Chapter 24
TWENTY-FOUR
CHRISTMAS EVE
“Come on, get up, Omega,” Gabriel whispers sweetly in my ear. “I have a surprise for you, but we have to get moving.”
I groan and pull the blanket farther over my head. “Five more minutes.”
“You said that five minutes ago. Let’s go. You’re not going to want to miss this.” A brush of cool air washes over me as he rips the blanket from me.
“You became my Alpha yesterday, and you’re already being so mean to me,” I whine, curling up in a ball. “That doesn’t seem fair.”
He bends over, dark eyes meeting mine over the side of my bed. “What if I promise to give you a reward?”
My ears perk up. “A reward?”
“Yes, a reward. And a good one. But only if you do exactly what I say this morning.”
I’m on my feet before the words are out of his mouth. I’m a big fan of rewards, and I’m not gonna lie about it. From the time I was a kid, I would accept bribes from anyone for anything.
“Yes, sir, Alpha sir!” I say, giving him a mock salute. “What do you need from me?”
He rolls his eyes but bends over and kisses me on the nose. My heart does a flip.
I still cannot believe Gabriel Hernandez, my boss, is my Alpha.
“Dress in something warm. Quickly.”
I rush to get dressed without thinking about whether the clothes match, and then I brush my teeth in a flash.
Gabriel is in my kitchen, leaning against the counter with two to-go cups from Brew-tiful Days in his hands.
“When did you go out to get coffee?”
He’s definitely up to something, smiling and avoiding eye contact. “I got up before you. Let’s go.”
I take the coffee from him and take a sip, groaning as the sweet taste hits my tongue.
“Christmas cookie? You remembered.”
His hand finds my lower back as he guides me out the door of my apartment. “Of course I did. I’ve paid an inappropriate amount of attention to you over the years.”
Gabriel pulls open my door and holds his hand out, helping me climb out of his truck. He brought us to the lake, which has long since frozen over, and the sun is just now cresting over the horizon, the first rays of color coming into view.
“I cannot believe you made me get up this early,” I grumble, my coffee long gone. If I could’ve injected it into my veins, I would have. “No sunrise can be worth this.”
He laughs and guides me closer to the lakeshore. “I promise you’ll never forget this one.”
I’m about to respond with something snarky when I see a figure sitting on a bench, staring over the water.
I’d know her anywhere.
“Clara’s here,” I say, turning my head to look at Gabriel.
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the small gift bag that holds Clara’s necklace and holds it out to me. “Why don’t you go give her her Christmas present?”
I take the bag from him and turn my attention back to Clara. My thoughts stutter over one another. Why would he bring this?
Did he know she was going to be here?
I turn to ask him, but he is already walking away, back to his truck.
The bag crinkles in my tightly clenched fists. Can I do this? Can I give her this locket, tell her to open it, and finally show her how I feel?
I think I have to.
Whether it’s Gabriel’s meddling that has kept me from spiraling and overthinking this moment, or the pink and orange that streaks the sky in a romantic backdrop, something in my gut knows that it’s now or never.
So, I’m going to choose now.