Chapter 44

Aiden
He stared up at the sky as another streak of lightning forked across the sky. He looked down at his sleeping mate. He kissed her forehead, before shifting her onto a lounge chair. He pulled blankets over her and she immediately buried herself in them. He was not about to let them get rained on. He gently picked up their egg to carry it inside. He immediately walked over to the fireplace and set it carefully between the logs, building them up around it to make sure it didn't topple over. Mikhail pushed forward and Aiden let him take charge. He leaned down and breathed fire into the fireplace, instantly igniting the wood. He put his arm on the mantle and leaned down, watching the flames wrap the egg up in a protective cocoon.
‘What do you think is in there?,’ Mikhail asked.
‘Perfection,’ Aiden answered proudly, without hesitation.
Mikhail rolled his eyes. ‘I know that, but I mean do you think it’s a boy or a girl?’
He watched the flames for a moment, before sighing. ‘It better be a boy. I don’t think Sasha would like it if I locked up our daughter in the dungeon and only allowed the family to visit her.’
Mikhail laughed. ‘I think our mates would indeed kill you.’
‘Speaking of our mate, we should bring her in, too. The bed has got to be more comfortable than concrete.’
He jogged back out to the balcony and picked her up. She moaned softly before jerking awake. She looked up at him.
“Our egg-”
“Is already inside, my love.”
She frantically looked around the room and he felt her panic. He felt the change in her as Irina took over.
“Where is it?,” Irina growled, her aura flaring out.
Aiden carried her body over to the fireplace. She started thrashing when she saw the egg in the fire.
“PUT ME DOWN,” she screamed, tears pouring down her face. “ARE YOU COOKING MY BABY?!”
She managed to get away and he grabbed her seconds before she got to the egg. He pulled her back, turned her around and pressed his forehead against hers.
“Baby, this is how we handle eggs. It is usually the mother that lights the fire, but your flame has not come to life yet. Our flame will not hurt our baby. It will protect them and prevent anybody from touching it.”
She sniffled, wiping her nose on her bloody nightgown. “Do you promise?”
He nodded. He turned her around and made her kneel in front of the fireplace. He positioned himself behind her with his arm around her waist. He leaned her inside the fireplace and when she fearfully pulled back, he guided her hand to press against the egg. Its surface was cool to the touch and it moved when their hands touched it. He weaved their fingers together, putting his chin on her shoulder.
“I will never harm our child, Sasha. I know I have a lot to prove to you and Irina, but know this, I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I love you and I will never hurt you again.”
She relaxed back against him as she moved her hand around in his fire. “When will my fire ignite?”
He kissed her neck. “When you shift for the first time, it will be the most painful thing you ever do and it will take hours. It will feel like you are going to combust from the inside out. You are going to feel like you would be better off dead. You are going to want to give up.” He pulled her hand out of the fire and kissed the back of it. “But I will be by your side the entire time and I will not let you. Mikhail will not let you. We will guide you and Rin through the entire process and then we will teach you everything about being a dragon.”
“Rin?”
He laughed softly. “Yeah. That’s what Mikhail and I have decided to nickname Irina.”
She giggled. “Irina says she has decided to call Mikhail, Khail.” She paused for a second, before giggling. “She said you are now a vegetable.”
He chuckled and stood up. He lifted her again and carried her to the bathroom. He started the water, before setting her on the sink. He striped her bloody, ruined clothes off of her, before taking his own clothes off. He picked her back up and walked into the shower, sitting on the ledge of the wall with her in his lap. He began to clean her up, taking his time to make sure she was fully relaxed.
“How are you feeling, baby?”
“I’m sore and my body hurts.”
He massaged her back a little. “I know, my queen. I am so proud of you. Your sister is proud of you and your kingdom is proud of you.”
“Does Lani know?”
“No. I thought I would leave it up to you to tell her.”
“She probably thinks I’m dead.”
“I told Gregory you were fine and feeling better. I told him to tell her that when you are ready, you will tell her what happened.”
She nuzzled into his chest. “Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Ash. You are my queen and I will do anything for you.” He paused for a moment. “You asked me something the other day that I never answered.”
“And what was that?”
“You asked me if I thought you were more important than Mikhail. I just wanted you to know that, besides Mikhail, you and our egg are the most important things to me. I don’t know what I would choose if it came down to it. I hope that if I ever have to choose, that I would be strong enough to choose right. I do love you and you complete me, but I won’t lie and I can’t tell you which I would choose without a doubt.”
