Page 28 of The Dragons’ Eternal Mate

“Ro!”

Flinching, I was woken by someone shaking my arm.

“Wha—” I jerked up, looking around wildly in the dark, remembering I had been on the sofa with Grey. For once, I had been sleeping deeply, and I had no idea what time it was, so it was startling to say the least.

Nina was looking at me apologetically, worry furrowing her brow. “I’m sorry to wake you, but it’s time! Poppy is in labor!”

Adrenaline shot through me, and I was completely awake. Luca’s sister had been staying in one of the nearby cabins as her due date approached.

As I scrambled off the couch, Greylen hardly moved under me. Sleeping dragons slept like logs, and it made me giggle. Must be nice.

“Here.”

Well, not all sleeping dragons.

Across the room, Bastian was standing near the doorway with a travel mug of coffee and a pastry in hand, holding them out toward me, expression serious but steady.

“How…”

Nina laughed. “He was awake, watching over you when I came to find you. I can’t decide whether it’s creepy or sweet.”

“Given my sleep-deprived state and the points he has going for him when it comes to being less of a butthead, I’m going to say sweet.” I took the pastry off him and rose onto my tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

“Fair. Any man who provides caffeine is a good man,” Nina agreed.

“Shall I wake them?” Bastian asked, jerking his head toward Greylen and Orsen, both of whom were snoring away.

“No, let them sleep. It’s the middle of the night, and they could use it. If I need any more help, I’ll send someone to get them.” I turned to Nina, my healer brain waking up. “Who’s with her? And how far apart are the contractions?”

“Samuel, of course, and Luca. Samuel said they appear to be about two to three minutes apart, and I quote, ‘look really intense.’”

I smiled, rolling my eyes as I grabbed the coffee and headed for the door. “These babies are going to be here in no time!”

Samuel and Poppy were living in one of the best cabins right next to the den. It gave them a degree of privacy, which was why the Alphas had decided to give it to them for the duration of their stay. Luca was sleeping in the den—though, half the time, Poppy joined him when Samuel was working, helping keep me safe, and she didn’t want to be alone.

She’d also lent a hand in cooking for some of the horde, offering to make meals so that we could all have dinner in the main hall once in a while. It was kind of her to step in when Ma couldn’t perform her usual duties, and I wouldn’t forget how much help she’d been during all this.

As I approached the cabin, Luca was pacing outside, unsure what to do with his hands, alternating between putting them on his hips and running them through his hair.

“Morning! Lovely day to become an uncle?” I asked, smiling at him.

He blew out a breath, his eyes closing as he shook his head. “Sure, middle of the night!” He laughed. “Please, just tell me this is all going to be okay.”

“It’s going to be amazing, Luca. And babies run on their own schedules, so get used to nighttime chaos,” I assured him, patting his arm. Turning to Bastian, I asked, “You okay to stay out here?”

He frowned, narrowing his eyes at me.

“You two can keep each other company. It’s not like you’re going to be in the birthing room. You aren’t Poppy’s mate,” I pointed out, raising my brows as I paused outside the cabin door.

Bastian didn’t look happy about it but nodded. “Fine. Luca and I can patrol the perimeter of the building.”

“Thank you.” I smiled gratefully, a little smug because, come on. He didn’t really have a choice in the matter.

“Let’s get in there. You’ve got the extra bag?” I asked Nina.

She nodded, holding it up for me to see. I smiled back, pushing the door open.

Despite her insistence that it wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, we had prepared for Poppy to give birth at the cabin the day after she arrived, so everything I could possibly need was already there: a doppler to monitor the heartbeat, ice packs, barf bags with peppermint, so many towels and liquid-absorbing pads, a change of sheets, cord clamping and cutting tools, a bowl for the placenta, receiving blankets, the list went on.