Page 44 of Alpha Dragon's Mating Contract
Raptor wasn’t fazed, though. To Hassel, he said, “Why did Zebbie even bite you?”
Hassel pouted. “I was trying to sing him a lullaby.”
Raptor sucked in a slow breath. “Please don’t tell me it was the one about toilets and people swinging through the jungle on toilet paper.”
The kangaroo looked so guilty, Walren felt bad for him.
“But Zebbie doesn’t understand words yet,” Walren pointed out.
“You don’t understand,” Raptor said severely. “It’s a song with so many clashing chords and warbling that no one can stand it. Babies too, apparently.”
“I just thought... If we started him off withcoolmusic...” Hassel’s pout intensified.
“That song will never be cool music,” Raptor said. “It’s bottom-of-the-trash-can music.”
“I don’t know,” Walren said, eyeing the butler. “If you make big statements like that, it might come back to haunt you.”
Hassel’s eyes gleamed.
Uh oh,Walren thought.
“Anyway,” Raptor said, completely brushing it off. “We should get Zebbie cleaned up.”
Since they were still hovering over Hassel, Walren scooped Zebbie back into his arms. Raptor carried them upstairs to Walren’s room.
Walren had not noticed it earlier, but there was a fully stocked changing station in his room, too. There were diaper-changing supplies, baby creams and lotions, and even a colorful mobile above the changing station in case Zebbie needed a distraction.
But that wasn’t all. When Walren stepped closer, he realized that the diapers and lotions were all his preferred brands.
He stared. “How did you know what supplies I use?”
“Ah.” Raptor rubbed the back of his head. “I had Hassel interview your friend at the safe house—Killian? He was happy to tell us your favorite brands.”
Walren froze. He hadn’t exactly told his friends the details of this gig. All he had mentioned was him breaking into Raptor’s restaurant, and... him needing to avoid pregnancy. They were going to have so many words for him, weren’t they?
The upside to this situation was that only one friend could reach him right now; Ivo would have to cross the hedge maze that separated Ace’s mansion from Raptor’s.
That would be future-Walren’s problem.
“What do you think?” Raptor seemed to vibrate as he waited for Walren’s verdict. “Is the changing station satisfactory?”
“It’s good,” Walren said, his mouth twitching into a smile. “Thank you.”
Raptor straightened to his full height, puffing out his chest.
“I need the wipes, please,” Walren said.
Raptor gathered the baby wipes, holding Walren carefully as he set Zebbie down and cleaned his bloody face.
Zebbie looked up... and kept on looking up. Then he giggled.
What the hell was he looking at?
When Walren turned, he found Raptor making faces at his baby, with squinted eyes and a broad smile.
“I think Zebs likes this,” Raptor said, looking amazed.
Zebbie kicked his legs when Raptor crossed his eyes and waggled his tongue left and right.
