But as if he can read Jay’s mind, he’s already shaking his head. “Nope. We have to get this show on the road. Rowan is going to gnaw his leg off if we don’t get these gifts done in the next ten minutes.”
Poor baby has been working day and night for the full two weeks at whatever he’s been making. Yes, Jay knows exactly how long his mates have been working on their Secret Santa projects, and the moment each one went under the tree. He’s sure he’s almost pieced together who got whom in the exchange.
He knows he shouldn’t care about guessing—it’s supposed to be a surprise, after all—but anyone who knows Jayknows better. Give him too much time and a puzzle to solve, and there’s no way he’ll leave it alone. It’s both a blessing and a curse.
“Go find Finnie, baby. You’re distracting.”
So that’s a no to fucking Luca then.
Sighing, he has even more regrets when Grayson exits the bathroom with a hard-on and zero shame. He wants to whine and complain about looking gift-elves in the mouth, but he does as he’s told and dresses quickly, tossing a similarly grumbling Grayson a pair of shorts and a tank top.
“Let’s go!” Luca shrieks with glee and races past Gideon, who manages a hard spank to his ass before following him out.
Luca’s “We’re coming!!” echoes after them.
“Don’t I wish that were true,” Grayson growls. “What’s got Gid all Scrooge-no-fuck?”
“Not sure,” Jay answers, even though it’s not quite true. Christmas is hard on almost everyone in the Rhodes Pack for different reasons. Most of it has to do with family shit and hard memories. With the happy exception of Leo, whose only challenge with the season seems to be restraint.
They’ve stopped at the top of the stairs, Grayson on the first step down. Turning to face Jay, he gathers his long hair at the nape of his neck, twisting it into a messy knot. “You’re on it, though? Like, there’s more bugging him than just the Christmas blues, right?”
He’s right. This year, it’s more than just missing his mother. Something is riding Gideon hard, and when the tinsel settles, Jay is going to spend more time figuring out what it is.
Now isn’t the time to get into it, so Jay kisses the top of his mate’s head and gives him a nudge to get going. “I’m already on it. Now go before there’s no breakfast left.” His heart twinges when his fellow enigma mate accepts Jay’s promise without challenge or question. A gift Jay is grateful for, not just today but always.
They’re the last to arrive, and the coffee table is covered in plates of fresh cinnamon buns, coffee of all temperatures, juice, and a bowl of fresh fruit.
As usual, Jay is drawn to a spot beside Nix, who is eating fruit from Rowan’s fingers. The baby-alpha, thankfully, is not pacing like a caged wolf.Instead, he’s kneeling on the floor at the end of the sectional, fixated on their omega’s red lips closing around his fingers as he accepts blueberries, one by one.
Grayson cracks the sliding glass door and breathes deeply of the frosty air, only to growl at the sight of Rowan’s fixation. Without hesitation, he squeezes in on the far end of the sofa, putting himself directly in between Rowan and Nix.
It’s a deliberate poking of the bear…or Rowan’s wolf. Jay cannot understand why Grayson is so intent on provoking Rowan’s instincts when it comes to Nix. Grayson is the least jealous person—or had been, until Nix became pregnant. But Jay thinks it’s not about Nix all the time. Sometimes it’s just about Rowan: the reaction, the battle, the pitting himself against the biggest wolf in the room. Where he’d never been interested in anything but the path to least resistance, this new Grayson was touchy, irritable, and battle-ready. He’s also smart enough to aim at the only mate in their pack where the consequences are low and whatever reward he’s looking for is high.
Before Rowan can take Grayson to the floor and pull the tree down around their ears, ruining two weeks of handmade gifts, Nix saves the day with pleading big eyes and a mouth open for more fruit.
Audibly gritting his teeth, Rowan merely pops two more blueberries and a raspberry past Nix’s waiting lips.
“Merry Christmas, Jamie.” Nix finishes chewing and leans in for a kiss. A slick wet tongue, and the sweet taste of vanilla-berries did nothing to help Jay’s erection go down.
Jay goes in for another kiss, and then another. He only stops when Rowan forces a blueberry between them with an imperceptible growl.
“Ro, fuck-off—” The soft click of claws on wood draws his attention just before the cushion dips beside him. She huffs, drops it like it’s hot, and sticks her nose into Jay’s hip before closing her eyes.
It’s a Christmas miracle. He’s gotten used to her keeping him in her periphery when they share space. Pack Alpha vibes and all that. So it’s a complete surprise that she’s within reach and relaxed enough to sleep. He’lltake it for the gift it is, thinking maybe she might let him rub her ears in a bit.
Jay gives up on kissing his beloved, stealing a mug of eggnog topped with cinnamon off the table. “Morning, baby boy. You look pretty this morning.” Nix was dressed in a pale yellow onesie similar to the one Luca had on last night, and every night this week. When Jay checks the hood hanging down his mate’s back, he sees a tiny beak and a red comb on top of the hood, like a baby rooster.
“It’s a little cock,” Luca giggles from Finn’s lap. He’s alternating between slurping Finn’s coffee and letting Leo put strawberries in his mouth, a grimace at the combined flavors scrunching his face every time.
Nix’s cheeks heat, and he whines, “Luc!”
“It’s a perfect cock, is what it is,” Jay whispers. The words are so cringe, but if it makes Nix smile, he’ll do it for eternity. “Let’s do this gift thing. What’s the plan, Finn?”
“Doesn’t matter to me. Rowan, why don’t you get it over with? You’re ramping everyone up.”
It’s true. Rowan’s antsy growls and anxious scent are setting the pack into a low simmer. It probably didn’t help that Grayson was still trying to piss Rowan off every chance he got—poking his shoulder, stealing fruit from Nix’s bowl that heknowsis off-limits while Rowan is doing his feeding thing, bony bare toes tucked under the edge of Rowan’s pant leg so he can pull at his leg hair.
Jay grits his teeth; he’ll have to talk to him again. This can’t keep up indefinitely; two fighting enigmas will make the next thirty weeks unbearable.
