The Hellhound’s UnChristmas Miracle

by Chant, Zoe

  Meaghan’s eyes lit up. “So, you’re your own alpha now?”

  “Well…” He exchanged a look with Sheena. “That depends. What day is it?”

  “Meet-your-family day,” she murmured. “Which means you’re in charge.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him, and power tugged deliciously under his skin as they each tested one another’s authority. Sheena pushed up onto her tiptoes and nipped him on the chin. “And no take-backs,” she warned him.

  *Not until tonight,* he replied, and she blushed bright red.

  “Lunch!” Meaghan announced, and there was a flurry of activity from the direction of the kitchen. Fleance cast out his senses and found Rhys and Manu. Meaghan grinned. “If I don’t give them anything to do, they default to standing around staring at me and the babies like they’re terrified we’re going to shatter into a million pieces.”

  “Or call up absent members of the pack to join the vigil,” Caine said, suitably abashed. He nodded at Fleance. “If my message sounded a bit panicked…”

  “It’s because he is panicking. Constantly.” Meaghan sighed dramatically, then met Fleance’s eyes. “You said Parker isn’t a danger anymore?”

  Fleance quickly explained, with Sheena backing him up, that Parker had lost his alpha powers and wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone else. That he would never set foot in Pine Valley again.

  “Good.” Meaghan closed her eyes briefly. “That was the one thing that was panicking me. If he’s dealt with…” Her gaze softened as she looked down at her babies, then at Caine. “This feels a lot like happy ever after,” she said quietly.

  Power tugged beneath Fleance’s skin again, and he looked down at Sheena. Without speaking, they moved to the edge of the room, letting the hellhound alpha and his mate have their private moment.

  And giving them the space to have one for themselves. Sheena blushed, and tipped her head back. *Seeing them like this… I don’t know,* she whispered, shaking her head.

  *Makes you want to be in charge again?*

  She slipped her arms around his waist. *Makes me want to have as much to protect as they do.*

  Excitement leaped in Fleance’s heart and her eyebrows drew together, mock-severe.

  *After traveling the world. And showing you what a real New Zealand Christmas is like. And kicking Parker’s arse some more. And—we can’t do it all at once, can we?*

  *Can’t we?*

  As he kissed her, Fleance thought for the first time in his life that maybe, just maybe, he could have everything his heart desired.

  A note from Zoe Chant

  Thank you for buying my book! I hope you enjoyed it. If you’d like to be emailed when I release my next book, please click here to be added to my mailing list. You can also visit my webpage, or follow me on Facebook or Twitter. You are also invited to join my VIP Readers Group on Facebook!

  Please consider reviewing The Hellhound’s UnChristmas Miracle, even if you only write a line or two. I appreciate all reviews, whether positive or negative.

  Page down to read a special sneak preview of A Mate for the Christmas Dragon, book 1 in the A Mate for Christmas series.

  The cover of The Hellhound’s UnChristmas Miracle was designed by Marie Hodgkinson.

  More Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant

  The Griffin’s Mate. (Hideaway Cove #1) A curvy businesswoman who’s new in town + a lonely griffin shifter searching for someone to share his nest + a small town with a big secret = a hot and heartwarming story of love and family.

  The Sea Wolf’s Mate. (Hideaway Cove #2) Three adorable seal shifter kids, a wolf shifter without a pack… and a woman who thought she’d lost her chance at happy ever after.

  A Mate for the Christmas Dragon. (A Mate for Christmas #1) Jasper has five days to win his mate’s heart. Luckily, it’s Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year. Unluckily… his mate hates the holidays.

  Christmas Hellhound (A Mate for Christmas #2) Can a hellhound really save Christmas?

  Christmas Pegasus (A Mate for Christmas #3) Last Christmas, Jackson gave Olly his heart - and her inner owl chewed it up and spat it back at him. This Christmas, he’s determined to win her and her owl’s love. Even if she isn’t his fated mate.

  Panther’s Promise. (Shifter Suspense #1) A curvy artist struggling with self-doubt + a panther shifter who's out of touch with his panther + a kidnapper with deadly plans = one thrilling romantic adventure!

  Saved by the Billionaire Lion Shifter. (Shifter Suspense #2) A billionaire lion shifter fighting to fill the hole in his heart + a curvy reporter on an undercover assignment + an island paradise where all is not as it seems = one dangerously hot romance!

