by V. Vaughn
“I hope so.”
I have confidence it will, but Chrissy doesn’t know how powerful werebear clans are. I give her a quick kiss. “Let’s go eat. I’m starving.”
We make our way down to the kitchen where we find the table is set with platters heaped with food. “Wow,” Chrissy says. “This is a Christmas feast.”
Tom chuckles. “No, my dear, this is the warmup. Wait until you see dinner.”
We sit at the table, and Melody tells us to help ourselves. Breakfast conversation is about the farm as Chrissy asks questions about what the Caron’s sell and how things work. And when we’re done eating, my mate gets up to help Melody clean.
“Just set the plates on the counter,” Melody tells Chrissy. “Go sit. I have a little something for you and Ryan.”
“Oh, goodness,” Chrissy says. “I don’t need a present, and I don’t have anything for you.”
“Hush and sit down. It’s just a little thing.”
Chrissy comes back to the table, and Melody puts two small boxes wrapped in shiny green and gold paper in front of both of us. We tear into our gifts. I find a pair of black hand-knit mittens of soft wool, and Chrissy pulls out a pair of red mittens she lifts to her cheek as she smiles. “They’re so soft,” she says. “Thank you.”
“Yarn from our alpacas.”
“Oh! How wonderful. Do you think I could meet them later?”
“You sure can,” Tom says. “By the way, I have some news for you. I spoke to David Fields, my lawyer, and he thinks he’ll be able to arrange for you to get your passport and return to the States tomorrow without a hitch. That way you can handle your legal issue in your country.”
“That’s fantastic news,” I say. I notice Chrissy’s eyes fill with tears, and I reach for her hand.
She wipes at a tear that rolls down her cheek. “Thank you for your kindness. I don’t know what I did to deserve it.”
“Deserve it?” Melody asks. “Everyone deserves kindness.”
Chrissy blinks and more tears fall, but she smiles through them as she once again gets up to help Melody clean.
Tom says to me. “I picked up your packages at the post office earlier, and they’re already in the barn.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that.”
“Let’s go take a look at your truck. My mechanics did what they could to get it ready for you to use today.”
We make our way outside where I find the truck is tucked away in an outbuilding behind the house to remain hidden until it’s time to drive it over to the barn. I walk over to inspect the repair job, and metal is smooth under my hand when I slide it across the hood. The truck doesn’t bear any visible scars from the accident. I chuckle when I see they put a new Rudolf nose on it. “Wow. Nice work. They must have stayed up all night to do this. Thank you so much.”
“I’m sure they employed a little Christmas magic too,” Tom says. “And you’re very welcome. We can’t have Santa arriving to see the kids without his sleigh.”
I smile. “And his Mrs. Claus.”
“Yes. True-mate love.” Tom sighs. “It makes us do crazy things. I’m glad Chrissy was able to accept what you are and what she’s going to become.”
My stomach clenches with dread. “She’s not aware of the change yet.” Tom raises his eyebrows at me, and guilt fills me. “I know,” I say, “but she’s got a lot on her plate, and I figure it’s better if we get through Christmas, clear up her legal issues, and let the dust settle before I hit her with another scary truth.”
“I’m not your alpha, son, but if I were, I’d advise against waiting.” Tom lets out a whoosh of air. “Humans do funny things when they’re in love, especially true-mate love. The deeper Chrissy’s feelings get, the less rational she’s going to be. You don’t want your mate to regret her decision down the road and feel trapped in a life she doesn’t want.”
I know he’s right, but I believe I know Chrissy better than he does, and I still think she needs time to accept the news I gave her last night. But perhaps waiting until her legal issues are cleared up is me procrastinating. I say, “I believe you’re right, thank you.”
