by E A Price
Twenty-Seven
December 21st
Mira took a look at the tag, flipping it over in her hand. No price on it. That wasn’t a good sign. She glanced in the saleswoman’s direction and was met head on by a snooty glare. She looked like the kind of woman who would say stuff like, ‘if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.’ Which was a ridiculous saying – even rich people needed to know how much things cost.
Martha and Ariel brought her to the most exclusive bridal shop in town. They served dainty cucumber sandwiches, petit fours, and bellinis to their customers. This was not her kind of place, and she knew without being told they weren’t her kind of prices.
Branch was completely unfazed by everything that was happening. He strolled up and down glancing at the dresses in between making phone calls. Mira was glad he had showed up. Every so often his mother started tearing up and he chastised her for being too emotional.
Mira picked out another dress and oh, it was just like Cinderella’s wedding dress. She bet it cost an absolute bomb.
How could she consciously allow them to buy her a dress like this? One only to be worn for a fake ceremony?
Mira jumped as the saleswoman sidled up behind her.
“Has madam found something she likes?” sneered the woman.
“Umm…”
“Or perhaps there are other dresses more in your budget,” her eyes flickered down to Mira’s knock-off Uggs, “and better suited to your… proportions.” Her eyes flickered all over Mira at that.
Branch strode up to them and gave the dress a dispassionate once over. “You like it?”
“I do, but…”
He glared at the saleswoman, and she flinched and immediately started cowering. She wasn’t part of the herd, but she wasn’t immune to an alpha stare. Mira was impressed – she wished she had that ability in high school.
“Find it in my fiancée’s size,” he ordered.
The saleswoman actually curtsied and then ran off to do as she was told.
“Wow,” murmured Mira in admiration. “Remind me to take you shopping to the organic market sometime. There’s a guy there who treats me like a murderer for eating honey. He deserves to be taken down a peg or two.”
Branch quirked an eyebrow. “Honey?”
“Yeah, he says bees are the ‘littlest victims.’”
“He sounds like fun.”
She sobered as she thought of the dress again. “Seriously, you don’t have to spend this much on a dress. I’d be happy with something from a department store. Or even I could wear a dress I already own.”
“It’s just a dress, Mira,” he said with a slight hint of exasperation. “It’s really nothing. Now go and get undressed. I’m sure she’ll be back in a moment… if she knows what’s good for her.”
“You got it… dude.”
She didn’t wait to see his reaction, but she could feel the displeasure emanating from him as she disappeared into the changing room. He did not like being called dude for some reason.
Mira slipped out of her shoes and clothes, waiting for the dress to arrive. She would probably look more ‘Witch of the South’ than ‘Cinderella,’ but she supposed she might as well try it now. It was probably the only opportunity she would ever have to wear a dress like this.
The dress erupted into the changing room first – it was indeed a little unwieldy. But rather than seeing the saleswoman’s face peeking out from behind it, she spotted Branch.
“Branch!” she squeaked trying to cover herself. “What are you doing here?”
“She’s gone to find more dresses and rather than prolong this, I…”
He paused on realizing she was only in her underwear. Kris Kringle! She wished she had taken her socks off. She also wished she had worn matching underwear – not that she owned any.
His eyes seemed to darken as he took every inch of her in.
“Branch!”
She took the dress from him and as quickly as possible – which wasn’t very – she pulled it on. It was like fighting with a very large marshmallow.
Eventually, she won and she was staring at herself in the mirror. Wow. Branch was behind her, gazing down at her with a strange expression on his face.
“Can you zip me up?” she asked softly.
He nodded and his fingers grazed her back as he reached for the zip. Slowly he fastened the dress and then rested his hands on her waist.
She was perhaps shorter and plumper, but she definitely saw a little Cinderella in her. It was a fairytale dress and it made her feel magical, until she remembered that she wasn’t having a fairytale wedding.
“What do you think?” she asked, lifting the skirt up to see how easily she could move in it. “Too much?”
“I’d lose the pink socks,” he muttered.
Mira looked down and wiggled her toes. “Yes, I think you’re right about that.”
“You look…” he started and Mira abruptly looked up to meet his gaze.
There was something in his eyes, something hopeful, something wonderful. He took a step closer to her; his hands moved to settle on her stomach. His body pressed against hers and instinctively she leaned back against his solidness, his warmth. It felt so comfortable, so right to be in his arms.
“You look…” he repeated, his voice lowering to a husky drawl. Mira held her breath.
“Hey, are you ready in there?” called his mom.
“Come out and show us the dress!” yelled Ariel giddily.
Branch let out a low, animalistic growl and rested his head on hers. “Prepare yourself. They will cry.”
Mira smiled sadly. She might too.
Twenty-Eight
December 22nd
Ariel, his mom, Harlan, Uncle Clay and Alden all fidgeted as Branch considered the male sitting in front of him. The only person not moving – barely even breathing – was Mal, standing still as a statue, his thumbs resting in his belt loops.
Branch tapped his fingers on his desk. Roger was just about ready. Sweat was pouring down his face, and he looked like he was preparing to throw himself out the window.
