“I’m bored. Let’s head out for a run,” Beth said before heading to the back of the cave to change in privacy.
“Sounds great.” I looked to Arkin and Brandr. “Care to join us?”
“Yeah, as long as you give us the nickel tour of your area. I’ve heard you have some great forests to roam inside the dome as well as a few really fun places outside,” Arkin replied.
“Perfect, let’s shift and meet out front of the cave entrance.” I smiled before heading back to join my twin.
Lizzie followed us.
“Beth and Bella, how well do you know these two wolves?” Lizzie asked me before I had time to shift.
While undressing I said, “We just met them when we arrived at the cave today. They seem nice. Plus, they are both really cute.” I giggled.
Lizzie didn’t laugh. She only gave me a stern look. “I would feel safer if you stayed inside the dome until we know more about them and their pack. It was only a few bad wolves from Europe that tried to hurt us, but I still worry.”
Our area was surrounded by a magical dome that worked to keep out anyone who had ideas of hurting anyone inside the dome. There were ways to trick the magic, but it wasn’t easy. Since our Uncle Kris had been killed in the center of our village well before even Lizzie was born, Christmas Magic put up the dome to protect us, and no one has been able to hurt anyone inside since.
Maker’s Rock was a safe spot on the very edge of the dome. But another one of our favorite places to go, Jingle Bell Forrest, was just outside of the dome and not safe.
“Lizzie, don’t worry. Who in their right mind would attack us this summer? Do you know how many wolves loyal to us are already here?” I shook my head and took off my clothes and shifted quickly.
Lizzie reached down and put my clothes into the specially designed backpack all wolves used. It was designed to enlarge and shrink with us when we shifted. We always carried it on our backs, and it had become part of us. I never thought much about it, except when it was time to get a new one because the old one had gotten too ratty. I kept two changes of clothes in it at all times along with a bag of jerky and a bottle of water. You never knew when you would end up stuck somewhere for a little while. Best to be prepared whenever possible.
My oldest sister looked to my twin. “Beth, please make sure you and your sister stay safe. Be cognizant of your surroundings. Don’t go off outside the dome with any strangers. You just don’t know what might happen.”
Rolling my eyes in my wolf form wasn’t as easy, or as obvious as in my human form, but I still tried. Beth just nodded her muzzle and then nudged me to get going.
Bella, she’s right. Arkin and Brandr might be fine, but that doesn’t mean all the new wolves coming will be. We have to be careful. You never know if there will be another group to rise and try to hurt our family, Beth said, communicating to me via the telepathy we shared in wolf form as wolves in the same pack.
Fine, I won’t go off alone outside of the dome with anyone we don’t know. But I’m not sticking inside the dome the entire time. Jingle Bell Forest is outside the dome, and you know how much I love running through there, I grudgingly responded.
Chapter 6
Salvador
After dinner, I went out for a walk since Ian was back at Santa’s house with the prince and his mate. I wanted to see all the lanes and different buildings around the village. I needed to get a feeling for the various egresses and ingresses. I always needed a way to get the royal family out of any danger. Knowing the lay of the land would come in handy.
When I rounded a corner, someone ran smack into my chest. I looked down to see a head of platinum blonde hair and a scowl. “Miss Kringle, is everything alright?” I looked behind her to see who had been chasing her. She had to have been running with how hard her body impacted with mine.
“Salvador. Good evening. I’m fine.” Bella turned around and looked behind her and then smiled up at me.
The hair on the back of my neck raised as I felt the tension leaching off her body. “Was someone chasing you?” I put both of my hands on her shoulder to steady her and keep her with me.
Bella may not have liked me very much, but I had no issues with her. She was the sister of my princess, and therefore, she fell under my protection this summer.
The young lady winced and stammered, “Well, um, I don’t know.” She scratched the back of her head before continuing, “I had a strange feeling when I was out for an evening stroll. I ate too much at dinner and wanted to just go for a walk to help settle my stomach. When I was on my way back, I felt like I was being watched. I couldn’t see anyone, but with so many new wolves here, I just wanted to get home quickly.”
“Have you ever had an issue inside the protective dome? I thought this place was safe for your family?” I had heard that no one with any ill intent for Santa or his family could enter the dome.
“No, since the dome went up there haven’t been any issues inside. I’m sure I’m perfectly safe. It was just a weird feeling, that’s all.” Bella shrugged her shoulders out of my grasp and took two steps back.
I didn’t want her getting into any trouble, so I asked, “May I walk you home?”
Her cheeks began to turn pink, and her eyes opened wide. “Um, I … um”
She was actually kind of cute when she was nervous. I only hoped she wasn’t afraid of me.
Bella licked her lips and gulped. “Uh, yes. That would be nice. Thank you.” She looked over her shoulder again and then began walking back toward her house.
“Did you see any strangers while you were out walking?” I asked when I got into step with her.
“Sure, there must be at least a few hundred wolves here now. Have any more dragons shown up?” Bella looked down at her feet as we walked through the village streets.
It was really quiet. None of the little shops on their main street were open. I guessed most were preparing to go to sleep. It was only a little after nine local time. I always thought wolves were nocturnal creatures, but since arriving here, I noticed they went to bed early and got up early.
