Page 68 of Alpha Dragon's Mating Contract
“Don’t worry about the window. It’s just some glass.” Raptor scowled in the direction Larei had gone. “But that crapbucket was a real piece of work.”
“I’m glad he didn’t touch you,” Walren said to the runaway omega, pulling away from Raptor to approach the other man. Raptor’s chest cooled with his absence.
When he was a short distance away, Walren gasped. “Wait. Are you—?”
He quickened his hobble and slid his bad leg sideways, awkwardly crouching in front of the other omega. Both their faces lit up in recognition.
“You’re the omega who helped me with my leg,” Walren said, choking up. “You stayed with me forhours.Then you left before I could thank you!”
The omega’s eyes widened. “It’s you.”
“What are you doing in Cartfalls?” Walren asked. “What’s your name?”
At that, the omega seemed to hesitate. He ran his hand over his wriggling bundle. “I... I hitched a ride here. To escape from my ex. My name is Mathlin.”
“Mathlin.” Walren narrowed his eyes and said fiercely, “You’ll be safe here.”
“Really?” Mathlin hugged his baby.
“Yes. I was a refugee too. Until...” Walren waved vaguely in Raptor’s direction, his cheeks turning pink. He cleared his throat. “What I meant to say is, Raptor and his friends let me and Zebbie stay in their safe house. My friends have been staying there, too. You’ll be safe there.”
Mathlin peered at Raptor uncertainly. “You seem sure about that.”
“Walren’s right,” Raptor said. “You’re welcome to stay at the apartment safe house for as long as you need. You’ll get food, baby supplies, and a small weekly allowance.”
The omega looked to Walren for confirmation, still disbelieving. When Walren nodded, Mathlin burst into tears.
Walren hugged him, the two of them rocking together for a while.
While they were distracted, Raptor pulled out his phone to text Uriel. He checked on his staff next, then began sweeping up the scattered glass shards.
Sometime later, Uriel showed up with his baby and a backpack. “Rap.”
Walren had disappeared into the back rooms with Mathlin and their babies. They didn’t seem too interested in the scarred mage’s presence, so Raptor focused on the first order of business. “I need this glass wall restored. Can you do that?”
Uriel studied the shattered window. “Yeah, I can. It’ll take a while though. There are a lot of pieces—this is a pretty big job.”
“Take your time. I won’t seat any patrons near you.”
“Thanks.”
Raptor went to the kitchen, eager to do the part of his job that he actually loved.
Halfway through preparing some savory egg custard, low, angry voices sounded from the front of the restaurant.
Candy, one of the early shift wait staff, popped her head into the kitchen.
“Boss,” she said worriedly. “Uhhh. Your friend showed up and he’s starting a fight with the guy working on the window.”
Raptor reached out with his hearing.
“What’reyoudoing here?” Uriel growled.
“Can’t I visit my buddy’s restaurant?” Bruiser sneered. “Did you come crashing through the window and you’re fixing it out of guilt?”
“Shut up, or I’ll knock out all your teeth and then some.”
“You think you can?”
