from snarling at him. He’d need to get used to being in close-quarters with his new mate, and soon. In this house full of strange smells and suburban noises, it was hard to get used to anything. He missed the quiet of the woods already, and it’d only been a few days.
“Sorry, I gotta learn not to sneak up on you.” Dean smiled sheepishly. For a man of his size, he was surprisingly stealthy. Gabriel didn’t even think he was doing it on purpose—being light of foot seemed to come naturally to Dean.
He was a strange man, to say the least, but he seemed harmless enough. Harmless enough to anyone who wasn’t trying to harm him, anyway. Gabriel had no doubt that he could tear the head off just about any opponent, if sufficiently motivated.
“Was there something you wanted?” Gabriel fidgeted with the tie he’d been trying on. Dean’s family wanted a formal affair for the bonding ceremony, and Gabriel didn’t object, exactly, he’d just never worn a suit in his entire life. He had no idea how to t
ie a tie, and the internet was only being so helpful.
“Lemme do that for you?” Dean strode over to him, his posture open. Gabriel hesitated, not wanting to show weakness, but he really couldn’t figure the tie out by himself. His mother had tried to impress upon him that sometimes, he’d need to ask for help, and there was no shame in taking it when it was freely offered.
Until today, it hadn’t ever come up in his adult life.
“What kind of knot are we going for, here?” Dean asked as he took the two ends of the tie in his hands. They were nearly of a height, with only a couple of inches between them, but Dean was much broader and stockier than Gabriel. His fingers looked enormous and unwieldy, wrapped around Gabriel’s tie.
“Any would be an improvement,” Gabriel admitted. “The internet has only been so helpful.”
“Let’s go for a classic double windsor.” Dean began weaving the two ends together, and though Gabriel tried to follow what he was doing, he soon got dizzy watching. He looked up at Dean’s face again, studying the lines of his brow, furrowed in concentration.
There was no question that Dean was a handsome man; eminently masculine, fair of face, broad-shouldered and heavy-set. He was the picture of what an alpha should be, and reminded Gabriel of his own late father, or at least what few memories he had of him.
“There.” Dean patted Gabriel’s chest lightly and stepped back to let him turn and look in the mirror. “You clean up nice.”
“Your mother thinks I need a haircut.” Gabriel tucked an errant lock of hair behind his ear, as if to prove her point for her.
“I’ll tell her to lay off,” Dean promised, moving to stand behind Gabriel. They made a striking pair, Gabriel was forced to admit. Dean’s skin was a shade or two darker than his, his hair fair and sun-kissed, his eyes a warm brown. Gabriel was pale and bright-eyed, with a mop of unruly black hair, the marker of his family line.
“We look good together,” Dean said, as if reading his thoughts. “Anyway, I’ve got something to show you, but you might wanna take the monkey suit off first.”
