“Ooh, they are a little close together. In fact, three decorations should not be on the same branch.”
Mira tut-tutted and she started undoing Branch’s handiwork.
“He’s just not used to decorating Christmas trees,” teased Ariel. “He usually works late every year so he can avoid this.”
Branch grumbled under his breath. Mira smiled at him and set about finishing their tree. It was fifteen feet tall and required lots of support to keep it steady. They were decorating it along with Branch’s uncle and sister. But Uncle Clay was less use than Branch, and Ariel seemed a little distracted – her eyes wandered over to the door every few moments as if she were expecting someone to come through it. Mira didn’t really mind – she loved decorating. The only downside to decorating was the need to take everything down when Christmas was over.
While Ariel was distracted, Uncle Clay just seemed actually to be watching Mira. Honestly, it was getting a little weird. She tried smiling at him, but he just gave her a strange look.
Herd members came in and out, giving a little bow to Branch and saying hello to Mira. They seemed positively excited to see them both. She wondered if they were always this pleased to see their Alpha. Honestly, she wasn’t sure. She’d read her romances, sure, but she wasn’t sure what was based on fact and what was pure fiction. Maybe the people who wrote them really had close encounters of the sexy kind with shifters! That would be awesome. Or maybe they were just using their imaginations. She had tried to look up shifters on the internet, but she couldn’t find anything useful.
Clay cleared his throat. “So, the mating is set for Christmas Eve.”
Branch nodded, but Mira let out an almost hysterical giggle as butterflies crashed into one another in her stomach. It was fine – she would be fine. She was just glad she had a little more time to let it sink in fully.
“In less than two weeks, you’ll be mated and living together,” continued Clay.
Branch shrugged, but Mira swallowed and licked her lips a little anxiously. She had agreed to it; she knew it was coming – she was just a little girlishly nervous about living with Branch. Would their rooms be next door to each other? Would they share the same bathroom? Was there any chance she’d run into him naked? She kind of hoped so.
“You are sure about this, Alpha?” asked Clay.
“Of course, I’m sure,” snapped Branch, his face nearly thunderous.
Though that may be because his beautiful work suit was now covered in pine needles from the tree and glitter from the decorations – and neither of those things seemed to want to leave him.
“Yep,” squeaked Mira in agreement.
Clay’s expression looked almost suspicious. Uh oh. Did he know they were just faking? Did he suspect? No, he couldn’t, if he did it would have dire consequences with something called the Shifter Council – only Branch didn’t use the word dire when he was telling her that.
No, this all had to look real.
Mira hung the decoration she was holding and slipped her arm around Branch’s waist. She considered rubbing her cheek against his chest, but given the glitter/pine needle situation, decided against it.
Branch stiffened slightly, but on realizing what she was doing, he dropped his own arm around her shoulders and pulled her a little closer – molding her against his big, warm body. She wouldn’t have thought the two of them would really go together, but damn if they weren’t a perfect fit. Her softer body snuggled just perfectly against his. Ah, to hell with the glitter!
Mira beamed up at him, and Branch gave her a crooked smile in return. Her stomach lurched – even with a half-smile, he was too gorgeous. Oh, if he ever truly grinned he would blot out the darn sun.
Clay opened his mouth as if he were going to say something but before he could, Branch’s mother, Martha, bustled into the room.
“Oh! That tree is absolutely beautiful! Well done Mira and Ariel!”
“Mostly Mira,” admitted Ariel with a blush.
“Hey, what about me?” groused Branch.
Martha raised an eyebrow and Branch huffed.
“Fine, mostly Mira.”
Martha walked around the tree admiring it. Clay slunk away to get another drink. Something was bothering him, but Mira couldn’t say what. She didn’t think he didn’t like her – more like he just didn’t believe that they were actually going to mate. She supposed they were an unlikely pair, though no one else in the herd thought so.
“Let me get a picture of you two next to the tree,” gushed Martha. “You look so happy together!”
Mira felt her cheeks warm as she realized she was still cuddling up to Branch. Honestly, after a moment she hadn’t noticed she was – it felt so nice and even – ha – natural.
She smiled as Martha snapped a few pics and then to save Branch having to push her away, she tried to wriggle out of his grasp. But Branch’s arm merely tightened around her – pulling her even closer, which she didn’t think was possible. They’d be sharing the same belt in another couple of inches.
“Umm…”
She was going to object that breathing was almost difficult when Branch let out a low grunt, and she spied the reason for his sudden bone-crushing embrace. The redhead from the previous night was gliding into the room on five-inch heels. Her dress – or the brief scrap of material she was wearing – was bright red and covered in skiing penguins. It was a little incongruous for such a sexy dress, but it made Mira smile. Okay, Mira would never have to guts to wear such a tiny dress, but she liked the woman’s style.
“Alpha,” trilled the tall redhead, who in heels reached well over six-feet.
“Maris.” Branch nodded shortly. “I don’t think you’ve met Mira – my mate.”
Maris looked around in confusion before looking down and spying Mira. Her face creased in confusion. “Your mate? I…”
“Come and get some eggnog,” said Ariel very loudly.
She took Maris’ elbow, and the redhead tottered along as Branch’s deceptively strong sister led her towards the kitchen. Mira was surprised to see Clay glaring at Branch, before following them to the kitchen.
“Ex-girlfriend?” murmured Mira.
Branch snorted. “No. Definitely no.”
“But she wishes she was… or wishes she was your current girlfriend… or your mate… or…”
He let out an impatient breath. “Maris has always had her sights set on mating high in the ranking. I’ve always had my sights set on not mating Maris.”
“Oh, so no sordid secret past between the two of you?” asked Mira, almost hopefully.
Branch let out a bark of laughter. “Hardly.”
“Shame.”
He rolled his eyes.
“Hey pass me the angel for the top.”
Branch slowly let go of her and Mira tried not to sigh as the lovely warmth of his large body left her. But they would have to separate eventually – in more ways than one - lest they wish to go through life in a three-legged race.
As Branch turned his back, Mira let out an eep as the enormous tree started toppling towards her.
“Mira!”
Harlan rushed in and grabbed the tree, righting it. Branch pulled Mira back into his arms.
“Are you okay?” he demanded furiously.
“I’m fine,” she chuckled against a very hard chest. “I’m used to decoration related disasters – happened every year in my house growing up.”
They used to have an enormous blow-up snowman outside their house. Once, when it got a puncture, she almost suffocated under the thing. Course, it was no problem; they managed to find a replacement for him – a blow-up Grinch instead.
Reluctantly, Branch let go of her to help Harlan secure the tree.
“One of the wires holding it up came undone,” said Harlan.
“Who tied this?” snarled Branch and everyone in the room quailed.
“No harm done,” murmured Mira quickly. “Everyone’s fine; it was just an accident.”
Branch humphed. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Mira waved her hand. “Sure, but some eggnog wouldn’t go astray.”
He nodded and snapped at Harlan to get it. Harlan tried to argue, and Mira couldn’t help her giggles. Though through her mirth, she did notice Clay and Maris in the corner of the room whispering conspiratorially and she had to wonder about just what made that tree topple over.