Mal, on digging into Cousin Cletus and his finances discovered that Cletus had recently received a large cash sum from Roger. Alarming in itself, but on looking into Roger, there were a lot of irregularities in his bank accounts, not to mention money being sent to an account in the Cayman Islands. All the sums of money flying through Roger’s accounts would explain the missing money in their business accounts.
Roger had been a very bad reindeer. Now, it was time for explanations.
Branch opened his mouth, but before he could say a word, Roger started babbling.
“I’m sorry, Alpha, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to – it all just got out of hand! I lost some money gambling, and then I lost some more money, and then I lost some more money! Before I knew it, I owed ten grand to a bear shifter.”
“So you started stealing from your herd?” interjected Branch, feeling that he really ought to be in control of the direction of their conversation.
Roger nodded vigorously making sweat fly in all directions.
“Why not simply ask for help?”
“Well, it was only supposed to be a small amount,” he whined. “I was going to win it back and then replace it, but then I lost more, and then I owed more and… and…”
“And you kept stealing it and not replacing it,” Branch surmised in a dry voice. “What is all this nonsense with Cletus?”
Roger shrank in his seat even more. “I heard that girl from finance telling you about the errors she found – errors caused by me. So, I had to distract you…”
“Distract me?!” roared Branch.
Everyone in the room quailed at that – not just Roger.
“My father was herd historian, so I knew about the old rule…”
Branch cast a look of irritation at Alden – their current herd historian, who had the sense to look ashamed. If Roger knew about it, Alden certainly should have.
“So I contacted Cletus and s
uggested he make a challenge for the herd.”
“You paid him?”
“Yes,” admitted Roger timidly. “He didn’t want to go against you, but I paid him to do it and told him to drop the challenge at a later date. I thought I’d have the finances sorted by then.”
Branch gave him a long look, and without taking his eyes off him, he said, “Clay?”
“I’ve spoken to Cletus,” growled his uncle, “he’s dropping the challenge, and he is the only other alpha in the family, so the law is moot now.”
Yes, his herd was safe, and he no longer had to mate Mira. He was pleased that his herd’s future was a little more secure, but he just felt queasy when he thought about Mira.
Branch finally dropped his eyes from Roger who sagged in relief. He nodded at Mal.
“Take him out of my sight.”
Mal pretty much carried Roger out of the room while he whimpered more apologies in Branch’s direction.
Harlan clapped his hands together. “Good news, huh? You’re off the hook for mating.”
“Not that you were on the hook,” said his mom, shooting Harlan a disapproving look. “Mira’s lovely. Though if you don’t want to mate just yet, you don’t have to – you could wait.”
“But if you know she’s right for you, there’s no reason to wait,” insisted Ariel ardently.
Branch grunted. There really was no reason to mate Mira – absolutely no need for it. Yep, he would just tell her that and then there would be no reason ever to see her again. The queasiness returned. Perhaps he should focus on other things – like how he was going to punish Roger. That might give him some satisfaction.
Twenty-Nine
“So what are we doing?” asked Mira. “Not that I don’t love browsing, but what exactly are we shopping for?”
Branch had brought her to Dawson’s department store – they had the best Christmas section in the whole of Chicago. She’d been there more than a dozen times since she moved there.
She was surprised when Branch called her. She didn’t think there was a herd event. She thought Martha had relented and given everyone a night off. She had been intending on helping Temp prepare for the Christmas Eve party. Temp had been very miffed when Branch called.
“I need a tree for my house,” rumbled Branch.
Mira gave him a wry smile. “Finally relented, huh?”
He grunted in reply. His mom had been nagging him to get one, and okay, she may have joined in the nagging just a smidge. His house just seemed so lonely without one.
“So, what are we after? Fake or real tree?” The store sold both. “How tall? I personally think six or seven feet is more than enough. And if it’s fake, are we going for traditional green or something more modern? I do love the green, but there is something to be said for a purple tree. I personally have a pink one my dad bought me a few years back, but then, I also have some green trees, so I don’t know if I would be happy with just the pink and… Are you okay? Am I boring you?”
He had a strange, pained expression on his face. She could sympathize if he was bored – tree etiquette was not an interesting subject for most people.
“I’m fine. Just choose whatever you want – tree and ornaments.”
“Are you sure? I mean some of these trees are pretty pricey and as for the ornaments…”
“It doesn’t matter. Money’s no object.”
“Really? Because someone like me could go crazy in a store like this. Are you really sure?”
He nodded, and Mira shrugged. “Well, if you’re sure…”
“I’m sure!” he growled making a couple of elderly ladies currently fighting over the last ‘best grandmother’ ornament jump.
“Okay then.”
Mira rubbed her hands together. It was a like a dream come true.
*
What was he thinking? Branch watched as Mira damn near swept every available ornament in sight into their cart.
He shouldn’t be doing this. She still thought they had an agreement. She thought she had to be there. He should tell her the truth. But then she’d go away.
