Even though we’d been out until nearly dawn the night before, I woke early on Christmas Day. 

Something was different. 

I sniffed the air, rolled over. 

It was my mate. 

Will was still sleeping on his side, curled up into a little ball with a pillow hugged to his chest. He looked so peaceful like that, so happy. I hated to rouse him. 

But there was definitely something off about him. About that smell. I sniffed the air again.

Had his scent changed, somehow? 

No, that wasn’t right. 

“What are you doing?” Will mumbled sleepily. 

I jerked away. Hadn’t realized he was awake. But now that he was...

“Are you...are you feeling all right?” I asked, not sure how to phrase my question. “You smell funny.”

Will rolled over, a confused look on his face. “Maybe you’re still smelling all the woodsy smells from last night. We rolled around in the grass for a while after, remember?” 

Oh, did I ever.

“No, this is different. It’s...I dunno. Probably nothing. You’re right.”

Probably something, my dragon crooned within me.

As my mind cleared, I remembered Will’s awkward demeanor before the run last night. I remembered him wanting to tell me something, before I’d gotten that damned phone call. 

Did that have something to do with all of this?

“That was fun,” Will mumbled, rolling back over to bury his face in the pillow. God, he was so adorable when he was sleepy. 

I traced the curve of his shoulder down to his back with my eyes, taking in each slope and angle. No matter what little imperfections he thought he had, he would always be perfect to me.

“Can we do it again sometime?” Will asked after a moment. It came out kinda muffled, but I got the idea.

“Oh,” I said, backtracking. I blinked a few times, trying to get my mind back on the conversation. “Flying, you mean? You weren’t scared?”

Will shrugged. “A little. But,” he shook his head, “No. Not really. I knew you wouldn’t let me fall.”

I rolled over and curled up against him, kissing the back of his neck. “Never.”

That might have been a mistake. This close to him, the smell was even stronger. It wasn’t bad, no. Just...different. And something about it pulled at my core instincts to protect and love and nurture...

Wait a second.

“Will,” I started talking before I could rationalize my way out of it again.

“Mmhm?”

“What was it you wanted to talk to me about last night? Seemed important, and then I had that phone call, and then we got caught up in the run...” I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I should have listened to you. But I’m here now. What’s up?”

A gnawing, growing certainty told me I already knew what it was, but I wanted to hear him say it. Wanted to prove this wasn’t just a wishful fantasy.

Will turned over to face me. His brilliant green eyes captured mine and I laid there, enthralled. The room was so quiet I could hear the racing beat of his heart. 

He pursed his lips for a moment, thinking. Then he gently took my hand and placed it over his stomach. “I don’t know how to tell you this,” Will started, his voice barely more than a whisper. “But I think I might be pregnant.”

In that moment, my entire world shifted.

Pregnant. I repeated the word in my mind. 

It sounded almost too good to be true. I splayed my fingers over Will’s belly, caressing the soft, warm skin there. Then I bent down and gave him a kiss, right over the belly button. 

This time the scent hit me full on. Yep. It was definitely coming from my mate, and definitely emanating out from around his midsection. Right where his womb would be. 

All the pieces clicked into place and I stared up at him, eyes watering. Could I really be so blessed?

That lingering scent, the one that burrowed into my heart and soul, was not just coming from Will. I realized that now. It was coming from both of them—my mate, and the small spark of life growing inside him. 

I choked out a disbelieving laugh, bringing him close in a bear hug. Will squeaked and squirmed against me.

“What?” He laughed, nuzzling into my neck. “What’s the matter?”

I drew back then, to make sure I looked him in the eyes when I said it. “You’re right. That’s what I was smelling. And this is the best Christmas gift I could have ever asked for.” I closed the gap and claimed his lips. I needed to let him know just how much this meant to me.

Will let out a breathy moan and opened up, our tongues tangling as now not only two, but three spirals of energy built and combined. 

A child. A family. 

“You really mean it?” Will said, his eyes wet. 

“Mmhm,” I nodded, kissing his forehead, his eyelids, his nose. “We’re going to have a baby!”

My mate’s beautiful grin stretched wider till I thought it might split his face in half. His eyes crinkled at the corners. His shoulders shook. Then he laughed. With joy and relief and love. 

I held him there, laughing and crying and taking in the moment. I never thought I could want something so much. Never dared to.

But Will made me want things I’d never even dreamed. 

The image of a cute little child formed in my mind. Big, green eyes like his daddy. A mop of curly hair. Small fingers and toes that reached out for everything with unquenchable curiosity. And a smile so big it could light the darkest night.

“It’s a Christmas miracle,” Will breathed, but even he rolled his eyes at how cheesy that sounded. “It really is, though. I thought I might be, and I was afraid of what you’d say, and—“

“Stop.” I held up my hand. “You didn’t tell me sooner because you were afraid I wouldn’t approve?”

Will looked away, sheepish. “Well...yeah. I didn’t know what your plans were.”

I huffed out a breath and drew him close to my body again, my lips trailing up and down the curve of his ear. Will shivered in my arms, then relaxed.

“You think I’m just going to leave you? After news like this?” I whispered each word, punctuating them with butterfly kisses.

“I...” Will stammered. “I was scared. I didn’t know. You’ve got your firm in New York, your apartment, your...”

“Hey,” I stopped him again. “That can all be adjusted. I’d already made up my mind, was going to go sign the papers with Rosemary today, but this? This just seals the deal.”

