Shifters, Secrets & Surprises

by Lowe, Anna

  Blaze took her empty mug. “So Christmas was just like any other day?”

  “Sometimes we got to end practice an hour early.”

  Blaze grimaced. “I was going to tell you that Yule is far superior to Christmas, but anything would be better than that.”

  “Tell me about Yule.” Val didn’t want to relive any more childhood memories.

  “It’s the best.” Blaze grinned. “You’ve already had the scones, and that’s just the beginning. We still have two days to find the perfect Yule log and hunt down a boar. Then Yule starts on the winter solstice. We’ll settle in for twelve days of drinking and feasting until the new year begins.”

  “Twelve days?” Val raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure that’s enough time?”

  “You joke, but you’ll be sad when it’s over. There’ll be food, singing, and best of all, gifts.”

  “Gifts?” Val felt a twinge of anxiety. She thought she had heard something about gifts.

  “Yes, exchanged on the first night of Yule. Don’t worry, you don’t have to get something for everyone. Our pack just exchanges gifts between mates.”

  “Oh, good,” Val said, trying to ignore her rising panic. That didn’t make it any easier. Where was she going to get a gift out here in the mountains? In this snow, it could take two days just to trek to the nearest tiny town.

  “I know that look,” Ash said. “Don’t worry. You just have to get something for us, and we’re not picky.”

  “Besides, you have two whole days to make something,” Blaze said. “You’ll be fine.”

  “Great,” Val lied. Now she had to make something? How? With what? And what would two Alphas even want?

  “Don’t tell me,” she said. “You already have something for me, and it’s amazing.”

  “Actually, we haven’t started—” Blaze stopped midsentence as Ash elbowed him in the ribs. “Right. I’m not supposed to say anything about anything, because I’m terrible at keeping secrets.”

  “That’s where we should end this conversation,” Ash said. “Before Blaze blurts out exactly what you’re getting.”

  “I wouldn’t do that,” Blaze protested. “Probably.”

  Mercy and Iris tumbled into the den, shaking snow from their fur before they shifted.

  “We’re going to leave you here for now,” Ash said, squeezing Val’s arm. “We have to… work on something.”

  “On what?” Blaze asked.

  Ash buried his head in his hands.

  “Don’t be dramatic.” Blaze sniffed. “I was just joking. I remember that we’re knitting Val a pair of mittens.”

  Val stifled a giggle.

  “Get out!” Ash growled at his brother. “If you let the real gift slip, I’ll make you sorry.”

  “Bye, Val.” Blaze gave her a quick kiss. “Gotta go. I have a cranky Alpha to take care of.”

  “I’ll show you cranky,” Ash said, but he too kissed Val before pushing Blaze out of the den. “Let’s get to work!”

  “Are they being ridiculous?” Mercy flopped down beside her, throwing an arm over her eyes. “Of course they’re being ridiculous, why do I even bother to ask?”

  “They just told me about Yule,” Val said as Iris sat too. “About the gift exchange in two days.”

  “Are you worried?” Mercy waved her away. “Don’t be. It’s fun. No pressure.”

  “But there are only two days,” Val said. “I didn’t even know we were supposed to exchange gifts. What am I supposed to get?”

  “You mean they didn’t tell you about the gifts until now?” Mercy shook her head. “Typical. But you’ll think of something, Val. I know it.”

  Val bit her lip. She wished she had the same confidence.

  “Do either of you know what they’re getting me?” she asked. “I promise to act surprised. I just want some idea of what kind of gift I’m dealing with.”

  Mercy and Iris exchanged a look.

  “You think they’d tell us?” Mercy asked. “They know you too well, Val. They’ve been awfully secretive lately.”

  Val groaned, putting her head to her knees. “I’ve never gotten a present for anyone before.”

  “Really?” Mercy seemed surprised. “No one?”

  “My family didn’t exchange gifts. And my best friend was happy with sandwiches. Sandwich crusts, specifically. I don’t think that’s going to be good enough.”

  “Calm down.” Mercy patted her on the back. “It’s going to be okay.” She glanced at the towering tree. “You know what you should do?”

