Page 138 of Alpha Dragon's Mating Contract
Raptor sighed. “Before the Chancellor visit, you mean?”
“Yes.”
“Damn it. We’re trying not to have Walren pop a baby in the middle of bonding!”
“It won’t be the worst thing in the world. Unless you want to reschedule the ceremony for next year.”
Raptor groaned.
In the foyer of his parents’mansion, Raptor’s family welcomed Walren and Zebbie with the warmest smiles.
“What’s with the multiple reschedules?” Blade asked. “You know it’s hard enough for me to take time off work, much less change that multiple times with HR.”
At this point, Raptor had every right to point his finger at Walren. But he only sighed. “Miscalculated. I really am sorry.”
Walren couldn’t let Raptor shoulder that blame. “It was my fault,” he said. “Rap says I jinxed it.”
Raptor sighed and nodded. “That you did.”
“At least my contractions haven’t started yet,” Walren said.
Raptorgroaned.
The next moment, a contraction rippled through Walren.
“What did I tell you?” Raptor said into his hands. He reached over and rubbed Walren’s back, though.
“Contractions take a while, right?” Walren said. “We could get the bonding over real quick.”
Raptor looked as though he wanted to say something, but he held back and gave a tight nod. “Okay.”
The flight of dragons assembled at the back of the mansion, where a cavern had been carved into the mountainside. Warm firelight flickered in the wall sconces, casting dancing shadows on the large, worn circles etched into smooth rock. The Circle was made up of several concentric rings, with simple drawings of plants and animals carved into the spaces between them.
Raptor knelt in front of Walren. “Shoes off. We’ll walk the Circle together three times, and at the end of it, our lifespans will even out. You’ll be bonded to me for as long as we both live.”
Walren nodded. Raptor had told him all of this in advance. “Okay.”
“We want to have at least one foot on our circle at all times,” Raptor added. “And we have to be connected by holding hands.” He waved and smiled at Hassel, Zebbie, and Go Cart, before turning back to Walren.
Walren’s belly was so swollen that he couldn’t see what Raptor was doing with his feet—all he knew was his shoes slipping off.
Over the past few months, Raptor had been rubbing Walren’s back whenever it ached, and rubbing his feet too. He had been anxiously following Walren wherever he went, afraid that Walren was going to fall somehow and hurt himself.
As much as Walren loved his unborn child, he was also getting very tired of his pee breaks every few minutes; he was tired of feeling like a beached whale all the time.
“Here, follow me.” Raptor took Walren’s hand, guiding him to the Circle in the middle of the chamber. Raptor’s family surrounded them, watching with bated breath.
Raptor took his place on the outermost, largest circle. Walren took the next-largest circle, holding his alpha’s hand tightly.
“We learned this as young dragonets,” Raptor whispered to Walren. “I never thought I would see the day.”
He looked so excited that Walren’s heart swelled. “I’m ready.”
“Good.” Raptor raised his voice. “Once for luck.”
They walked together around the Circle, Walren finding the groove of his circle with his toes. Raptor had to take smaller steps to match Walren’s speed.
Then a second contraction struck him. Walren winced, clutching Raptor’s hand as his belly squeezed.
