Chapter 33
Stocking Full of Coal
We were flying.
Not the awkward, struggling flight of someone first taking to the sky, but a smooth, powerful lift as Rudy carried us upward, his hooves pushing against nothing but air.
Behind us, the other eight rose in perfect formation.
The bond between me and the others flooded with protectiveness, pride, and fierce love.
“You’re flying!” I leaned forward to wrap my arms around his neck. “You’re actually flying!”
His connection to me opened, and his joy was pure and unfiltered. The training field and forest—where Silven was probably pissing his reindeer pants—shrank as we soared higher and higher.
We landed on a secluded mountaintop, touching down in perfect synchronization. The storm of my magic finally quieted as the adrenaline began to fade. The ice particles that had been swirling around us like angry fireflies settled onto the snow, glittering from the aurora overhead.
Rudy’s massive reindeer form shimmered beneath me, and I slid off his back just as the transformation began. Where powerful haunches had been moments before, strong human thighs emerged. I reached out to steady him as he shifted fully, catching him as he stumbled forward.
“You okay?” I held onto his biceps, searching his face.
Rudy nodded, his chest heaving with exertion. Sweat beaded on his brow despite the frigid temperature, but his eyes blazed with a triumphant light I’d never seen before.
“I flew.” The words came out in a breathless rush as he grabbed my hands. “Neve, I flew.”
Eight other transformations rippled through the air around us as the rest of the herd shifted back to human form.
Dane approached first, his expression a mixture of awe and disbelief. “Holy shit, Rudy.”
Kip bounded through the snow like an excited puppy. “You were majestic as fuck!”
My fingers found Rudy’s, my own emotions threatening to spill over again. “What happened back there?” I swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. “Why didn’t you tell me about your father?”
A shadow crossed his face. He pulled me toward a fallen log nearby, brushing snow from it before we sat. The others formed a protective circle around us, their bodies blocking the cold air.
“I didn’t grow up in the North Pole.” Rudy stared at our intertwined fingers. “My mother took me to Klarhaven when I was a calf.”
“And your dad?”
Rudy’s jaw worked for a moment before he continued.
“My mom left Silven shortly after I was born. He stayed in the North Pole as Santa’s lead reindeer, and she lived in Klarhaven, giving rides to human children in Reinberg.
” He glanced at the others, who were listening attentively.
“Shortly after she left him, his antlers fell off, and he lost his ability to fly.”
My eyebrows shot up.
“We didn’t know that’s why he lost them…” Cole crouched in front of us.
“So, he’s bitter that you still have yours?” Dash moved to stand behind Rudy and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“I think it’s a combination of bitterness and hope that I’d fly to continue the family legacy.” Rudy’s thumb traced circles on the back of my hand. “When my magic fully manifested at seventeen and I moved to the North Pole, he was nice until he realized I couldn’t.”
The image of Silven yanking on Rudy’s antler made me nauseous. “I saw him when I was fifteen and went to tell my dad, but he… well, he said some things that set me off.”
“We’ll kill him,” Don growled, shocking all of us.
I reached over and took his hand. “No one is killing anyone, but he is definitely getting a stocking full of coal this year.”
Rudy’s shame leaked through our bond, a dark undercurrent beneath the triumph of his flight. His shoulders hunched forward slightly, as if he was already preparing for this joy to be stolen away.
“Hey.” I squeezed his hand and waited until his eyes met mine. “You flew, Rudy. You fucking flew. With me. With all of us. And your father can’t take that away from you.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “I always thought the bond was the missing piece.” His voice dropped so low I had to lean in to hear him.
“But I never believed I’d be worthy of one.
” He glanced around at the others, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.
“Especially not all nine of us together.”
I cupped his face between my palms, my thumbs brushing against the rough stubble of his jaw. “You aren’t broken, Rudy. You never were.” I held his gaze, willing him to feel the truth in my words. “I see you. I chose you. We all did.”
Cole knelt beside us, his hand settling on Rudy’s knee. “You’ve carried us all, even when you thought you couldn’t fly.”
“Alpha doesn’t mean perfect.” Pierce’s deep voice rumbled from where he stood behind me. “It means you lead even when you’re scared shitless.”
Dash grinned, flicking a snowflake from Rudy’s hair. “And you’ve been scared plenty of times.”
“Remember when we found that polar bear in the stables?” Kip’s eyes were bright with the memory. “You stepped in front of all of us even though your knees were knocking together.”
Don nodded solemnly. “You protect us.”
“Even when we’re being complete assholes,” Vix said.
“Which is often.” Blitz elbowed Vix playfully.
Dane crouched down on Rudy’s other side. “The herd chose you.”
Through our bond, their emotions surged with love, loyalty, and fierce devotion, building a protective wall around Rudy that glowed like the Northern Lights.
“Besides.” Kip’s mischievous smile broke through the intensity of the moment. “Silven’s basically the Grinch with erectile dysfunction antlers.”
Rudy’s laugh started as a surprised snort before growing into a full, deep belly laugh that rippled through our bond, warming me from the inside out as the others joined in.
“Erectile dysfunct-lers,” Dane wheezed, doubling over.
Rudy pulled me closer in his arms, his body still shaking from laughter. His chin rested on top of my head as the others moved closer. The eight of them surrounded us, their presence solid as the mountain beneath us.