I move to the back of the truck to open it up and make sure all the presents are still in order. Fortunately, there was nothing fragile in any of the boxes, so other than being tossed a bit when I hit the tree, everything should be fine. But humans aren’t quite as resilient, and I can’t help but wonder how Chrissy will react to learning about the change. My heart aches when I imagine she could refuse to do it, but I know that’s not my choice to make. And if I have to, I’ll take the hit and survive.
Chapter 17
Chrissy
* * *
Water rushes as I rinse a plate to put in the dishwasher while Melody wraps up leftover food and puts things away. “Thank you again for the mittens,” I say. “I’m excited to wear them today, they’re going to match my Mrs. Claus costume perfectly.” Dishes clatter as I load another plate into the washer. “I feel bad not having anything for you.”
“Oh, goodness, don’t,” Melody says. “I have a bag full of mittens I’ve knitted. It’s what I do with my spare time in the evenings. I’m glad you’ll be able to use them.”
“Happily, they’ll get a lot of use.”
Melody chuckles. “I’m not so sure about that. Once you become one of us, you’ll have a higher body temperature, and I’m told that takes some getting used to.”
I frown as I wonder what she means.
“What is it dear?”
“Oh.” I sigh. “Sometimes I hate that my every thought shows on my face.” I grab a towel to dry my hands. “How does joining a clan make my body temperature rise?”
“I was referring to the change.”
The change? My chest tightens, because while I don’t know for sure, I have a sinking feeling Melody’s talking about me becoming a werebear. My heart beats a little faster as I focus on folding the hand towel, and I say, “Tell me more about the change.” I chuckle nervously. “I’m not sure what to expect.”
Melody gives me a kind smile and asks, “Would you like more coffee? There’s still some left in the pot.”
“Yes, please.” The idea of having something to hold while she delivers bad news seems like a good idea.
Once our mugs are filled, we move to sit at the kitchen table. She says, “I’m sure you’re scared about the change.”
I nod for her to continue.
“I would be too. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. It’s going to be the worst twenty-four hours or so of your life.”
Movie scenes of blood and gore fill my mind. “What happens to me?”
“Well, the process of becoming a werebear requires your human body to change its entire structure. Bones break, tendons—” She stops talking, likely based on the way I’m grimacing, and reaches to touch my hand. “Ryan didn’t explain this part to you.”
“No.” I swallow down my distress.
“Don’t be too upset with him. He may not know how it really works. We don’t change many halves these days, and he’s probably thinking the stories he’s been told were exaggerated.”
She called me a half, and it doesn’t take a genius for me to figure out what that might mean. “I’m a half?”
Melody’s expression turns to alarm. “Oh, dear. I’ve said too much.” She lets out a huff of air. “But since I already dove into the deep end and I don’t want you to fear the worst, I may as well tell you everything.”
“Yes.” I grip my coffee mug with both hands as if that can keep me grounded. “Please do.”
“One of your parents had to have been a werebear in order for you to be Ryan’s true mate.” She pauses to let her words sink in.
I nod as another piece of the strange puzzle I seem to be part of falls into place. “It was probably my father, a man I never knew.”
“Okay,” Melody says with a rush of air that makes me think she’s relieved she didn’t reveal an awkward family secret. “You were raised by your mother?”
Melody gives me a kind smile. “Clans are one big family. Being with Ryan means you’re going to have that.”
Anger at his secrecy begins to fill me, but I still want to understand the change, so I push it aside. “But I have to change first. How?”
“Ryan will bite you.”
My hand flies to my neck as I envision a vampire sucking my blood.
Melody says, “In his bear form.”
My eyes nearly pop out of my head as I gasp and lean back in my chair. My vampire vision becomes one of me being mauled by a bear.
“I know that sounds awful, but he’ll do it lovingly. And trust me, watching you go through the change, helpless to do anything to ease your pain, is going to be one of the hardest things he’s ever had to do.”
“Do I have to do it?” I narrow my eyes as I let the anger I’d pushed aside come rushing in.
