Cain was rowing across The Wreath and thinking about his encounters with Candy. Did she like him? He was ninety percent sure she did, but what if she really was just shy? He rowed the boat as Krampus sat across from him reading some book on demonology.

Cain couldn’t stop thinking about Candy. When he was splitting logs at Camp Kringle, all he could think about were how good his soft, thick curves would fill in his hands, much better than a hard skinny ax handle. When he was chopping down Christmas trees that Krampus magically regrew, over and over, all he could think about was how cute Candy had been, swaddled up on the couch, checking him out as he set up her Christmas tree. He hadn’t let her know that he knew that she was staring at him. After all, that would mean admitting that he was staring at her, that she was the one who was always on his mind, the one who had captured his thoughts and maybe, just maybe, his heart.

“These things are hilarious, you know,” said Krampus, thumping the book against his thigh.

“Huh?” asked Cain, still rowing.

“I said these things are hilarious, these books,” said Krampus. “Is this really what humans think demons are like? It’s like reading fantasy fiction.”

Cain kept rowing, and as soon as Krampus stopped talking, he started thinking about Candy again.

You’ve got it bad, said Vixen. Ironic, isn’t it? You’ve never felt that kind of connection before…

…But I finally find it up here, where I’ve been sent because I hadn’t found a mate, finished Cain. I get it. I’ve learned my lesson. I should’ve spent the time finding a connection beforehand.

You still don’t get it, do you? Vixen asked Cain. Fate has a path for you, Cain, like she has for all of your kind. This is where the trail has led you.

Cain kept rowing the boat. As he rowed closer to the dock outside Bear Claw Bakery, he noticed that one of the kitchen windows was opened and let out a bunch of smoke. Cain smiled. He wondered who had managed to burn something, and what they’d managed to burn. He couldn’t imagine Candy or Avery burning anything. Maybe it was Brie. He wondered if Krampus’ daily order would be ready on time. All the small things about life around The Wreath, where time seemed to pass by slower, captivated him. He was a man who had previously spent all his time either traveling, being photographed, or sleeping. He had rarely had time to explore the exotic locales he visited for work. He never made connections with his coworkers before. He was the cargo and the delivery man, delivering one product and one product only — his handsome self, contents: one rock hard set of abs, a chiseled jawline, and broad shoulders any woman could imagine herself sinking into at the end of a long day.

Cain tied the boat up and walked up the stairs to the patio. He noticed activity happening around the side of the bakery, where nobody every hung out except delivery guys. Cain frowned to himself and went to check out what was going on.

Cain turned the corner and saw a big man taking a pie out through the window.

“Hey!” shouted Cain. “That’s not yours! Put it down!”

“Yeah? And what are you going to do if I steal it?” asked the man.

“Trust me,” said Cain, walking up to the man. “You don’t want to find out.”

“Big words from a puny, what,” started the man, taking Cain’s hand and turning it over. “What are you, a frikkin’ ram shifter? Get out of my face, punk.”

Cain tore his hand out of the stranger’s hand and pushed the stranger backward.

“Oh, now you’ve done it,” said the stranger, starting to shift into a beast.

“You just messed with the wrong reindeer,” said Cain.

Cain shifted. He’d never shifted into his reindeer form before, and he had to admit he was a little nervous. After all, how exactly did reindeer move? How would he fight this guy without paws and claws?

The man in front of him shifted into a grizzly bear. Cain smiled to himself as he changed. If there was one shift Cain knew anything about, it was grizzlies.

Cain’s body grew bigger, and he sprouted hair everywhere. It was just like going through puberty all over again. His arms fell, just as they would if he’d shifted into his bear form from an upright position. Cain hadn’t remembered to get down on all fours when he turned, but gravity pulled his legs down to the ground for him. Cain slipped and then regained his bearings. The reindeer legs were a little unwieldy. They were long and spindly. Luckily, a reindeer’s ‘elbows’ and ‘knees’ bent in the same directions as a bear’s ‘elbows’ and ‘knees’ — elbows bending backward, knees bending forward. The angle of the bend and the size of the bones were different, but Cain managed to figure it out. He knew how to ‘drive.’ This just wasn’t his usual ‘car.’

Cain looked down at the grizzly. The grizzly was growling, but it was obvious the grizzly had no idea how to start a fight against a giant frikkin’ reindeer.

So Cain booped the grizzly on the nose with one of his hooves.

What, said Vixen. What was that?

What would you do? Cain asked Vixen.

I don’t know, smart one, maybe use my antlers? The big bony things on my head? Vixen replied sassily. ‘Tis the season to break out ‘The Meatgrinders.’

The what now? ‘The Meatgrinders’? asked Cain incredulously. Reindeers name their horns?

Well, I named mine, and I named them ‘The Meatgrinders,’ replied Vixen defensively.

It’s a good name, said Cain. I named my horn ‘The Narwhal.’

Bears don’t have horns, said Vixen.

Men do, said Cain.

Okay, you’re nasty, you’re real nasty, said Vixen.

Cain went up to the werebear and used his hoof to give the werebear a noogie. He used his hoof to rub the top of the grizzly’s head and muss up its fur. The bear frowned at Cain, confused. While the werebear was confused, Cain put his head down, pressed it against the werebear’s, and then, rustled his antlers around the werebear.

It was a weird move. It was nothing that Vixen, the werebear on the ground, or Cain had seen before.

