Let's Scrooge

by R. L. Caulder

  “Sorry, we got distracted by snow. And some sneaky woman of ours decided to start a war and then run away,” he teased, giving me a pointed look.

  “The way I see it is that I’m faster than you. You’re just being pouty about it,” I huffed, dancing in my seat as Gretta slid a huge mug of steaming cocoa my way. I stuck my finger right in the whipped cream and chocolate drizzle before popping it into my mouth, unable to resist. Van choked for a second, and I blinked at him with innocent eyes. “You okay?”

  “Oh, I am,” he promised, shaking his head and taking his mug.

  “I love what you’ve done with the place this year,” Lachlan said, saving us from embarrassing ourselves. Gretta beamed and glanced at the lights sparkling along the ceiling, her eyes traveling to the garland-wrapped and ornament-strewn wooden beams next.

  “Thanks! I guess the pack found its Christmas cheer, and I couldn’t help but participate. I’ve never seen us all get so excited over something so simple,” she laughed, stepping aside as Cole and Marley came in. He released her hand and ran right for me the moment they stepped inside. I helped him out of his coat and scooted back as he settled into my lap, his icy nose nuzzling into my warm sweater.

  “Hey, kiddo, give her some space,” Marley said, but he didn’t budge.

  “I’m okay if you’re okay with it?” I shrugged, and so did Marley. She looked kind of proud of me, maybe for adapting to all of this so well. Either way, it made me smile. She was wonderful with him, and if I did something right in her eyes, then that meant a lot.

  “Alright, what can I get everyone?” Gretta asked, and the next few moments became a flurry of menus, orders, and snuggles for me, thanks to the cutie in my lap.

  “What about you, buddy?” I asked, and he leaned up long enough to let out a huge yawn before slumping back against me.

  “He didn’t sleep well last night because he was so excited,” Marley informed me. “Want me to get yours to go, buddy?” Cole nodded sleepily before burrowing back into my sweater and passing straight out. I looked up, alarmed, but she chuckled. “Don’t worry, he does that.”

  “Is now a good time to tell you Lennox went overboard on his Christmas presents?” Lachlan asked, and I looked up at her with wide eyes. Called out by my own boyfriend. Cold. She grinned and shook her head.

  “Don’t worry, same,” Marley assured, waving off my worry. “No one can resist those big blue puppy dog eyes of his. And now that he’s been opening up, he charms everyone.”

  “So, two semesters of school left?” Lach’s mom cut in. I bit back a frown, unsure why she was changing the subject. She was definitely being friendlier, but from the way she fidgeted, this was a heavier question than it seemed.

  “No, we haven’t decided on what we’re going to do yet, Ma,” Lach said uncomfortably, shifting in his seat. They’d mentioned more than once that they wanted us back with the pack, but it wasn't easy to make that choice with six futures at stake. “Would we even be welcome here?”

  “Of course you would,” Brad said firmly. “You’ve more than proven you’re family, and I should have apologized earlier, but we’re very sorry for how things went the last time. Tradition is a hard thing to break, but we’re doing everything we can to welcome change.” His promise was followed by a glimpse of real vulnerability, and it was almost a little strange to see such a fragile look in his eyes.

  “Well, everyone deserves second chances,” I said firmly. “Now, tell me more about these plans for the holiday. Aes gave us an overview, but I’d love to hear about it from you.”

  “Gladly,” he said gruffly, beaming at the chance to get away from the feels. “We thought it’d be fun to have everyone down to the lodge. She’s making a bunch of treats, and we’re having a hot chocolate contest. We’ve got a few old bears who think they’ve got the best, but it’s mine.”

  “Oh, bullshit,” Gretta snorted as she started sliding plates over to everyone. I shifted Cole and glanced longingly at my burger and fries, not wanting to disturb him further. Aeson, the life-saver, reached over and fixed up my burger before cutting it in half, all while he continued his conversation with Tristan on his other side.

  “Man, you’ve got them trained,” Marley joked, and Lach flipped her off, mid-sentence with his dad. Their easy banter had me feeling even more at home than before, and I realized how quickly I was falling in love with this town despite our history. If they were truly turning over a new leaf, then who was I to question it? I’d enjoy a Christmas with a real family for once, surrounded by the men who loved me.