“Most of our contingent will be in sometime tomorrow afternoon. We might have a few arrive earlier, and maybe a few stragglers will show up right before the games begin.” I couldn’t sense anyone watching us, but Bella still seemed on edge. “Are you sure you’re alright? No one hurt you, did they?”
She stopped and looked at me. “You’re nothing like Alexandru, are you?”
Her question came out of nowhere and surprised me. “I hope I’m not. I’ve never liked that worm. He always thought he was better than everyone else. I’m just so sorry your family had to go through everything they did with him.” I shook my head wishing I had been around when all that went down.
I was in Northern Canada, working with a mining company who kept getting shut down because someone kept messing with their rigs. A few humans almost died. I couldn’t have left. I eventually solved the case. It was a competitor trying to shut the company down for good and take over their contracts. When I made it back home, Alexandru was already in prison, where he still sat wasting away.
Bella put her hand on my bicep and gave it a little squeeze. “Thank you. I appreciate you being so nice to me, especially after how I reacted when I first arrived the other day. No need to worry about me. I’m fine. Just a little tired. I’ll feel better after a good night’s rest.” She began walking again, and I followed her.
The rest of our walk was filled with small talk, like what she was studying in school and what she wanted to do when she graduated. I hadn’t realized she was so into nature. Although, it did make sense, considering her upbringing. Bella was going to be an outdoorswoman, and I think I began to respect her then and there.
“I would love to see you climb a mountain. Will that be one of the challenges this summer?” I asked.
“As a matter of fact, there is a small mountain not too far away that we will have to climb as part of the Round Up. It must be done in our human form. There
is also a challenge for our shifted form. Have you decided which events you want to join?” She flashed a nice smile up at me.
Something inside of me began to shift, and I wondered what it would be like to enjoy the summer games with her, which was just crazy. I was seven years older than her. A young woman her age would never want an older man. Then I remembered what she said when she got off the plane and realized I was dreaming. Bella would never mate with a dragon, no matter how nice I was to her.
I smirked. “I won’t be competing in anything this summer. My job is to protect our royal family, which means sticking by their sides at all times. I won’t have any free time to compete. However, I am sure we will be attending most of the games, and I look forward to watching them all.”
“Have you ever watched the human Olympics, Salvador?”
I nodded. “Yes, I quite enjoy the Winter Olympics. Too bad they don’t have a category for shifters to participate in. I would like to try my hand at the biathlon.”
“You mean the one where they cross country ski and shoot targets?”
I nodded.
“We have something very similar. If you know the Winter Olympics, then you will see a lot of familiar sports. Some will have a twist to allow for a shifted animal to play, but most are done in our human forms. You should see if you can get another dragon to cover you and sign up for the biathlon. I would like to see you shoot,” Bella said before stopping in front of a door.
I looked up and realized we were already at the guest house she was sharing with her parents and twin sister. “Here you are.” I almost turned to go but thought better of it. “If you find yourself in any trouble, I hope you know you can come to Ian or I and we will help you. Please know that you will always be safe with us.”
“Thank you, Salvador, and good night.” Bella’s face lit with a beautiful smile I hadn’t seen on her before. My stupid mind, and possibly heart, hoped to see more of them this summer.
“Good night, Miss Kringle.” I nodded and turned around to walk back out on my scout of the village.
It was another two hours before I made it back to Santa’s house. When I entered the house, everyone was already fast asleep. I could hear snoring coming from one room. I checked on the prince and listened outside of his door. I could hear deep breathing and was confident all was well with them.
Ian was waiting at the end of the hall for me. “So, did you get a good picture of the village? Will everything work here?”
I considered what Ian was asking and knew he meant more than just protecting the prince and his mate. “Yes, I think our plans have a chance. I may have made a new friend as well.”
“Do tell.” Ian opened the door to the room we shared, and I followed him inside as I told him about my chance encounter with Bella Kringle.
It felt like a new chapter in our story was coming alive.
Chapter 7
Bella
When I said good night to Salvador, confusion rattled my brain. He and Ian were nice, but they were dragons, monsters, or so I thought. It just didn’t make any sense.
Then there was the incident in the village. My brain must have been all foggy. There was no way Arkin and Brandr were meeting with anyone inside the dome who was trying to plan an attack against us. The Magic wouldn’t allow it. I had to have heard wrong.
As soon as I heard them all stand up, I hightailed it out of there. The only problem was I think they saw me. I felt someone watching me from the moment I crossed the street from their bunkhouse. I’m not prone to overreacting, but it also felt like I was being followed. Every turn I made, someone was behind me. The hairs on my arms were standing at attention until I ran smack dab into a brick wall.
Said brick wall being Salvador’s chest.
The dragon has some serious muscle. I couldn’t help myself. When I got the chance, I felt up his biceps. I had no idea what he did for a workout, but whatever it was, it worked. Perfectly. I know I have zero desire to mate with a dragon, or even to date one, but jingle bells, the man was serious eye candy. I wasn’t sure I could make it through the summer without drooling over him.
