by Drea Roman
“Tuck and I had a fight,” I grumble out as I collapse onto the couch next to Eddie. My best friend looks at me like I’ve grown a second head.
“What did you do?” His voice sounds annoyed and horrified, which makes me irritated.
“Why do you think I did anything?” I demand as I flash my canines at him. My wolf is in no mood for his antics, and neither am I. I came here for advice, not to be taken to task like a little boy.
“Because it is Christmas Eve, and you should be home with your mate,” responds Colt calmly. I throw him a glare where he sits in a loveseat to the side of the couch.
“He believes he is a Christmas elf.”
Now the two horse shifters look annoyed. “I thought you already knew that.” Colt sounds confused. “What is the problem with it? We live in Vale Valley.”
“Yeah,” chimes in Eddie, unhelpfully sarcastic, “land of the magical and home of the unbelievable.”
Their lack of understanding annoys me. “You didn’t see his injuries before he started healing. He hit his head so hard, and the gash was so deep.”
Once again, Colt looks confused. “But he’s healed up, right? You mentioned seeing Dr. Loomis again last week. I thought he gave Tuck a clean bill of health.”
Colt makes too much sense, but his calm demeanor is doing nothing for my anxiety about my mate’s health.
Eddie snorts at me, the horse in him making the sound come out more like a whinny than a laugh. “Dude, he is your mate. What does your bond tell you?”
I frown at that, not liking the question. Our bond is awash with unhappiness at the moment, Tuck’s anguish and my own. My wolf is pissed off at me, and I can hear his growling in the back of my mind. All my wolf knows is that our mate is in pain, and it is my fault. This is my fault, but my fear is consuming me, and I feel like I am drowning in it. Tuck nearly died flying in a goddamn sleigh. If he is truly a Christmas elf, how on earth am I going to keep him safe here with me in Vale Valley?
“Henry died of a brain injury like that. These could be delusions.” Even as I voice my fears, I know they sound ridiculous. But that doesn’t stop me from the spiral of fear I find myself in.
Colt and Eddie stare at me with nearly identical dumbfounded expressions. Colt clears his throat before speaking gently. “What does Henry’s death have to do with anything?”
I know Colt is right, so I don’t say anything at all. Eddie smacks me upside the back of the head. “God, you are so dense. Do you know what any of us smart horse shifters would give to have a cute little Christmas elf? Colt, what would we give?”
Colt blushes and then stutters out a response. “Eddie, that’s not an appropriate question. Tuck is Darren’s mate.” The horse shifter gives Eddie that disappointed look he throws his way more and more often of late. Then Colt turns the same eyes of disapproval on me. “But Darren, Eddie is right. You are just going to have to accept him for who he is. If that turns out to be a Christmas elf—well, then, Merry Christmas. You have a mate who is, from all we can see, wonderful. To use an annoying old cliché, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Tuck is fantastic and magical. You are a very lucky wolf.”
“See,” replies Eddie. “Even the stuffy Clydesdale says to accept it.”
“I am not stuffy,” Colts snaps before jumping up from his seat and leaving the room quickly.
“Who set his tail on fire?” Eddie murmurs, before turning his gaze back to me. “Go home. Apologize to your mate. Get your head out of your ass. Hmm. . . too bad Colt left. I am sure he could think of a few more old saws to throw at you. Bottom line, Darren, you have a mate, and he is a Christmas elf. That’s not a bad thing. Honestly, I cannot figure out why you think it is.”
“Because I can’t protect him,” I mutter under my breath, but horses have sharp hearing, so Eddie catches it.
“Sure you can. God, you wolves are so moody. Look, dude, you’re talking to a lonely, unmated shifter here. I’d give up all my Mr. Ed teeth to have a mate like yours. Not my human teeth, but the horse ones. Hay doesn’t taste very good anyway.”
I groan at his jokes and stand up to leave. Honestly, I do not feel like anything is resolved, but I won’t be able to figure out what to do about my mate sitting here with my teammates. “Thanks, Eddie. I need to go talk to Tuck. Tell Colt I said thanks to him, too.”
