“I need gas. Anyone else need out?” he called back to us, and nearly everyone agreed. The drive was only about two hours, but you’d think we’d been stuck in this car for days. I was about to lose my mind from Aeson and Tristan’s attempts at karaoke, Calev’s silence, Lachlan’s snores, and Evander’s restlessness. I needed a break.
He navigated through the tiny town and pulled up to a gas station that shared a building with a Mom and Pop type of diner.
“Red Kettle, that’s downright adorable,” Tristan commented as he stepped out and stretched, his shirt riding up and showing off his toned stomach.
“It’s got nothing on Gretta’s food, I’m sure,” Lach joked in a haughty voice, but none of us could disagree. The last time we’d seen her, she’d gone out of her way to make our favorite desserts, just to spoil us. And coming from a girl with a shitty past that had never been indulged in any way, it was huge.
As soon as we got inside, I made a beeline for the coffee kiosk, making a huge cup before grabbing a bag of dark chocolate candies and snagging Calev a soda and his favorite chips. I didn’t bother to wait for the others, knowing everyone else could handle their own.
“Well, hello there,” an old man said as I walked up, giving me a toothy, dentured grin. I smiled back and slid my stuff across while he started ringing it up, the old cash register practically groaning with each button he pressed.
“Hello,” I offered back, with an easy smile. His nametag read Ernest, and I almost had to laugh. It was such a typical name for a small town shop.
“Have a safe trip!” he said after I paid, bagging up the goodies and handing them over with my change.
“We will, thanks, Ernest!” I called, and he beamed a smile at me, already waiting for the next order.
I walked outside and reclaimed the front seat by putting my coffee in the cupholder and dropping the snacks on the seat. Calev was still pumping gas, so I walked over to him.
“I grabbed yours, too,” I said as I leaned against the pump, shivering when a particularly icy wind blew past. He grinned and pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me. I swear, gargoyles must have some kind of impenetrable skin because he was never cold.
“Thanks, Little Psycho,” he teased, kissing my cheek and nuzzling his nose into my neck. “You’re killing me today. These jeans hug your ass perfectly, and you smell delicious.”
“Hey, I thought Van was the only one who wanted to eat me,” I laughed, barely suppressing the shiver that ran down my spine.
“Oh no, he’s just the only one who needs your blood to live,” he deadpanned, placing a kiss on my sensitive flesh right as the pump clicked, indicating the car was full. He pulled away reluctantly and finished up, the others quickly joining us.
“I’m taking shotgun,” I said, climbing in and sorting out our snacks and his drink.
Five minutes later, we were back on the road, and the only sounds were the crunching of snacks, the tires on the gravel, and the pounding of my nervous and excited heart. Cole and I had had plenty of conversations, but it had been months since I’d seen him, and I hoped he didn’t clam back up. Having him in my life, even if unexpected, felt like an attempt at a new beginning. I’d be able to give him the love I never got, and if I could manage to keep him close to his pack and Marley, then it could work really well for us all. I just wished I would have had a chance to know my sister.
Calev navigated past the trees and into the pack community, and just like last time, the moment we crossed from human lands to pack, we were surrounded by bears, flashes of russet fur and glowing eyes barely visible in the shadows of the treeline. He ignored it and went straight for the main lodge and parked. The moment we climbed out, Lachlan’s dad, the alpha of the pack, was walking out of the front door, like he’d been waiting to greet us.
But I was too busy looking around to focus on him, all nerves falling away as I appreciated the extent of what they’d done. Every home and business was lined in cheery Christmas lights, brightly lit even though it was daytime. The black street lamps were adorned in bows and pine garland and lights. I’d never seen such an idyllic town outside of those amazingly cheesy movies that aired every holiday season.
“Holy shit,” Lachlan said eloquently, breaking the moment as the guys snorted. “We never decorate like this.”
