Nine deliveries later, Connor was done – having met a dozen families in need, hearing their stories, seeing their homes, and bringing smiles to the faces of the single moms (or mother figures) and their kids (of all ages). He landed back on the tarmac, where Noel was waiting for him…along with someone who was heated from within by hellfire and therefore did not need a thick winter coat.

“Hey,” said Connor, after he shifted back into his human form. “Sorry that took so long.”

“Connor –” started Krampus.

“I know, I know, I said I’d be done by three, and it’s at least four,” said Connor. “Some of those houses were far…and high. Ironic that me, a pilot, didn’t account for the height.”

“Connor,” said Krampus.

“I’ll make up all the work I missed, and –” started Connor

“Connor!” bellowed Krampus. “I’m trying to tell you something important, boy, and you don’t seem to be listening. I need you to shut up for half a damned second so I can say what I’m here to say.”

“Oh, sorry,” said Connor. “What is it?”

“Congratulations, Connor – you got off of The Naughty List,” said Krampus.

“I what?” asked Connor.

“Look at your mark,” ordered Krampus.

Connor unbuttoned his shirt. The mark on his chest had changed. The green word ‘Naughty’ had been replaced by one word, in bright fire truck red – ‘Nice.’

“I don’t get it,” said Connor. “What did I do?”

“You helped someone believe in Christmas magic – a lot of someones,” said Krampus. “Those single moms you delivered the baked goods to – you put smiles on their kids’ faces, which has the parents believing in the magic of the holiday season. Congratulations. You’re off of The Naughty List – but you still have to do The Ride, and you still need to claim a fated mate to seal in your shift. You were sent here because you were in danger of succumbing to mate madness. That means you still need to claim your fated mate to keep your shift, or else, you will lose your shift forever.”

“So do I get my shift back now or what?” asked Connor.

“You can’t handle having two shifts at once, so, you’ll get it back permanently after The Ride,” said Krampus.

“So I don’t really get it back early at all!” said Connor.

“You didn’t let me finish – you can get it back early if you want, but you will need to switch back into being a reindeer for The Ride, and every time you want to switch shifts, you’ll need to use the globe,” said Krampus. “I don’t trust you not to break the snow globe, so, just come to me when you want your shift.”

“What if I want it right now?” asked Connor.

“Great, you can have it right now, nobody cares,” said Krampus. “You just physically cannot handle having two powerful shifts in your body at a time, so you can only have one at a time. That’s literally all I’m saying. Humans. So testy!”

“And my mark?” asked Connor.

“You can have that back, and you can claim someone with just your mark, and not your shift,” said Krampus. “For example, if Comet was in your spirit, and not your bear, but you have your mate mark, you can still claim a mate.”

“Got it,” said Connor. “Got off The Naughty List, so I only have one thing left – claiming a mate.”

“Okay, okay, whatever. I don’t care about what you’re going to do with your penis. Just be back by tomorrow morning. You can have the rest of the day and night off – for good behavior. Goodbye,” said Krampus, pulling his chain off his neck, and muttering, “Humans. I don’t see what the fuss is all about. Not like they’re particularly good penises either. No wonder the aliens –” Before Krampus could finish, he had teleported through his chain portal.

Suddenly, Krampus’s portal opened up again. Krampus reached through the portal and slapped Connor right in the chest.

“Ouch! What was that for?” asked Connor, rubbing his chest.

“Forgot to give you back your mark,” said Krampus. “Merry Christmas, bye.” The portal closed again.

“So…that was freaky-deaky,” said Noel. “You want a ride back to The Wreath?”

“Not exactly,” said Connor. “I have…a weird favor to ask you.”

“What is it?” asked Noel.

“You’re my only ride, or I wouldn’t be asking this, but…how would you feel about, uh, going sledding with me?” asked Connor.

“What?” asked Noel.

“Look – I haven’t had time off in a long time, and back home, I would always go sledding with my brothers,” said Connor. “I can’t exactly go home for the day, and sledding by myself…well, that’s no fun, is it?”

“I wouldn’t know – because, well, I’ve actually never been sledding,” admitted Noel.

“You’ve never been sledding?” asked Connor. “Now we have to go sledding.”

“I don’t ‘have’ to do anything,” said Noel, arms crossed. “I’m going to go with you, so that we can knock this off our seasonal bucket-list, and so that, if my dumb-ass hits a frikkin’ tree, there’s somebody who can identify my curvy-ass body and let my next of kin know that I died doing what I love – being badass.”

“Well, if you’re expecting badass, maybe I should take you snowboarding instead,” said Connor.

“I should walk before I run – and that means sledding before I snowboard,” said Noel. “Get in the car before I change my mind.”

