CHAPTER FOURTEEN - Mariska #2
Artemis perked up at hearing about snacks and slowly wagged her tail.
I stared at the final box. The red box.
“Should I open it now or wait until Christmas, Artemis?”
She laid down on the floor and glanced up at me.
“So no opinion. It’s not food then.”
Proper me would wait until Christmas. It’s a gift after all. People open gifts on Christmas morning. Yet Balthazar didn’t say I needed to wait. In fact, he seemed to be nudging me to open everything.
What the hell would he have gotten me? I drummed my fingers on the bed on either side of me. He didn’t know me well. I wasn’t a girly girl who wanted pretty things, nor was I one who wanted Christmas decor. What else would he find at a Christmas market?
“Let’s be daring, Artemis. I’m going to open it!” I rubbed my hands together and picked up the box. It was about the same size as the ornament box, but much heavier. Artemis sighed and closed her eyes as if I was being overly dramatic.
I popped open the top and plucked out the tissue it was packed in. The light reflected off it and shimmered. A snow globe?
Taking it out, my stomach flipped. It was a snow globe with the Old World Christmas Market 2025 written on the base.
Inside of the ball, a couple slowly turned as they skated on ice.
Snow sparkled as it fell around them. He had a black beard and a plaid jacket and she wore all black and had long light brown hair.
It was us.
How did…?
I couldn’t look away. And I couldn’t stop smiling.
We had so much fun skating together. I’d been shy and hesitant at first, but my body quickly remembered what to do.
Balthazar told me jokes and stories, and had me laughing the whole time.
The food we ate after was really good, but the rush of racing with him and nearly falling down from laughing made that my favorite part of our first date.
Until I spent an hour hiding in the women’s bathroom.
“But how did he get this made so quickly?” Apparently I underestimated the skill and efficiency of the artisans at the market. I’d wanted to dismiss all the vendors as sellers of festive junk, but this was a memory frozen forever in time.
I hadn’t only undervalued the artisans, but I’d misjudged Balthazar. He hadn’t just gone out of his way to do something nice, he’d given it thought and care.
Looking to my door, I wondered what sort of clothes he’d given Lyla for me to wear tomorrow?
I had joked when I mentioned lingerie, but I was expecting a slinky dress or a gaudy Christmas dress.
But now I thought it couldn’t be that. We were going to a charity event.
He’d seen how I dressed. He probably picked something tasteful.
Or it could be a sweater with his farm’s logo on it like the employees were all wearing. That would make sense too.
I shook the snow globe again and set it on my desk.
I’d been thrown off by normal dates, but that’s exactly what I needed.
Fun and light, and yeah, tomorrow would be Christmasy, but my anxiety lessened.
If I really was in heat, then it would get handled with the help of the pack, but they weren’t pressuring me.
No one was getting attached to anyone. We’d have our final dates and then I could be merrily on my way to California after Christmas.
Letting Artemis outside in the backyard for one more potty break for the night, I went back to my room and prepped a hot bath.
I picked up the snow globe again and giggled, remembering how I’d won one race by pretending to stumble.
When he skidded to a stop to help me, I kept going and touched the other side before he did.
He chased me around the rink four times as I laughed and then actually fell for real.
My dreams weren’t nearly as sweet and light. I woke at two drenched in a feverish sweat and had to drape a cold washcloth over my forehead and another around my neck. The next time I opened my eyes, it was just after seven and I had a pillow wedged between my legs soaked with my slick.
I throbbed with the ache of needing to be knotted. Fuck. I’d been doing so good the past few days. Jasper blew my mind with his oral skills had held off my heat for two days, but it was more fierce than it was before.
Tossing my pajamas and the pillowcase into my laundry basket, and then adding the entire pillow, I hurried into my bathroom and ran a cold shower. Artemis whimpered her concern, but I had to have relief.
I leaned against the tiled wall as the chilly water made me gasp. Flashes of my dreams flickered in my mind. Lucian kissing down my neck and bending me over to fill me from behind. I spread my legs and teased my pussy, fingers prodding and flicking against my clit.
