A Very Alpha Christmas

by Anthology

  “Yes, I said I was fine with it. But, I’m not.”

  “I see. Well, it’s over now anyway. I told them I won’t have anything to do with you, and it’s important to them.”

  They continued walking in silence until finally they reached their apartment building and went inside.

  When they got onto the elevator, Cole spoke again.

  “What we have is special. Can’t you see that? Maybe this is a sign that you should rebel against them. Do you even know what they’re really like? You’re not one of them.”

  Alexis shook her head sadly. “But I am one of them. We never should have started this. It was a bad idea.”

  Cole stepped closer to her and she felt herself tense up.

  “It was never a bad idea, Lexy. This, what we have, is a good thing. I don’t want to give it up.”

  The door to Alexis’ floor opened and she stepped out. Cole moved to follow her and she put her hand up.

  “Don’t. Cole, it’s over. It has to be. I’m sorry.” She turned then and fumbled for her keys, let herself in and then collapsed in a puddle of tears on the sofa.

  Sherman immediately jumped up beside her and rubbed against her back, purring. She turned towards him, pulled her to him and dropped a kiss on his forehead. “Silly little kitty. What would I do without you?” She hugged him close to her and wished that it was Cole instead, but she didn’t see how that was ever likely to happen again.

  9

  Everyone stared at her when she walked to her desk the next morning. The looks were full of questions and she knew they were all wondering about Cole. Why was she with him? Was there something going on? Was she a threat to them? The air was thick with tension and finally at lunchtime, she couldn’t take it anymore. She walked into the oversized office that Ian and Tony shared and shut the door behind her.

  “Is this going to be a problem?” she asked.

  “Is what going to be a problem? The fact that you’re having a relationship with Cole Parker, who owns our biggest competitor and is a member of the pack we hate? I can’t see why that would be an issue? Do you, Tony?” Ian said sarcastically.

  “I told you I would end it, and I did. If that doesn’t change things, then there’s no reason for me to be here.”

  Tony and Ian exchanged glances.

  “You really ended things? You won’t be seeing him again? Even as ‘neighbors’?” Tony asked doubtfully.

  “Yes. You have my word.”

  “All right. We’ll spread the word that all is well and we’ll chalk it up to you being new and not knowing any better.”

  “Fine. Spin it any way you like, but I don’t want to walk in here tomorrow and feel the way that I felt today. That is not cool. At all.”

  “We’ll take care of it. Why don’t you work from home the rest of the day? That will give us a chance to talk to the team.”

  “Thank you. That sounds like a good idea to me.”

  Alexis left their office and went right downstairs to the changing area. She needed a run more than ever. She didn’t pass any other shifters on her way to Riverside park and was glad to see that it looked like she had most of the park to herself—though she did see one lone wolf in the distance, one that she didn’t recognize but maybe he was just too far away. She picked up speed flying around corners and up the rolling hills that overlooked the river.

  It was a beautiful park, but she still preferred Central Park, which was so much bigger. She stopped to catch her breath for a moment and noticed out of the corner of her eye that the other wolf was drawing closer. It definitely wasn’t from her pack. Now that she was closer, she could see that this wolf had an unusual marking, a bluish gray streak that ran around its neck and stood out against the cream-colored fur around it. She also saw that this wolf’s face was longer and thinner and realized that it was a coywolf, the hybrid coyote wolf mix that was unique to one pack. Cole’s pack.

  “Is that you, Alexis?” The other wolf stared right at her and she heard its thoughts as clear as day.

  “What are you doing here, Cole?” she thought back.

  “I was worried about you. I needed a run and hoped that I might bump into you here.”

  “Well, you don’t have to worry. I’m fine. But I promised them that I won’t have anything else to do with you. I’m sorry, but it’s for the best.”

  “The best for who? You? Us? Them? It’s not the best for me. But it’s your decision, of course. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

  “Good-bye, Cole.” Alexis raced away, then, as fast as she could possibly go to put Cole behind her.

  10

  Cole didn’t try to contact her again after their meeting in the park, and Alexis was both grateful and disappointed at the same time. She tried to just focus on work and on getting the apartment ready for Declan who was going to be arriving later that evening, just in time for Thanksgiving the following day. She had picked up a small turkey and all the fixings so that they could have a homey dinner in. She was really looking forward to seeing Declan. She’d been feeling especially lonely in the apartment these past few weeks and the cheery Christmas tree in the corner was a reminder of who she couldn’t see.

  She left work a little early to meet Declan at the airport. He’d said that he wasn’t bringing a lot of stuff with him, so she figured they would just take a cab home. She learned when she arrived at the airport that his flight was delayed a half-hour, so she wandered around, killing time until his flight was announced. She waited by the baggage claim for the passengers to come off the plane. He finally came through and as soon as he saw her, he came her way wearing an ear-to-ear grin. He pulled her into a bear hug as soon as he reached her.

  “Damn, I missed you! It’s so good to see you. And to be back in Manhattan. It’s been too long.”

  “You, too! Do you have any bags checked?”