  Chapter 3

  December 24th

  Evening

  Lennox

  “I’ve got a Christmas Eve surprise!” I sang out as I walked into Marley’s house, eight boxes in hand. The guys had been prying for days, trying to peek into them since they weren’t wrapped like the rest, but I refused to tell them.

  Cole and Marley were curled up on the couch, watching a Christmas cartoon, but he looked up excitedly as I carried them in.

  “Okay, we have Cole on top, then Marley, Aes, Tris, Calev, Van, and Lach!” I said, doling out the gifts. Each one was similar, except Cole’s. He got a cute stuffed reindeer and a book. “I thought we’d start a new tradition.”

  “Oh my gods, these are adorable!” Marely gushed. I ignored the look I was getting from the guys as she pulled out her pajamas and held them up. Like the rest of us, her pajamas were made up of a striped shirt and matching pants. They were red and white like a candy cane, with other Christmas-y details to make us all look like Santa's little helpers.

  “Everyone, change! It’s almost cocoa time,” I urged, grabbing my own and heading for the restroom. I’d even tucked a bag into each box for our discarded clothes, so we could change without leaving a giant mess behind.

  Once we were all dressed and bundled back up, we met Lach’s parents outside and started walking down the street to the lodge.

  Cole ran ahead of us in his reindeer jammies, and I grinned. Every time I took them all in, I lost it. The sight of my sexy, muscled men dressed in tight-fitting striped Christmas jammies was too cute for words.

  “Okay, wait,” I called out. Now that we were back in front of the huge lodge, I could see how picturesque it was. “I want a picture!”

  “Here, I’ll take one of you guys,” Marley said, taking my phone when I handed it over. “Cole, come here for a sec, then you and Auntie Lennie can get a pic next.” He moved to her side as the guys and I got into position in front. I didn’t even have to fake a smile as Tristan tucked me into his side, placing a kiss on my temple.

  “I’m going to get you back for this, Kitten,” he warned, and Aeson chuckled next to him.

  “Oh, I’m getting in on that one,” Aes promised, licking his lips. The suggestion in his statement was enough that I was clenching my thighs and letting out a startled laugh right as she snapped the pic.

  “Aw, it’s perfect. Okay, buddy, you’re up,” she told Cole, who ran over and held his arms out to me. I picked him up so he could hug his arms around my neck as we smiled at the camera. I couldn’t wait to hang these up in our future home.

  “Wait, Dad, where are you going?!” Lach called out right as his parents tried to slip away. Pulling them back over to us, he positioned them in front of a fluffy wreath. Despite their protests, they posed with bright smiles right away.

  “Now with Marley and Lach too,” I called out, snatching my phone away. She grinned and ran over, their parents looking beside themselves to have the family all together. Once I’d taken a good shot, I urged Cole forward. “Go take a picture with Marley, buddy.” He smiled and ran over again, being a trooper. Honestly, I thought he’d fight us more on the marathon of pictures, but he was going with the flow.

  When everyone started filing into the lodge, I tapped Brad’s shoulder. “Hey, can I talk to you for a second?” Nerves churned in my stomach when he raised an eyebrow and whispered something to his wife before hanging back. Calev loomed in the doorwa
y, glaring over at us, and I gave him a shaky smile before turning to the alpha. His gargoyle could likely sense my nerves, his eyes turning to molten silver as he watched. But I wasn’t afraid of Brad, and this conversation was a big deal. Once the others walked inside, we were far enough away that we couldn’t be overheard, so I cleared my throat and met his eyes. He narrowed his for a moment, the alpha in him not used to such blatant eye contact, but I didn’t want to stare at the ground as I spoke.

  “What’s up, cub?” he finally asked when I’d opened and closed my mouth like a fish a few times.

  “I… uh… wanted to run something by you,” I stammered, taking a deep breath. “Or rather— how does one purchase land here in town to build a house?”

  His eyebrows shot up, and he let out a startled laugh. “Well, that’s not where I saw this going. But, uh, they need to get my approval first, then the council’s, then our realtor’s. Is this for…” He trailed off like he was afraid to say it.