  “What?” Val asked.

  “Help me and Iris. We’re supposed to decorate the tree and the rest of the den today. If we don’t get it done before the search for the Yule log, it might never happen.”

  “It’ll be relaxing,” Iris added. “And maybe the work will give you some ideas.”

  Val fervently hoped so. Rising, she followed them to the pile of greenery in the corner. All she had to do was think up a perfect gift for her perfect mates.

  How hard could it be?

  Chapter Two

  As the three of them began to untangle the endless vines of ivy, Winter and Sage came to help. With five pairs of hands, they made short work of the chore.

  Val held up three neat strands of ivy that she’d wrestled into submission. “What now?”

  “Now we weave a garland,” Mercy said. “You already have three vines—perfect. Let me get mine.”

  The rest of them picked out their vines, making sure they didn’t snarl together.

  Mercy held out a hand. “Give your ends to me. Make sure you hold tight to your vines, Val. We don’t want to get them mixed up.”

  Val watched as she tied the ends of the vines together in a firm knot. Expertly, Mercy leapt to one of the evergreen’s higher branches and anchored the vines to the top of the tree. Ivy flowed down in streams. Val wondered if they were going to do anything more—it looked beautiful just as it was.

  “All right.” Mercy hopped down, gathering some of the greenery. “Everyone take some vines. Pull back now. Keep them taut, but not too taut. Don’t worry, Val, the tree won’t fall.”

  Following Mercy’s instructions, Val backed up with the others. Her handful of vines stretched between her and the tree, a rope of greenery.

  “Now we’re going to braid,” Mercy said. “Val, we’re farthest over, so we go first. Stop looking terrified, I’ll tell you what to do.”

  Val bit her lip. “I don’t know how to braid.”

  “It’s easy, you’ll see.” Mercy whipped her vines, producing a snapping noise. “You can’t mess up an ivy garland.”

  Val thought Mercy was being overly optimistic, but since she was already giving instructions, Val had to pay attention.

  “All right, this way, Val. I’m going to bring my vines over Iris’s, and under Winter’s and Sage’s. You need to go over Iris’s and Winter’s, and then under Sage’s.”

  She followed Mercy, trying to keep the instructions straight. Over Iris’s, under Winter’s… no, over. She pulled her vines across the room as Winter helpfully lowered hers.

  “You’ve got it,” Winter said, smiling encouragingly.

  Mercy watched as Val dipped her vines under Sage’s. “Good,” she said. “Now we wait a moment while they cross to the other side of the room. Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it.”

  Val never really did, but the others were happy to help her when she faltered. Mercy tried to grab a drink while holding on to her vine, muttering when the mug remained just out of reach. The rest of them quietly tried to pull her farther away. They dissolved into laughter when Mercy discovered their game, growling dire curses at them.

  Somehow, the garland got braided, and it turned out gorgeously. Winter and Sage showed Val how to weave bits of holly into the ivy, and the red berries popped against the green. Eyes shining, Val placed the holly carefully, trying to make a pattern. She had never done anything like this before. Creating something was satisfying in a way that shooting arrows
at a target for hours had never been.

  “It’s time,” Mercy said. “Val, Iris, help me while I loop.”

  Iris lifted the garland, and Val followed her lead. She watched as Mercy wrapped their handiwork in a spiral around the tree. Mercy must be practiced, for the braid of ivy ended just as it met the lowest branch.

  “Perfect,” Mercy said. “Just like it is every year.”

  Val breathed a sigh of relief. She’d helped with the garland, and hadn’t made a fool of herself.

  “Ready?” Mercy asked.

  “For what?”

  “We have to make some more.” Seeing the look on Val’s face, Mercy grinned. “What, you think we’re going to celebrate Yule with bare walls?”

  The next few garlands were quicker work. Once Mercy determined that they’d made enough, they began to festoon the stone walls. This work was much easier, and Val finally had time to collect her thoughts.

  “Iris,” she said casually. “What are you getting Lynx for Yule?”

