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Melanie rolled her eyes. "You smelled the bacon first, and your getting up woke the twins."
"Mel," Tristan growled.
"Hey, it's true." She grinned at Arabella. "Speaking of your sons, I'm not sure how you manage to feed all three of your babies. These two could probably eat an entire cow and still be hungry."
"Good, because I need to feed one of them and I don't want to wake Freya. Speaking of which, when did she change back?"
Finn came over and took their daughter. Freya snuggled into Finn's chest and went slack again. "She did it on her own," he murmured.
Melanie handed over Declan and Arabella took him. "What?"
Motioning with his head, Finn said softly, "Sit, Ara, and I'll tell you everything. Because if you don't start feeding that lad, Dec is going to scream bloody murder with the food source so close."
In any other situation, Arabella would've rolled her eyes and made a quip. But she settled down and got Declan nursing before looking back at her mate. "Well? What happened?"
Finn kissed Freya's forehead before answering, "Aunt Lorna and Ross came over last night, after someone told her of the commotion. In the time I went to answer the door and bring my aunt to the nursery, Freya had shifted back. Since I didn't want her to piss all over you, I risked putting a nappy on. And the little one slept through it the entire time. I suppose jumping out of a window is exhausting to a bairn."
Declan wrapped his tiny fingers around Arabella's forefinger as he continued to nurse. "More like she's taken after you and is out to prove to the world how clever she is."
Her father's voice filled the room. "Or, she has your stubbornness."
Her gaze shot to her father's, and while her dad wasn't smiling, she didn't see the pity and self-hatred from before.
Something must've happened, but Arabella wasn't going to question it right now. "Which would be your fault, as Tristan and I inherited that from you."
She resisted holding her breath as she waited for her dad to respond. She hated walking on eggshells around him. But she more than any knew that change didn't come instantly.
Her dad answered, "That's what your mother always said, too."
Tears threatened to fall at the mention of her mother, but she held them back. Crying might send her father scurrying back into his room again. "Well, I think Freya has it as well. We have yet to see about the boys, although I suspect they may be even worse." She paused and finally blurted out, "Dec is finished. Did you want to sit and burp him, Dad?"
Finn moved Freya to his shoulder and kept their daughter there with one arm. "I can take over pancake duties. I've become quite skilled at doing things one-handed."
If Fraser had been in the room, Arabella knew the conversation would've turned to the gutter. And part of her wished all her family could be here, too. More than anyone, the MacKenzies could lighten the mood and make someone feel at ease.
Well, after a person recovered from the initial shock at the MacKenzies' behavior. But in the end, everyone at least smiled with them in the room, bickering and fighting as usual.
And her dad could sorely use some more smiles and maybe even laughter.
Her dragon spoke up. Soon. We don't want to overwhelm Dad just yet.
Knowing Aunt Lorna, we'll all be over for dinner this evening anyway, even with Fergus and Gina still in the frenzy.
Her father's voice prevented her beast from replying. "I'm glad you're talking with your dragon again."
"Me, too." She motioned to a seat next to her. As soon as her father maneuvered into the chair, she proffered Dec. "This baby loves attention, so you shouldn't have any problems with him."
Declan gave a few "ahh, ahh, ahh" sounds and her dad smiled.
The sight reminded her of when she was a child, and her dad would smile before picking her up and tossing her into the air.
Maybe he'd be that way again in the future.
As her father placed Declan over his shoulder and gently patted his back, Melanie brought over Grayson and said, "I think next time we need to bring the twins. Annabel tends to dominate the other children her age, but I think your kids might give her a run for her money."
Settling Grayson at her other breast, she snorted. "You are aware that they're only a few months old, right?"
Melanie motioned toward Freya. "But if she changes into a dragon, I bet it'll awe my daughter. At least, for a minute or two. And maybe that will convince her that she's not the strongest little dragon-shifter to ever walk the earth."
