~

 

“It’s quiet…” Saffy whispered as they sat at the kitchen table. The half-eaten breakfast sat on the plate in front of her, and she couldn’t help but look up at the ceiling every few minutes as if there were answers there. “It’s a little too quiet…”

“You done with that?” Tom asked as he reached for her plate, eyeing the leftover breakfast with a hungry grin.

“It’s never quiet for long around here,” Doug chuckled.

Saffy pushed the plate toward the elder, and he snatched it up with a hearty grunt of anticipation.

“I still say it’s too quiet…”

“You think my brother killed your friend?” Doug chuckled, and Saffy pulled her head back on her neck and sneered at the alpha.

“Please, my witch can kick your beta’s backside any day of the week and on Sunday’s too.” Saffy snorted contempt for his words.

“I’d put money on the witch,” Tom offered before shoving a whole sausage in his mouth that puffed out his cheeks like a demented squirrel on a nut heist.

Saffy did a double take at the elder.

“And a Merry Christmas to one and all!” Jake announced.

He’d disappeared for a while, but now he was back with two large red sacks slung over his shoulder.

“It’s Santa Claws!” Saffy lifted her hands and clawed at the air.

“It’s something I never got to do last night with all the fun that we had around here,” Jake sneered back at her.

“You’re the secret Santa?” Doug looked horrified.

“Who’s the secret Santa?” Saffy asked.

“Me – don’t you listen?” Jake offered her a devilish grin.

“I didn’t see that one coming,” Tom growled, chewing fast.

“Okay, what’s a secret Santa?” Saffy sneered.

“A Santa that wants to remain secret,” Jake offered back.

“Are you like fond of him, or can I just go ahead and put him out of his misery?” Saffy hissed.

“I’m not fond of him,” Tom lifted his hand to vote.

“I’m not wedded to the idea of having him around,” Doug chuckled.

“You’re both off my Christmas list,” Jake sneered.

“Answer the bloody question or get zapped.” Saffy had more than enough of the vampire.

“Someone…” Doug started.

“That would be me,” Jake grinned with glee.

“Has been leaving presents for the females and pups every year…”

“Me!” Jake’s grin widened.

“And encouraging the bloody females to do Christmas,” Doug growled at the vampire.

“But, look on the bright side. The valley looks pretty, the females are happy, and you porkers get to feast. It’s a win-win.” Jake shrugged.

“And why would you do that?” Doug growled.

“Because he wants a family Christmas,” Saffy offered, and Jake snorted at the idea.

“Nooo,” he looked horrified.

“Liar, liar vampire on fire,” Saffy offered back.

“He does just happen by every year on Christmas day,” Tom noted with his mouth still stuffed.

“See!” Saffy grinned.

“Still, nooo,” Jake tossed back.

“Then why?” Saffy demanded.

“Because… it winds up the alpha, which is worth its weight in gold, and I… don’t have to cook,” he lied.

Saffy eyed the man, but his grin didn’t budge one inch. Vampires – the masters of a veiled expression. Saffy snorted, but she didn’t push it any further.

She turned her eyes up to the ceiling once more.

“Still too quiet…”

The howl that ripped through the house made her jump in her seat as everything started to shake around them. Tom chewed fast as he stared at the table top in front of him, just one side of his mouth lifted with a lopsided grin. Then he swallowed hard.

“Well, she didn’t kill him – she’s not a praying mantis by any chance, right?” he turned amused eyes on Saffy.

“Eat your damn sausage,” Saffy huffed back.

“That’s what Jonathon said…” Jake grinned.

“You’re just nasty,” Saffy sneered at the vampire.

“I can’t be nasty – I’m the secret Santa.”

 

~

~

~

 

“A little to the left… a little to the right… back just a touch…” Saffy said as the three witches stood in a line and directed their mates as they moved the huge pine tree that had come from Jake’s land into the perfect position.

“And it’s back where it started,” Tom chuckled from his comfy seat beside the fire.

The three witches turned their heads in his direction, and each one lifted an eyebrow at him. He grunted.

“I’m not a child,” he growled. “Seen and not heard is not a viable option.”

“It’s a lot easier on the back than moving this damn tree around,” Doug grumbled.

It was the second Christmas that the witches had been with the pack. The first Christmas being the one that they’d met them.

Last Christmas had been eventful, Doug had decided to head that one off before it had even begun this year. The valley was still covered in Christmas lights, but they’d thought ahead and had decked out a spare cabin with its own Christmas tree, and fairy lights — for the damn fairies.

Doug wasn’t expecting any surprises.

“Don’t even get me started on bad backs,” Saffy hissed at her mate.

“Tell me about it,” Natalie grumbled as she eyed her mate with disdain.

“I said nothing,” Jonathan held his hands up in surrender. He knew better than to challenge his mate right now. “It was all the alpha.” He pointed a finger at Doug’s head as if painting a target on the man’s back.

“I would kill to see my feet,” Christie grumbled.

All three witches looked down at their large baby bumps and sighed as one.

“I miss my feet,” Saffy grimaced. She didn’t really miss her feet at all; she could kind of see them just fine when she laid down. But that wasn’t the point.

“I haven’t been able to paint my toenails myself in so long,” Natalie huffed, as she tossed a death glare at her mate.

“I just want to be able to bend at the waist,” Christie grumbled.

“Well that’s not going to happen, is it?” Rex chuckled.

All three witches zapped him.

“How long has your mate been pregnant?” Doug growled at his brother. “You still haven’t learned to keep quiet?”

“Merry Christmas ladies!” Jake announced as he bounded through the door with bags full of glittery goodies for the new Christmas tree.

All three witches turned towards the vampire and Saffy clapped her hands with glee and jumped up and down on the spot. She’d sent the vampire into town to take pictures of all the new ornaments that they had in stock. Then she’d placed her order with him and he’d gone to fetch them.

In return, he was going to get the best family Christmas of his life — or even his afterlife.

“Let me see — let me see!” Saffy jumped up and down in place and then froze with a horrified look on her face.

Jake’s eyes narrowed on the witch. The sound of Rex sniffing the air like he was looking for breakfast made Saffy grimace.

“What’s that smell?” Rex asked as he wrinkled up his nose and turned to look at Jonathan. “Did you fart — what have you eaten?”

“I did not fart,” Jonathan lifted a fist and punched him in the bicep.

“Whoops!!” Saffy grimaced harder. “And ouch!”

Doug was at her side in an instant. Unfortunately, he’s booted feet skidded on the gooey waters that had broken when Saffy had jumped up and down in delight, and he skidded on past her and ended up splat against the wall.

Roars of laughter went up from the group as the alpha rebound right back off the wall and ended up on his back on the floor. Saffy doubled over with a mixture of pain and laughter at the alpha’s expense.