Noel texted her brothers and Avery to let them know she had finished up early and was going to go sledding with ‘a friend.’ Technically, she wasn’t lying – if Connor was her friend. What was he? What were they? That was not a question Noel could answer.

Noel found a place in the area where they could go sledding, a place that sold cheap disc sleds. She drove to the sledding park, which was filled with families at play. The park was decorated to look like ‘Santa’s Workshop,’ resplendent with candy cane themed decorations in red and white and green, with people dressed up in Santa hats.

Noel wondered if that’s what Santa’s – Santana’s – Workshop really looked like, or if this was as far from the reality of the inner workings of Christmas magic as her notion of the flying reindeer. After all, in the stories and songs, nobody had mentioned that the flying reindeer were also super hunky bad boy werebears who were being whipped into shape by a literal demon.

Noel and Connor went up to the counter. Entry to the park was free, but, for a small fee, Noel and Connor could get passes to use the equipment provided by the town of The Wreath. There were foam sliders, disk and saucer-shaped sleds, and even old-fashioned wooden toboggans. The town of The Wreath was raising money for physical therapy for veterans.

“Two tickets, please,” said Noel.

“Very good,” said the volunteer working at the counter, a tiny little granny. “You’re a cute couple. Are you two excited to hit the slopes?”‘

“We’re not a couple,” said Connor gruffly. “Only one ticket – for her.”

“If you don’t get a ticket, how are you going to help me learn how to sled?” asked Noel.

“I can push you,” said Connor.

“What about the two-person sleds? What about steering?” asked Noel.

“Tell you what – because you two are such a cute couple, I’ll comp his ticket for free, so he has no excuse but to have fun with everyone else!” said the granny. “Here you two go. Oh – he’s a bear shifter. I see. Well, make sure to take your wristband off before you shift, or else it’ll snap, and you’ll have to come get another one from me.” The granny took two stretchy wristbands out from the jar behind the desk, in extra-large adult sizes. The wristbands were marbled, white and red, like home-made candy cane brittle.

“Oh, that’s too generous,” said Noel, passing the woman her credit card. The woman charged the card, but only for a single day pass.

“Consider it an early Christmas gift – after all, ‘tis the season of giving!” said the little old lady.

“In that spirit, here,” said Noel, taking a few large bills out of her wallet and putting them into the slotted jar on the table. “You have a happy holiday, ma’am, and a very merry Christmas.” The money Noel had put into the jar was more than enough to have covered both her ticket and Connor’s ticket.

Noel and Connor put on their wristbands and walked to the gear check-out area.

“What’re you waiting for?” asked Connor.

“You’re the sledding expert – what should I start on?” asked Noel.

“Hmm – well, with your curves, you could probably start on a saucer,” said Connor, picking up a big plastic saucer and holding it up to Noel. “Yup – perfect fit.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Noel, motioning over her curves, following Connor up to the top of the adult’s sledding hill, which was surprisingly empty, save a few couples and a set of frat boys who looked to be having a gay old time.

“You’ve got extra cushion for the – sledding,” said Connor, catching himself. “If you tumble, you’ll bounce.”

“And?” asked Noel.

“And that’s a good thing,” said Connor. “Means you won’t get hurt.”

“Can’t believe being curvy is going to be an asset,” grumbled Noel.

“What? You don’t love your curves?” asked Connor.

“No, smart one – I just didn’t think there was a winter sport that curvy gals were especially suited for,” said Noel.

“What about curling?” asked Connor.

“Do I look like I want to spend my Christmas season pushing around a broom? Heck no,” said Noel. “Now, are we here to sled or what? What do I do?”

“Take off any jewelry,” said Connor.

“Don’t wear any, on account of working at the bakery,” said Noel. “No earrings, no bracelet, no necklace.”

“Anything that could be a hazard?” asked Connor.

“I just have on shoes, socks, pants, a top, this jacket, and this silly hat,” said Noel. “Same one as you.”

Connor patted the top of his head. He was still wearing the Christmas hat that Krampus had stuck on his head earlier. No wonder the old lady had thought that he and Noel were a cute couple.

“Okay, then sit in the saucer,” ordered Connor. “Hold onto those two handles, and don’t let go, and don’t slip out of the saucer. Pull them one way or another to steer. Pull the right handle and lean to the left to go left. Pull the left grip and tilt to the right to go right.

“Are you saying that first, I need to sit in the saucer, like a teacup?” sassed Noel, intentionally acting super-sweet to annoy Connor.

“Yes, Noel, just like a teacup,” said Connor.

Noel took her seat on the saucer.

