Page 113 of Alpha Dragon's Mating Contract
“This is amazing, like a dream,” Walren breathed. “I want to live in here forever.”
Raptor puffed out his chest, lighting up like a megawatt bulb. “I just want to provide for you, sweetheart.”
But one thing did not add up.
“How did you get from... uh, from your first nest to this?” Walren blurted.
Raptor scratched his head, looking sheepish. “Ah... I asked Ace for help. He’s the Master Builder.”
“And you’re the Master Baiter,” Hassel said from somewhere outside the boat.
“You’re not wrong,” Raptor said to Hassel. “I do bait bad guys.”
Hassel popped his head over the boat’s low wall, as though he had been lying on the grass waiting for this chance. “Chef Master has been Master Baiter forcenturies.”
Walren choked. Raptor grinned.
“Icouldshow you how good I am at Master Baiting,” Raptor purred.
“Oh, gods,” Walren groaned. “That is terrible.”
“You know you love it.”
The thing was, Walren did. He rubbed his face and groaned again.
After a moment, Raptor said thoughtfully, “I was going to add more snacks to the cubby-holes, but I needed to know what food you prefer. Especially considering the zucchini incident earlier.”
Walren groaned. “Ugh, don’t remind me!”
“Sorry. I did have the gardener plant wildflower seeds all over the lawn, but it’ll be a while before they flower. I’ll buy some bouquets in the meantime.”
“That’s okay!” Walren said. “You don’t have to! I uh, I just destroy flowers. A lot.”
“But it brings you joy,” Raptor pointed out. “I want to do whatever makes you happy.”
Walren swallowed hard. “No one’s ever said that to me before.”
Raptor shrugged and glanced at the boat-nest around them. “That’s their loss.”
A shivery feeling swelled through Walren. The longer he looked at Raptor, the more he trembled, feeling too small for his skin. “I need to run.”
Raptor frowned. “Where to?”
“Just... around. I need to shift.”
Walren squirmed out of his clothes. He helped Zebbie out of his, too. Then he reached inward for the well of speed and freedom, his fingers shrinking into hooves, his face elongating into a snout.
“Beautiful,” Raptor growled.
Next to them, Zebbie copied Walren’s shift. He hopped on his little hooves and followed eagerly as Walren raced down the ramp onto the grass.
“Run, sweethearts! Run!” Raptor hollered from the side of the boat.
Walren kicked his hind legs and ran, the grass flying beneath him. Zebbie ran by his side. Whether this was Zebbie’s greatest speed, Walren didn’t know—he was still hindered by his bad leg in this shape.
It felt good to stretch his legs, though. Felt good to fly through the air, Raptor’s territory sprawling ahead of him, a safe space to run.
There came a roar behind them. Then leathery wings flapped, and a large black dragon swooped toward them.