  “No, just this giant carry on. I packed a few boxes full of stuff and had them shipped to the apartment. They should be here in a day or two.”

  “All right, then, let’s go find a cab.”

  Forty-five minutes later, they were home and settled in the apartment, sipping a glass of wine. Declan loved what Alexis had done with his bedroom. Her parents had used his room as a guest room and she totally redecorated it for him so that it would feel more like his own room. She’d changed up the colors so it looked more masculine, with dark grays and deep blues and she added new, cotton sheets that had such a high thread count that it felt like soft satin to the touch. She also moved an old leather easy chair from the den into a corner of his room, which gave it a warm and cozy feel. Declan immediately flopped into the chair when he saw it and then gave a laugh when he realized it was also a rocking chair.

  “This is from the den! I forgot all about this chair. Dad used to sit and read in it for hours.”

  His eyes clouded over for a moment at the thought of their parents.

  “And now you can,” Alexis said.

  “I love it. Thank you.”

  They’d settled in the family room after that, where Declan marveled at the tree and the mantle.

  “What’s come over you? Not that I’m complaining, mind you. We should have done this long ago.”

  “That was all Cole. He brought the tree. Brought all of it, actually.”

  Declan glanced toward the mantle.

  “I see you still have his stocking hanging there. I thought you said things were over.”

  Alexis sighed. “They are. I just haven’t gotten around to taking that down yet. It looks good there.”

  Declan was quiet for a moment.

  “Well, it will have to come down eventually. Either that or we get another reindeer stand. We need to make room for a Declan stocking.”

  Alexis chuckled. “Yes, we do. We’ll have to get you one.”

  They finished a bottle and a half of wine and stayed up until almost one talking. Declan was still on West Coast time so he was full of energy. Finally, though, Alexis had to call it q
uits when she could barely keep her eyes open. She stood to head to bed and her gaze lingered on Cole’s stocking a moment too long. Declan noticed.

  “You sure you want things to be over with him?”

  “No. I miss him. But I don’t see that I have another choice,” she said sadly.

  11

  Alexis didn’t mind that they didn’t have the day after Thanksgiving off. She’d eaten so much the day before that she and Declan had declared that they were both suffering from food comas and were couch potatoes for the rest of the day. They only got up every now and again to eat even more—pumpkin pie, leftover turkey with gravy, chips and French onion dip. They ate it all and washed it down with more wine. So Alexis was glad to get up early the next day and move around. She squeezed in a run before work, and was energized and at her desk a few minutes before nine.

  Everyone was in a good mood. Their new release had gone well and so far, there had been no major glitches that needed fixing. Alexis focused hard, trying to figure out a new design problem she was working on and by mid-afternoon, she was fading and needed a coffee fix. She headed into the break room, put a mug in the machine and then selected the size that she wanted. Ian and Tony were sitting at the small table chatting about something and didn’t seem to notice her when she walked in. She tuned them out but then something they said got her attention.

  “So, we’re on a roll. The release is rocking and I don’t think he has a damn clue what hit him. If he thought it was us, we would have heard something by now. That’s all right. Let him think he was mugged,” Ian said with a chuckle.

  “He’s lucky he just broke his arm,” Tony agreed. “Could have been much worse.”

  Alexis couldn’t help but glance their way and Tony quickly said, “Don’t mind us. We’re just yakking about some stupid show we both watch.”

  “I’m fading….need to wake up. Too much turkey yesterday,” she joked, so that they wouldn’t think she’d thought anything about what she’d overheard.

  “Food coma strikes again. I had one of those yesterday, too. What about you, Tony?” Ian said jovially.

  “Oh, yeah. My feed bag was strapped on.” Tony chuckled.

  “Well, my coffee’s done.” Alexis took her cup and went back to her desk. Her head was spinning. Between what she’d just heard and what she’d heard a few weeks back and didn’t think anything of at the time, she was sure that Ian and Tony had been involved in what happened to Griffon. And that changed everything.

  The minutes seemed to drag for the rest of the afternoon. Finally, five o’clock came and like most of her co-workers, Alexis packed up to head leave for the day. No one was working late today. Her heart was racing as she reached her building and then got into the elevator. Instead of pushing her button, she selected the one above. And when the elevator stopped, she walked down the hallway and knocked on Cole’s door. He’d told her which one it was long ago in case she ever wanted to surprise him.

  And when he opened the door and saw her standing there, he was most definitely surprised.

  “Lexy. Is everything all right?”

  Her eyes welled up with tears of sympathy and frustration. Cole took a step back, and she walked inside and looked straight at him.

  “It was them. I overheard them talking about it. They were laughing about it. That they’d gotten away with it. I’d heard them say something a few weeks back but it didn’t register, really ,until I heard them again today and then it all made sense. Ian and Tony and who knows who else from my pack were the ones who attacked Griffon. I’m so sorry.”

  Cole pulled her to him and hugged her tight.

  “I’ve missed you so much. You have no idea.” He pulled back then and looked her in the eye. “And it’s not your fault. You had nothing to do with this.”