  “Candied oranges,” Iris replied immediately. “They’re his favorite, so there’s no better gift. It’s so easy it’s almost unfair.”

  Val certainly thought so. “And you already have them?”

  “I got a box in late autumn. There’s always the risk of him finding them, but I feel better if I have them before the first snows.”

  “That sounds smart,” Val said. Why had no one told her about this cursed gift exchange? “What about you, Sage?”

  She looked around the den. Even though Parker was still asleep on the other side of the cavern, Sage lowered her voice to a whisper. “I’m making him a buckskin blanket. You should hear him complain about the cold. He doesn’t like anyone to know, but it definitely bothers him.”

  “A blanket sounds perfect,” Val said. She wished she could think of something, anything to get her mates. But Ash and Blaze never ate candied fruit, and they had no need of more bed furs, especially when all three of them slept together on cold winter nights. “Mercy, how about you?”

  “Fury’s sword is so chipped that I’m worried it’ll break in half. I’m making him a new one, along with a scabbard.”

  “You’re making him a sword?” Val was awed. She could barely string a few strands of ivy together.

  “Don’t sound so impressed,” Mercy said. “I’ve been working on the sword for months, with the help of almost everyone else. And I’ve barely started on the scabbard. Do you know how ridiculous it’s going to look if I hand him a beautiful sword in a mangy scabbard?”

  Val frowned. “Won’t he just appreciate the sword?”

  “You know that the scabbard makes the sword. A well-made sword with a poor scabbard is like a garland with no holly. It doesn’t work, Val.”

  “There’s still time,” Val said as she twined the last of her ivy onto a hook embedded in the wall.

  “Not enough for me to finish both.” Mercy eyed her shrewdly. “What are you doing later today?”

  “Trying to think up a gift idea.”

  “You can do that while you help me, then.”

  “Mercy,” Val groaned. “I’m no good at making things.”

  “It’s already made. You just have to tool a pattern into the leather.”

  Val stared at her. “I have to make a pattern, too?”

  “It’s already drawn on. All you have to do is trace it. And it’ll give you lots of time to think.”

  “You have an answer for everything, don’t you,” Val grumbled. “All right, I’ll help.”

  “Thank you!” Mercy gave her a tight hug. “You’re the best!”

  Val made a face. She had better get an amazing idea out of this.

  “Almost time for the ornaments,” Mercy said, pushing a small cardboard box with her foot. “But first, the goats.”

  “Goats?” Val asked incredulously.

  “Of course goats. Yule goats. What other kind would there be?”

  “We make them out of dried grass,” Iris said, “and decorate them with red ribbons.”

  “You can’t be serious.” Val gazed at them, but none of them seemed to be holding back laughter. “Goats? Why goats?”

  Mercy scoffed. “I could ask you the same thing about Christmas. Why reindeer?”

  Val didn’t have an answer to that.

  “And not just any reindeer,” Mercy continued. “Magical, flying reindeer. Who came up with that?”

  “We’ll stick to goats,” Iris said, winking at Val. “They make much more sense.”

  Since Iris was more patient, she showed Val how to gather a clump of grass, to twist off pieces just right to form a head, horns, and four feet. She helped Val tie red ribbons over the grass to keep its shape. Each end got a stripe of red, as well as the goat’s belly. Ribbon spiraled down its horns, which Iris pulled tight so that they curved over the goat’s back.

  Though Iris had done most of the work, Val was left amazed. In her palm, she held a perfect little Yule goat.

  “Brilliant,” Mercy said, thrusting another pile of grass at her. “Try making one yourself now.”

  Val concentrated, her tongue between her lips. She did her best to follow the steps Iris had shown her, but somehow things began to go sideways. Halfheartedly, Val tied a ribbon around the goat’s middle. She didn’t want to waste ribbon. Though she was its creator, she could barely call it a goat. One leg was just a stump, so it leaned forward drunkenly. Its horns drooped, pulling its floppy neck toward the ground.

  The poor thing looked like it needed to be put out of its misery. To their credit, none of the others laughed, though Mercy coughed suspiciously.