“Well, frankly, we knew you were coming, and we wanted to show you guys a better greeting than we did last time. You’re all a part of this pack for as long as you want to be, and I heard a rumor that your girl here loves the season,” Brad explained with a shrug, a pink tint to his cheeks. I grinned at him and nodded, realizing Lach’s mom must’ve shared our email chain with her husband. One of our attempts at breaking some of the ice between us had been talking about our favorite seasons and holidays. “Make sure you stop by your mom’s shop; she made a special batch of cookies for you guys.”
“We will,” Lach assured, his voice a little choked up as he walked forward and wrapped his arms around his dad. Without hesitation, the larger alpha hugged him back, giving new meaning to the term bear hug. One thing I’d learned about shifters was that they thrived on touch, and I already thought I could see some of the tension loosening in Lach’s shoulders just from that contact.
Before we could say anything else, the sound of footsteps had us turning and finding Marley and my nephew Cole coming up behind us. Seeing his vibrant blue eyes made all the worry worth it because I’d missed him so freaking badly I couldn’t stand it.
“Cole!” I called out as I ran to him, my nephew flying down the path toward us in response. He jumped, and I held out my arms, catching him just in time to hug him tightly. We didn’t move for a moment, simply letting the world around us right itself now that we were reunited. Our magic danced along our skin, like calling to like, and I had to fight not to cry. The connection between the two of us was one of the first times that I was truly and totally seen, our power recognizing each other at an innate level that I’d never experienced with any other supernatural. “Man, I’ve missed you, little dude.”
“We talked last week,” he said, pulling away and laughing at my teary expression, but his eyes held a hint of sadness in them too.
When school finally ends, I’m coming to get him first thing.
He already looked so much bigger, and we’d only been gone for six months. In that time, we’d watched him grow so much, and he was really coming out of himself. Now that he was exercising his speech and social skills, no longer isolating himself from the pack, there was a maturity in the way he carried himself, the way he talked, and it felt like I was just missing so much.
His pale skin also had some color now, and he seemed happier, which was a huge deal to me. His mom, my sister, had been sick for a long time. Like me, she’d been created by a group of scientists who’d thought themselves gods. Unlike me, their genetic tampering hadn’t gone so well, and while I’d been able to grow into my powers and live a mostly healthy life, social life totally excluded from that, she had been sick for a long time. Cole had had to watch her wither away, just barely hanging onto life for far too long.
“It’s not the same.” He grew serious and hugged me tighter this time, his old soul shining through again.
“Hey, cub,” Lachlan greeted as he walked up, my bear’s smile soft as he took us in.
“Hi, Uncle Lach,” he said, and Lach’s eyes lit up at the title. Cole had never really called them anything outside of their names, and he had no idea how much this would mean to them, especially Lach, whose love of family was central to who he was.
“Hey, guys,” Marley said as she joined us, hugging her brother tight. “How do you like the town?”
“It’s gorgeous,” I said, her smile widening at my compliment.
“It was actually kind of nice to get the whole pack involved in something so fun. Outside of full moon runs, we don’t really function as a whole very often,” she explained.
“Well, that’s something we can change,” Lach said, leading
the way back to the others.
“Your dad was just telling us that they’re having a huge Christmas potluck on Christmas Day, and a hot chocolate and cookie baking night at the lodge on Christmas Eve,” Aeson said, his eyes lighting up.
“That sounds… fun,” Lach said, his obvious confusion making his dad chuckle.
“Yeah, we haven’t been much on big gatherings and stuff, but I think you guys taught us a bit about our traditions being outdated, so we’re making some new ones of our own,” he said, sounding unsure but proud.
“That’s great, Alpha,” Lach replied softly, clearing his throat like he was trying to fight off emotions.
“So, the cabin you stayed at isn’t free, but we just renovated the back rooms of the lodge into temporary guest suites, so you guys can stay here,” he explained, clearly changing the subject.
“Cole and I have to get back to the school, but we’re closed for the holidays starting tomorrow, so we can make plans,” Marley said, fixing Cole’s hat. I smiled, loving how sweet she was to him.