“No. You don’t. But—”
My chair scrapes across the floor as I shove it back and stand up. The pain of betrayal I felt before fills my chest, and I feel as if I can’t breathe. How could he keep this from me?
Melody is standing now too, and she says, “Chrissy, take some time with this information. Nobody is going to force you to change, but you need to know that, in order to be fully bonded with Ryan, it’s necessary.”
I nod at her as my anger begins to fade and heartbreak takes over, along with a little self-loathing. I’ve managed to do it again. I’ve fallen for another person who is trying to manipulate me to get what he wants. Just like the social worker telling me my mother would take me back one day if I stopped running away from my foster families. Or the way Fred dangled the prospect of a music career and a relationship with him in front of me like a carrot because he wanted me to be his drug mule. Now Ryan wants his true mate so badly that he withheld the fact I need to change, probably hoping I’d fall so in love that I would be in too deep to object.
I say, “How can I trust him now? How do I know that I’m not just some convenient mate he stumbled upon?”
“It doesn’t work that way. He loves you more than you can possibly love him back as a human, Chrissy.”
I shake my head in disbelief as the front door opens, and Tom and Ryan enter. I can’t look at Ryan, and I move to the sink to rinse my coffee mug. Tom says, “People are already arriving.”
“Oh, how exciting.” Melody says. She comes to stand beside me, and I look at her, not caring that she can see my pain. She gives me a sympathetic smile before becoming serious. “You have a lot to think about, Chrissy, but doubting Ryan’s feelings for you is not one of them. He really will love you with all of his heart forever.”
I want to believe her, but the pain I feel right now is making it hard. Especially since I think he tricked me into being his mate.
She nods. “Sorting this out needs to wait until after handing out gifts to the children.”
“Of course.” I inhale deeply and blow out a breath. “They are most important right now.”
“Good girl.”
I turn to go to my room to change and find Ryan standing in my way. He frowns at me. “Is everything okay?”
I glare at him but hold my temper. “No. But I’m not going to let the children down.” I push my way past him to go upstairs. When I get there, I dress in my costume, which is a red velvet, full-length dress covered by a matching coat trimmed with white faux fur. I look in the mirror to adjust the hat, and the velvet is soft under my shaking fingers as I smooth out the dress. Tears I can’t shed fill my eyes. I thought my Christmas was going to be close to perfect, but apparently even when I think I’ve found my dream come true, it’s not what it seemed.
Since I can’t deal with Ryan by yelling and screaming at him yet, I focus my thoughts on how I’m going to get back home. I hate the idea that I might have to be in a truck with Ryan for a full day of travel, but perhaps Melody has a book she’s read that I can take. Or maybe there’s a train I can ride.
As I start down the stairs, my involvement in drug smuggling begins to worry me, but that’s not going to be any better of a path to follow in my thoughts than my love life. I push it away and envision the faces of happy children. I’m about to help bring them joy, so while I may not get to have a wonderful Christmas, maybe they can.
Chapter 18
Ryan
* * *
I watch Chrissy walk up the stairs before I turn to Melody. She says, “She just found out about the change, Ryan. I’m not going to apologize for mentioning something she should have known about already.”
I let out a groan. “I don’t expect you to. How did she take it?”
“Like you probably expected. She’s terrified, and I believe she’s angry with you for not telling her.”
“She has a right to be mad,” I say as it hits me Chrissy probably feels betrayed. I don’t know a lot about her past, but I imagine her situation with the man who made her his drug mule has her thinking the worst. I let out a sigh as I begin to climb the stairs. As much as I want to go to her and explain why I waited, now isn’t the time. We have Christmas to bring to the children of the Caron clan.
I’m in the truck with the engine running to warm up the cab for Chrissy when she comes out of the house. She has a bag of candy canes in her hand, and the costume she’s wearing fits her perfectly. If she wasn’t mad at me, I’d pull her into my arms to tell her how beautiful she is. But the scowl she has on her face makes me jump out and open her door for her instead.
