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The egg was opening, at long last, after weeks and weeks of keeping it warm and safe, sleeping with it, cuddling it alongside his own babies. It was cracking open down the middle, a jagged rip. It shook on the altar, rocking slightly from side to side.
Arjun wanted to reach for it, tear it wide open, but Darya’s arm around him kept him back. A good thing, probably. He had no idea what little dragons were like. He knew young snakes could be dangerous, even more venomous than their parents. Who knew if dragonets were the same?
He held his breath as the egg rocked again, and broke into three big pieces.
The dragonet shook itself, stretching small leathery wings and squawking. It was a pale green, like the egg, its tail ending in a barb.
“Oh baby,” Arjun whispered, grinning, and stepped forward once more.
Darya grunted, then let him go, following him to the altar. Arjun reached out a hand to the dragonet, and in the absolute hush that had fallen over the temple, the creature’s hiss sounded overly loud.
But it didn’t bite at Arjun’s fingers, didn’t try to hit him with its wings. It observed him with one beady, yellow eye, watched his outstretched hand.
Hopped on one foot when Arjun’s hand stroked the scaly back.
Hopped closer when Arjun opened his arms.
Let him cradle it against his chest.
And didn’t react when Darya put his arms around Arjun, so they both looked down at the little creature.
“Well, then,” Darya rumbled. “Hello baby dragon. Welcome to the family.”
Arjun smiled, happy.
The crowd roared.
***
THE LONG TABLES IN the Great Hall were set with plates, loaded with platters of food and candles. Everyone jostled close to see the royal couple, the babies, and of course the dragonet, which Arjun had placed on his shoulders so he could finally hold his own babies again.
He held two, currently, little mouths sucking hungrily on his nipples, as he sat at the head of the table on a throne beside Darya who held the other two babies and grinned at the world, looking pleased and proud.
Arjun was pleased and proud, too. Happy, happier than he ever remembered being. Complete. Right where he was supposed to be. Even if it seemed like a crazy dream some days. Even if he sometimes felt he didn’t deserve such a fate, such luck, such riches.
Such love.
But that wasn’t for him to decide, he reminded himself. That was the gods’ prerogative, and if they gave him this gift, he had to accept it and be grateful. It’s all anyone could ever do.
Darya was talking to the guests of honor who sat the closest to the thrones—the kings of the valley and their Mates. Arjun knew King Kiran of Eara, of course, who’d been visiting a couple of weeks ago, determining whether to call Arjun a Dragon Prince or not, with his Mate, a pale-haired, very pretty elf.
Beside Kiran and his Mate sat King Canan of Zora who’d welcomed him on his way back from being rescued from the dragon—and who’d questioned him back then about the dragon. Remembering how badly he’d reacted, Arjun blushed. Beside King Canan sat his Mate, a beautiful blue-haired elf with sloe eyes and a pregnant belly.
On the other side of the table, closest to Arjun, sat King Asha of Ellesbeth with his slender Mate Suri and Companion Collieth who’d helped deliver Arjun’s babies.
And further down the table was King Royan with his Mate Sasta, a pretty red-haired Hunter.
The entire valley royalty was there.
The dragon snuffled at Arjun’s neck, making him jerk, then laugh. “Sit down, Drake.”
“Drake, huh?” King Asha watched him with interest in his keen, gray eyes. “Fitting name.”
“Not Green?” Darya leaned in to kiss Arjun’s cheek, grinning. “Or Bitey? Those would be fitting names.”
“He’s never bit me,” Arjun protested, chuckling.
“Yet,” Darya said, but didn’t look concerned about the dragonet anymore. He rocked the babies in his arms a little. “He seems happy to ride on your shoulders.”
“Is that what they meant by Dragon rider?” King Royan’s red-headed Mate mused, smiling at Arjun from down the table. “That the dragon rides you?”
Arjun laughed out loud. It startled the dragonet who buried its sharp snout in the base of Arjun’s hair, as if to hide. “He will grow big. His mother is huge.”
“Never thought I’d meet a Dragon Prince,” King Asha said.
“The Lost Prince,” his Mate Suri whispered, and winked at Arjun.
Yes, the Lost Prince, lost and found. The Dragon Prince. What did it all mean? Darya had said it didn’t have to mean anything. And Arjun certainly didn’t want it to mean anything if it meant changing anything about his life right now.
He was lucky. He wasn’t going to push that luck. He didn’t need anything more.
Toasts had been made. Food brought out and devoured. Speeches made by the kings and lords. Arjun was tired. He wanted to lay his babies in their bassinets and lie in bed with his Mate. Needed him inside him.
All he could see around him, through the noise and the celebrations, was couples in love. That was all he wanted, all he needed, too. His Mate. His family.
“Will you go look for your Bearing Father?” King Kiran asked, wrapping an arm around his Bearer.