You’re crazy for this one, said Vixen. Well, it was nice knowing you, kid.

Then, suddenly, the bear started heaving. The bear was taking in deep breaths. The bear rolled onto his back but was still turning around, having a hysterical fit.

Cain had managed to tickle the beast into submission.

Cain moved back, giving the other bear shifter a chance to surrender. Cain looked on the ground. The pie was smashed. He had not managed to save the pie in the end, but at least the thief had not made off with stolen goods.

“Okay, okay,” said the man. “I give up.”

Krampus walked up behind the werebear on the ground and took him by the ruff of his collar. The man looked down. How was he magically wearing the same clothes he’d just shifted out of? Why wasn’t he naked? Cain wondered the same thing, and then he remembered. Obviously, Krampus had worked some demoncraft and given the werebear a new set of clothes, so he wouldn’t be lying on the patio, naked.

“I have half a mind to phone the police,” said Krampus, dragging the man as easily as if he were a goose down pillow. “You’re going to go inside, apologize for all the mischief you made, pay for that pie, and clean up the mess in the kitchen. Cain, shift.”

“But I’m naked,” said Cain. The words came out. They sounded like a grizzly bear had farted into an airhorn.

“You won’t be naked,” said Krampus. “And yes, before you ask, I can speak reindeer. Pretty much everyone ‘up North’ can.”

Krampus dragged the criminal inside. Cain shifted back into his human form. He looked down. He was still wearing all his clothes.

“Guess there are some perks to being a reindeer,” said Cain aloud.

“Some perks to what?” asked a familiar voice.

Cain looked up. Candy had just walked out the door to the back patio. Had she seen him shift?

“It’s not important,” said Cain. “What’s up?”

“Well, I heard a commotion out here, so I finished up inside and came out to see what was going on,” said Candy. “I guess Brie burned a batch of chocolate chip cookies and left the window open and some guy tried to steal one of our pies.”

“I know,” said Cain. “I was the one that caught him.”

“You?” asked Candy. “That guy was going on about reindeer shifters.”

“Guess he was seeing things,” said Cain.

“Huh, well, if he’d just gone in and asked Avery for a free pie, I’m sure she would’ve found an errand for him to do, like cleaning out the gutters,” said Candy. “I’ve seen her give away more pastries for a lot less. It’s a miracle we’re still in business, isn’t it?”

“I guess it is,” said Cain.

“How did you have time to get changed?” asked Candy.

“Time to what?” asked Cain.

“Shifters have to get naked, or else their clothes get ruined when they shift,” said Candy.

“Oh, uh, Krampus distracted him,” lied Cain, causing his mark to burn.

I can’t believe white lies cause the mark to burn, whined Cain.

Every year, the rules on how the marks work are different, said Vixen.

Why? How? Cain asked Vixen.

Call it ‘Christmas magic,’ call it…the fact that the reindeer spirits control when the marks hurt, admitted Vixen. I may be down with teasing a girl and stringing her along, but lying, I cannot condone.

Cain felt his mark burn again.

What was that for? asked Cain.

Because I could tell you wanted to lie again, teased Vixen.

“Why, uh…” started Candy.

“What?” asked Cain.

“Why did you fight him?” asked Candy. “It was just a pie.”

“What would you do if you saw somebody stealing the Christmas tree in the store?” asked Cain.

“Sock’m in the jaw” admitted Candy. “But that’s different. I work at the bakery. You don’t.”

“You care about the bakery and about Avery, right?” asked Cain. “I care about you, so I also care about those things.”

“You what?” asked Candy.

“I said that because I care about you, I —” started Cain.

“I got that part,” said Candy. “But, why did you say it?”

“Because it’s true…?” said Cain.

“You’re a weird guy, Cain,” said Candy, crossing her arms. “I expected a guy who was all big and buff and burly, who took no shizz from anyone, who was cold and aloof, and maybe a bit of a diva, but…”

“…But you got me instead?” joked Cain. “I’ll make sure the agency sends you a refund and sends out a better escort next time.”

“Cain!” hissed Candy, pushing Cain. “That’s so wrong! Anyway, I mean…you’re a lot different than I expected, is all.”

“Then I’m glad,” said Cain. “I didn’t come out here to keep making the same mistakes I made out there, Candy.” Cain reached out and pointed in a random direction.

“You’re pointing to Canada,” said Candy.

“You know what I mean,” said Cain. “I spent all my life acting like the man you described, and what did I have to show for it?”

“A bunch of modeling deals,” said Candy. “Your face, on half the books in the romance section in the grocery checkout lanes. Fame. Fortune.”

“And that was all,” said Cain. “Nowhere in that list of things is a fated mate, a family, or happiness. That’s what I’m looking for, Candy. So…you find any women looking for that, you let me know.”

Krampus came out of the bakery and shouted, “Cain! These pastries aren’t going to carry themselves!”

“Duty calls,” said Cain, giving Candy a nod before walking to the back of the bakery.

Candy followed Cain into the bakery and went back to the front counter, working the register. What had Cain meant when he had asked Candy to send ‘any women’ his way? Did that mean he was into her, or that he only saw her as someone he ‘cared’ about, as a friend? Every single time they interacted, two things were guaranteed. First of all, he’d make her stomach fill with butterflies. Secondly, he’d manage to confuse her heart and make it even more knotted up than it already was.