  “No plans are set in stone, but either way, we need a home we can come back to when school is done. I’m hoping we can live here, but with six of us and an uncertain future, who knows. We haven’t really shared the important details with you guys yet, and life is complicated for me, but I want to do this for them. I want to have it built,” I explained in a rush.

  “If you ever need help with this unspoken topic, you let me know. You’re one of us now, cub. As for the original topic, my best friend is an architect. I’ll set us up in a group email, and we can start there. In the meantime, you’ve got my approval, and I’ll propose it at the next council meeting as well.” His excitement had a smile flaring on my face, and I lunged to hug him, startling us both, before I could second guess the urge. He wrapped his arms around me too, and I knew we’d all be okay.

  “Thank you,” I said as I pulled away. We both shook off the feels and hurried toward the door where Calev was still silently waiting. As soon as he saw my blatant smile, he relaxed, tucking me into his shoulders with a just right squeeze.

  “Got secrets?” Calev teased, the lightness in his voice letting me know that he would respect my right to keep something to myself.

  “Don’t worry about it,” I laughed, pulling him faster as the rich smell of cookies and cocoa filled the air.

  The pack lodge was filled with people now… or shifters, rather, and the sound of laughter and chatter filled the room. Kids ran through the crowd, their harried moms attempting to wrangle them.

  Along one wall were tables, all lined in a row and covered with different treats, crockpots, and stacks of paper coffee cups. People stood behind each station, ready to fill the cups for eager pack members. The last table held can after can of whipped cream and a giant bowl of mini marshmallows ready to top off the drinks.

  “Okay, this is insanely adorable,” Tristan exclaimed as we joined him, and I grinned, not bothering to sit. Instead, I went up to the first empty station I found.

  “Well, hello there! You must be Lach’s little family.” An older man, his bright smile shining through his Santa beard, stood before us, ladle at the ready.

  “Yup, we are!” I said quickly. “And this smells amazing.”

  “It’s my secret recipe, but only try it if you like a little pizazz,” he whispered conspiratorially. From behind us, came a cough, and we both looked up to see someone glaring over at us. Unfazed, he let out a huge belly laugh. “See? Not everyone can handle it.”

  “Oh, I’m not afraid,” I reassured him, almost positive he’d put some form of cayenne or something in there. His smile grew impossibly wider as he took my cup and poured a ladle full of the steaming liquid in.

  “She’s brave,” Lach stage whispered to Marley, the two of them barely holding back their laughter. “Old man Henry does the craziest stuff at pack gatherings. One time during a pack meeting, he brought these candies that ended up having hallucinogenic mushrooms in them. Dad threatened to ban him, but he’d never really do it.”

  “Nah, Dad’s a softie, and it probably loosened up that stuffy council. Though the candies weren’t as effective as a little mimic and a group of misfits,” Marley teased, her smile was full of pride. I was finding very quickly that once you earned a bear’s respect, they were fiercely loyal. “Did you check on Lydie yet?”

  “Yeah, Lennie has gone every day, but she’s the same as usual,” Lach answered for me, and I gave him a grateful smile. My sister Lydie’s current coma status had me worried, and I was glad I at least got a bit of time with her each day. She was a mixed supe like me, only she was half bear, half mimic. Unfortunately, the mimic and bear mix wasn’t stable, so her health had slowly deteriorated over time. I’d just recently found her, and it was hard to come to terms with the fact that I’d never get to truly know her.

  “Ugh, this one is too sweet. Let me try yours,” Aeson complained, taking the cup I’d been clutching while it cooled. He took a big swig before I could warn him, and my eyes widened. Aes froze and let out a shudder before forcing himself to swallow it down, probably not wanting to offend someone who could turn into a giant bear. “What the actual hell?!”

  “It has pizazz, apparently,” I joked, and he glared at the cup like it had personally offended him before handing it back. I took a small sip, enjoying the rich, sweet cocoa and its shot of heat. The flavors burst on my tongue as I gave Aes a look. “This is delicious! You acted like it was horrible.”

