Page 34 of Marked By His Alpha Dragon's Desire

I bore down, squeezing my mate’s hand as he whispered encouraging things in my ear, assuring me that our eggs were going to be perfect.

Then the first one slipped from my body.

I had always imagined having my child placed in my arms. I would hold their tiny body against mine and see their eyes. Instead, it was an emerald egg that was placed against me, shining brightly in the sun. Its scales matched that of my mate. I hiccupped a sob as I held it against me. It was smooth and warm.

“One more,” Raphael said. “Just like this one. He’s perfect.”

Raphael took the egg from my arms so I could concentrate on delivering the second egg.

I nodded. “Okay. Okay. Next one.”

The second egg was smaller than the first, or maybe it just felt that way since my body was used to it. Tyler carefully held it out to me, and I held it in my arms. This egg was also green. The smooth scales were warm against my skin.

Tyler stepped away. “I’ll give you two a moment, and then we need to get you inside.”

Raphael kissed my forehead while I held both eggs in my arms. They were no bigger than a gallon of milk. They might not have been squirming babies, but there was a bond forming between us. Inside these precious shells were my children.

“They’re happy,” I said. I didn’t know how I could sense it, but I could. These were my babies.

“They are,” Raphael agreed. “I can sense them—our son and our daughter.”

One was just a little bit lighter than the other, but they were of similar size now that I could compare them. I sensed the same happiness from them that Raphael did.

“Are we sure they’re all right?” I asked.

“They are. I can sense it. A little stressed, a little scared after that whole ordeal, but they’ll be just fine and happy. Once you’re ready, we’ll get you and them into the nest. How do you feel?”

I laughed. “Like I was hit by a truck and then gave birth.”

Raphael laughed too, but it soon turned to silent tears that streamed down his face.

“I was so scared, mate. So incredibly terrified.”

“Me too. But I knew you would come.”

He kissed my cheek and pressed his forehead to mine. “Let’s never do that again, okay?”

“Deal.”

Raphael got out and carefully swept me into his arms. I held our eggs while he carried me into the house. We went straight tothe nest. Raphael set me down so I could place the eggs in their spots. I had two quilts ready for them.

Raphael switched on the lamp and the two of us snuggled close to our clutch.

I marveled at the two tiny emerald eggs. They looked small now, they definitely hadn’t felt small when they had been in me, nor when they had come out of me.

Their presences filled the room with a sense of rightness. Our family.

“Will their scales match the color of their eggs?” I asked.

“Yes. They will be green like me.”

“Hmm. Hopefully their human forms look like me then,” I said.

Raphael chuckled. “Indeed. They will be a wonderful mix of both of us.”

“You two are going to be strong dragons. Daddy’s sorry for the chaotic way you were brought into the world. But wasn’t your other daddy amazing? He was our hero.” I stroked each of the eggs as I spoke to them.

A hum came from inside them, so faint I could hardly feel it.

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