This, I realized, was what family felt like: belonging and unshakable loyalty.
“What now?” Blitz’s question floated over our heads.
I snuggled deeper into Rudy’s embrace, feeling his heartbeat against my cheek. “Now we go home and figure out how to deal with Silven.”
“I think we should do a public snowballing.”
“That’s too kind. Let’s drop him in a polar bear den.”
“Sharpened candy canes are the only answer here.”
“Oh! We can make him walk barefoot across shattered ornaments!”
My dad and I sat next to each other at the conference room table and exchanged looks. With eighteen reindeer in the room, the suggestions for Silven’s consequences had gotten progressively more… creative.
“We aren’t going to torture him,” one of my dad’s reindeer pinched the bridge of her nose as if this wasn’t the first time an idea had spiraled out of control. “But he can’t stay here, Santa.”
My dad sighed, tapping the edge of his mug filled with hot chocolate.
I drummed my fingers against the polished conference table, watching these imposing magical beings go full bloodthirsty mob. It was like a corporate board meeting had merged with medieval court justice, except everyone had antlers.
“We could make him lick the candy cane forest. His tongue would stick, and he’d be there until spring thaw.” A man with auburn hair punctuated his point by snapping a gingerbread cookie’s head off.
A female reindeer with a tinsel-threaded braid leaned forward. “What about community service? Five thousand hours untangling Christmas lights?”
“With no magic,” another added.
I caught my dad’s eye, and we shared a look of amusement as the suggestions flew around us.
There was something weirdly familiar about sitting beside Dad in a conference room that looked straight out of a Fortune 500 company, complete with a whiteboard where someone had actually written “Punishment Options” with a little smiley face next to it.
“So, is this what passes for criminal justice at the North Pole?” I leaned toward my dad, keeping my voice low. “Santa’s sweatshop for the naughty?”
Several heads turned in my direction, a few with raised eyebrows, while others smothered laughs behind mugs of hot chocolate.
Dad ran a hand through his silver hair, not quite hiding his smile.
He took another sip from his mug, and I noticed the faint tremor in his hand.
The magical shimmer surrounding him had dimmed since the morning.
The situation we were dealing with didn’t help much with the joy needed to replenish his energy stores.
“We need to focus on practical solutions.” A female reindeer with silver at her temples tapped the table. “Strip him of his advisor status and remove all authority.”
“Permanent toy-testing duty.” Another nodded. “Let him suffer through squeaky toys for eternity.”
“The toy department doesn’t deserve that punishment,” Rudy muttered beside me, his jaw clenched.
Blitz gestured dramatically. “What about exile? Send him somewhere sunny. Like Florida.”
Pierce shook his head. “That’s crueler than the polar bear idea.”
The subtle shift in my mom’s posture shut everyone up. “Exile from the Pole seems most reasonable. Perhaps to Klarhaven, where he’ll be close enough if needed.”
“He shouldn’t have power over anyone ever again. Especially not young reindeer.” The memory of how Silven had treated Rudy made frost form along my fingertips.
Rudy flinched beside me, a barely perceptible movement that sent a ripple of pain through our bond. I reached under the table and found his hand, lacing my fingers through his. He squeezed, his thumb tracing small circles against my skin.
Dad nodded slowly, his brow furrowed in thought. “I’m inclined to agree with exile. But this decision can’t be about vengeance.” He looked around the table, making eye contact with each person. “We are Christmas. Even our justice must contain mercy.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. “He caused me to lose control and get sent away for twelve years. He berated his own son. Where was mercy then?”
“Neve.” My mom’s voice was gentle but firm. “Leadership often means choosing what’s fair, not what feels good. That’s the burden of power.”
I sank back in my chair, conflicted.
Dad pushed himself to his feet. “Neve and I will find Silven and deliver the verdict.” He paused, looking at the assembled reindeer. “Exile to Klarhaven, stripped of his advisor status, with periodic review.”
Rudy stood beside me, his presence solid and unwavering. “I’m coming too.” His voice left no room for argument.
I looked between Rudy and my dad, warmth blooming in my chest at Rudy’s determination to face his father. The magical bond hummed with support, each of my men silently backing him.
“Are you sure?” I squeezed Rudy’s hand, watching the muscle in his jaw flex.
Dad adjusted his red velvet coat with a nod. “We’ll set out after dinner.”
“I should be there too.” Mom rose gracefully, her silver-streaked hair catching the light.
An older reindeer with snow-white hair cleared his throat. “While you’re handling that unpleasant business, the rest of us should organize the annual antler competition. It’s been too long since we’ve determined whose rack truly shines brightest.”
My mouth dropped open as all of my men’s faces lit up, even Rudy’s. “Excuse me, a what now? Please tell me everyone is doing their own polishing.”
Every face in the room turned to me with expressions ranging from scandalized to amused that I’d assume otherwise.
“It’s a traditional competition,” Dad explained, smoothing his beard. “Each reindeer’s antlers are judged on luster, symmetry, and—”
“Girth.” Blitz wiggled an eyebrow.
Heat crawled up my neck. “Sounds like it’s literally a dick-measuring contest, but with antlers.”
Kip snorted hot chocolate through his nose while Cole patted his back.
Don winked at me. “You can be the judge this year, princess.”
“Perfect,” I deadpanned. “I always dreamed my first official duty would be scoring antler porn.”
And just like that, the meeting was officially over.