Beth was going to laugh at me if she ever caught me staring at him. But first, she was going to say she told me so. After our afternoon with Arkin and Brandr, she wasn’t sure she wanted to spend more time with them. My sister told me she got a strange vibe off them.
“Bella,” she said. “You know I have an uncanny ability to tell just by talking to someone if they are honest or not, and those boys aren’t honest. I don’t know if they are up to no good this summer, but I can tell you they aren’t honest. They are lying about something.”
I have always listened to Beth when she said her honesty radar was telling her to steer clear of anyone. It has always served us in the past. Even in college, her special gift kept us away from a couple of guys who ended up hurting a girl we knew.
Not that we were big on dating humans, but we had gone to a few parties with some boys we knew. It was all part of the college experience. Of course, we didn’t drink. Alcohol wasn’t really something we liked, and our shifter metabolism processes the alcohol so fast we can’t get drunk. So why waste the money on something we don’t even like?
But, this was different. These were two European wolves from a good pack, or at least I think theirs was a good pack.
When I saw Arkin go inside the bunkhouse, I wanted to go up and knock on the door and see if he wanted to join me on my walk. When I got to the door, there was some arguing, about what I wasn’t sure. I only heard loud voices and the end of a sentence that made no sense to me.
Then, I heard Brandr say, “This is the time. If we want to do this, we have to do it now, before too many arrive.”
Another male voice, one I didn’t recognize, asked them, “If we do it now, won’t we be on their radar? There aren’t enough bodies here to mask our moves. I don’t need Santa breathing down our necks.”
“I don’t want to have to deal with everyone accepting the abomination. It’s best to get rid of him before too many wolves arrive.” That voice I did recognize - Arkin.
It was at that point that I decided I needed to get home - and fast. I couldn’t get caught outside their door, listening in on their conversation. I couldn’t believe Arkin and Brandr were up to no good. It just didn’t seem like them.
The bigger question was, who were they going get rid of? And how did they get inside the dome? Why would Christmas Magic allow them inside?
I was going to have to tell Palo in the morning, but what do I tell him? “Sorry, I overheard a conversation last night between what sounded like four wolves who are planning to kill you?”
No, I needed to speak with Beth first. She was better at this sort of thing than I was, or at least I hoped she was. This was new territory for us. The last attack on our family was Mandy, and that was almost four years ago. We were kept pretty far away from the dragons and under constant guard, so I didn’t see much of what was going on. I only knew my sister was in danger and that the royal dragon family wasn’t involved in her kidnapping. They were, however, very involved in her rescue.
After that incident, we trained even harder in self-defense. Beth and I were trained just as hard as the enforcers, the wolves in our pack who enforced the law and broke up any fights or settled any issues. We were pretty tough.
Then, when we went to college, we took Krav Maga classes three times a week at a local studio. My twin sister and I were fierce. But still, I wasn’t up to fighting four wolves. Who knew how many more they had on their side. This was really something that Palo needed to handle, especially since he was most likely their target. They did mention his name, so it must be Palo they want.
I only hoped it wasn’t my little niece or nephews.
I tried to sleep, but I kept having nightmares of my family being attacked again. The morning wouldn’t come soon enough for me, so I laid there in my bed awake most of the night, thinking about what I heard and what it could possibly mean.
&nbs
p; As soon as Beth and I were up and dressed, I said, “Beth, I need your advice.”
“Sure, what’s up? Can’t decide which outfit to wear today?” She giggled.
I wasn’t in the mood for joking around. I stared at her and replied, “No, this is serious. Please, sit down.”
I motioned for Beth to sit on the twin bed in her room. There were two twin beds, two nightstands, two matching dressers with reindeer carved into the sides, and red and green checked curtains with reindeer antlers stitched along the bottom. We didn’t have to share rooms until my grandparents arrived. Then we would be sharing this room.
Taking the bed next to her, I began, “Last night, when I took my walk, I overheard something I shouldn’t have.” I sighed and ran a hand down my face.
Beth took my hand. “Hey, it’s alright. Just tell me what you heard. I’m sure it’s not that bad. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look awful. Did you get any sleep last night?”
I shook my head. “Don’t worry about me. I tossed and turned all night worrying about what I heard.”
I turned to look into the mirror above one of the dressers and noticed that my eyes were a dull shade of blue, my hair looked like it needed a good wash, and the dark circles under my eyes stood out in stark contrast to my pale face. I looked about as good as I felt.
“Hey, come on. It’s me, your twin sister. You know you can tell me anything. Let me help you with whatever is going on. Something happened while you were out walking last night, right? Did someone hurt you?” Beth softly asked.
“No, I’m fine thanks to Salvador. If he hadn’t been there, I might not be here right now.”
Beth put her hand over her mouth and took in a deep breath. “Oh, jingle bells, what happened. Come on, Bella, spit it out and tell me what happened.”
I nodded and cleared my throat. “I was out on a walk and saw Arkin go inside of a bunkhouse on the other side of town. I was going to see if he wanted to join me when I overheard some arguing.” I continued to tell her about everything that happened, including running into Salvador and him walking me home.
Miss Claus and the Christmas Wedding (A Shifter Christmas Romance Book 3) Page 4