“How does that rhyme go again?” asked Connor. “I’m a little teapot…something.”

“I’m a little teapot, short and stout,” sang Noel. “Tip me over, and pour me out!”

“Pour you out? Well, if you insist!” said Connor.

“Connor? Don’t you dare! Connor!” shouted Noel, but it was too late. She was already sliding down the steep hill!

For a second, Noel enjoyed The Ride. Snow flew into her face, and she actually laughed. Then, she realized she was going fast – real fast.

Noel spotted a ramp coming up in front of her. She didn’t want to hit the ramp! What had Connor said about steering? Noel pulled the right side of the sled up and leaned to the left with her body, pulling the sled to the left, avoiding the ramp.

Noel had pulled too hard, so now, she was spinning in circles. She bounced off of the protective inflatable ‘bumpers’ lining the sledding course, bumping back into the sled park, and then, finally, at the bottom of the course, Noel landed…after flipping, so the saucer was on top of the now tipped teapot of a BBW.

“Here,” said a voice, reaching out to pull her up from the ground. “Not bad – for a first-timer.”

“Connor, you bastard!” shouted Noel, pushing Connor back.

“Did you have fun?” asked Connor.

“Yes, but –”

“But did you have fun?” asked Connor.

“Yes,” admitted Noel, brushing snow off her coat. “But –”

“Then there’s not a problem is there?” asked Connor, arms crossed over his chest.

“If it’s so fun, why don’t you join me?” asked Noel.

“That’s a one-person saucer,” said Connor.

“Great – we’ll get a two-person sled,” said Noel. “Consider it practice for The Ride.”

Noel dragged Connor to the equipment rack. She put the saucer sled away and had Connor grab a two-person sleigh that could hold the both of them. They walked to the top of the sledding hill.

“How do we use this one?” asked Noel. The two-person sleigh had two seats, two pairs of handles, and a steering cord.

“One of us has to sit in the front, the other, in the back,” said Connor. “I have longer legs, so I should sit in the back. You get in first.”

“Are you going to push me down the hill again?” asked Noel.

“Only if you don’t get your butt in there in five seconds flat,” said Connor.

Noel quickly took her seat. Connor slid into the seat behind her and reached forward, taking the cord. Noel felt Connor’s warm body pressed against hers. His arms crossed over her shoulders so he could reach the steering cord, and his legs were outside of her legs, keeping her arm. Noel hadn’t expected a two-person sled to be that intimate. She had never been this close to Connor before.

“You two need a push?” asked a voice. It was one of the frat boys, walking over with his boyfriend.

“That’d be much appreciated,” admitted Connor.

“Alright, we’ll have you and your girlfriend off in one…two…” counted the boyfriend. “And…three!” On three, the frat bro and his boyfriend pushed Connor and Noel down the hill. They congratulated themselves with a high-five.

The streamlined sled went fast – real fast. Noel had felt safe in Connor’s arms, but then, she realized that Connor wasn’t trying to avoid the large ramp. He seemed to be trying to aim for it!

Before Noel could protest, the sled had hit the ramp. Noel braced herself for impact, prayed to every god she could name and hoped that somebody had the foresight to delete her browser history before the funeral.

Noel was sure she had died, that she’d somehow managed to be good enough to become an angel because she didn’t feel herself hit the ground. Instead, she felt as if she were flying.

Up in the air, she felt as if both time and space had frozen around her, as if for a second, everything in the world was standing still, from the snowflake about to hit her nose, to the heart in her chest, which seemed to have skipped a beat. She fluttered her eyes, and things started to return to normal. She felt something wrapping around her, keeping her safe – Connor’s arms.

Noel reached up, to touch Connor’s arms, but in doing so, she let go of the sled. The sled slipped out from under Noel and Connor, flying off into a tree, while Noel and Connor started to fall.

Noel felt Connor change around her. His clothing ripped, and he was covered with a thick layer of muscle and fur. As the pair hit the ground, Noel was cushioned by the big bear surrounding her like a warm winter blanket.

Noel slipped out of Connor’s grip and crawled onto the powdery snow. She stood and looked at Connor, who was sprawled on the snow. She hadn’t seen Connor in his bear form before. She was used to seeing him as a reindeer – big, with brown fur, and a set of antlers that could take an eye out if someone wasn’t careful. He was still big and brown, but he no longer had antlers. Instead, he had broad, thick paws, and, hidden in his closed mouth, a set of sharp teeth that Noel was sure were the stuff of nightmares.

But at that moment, Connor didn’t look like a monster. He didn’t look like a predator.

He looked like a big, floppy teddy bear, the kind one could win at a carnival. He looked goofy and cuddly. As the snow covered his body, he looked at peace…a little too at peace.