  Stealing the Snow Leopard’s Heart. (Shifter Suspense #3). A stick-in-the-mud snow leopard shifter PI + an ex-thief who can’t escape her past + an adorable baby dragon who thinks they’re both part of her hoard = one sweet and sexy romance!

  Firefighter Dragon. (Fire & Rescue Shifters # 1). A curvy archaeologist with the find of a lifetime + a firefighter dragon shifter battling his instincts + a priceless artifact coveted by a ruthless rival = one blazing hot romance!

  Firefighter Pegasus. (Fire & Rescue Shifters # 2). A curvy pilot wary of flighty men + a firefighter pegasus shifter determined to win her heart + a high speed air race with even higher stakes = one explosive romance!

  Firefighter Griffin. (Fire & Rescue Shifters # 3). A curvy single mom burned by love + a unique half-eagle, half-lion shifter firefighter with a wounded soul + the little boy who brings them together = one heart-warming romance!

  Trusting the Tiger. A lonely BBW who can't shift, on vacation with her shifter family + a billionaire tiger shifter looking for a family + a kidnapping plot that threatens to rip them apart = one sexy and dangerous weekend getaway!

  Zoe Chant writing as Lia Silver

  Laura’s Wolf (Werewolf Marines # 1), by Lia Silver. Werewolf Marine Roy Farrell, scarred in body and mind, thinks he has no future. Curvy con artist Laura Kaplan, running from danger and her own guilt, is desperate to escape her past. Together, they have all that they need to heal.

  Prisoner (Werewolf Marines # 2), by Lia Silver. Werewolf Marine DJ Torres is a born rebel. Genetically engineered assassin Echo was created to be a weapon. When DJ is captured by the agency that made Echo, the two misfits find that they fit together perfectly.

  Partner (Werewolf Marines # 3), by Lia Silver. DJ and Echo’s relationship grows stronger under fire… until they are confronted by a terrible choice.

  Zoe Chant writing as Lauren Esker

  Handcuffed to the Bear (Shifter Agents # 1), by Lauren Esker. A bear-shifter ex-mercenary and a curvy lynx shifter searching for her best friend's killer are handcuffed together and hunted in the wilderness. Can they learn to rely on each other before their pasts, and their pursuers, catch up with them?

  Guard Wolf (Shifter Agents # 2), by Lauren Esker. Avery is a lone werewolf with no pack; Nicole is a social worker trying to put her life back together. When he comes to her door with a box of orphan werewolf puppies and danger in pursuit, can two lonely people find the family they've been missing?

  Dragon’s Luck (Shifter Agents # 3) by Lauren Esker. Gecko shifter and infiltration expert Jen Cho teams up with sexy dragon-shifter gambler "Lucky" Lucado to win a high-stakes poker game. Now they're trapped on a cruise ship full of mobsters, mysterious enemy agents, and evil dragons!

  Keeping Her Pride (Ladies of the Pack # 1), by Lauren Esker. Down-and-out lioness shifter Debi Fallon never meant to fall in love with a human. Sexy architect and single dad Fletcher Briggs has his hands full with his adorable 4-year-old… who turns into a tiny, deadly snake. Can two ambitious people overcome their pride and prejudice enough to realize the only thing missing from their lives is each other?

  Special Sneak Preview

  A Mate for the Christmas Dragon

  Jasper

  * * *

  DECEMBER 20

  FIVE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

  Jasper thudded int
o the snowbank, arms upraised to defend himself from the vicious assault.

  “Raar! Raaaaar!” his nephew roared, leaping onto his chest. Jasper lowered his arms— just in time to see that Cole hadn’t jumped up empty-handed. A snowball the size of a football exploded on his face.

  “Cole, leave your uncle alone!”

  Jasper sat up, spitting snow, at the sound of his older sister Opal’s exasperated but loving voice. He rubbed snow out of his eyes and grinned at her. Jasper had just arrived in town, spat out of the inter-city bus with a swarm of excited Christmas vacationers. He’d caught sight of Opal and his nephew across the road, loaded down with Christmas shopping— and hadn’t even had a chance to say hello before Cole launched his attack.

