Chapter 27

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

Elowyn was going to lose his mind. He couldn't understand why no one would let him do anything. Okay, so sure, he'd been possessed by some celestial being. But that didn't mean that he couldn't get around and do stuff that he needed to do. And yes, he was huge. That hadn't changed. But his alphas were acting as if he couldn't do anything for himself, as if he was fragile and he needed to just sit on his butt and do nothing.

That wasn't working for him. He wanted to go to the pool and go swimming. He wanted to go down to Rowan's apartment and visit him. He wanted to do anything. He was terribly horny.

But Cerran and Triton? Well. They just didn't understand. Why should they? They were alphas, after all. And they just kept on pushing him to be careful, to sit down, to not go anywhere. Leilani thought it was all terribly funny, but she was an infant. What did she know?

Elowyn moved to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. Which, suddenly, he liked again. He hadn't liked it for a long time. He knew that confused his alphas as well. They didn't understand. The whole pregnancy thing. He got it. His body had changed, right? And what they wanted, the foods the kids wanted, changed too.

Maybe he would just walk down to the pool himself.

Call Lake and just ask: Do you want to go to the old pool with me? Do you want to swim with the babies?

He didn't know if anyone would answer, though.

The rumors had gotten around. No one really wanted to talk to him. Or see him.

Even though he hadn't done any of this. He hadn't been responsible for it. He'd just been…used, he supposed, to protect the babies.

It hadn't been a lot of fun, but it had worked, except now nobody even wanted to hang out with him, play games, chat, have dinner.

It was gonna suck if this is what the rest of his life was supposed to be like.

Everybody worried about him, about whether or not he was going to be…

Hell, he didn't even know what he'd been.

Nobody knew what had happened.

Cerran and Triton assured him that the being who had been in his body had only been there to protect Leilani. And if that was what it took, that was what he'd give but, still, it was going to be a really lonely life.

He drank his tea, his aggravation going until he made up his mind.

Then he set his mouth to his task at hand.

He was going swimming.

He found his swim costume. He got Leilani in hers. He strapped her around his chest.

Got a bag together with the thousand things they required.

Then he headed for the newly repaired door.

As if magically summoned, Reno appeared at his door when he opened it.

"Hey, kiddo, where you going?" Reno asked.

"So you're my bodyguard today."

"Oh, I can be your bodyguard anytime." Reno's wolfish grin made him fight a smile of his own.

"But I don't need a bodyguard, Reno. I just want to go to the pool."

"So let's go to the pool."

Elowyn sighed. "I really wish that?—"

"Well, you can wish all you want, but that doesn't make anything different."

"No. But I'm lonely." There it was. He loved his mates, but he needed to see other people.

"Oh, kiddo. That sucks. I'm sorry. You want me to talk to some people? I can talk to Boone and Durango."

"What good does that do? What if they just say that's fine, and that they'll talk to their mates, but nothing ever happens. Then it's also embarrassing."

"Okay then, let's tough it out and go to the pool. I mean at some point, you just have to suck it up and prove to everybody that you are who you are. You just have to show them that you're not gonna, like, freak out and be a god or something. You know, like in that movie Ghostbusters. Because if someone asks if you're a god, always say you're god. In your case, if they ask you if you're god, just say you're not."

Reno watched too many movies. "Gee, thanks. You're so helpful."

"At least I'm here talking to you."

"You know what? Maybe I just won't go to the pool." Elowyn started to turn back into his apartment.

"Nope. You're coming." Reno took his arm. Gently, admittedly, but he grabbed Elowyn and pulled him out into the hall. "I'm not afraid of you. So, you know, I'll be your friend."

"Thanks, I really do appreciate it. I mean. It's not like you can have babies, so you can't identify with what I'm going through right now, but you do breathe fire. People are kind of afraid of you, so maybe you do get it a little."

"That's me. I'm a prince among alpha dragons."

Reno, Reno, Reno. Leilani giggled.

"Yes," he told her. "That's your Uncle Reno."

"Does she know me?" He peered down at her, where she was cradled against Elowyn's chest. "Hey, girlfriend."

