~

 

“Alright, let the wolf see the deer,” Tom growled long and hard, making his presence known as he made his way through the snow and into the center ground between his pack and the newcomers.

“Elder,” Grundig nodded his head with respect.

“Hmm,” Tom eyed the man for a long moment, and then he gave a small grant as he turned to look at his alpha. “Respectful — I like that.” He offered the veiled dig to Doug.

Doug just grunted.

“He lives with Santa at the North Pole — he’s going to have a thing for older people,” Jake chuckled.

“Here’s the problem as I see it,” Tom said. “You want to fly.” He expanded his arms at his sides and shrugged his shoulders.

“His wisdom knows no bounds,” Jake chuckled again.

“Christie,” Tom turned towards the witch. “I’m sure it’s not your intention to start a war between the pack and the herd…”

“He started it,” Christie raised a hand and pointed an accusing finger at Grundig.

“And he’s going to apologize for it,” Tom raised just one eyebrow at the reindeer shifter.

“I am?” Grundig’s eyebrows drew down over his eyes, but a swift elbow in the ribs from Katrina made him snap to attention. “I am. I apologize — unreservedly.”

“No harm — no foul, right?” Tom raised both of his eyebrows at the witch.

Christie took in a deep breath and sighed it back out again. She reached for the amulet that hung on a long chain around her neck and wrapped her fingers around it.

“Fine. Reindeer, reindeer take to flight, fill the skies upon this night,” she channeled her magic through the amulet as she repeated the unlocking spell over and over again.

“Grundig?” Katrina looked to the alpha for confirmation that the spell had left him.

“It’s done. We must leave — now,” Grundig informed the vampire.

“Well, thanks for the visit — come back next Christmas Eve,” Jake’s sarcasm knew no boundaries. “Don’t forget to tell Santa that we’ve been good. Except for her.” He pointed towards Christie, and she snorted her contempt for him.

“You’re not as funny as you seem to think you are,” Katrina offered her counterpart.

“In that case, I must be exceptionally bland,” Jake offered her a smug smile.

Grundig shifted into his beast. The reindeer was impressively large. The antlers on his head would have been a formidable tool in any fight.

The beast bowed its head on its long neck in respect to the elder, and again to Katrina before it turned and started on fast run into the veil of snow. Just before it disappeared, it pushed upwards and took to flight.

“Rudolph with your nose so bright…” Jake chuckled. He wasn’t sure that he actually believed what he’d just seen.

“For future reference,” Katrina offered the vampire, “reindeer are touchy about their noses — and references to Santa.”

“For future reference — what are you touchy about?” Jake asked.

“Young vampires who believe that sarcasm is attractive,” Katrina berated him before she turned and was gone into the snow storm.

“Nicely done, elder,” Doug offered praise where it was due.

“Now get on with this mating thing — it’s getting older than I am,” Tom growled as he started back towards the cabins with something of a spring in his step. It was good to feel useful again.

‘Run — run, as fast as you can. Silly alpha, you’re on our land.’

“Oh — crap!” The alpha growled out.

 

~

~

~

 

Saffy didn’t know why she was so relieved to see the alpha walk back through the door, but there it was, relief washing through her body, mind, and soul. She’d like to be able to blame the mating pull once more, but she knew that she wasn’t immune to the alpha’s charms.

Doug saw the look on her face and stopped in his tracks. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he twisted his head on his neck as he took in the look she was giving him, and offered her a questioning one back.

Saffy couldn’t help but smile, and it was contagious. Doug’s smile started slowly, the more she grinned at him, the more his smile grew.

It was a moment between them, and he was enjoying the connection while it lasted. He started across the room toward her, slowly at first to see if her smile would either fade or drop completely, but when it did neither of those things, he covered the distance in record time.

“Alpha alert!” Natalie rushed out on a whisper close to Saffy’s ear, dragging her attention away from Doug, and causing the alpha to hit his internal brake.

“I’m going to mate with him,” Saffy gave a small shrug of her shoulders and a chuckle of excited disbelief.

“You’ve just decided that this minute?” Natalie looked just as disbelieving as Saffy felt.

There was a low, deep, hungry growl, and Saffy knew who it was, but she chose to ignore it the moment.

“Yes.” Saffy gave an affirmative nod of her head.

“Did the faeries do something to you?” Natalie scowled at the thought of magic being involved in Saffy’s decision.

“I don’t think so…” Saffy shrugged.

“Did he do something to you?” Natalie tossed up an absent hand in the direction of the alpha.

That low, deep, hungry growl turned into something resembling annoyance. Saffy ignored it again.

“Now hold on a minute…!” The alpha growled.

“In a way…” Saffy started, but she saw the look of horror on Natalie’s face as the witch became flummoxed and angry all at once.

“So help me — I’ll zap him until he begs to be put out of his misery!” Natalie hissed in anger.

“Huh…?” Doug was confused, but he didn’t like the way the conversation was going.

“Natalie, will you just…!” Saffy tossed her hands onto her hips and scowled at her friend.

“Of course, you get the first zap. I wouldn’t want to deprive you of that pleasure,” Natalie shrugged.

“Nobody is zapping anybody…” Doug growled, but they ignored him once more.

“Pleasure?” Saffy gave a small shake of her head in disbelief.

“Vengeance? Retribution? Revenge?” Natalie was tossing words at her friend in a fast and furious manner.

“Revenge…?” The alpha had no idea what he’d done to warrant revenge.

“Just hold on a minute!” Saffy told the alpha.

“Sure, I’ll just wait for my retribution, shall I?” Doug growled.

“I’m sure it’ll be coming along any minute,” Natalie hissed out at the alpha before turning her attention back towards Saffy.

“Natalie, whatever you’ve been sampling from the array of alcohol, don’t give any to me!” Saffy tossed up her hands in the air and let them fall to her sides.

“Wow,” Christie stood beside Rex, twisted her head to the side, and watched the two witches going at it.

“Yeah, it’s more entertaining than watching the television,” Rex gave a slow nod of his head.

“I have not been drinking!” Natalie protested.

“Then you’re just being naturally stupid?” Saffy offered back.

“Take that back before I zap your mate,” Natalie grumbled.

“Hey…!” Doug growled. He certainly didn’t like that idea.

“If you zap my mate, I’ll zap your bloody mate,” Saffy hissed out the warning to her friend, but Natalie just tossed up a hand, shrugged her shoulders, and gave a small chuckle in reply.

“Go ahead — he standing right there,” Natalie motioned toward Jonathan as if he was an exhibit to be inspected.

“Fine!” Saffy grumbled. “I will!” She turned toward Jonathan, and the man’s hand shot up to his chest in surrender.

“I didn’t do it — the alpha did!” Jonathan protested and pointed an accusing finger at Doug.

Doug growled in annoyance and disbelief at his brother’s treachery. Then he turned his attention toward Natalie and Saffy and offered them an angry growl.

“Nobody is zapping anybody…!” Doug got the words out, but obviously, neither witch had bothered to listen to them.

Natalie zapped Doug and Saffy gasped in disbelief. She turned her magic on Jonathan and zapped the beta.

It was then that all hell broke loose.