CHAPTER FIVE
The following day, Alex woke slowly, the morning light streaming through the partially open blinds of her bedroom. She blinked a few times, stretching lazily beneath the covers, her hand instinctively resting on the gentle curve of her pregnant belly.
The first sensation she felt was that little ache in her back. It was the same one she felt the day before. It was also a reminder of the little life growing inside her. She rubbed her eyes, the events of the previous night flashing in her mind.
A sudden chuckle bubbled up from her chest as the memory of those events came rushing back. God, she was actually dying to see the camera footage. She would have to pull it up once she got downstairs.
“Oh, baby,” she murmured softly, addressing the little one nestled inside her.“You wouldn’t believe it. Your Aunt Tenley had to rescue me after I fell into the bushes.” She laughed again, her voice warm with affection.
Her fingers brushed against her belly in soothing circles. “Aunt Tenley is absolutely crazy, you know. She is the kind of crazy that makes life fun, though. She’s going to spoil you rotten, mark my words. She’s the one who’ll sneak you extra dessert when I’m not looking.And she’ll definitely teach you all the embarrassing dance moves that will make you a hit or a disaster at family weddings. But don’t tell her I said that.”
Right at that moment, the baby gave her a good kick, making her smile.
Alex’s eyes shifted to the picture of her and Ace sitting on the nightstand. It was taken at their wedding earlier that year. Ace was such a handsome man.
A wave of longing swept over her. She missed him fiercely. She missed his laugh, his steady presence, the way he would kiss her forehead and promise that everything would be okay.
Her chest felt heavy as she blinked against the sting of unshed tears. “Oh, Ace,” she whispered. “I wish you were here right now,” Her voice wavered, and she quickly shook her head, forcing a deep breath. “No crying today, Alex. Not when there’s cookies to bake.”
Beside her, Zuma stirred, his floppy ears twitching as he let out a contented sigh. His tail thumped against the mattress, and Alex smiled at him. She scratched him behind the ears. “You’re awake, huh? Guess that means I’ll have to get up soon to let you out.”
As if hearing what she said, the baby shifted, pressing directly on her bladder. Alex’s eyes widened in mock horror as she felt an urgent need to relieve herself. “Okay, okay, I get it,” she exclaimed, throwing the covers off.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed and groaned softly. Exhaustion weighed her limbs, but she pushed herself upright, steadying herself with one hand on the nightstand. “Come on, Alex. You’ve got this,” she muttered, channeling a pep talk for herself.
Her feet hit the floor, and exhaustion hit her like a wave.Every muscle in her body seemed to protest as she stood. “Alright,” she said to herself, “time to suck it up, buttercup. Tenley and Bailey will be here soon, and we’ve got a ton of cookies to bake.”
Alex shuffled into the bathroom, muttering to herself as her baby’s earlier kick to the bladder reminded her why morning pit stops were no longer optional. “Alright, kiddo, you win. I’m here.” She flipped on the light and sighed as the cool tiles met her bare feet.
After finishing her business, she decided a quick shower would help wake her up. The warm spray worked wonders, easing the stiffness in her back and shoulders. “This,” she said aloud to no one in particular, “is the best part of the morning.” Well, it is second best because coffee holds the crown. However, lately, she’d been limiting her caffeine intake.
Once out of the shower, she toweled off and slipped into a pair of black yoga pants and a green tank top that stretched over her belly. For warmth and comfort, she grabbed one of Ace’s oversized US Navy sweatshirts from the closet.The soft gray fabric hung loosely on her petite frame, the sleeves falling well past her fingertips. She rolled them up, smiling faintly as she caught a faint trace of Ace’s scent. “Perfect,” she murmured. She knew she’d probably overheat later and end up in just the tank top, but for now, having a piece of Ace with her felt right.
Walking back into the bedroom, she noticed Zuma still sprawled lazily across the bed. His head rested on one of Ace’s pillows, and his soulful eyes tracked her every move. “You’re living the dream, aren’t you?” she teased. “Come on, big guy. Time to start the day.”
Zuma’s tail thumped once in acknowledgment, but he didn’t seem to be in a big hurry. Instead, he stretched dramatically, legs extending as if to say, Do I have to?
“Really?” Alex put her hands on her hips, trying to look stern but failing. “You’re not the one growing a human, mister.” Zuma yawned, slowly rolled onto his side, and then, with another exaggerated stretch, finally slid off the bed. His movements were comically slow, each step deliberate, as if he were auditioning for the role of “most reluctant dog ever.”
Alex laughed. “You’re so dramatic but so cute,” she told him as he followed her out of the room and down the stairs.
She opened the back door and let Zuma out to take care of his business. He trotted into the yard. His ears perked as he sniffed around for the perfect spot. Alex shook her head fondly.