  It was a year since he’d seen Opal last, but she hadn’t changed a bit. Still the same dusting of freckles on her long Heartwell nose, the same bright eyes the color of the gem she was named after— and the same pleased-but-hiding-it scowl, which he was sure she saved just for him. He could just imagine how she would flick her wings at him if she was in her dragon form.

  Jasper waved at his sister as Cole tried to stuff more snow down his collar. “Hey, sis. Not even an hour back in town and I’m attacked— argh, and frozen to death— by my own blood. What sort of a welcome do you call this?”

  Opal rolled her eyes at him. He got the feeling if she hadn’t been laden down with shopping bags, she would have crossed her arms.

  “Maybe the sort of welcome a good-for-nothin’ brother gets when he doesn’t even tell his family he’ll be home for Christmas? Where’s your car? What did you do, bus here with the rest of the tourists?” Her jewel-toned eyes flicked from side to side, and Jasper’s heart sank. He knew what she was looking for. “Oh. It’s... just you, then?” she asked, her voice smaller.

  “Yeah.” Jasper didn’t want to see the look in her eyes as he admitted it. He stood up, slinging Cole over his shoulder. The little boy whooped with excitement. “Just me— and a suitcase full of presents! What do you think, buddy? Can your old uncle Jasper come stay for Christmas?”

  “Yeah! Presents!” Cole jiggled happily on Jasper’s shoulder, then tugged on his ear. Jasper turned his head obediently to catch the boy’s whisper. “Can we go flying, too?”

  Jasper stared into his nephew’s innocent, blue-black eyes. Inside him, his dragon shivered, but he couldn’t let his feelings show. Not in front of Cole. He grinned, and winked at him. “Go flying? You betcha, buddy.”

  Opal sucked in a breath. Jasper didn’t blame her. Right now, she would be wondering whether, in a few days’ time, he’d ever be able to fly again.

  He sighed. Whatever grim suspicions she was harboring, she was right to be worried. And she deserved more than him pretending everything was okay.

  Jasper grabbed the handle of the suitcase he’d dropped when Cole launched his attack, and trundled over to his sister. She glared up at him, but her frown didn’t hide the tears in her eyes.

  Guilt lanced through him, double-edged: one for his human side, and one for his dragon. And a hell of a lot for his sister.

  “Hey,” he said softly, putting one arm around her. She elbowed him grumpily, but didn’t pull away. “It’s all right.”

  “No, it’s not,” Opal grumbled. “You’re turning twenty-five this Christmas, and if you’ve come here alone, that means— you’re going to have to choose...” Her shoulders slumped and she glanced up at Cole, who was busy making airplane noises and stealing Jasper’s hat. *And whatever you choose, I lose part of my brother.*

  Jasper’s smile cracked, and he pulled his sister into a bear hug. “Hey, it’s all right. I’ll still be here.” Some of me, at least. Oh, hell. What am I doing to myself? To my family?

  “What’s wrong?”

  Jasper winced. He shouldn’t have said that out loud. Now Cole was leaning over his shoulder, peering into both adults’ faces.

  “Are you in trouble, uncle Jasper? Mommy, is he in trouble?”

  Jasper watched his sister take a deep breath and force a smile on her face. “Oh, he sure is! So much trouble. And you know what people get for Christmas when they’ve been bad, right?”

  A grin cracked across Cole’s face and he threw his head back with a mad cackle. “Me!”

  “That’s right! You get Cole in your stocking!”

  Jasper stifled a snort-laugh. *You realise that joke’s going to get old fast, right?*

  *Going to get old? It’s been the number one, top Heartwell Family joke since September. It’s so old, it’s got wrinkles. You have a bit of catching up to do, little bro.*

  She smiled at him, but her eyes were still sad. Jasper’s chest hurt and inside him, his dragon shivered again. Harder this time, like it wanted to shake loose from him.

  He didn’t blame it. Whatever happened this Christmas, one of them would end up... gone.

  “Can uncle Jasper come with us to the big tree and and and you can have a coffee and I can have a cookie?” Cole implored, hanging sideways off Jasper’s shoulder so he could stare imploringly at his mother. “Pleaaaaase?”

  Opal snorted and flicked his nose. “I can have a coffee, huh? You sure know the way to your mommy’s heart. Okay. Jas, you want to dump your stuff in the car and we can head down to the square?”