Eddie puts his feet up on the coffee table and looks up at me mischievously. “Hey, maybe Tuck has some cute elf cousins.” Eddie waggles his eyebrows at me, and despite myself I laugh at the very familiar gesture from my silly friend. Feeling almost as defeated as I did when I walked into the firehouse door, I head home, uncertain what to do next.
Why is this so hard to believe? I question myself as I sink down onto one of our kitchen island stools. Tuck hasn’t returned to our home, and the house feels terribly empty without him. I should trust him implicitly. He’s my mate, after all. But that head wound. . .
With every passing day, Tuck uses his magic with more ease. It comes so naturally to him, and I know that it must be part of him, but for some reason it scares me. It doesn't even make sense to me, but I just keep seeing him lying on my horse barn floor with the gash across his head bleeding and a goose egg swelling. I have been so afraid that he will never remember who he is. And now that he has figured it out, I am even more scared of the reality. You idiot! I slam myself in the forehead in frustration. Either I believe him or not. I can’t know he is my mate and keep denying who he says he is.
“I’m mated to a Christmas elf.” I try out the words, fear tripping through my heart. How can I take care of him, protect my mate from all harm, when he is a magical being who likes to ride around in a magical sleigh on Christmas Eve? And what if he crashes again?
As I sit on my kitchen stool with my head in my hands, I hear a deep laugh that sends a shiver down my spine. Yanking my head up, I look around frantically. No way, there is absolutely no way I heard what I just thought I heard. Another laugh, and I nearly start crying. Great, my mate is a Christmas elf, and now I have gone round the bend, imagining I hear something in no way possible.
A third laugh sounds in the quiet of my house. “No, Darren,” my dad says as he stands near my doorway, looking for all the world like the strong flesh-and-blood wolf shifter he was before the pancreatic cancer ravaged his body. “You haven't gone round the bend, and you are not imaging things. I'm really standing right here, and your mate is actually a Christmas elf.”
Sobs catch in my throat as I try to swallow down my tears. “But Dad, how?” I somehow manage to choke out as I stand and rush forward into the open arms of my father's ghost.
“Ahh, Darren. I'm here because you needed me.”
“I've needed you so many times over the past ten years.”
“No, son, you need me now because your grief and fear are clouding your judgment. You know Tuck is a Christmas elf. You’ve seen the evidence right before your eyes. But you refuse to believe because you are afraid of losing him. If he is something you've never conceived of before, then he could slip away. And not believing him is a way to not fully be with him. If you don’t embrace who he is, then maybe it won’t hurt as much if you lose him. But Darren, you can’t live your life that way. I know you feel guilty for my death, even though there was nothing you could have done. I know you feel guilty for Henry’s death, but you couldn’t have stopped that beam falling on him, any more than you could have stopped Santa’s sleigh from falling from the sky with your mate in it. In that case, though, it really was the fault of drunken reindeer shifters, but that’s another issue.”
Hearing the familiar teasing tone of my father’s voice, I find myself snorting in spite of the torrent of emotion running through me. Then my father chuckles and holds me in his once-again strong arms for a few moments before telling me the very thing I so desperately need to hear.
“My death wasn’t your fault, son. Your mother’s death wasn’t your fault. Your fellow firefighter’s death wasn’t your fault. I don’t want you to t
hink that. Your mother wouldn’t want you to think that. Henry wouldn’t want you to think that. Tuck is your mate, and you need to accept him for who he is. You can’t let your own fear about his safety and wellbeing interfere with your relationship.”
I shake my head as the tears fall from my eyes. I snuffle my face against his neck so that I can smell a scent I haven’t for ten years. “I miss you, Dad.”
We stand, hugging one another for a little while before I muster the ability to speak clearly. “How are you appearing to me, dad? It’s Christmas Eve. Is the veil between worlds thin?”
My father’s rich warm laugh washes over me. “No, Darren, Vale Valley is magic. No more explanation needed.” He shrugs like he always did when noting the supernatural elements of our hometown.