She pulled her phone out and scrolled to her favorite radio station, the one that played Christmas music twenty-four-seven this time of year. The opening notes of It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year filled the kitchen, and Alex couldn’t help but hum along as she moved around the room getting things ready for when Tenley and Bailey got there.
Despite the early morning fatigue, she felt good now. She walked over to the small tree in the corner of the kitchen and turned on the lights, which added a festive glow to the room.
Singing to the music, she began pulling out all the ingredients to make cookies. Knowing that the kids, Alejandra and Sienna, were coming too, she set up a spot on the island for them to decorate the cookies. She had an assortment of sprinkles and icing.
Her mind buzzed with excitement as she thought about how the day would be full of laughter, chaos, and cookies.
For now, though, she basked in the peace of the moment, singing softly along with the music as she went about getting everything ready. Life was never perfect, but right now, it was pretty close. The only thing that would make it better was for Ace to walk through the door.
About an hour later, the sound of car doors slamming jolted Alex from her focus in the kitchen. She wiped her hands on her apron just as the front door opened, and a chorus of giggles and cheerful voices filled the house.
“We’re here!” Tenley called out, leading the charge with her daughter, Alejandra, bouncing in beside her. Bailey followed, holding Sienna’s hand. The six-year-old wore a sparkly pink tiara perched proudly on her head, a princess ready for her baking debut.
“Hey, ladies!” Alex greeted warmly, bending slightly to hug Tenley and Bailey before crouching down to hug the girls. “Are you two ready to bake some cookies?”
“Yes!” Alejandra and Sienna squealed in unison, bouncing with excitement.
“Though,” Alex said with a playful squint, “I have a sneaking suspicion you two are more interested in taste-testing than baking.”
Sienna gasped dramatically, placing her tiny hands on her hips. “Someone has to make sure they taste good, Aunt Alex.”
“Uh-huh,” Alex replied, arching a brow. Alejandra giggled, already eyeing all the bowls of sprinkles, chocolate chips, M&Ms, and other items for the cookies.
Once aprons were tied and hands were washed, the group got to work. The kitchen buzzed with activity as flour dusted the countertops, and the rhythmic sound of cookie cutters pressing into dough joined the chatter.
“Hey, Bailey. Do you want to hear a funny story?” Tenley began, smirking at Alex as she rolled out some dough.
“Sure,” Bailey replied as she poured some chocolate chips into cookie dough and started mixing it.
“Alex, here,” Tenley said, hooking her thumb in Alex’s direction. “She decided to play hide and seek in the bushes out back last night.”
Bailey froze, her hand hovering over the mixing bowl, and her eyebrows shot up. “What?”
“Oh, yeah.” Tenley grinned wickedly. “She also thought it would be a good idea to test the structural integrity of the hedge by falling right into it.”
Alex groaned, tossing a pinch of flour at Tenley, who dodged expertly. “I didn’t fall on purpose ! The dog knocked into my legs, and I lost my balance!”
Bailey’s eyes widened. “You fell into the bushes?”
“She didn’t just fall. She got stuck,” Tenley said and started telling Bailey the story.
Bailey laughed so hard she had to set the bowl down. “Please tell me there’s security footage.”
“Don’t worry,” Tenley said with a wink, “I’ve got a copy of the play-by-play right here.” She said, tapping the phone that was sitting on the counter.
Bailey looked at Alex. “You’re okay, right?”
Alex snorted. “Yeah, physically, I’m fine, but my pride took a little beating.
Both Bailey and Tenley chuckled.
Shaking her head, Alex turned toward Alejandra and Sienna. “Okay, enough about me embarrassing myself. Let’s talk about Santa. What did you two ask him for this year?”
Alejandra’s face lit up as she launched into her list. “I asked Santa for a friendship bracelet-making kit, some Nancy Drew books, and a sewing machine so I can make clothes for my dolls!”
Alex smiled warmly. “That’s a great list, Alejandra. You’re going to be so creative with all of that.”
She looked at Sienna next. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl was so stinking cute as she sat there at the island, swinging her legs with a juice box in her hand.
“And you, Princess Sienna?” Alex asked, glancing down at the tiara with a grin. “What did you ask Santa for?”
Sienna adjusted her tiara and put the juice down. She leaned forward, her expression deadly serious. “Well,” she began as she crossed her arms like a tiny CEO about to close a deal, “I asked Santa for another kitty because Mr. Whiskers needs a friend. But Daddy said Santa told him there aren’t any kittens or cats at the North Pole this year.”
Alex bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Oh, he did, did he?”
“Yeah!” Sienna nodded earnestly. “Daddy said the elves were really sorry but that they’re focusing on making toys this year, not pets.”
“Oh! I didn’t realize that the North Pole had a shortage of pets this year,” Alex said, trying to keep a straight face. Tenley snorted a laugh and had to walk away.
