Page 27 of Matched By the Dragon

“Yeah. I mean, Jac would’ve but…” he said, his eyes misting over.

“I’m not going anywhere. Hell, I won’t leave your sight while you’re pregnant if that’s what it takes to make you feel safe and like nothing’s going to happen to me.”

“What a pair we are. I’m afraid someone will try to off you and you…”

“I’m afraid of losing another mate to medical stuff,” I said before he had to finish the sentence. “Eh, we’ll be okay. We have the kids to keep us on the brink of insanity all by themselves. We’ll be so busy that we won’t have to worry about those things.”

He laughed and buried his face into my chest.

“Now, if I get too overprotective while you’re pregnant you have to tell me. Clyde was one thing. He’s a midwife. He did your surgery. The kids love him. That could’ve been a fluke. I don’t know how I’ll react. I know the thought of someone just upsetting you right now is enough to make me want to rip them to shreds.”

On the floor Oaklan managed to pull the pillowcase knot just right to open it. Both cubs disappeared inside of it. A second later, Resin came out with a piece of jerky. Then Oaklan followed him.

“I might let you. I mean, if it’s not someone I like,” Brad grinned.

“I’ll remember that,” I teased him.

Chapter 9

Brad

The Hemlock Wolf Pack, Star’s Territory

Durin was a protective sire and since we spent most of our time alone at the house at the beginning of my pregnancy it came off as doting. From the first day we found out I was pregnant he insisted on taking over any chores that required lifting. The bear wouldn’t even let me mop the kitchen floor. It seemed like such an unfair division of tasks and I worried that he’d burn himself out before the new baby even got here.

“You’re growing a baby. That has to be taken into consideration when you start talking about division of labor,” he said, when I brought it up. “It’s not like you can pause doing that to take care of other things.”

He was right, but sometimes when I lounged around watching him clean, I felt so lazy, but I also felt loved. It was a weird juxtaposition every day. It was even something I brought up with my therapist who didn’t really give me an answer at all.

“Every couple has to come to a balance of tasks like that. It’s individual. If it bothers you, you two have to talk about that. Though, normally, I hear complaints about alphas who aren’t doing enough. I’m not saying you don’t have the right to complain but if his motivation is to actually help you – perhaps there are other things you could do instead.”

There was still plenty I could and did do. From cooking to cleaning tasks that didn’t involve what Durin considered ‘heavy labor.’ Plus, him doing more than his fair share of the chores meant I had more time to spend with the cubs and I adored that.

“It’s a good life,” my bear often said as we lounged in the sun watching the babies play outside.

He was right. Somehow my life had morphed into a good life. Sometimes I basked in it. Sometimes I waited for the other shoe to drop. Only both of my shoes were on my feet and thus incapable of smacking me in the head.

At month three, I started going to baby yoga with the boys. They seemed to like it, and it gave Durin the chance to swing by the Temple of Frost and actually talk to alphas who weren’t Clyde during my weekly checkups. If Durin minded spending all his time at home with me and the cubs he never complained. I never felt any resentment seep over from his side of our mating link either.

“Why is it so hard for you to accept that he’s happy with the life you live together?” Gramble, my therapist, asked during my normal appointment.

“He’s great and… I think he deserves more.”

“More what?” Gramble asked.

“I don’t know. More than me, I guess.”

“You do think very highly of him. The man is living his best life with his true-mate and he deserves more?” Gramble quirked an eyebrow high up on his forehead.

“You know what I mean,” I sighed.

“I learned a long time ago not to assume I know what anyone means. Why don’t you tell me what you mean, Brad?” Gramble said, settling back into his chair.

“I’m used to disappointing or pissing everyone off without trying,” I sighed. “I keep waiting for him to figure out that I’m not as great as he thinks I am.”

“He’s probably waiting for you to figure out that you’re as great as he thinks you are,” Gramble shrugged.

“I don’t even do anything,” I laughed.