Since he is here for the moment, I pour my heart out to my father like I always did as an overly emotional teen wolf. “I love him already, Dad. I just wish you were here to meet him for real. He’s fun and warm. He gets along great with Eddie, which is lucky because Eddie is more of a goofball now than he was when you were alive.”
I sigh and voice my fears to my father. “I’m not sure I’m a good enough mate. Just when I think ‘okay, my mate is not only magic, but a Christmas elf,’ I am confronted by the image of him lying in your horse barn, bloodied and broken.”
My dad pulls me back to look into my eyes. “You are already a good mate, Darren. You don’t have to worry about that. And when the time comes, you will make an excellent father. Just don’t let the hellions trick you with their innocent little faces. They will be a handful.”
“Are you trying to tell me something, Dad?”
My father’s apparition chuckles as he releases me from his grasp. As he steps back, I know he is leaving me again. “Please, don’t go yet. Dad, I need you.”
He smiles at me, the expression both joyful and sad. “I love you, son. And I am so proud of the man you have grown into. Embrace your mate and your love, and everything will be just fine in the end.”
Then, as suddenly as appearing, my dad’s ghost vanishes. The front door opens, and Tuck rushes inside, the look on his face both angry and determined. I meet him halfway across the living room and yank him into my embrace, lifting him up so he has no choice but to wrap his legs around my waist. Sighing in relief, I bury my face in his neck and pull in lungfuls of his candy cane scent.
“I believe you, Tuck. Whatever and whoever you say you are, I believe you.” I murmur against my mate mark before rubbing my nose against his ear. That is when I notice them: the tips of his ears peeking out from his shiny, white-blond hair. I pull back and stare down at him as I reach out a hand and touch one. Tuck reaches up, touches the same ear point, and smiles up at me.
“You finally see them, too?” At my nod, he squeals and squeezes me hard with his thighs.
“Oof,” I grunt, suddenly off balance and barely managing to hold him up.
A booming laugh startles us both, causing me to whip around, barely holding Tuck up as he tries to climb up my body with his legs. “‘Bout time, Wolf. I thought you would never believe our boy.”
Tuck squeals again and flails in my arms, causing me to drop him to his feet. He launches himself across the room and into the open arms of the tall, broad-shouldered man standing uninvited in my living room.
“Excuse me, just who the fuck are you?” I growl as the hair on the back of my neck rises, and my wolf jumps to attention inside me at the sight of the intruder in my home.
“Why, haven’t you figured it out yet? I’m Nick, though most people do call me Santa Claus.” The tall, dark-haired man throws back his head and laughs as he hugs my mate.
My wolf growls, but my elf just laughs, dropping out of “Santa’s” arms to come back to mine. Grabbing me by the hair, he hauls my head down for a kiss that steals my breath. When he pulls back, he whispers against my lips. “No need to be jealous, my dear wolf. I am yours, just as you are mine.” The words warm me through, heart and soul.
15
Tuck
I came home from visiting with Ren, expecting one hell of a fight with my wolf. Instead, his attitude seems to have miraculously changed. And now, my best friend stands in my living room, and for the first time in a month, my world feels complete.
“I am so happy!” I exclaim as I look from my mate to my best friend and back again. My energy feels like I could bounce off the walls or explode with happiness.
“Aren’t you supposed to be delivering gifts right now?” Darren growls at Nick. I should feel annoyed at my mate’s attitude, but I am just too happy.
Nick throws back his head and laughs. “I have a few hours left. Thanks, Wolf.”
“Oh, no.” I frown. “Did you come by because you need help?” Nick laughs again, and Darren growls, earning him a swift elbow to the ribs. “Stop it,” I admonish him. “He’s my best friend, just like Eddie is yours. I’m your mate, full stop. Stop being a grumpy wolf.”
Nick snickers, and Darren glowers at him, which makes me laugh, drawing the attention of both back to me. “God, I am so happy everything is working out. I finally have my memory back, my mate believes in me, and my best friend dropped by for a visit on the busiest day of the year.” Using the mate bond, I push my happiness into Darren and am relieved to see his shoulders finally relax. He finally stops glowering at Nick and smiles softly at me.
