Shifters, Secrets & Surprises

by Lowe, Anna

  Val frowned. She thought she’d done a good job.

  “You obviously need three.” From behind her back, Mercy produced a third wolf, now painted. Its legs were outstretched in a run, and sheer joy was obvious on its face. Its coat was tawny.

  “Is that… me?” Val couldn’t stop the tears that pricked at her eyes.

  “We can’t have only two of our Alphas on the tree.” Mercy puffed out with pride. “Luckily, you have me to think of important details like that.”

  Val beamed as she set the tawny wolf between the russet and black ones. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Mercy.”

  “Of course you don’t. Let’s see if Iris can help us with the ribbon.”

  They left the carvings to dry and began to hang the ornaments. Val was placing a golden pinecone on the tree when strong hands wrapped around her waist.

  She turned into Blaze’s embrace. His cheeks were slightly red from the cold.

  “You’re back?” Val asked as he nuzzled her neck.

  “Just for a minute,” Ash said, sneaking her a kiss over his brother’s shoulder. “Then it’s back into the elements for us.”

  “Wait.” Val bent to pick up the box. “Before you go, you have to tell me which one of these ornaments you made.”

  Ash and Blaze exchanged an uncertain look.

  “I know that everyone in the pack made at least one of these. So show me.”

  “You can’t laugh,” Ash said. “We made them when we were only pups. And our mother helped us.”

  “You should see the Yule goat I made,” Val replied. “I have nothing to laugh about, I promise.”

  “Okay.” Carefully looking through the box, Ash pulled out something feathered. “This is mine.”

  He held it out to Val, setting it in her hand. She gazed at the little ball of feathers, with two beads for eyes and what looked like a piece of leaf for a beak.

  “That’s adorable,” Val said.

  “It’s an owl,” Blaze said, “in case you were wondering.”

  “I wanted to give it angry eyebrows,” Ash confessed. “My mother asked me not to.”

  “We could add them now, if you want,” Val said.

  “Nah.” He gave the owl a fond look. “I like that it’s the way she wanted.”

  Val squeezed his hand. “Can I put it on the tree?”

  “Wherever you want.”

  She set it on a high branch, where it had a sweeping view of the cavern. That was only appropriate, for an owl.

  “And what about yours, Blaze?” She turned to him.

  “You don’t want to see it,” he mumbled. “It’s nothing special.”

  “I do want to see it.”

  “Don’t worry.” Ash buried his face in the box. “I’ll find it.”

  “Give me that box,” Blaze said.

  “No, Val wants to see. Aha!” Ash held up his prize, triumphant. “Here you go, Val. Guess what that is.”

  He handed her a stick, painted red.

  “Don’t make her guess,” Blaze protested. “That’s mean. To me.”

  “What are you talking about?” Ash asked as Val inspected the stick. “It’s a work of art!”

  “I was only three at the time,” Blaze grumbled. “And I was never any good at crafting.”

  “Go on,” Ash said to Val. “Guess.”

  “Um… is it a bone? A bloody bone?”

  “Very close.” Ash took the stick, holding it reverently. “Tell her, Blaze.”

  He sighed. “It’s a Yule log.”

  “I like it,” Val said. “And it’s very good for a three-year-old.”

  “Don’t let him fool you with that nonsense,” Ash said. “He made it last year.”

  “I did not. Give me that.” Blaze swiped for the ornament, but Ash tossed it to Val.

  “Hang it up,” he called, “quick!”

  Val looped the red ribbons on either end around a branch halfway up the tree.

  “Too late,” Ash said, “it’s hung. You can’t touch it until after Twelfth Night.”

  Blaze grimaced. “You make fun of me for that ornament every year. Why won’t you just let me burn it with the real Yule log?”

  “Because you don’t burn works of art.” Ash grinned as he ducked a blow from Blaze. “Anyway, we have other important matters to attend to. Remember?”

  “Oh, right.” He turned to Val. “We have to be going.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “Going where?”

  Ash sighed. “You need to let us have some Yule secrets, Val.”

  Maybe that meant that they were still working on her gift. Val breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn’t the only one who wasn’t prepared.