“Connor?” whispered Noel. “Oh, no! Connor! Connor, wake up!”

Noel got down on her knees and started to shake Connor. His limbs began to move, back and forth, but he wasn’t getting up.

“Connor, are you alright?” asked Noel. “Connor!”

Connor twitched his arms and legs, back and forth, enjoying the feeling of snow beneath his body. He yawned and got up.

“Connor! You had me worried,” said Noel. Noel looked at the spot where Connor had been a second before.

“Did you just…” asked Noel, pointing to the ground.

Connor nodded.

“Well, I’ll be,” said Noel. “Never in my life have I seen a shifter make a frikkin’ snow angel – well, at least, in their shift.”

Noel cleaned up the scraps of clothing around the area, including the snapped rubber band that had been around Connor’s wrist. Connor carried the sled back to the equipment area, carefully, although the sled had seen much worse than the mouth of a werebear. Noel picked up the pair of Santa hats and brushed them off. She hadn’t even noticed them coming off their heads when they’d been in the air when it had felt like Noel and Connor were flying.

“Hey! You!” shouted a voice.

Noel turned. The two frat boys that had pushed her and Connor down the hill were waving at her. Noel and Connor walked over to the happy couple.

“What’s up?” asked Noel.

“Hey, here,” said the frat boy, passing Noel a plastic bag. “We wanted to give you this.”

“What’s this?” asked Noel, peeking inside and finding a full change of clothes.

“We’re shifters too, so we carry spare changes of clean clothes in the trunk,” said the frat boy’s boyfriend. “We saw your boyfriend shift in mid-air to protect you…and watched as his clothes came apart. We figured you might not have a spare change of clothes in your car, so we thought we might as well offer.”

“This is mighty kind of you folks,” said Noel. “How can we repay you?”

“By having a very Merry Christmas, and spreading some Christmas joy this season,” said the frat boy’s boyfriend, kissing his boyfriend on the cheek. “I bet your mate’s helped another shifter out of a fix like this before, hasn’t he?”

Connor nodded. He thought of the times he’d bailed out one of the bad boys of Clan Marron and had to provide them with some clothes. He couldn’t count the incidences using just two hands – or, two paws.

The frat boys left. Noel finished cleaning up the clothing scraps and tossed them away – all but one. Connor carried the change of clothes into one of the changing stalls. In many areas, changing booths were provided for shifters, along with lockers. Noel tapped her foot and waited for Connor to come out. After about a minute, she got bored and looked around the park.

The Wreath wasn’t the wealthiest town in the area, but it made up for any economic shortcomings with loads of heart. All the volunteers had really come together to make a winter wonderland a reality for the townsfolk. In a way, Noel and Connor had done their part, making sure the kids in rural areas, who couldn’t come down and play with the others, still had a special Christmas.

“Noel?” said a voice softly.

Noel turned. She had to stifle a laugh.

“What?” asked Connor crossly, his arms crossed over his chest.

“You just…that’s not your usual look,” said Noel.

Connor was wearing a pair of khaki cargo shorts, with a pink and blue striped polo with a white collar popped up.

“Whatever,” grumbled Connor. “Merry frikkin’ Christmas, Noel.”

“Okay, well, before we go anywhere, you need two things,” said Noel, coming up to Connor. “First of all – that collar. It needs to come down. This isn’t 2007, Connor. We have standards now.” Noel pulled down Connor’s collar and felt the heat of his neck below her hands.

“And?” asked Connor, looking at the curvy minx beneath him.

“And…?” asked Noel.

“You said I needed two things,” said Connor.

“Oh,” said Noel. “Right. The hat. Here.”

Noel reached up and perched the Santa hat on Connor, adjusting it, so the band hit just above the tips of his ears, which were no longer brown and furry.

“Well, then I need to fix you up,” said Connor. “There’s something missing here, Noel. You and I both know it.”

Just like when Noel had been in the air, she felt as if her heart had stopped. Was Connor about to suggest they do what she really thought he was gonna suggest? Was he really going to try to add her to his harem? And would she have the strength to resist the offer of the strong, masculine shifter…even though she couldn’t imagine sharing him with anyone else, with seven other women?

Connor looked down at Noel. He wanted to do something stupid, the stupidest thing he’d done in his life – fall for a woman that was in a harem, with seven men that adored her. He knew that he was jealous, possessive, and couldn’t exactly play well with others. Still, he thought that maybe, a woman like Noel might be an exception to that rule. After all, so far, she’d been an exception to all his other rules – especially the one about never falling in love with a woman he couldn’t have.