“Me, too. I’m glad you know who you are now, Tuck. But more, I am so happy you are mine.”
Nick makes an obnoxious gagging noise, reminding me of Eddie and his antics, for which I zap his rear end with my magic. “Hey, stop that! No using your elf magic against me.” He rubs his ass and fake glares at me before smiling. “Orion and Felipe send their regards.”
“Are they okay? I’ve been so worried.”
“They are fine, though they are annoying everyone by having sex all over the place, but that’s newly mated reindeer for you.”
“Speaking of,” Darren interrupts, “what happened to the sleigh?”
Nick looks a little bit sheepish and rubs the back of his neck. “Well, the sleigh is spelled to return to my garage in case of accident. Since Tuck needed to be here, I delayed its return until after he was safe and sound with you.”
Unfortunately, I can feel Darren’s hackles rise at that.
“Your garage? Let me get this straight. You left my mate with a shattered ankle and a head injury alone in the wreck and magicked yourself back to your garage?” My mate’s not happy, and to be honest, I am a bit curious as to why Nick left me.
“At the North Pole, where else?” Nick has the decency to look embarrassed. “Sorry, Tuck. You are already on your journey, following the vision from the snow globe. I couldn’t interfere with that. But I never left you.”
I nod. “I did hear your voice in my head, encouraging me to carry on.”
Darren is back to growling, but this time, I just give him a silencing look, and he stops. “Sorry. My wolf is pissed off right now, and I don’t disagree with him. You were very hurt, Tuck. You could have died.”
I pat my dear wolf on the cheek. “No, you were supposed to find me, and you did. Because it was fate.” Suddenly, a cold prickling fear seizes me. “What about the vision, Nick? It hasn’t come have come true yet.”
Santa shrugs, enigmatic as usual. When he speaks, he changes the subject entirely. “You have more interesting things to be worried about right now, Tuck. You’re pregnant.”
My jaw drops, and I stare at Darren in surprise. A slow smile crosses his face, and he picks me up and spins around, making me laugh. It is clear Darren is excited, but when we face Nick again, he schools his expression into a scowl and says coolly, “Santa is a pregnancy detector.”
I tickle his ribs in retaliation, and he lets me down again. “Sit down, Nick. You have some explaining to do.”
Nick rolls his eyes, but complies with my request. Darren plops down in the matching loveseat and pulls me into his lap.
“What exactly happened?”
I ask. “I remember drinking too much elven wine.” I glance at my mate and give him an explanation. “Elven wine is a lot stronger than the wine humans make. It is enhanced with magic.”
Darren looks amused. “Enhanced, huh? Is that the excuse all of the elves use when they get into trouble?”
Nick responds with a laugh. “It’s no joke. You’ll have to try it and see yourself. But don’t get mad at me if you end up naked in the town square with no recollection of how you ended up there. Blame Tuck’s family. They are the ones who make it.”
“I am more interested in how you left Tuck behind,” my mate rejoins.
“The reindeer dashed,” Nick states, his voice full of mirth, as he sidesteps the question, “as soon as the sleigh crashed.”
“And you?” Darren replies pointedly.
Nick sighs. “I was never more than a split second away, I promise you.”
I don’t mind my mate interrogating my best friend. “If I am being quite honest,” I add, “I am a bit pissed about it. You let me go a long time without my identity, Nick.”
My best friend frowns. “As I said earlier, I could not interfere with the magic and your journey. You know how it is, Tuck. Once certain things are set in motion, I cannot interfere. I did more than I should have by sending your scent your mate’s way. He was taking too long to find you.”
Darren growls, and I half laugh, half sigh. “I’m not sure Darren will forgive you.”
Nick smiles. “Probably not. I am very happy for you, Tuck. I’ve been training your cousin Sven to be my helper this Christmas. He is not as fast as you, and it will probably take him a few centuries of practice to match your speed in delivery.”
“In delivery?” Darren asks me.
“I’m the one who pops into people’s houses to leave the gifts. I’m faster than Nick, and we’ve developed a routine throughout the years.”