“Meet for dinner?” Lach asked.
“Gretta’s at six?” she shot back.
“Of course,” I agreed for him; we would likely be eating there for nearly every meal.
“I’ve got to get some work done too, but I’ll be in my office if you need anything,” Brad said, handing Lach a set of keys before walking off.
“Let’s grab our bags first,” Calev suggested, climbing gracefully on top and tossing our bags down. Well, everyone’s but mine since he shouldered both of ours. I didn't bother to argue, instead heading for the lodge and holding the door open for them.
He led us through the back hallway, and I was surprised to see how big it truly was. Last time we were here we only saw the main room and his father’s office. When he stopped outside a group of rooms, he dropped his bag and tried a few keys until one unlocked it. He pushed it open and let out a whistle after peeking inside.
“This used to be a classroom,” he muttered in shock.
“What gave it away?” Van snarked, pointing to the giant blackboard that was still hanging on the wall. But that was about all that pointed to its former purpose. Now it was like a small apartment, two large beds on one wall, a couch and tv set up in the middle, and a small kitchenette to the side. They’d even strung lights around the ceiling and placed an adorable four-foot Christmas tree in the corner, complete with ornaments and a cute bear tree topper.
“If the couch pulls out, we’ll only need one room,” Tristan pointed out, but Lach was already walking over to another door and pushing it open.
“Nah, these connect to two other rooms, so we have options,” he explained. I walked over and peeked in at a smaller room with one bed inside. The door to the next room was open as well, revealing a fourth bed.
“Is there a bathroom?” Calev asked, dropping my and his bags on the beds in the main room then joining us to peek through.
“Yeah, it’s the other door,” Lach said, pointing across the room.
“Alright, claim your beds because I need a nap before dinner,” I said. Walking over to the beds Calev had claimed, I shrugged off my outer layers until I was in my comfy sweater and panties, then slid under the covers. “And for this nap, I’m sleeping alone.”
The guys protested, but there wasn’t much of a fight — we had two good hours to sleep, and naps were one of the best parts of vacation.
Chapter 2
December 23rd
Early Evening
Lennox
“Wake up, Little Psycho,” Calev whispered, soft fingers trailing over my skin. I shivered at the contact and fought off the post-nap fog. “Want me to wake you up properly?” His words fanned warm breath over a strip of exposed belly, the sensation ticklish in the most enticing way.
“Yes,” I begged, shifting my legs open as he slid my panties off. My eyes were still closed, and I relaxed into the comfortable mattress, letting myself enjoy the moment.
“Mmm,” he teased as he pulled my legs open for him, nuzzling into the juncture of my thighs before flicking his tongue over my clit. I arched my back at the tease, finally opening my eyes in time to catch his wink; he knew exactly what he was doing to me.
Each flick of his tongue was paired with fingers plunging into me, working my body right up to the edge until it teetered there. I moaned as he fucked me with his hand, alternating between nibbling at my throbbing clit and plunging deep inside of me.
“Fuck,” I breathed out, and he sucked my clit into his mouth, my entire body shaking as I came, pussy pulsing around his fingers and coating them. He pulled his hand away and licked his fingers clean, moaning like he’d tasted a delicacy.
He dropped his hand and studied me, eyes full of heat as he took in every exposed inch, my shirt now pushed up past my breasts, exposing the hardened buds to the cool air of the room. Without breaking eye contact, he stripped out of his clothes, letting his gargoyle wings unfurl because he knew it drove me absolutely crazy.
“All damn day, I’ve been thinking about fucking you senseless,” he groaned, grabbing my legs and pulling me to the edge of the bed where he tucked a pillow under my pelvis, putting me at the height he wanted. He slid the tip of his cock through my wetness, teasing me as he coated himself, and I felt like I was going to come undone from that alone.
His eyes stayed locked on us, watching himself slide in and out of me as he went at a slow and languid pace that had my eyes rolling back. I loved to be fucked rough and hard like the next girl, but there was something to be said for the pure, torturously slow strokes he was doing right then.
