My mate was truly alive!

His hazel eyes were dazzling with life. I closed my eyes and inhaled his magnificent scent. It changed a bit. He smelt like frost and vanilla. Zyros roared in my chest with delight as our connection to Asche's dragon became more stronger.

Did my bite cause him to shift? There was so much about our bonding that confounded me. I cradled his head and gave him a chaste kiss on his soft, kissable lips. He smiled at me and brushed a finger down my cheek.

"Your eyes are bloodshot red," He mouthed, his eyes intensely scrutinizing me. "Were you crying? I'm here now, so please, don't cry."

Tears filled my eyes and I closed them, blinking back my emotions. "I almost lost you," I said shakily. "I almost went mad. Oh, love, I love you so much, my heart aches heavily for you."

I held him to me and I nuzzled his cheek. He held me, inhaling my scent. "I'm not going anywhere. We'll be together, always and forever. Besides, Zyros has a playmate now or...ahem...a mate, as Altier stated."

"Your dragon?" I leaned up, regarding his serene features, a glimmer of blue flashed in his eyes as he smiled.

"Yes, and he's quite eager to get well acquainted with both of you. I'll have you meet him later," He said, stiffening afterward.

"What's wrong?" I searched his eyes as terror filled them.

"Our baby...Zyaire..." He felt his now flat stomach that was already healed, thanks to me bonding with him. There was a thin scar left that ran across his lower abdomen, a reminder of the battle he fought to bring life into this world.

"My baby..." His voice broke and tears rimmed his eyes.

I grasp his hand, tenderly kissing him. "It's okay, love, she's alright. Dr. Reynolds gave you an emergency c-section just in time to remove her. She's in the nursery, healthy and strong. Don't weep, you did a great job. Come, let's get ourselves cleaned up so that we can't meet our bundle of love."

He sighed in relief as I helped him to sit up on the operating table.

He turned his head back and forth to survey his surroundings. "I'm still in the operating room...and there's blood all over me...and you." He noted, with alarm.

My lips pressed tightly together. "You almost bled out, Asche. I got in here in the nick of time to save you. I don't ever want you to experience something like that again."

"So, no more kids?" He smiled teasingly.

"I'm afraid not." I shook my head. "Your life is precious to me. You've already blessed me with a child and I'm more than grateful to have just one."

His eyes pooled with affection as he gazed at me. "It feels like a dream, having you here with me and not in the land of the dead."

I took his hands in mine, my gaze solemn, "Did you know that I would have followed you there? I couldn't go on if you weren't present in my life. Life would have no value to me. My love for you is strong, stronger than the beat of my immortal heart."

"You're gonna make me tear up," He averted his eyes to his lap, where I held his hands, blinking rapidly and biting his lips. "You've come to mean so much to me. I have no idea when I fell in love with you, but I did and I'm so glad it turned out to be you, obsessive dragon and all." His eyes got swimmy with tears and they finally fell, racing down his cheeks and falling to his lap, only to freeze in mid-air.

I gasped and he laughed throughout the tears. "Surprise. I have an ice dragon."

"Amazing," I whispered, brushing his tears away. "I think I love you all the more."

He caught the ice and sucked on it until it melted down his tongue. I stared at him in amazement.

My mate possessed an ice dragon. One of the rarest of our species. That meant he was one of a kind, special, and all mine.

I kissed him and our tongues tangled until we parted to catch our breaths.

"Where's everyone else?" He asked, placing his forehead on mine.

"They vacated the room after things got a little bit...startling and steamy," I said.

"Should I be concerned?" He asked and I kissed his worries away.

"Nope. They all work for me and they were sworn to secrecy. If not, I'll burn them all to a crisp, to keep my family safe." I said with a fire burning in my eyes.

Asche shuddered. "Are you joking or should I hold my concern?"

I kissed his forehead, responding dryly,

"The latter."

***

Minutes later, after we took a long shower and a session of hot kisses, we came out into the lobby where everyone sat.

As soon as their eyes landed on Asche their eyes bulged out of their heads and they got up so quickly, they were in front of us in a few seconds.

"Asche!" Stephon cried coming over to him and grasping him in a hug. Asche made am 'oomph' sound as he made impact.

"I can't believe you're alive! I was so distraught, I thought you left us." He wept into Asche's shoulders. "Thank goodness you're okay."

