Page 49 of The Pregnant Wolf Omega Next Door

“I burped quite a bit. Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, those smelled smoky. No smoke, though.”

“Hmm,” Zenith said. “Any cravings for spicy food?”

Emre’s eyes went round. “With Abbie, yeah. How did you know that?”

“No reactions to the spicy food?”

Emre fidgeted. “I had cravings, but I never really got to satisfy them. Either the people I was with hated spice, or I didn’t have the money to buy some. When I did get my hands on some chili flakes, I added just a little to my food.”

Zenith frowned. “No reactions when you ate that?”

Emre shrugged. “None that I remember.”

“Maybe you just... don’t present symptoms.”

That made Emre narrow his eyes. “Was I supposed to have more symptoms when I was carrying Abbie?”

“Well... If my guesses are right, then yes. Carrying Abbie should’ve made you burp smoke, maybe breathe a little fire. Especially after you eat spicy food.”

“And how do you know that just from her setting everything on fire?”

Zenith gave Emre a long look. The pieces began to click into place. The fireproofing. The strange, old power Emre sensed from him. Zenith’sscentwas smoky.

“I would prove it,” Zenith said slowly, “but I don’t want to alarm you. You’ve mentioned an aversion to open flame.”

Emre bit his lip. “But this is something I should know, shouldn’t I?”

“It’s something my family tries not to share, because it can become dangerous for us. Certain materials are very valuable to hunters and poachers.” Zenith held out his hand. For a brief moment, his skin turned golden. Shiny. Those werescales.

Materials, Zenith had said. Not humans.

“They—They wantthat?” Emre squeaked, feeling nauseated.

“Yes.” When Zenith’s hand turned back into a human’s, Emre looked up. Zenith flashed his eyes red, his pupils turning into slits like a reptile.

“Wow,” Emre said, feeling overwhelmed.

“I apologize for not telling you sooner,” Zenith said, dipping his chin. “This isn’t something we share lightly. And preferably not with others in range.” He glanced at the apartment’s walls; Emre could hear the sounds from the neighboring apartments, whichmeant that anyone with sharp hearing could listen in on this conversation too.

Emre mimed pulling a zipper across his lips.

Zenith cracked a smile and gestured toward Abbie. “If you want, I can... try and trigger a shift.”

Emre eyed the door.

“We’ll be fine,” Zenith said.

They had only known each other for a couple of days. Despite that, Emre trusted the alpha.

“Okay,” he said.

Zenith moved the furniture around, leaving an empty space in the middle of the living room. Then he sat down facing Abbie, placing himself solidly between Abbie and the front door. Abbie watched him curiously.

Zenith breathed in. He shimmered gold all over, and his body expanded in size, growing bulkier, heavier, his face stretching into a scaly snout. Golden scales covered every inch of his skin. Leathery wings unfurled from his back. His hands became paws, fingernails turning into claws.

There was a huge golden dragon in the middle of the living room.

Emre squeaked, his heart pounding. “This is crazy.”