  Before he could respond, loud Christmas music came over the loudspeakers, drowning out everyone’s voices until they adjusted the volume. The instrumental melody was slow and sweet, and before I knew it, Lachlan had swept me out to the front of the room, pulling me in for a dance. I glanced nervously around because we were the only ones, but he wasn’t having it.

  “Doesn’t matter, this is about you and me,” he commanded, my eyes going to his instead of the crowd. Everything else fell away when those gorgeous green eyes held me captive. He was so at ease here, and I loved seeing how much he had changed during our stay. I vowed to myself to someday be able to keep that look in his eyes every damn day.

  My pulse picked up as tension crackled between us, the feel of my body pressed against his chiseled, lithe form becoming nearly too much for me. He leaned down, brushing his lips softly over mine.

  “Can I unwrap you tonight? That’s a good enough present for me,” he teased, and I bit my lip to keep myself from saying something ridiculous.

  “Oh, I’ll be unwrapping you both,” Evander promised as he stepped up to our side and held out a hand. “May I have this dance?”

  “Me or him?” I joked quietly, but he took my hand from Lach and spun me toward him.

  “You, Doll,” he whispered before licking over the shell of my ear.

  Dancing with Evander was different; there was an elegance to his dancing that Lachlan didn’t have, which made sense given one was a vampire and the other a bear shifter. It didn’t bother me; I loved both styles. Or maybe I just loved being swept around the dance floor in my sexy boyfriends’ arms.

  When the song ended, he released me, my head swimming and the ache between my thighs begging for attention. I swayed on my feet, and Tristan’s mouth turned down into a frown as we approached.

  “You alright, Kitten?” he fussed, coming over and feeling my forehead. His frown only grew deeper when he noticed my heated cheeks, and I had to bite back a laugh, knowing I was fine. Well, I would be fine once I got a moment with Lach and Van. “Aes, check her out? Maybe it’s an allergic reaction.”

  Aeson came over and ran a glowing hand over me before a coy smile spread across his face as he turned to his boyfriend.

  “She’s fine, just turned on, babe,” he laughed. Tristan’s eyes went wide, and it became his turn to have bright red cheeks.

  “Dammit,” he muttered, shaking his head. “I need spiked cocoa to deal with you all.”

  “I can help with that,” Marley hissed, pulling out a flask. “My parents are taking Cole for the night.”

  “Really?” Lach
asked, eyebrows shooting up, echoing the exact reaction I had. She poured a dash of whatever was in her flask into each of our cups, ending with adding a bit extra to her own. I took a sip and winced at the stark taste of alcohol now overpowering my cocoa, but the warmth of it was nice, at least.

  “You guys don’t really understand the amount this place has changed. They’ve always treated him well, but now they realize he’s family. He even asks to go to their place sometimes so they can spoil him,” she explained, blinking rapidly. Tears welled in my eyes at the sweet image.

  “Okay, enough feels. We’ll be back later,” Lach abruptly interjected, taking my hand and Evander’s before pulling us toward our room. I avoided eye contact with everyone, not relaxing until we were alone. As soon as we walked into the room and Van locked the door, they were on me. Clothes were ripped off and lips were on mine before I could even blink, that vampire speed apparently being put to good use.

  “Tell us what you want, Doll,” Evander demanded, skimming his fangs over my neck and sending a shiver down my spine. I tried to speak, but my mind was already foggy with lust. I just needed them.

  “You,” I finally managed to get out, Lachlan pressing into my side, his hard cock pushing against me. My hand slid down and wrapped around him as I bared my neck for Evander. This time, he didn’t tease; his fangs immediately pierced my skin, arms circling around me as my knees started to buckle. Waves of euphoria flooded my system, and my own fangs teased my gums.

  Evander’s breathy groans filled my ear, and I was filled with an almost feral longing, my hand moving from his dick to his neck, pulling him in front of me and down to meet my lips. I nipped at his pouty bottom lip before slanting my mouth over his. Our tongues danced together while his hands started to explore, gliding down my curves to my dripping pussy. Without hesitation, he plunged his fingers inside of me, his thumb teasing over my clit. Each pull of blood that Van took felt like it had a direct connection to my pussy, lightning waves of pleasure rolling through me until I was afraid it’d swallow me whole.