  “Help me with one last thing before you go,” she said.

  Blaze cocked his head. “What’s that?”

  “I have to hang some mistletoe.”

  Her Alphas were only too happy to help.

  Chapter Three

  Val was hanging the last of the ornaments when she heard a horrible scraping sound. Wincing, she turned to see Ash and Blaze hauling a tree trunk into the den. The bark squealed against the stone floor.

  “That’s not going to be my Yule gift, is it?” she called over the din.

  Ash turned to her, his muscles rippling. “Not unless you want a whole lot of firewood.”

  “Not everything’s about you, V,” Blaze teased.

  Together, they heaved the huge log onto their shoulders. The way their muscles bulged made Val feel very warm indeed. If they kept up their show, firewood might not be necessary.

  “Where are you going with that thing?” she asked.

  “Lower caverns,” Blaze grunted.

  “And why?”

  “Talk later,” Ash said, “love you.”

  Then they were gone.

  Val looked after them suspiciously. Why would they chop firewood in the lower caverns? Blaze always complained about how hot he got chopping wood, and that was when he was naked in the snow. The lower caverns held thermal pools, and the rooms were full of steam. That would make for sweaty work. Work that Val wouldn’t mind watching in the least.

  She had taken a single step after them when Mercy grabbed her arm.

  “Can you help me?” Mercy asked. “If the scabbard isn’t finished today, I’m worried it won’t be ready in time for Yule.”

  “Sure,” Val said, though she stared wistfully across the cavern. Mercy was one of the only people for whom she would give up seeing her naked mates chopping wood. She probably did owe her friend a favor or two. Now Mercy would owe her one.

  “What do you want me to do?” Val asked.

  “Over here.” Mercy dragged her to a corner. “I think Fury should be out all day, but keep your back to the wall just in case he decides to make an appearance. I’m hoping that he won’t be too suspicious of you either way.”

  “And you seriously want me to finish the scabbard? What if I mess it up?”

  “You won’t. It’s mostly tracing, like I said.” Mercy dumped a pile of tools in front of her. Then, looking over her shoulder to make sure Fury hadn’t snuck up behind her, Mercy laid a plain scabbard in Val’s lap.

  She could make out faint lines that covered half of the leather. The design was of a pack of running wolves, and a knotted rope that ran between them. It was remarkably intricate.

  “Mercy, this is incredible… but you really don’t think I’ll finish this in time for Yule, do you?”

  “It won’t be too difficult. Just do as much as you can today, and I’ll finish the rest tomorrow.” Mercy selected one of the tools, handing it to Val. “Cut along the lines with this. Here, I’ll show you how.” Swiping through the surface of the leather, Mercy made a quick, confident cut.

  Smiling, she handed Val the tool. “You try it!”

  Carefully, haltingly, Val continued the line Mercy had started. Her cut didn’t have the same flourish, but it wasn’t terrible either.

  “That’s perfect,” Mercy said. “You’re a natu
ral.”

  Val hoped Mercy wasn’t making fun of her. “Wouldn’t this go much faster if you did it yourself?”

  “Of course. But I have to wrap wire around this sword’s hilt, and I can’t do both at the same time.”

  Val gripped the tool, suddenly afraid to make another cut. “What if I ruin it?”

  “You won’t. Just trust the swivel knife. Come on, Val, I know you can do it.”

  Sighing, Val returned to the leather. She put the knife back to the line, slicing away. After a few cuts, she felt much better. The knife was very sharp, and the leather melted like butter beneath it. As she began to cut the shape of a wolf’s back, the work became almost satisfying.

  “Mercy,” she said, “what should I get for the Alphas?”

  Her friend kept her eyes on the sword’s hilt. “Doesn’t matter. They’ll love whatever you give them, I promise.”

  “You can’t give me any hints of what they’d like?”

  Mercy began to wrap a strand of wire, holding it taut. “How about a coupon for a spa day?”

  Val rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Mercy.”

  “That’s what I’m here for.”