Sienna, oblivious, continued. “So, I told Daddy that if I can’t have a kitten, I want a princess castle for the backyard. A real one. A big one!” She spread her arms wide. “With towers and a slide and a throne!”
“Wow! A real princess castle. That is a pretty tall order for Santa,” Alex said.
Sienna nodded and grinned. “I even wrote my letter to Santa in glitter pen. Santa loves glitter.”
“Does Santa have room in his sleigh for a castle on top of all the other presents for the other children?” Alex asked. She was having fun with the conversation.
“Santa has room for all the gifts. It’s magical.” Sienna said, picking up a candy cane and holding it up like a lawyer presenting evidence. “And even if he didn’t, the elves can just load the castle on the backup sleigh and bring it.”
“The backup sleigh? I didn’t realize that Santa had more than one sleigh.”
“Aunt Alex, Daddy says you always have to have backups because things break down,” Sienna said, looking at Alex like she had asked the dumbest question. But all it did was make Alex want to laugh harder.
“You know, Sienna, you might just outsmart all of us one day.”
Sienna grinned as she adjusted her tiara. “One day? I already do.”
The room roared with laughter.
Alex then looked at the little girl. She grinned as she shook her head. “I don’t know how your dad survives you and Mr. Whiskers, kiddo. You two are a force of nature.”
Sienna smirked, her tiara slipping slightly as she crossed her arms. “Daddy says we’re his greatest challenge. Plus, he loves me. Santa loves me too, so I know he’ll bring me my princess castle.”
Bailey chuckled, exchanging a knowing glance with Alex and Tenley. “Well, you’ll just have to see what Santa brings, sweetie,” Bailey said with a warm smile.
As Sienna returned to rolling out dough and talking with Alejandra, Bailey leaned in and whispered, “Irish actually got her that castle. It’s massive. That thing will take up like a quarter of the backyard.”
Tenley burst out laughing. “Of course, he did. These guys are total softies for their kids but absolute badass when they’re on a mission.”
Alex’s thoughts drifted to Ace, imagining him with their child, whether a little boy or girl. Would he cave to every adorable request like Irish, or would he play it tough and then secretly spoil them? The thought warmed her heart.
Bailey snapped her out of it with a mischievous grin. “Speaking of Irish and Mr. Whiskers, you’ll never guess what happened yesterday.
“Oh, lord. I can only imagine,” Tenley said.
Bailey grinned. “The cat went crazy and clawed him right in the balls.”
Tenley howled with laughter, nearly dropping the cookie cutter. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious. I personally think the cat got a whiff of too much cat nip because he started off flying around the house like he was high on something. Then, all of a sudden, he jumped on Irish’s lap and laid down.”
“He jumped on Irish?” Alex asked, a shocked expression showing.
“I know, right?” Bailey said and then continued. “Well, when Irish had to get up to change, he tried to move Mr. Whiskers, but apparently, the cat didn’t want to be bothered and literally sunk his claws into Irish’s crotch.”
Alex couldn’t stop laughing, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “Poor Irish!”
“Poor Irish?” Bailey repeated. “Poor me! I had to listen to him whining about it until he left to go and meet the team.”
Alex’s eyes widened in understanding. “Oh! So, that’s why he didn’t ride with Ace and Potter to the base last night.”
Bailey nodded, trying not to laugh. “Yeah, he had to tend to his wounds. He tried to convince me that kissing it would make it feel better,” she admitted and rolled her eyes.
Tenley snorted a laugh. “Hey, you can’t fault the man for trying to get a little something before he left.”
Alex chuckled.
“The best part was right after Irish patched himself up, he walked out into the living room and stared at the cat. He told him that it was an eye for an eye and that when he got back, he was going personally take Mr. Whiskers to get neutered. Of course, Sienna was standing right there.”
“Oh, no,” Alex said, knowing that Sienna was very inquisitive for a six-year-old. Plus, when Irish was upset about something, his mouth had no filter.
Hearing her name mentioned, Sienna’s little head popped up from the cookie she was decorating.
“Daddy said that Mr. Whiskers was getting his balls chopped off.”
“Sienna,” Bailey said, taking a deep breath. “Mr. Whiskers isn’t getting his balls chopped off.”
“But that is what Daddy said, and Daddy doesn’t lie.”
Alex and Tenley both coughed, trying to hide their laughs. Poor Bailey, Alex thought.
Right at that moment, the oven timer went off. Saved by the bell! Alex thought to herself.
“Alright, the next batch of sugar cookies are ready,” Alex announced as she pulled the pan from the oven.
Alejandra and Sienna both cheered.
As the group continued baking dozens after dozens of cookies, the room filled with conversation and more laughter.
Alex took a moment and stood back, watching the scene unfold. The girls decorated cookies with an enthusiastic flair, with sprinkles and frosting covering both the cookies and themselves. They even gave Zuma some cookies.