"Eeeee!" she squealed out loud.

"Oh, she does know me. Can I carry her?"

"Totally." He was already carrying the other two full time.

He handed Leilani over, kind of chuckling at himself and his own frustration more than anything else. "So is it still snowing?"

He hadn't really looked outside much because the sight of their missing balcony made him sad.

"Oh, you should see it. It's thick. It is thick out there. It's kind of cool to be in the pool and watch it fall, though, so I'm not complaining. Also, it's kind of weird."

"Weird?"

"Yes."

Elowyn tilted his head, curious. "How weird? I mean, weird how?"

"Well, the snow is blue now."

"What?"

"Blue like blue. I'm sure it has to do with the weird bubble of light that's over the entire keep. Showed up the day that you were attacked. It's kind of big."

What? "Wait. There's a bubble? Of blue light over the keep?"

Reno grinned like a monkey. "Yep, that's what I said. Bubble of blue light over the entire keep. Everybody watched really, really close to make sure that it didn't go away when you fell asleep. It didn't, so we don't think it really has anything to do with you. Possibly the babies, but they sleep too, I assume. I know I've seen Leilani sleep…"

"It's not me. It's not the babies. What does it do?"

"To those of us who live here and don't have any awful intentions? Not a thing."

Elowyn blinked. "And to people that do?"

Reno seemed to ponder that. "Zzzzzot!" Elowyn's eyes went wide until Reno continued. "Wait, not really, but they can't get in. The rumor is, that there is a buzz that gets more and more and more uncomfortable, and then suddenly they simply cannot bear the thought of coming any closer. And so, they just stand out there. It's amazing. I wish I'd thought of it."

"I didn't think of it." He'd had nothing at all to do with it.

"Fair enough, but everybody's still gonna blame you for it, so it doesn't really matter. They're calling it Elowyn's bubble."

"Oh." He stopped right there in the middle of the hall and stared. "Are you shitting me?"

Reno bounced the baby, smiled. "Yes. I totally am."

Elowyn was going to kill him. Boom. Dead. "You are a fucker. I am pregnant. Like, not even just a little pregnant. Like gigantic pregnant. I just had a god possess me, and you're giving me shit?"

Reno grinned him beatifically. "You said you wanted a friend."

There was a long moment where Elowyn had to decide whether to scream, cry, or burst into laughter.

He didn't choose any of those.

"If I start laughing, I'm going to pee myself because I have the pressure of at least a thousand pounds of babies pressing down on my bladder right this second. But, trust me, if I could start laughing. I would."

"There's a bathroom right here by the elevator."

"Thanks." He took advantage of it, since he didn't have to carry Leilani for a moment, then came back out to rejoin Reno. "Lead the way, weirdo man."

"No wonder you don't have omega buddies. You tease like an alpha."

"I am going to smack you silly."

"Nah. I'll use your daughter as a shield." Reno held Leilani up, turning her this way and that until she giggled wildly. Silly girl.

"She really does adore you."

"We've had time to bond. Kids love me." Reno lost his smile for a moment, something that looked like sadness shadowing his eyes. Then he perked back up. "I can't wait to meet your two new ones."

"You and me both. I want to see them and not have them on my bladder anymore."

They made their way to the corridor that led to the pool, Reno stopping for him anytime he needed to catch his breath. "You know what we need in this place?" Reno said.

"What?"

"Golf carts. I could ferry pregnant omegas around all day."

"Ass."

"He really is." Dex, who was mated to James, and was a very sweet omega, joined them on their walk, which surprised Elowyn. "Sorry I haven't been to check on you, Elowyn. I've been a bit under the weather."

"Oh no. Is there anything I can do?" Elowyn reached out to pat Dex's arm. He hated hearing that anyone wasn't feeling well.

"Not unless you can convince my alpha that we should permanently stop having sex."

It took him a minute to catch on, and then he got it. "Oh, oh! I see. Congratulations?"

"Hopefully yes. If I have another one like Felicity, I'm going to move to the North Pole."

