Chapter Nineteen – Noelle #2
“Have I told you,” Nico whispers, his voice taking on an over-the-top suaveness that’s opposite of his normal tone, “I love that shirt?”
I giggle and lean in toward him, pecking him on the lips. “Even if you’re joking, I want you to know that I love gnomes, and wherever we end up, I will be decorating our yard with them.”
“Ooh,” he says, grinning, “only if we rotate them out and follow the seasons.”
“Is there any other way?” is my response, which earns me a laugh from the alpha.
Matteo gets to his feet. “Well, I don’t think anyone else is up yet. We could head downstairs, make some breakfast.”
As if on cue, my stomach gurgles. Thanks to being kept up most of the night and waking up early today, I am starving.
Soon, we’re downstairs in the kitchen, making breakfast together. Felix tries to show me how to cook pancakes, but I’m no cook. It’s clear that is a skill I will need to work on. I can boil water and that’s pretty much it. No homemaker here.
I don’t know whether they’ll expect me to miraculously turn into the perfect omega or what, but I know I’ll never be perfect.
I don’t think any omega is, really, just like no alpha is faultless.
We’re all human, which means we make mistakes—but it also means we can learn and grow and be better people come tomorrow.
We make an absolute mess of the kitchen, but after a few trial and errors, along with more than a couple over- or undercooked pancakes tossed into the trash, I end up with a chocolate-chip filled pancake that is cooked to perfection, one Felix made, obviously.
I’m sitting at the island, midway through eating it, while Felix makes everyone else’s pancakes, when their mom comes down the stairs, wearing a fluffy robe decorated with Christmas trees. Her hair is messy; it’s clear she woke up and rolled out of bed, threw on the robe, and came down.
“You guys are awake already?” she muses as she enters the kitchen and goes to each of us, one by one, hugging us tightly as she says, “Merry Christmas.” She gets to me last, chuckles when she sees my half-eaten pancake that might be more chocolate than pancake, and pulls me into a bear hug.
“I was going to make everyone breakfast, but I see I’ve already been beaten to the punch. ”
“Sit,” Felix says. “I’ll cook you pancakes, too.”
“Only if you load them up with as many chocolate chips as you gave Noelle.” She grins as she slides onto the stool beside mine. “It’s the only way to eat pancakes.”
Can’t argue with her there. Chocolate makes everything better, no matter what that something is. When it doubt, smother it in chocolate and everything will be fine.
Felix has his mom’s pancake made just as their dads come downstairs, wearing their Christmas best—which is to say, a set of three matching sweaters that would probably win every single ugly Christmas sweater contest, if they entered themselves.
After exchanging even more holiday greetings, their dads take over the kitchen, which lets my mates eat their breakfasts near me and their mom.
“What about Miranda?” Matt asks. “Should we wake her?”
“Should we—have you lost your mind? This is Miranda we’re talking about. She’ll wake up at noon and mosey her way into the kitchen,” Andrew says with a shake of his head. “And somehow, even with all that sleep, she’ll be half-dead to the world until dinner.”
Nico grins. “It’s Christmas. She’ll be awake enough for presents.”
“Of course,” Matt says. “Her favorite thing.”
We all have a laugh, until Jessica asks, “Did you boys get Noelle anything?”
Matteo coughs. “No.” Right when his dads toss him an incredulous look, as if asking if he wanted to mess this thing up right when it starts, he adds, “We didn’t know she’d be here. Miranda didn’t tell us, remember?”
“It’s all right,” I say with a shrug—and I mean it. “I didn’t get them anything, either.” That makes them laugh. On a more serious note, I go on, “But really, I don’t need anything. I got the best present any omega could ask for.” When I say it, I meet my mates’ eyes.
Matteo.
Nico.
Felix.
Three alphas who’ve made this Christmas one to remember, our first Christmas of many. We’re going to have a lot of firsts soon, and normally that would freak me the hell out, but knowing they’ll be there with me, by my side, through it all, makes those nerves disappear.
Jessica places a hand over her heart, mooning over us. “Oh, my. You’re so sweet. My boys definitely don’t deserve you.”
“Hey,” Nico whines. “It’s Christmas. You’re supposed to be nice to us today, Mom.”
All she does is giggle.
Within an hour, we’re all sitting in the living room—me and my guys on the couch, while their parents are scattered around.
Jessica sits on the small sofa near the TV with Andrew, while Matt and Mike are in recliners.
Everyone brought out the presents and tucked them neatly under the tree.
You can see whose name is written on them in marker, on the tags stuck to the wrapping paper.
I mean it when I said I didn’t need any presents, but I do see my name under there, and I know their parents got me a little something. They always do, even though typically I’m home with my family during the holidays.
The TV plays some holiday parade, which we’re only half-watching.
Their parents are busy discussing what they think they got from the other, something they always do, apparently.
It’s gotten so bad in years past that they had to implement a no-present-touching rule.
It’s silly, but it’s one of their traditions.
I hope, in years to come, my guys and I have our own traditions.
I speak loudly enough for all in the room to hear: “Do you think next year we could all have Christmas up here? I mean, invite my parents, too?” Honestly, it’s the only thing that would make this holiday even better. It’s just not possible this year, but it’s never too early to plan for next.
“Of course,” Jessica is the one to respond. “Although, who knows? By then, maybe you four will want to host Christmas at your place. Maybe with a certain announcement?” She touches her stomach as if she’s pregnant, and the moment I realize what she means, I blush.
The guys, on the other hand, all groan. Felix says, “Mom, it’s a little early for that.”
“A woman can only hope her children grace her with grandbabies sooner rather than later.” All the woman does is shrug, totally unapologetic.
Kids. The guys and I didn’t discuss those yet. How soon we’d want them, how many we’d want. Unless a miracle takes place and some pre-heat pregnancy happens, I don’t think we’re going to be having any baby announcements soon.
“What the hell’s this about grandbabies?
” Miranda’s voice rises above the rest, and every pair of eyes in the living room shifts to the pajama-wearing beta.
“Here I was thinking I’d wake up early and grace you people with my lovely presence this fine Christmas morning, and I come down to hear you weirdos talking about kids already? I have one word for you: ew.”
“I second that ew,” Nico deadpans, clearly not a fan of having kids right away.
“Whoa,” Andrew says. “Hold on. You thought you’d wake up early? On Christmas? Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?” Beside him, Jessica laughs, while the two elder alphas on the recliners all nod along in agreement with their packmate.
Miranda comes to sit beside me, forcing Felix to scoot over and make some room for her while saying, “I think ew is more of a sound than a word.”
“It’s both,” she declares, then she claps her hands and rubs her palms together. “Now, time for presents!”
I can’t help but chuckle at my best friend, and while I do, I sit there, amazed at how things turned out.
Christmas is only starting, and I know it’ll be over too soon.
All the good things in life pass by so quickly, but though the calendar may keep going, though Christmas will be over in the blink of an eye, it’s only the beginning for us.
For me and my new pack, the possibilities are endless.
Merry Christmas to me.