Her heart swelled with gratitude. These women and their children were her family. She couldn’t wait for Christmas when the rest of the gang would join them. This laughter, love, and a sprinkle-covered kitchen was what the holidays were all about. The only thing missing at the moment were the guys. Hopefully, Santa would fulfill their wish and bring their husbands home safely in time for Christmas.
◆◆◆
Inside a dimly lit, weather-beaten structure, Ace sat with his team around a rickety table, their faces illuminated by the soft glow of a tactical map displayed on a tablet. The mood was grim as every man in the room understood the gravity of the mission that awaited them.
Outside, the blustery wind howled across the barren tundra of Attu Island, its icy claws slicing through even the thickest layers of clothing.
Attu Island once was home to Casco Cove Coast Guard Station. The Station ceased all operations and closed about fourteen years ago. Since then, the island has been uninhabited. However, its runways were still operational for emergency use, though they are not maintained, which Ace and the team had gotten to experience firsthand. The weather didn’t help either, as the pilot had to make three passes until he was able to land due to the persistent fog and strong winds that the island was known for.
Having access to the island to prepare for the mission was a benefit because it was only two hundred-seven miles from the boundary with Russia and only three hundred twenty-two miles to Nikolskoye, where their intended target was holed up.
Ace had to keep reminding himself that they weren’t just going up against ordinary adversaries. Kirill Sokolov and his crew were Russian Spetsnaz. They were elite soldiers trained to the peak of human capability. But what gave Ace and his team an edge was the element of surprise.
Derek’s voice crackled through the satellite phone perched in the middle of the table. “Your ride is en route and should be arriving within the next thirty minutes. Again, Maksim Pavlov is a trusted Russian ally. To remain undetected, he’ll drop you near a lake approximately fifty miles from the center of Nikolskoye. Kirill’s compound is about five and a half miles outside of the city. There will be two DPVs to be waiting for you at the drop site.”
Ace exchanged a glance with Potter, who gave a subtle nod. DPVs meant speed and mobility, which are crucial for covering rough terrain quickly.
Derek continued. His tone was steady. “Once you reach the three-mile mark from the compound, you’ll leave the vehicles and proceed on foot. The goal is to hit the compound at midnight, Nikolskoe time, which is seventeen hours ahead of Virginia Beach time. Timing is everything here.”
The team leaned in closer, every word from Derek etched into their minds.
“Intel still shows three individuals in the compound,” Derek said. “But we can’t confirm with one hundred percent accuracy because they have a material they’re using to cover some of the buildings that are throwing off our drone’s heat sensors. Assume the possibility of reinforcements or hidden personnel.”
There was a brief pause as Derek let the weight of the mission settle. “Once the target is eliminated, you’ll retrace your route back to the drop-off point. Maksim will be waiting. Timing and precision are critical. No unnecessary risks. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” Ace replied, his voice calm and authoritative.
“Good luck, gentlemen,” Derek said.
The phone clicked off, leaving a heavy silence in the room. Ace stood, the team’s eyes instantly locking onto him. He surveyed his men—his friends and brothers in arms. They were some of the best SEALs the Navy had ever produced, and tonight, they’d prove why.
“Alright, listen up,” Ace began, his voice firm but steady. “This mission isn’t just another notch on our belts. As Derek said, we’re stepping into enemy territory with limited intel against guys who know the land like the back of their hands. But here’s the thing—they don’t know we’re coming. That’s our advantage, and we’re going to use it.”
He paced slowly, meeting each man’s gaze. “Trust your training. Trust each other. We’ve done this a hundred times before, and we’ll do it a hundred times again. Watch each other’s backs, stay sharp, and don’t hesitate to adapt if things go sideways. We don’t leave anyone behind. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” the team responded in unison.
Ace nodded. “Good. Keep your head in the game. And remember, the second we touch down, it’s showtime. No doubts. No second-guessing. We get in, we get the job done, and we get out.”
As the minutes ticked closer to their departure, Ace allowed his mind to drift briefly to Alex. He pictured her smile, her infectious laughter, and the soft swell of her belly where their child grew. A pang of longing mixed with determination surged through him.
Silently, he offered a prayer. Keep them safe, God. Let me come home to them.
The sound of rotor blades cutting through the air snapped him back to reality. A black silhouette appeared through the frost-covered windows as the helicopter descended just outside.
Ace pulled on his gear and slung his rifle over his shoulder. “It’s time. Move out.”
The team stood as one, their movements fluid and synchronized. They filed out into the biting cold, their boots crunching on the snow-covered ground. The helicopter waited, its blades kicking up a flurry of white.
Ace led the way. His battle face firmly in place. This was what they trained for, what they lived for. And tonight, they’d remind the world what it meant to be a Navy SEAL.