Reno began to laugh, and Elowyn fought his chuckles because everyone knew about Felicity.

Everyone.

That child was going to run this entire keep one day, and there was no question about it. Not from anyone. She was only a little girl, and Elowyn already felt sorry for her mate. She was going to be a powerful alpha, though, making her papa look insipid, and that took some doing.

"It takes a special kind of person to have a Felicity, you know," Reno said. "She's special. Kind of like this one. A different kind of special, but special nonetheless."

"They all are. Some are just easier than others." Dex's smile was fond, warm. "Felicity is not easy, but she makes me so proud. She's already working with the teenagers in her schooling. She simply wouldn't be left behind."

They kept walking, and at some point, Dex took Leilani from Reno and started snuggling her. "So how are you? That was terribly frightening what happened."

"It was. I… I thought… I thought for a moment that it was over. But the babies saved me. I'm sure of it."

"Well, it doesn't matter to me who saved who. I'm just glad you're all still here. How are the repairs going on the apartment? Is there anything that you guys need?"

"They're working on the balcony again. The doors have been repaired. Most of the damage has been fixed. We talked about changing apartments, but this is our home. And we don't want to leave it."

"Well, it certainly has character now."

"You're not afraid of me?" Elowyn finally blurted.

"Not at all." Dex sighed. "I think people are intimidated by the fact that you were able to survive that. They also have a little bit of ‘there but by the grace of the gods'… But people will remember who you are and come back around if you can give them time."

Elowyn shrugged. "I'm a healer. It's in my nature to give people what they need."

"Yes, but you must balance that with what you need," Dex said, bouncing Leilani when she began to sing baby nonsense. "I learned that from my mate."

Reno snorted. "He's a go-getter for sure."

"Mmm." Elowyn grinned. "Well, I do have Reno. He's decided to be my friend, annoying as he is."

"There, you see? Reno is a fine friend, for all that he's a big lug."

Reno looked supremely unconcerned with their ribbing. "I'm the best buddy a dragon could ever need. Just ask me, I'll tell you."

Dex chuckled. "You're something, all right."

"He is at that." Elowyn was so ready to get into the water to let the pool buoy his huge belly.

"I'm hoping that today they have chicken parm. I really, really want some chicken parmesan."

Elowyn grinned at Dex. "If you can eat chicken parm, in your early days, you're doing way better than I ever did."

Of course, he could really murder some french fries. At least they always had those. French fries were a staple.

"I'm a little more practiced at this. This is my third time, so my body kind of knows what I'm doing a little bit."

Elowyn snuck a peek at Dex before asking, "Is there really a bubble?"

"There's totally a bubble. Jack says he's never heard of anything like it. I don't know."

Elowyn didn't either. He did know, though, that it had something to do with protecting Leilani, so he was going to be grateful for it. He didn't want to have to be on the run. He wanted to be in his keep.

They got up to the pool, and Reno carefully helped him down into the water, and then Dex handed Leilani down to him.

It took a little while before people started floating up toward him, offering him a smile and nod. It was a bit awkward at first, but once they saw Dex in the water teasing, taking Leilani and playing with her, Elowyn could see the other dragons beginning to relax.

Hailee. You're not at home. Triton always sounded worried.

Braaken, you are observant as always. Oh, that came out a little more sarcastic than he had intended. I'm at the pool.

Did you walk all that way?

Reno helped me. He carried the baby. Lunch should be soon. I was hoping for french fries. I don't suppose you'd want to come up? Visit. Eat. Spend some time not in the apartment.

We'll be right there.

He had a feeling his alphas would ride in like the cavalry, ready to save him, but really, what was there to save him from? The pool wasn't full of chemicals. It was a saltwater pool, so it felt very much like the ocean, and it was perfectly safe for the babies.

Cain was sort of a wonder that way. He provided the best of things for all of them.

He floated, going for serene.

When Triton and Cerran did arrive, he never even opened his eyes. He just let the water hold him up, let his body feel weightless. It was so pleasant, and the chatter of the other dragons around him washed over him, his whole self feeling…healed by the experience.

