by Jayme Morse
“Yeah, something like that,” Aiden agreed with a grin. “Are you ready to leave?”
“I just need to go change.” I paused. “What do I wear?”
“Something comfortable,” Colton replied.
I nodded and then headed upstairs. I was thankful for my werewolf body temperature today because I didn’t have to worry about staying warm.
I changed into a pair of black leggings and a pink glittery sweater with snowflakes on it. It dipped low in the front, showing off a decent amount of cleavage.
When I headed back to the kitchen, I announced, “I’m ready.”
“You’re mine first,” Aiden announced.
***
A half hour later, Aiden was inching the car up the same mountain that led to the solarium.
“You’re taking me to the solarium?” I asked him. Honestly? I really, really hoped he wasn’t taking me there. The solarium was definitely a romantic date idea, but I still considered it me and Theo’s place… even if he had only taken me there once.
“Nope.” Aiden grinned at me.
Whew.
As we reached the top of the mountain, he parked the car.
He climbed, and I followed after him.
Opening the trunk, he pulled out two sleds, which were attached together with a rope.
“We’re going to go sledding.”
“Down this hill?” I asked him with wide eyes. Really, you couldn’t even call it a hill. It was a mountain. A gigantic one. With lots and lots of trees that we could easily crash into. Honestly, the idea of sledding down it made me feel sick to my stomach.
“Come on, Raven. Be the fearless wolf I know you are,” Aiden whispered, leaning in close to me.
He brought his lips on mine then; it was only a brief kiss, but it made my entire body feel like it had been set on fire.
For some reason, his kiss was enough to convince me. It was enough to make me feel like I was on top of the world.
As he pulled away from me, I nodded. “Okay, let’s do this.”
“Really?” His honey brown eyes widened.
“I thought you wanted me to go sledding down this mountain with you. Are you trying to talk me out of it now?” I asked.
“Of course not. I just thought it might take a little more convincing,” Aiden replied.
He laid the sleds down on the snow-covered ground. “You can sit in the front.”
“So, you’re making me go first?” I shot him a playful glare.
“I mean, if one of us has to die, it should be you,” Aiden replied.
I glared at him. “You really are trying to talk me out of this.”
“I’m joking, Raven. You can’t die, and neither can I. We’re werewolves, remember? Something as simple as sledding down a mountain isn’t going to kill us—even if we crash into a tree,” Aiden said.
“Oh. Right.” It was easy to forget sometimes that I was practically an immortal.
Climbing into the sled, I pushed it to the edge of the mountainside and then froze. I could see everything from up here: The Werewolf Academy campus, the mall off in the distance, the Darken house. It felt like we were on top of the world.
Glancing down the slope, I couldn’t help but notice how steep it was. It looked like it was basically a straight drop down.
I glanced over my shoulder at Aiden. “Are you ready?”
“I’m ready whenever you are,” he replied.
My heart pounded against my chest as I pushed the sled forward, inching it closer and closer… until it began to drop.
We went flying down the mountain with incredible speed.
I screamed at the top of my lungs, both in fear and excitement. This was one of the scariest, yet one of the most enthralling, things I had ever done.
As we got closer to the bottom of the hill, that’s when we came close to hitting the trees. But I shifted my body weight in a way that prevented us from crashing into any.
As we reached the very bottom of the mountain, the sleds continued to move forward until we were eventually climbing off of them, rising to our feet.
“You’re so incredibly fearless,” Aiden said, pulling me in for a kiss. “It’s one of the things I love the most about you, Raven. It’s one of the reasons I’ve fallen so in love with you.”
“You’re in love with me?” I whispered. His words shocked me. He was the last of my mates who I expected to be in love with me, not to mention to confess it to me first.
He nodded, his brown eyes meeting mine.
“I’m in love with you, too,” I found myself saying, even though I knew I was breaking one of my rules.
It was Rule #1, to be exact.
Don’t tell any of them you’re in love with them until and unless you’re positive you’re going to pick them.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I was still trying to process the fact that Aiden had admitted that he was in love with me and deal with all of the butterflies that were swirling around inside my stomach when it was time for my date with Colton.
I tried to push Aiden to the back of my mind, knowing that Colton deserved my full attention. “So, where are you taking me?”
“Do you want to guess?” he asked.
“I have no idea,” I admitted.
“We’re going to see a play,” he replied. “One of your favorite Christmas productions.”
“The Nutcracker?” I asked with wide eyes. I didn’t remember ever mentioning The Nutcracker to him, but it had always been a tradition back in the human world for me and my mom to go see it every Christmas Eve.
“Nope.” He glanced over at me with a smile. “It will just have to be a surprise.”
“My favorite,” I replied with an eye roll. “Though, I have to admit. I do like surprises better now since I’ve known you guys. You’re able to deliver a surprise better than anyone I’ve ever known.”
“We try to do whatever we can to make you happy, Raven,” Colton replied as we came to a stop light. “I’m not lying when I tell you that your happiness is my biggest priority… even if it means you being happy with someone else.”
