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Before I’ve even turned back to the mess that is the ornaments, they’ve scurried off. I don’t know what I was thinking planning a Christmas party with only a few days’ notice. Yet, I’m determined for this to not be a failure.
I’ve already sent the invitations, told Roman, and put things into motion. The last major holiday I spend as alpha female will not be a total mess.
Maybe you should just quit trying to turn the house into a winter wonderland, Adira points out.
My hazel eyes narrow, even though she can’t see my glare.I’m making it festive. That’s the point of a Christmas party.
Right…
Pain in my ass wolf. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
At least my lights inside are still working. I go back to my ladder in the living room where I’ve already moved furniture around to account for the extra people. Grabbing a string of white twinkle lights, I climb up and begin putting holes in the wall that Roman will want to kill me for later, but again, getting forgiveness is almost easier than permission with these kinds of things.
I’m making good progress in this room. As long as I can ignore the ornament nightmare I unveiled in the boxes, I might be able to call this morning a success. Well, if Roman and Sam return with a proper tree.
I’m halfway up the ladder again and ready to finish the last section of wall when teeth sink into my ass. Literally.
“Gahh!” I scream and lose my grip, trying to swat at my unknown attacker, and before I know what’s happening, I’m falling backward.
“Shit, Cait!” My mate is behind me. I have no clue how I didn’t sense him entering the room, but either way, we’re both going down.
He manages to break my fall, but as I try to get off him, he’s attempting to roll the other way, so the strand of lights I was holding just moments ago are now tangled around the two of us.
His scowl is adorable, but it’s the halo around his head that has me smiling. “Did you find my tree?” I ask with the sweetest tone I can muster.
“You just fell on me and all you can ask about is the tree?” he mutters, trying to get the lights off us, but only manages to make them constrict more.
“You’re the one that tried to take a chunk out of my ass,” I snap back, losing any humor I felt seconds ago as the wires begin to dig into my skin.
I’m just about to sacrifice the lights when a wave of energy enters the room and I look up to find one of my best friends standing there with her arms crossed.
“Seriously?” Lucinda huffs. “I get abandoned by my children and you get to be tied up in some kinky Christmas shit? How is this fair?” She turns to Finn next to her and shoves him lightly. “Why don’t you tie me up anymore?”
Roman covers his ears. “I’m not hearing this right now. Please make it stop.”
“Keep your kink in the bedroom and I wouldn’t have to complain in front of you,” Lucinda points out, then glances around. “Why does it look like those little gremlins that build the toys threw up all over your living room and didn’t stay to clean up?”
Sam, Roman’s cousin and our pack beta, bursts into the living room, her blonde hair wet, likely from being outside. “How long am I expec—this is not what I thought I would see in here.”
“Right?” Lucinda says. “It’s as if they have no respect for anyone else.”
Finn saves the day before I can completely lose my shit. “Or maybe there was an accident and our friends just need a bit of help.”
Roman rips the lights to shreds, and Finn grabs onto my shoulders, helping me up. I haven’t seen them in months, and this was not the greeting I foresaw when I invited them to visit. Still, I throw my arms around Finn and squeeze hard. “Thank you for being rational and once again dealing with her crazy.”
“I can hear you,” Lucinda grumbles, making everyone else laugh.
I go to her next and pull her into a hug that she hardly returns. “And yet you still love me,” I tell her.
“At least enough to help with this nightmare.” Lucinda turns around, her blue-and-purple iridescent hair swinging into my face as she does. “Are you really trying to do this without the help of magic?”
Before I can stop her, my fae best friend picks up her phone. “Beatrix?”
“Don’t you dare,” I hiss, but my words go unheard.
“Yeah, Cait is in dire need of help, and I can only do so much.” She pauses and nods. “I know, but we love her.” Another pause. “Well, I didn’t say that.”
My frown deepens as I do my best not to hear the other side of that conversation. I don’t need a grouchy witch and pain in the ass fae ruining my weekend festivities.