Asche tentatively stroked his curly hair as Falcon, Felicia and Kirk came over wearing relieved smiles with eyes overflowing with tears. "Welcome back, Asche," Falcon said, hugging both him and Stephon.

Felicia strode up and me and took me in her arms as Kirk joined Falcon in encasing Asche. "Don't ever scare me like that again. "He whispered to Asche, his eyes closed with falling tears.

My mate was truly loved.

I held on to Felicia and released a shuddering sigh.

"Did you bond with him?" She asked.

"Yes, but I don't think he fully understands what happened. I'll have to explain it to him," I said, pulling back slightly to stare at her.

"In time." She encouraged. "For now, he needs to feel his baby in his arms. He's yet to hold her."

Just the thought of watching Asche hold our baby in his arms filled me with pride and anticipation.

"Yes," I agreed as everyone dispersed and we exchanged hugs and well wishes, drying tears and exhaling in relief.

I took Asche's hand in mine and we walked hand in hand to the private nursery, where our baby was. Stephon walked with Falcon and Felicia walked with Kirk. We were all a pair and it filled me with contentment that Felicia found her significant other in a close friend of Asche's just how Falcon did.

Even though at first, it galled me. Kirk and I did not start off on good terms. After spending a few months with him, I realized he loved Asche like a brother, a brother that he didn't have. Which reminds me, I was supposed to tell Asche about that phone call and some other explicit gory stuff.

I know he'd be upset on all counts. But I'll save the gory details for much later.

We walked down the quiet corridor, only the sound of beeping machines permeated the air. We walked ahead of the others by several steps, rounding a corner, lined with glass that gave us a full view of crying or sleeping babies, rounding another until we arrived at the double door that said, 'nursery'.

I turned to face the others. "I'm sorry but only the parents are allowed in for now. Doctor's orders. You guys can watch from out here if that is okay with you."

"Of course it's okay with us," Felicia spoke first. "If it is the hospital rules, we'll gladly obey them. Now go, your daughter needs you." She waved us inside.

I nodded, allowing Asche in first, stepping in behind him.

Upon entering, a nurse approached us, dressed in all white scrubs, flashing us a cordial smile. "The Armanders?" She asked, her voice soft and gentle.

Are all nurses and doctors pleasant when it comes to same-sex relationships? Let alone two fathers entering to see their baby? Well, I do pay Dr. Reynolds a hefty amount to keep all my affairs under a tight lid. His staff isn't excluded.

I smiled back nonetheless and nodded, recognizing that she assumed we were married. I didn't bother to correct her. No rings were present on our fingers. She probably didn't bother to look.

Asche's inflamed cheeks said that he wasn't expecting that and he merely nodded in response.

My chest swelled with pride.

Mine.

Ours. Zyros corrected and I bit back a smile.

Yes, ours.

Pacified by my response, he settled in my chest.

"Right this way. Your daughter is such a sweetheart. She only sleeps and wakes when it's feeding time."

She led us down an isle of infants in cots, wrapped up neatly in swaddle blankets. Some were asleep and others squirmed, their eyes opening and closing ever so often.

Such cute little beings.

We went all the way to the back of the room where a small cot was positioned near the far wall with 'Baby Girl. Asche and Drakos Armander' written in a card slot above it.

I heard Asche gasp as he reached the cot before me, covering his mouth as a sob escaped his lips. He visibly trembled and I quickly walked up behind him and help him, my breath catching in my throat.

Gods, she was beautiful.

A small infant laid in the cot on her back, wrapped in a blanket printed with pink clouds and a cap on her head the matched the blanket. Strands of auburn hair peeped out from under her cap, curling over it. It was the blanket that Asche bought for her a particular day when we were shopping for baby items.

Freckles were splashed across her cheeks that were fanned by long lashes. Is it normal for babies to sport lashes that early? Let alone freckles? That's odd but it still contributed to her beauty.

She yawned and settled back to sleep. I fell in love at first sight. We created her, this amazing little being.

Asche continued to sob as he gazed down at her, covering his lips to stifle the sound.

The nurse smiled and offered to give us space, prompting us that she'll be back in a few minutes to help Asche with holding the baby as a first-time dad.

All I could manage was a nod, my eyes, heart, and soul enraptured by our daughter.

Our beautiful little Zyaire.

***