“So you’re staying? Really? You’re keeping the Dozing Dragon?” Will’s voice came out soft, hopeful. And it was that spark of hope that had drawn me to him ever since the beginning.

“I’ll have to make some changes,” I admitted. “And it won’t be easy. But yes, Will. I’m staying. For you, and for Rose, and for the Dozing Dragon, and for our child. I’m staying.”

“And for you?” Will followed up without missing a beat. “What do you want?”

I already knew the answer to that one. “Everything I want is right here.” I held him against me, relishing the slow, steady beat of his heart, until we both drifted back to sleep.

“Can we finally go down there?” Will asked me after waking up the second time. “We waited until Christmas morning. Now I’m dying to see what Nellie left us.”

“You don’t want to finish your tea first?” I asked, peering over the rim of my mug.

“I can bring it with,” Will offered. “I just can’t stop thinking about it.”

I stood and placed my mug back in the sink. “Fine, Mr. Impatient. Let’s go.” Once he set his mind to something, I’d never get a word in edgewise. Better just to go along with it.

And I was curious, too. With all the mystery and magic surrounding this place, who knew what could be down there?

We walked through the twisting hallways to end up at the spare storage room at the back of the house. The room had never really been used for much, but there was an old musty rug and a leather armchair positioned in the middle of the creaky floorboards. A painting from a local artist hung on the wall and covering every other square inch of floor space were boxes, boxes, and more boxes. Will’s eyes widened when I opened the door and we saw the mess.

Mine did too. I just hid it better.

“So it’s true what they say about dragons and their hoards,” Will teased, squeezing a path between the debris with his small frame.

“Hey, not all dragons are hoarders,” I pointed out and tried to follow him. But I was a good bit larger, and had to shift some of the boxes to make a path. 

Will huffed out a laugh at that. “Oh, and you’re not? Dude, have you seen the amount of paperwork you brought with you? We have computers for a reason, but you keep printing everything out. The stack of books and papers in your office alone is probably as tall as you are. Save the trees, man!”

“I just like to read and make notes in hard copy!” I protested, but I knew it wouldn’t get me far. He’d caught me there.

Will made it to the center of the room and peered at the ancient rug. “She said it was under here?” 

“Yeah, think so. Gonna have to move the chair first, though.”

“I got it.” He leaned into the chair and pushed. It didn’t move. His face strained, his muscles bulged. Nothing. “I don’t got it,” he panted, drooping. 

Will crouched down and inspected the chair’s legs while I moved closer. “Is this thing bolted to the floor or something? I don’t see any screws...”

“It’s a heavy chair, and the friction of the rug is making it even harder,” I explained. I joined him on the other side, getting a firm grip. “You push, I’ll pull. Ready?”

He straightened and braced himself against the frame again. “Ready.”

With more than a few grunts and a high-pitched squeal of wood and metal, we got the chair moved off the rug and into a cleared-out space I’d created. I wiped my brow and turned around to dig my fingers under the old rug. “Now for the main event.”

I peeled back the heavy rug and dust flew everywhere. I sneezed, which just kicked up more particles. But dust and grime aside, I forgot it almost entirely when I saw the trapdoor hidden there. 

“Whoa.” Will came closer. “This house is so cool. Who has a secret trapdoor room?”

“My mom did, apparently. Now stand back, I’m gonna open it.”

Will scooted into an empty corner and I gripped the metal handle, feeling a spark of magical energy the moment we touched. Not just a secret trapdoor. An enchanted secret trapdoor. Just what was she hiding down here?

I groaned and lifted upward, the old door coming free from decades worth of dirt and disrepair at last. It creaked open and I lost my grip, sending it banging over onto the adjacent pile of boxes with a crash. 

“Sorry,” I whispered, wincing. “Hopefully nothing breakable in there.”

“Look!” Will pointed.

I followed his lead. The trapdoor opened up into an old crawl space. I couldn’t see much from this vantage point but there was some sort of light coming from inside. Seemed pretty far away, judging from the dimness, but it was impossible to tell from up here. Just how far across the house did this tunnel go?

“Alphas first.” Will nudged me. “I’m not goin’ in there alone.”

“Suit yourself,” I said, and hopped down into the crawl space. 

I flicked on the flashlight app on my phone as soon as I got down there, and once my eyes had adjusted to the light, I couldn’t believe what I saw.

“Will!” I cried hoarsely. “Get down here!”

“Coming!” I heard him say from above. A scuffling sound. Then footsteps. “What is the big. deal?” He came up beside me and he too, stopped short. 

“Whoa.”

Now this was a dragon’s hoard. A pile of golden trinkets, goblets, and gems lay before us, like some kind of pirates plunder. I blinked a few times. Rubbed my eyes. Where did she get all this stuff?

“Are you seeing...what I’m seeing?” Will said, his voice shaking.

“Talk about a dragon hoard,” I muttered in awe. I stepped forward when I noticed a dusty sign sticking out of the ground. I kneeled and directed the light, brushing the dust away so that I could read it.

Will and I read the sign aloud.

I read it again, the words blurring as tears welled up in my eyes. She’d often allude to her “younger days”, but I had no idea she meant anything like this...

“So she’s basically the best hoarder of all time,” Will joked, still staring in awe at the gems.

“Something like that.” I shook my head, smiled, and laughed. “I think I figured out how we’re gonna both save my company and The Dozing Dragon.”

“Just like that?” Will asked, taking my hand.

“Nellie’s secret stash and a baby on the way? This is seriously the best Christmas ever.”