Page 38 of The Dragon's Flamebound Mate

Sure, I could take the nest with me—and we would, if the eggs were laid. But I needed to be home to lay the eggs. I couldn’t fathom having them anywhere else.

I grabbed my morning coffee and dragged myself into the living room, then curled up in the nest. Each day it became more difficult to get inside, but I didn’t care. It was where I needed to be.

My nest was where I spent a majority of my free time. I would sleep in there, if I didn’t love my bed too much. Though, Zayne and I had spent many hours napping in the nest together.

“Do you need anything, love?” Zayne asked. He strolled into the room barefooted, only wearing a pair of gray drawstring sweatpants. My train of thought derailed.

“I don’t know.”

He smiled. “Well, if you think of anything, just say the word. You don’t need to be getting up.”

I hated being so helpless, but I didn’t have the energy to disagree with him. And the truth was, getting in and out of the nest was reserved only for bathroom breaks, and if I could figure out a way for Zayne to take care of that for me, I would’ve.

Thankfully, my mate loved to pamper. Who was I to deny him? At least that was what I told myself so I didn’t feel so useless.

Zayne settled in beside me, moving aside the numerous pillows and blankets that filled the nest. Together we created a cocoon of warmth that made me forget the uncomfortable pressure in my abdomen… and back… and when I stood, my knees and ankles as well.

He reached over to gently rub my back in slow, soothing circles, his touch expertly easing some of my tension as he spoke. “I can’t believe how close we are to the competition. You’ve put in so much work, Ash. The team’s really come together—thanks to you.”

“We’re co-leaders, Zayne. It was a team effort.” And as much as I originally thought it would be better not to be paired with someone and to show I could do it on my own, I learned through this experience that teamwork is better. Sure, being a Co-Leader with my mate was amazing, but it was a model I thought could benefit all the teams.

“They’ve all come so far. Christa and Scott. Even Jay has turned over a new leaf.” Zayne kissed my temple. “No matter how the competition turns out, I’m proud of you and the team. This has been my best year as Flight Leader.”

As his words sank in, a fluttering of emotion swelled within me. Like a dam bursting, my eyes watered. “Zayne! That’s—” I choked on my the words. I couldn’t make a coherent thought. “Thank you.”

Pregnancy was so wild. Emotion ran all over the place with just a second’s notice. Here I was crying because my mate gave me words of affirmation.

Zayne swiped at my eyes with his thumb. “Baby, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

I cuddled closer to him, my stomach getting in the way of me being able to settle exactly how I wanted. “You didn’t, I mean you did, but in a good way. I just need these eggs to—” A sudden pain rippled through my pelvis, and my eyes widened. I cried out.

It was time. Finally.

“What is it?”

“The eggs. I think...” It was as if my body morphed. My abdomen dropped like the contents inside shifted. Pregnancy was wild and surprised me daily.

Zayne’s hand rested on my stomach. He yelped as my skin fluttered with movement, dawning crossing his eyes. “The eggs… the eggs are coming?”

“They are.” At least I was 99 percent sure that they were. This was a first for me, too.

Zayne and I had a plan for what we were going to do once we knew it was time. We had everything arranged down to the second. Could I think of a single one of the steps? Not even close.

“My clothes, they hurt!” I couldn’t even explain how they hurt. It wasn’t that they were tighter or itchier or anything specific like that. Hurt was the best way to describe them.

Zayne helped me to get first my shirt and then my pants off.

I could already feel the slick building, slick that would ease the way for the eggs to exit my body—thank the dragon lords, because there was no way these eggs were coming out without help. Even with all the slick in the world, it wasn’t going to be an easy task. They were going to make my mate’s knot look microscopic and nobody would every describe his knot as that.

At last measurement, Dr. Vexis said they were above average in size but that there was nothing to worry about. I loved being above average in school, speed, and looks. Having my eggs size above average? Yeah, that wasn’t an area I had wanted to excel in, that was for sure.

Pressure like I’d never felt before wracked through my body. In my mind I thought it would build slowly, that I’d get used to one small step and then another. My mind lied.

“Oh shit. This is going to happen fast.” I clutched at the air, hoping to find something I could grab onto so I could bear down. For the first time, I truly feared that I wasn’t going to be able to do this.

“Should I call the doctor?”

Wait, wasn’t that first on our list? Why didn’t we write it down? We were so sure we had everything all set. Gods, how foolish we’d been thinking we’d be able to retain a single thought once it was go time.

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