Yes, that was the question, wasn’t it? Look for his roots. Look for the truth. But...
“No. I don’t want to do that. It’s not that I don’t care... it’s that I have so many reasons to stay. So many elves I care so deeply about. Darya, our babies... our dragonet. I’m not going to throw that away to chase after a ghost.”
“Maybe he would like to know you’re alive, if you really are his son. The tale says that he thought you dead.”
“Then I’ll send a message to him with a messenger,” Darya said. “I’ll send out scouts to find him and let him know. Whatever Arjun decides.”
“Yes, we could do that,” Arjun said slowly, nodding.
That would be good. Lift that last worry off his shoulders. If his Bearing Father really was out there, grieving over Arjun, he didn’t want it on his conscience. He wouldn’t wish for any Bearer to lose their baby.
Arjun cradled his protectively to his chest.
“All right?” Darya whispered, leaning in to brush his lips over Arjun’s temple. He seemed to need constant physical contact with him, and that suited Arjun just fine because he needed it with Darya, too.
“Yes, everything’s all right now,” Arjun whispered back, smiling.
***
“OH YES...” ARJUN ARCHED up beneath his lover, his Mate, his king, wrapping his arms around that strong neck. “Harder...”
Darya groaned, thrusting deep into Arjun, powerful thighs tensing, thick cock pumping in and out of Arjun’s slick hole. “You feel so damn good.”
Arjun could have said the same, but the words were failing him. He wouldn’t last long, the stress of the day serving to make the desire sharper, urgent. He moaned when Darya picked a faster rhythm, pounding into him, giving it to him hard.
The dragonet hissed from its perch on the fireplace lintel.
One of the babies gave a small wail in his sleep.
Darya lifted one of Arjun’s leg to wrap it around his waist, and pushed deeper, making Arjun cry out, biting back the sound in the last moment, turning it into a yelp. “Love...”
“Yes,” Arjun moaned. “Like this.”
Bowing his head, silvery hair obscuring his face, Darya fucked him hard, keeping a savage pace, his cock swelling bigger and bigger inside Arjun. His lover was very aroused. His cock only got that big when he was in a rut. It sent pangs of pain and pleasure through Arjun, and he held on for dear life as Darya rode him into the mattress. Arjun’s cock was leaking steadily, twitching between their bodies, his hole clenching.
He was going to... Any moment now he was going to...
“Oh gods...” Arjun started coming, writhing underneath Darya, his hole pulsing around his lover’s huge cock. “Yes...”
Darya’s thrusts stuttered, and he let out a choked moan—then he was coming too, scorching jets of cum hitting Arjun deep inside, shocking a second orgasm out of him.
This time he cried out and rocked on Darya’s cock, groaning with the waves of pleasure that went on and on.
“Melek...”
“Okay? You okay?” Darya asked hoarsely, still spilling inside Arjun, causing breathtaking aftershocks.
“Okay? More than okay.” Arjun laughed faintly. “That was perfect.”
It was. Being with Darya was perfect.
And Darya smiled down at him, seeming to feel it, too.
“Love you,” Darya whispered. “Every day I love you more. Will love you always.”
“Now and always,” Arjun promised back, gathered his king in his arms, and held him close. “Now and always.”
AUTHOR NOTE
Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed! If you feel like writing a review on any platform, it would be wonderful.
I have more series set in this world, some written, some in the plans. If you wish to be notified when a new book comes out, please scroll down to find my contact links!
Check out my other completed series!
Howl Academy Babies
I also have another series out – all three books have been already released. It is a shifter academy mpreg. Check out the first book in the series:
Tough Cute Omega (Howl Academy Babies, #1)
Being an omega in an alpha-dominated world isn’t easy...
Reese is tough, however, and can handle anything this academy full of arrogant alphas can throw at him. Or at least he hopes so. He has a scholarship and all his ducks in a row... until Tiberius, alpha son of a powerful werewolf clan, hires him as help and keeps shooting him those hot looks... Everything in Reese wants to submit to the powerful alpha, but is that a good idea?
Being an alpha from a powerful clan comes with responsibilities...
Tiberius is supposed to marry into a good family, claim a rich omega and have plenty of babies to continue his line—but the only omega he wants is Reese. When one day Reese takes off without a word, Tiberius realizes just how much the pretty omega means to him.
What he doesn’t imagine is that Reese has some important news for him, news that will change both their lives...
AUTHOR BIO
Eva Lyra writes Mpreg Omegaverse in an all-male world (human, wolf shifter and Fae). All stories are set in the same wide universe that encompasses the shifter lands, human lands and Fae lands (with the possibility of future mermen and other realms to be added). She has a fondness for pretty boys and happily-ever-afters with plenty of rosy-cheeked babies.
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Have a lovely day and take care!