Mira looked at the contents of the cart. They had already chosen a tree, a fake one that stood eight feet high. She had insisted he choose that so he had merely pointed at the nearest tree. The store assistants were holding it at the register for them.
“Apart from a star or an angel or even a fairy to go on top, it looks like you’re all set. Any preference about that? One of my tree toppers is actually a dragon – it’s very awesome.”
“A star,” he said, thinking it was easier just to say anything.
“Ooh, good choice. Let me just grab one and then we can get this lot back to your place.”
“You’ll help me decorate,” he blurted.
It was barely a question, more like a command. Partly it was because he didn’t actually want to decorate the darn thing, but mostly it was because he wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
Mira beamed. “Of course. Now, let me grab that star.”
She started battling her way through the crowded store for the last gold star.
What the hell was he thinking? If he wanted to be with Mira, he should tell her the truth. But then, his mate… Janelle had been a lot of things, but he had known he wanted to be with her since he was eight years old and she double-dared him to skateboard down that icy hill – totally worth the two broken arms. He loved Janelle. She had been everything to him. Was he really ready to replace her?
Mira was now wrestling an elderly lady for the star. He’d ordinarily think that she’d be okay, but the woman had a steely glint in her eye only usually reserved for pro wrestlers. He ought to step in before Mira got hurt. His feelings may be all over the place, but he couldn’t bear to see Mira get hurt. Though, maybe he would be the one hurting her.
Thirty
Branch was getting just a wee bit frustrated as he assembled the tree.
“Attach part C to part J,” he muttered as he read the instructions. “There is no damn part J!” he howled – except he didn’t use the word damn.
“Umm, I think J is still in the box,” said Mira.
Branch grumbled under his breath as he angrily rooted through the box.
“Stupid tree,” he raged. “How hard can it be to put up a damn tree?!”
Again, he didn’t use the word damn.
“Maybe I should be in charge of the instructions?” she offered as she tried to stifle a fresh wave of laughter.
That suggestion fell flat. He was a stubborn guy trying to self-assemble something that came in a brown box, and he had been at it for half an hour. He was beyond reason at that point.
His phone started ringing, and Branch growled. “Now what?!”
Mira jumped to her feet. “I’ll get it. You… just carry on with whatever it is you’re doing.”
She wanted to say putting up a tree, but she wasn’t sure that is what he was doing.
She left him to find the phone, allowed herself a loud outburst of laughter – he yelled ‘I heard that’ – and then she answered.
“Hello.”
“Ah, Mira? That you?” asked Harlan.
“It is,” she replied cheerfully.
“It’s Harlan.”
“I can tell.”
“Is his highness there?”
“Branch is putting the tree up,” she said, trying to hide the amusement in her voice.
“Branch is putting a Christmas tree up?” he asked slowly.
“Sure is.”
“Branch – my brother, Branch is actually allowing a Christmas tree into his house?”
The disbelief in his voice was staggering.
“Did you call to talk to him? Do you want me to get him?”
“No, it’s fine I need a little time to think up some good jokes about him putting a tree up.”
“Okay, I wish you well – if it helps I’m taking lots of photos. I thought I’d send them to your mom, and then…”
“She’ll send them to everyone,” he
finished. “Good thinking, can’t wait. Hey, you must be relieved, huh?”
“Hmmm?” she replied absently.
There was a loud bang from the living room. She suspected that Branch might be trying to beat the tree to get it up. Probably won’t work but it might calm him down a little.
“About Roger.”
“Oh, ah…”
“Now you don’t need to mate on Christmas Eve – you can go through the ceremony whenever you want. Pressure’s off, right?”
“Right!” she breathed automatically.
“Anyway, take lots of photos for me.”
“Of course.”
He hung up, and Mira stared at the phone. Her heart thudded. What was happening? Was their mating off? No, no, no she didn’t want that. But it wasn’t like it was real – so she had no right to be upset. She was, though.
Mira ran into the living room where Branch appeared to be fighting with the half-assembled tree. It appeared to be winning, too.
“Is it true?” she asked breathlessly.
“That I loathe Christmas – right now it is!” he snarled as tried to push the tree over.
It started to topple backward, but then righted itself, managing to slap Branch in the face as it did. Huh. Maybe it was the Christmas tree of the damned like Branch suggested ten minutes ago.
Apparently oblivious to Mira’s distress, he continued his rant.
“Who in their right mind ever decided to put a tree in their house and decorate it? I mean, who invented this stupid tradition? Who on earth woke up one day and thought, hey, I’m going to go out to the forest, cut down a tree, drag it into my house and throw shiny things on it?!”
“Is it true we don’t have to mate anymore?”
Branch snapped his head to look at her. “What?”
“Is it?”
Her chest was tightening with every second she waited for an answer.
His eyes darkened with anger. “Who told you?”
“Branch, I…” She shook her head in confusion. “Harlan said something about Roger… What is going on?”
He dropped the piece of the tree he was holding – Part M if Mira was any judge.
“I no longer need to mate,” he told her solemnly. “My cousin dropped the challenge. Roger was paying him to do it. It’s complicated, but the upshot is…”