22. Epilogue Alaric

22

Epilogue: Alaric

My life was nothing less than a dream. It was another gorgeous day on the island, and I was spending it with my mate and baby on the white sand beach. A sapphire-blue sky stretched overhead, and a delicate breeze tickled my sunscreen-coated skin. The air smelled fresh and sweet, like salt and jasmine flowers.

I sighed, totally relaxed in both body and soul. I took a sip from the honeyed milk tea Jade had prepared for me, then mulled over whether I should eat my biscuits now or save them for later. Though if I did that, there was always the possibility Mint could sneak them into his own mouth. Sneaky little chicken nugget.

As I reclined in my beach chair, an abrupt curiosity wormed its way into my mind.

"Does it have a name?" I asked suddenly.

Beside me, Jade and Mint were huddled together in the shade of an umbrella, engrossed in a story book. Mint took after his father when it came to books, which I thought was sweet.

Jade glanced up from the story. It was about an amaranth snake, which made absolutely no sense, but Mint loved it.

"Does what have a name?" Jade replied.

I lowered my sunglasses. "Come on. You know."

"I'm afraid I do not."

I smirked. "The other dragon."

Jade's confusion turned to amusement. "Ah, I understand. What happened to keeping it PG?"

"It was a simple question," I teased.

"The answer is: no, it does not," Jade said wryly. "Get your mind out of the gutter, kitten."

I shrugged, taking an innocent sip of my tea. "I'm just saying, babysitters are available."

Jade chuckled. "You're incorrigible."

"I'm many things. And you love them all."

"Guilty as charged," he said, smiling.

Mint, apparently bored since a story was no longer being read to him, slipped off the beach chair. He yipped at the feeling of sand between his furry toes, then pranced around like a puppy seeing snow for the first time.

My heart melted. But it melted at everything he did.

"Ugh," I said. "Is it just me, or did we create the single cutest creature on the planet?"

Jade nodded. "Absolutely. That's an objective fact."

"You should add that to a history book," I suggested. "Mint: the perfect baby."

"Of course. I'll write an addendum and paste it inside."

"While you're at it, write something nice about me, too." I flipped my hair. "Feel free to embellish the truth. Ooh, you could make me an inch taller."

Jade reached over and stroked my hair. "I'll pass. You're perfect just the way you are, Alaric."

Warmth bloomed in my cheeks. No matter how much time passed, my mate's compliments never failed to make me blush.

Mint suddenly shoved his mouth into the sand. He spun around with a muffled squeal of joy, a crab dangling out of his toothless mouth. I felt a split second of terror—Jade lurched forward faster than I could react—but it was replaced by relief as Mint tossed it into the air and batted at it with his paws, like a kitten playing with a ball of yarn.

Jade, who'd already raced to the scene, sighed in relief and gently pried the poor crab away from his son. "We don't treat crabs like toys, okay?" He placed the crustacean on the sand and it promptly scuttled away.

Mint blinked as if understanding Jade's teachings, then waddled over to a different crab to try and put it in his mouth.

Jade scooped him up before he harassed any more local wildlife. "Let's do an indoor activity now," he announced. In a quieter voice, he said to me, "I'm starting to understand why everybody hires Viol as the in-house babysitter."

I snorted. "The great and knowledgeable Jade was unaware that infants require constant supervision? I'm shocked."

He snuggled Mint against his chest, who was once again wrapped up in a quilt burrito. "Give the great and knowledgeable Jade a break," he teased. "It's been a couple decades since he's been responsible for raising children."

"You mean your younger brothers?" I asked. When Jade nodded, that only raised new questions. As always, my curiosity got the best of me. "Not to be blunt, but where did you come from, anyway? Who laid your eggs?"

Jade tilted his head thoughtfully. He continued to rock Mint in his arms while he considered it.

"I don't know," he finally said. "I have theories, but it's possible we'll never know."

He didn't seem bothered by the mystery. I figured that was better than knowing the truth, in a case like mine.

Sensing my lingering nosiness, Jade flashed me a serene smile. "Maybe we'll find out one day." He pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. "But for now, I'm focusing on two more important things."

Fondness swirled in my chest. Jade always knew what to say. Every touch, every word out of his mouth made me feel valued, like I was the most special man in existence. He was the home I'd always wanted, the fulfillment of my childhood dream. I couldn't possibly love him any more.

"Oh, by the way," Jade said with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "I booked us a date tonight at the restaurant. I already asked Viol and he leapt at the opportunity to watch Mint." He lowered his voice to a sultry whisper. "It's just you and me tonight, kitten."

Never mind. I could love him even more.

THE END

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