I offer her my hand, but she ignores it as I say, “You look beautiful.”
“Hmpf.” Once she’s seated, she scans my body with her gaze.
“Chrissy, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the change.”
She turns to face the windshield. “You should be, but I can’t talk to you about this right now. We have Christmas to bring.”
When I drive us slowly over to where the children are waiting, she begins to hum the song “Here Comes Santa Claus,” and it makes me think she’s getting into performance mode. Children run to us, and I lower the window to let out my Santa laugh I’d practiced for the event. Chrissy tosses candy canes out of her window as she sings the song she was humming earlier.
Her voice rings out loudly, but the tone caresses me, and I marvel at the woman at my side. I imagine her singing lullabies to our children, and it makes me want to hear her sing for the rest of my life. It also makes my heart ache when I consider that I may have ruined that dream for myself.
I park the truck by the barn entrance and go to Chrissy’s side to help her down. She takes my hand this time and I smile, even though I’m sure she did it for show. She waits by the back of the truck as I hoist the large sack of presents on my back to go inside.
A little girl runs up to Chrissy and says, “You’re so pretty.”
Chrissy smiles and leans down to talk to the child. “What’s your name?”
“Jill.”
“Jill, I could use an elf. Would you like the job?”
The little girl bounces on her toes with excitement. “Yes!”
Chrissy hands her the bag of candy canes. “Can you make sure everyone gets one of these?”
Jill nods and runs off to hand out the candy. Chrissy and I make our way past tables set up with refreshments to the Christmas tree where two chairs decorated to look like thrones are set up for us. Volunteers opened the packages of practical goods we sent, and Tom helped me unload the others from my truck to put them under the tree. Families will open them once I’m done handing out the special gifts from my bag.
The sack thuds on the ground when I set it down, and adults organize the children to be able to see us while they wait for their turn to receive a present. To speed things up for the anxious kids, Chrissy and I alternate calling out names and handing out presents. As
we work our way through the bag, children begin to run around and play with their new toys.
After the last gift is handed out, two women work on distributing the presents under the tree. I notice Chrissy is watching the children play. I say, “Thank you for helping me. We’ve made a lot of kids happy today.”
She looks at me. “Thank you for letting me help. I know how much this means to them.”
“Yes. I suppose you do. Chrissy—”
“Save it for later, Ryan. I’m trying really hard to get through this without crying.” She moves to the sack and lifts it up making me think she was going to fold it. “That’s odd,” she says. She opens the bag and peers inside. She looks back at me with a frown while reaching in. “There’s one more present.” She pulls out a small box wrapped in gold paper and tied with a red ribbon and reads the tag. “For Mrs. Claus. Huh.”
I smile thinking someone slipped a present in the bag for a woman who should have so much more. I’d like to be the one to make sure of that, but even though Chrissy’s heart is big enough to touch the children of the Caron clan, I’m not sure she’s got room to forgive me.
Paper tears as she slides her finger under the seam to open the present as I wonder where it came from. Perhaps Melody or Tom put it into the bag for her. When she finds a black velvet ring box, she glances at me with skepticism, and rightfully so.
My stomach drops as she opens the box and finds an antique emerald ring I recognize. I say, “That’s my grandmother’s ring. I left it in my bedroom. How did it get wrapped up and in the bag?”
Chrissy’s gaze bores into me. “Why did you have your grandmother’s ring in the first place?”
I know she’s not going to like my answer, but at this point I need to be completely honest. “In case I met my true mate.”
“Wow.” Chrissy shakes her head as she hands me the box. “You must have felt like you hit pay dirt when you found me. And it couldn’t have gone better, could it? Save a girl’s life, get trapped in close quarters during a snowstorm so she’ll fall in love, coerce her into being your Mrs. Claus, and then give her a gorgeous ring to set her up for the big finale. The one where she becomes just what you want.”