She was quiet as she thought about his answer. He ran his fingers through her wet hair. She sighed.
“I hope you know that if it came down to it and you had to choose, that I would not let you die.”
He smiled at her. “I know.”
He turned the water off and carried her out. He dried them both off, before taking her to the couch. He quickly made the bed and got her tucked into it. He positioned her so that she could see their egg, safe in the crackling fire. He placed a soft kiss against her cheek.
“Are you hungry?”
She nodded. “Yeah, but I can go-”
“You will do no such thing. You just had our egg! I will take care of you until you heal.”
“How fast will I heal?”
“It can take anywhere up to a week.” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I think. I really don’t know. Our women usually lay their eggs in their dragon forms, which are better equipped to handle bearing an egg. They usually heal fully in 48 hours. You legit just pushed a fucking huge watermelon out of your vagina.”
She giggled. “I did it for us.”
He took her hands, squeezing them. “I know you did. Tell me what you want to eat and I will go get it.”
“Anything?”
“Yes.”
“I want venison. Raw.”
He pecked her lips and straightened up. “Done. I will be back. Rest until I get back.”
“Can you tell Lani to come here and Ana?”
“Of course. I will be back in a little bit.”
He reached for Ana’s link as he moved to the door.
‘Sis, Sasha is requesting you to come to our room.’
‘Be right there,’ she answered immediately.
He opened the door and grinned when he saw Kalani and Gregory asleep against the wall just outside their door. He gently shook them, before pointing to the door.
“Kal, your sister wants you. Gregory, we need to go get food for the girls. I know neither of them have eaten a lot.”
Kalani rushed into the room, leaving the door cracked.
“Aja?”
“Hey, Auntie.”
“W- what?”
“I had an egg.”
Gregory’s head whipped around to meet Aiden’s eyes, his own wide. “An egg?”
Aiden patted his shoulder. “Seems to me that our women are dragons.”
“Oh, dear Goddess. Aren’t we lucky?”
Aiden laughed. “Sure are. Now, about food? She needs sustenance.”
They headed down to the kitchen.
“So, Greg, have you and the fair Kal mated yet?”
“No. We have been taking care of Aja in your absence.”
“I’m sorry, but our kingdom and I owe you two a great deal. I have been wanting to talk to you about something.”
“What’s that, Aid?”
“So, you know Malcolm attacked Sasha?”
“What about it?”
“You know I am going to kill him?”
“Oh, I knew that from the day they got here.”
“I will need a new beta to replace him.”
Gregory froze in the middle of lifting a bucket of raw venison. “Yes, that is how things typically work,” he said, slowly, trying to gauge where Aiden was going with this conversation.
“I want you to be my beta.”
Gregore grinned. “You don’t even have to ask. I always got your back.”
“Thanks.”
They were halfway to the stairs when power surged behind them, making them turn. Aiden swallowed hard when King Lukas appeared in the doorway with his too thin father. He raised an eyebrow at Aiden.
“Did you know that your front door is gone?”
“Yes, it was in my way.”
“Well, that’s nice,” he joked as he helped his father over the rubble and ash.
Aiden shifted his weight, desperate to get back to Sasha. “I apologize for running out on our meeting the way I did, Your Majesty.”
“Lukas, remember?”
“Lukas.”
He smiled. “I wanted to come meet this girl that has affected you so much and her sister.”
Gregory growled from beside him. Aiden put a warning hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly. Lukas tilted his head and studied Gregory.
“Are you with Kalani?”
“She is mine,” Dayan growled, making Aiden cut his eyes at his best friend.
Lukas walked over and laid his hand on Gregory’s other shoulder.
“Please, do not misunderstand me. I don’t wish to take them from you two, brothers. I only wish to meet them, as does my father again.”
Aiden narrowed his eyes on him. “Sasha is on bedrest at the moment. When she is feeling better, I will let her know that you wish to meet with her.”
“We will stay as long as it takes.”
“Fine.” Aiden pointed to the living room. “If you would be so kind as to wait in there, so I can take this food to her, I will be right back.”
Lukas nodded. “Of course. Come, Dad.”
He led the former king of kings into the desired room and Aiden nodded to the stairs. He and Gregory sprinted up the first two flights, before slowing. His future beta let out an exasperated breath.
“Do you think he’s being honest about not wanting to take them away?”
Aiden chuckled darkly. “I don’t know… but if he tries, we will go to war to keep them.”
Gregory grinned, baring his sharpened teeth. “That we will. That we will.”