"Hailee. Are you having fun?" Triton asked, paddling over to him.

"I am. I am so much more relaxed." And he didn't want to tell them how strange it was to be alone in the apartment while they worked.

"Excellent. I think Leilani is in love with Dex."

"No, she's in love with Reno, but I think Dex might be in love with her." He smiled. Did you know Dex is pregnant again?

Well, what a blessing. Should I say congratulations?

I'm not sure if it's public knowledge, maybe you should wait until I get some sort of a nod. It felt surprisingly wonderful to be able to have secrets with his mates. To be able to share things, little joys, given the huge ups and downs of their lives lately.

Since the moment they'd met, in fact.

It was so pleasant to have something normal to share, something silly and sweet. "I want them to be done with the apartment."

Cerran sighed, came over, and squeezed his ankle. "Oh, I do too. It feels like everything has just been discombobulated. And once our balcony is fixed, we can sit out and enjoy the snow with our little heater and wait for the babies to come."

Triton rumbled softly. "Did I tell you that I'm having them make the grating on the balcony much taller and much smaller? So that little ones can see out, but there is no chance for them to get out or crawl over or endanger themselves."

"As long as we can all fit. I still want to sit."

"Of course." Triton inclined his head. "I know how much you like it out there."

He drew in a breath, then let it out. "Thank you, braaken. I just—I'm still feeling very fragile about the apartment."

Cerran came to put a hand under him, supporting him as he floated. "We can still move."

"No, I don't want to move. I don't want them to win." Besides, there were things about the apartment that he liked. There were things about the apartment that he loved.

Right now, there are also parts of the apartment that were broken. There was enough construction mess and snow, and he had to admit that he worried about letting the baby learn to walk.

After all, he didn't want her little feet slipping or hitting something sharp.

He didn't want her falling, getting hurt.

Elowyn took a deep breath, forcing himself to stop, focus. He had to pay attention because he was doing to Leilani what his braaken had been doing to him.

They were all being so scared. They were all broken, deep down, and they just couldn't quite function.

"I don't need to move. I'm going to figure this out. I need to sweep."

Triton chuckled softly. "Why don't you just float for a while? We can sweep when we get home."

Reno swam by, Leilani held out in front of him like she was some sort of a ship. She was laughing, her entire body wriggling as she cackled, splashing in the water and just playing.

Hopefully when the pool didn't explode or turn to orange juice or have electricity shooting out of it or something awful, everyone would decide that they were all right. Maybe then Leilani could have friends.

Elowyn wondered, just in passing, whether he could float in orange juice. It was kind of a horrifying thought, to be honest. That pulp would get stuck in between one's toes and in unmentionable places. And also, there's that whole acid thing with mucous membranes. Whoa.

He began to giggle.

Cerran peered at him. "What's so funny?"

Elowyn opened his mouth to speak, but the laughter hit him and he couldn't.

What was he going to explain?

That he was worried about their infant child possibly turning an entire swimming pool into orange juice or setting the world on fire?

No, he wasn't going to do that, if for no other reason than magic was words made into truth.

The laughter kept on and kept on, lasting so long that it edged toward hysteria, and Triton grabbed him up and hugged him tight and stopped the roll of near panicked sounds

"It's good to hear you laugh. hailee. Would you like a drink?"

"No orange juice."

"No?" Cerran raised his eyebrows. "Well, there's fizzy stuff like Sprite, or there's apple juice or—I think I saw some sort of passionfruit something."

Elowyn shuddered. "Too acidy. The apple juice sounds perfect… Unless there's hot chocolate." He'd learned to love hot chocolate since he'd been at this keep. Such a simple thing, milk and chocolate and marshmallows, but it felt so decadent.

"There just happens to be hot chocolate." Triton steered them to the edge of the pool where he could hang on and let his feet float up. "I'll be right back." Triton pushed out of the water, on his feet in seconds, and Elowyn envied that easy motion. He had to carefully plan his every move so he didn't overbalance.

Reno went by again, and he chuckled. Leilani was going to be okay.

Water would drown any sparks she put out.

Right?