Page 49 of The Dragon's Stone Hearted Mate

“Cutter wouldn’t do that. He probably had to run and hide from soul collectors or his attacking ghosts,” I said and bit my lip.

“Where is the baby then?” he asked, his lips starting to quiver.

“Can I make a suggestion?” I asked, treading carefully because I couldn’t move to comfort him without upsetting him more.

“Only if it’s helpful!”

“You put your hands in your pockets at night sometimes. I always notice because it’s adorable and ---” I started but Rhowas already patting his pockets. Relief washed over his face as his hand sank into his left pocket and came back out wrapped around something. He crawled back into bed with me dragging his favorite downy comforter with him and snuggling in close to me. I leaned in close as he raised his fist and turned it palm up. When he opened it the smallest stone lion in the world stared back at us.

“Did he go inside the baby?” I asked, only half joking since we had proof that Cutter had been here the night before.

“Oh, wow,” Rho blinked down at the sparkling yellow stone. “A citrine lion. My dragon, I think Cutter is the baby.”

“What?” I asked laughing. “You’re joking, right?”

“No,” Rho shook his head. “It makes so much sense now. I think his therapist might’ve hoped this would happen. If he couldn’t move onto the places dead people normally move onto his only route was finding his parents for his next life. I think the therapist hoped Cutter might find them if he went to Camp Air. I’m assuming a lot here. Maybe I’m giving the therapist too much credit. Maybe Cutter figured it out on his own.”

“He chose us?” I blinked.

“I think he did. You invited him to live with us after all,” Rho said, not taking his eyes off our little stone lion.

“Is this even possible?” I asked, looking closer.

“I think we’ve learned that almost anything is possible, mate. I think all Cutter needed to move on was to feel safe and I think you did that for him. You kept going to see him even when it wasn’t a convenient trip and you fought the ghosts too and – I think he was ready to live again. Dodging soul collectors and fighting angry ghosts is no way to live.”

“He’s so small now,” I whispered.

“You don’t have to remember. He’s probably already been ‘reincarnated.’ Meaning that his memories are all set to a fresh start,” Rho said.

“I wondered where he was when he didn’t show up to the mating feast. I thought maybe he moved on. It wasn’t like him to miss out on something important.”

“He was probably figuring stuff out. I imagine planning for your next life is a lot of work.”

“Last night he didn’t have his pack on when he showed up all drenched from the storm,” I pointed out.

“He’s finally set all that down,” Rho smiled softly. “All we have to do now is what we’ve done for all of our children. We wait for him to be ready to be flesh and blood and we love him as if he’s the only kid in the world.”

“Do we keep his name?” I asked.

“I think so. I think it’ll be less confusing for us that way. I mean, what would happen if we renamed him and then accidentally called him Cutter? It might confuse him.”

“That would mean Mori would know.”

“Or we tell Mori that we named him after your friend,” Rho said. “I’ll field the questions on that one. I’ve learned how to tell people how to mind their own business when it came to our kids years ago.”

“Does this mean our baby is born?” I asked. “Like is this his birthday?”

“Sort of. We can make his birthday today or the day he turns to flesh. He’ll grow more before then, obviously.”

“Happy birthday, Cutter,” I smiled down at the little citrine lion gargoyle in my mate’s hand. Our little family had grown. The future was uncertain but this was what made enduring every ounce of uncertainty worth it.

“I love you,” Rho said, snuggling back down under the blanket, keeping his fingers wrapped around our little stone baby. “Come cuddle me. I think I need a nap after all that excitement.”

“I love you,” I said, pulling him close to me and becoming the big spoon.