  Quiet settled over them as they both became engrossed in their tasks. Val’s cut into the second wolf was almost as fine as Mercy’s demonstration cut. She wasn’t half-bad at this. Could she possibly get some leather to decorate for her Alphas? Maybe she could make them new dagger sheaths.

  Val grimaced. Even if she came across two plain sheaths, she wouldn’t have time to decorate both of them. That might work for next year, but for now she’d have to think of something else.

  She continued tooling the leather, focusing on nothing but the lines. It was almost therapeutic to think only of the cuts she had to make. Now that she had some practice, the work had become soothing. Val was shocked when she reached the end of the rope outline.

  “Mercy,” she said, “I think I’m finished.”

  “Nice try. You’re just getting started. You see that tool, and that hammer? It’ll texture the rope.” Mercy walked over to show Val how. “You don’t have to hammer too hard.” She tilted the tool as the rope design twisted. “Something like that.”

  “Right,” Val said. “And I suppose that’s easy, too.”

  “Isn’t it?” Mercy held out the hilt of the sword. “I’ll trade you, if you’d prefer.”

  “I’d prefer not to slice my fingers off today, thank you. Maybe tomorrow.”

  Val turned back to her work. The hammer wasn’t as difficult as she’d feared, and she had to admit that it did enhance the design. By the time she’d finished adding texture to the rope, her eyes were bleary and her back ached.

  She stretched, looking at the shadows on the floor in shock. It was already late afternoon. She didn’t have much time left to think of gifts. And it wasn’t like she could drive to the mall.

  Val rubbed her eyes, groaning. What would her Alphas want, anyway?

  “There you are,” Blaze said. Sidling behind her, he put his huge hands on her back and began to knead her shoulders.

  Val leaned back, melting into his touch.

  “Did you make that?” he asked. “And should I pretend I didn’t see it?”

  “It’s for Fury. And I didn’t do more than trace the pattern Mercy laid down.”

  “That’s incredible.” He bent down to take a closer look. “Isn’t this your first time tooling leather? You’re really talented, Val.”

  She blushed. “You think so?” If he really did like it… “Is there anything you’d like decorated?” she asked, trying to make the question sound casual.

  “Nah. I prefer plain leather. But you might make me change my mind.” Giving her shoulder one last squeeze, he leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

  Val suppressed a sigh. She’d think of something.

  “Are you bundled up enough?” Blaze asked.

  “Why?”

  “It’s time to get the Yule log.”

  Val stood, rolling her head to try and get the crick out of her neck. “That tree you dragged in here earlier won’t do?”

  “No. And the Alphas are the ones who choose the log and bring it back to the den. That means you too.”

  “Ready, Val?” Ash called from near the entrance.

  “All right,” she said. “Let me grab my coat.”

  As she swept out of the den, she passed the sleeping Parker, who now had a Yule goat perched on his scone. Val laughed, only to find another inside her pocket. Looking around the den, she saw Mercy whistling innocently.

  She left the goat on the table. Let Mercy think she’d won. She’d find the goat Val had stuffed into the scabbard soon enough.

  Val raced across the slick stones, not wanting to get any freezing water in her hair as they skirted the edge of the falls. How Ash and Blaze could trek through the snow naked, she’d never know. Though she was warmer since being Bitten, she’d never experienced anything as bitterly cold as winter in the mountains.

  The three of them crunched through the snow, breaths crystallizing in the frigid air. Val kept up with them easily, finally comfortable with the snowshoes they’d made for her. She wished she didn’t need them, but the last time she’d tried to trudge through waist-deep snow, she’d been worn out in minutes.

  “You all right?” Ash asked. “Are you sure you don’t want a ride?”

  Val wasn’t sure what kind of ride he was offering, but it was tempting either way. Still, she’d rather have him remain in human form—both her mates had axes slung over their strong shoulders, making her heart flutter. This was a view she could get used to.

  “Val?”

  “Sorry,” she said. “I’m fine.”

  “We weren’t distracting you, were we?” Blaze paused, visibly flexing his arms. “We would never want to do that, V.”

  “You’re terrible.” Val leaned against him, amazed by the heat that seemed to roll off him. If he took her right here in the snow, she wouldn’t mind at all.