His gray eyes slid over to meet mine, and that was when I knew.
Colton was in love with me, too.
That was the only time someone ever cared more about your happiness than their own.
Both of them were in love with me. And at least one of them was going to be crushed in the end…
“We’re here,” Colton announced as he pulled into the theater.
A smile hit my lips. “You’re taking me to see Elf?”
“You said it’s your favorite Christmas movie and then I saw they were having a play, so I knew I had to bring you here.”
“I love it.” The truth was that it was really perfect. Not only was it something completely different from my date with Aiden, but it also showed how much thought Colton had put into this. He had really paid attention to me last year when I’d told him Elf was my favorite Christmas movie. No one had ever been so considerate of my interests before.
“I love you,” Colton responded then.
I smiled at him. “I love you, too.”
And I meant it. I loved him. I was in love with him.
I also knew deep down that I had broken another one of my rules, this time a huge one.
Rule #2: Don’t fall in love with all of the Darken.
***
Colton took me home after Elf had ended, but not without a goodbye kiss.
My clothes were still a little damp from sledding with Aiden earlier that day, so I changed into a dress, hoping that Rhys and Theo didn’t have any other outdoor snow activities planned. Just to be on the safe side, I stuffed another pair of leggings and a plain black top in my purse and then headed back downstairs.
“Rhys said he’s waiting for you out front,” Aiden informed me.
The sun was already setting as I headed out the front door.
I heard a jingle from the front yard, and glanced over to find Rhys sitting in a sleig
h that was drawn by two horses.
“A horse-drawn sleigh?” I glanced over at Rhys with wide eyes.
He grinned. “Do you like it?”
“I love it,” I replied as I climbed in. “But there’s no driver.”
“It’s just a touch of magic,” Rhys explained. “I’ve preset where the horses will take us before I drop you off with Theo.”
“Okay,” I agreed.
“Hot cocoa?” Rhys asked. He grabbed a cup and offered it to me.
I took a sip. “Mmm.”
As he pulled a blanket on over us, I moved in closer to him, resting my head against his chest. “This is amazing, Rhys. I’ve never felt more like a princess before in my life.”
“The irony in that statement,” Rhys replied with a laugh as he wrapped his arm around me.
I laughed. “I guess it is pretty ironic. But the thing is, I don’t actually feel like a princess most of the time.” I supposed that was probably because I didn’t have a kingdom to reign over anymore. “I just feel like an average teenager. Well, a teen wolf.”
“Well, whether you feel like one or not, you’ll always be a princess to me, Raven,” Rhys replied. “You’re so damn perfect.”
“You’re pretty perfect, too,” I told him.
“You don’t have to lie.”
“I would never lie to you. I mean it. You’re very special to me.”
“You’re special to us.” He paused. “What did you think of the ring? Is it a style you like?”
“I love it, but I love what it represents even more,” I told him. The more I thought about it, the more I understood what they were trying to do with my proposal from all of them.
“I’m glad,” he said with a nod.
We fell into a comfortable silence then as the horses continued to carry us throughout the neighborhood.
The houses on the left were decorated with lights: the first house, a ranch-style home, was decorated entirely in gold lights, and the one next door to it was a huge log cabin style home with blue icicle-style ornaments draped. The house across the street was a large Victorian-style home with colorful ornaments strung all around it.
“I love Christmas lights,” I commented with a smile.
“I know. You mentioned that last Christmas,” Rhys replied. “That’s why I wanted to do this with you tonight. Sip hot cocoa and check out the Christmas lights.”
I smiled and reached out for his hand, weaving my fingers through his.
At that moment, it began to snow down all around us.
“Magic?” I whispered, glancing over at him.
“Nope.”
His dark blue eyes sparkled underneath the light of the moon.
Somehow, I just knew that was my moment with Rhys. It was the moment that I would forever remember, even if it was a second in time. It was completely perfect between us. The moment where, through the silence of nothing but the horse’s hooves trotting down the street and the snow falling down quietly all around us, it was just the two of us.
It felt like we were the only ones in the entire world, and as his lips met mine, I was pretty sure he felt that way, too.
***
“It’s time for me to drop you off to next your date,” Rhys said quietly.
I pouted. “I wish I could spend the entire night with you.”
“My bedroom will be open if you want to find me tonight.”
I laughed. The truth was that I wasn’t entirely sure whose room I would end up in tonight, but one thing was for sure. I didn’t want to sleep alone.
The carriage stopped in front of the Dark Woods. I eyed Rhys curiously. “Really? This is the location of my next date?”
The place where Jessica Davis and I had gotten into that huge fight seemed like a strange place for us to go. As far as I knew, there was nothing nearby, aside from Werewolf Academy.
“I’m not sure what Theo intends to do with you,” Rhys replied. “He just asked me to drop you off here.”
“I see.”