  “I’ll have something else for you to do,” she said. “Wait here a moment.”

  Val watched as Iris made a larger goat, at least a foot high. She marveled at how deftly Iris got the grass to bend to her wishes.

  “This one will go on the high table,” she said. “He’s supposed to watch over the proceedings and bring us luck.”

  “What are we going to do with all the smaller goats?” Val asked. “Hang them on the tree?”

  “No, we have other ornaments for that. We put the goats in people’s bowls and bed furs when they aren’t looking. Whoever finds one has to try and sneak it back into the giver’s things.” Iris laughed. “It can go on for months.”

  “I put one in Fury’s boot last year.” Mercy had returned, carrying a large box. “He didn’t find it until after Midsummer.”

  “And he threatened to get you back,” Iris said. “Has he done that yet?”

  “Big words.” Mercy set down her burden. “He’ll never beat me at this game.”

  Iris shook her head with a smile, turning back to her goats.

  “All right, Val,” Mercy said. “Here are all the ornaments the pack has made over the years.” She lifted a flap so Val could peek inside.

  “Which ones are yours?”

  “These.” Mercy dug into the layers, pulling out five dried sunflowers. “Very creative, I know.”

  Val surveyed the contents. Ornaments of all colors and sizes were piled on top of each other. “So, everyone made at least one of these?”

  “Yep.” Mercy’s smile was slightly wicked. “And that means you have to add something, dear Alpha.”

  Val shuddered. “I really shouldn’t. Did you see what happened to the goat?”

  “You don’t necessarily have to make something from scratch. There are unfinished projects in here. You could complete one of them, if you’d like.”

  Val sifted through the box. At the bottom was a carving of a wolf. She pulled it out, admiring it.

  “I think Fury made that.” Mercy scrutinized it. “He meant to paint them, but never got around to it. If you want to, I could fetch some paints for you.”

  “Oh no. I couldn’t.” Val pushed the wooden wolf into Mercy’s hands. “It’s too nice—I’d ruin it.”

  “It’s just paint, Val. Besides, Fury can carve more if he wants to. Look, there are at least four others in this box. He won’t mi
ss them.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Mercy shoved the ornaments aside, revealing some tubes of paint at the bottom of the box. “I insist.” She handed Val the paint and a pair of brushes. “Get to work, or I’ll make you create more demented goats.”

  Val had to laugh at that. “This sounds better than the goats. I don’t think mine will bring much luck at all.”

  “Painting’s easy enough,” Mercy said. “Paint as many as you want, and let me know if you need help.” She set three of the carved wolves in front of Val, then went to help Iris.

  Val stared at the wolves, deep in thought. What color should she paint them? There weren’t many choices, as there were only so many tubes of paint. But she wanted them to be meaningful somehow.

  She pulled one wolf into her workspace. It was intricately carved, its tiny head held back in a howl. Val smiled. It reminded her so much of Ash. And this other wolf, the one with its tail held high, looked just like Blaze. She almost wondered if Fury had used them as models.

  That was it. Quickly unscrewing the tube’s cap, she stuck her brush into the paint. She knew exactly what to do now.

  Holding the figure close, Val was soon completely absorbed in her task. She wasn’t sure how long the first figure had taken her, but the second seemed to go quicker. She barely noticed when Mercy stopped by to grab the third unpainted wolf and some supplies.

  Val sat up as she put the last bit of color on the howling wolf’s tail. She was finished.

  “Mercy! Come see.”

  “Just a second.”

  Val stared at the figures, marveling at her work. While she hadn’t helped at all with the carving, the paint seemed to have brought the tiny wolves to life.

  Mercy trotted over, grinning as she admired Val’s ornaments. “Perfect,” she said. “A tiny Ash and a tiny Blaze. They’ll be thrilled.”

  “I mixed a dash of brown with the red for Blaze’s coat,” Val said. “And I put some flakes of snow on Ash. Do you like them?”

  “I love them.” Mercy clapped her on the back. “Iris can help you tie some ribbon around them so they can hang on the tree. But really, Val, just two?”