  “But I…” she began. Cole held a hand up to stop her. “No. Let’s go. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

  “Now?”

  “Yes, now.” Cole took her hand and led her into the hallway and onto the elevator.

  “We’re going to meet Griffon.”

  12

  Griffon lived in a penthouse apartment in an exquisitely restored old building that was just a few blocks away from them. Cole called him as they walked to make sure he was going to be there.

  “He’s looking forward to meeting you,” he said as they turned onto his street. They checked in with security in the lobby and then made their way to Griffon’s floor. His door opened as they reached it and Alexis found herself looking up at a very tall, dark and intimidating-looking man. His eyes were cold but when he extended his hand to greet her and smiled, warmth flooded his face and lit up his eyes. She relaxed a bit, then, as Cole introduced her and they went inside. They went into Griffon;’s study and settled into oversized leather chairs that faced a roaring fireplace. Cole encouraged her to tell her story and when she finished, Griffon leaned back in his chair a moment and just stared into the fire. Then he glanced at the both of them.

  “You’re more than friends, of course, then,” he stated.

  Cole and Alexis exchanged glances and then Alexis spoke.

  “We were, briefly, but then we were spotted and I promised Ian and Tony that I would end things. Not even a friendship was allowed. But then I overheard them, and for me, that changes everything.”

  “I see.” He stared back at the fire again, and it was obvious that he was thinking about what to do.

  “Normally, what they did would be severely punished. And for someone like you to change pack allegiances almost always means bloodshed. But, I think that perhaps we can avoid that kind of messiness this time. Cole and his brothers are like brothers to me. Because of that, I will do something out of the ordinary.”

  Alexis and Cole leaned forward in their chairs, eager to hear what he had in mind.

  “I will contact Ian and Tony and tell them that they are very lucky, indeed. That I have decided to forego punishing them, but it will come at a cost. They must agree to let you go. You will leave the pack and leave their company, effective immediately.” He then glanced at Cole before looking back at Alexis. “You will join Cole’s pack, but you will need to find a new job and, unfortunately, it cannot be with either Cole’s company or Ian and Tony’s. However, I suspect that you won’t have a difficult time finding a new role. If you need to work at all.”

  “I don’t need to. But, I want to. I enjoy the work. I’m not concerned, though. I’m sure something will turn up. Oh, there’s one more thing,” she began.

  “Yes?” Both Griffon and Cole spoke at the same time.

  “My brother, Declan. He just moved back here from San Francisco. He’s a legacy for Ian and Tony’s pack, too, and he hasn’t joined them officially yet, but he was planning to.”

  “I’ll let them know that won’t be happening, either. He can join you. Family needs to stay together.”

  “Thank you.”

  Griffon stood up. “No, thank you for coming to me. Oh, and I see congratulations are in order?”

  Alexis looked confused, especially when she saw that Cole was grinning.

  “I’ll explain on the way home,” he said.

  They said their good-byes and as soon as they got outside, Cole pulled her toward him.

  “So, you were wondering what Griffon meant?”

  Alexis nodded and he grinned.

  “He knew instantly what you were to me. I knew that first night that we spent together. You’re my true mate. There will never be another. You’re it for me.”

  “I am?” She felt like she was in a daze.

  “Yes, but there’s one more thing I want to show you.”

  They were back in their building a few minutes later and Alexis thought they were going to go back to his apartment this time, but instead, he punched her floor.

  “Oh, good, you can meet Declan. He got here the day before Thanksgiving.”

  She opened the door and they walked in. Declan was sprawled out on the sofa. Alexis chuckled when she saw that
there was now a third stocking hanging on the mantle.

  “I had to do it,” he said when he saw her looking at the bright green stocking with Declan scrawled across the top in gold glitter. He had rearranged the stockings so that he was in the middle.

  “Declan, this Cole,” she introduced them both.

  “I figured that. Nice to meet you.”

  “You as well.” Cole walked over to the mantle and switched the stockings so that it was back the way it was and he was next to Alexis.

  “I like it better this way,” he said with a grin. “Lexy, can you come here a moment? There’s something in your stocking. It’s been there since I first brought the stockings here and I was going to wait until Christmas but I think right now is the perfect time.”

  Puzzled, Lexy walked over to her stocking and reached inside. At the very bottom was a small box. She pulled it out and looked at Cole.

  “Open it.”

  She did and her eyes immediately started to water. She was looking down at a beautiful, cushion cut diamond ring. Cole dropped to his knees and took her hand.

  “Lexy, I meant what I said. You’re my true mate. Will you marry me?”

  She simply nodded, in shock, while he slipped the ring onto her finger. And then her voice came back.

  “And you’re my true mate. There will never be another. I love you, Cole.”

  “And I love you, Lexy.”

  “Merry Christmas!” Declan said with a chuckle, but neither Lexy nor Cole were paying attention.

  The End

  About Lexy Cole

  Lexy Cole lives in the Boston area and loves reading and writing paranormal romance. www.lexycole.com

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