As if on cue, Theo appeared in front of us then. He was wearing a dark coat and jeans. He stood there with his arms crossed in front of him.
He looked sexy as fuck.
Turning to Rhys, I kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for this beautiful night.”
“The most beautiful thing about it was you, Raven,” Rhys replied.
I smiled and then climbed out of the horse-drawn sleigh.
Theo nodded at Rhys before the horses carried him and the sleigh away from us.
“So, what do you have planned for me?” I asked.
“Well, this might seem lame in comparison to the rest of the dates you’ve had today, but I thought we could have dessert in the snow.” Theo’s bright blue eyes locked on mine. “Does that sound okay?”
“So, a snow picnic?” I asked with wide eyes.
“Pretty much.”
I smiled. “That sounds great.”
“Good.” He led me deeper into the forest, and further away from where Rhys’s horse-drawn sleigh had been just moments before.
There was a blanket on the ground and all types of desserts. And wine.
We both sat down on the blanket. The great thing about being werewolves was that we didn’t need heat. Our body temperatures were enough to keep us warm.
“I wanted to give you your Christmas gift in private.”
“I have another gift?” I asked with raised eyebrows. “The ring was enough.”
“The ring was from all of us,” Theo replied. “This is from just me.”
He pulled a box out of his jacket and handed it to me. “Merry Christmas, Raven.”
“Merry Christmas.” I smiled up at him as I took the box from him. It looked like another jewelry box. This time, it was a long, rectangular-shaped box, like the kind tennis bracelets came in.
Tearing the shiny gold wrapping paper off, I opened the black velvet box.
There was a heart-shaped locket inside.
“This is beautiful,” I said.
His blue eyes met mine. “Look inside.”
Carefully, I opened the locket. The light of the moon casted a glow just bright enough for me to see the photo inside.
My parents.
“Thank you,” I whispered, glancing up at him. “This means everything to me.”
“I thought you might like it,” he replied. “Do you want me to put it on?”
I nodded, turning around so that my back was facing him.
He pulled the chain around over my neck and then hooked the clasp.
As his fiery warm fingers brushed against my neck, I felt something. Something I couldn’t even quite explain.
Somehow, I just knew that tonight was going to be the night.
Theo pulled me down onto the blanket with him. Leaning over, he kissed me on the lips.
Then he pointed his chin up at the sky. I half-expected to see the stars falling again, but that wasn’t it this time.
The snow had begun to fall again.
“Our kisses are magic, Raven,” Theo whispered.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The snow continued to fall down all around us as I stared into Theo’s eyes. In the quiet serenity of the forest, it felt like we were truly alone for the first time in a long time.
And it was perfect.
“Theo, I love you,” I whispered.
His blue eyes pierced through mine, surprised by my words. “But the others…”
“I love them, too,” I admitted. “But I love you… differently.” I paused. “I’m in love with you.”
There. I had admitted it to both him and myself. Even though I loved the others, the truth was that I did feel differently about him. And now he knew that. Now, he no longer needed to wonder.
My words seemed to spark something within Theo. Our lips crashed together, and my heart pounded against my chest.
In one swift movement, Theo was on top of me, planting a trail of kisses down my neck.
His hand slipped beneath my short dres
s, his fiery warm fingers brushing against the lacy material of my thong. He pulled it down and threw it to the side.
I unfastened his belt and pulled his own pants down before removing his boxers. He pulled my dress over my head and unhooked my bra.
His blue eyes poured over me, drinking me in. This was the first time we’d ever been completely naked together… the first time I had ever exposed myself to him.
Lowering his head, he brought his mouth down over one of my nipples as his finger dipped inside of me.
I moaned. “Oh, god.”
His fingers moved in and out of me, bringing me close to the edge.
“Theo, I need you,” I whispered to him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him in closer to me. “I want you inside of me.”
“Are you sure?” Theo asked.
I nodded. I had never been more ready.
My entire body was already pulsating as he parted my thighs. His mouth came down on mine again as he pushed himself inside of me.
“Fuck,” I gasped out against his lips.
He moved inside of me, in and out, slowly at first before building up to a steady rhythm.
With every move he made, every stroke, it was pure ecstasy. There was no way human sex could have been this good.
“Theo,” I cried out as I writhed underneath him. I could feel myself tightening at the core, almost ready to come undone.
The sound of his name ignited something within him; he moved faster, deeper, harder.
“Fuck, Raven,” Theo growled out as our bodies trembled together as we both exploded together.
***
“Last night was perfect,” I whispered to Theo when we woke up in my bed the following morning. I leaned over and kissed him on the lips.
He kissed me back, but something about his seemed… different. Distant, almost.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Theo glanced over at me then. “Did you mean what you said last year, Raven?”
“What do you mean?” I shifted so that I was on one elbow.
“Last year, when I was in a coma, you said that when the time came, you would choose me.” Theo’s eyes searched mine, seeking the truth. “Did you mean it or was it just… words?”