“Fuck, that’s hot. Watch,” he ordered, and I leaned up on my elbows so I could, and fuck if it didn’t have me even more turned on. Watching his muscles flex with each snap of his hips, seeing his thick cock sliding in and out of me, my arousal glistening on his skin. When my head fell back again because I couldn’t take another second before I combusted, he called me out. “Nope. Watch. I want you to watch as you come all over my dick, Love.”
“You’re going to kill me,” I whined as I complied, leaning back up and whimpering as his speed increased. He reached for my clit and teased it lightly, but it was enough to have me crashing into another release, biting my lip hard to keep from waking the others. He let out a long groan before he joined me, his own orgasm filling me as his grip on my legs tightened.
“Fuck,” was all he said, voice raspy with need as he came. He pulled out as we both caught our breath and let out a contented sigh at the sight of his cum leaking from me. “That speaks to my gargoyle on a level I can’t even explain.” He gave me a crooked smile before simply picking me up and carrying me into the bathroom. “Come on, just enough time for a shower.”
The icy wind bit at my cheeks as I ran through the trees, dodging balls of flying snow. A wet thunk hit next to my head, and I glanced over to see a snowball sliding down the tree trunk.
“Missed!” I called triumphantly, throwing up an illusion of me going to the left while I actually dodged to the right. The backdrop of the white snow would make it hard to spot the illusion's typical glow, hopefully obscuring me from view long enough to get away.
“You’re mine, Doll!” Evander yelled, his voice oddly distorted as he used a burst of speed to sail past me, not even realizing I was scaling the tree, an arm full of snowballs ready to go. Shout out to Calev’s power of strength.
The guys yelled out and ran through the trees below, not noticing me crouched up in the branches. A wicked smile pulled at my lips as I waited for my moment to strike, using vampire speed to jump down and land a snowball right into the back of each of their heads. Their yells echoed through the trees, their protests weakened by the undercurrent of amusement in each one.
“Get her, guys!” Evander yelled out, sounding more like a battle cry than a playful declaration. I squeaked as I turned and ran, tearing through the trees and down the street. Just as I ran inside Gretta’s and slammed the door closed behind me, snowballs thunked a
gainst the glass.
My cheeks heated as I turned and took in the stunned patrons. Clearly, they didn’t expect their guest to fly into the building at vampire speed, making a scene.
“Uh, hey, everyone. Merry Christmas!” I said in a falsely confident tone before Gretta let out a huge bellowing laugh. Relief flooded me when everyone resumed their conversations, ignoring my presence now that the abrupt shock had passed.
“Hot chocolate?” Gretta called out, and I nodded enthusiastically before taking a seat at a long empty table. It looked like we beat the rest of Lachlan’s family, so I settled in at an empty table to wait for them and my men.
The guys stumbled in a second later, rosy cheeked and eyes sparkling. My chest warmed at the sight of seeing them so happy, even as they tossed fake glares at me.
“That’s cheating, Baby,” Aeson sang out as he slid in next to me, burying his icy fingers under my thigh and making me yelp.
“I think we need more hot chocolate, Gretta!” I called out, and she spun around, can of whipped cream in her hand.
“Already on it, honey. I know when I see you that they aren’t far behind,” she laughed, turning back around to add her finishing touches.
The bell over the door rang out, and I looked up to see Lach’s family walking in. His mom beamed at us, and his dad took her hand and led her around, settling her into a chair before taking the seat at the head of the table.
“I know only Gretta’s favorite boy could get away with decorating her door with gobs of snow,” Brad joked, earning a grin from Lach. My sweet shifter took the seat on my other side, graciously not using me as a hand warmer.
“You aren’t wrong,” he agreed. “Hey, Mom.”
“I thought you guys were supposed to stop by,” she said, and I froze, almost afraid she was back to hating me again, but her chastising words were followed by a grin. “I guess more treats for us.”
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