  After a bit of load-swapping, where Jasper made sure he was carrying all of Opal’s shopping bags, and his suitcase, and his firecracker nephew, and his sister didn’t have to carry anything, Opal led the way back to the car. It was already laden down with a day’s shopping, but Jasper managed to wedge his suitcase into the trunk.

  His mouth watered as he peeked into a canvas bag full of holiday groceries. “You planning to feed an army, sis?”

  Opal snorted. “A four-year-old dragon shifter, which is basically the same thing. You remember how much we ate at his age?”

  “And more every year after...” Jasper cracked open the lid of a chiller box. “He’s only going to get bigger— ooh, leg of lamb? My favorite!”

  Opal slapped his hand away. “You mean, my favorite. I didn’t even know you were coming, remember?” She shut the trunk with a thud and shot him a sideways glance. “And, not gonna lie to you, bro, I kind of wish you weren’t here. You still have—” Her voice broke, but she pushed through, scowling at the car. “You still have five days—”

  “For what?” Jasper checked that Cole was still distracted by the display in a nearby shop window, and stepped closer to Opal.

  She narrowed her eyes. “You know what.”

  “Opal, I’ve spent the last five years traveling the world, trying to find her. If she even exists.” Jasper pulled his woolen hat off and ran his fingers through his dark hair. “I’ve tried matchmaking services, blind dates, double dates, online dating, everything I could think of, in hundreds of cities, and I’m— I’m tired, sis. I just want to spend Christmas with my family.”

  Opal’s eyes softened. “You know we’re always here for you.” She squeezed his arm. “Whatever happens.”

  “Thanks, sis. Now, let’s go get that coffee. I think I’m going to need one, too.” He grinned at her. His face felt stiff, but— he’d made his choice. And it was the right one. Wasn’t it?

  I want to spend Christmas with my family. Even if it’s my last Christmas as myself.

  Opal called Cole back over and Jasper braced himself as the little boy tackled him. He swung his nephew up on his shoulders again. Cole made his hands into claws and roared.

  “Hey,” Opal whispered. “Remember what we said about being a human while we’re in town?”

  Cole flopped forward, his arms dangling limply over Jasper’s face. “Ye-es,” he admitted reluctantly. When Opal looked away, he made little claws and scrabbled at Jasper’s forehead. *Raar!* he roared telepathically.

  *I heard that, Cole Jasper Heartwell!* his mother called back. “Come on. Let’s go get that coffee. And your cookie, if you behave.”

  Jasper chuckled. God, it’s good to be home. He came back to the mountains as
often as he could, but with his quest to find a mate taking up most of his time for the last few years, that hadn’t been much. Now that he was here, with the sky stretching endlessly overhead, and the peaks and valleys of the mountains promising hundreds of hours of fun adventures with his nephew…

  Maybe it won’t be so hard.

  Inside him, Jasper’s dragon curled into a tighter ball. Lately it had been doing that a lot. That, and shivering. Like it couldn’t decide whether it wanted to hold on, or flee.

  He lowered his head and followed his sister down the street.

  The town square was just as he remembered it from the last Christmas he’d spent in town. A giant tree stood in the centre, festooned with gold decorations and glowing with a thousand lights. More ropes of lights were strung out from the top of the tree, connecting to the shopfronts that ran around the edge of the square, and right on top of it was a massive star that twinkled in the lights that seemed to hang in the air below it. It was magical.

  Which was silly for a dragon to think, but Jasper had always had a special place in his heart for all the trappings of Christmas. It was his birthday, after all. And a time when people came together in happiness and joy, and all good things. The perfect time of year. Especially these last few years. With his quest to find his mate being such a failure, Christmases at home with his family had been the one certainty in life he could rely on.

  Some of the tension in Jasper’s chest unwound. He caught up with Opal in a few long strides and linked arms with her. “Where this coffee? My shout.”

  “There— see the piles of exhausted parents under the tree?” Opal pointed.

  Low benches and chairs were arranged around glowing braziers beneath the spreading branches of the massive Christmas tree. A coffee cart designed to look like Santa’s sleigh was parked in the middle of them, holding baristas in red and white costumes who were busily dispensing life-giving drinks to the lifeless-looking inhabitants of the chairs.