  Blaze’s nostrils flared. Val grinned. She knew he could smell her arousal.

  “Focus,” Ash said. “Just a while longer. The Yule log deserves our complete attention.”

  “You’re right.” Blaze sighed as they turned into the forest. “But tonight, my mate is going to get my complete attention.”

  “And mine,” Ash said. “Delayed gratification—the one downside to being an Alpha.”

  They made their way deeper into the forest. Though the shadows were lengthening, Val felt no fear. She never did, not with her two Alphas beside her. The endless snow muffled sound, and all Val could hear was their breathing and their footsteps. It was so peaceful here, in the quiet woods.

  “We’re looking for a Yule log,” Ash said. “A piece of wood worthy of lighting the den during our most important celebration.”

  “It can be anything,” Blaze added, “but it’s best if it comes from a newly fallen tree or branch. The greatest Yule logs are the ones the forest gives us willingly.”

  “How big should it be?” Val asked. “What exactly are we looking for?”

  Ash put an arm around her. “You can pick out whatever you like. Since it’s your first Yuletide, we want you to choose.”

  They strolled through the woods, Val stopping to inspect fallen branches. But they were all too spindly, rotting, or broken. Nothing she saw befitted the grandeur of the Ember pack. If Val was going to pick a Yule log, she wanted to find the best damn log the wolves had ever seen.

  A mighty crack rang through the forest. A few feet ahead of them, a fat tree branch tumbled to the ground, shedding snow. It fell with a thump that reverberated through her snowshoes.

  Craning her neck, Val first made sure that no other branches threatened to tumble down after it. Seeing none, she walked forward. The branch before her was perfect. She could almost see flames crackling along its top.

  “This is it,” she said.

  Ash hefted his ax. “That was quite an entrance.” He turned to Blaze. “Cut off the
ends?”

  Blaze was already swinging down. “With pleasure.”

  Together, the two of them shaped the log. Woodchips flew, but Val refused to step back. She wanted to make sure she didn’t miss a moment of their strong backs and swinging arms. Their fluid movements were almost hypnotic. They made the woodcutting look effortless.

  Finally, the log was finished. It was easily the length of Val’s outstretched arms. She was glad her Alphas were here, because she wouldn’t have been able to drag such a hunk of wood home.

  Ash and Blaze threw the log onto their shoulders, and the three of them headed back toward the den.

  “Only two more days until we get to light this,” Ash said, “during the solstice, as the sun sets on the longest night of the year.”

  “Before the feast,” Blaze said. “Don’t forget the most important part.”

  Val’s stomach rumbled. She would love some cinnamon cakes, but would settle for a platter of venison.

  Dinner was already set out by the time they returned to the den. The sun had retreated behind the mountains, but the fire in the cavern crackled merrily. Everyone sat around it, admiring the log as they stuffed themselves. Val sat cocooned between her two Alphas, gripping a mug of mulled cider. The drink did just the trick to warm her to the bone.

  That night, the den was alive with stories and song. Val drifted to sleep to the sounds of the pack’s laughter. She barely woke when Blaze carried her up to bed.

  * * *

  The next morning dawned bright and cold, the sun coloring the snow a pale pink. Val stood ready, spear at her side. Her mouth was dry, her heart hammering in her chest. This was no carefree jaunt through the woods—this was a boar hunt.

  For reasons unknown to her, the Yuletide feast couldn’t feature a deer or a brace of rabbits or a plump wild turkey. It had to be a boar, and it had to be caught today.

  “What happens if we don’t catch it?” she had asked.

  “A year of bad luck,” Ash had replied.

  Val wasn’t sure she believed in such things, but she still gripped her spear until her knuckles whitened. By the solemn expressions of her pack members, they all took this very seriously.

  Looking over the pack, Ash gave the silent signal for them to move out. Since this was also a ceremonial hunt, no one was sitting out. Half the pack was in wolf form, the other half carrying weapons as humans. Val considered herself to be an excellent hunter, but mostly of deer—boars terrified her, and for good reason. Once agitated, their tiny brains knew nothing but rage, and their tusks could take down even an Alpha in his prime.