Jasper climbing on the hood of his Mustang with me and fucking me as he whispered all the naughty things he wanted to do to me. Moaning, I plunged a finger into me and pumped my hand. It wasn’t him, but I couldn’t stop. I needed this.
Balthazar stripping out of his tight jeans in my room, forbidden and sexy, and the magnificent weight of him on me as he thrust up into me. Grinding my palm against my clit, I drove a second finger into me. He’d be so much bigger. Hard and thick, and his knot, oh God, how it would stretch me.
I covered my mouth with my free hand to keep my cry from waking anyone in the house as I came. And while the edge of my heat had become less painful, it was still pulsing.
As I panted and tried to not fall, I turned the water to warm. I couldn’t dismiss this as just simple attraction. This really was my heat. I would need the Alphas sooner rather than later. Quivers of nervousness fluttered in my belly.
Having the conversation with the pack, and then letting Jasper eat me out on his car, those things were big deals. But being knotted by an Alpha? I didn’t know if I was ready for that. Everyone told Omegas it was the greatest feeling in the world and the only true way to help ease heat pains.
Maybe I could get by with just lots of oral sex.
But I couldn’t stop imagining what their cocks would feel like inside of me, and how it would be when their knots swelled and locked our bodies together.
I turned the water cold again. Dammit. I couldn’t let my hormones dictate what I was going to do.
Today was about the charity event. We’d be in a public place surrounded by people. Maybe there would be drinks and food, or a silent auction. There would definitely be a Santa. Every Christmas charity event had an appearance by Old Saint Nick. A perfect thing to keep me from getting aroused.
I finished my shower, dressed, and took Artemis for a long walk. By the time I got back, Miss Eloise had made breakfast, and by ten, Lyla had finally emerged from her suite.
“I’ve been planning your look for today all night.
” No good morning or even a cup of coffee in her.
Lyla was full of energy and ready to work her fashion magic on me.
“Your hair will take the longest, so we’ll do that first. I will do it up in the style of space buns, but make the balls into bows.
It will be super cute. Your makeup will be light and have extra shimmer to it.
I have snowflake earrings you can wear, and you can borrow any of my leggings.
I have five choices laid out for you to choose from. ”
Oh God, not the Christmas leggings. “What did Balthazar give to you for me to wear?”
“You’ll see it after your hair and makeup is done.” Lyla chuckled. It was too devious.
“If you’re doing my hair like bows, is it a present costume? Are you dressing me up like a Christmas present?” That would be a hard no for me. I might wear a dress Balthazar picked or the Silver Tree Farm sweater, but I was not a costume person.
“No. Don’t be silly.” Lyla poured herself a glass of orange juice, purposely not looking in my direction.
I turned to Miss Eloise to see if she had any reaction, but she was only smiling and cutting mango to eat with our French toast. She glanced up at me and reached over to pat my hand.
“It’ll be fine, dear. The event is at the children’s hospital wing.
They bring in gifts for the kids, have a little party for them, and raise money to help families pay for their medical bills. ”
“Oh!” I hadn’t known what to expect, but it wasn’t this. That meant whatever Balthazar left for me to wear had to be family friendly. Maybe like a silly Christmas sweater. My heart warmed and I grinned. “Then this will be fun. What are you wearing?”
“I won’t be able to come, but Liz will be there and a few hundred people.” Miss Eloise finished with the mango and gave me a motherly look. “I know Christmas parties aren’t your thing—”
“Any party isn’t her thing.” Lyla teased. I stuck my tongue out at her, but she was right. I preferred the wide open fields and peaceful forests to noisy events.
“So if you get overwhelmed or need to leave for any reason, just let Liz and the boys know. They’ll take good care of you.” Miss Eloise slid a plate over to me with fruit and toast sprinkled with icing sugar.
“Thank you.” It felt odd to go without her as my escort, but I liked Liz. After taking a few bites of my delicious breakfast, I turned to Lyla who was still smirking. “Okay. I have to know what I’m wearing now.”
“You’ll see.” Lyla sang. There was too much glee in her eyes.
If it wasn’t a present costume, was it something else equally as ridiculous? Did they want me to be one of the reindeer or an elf? I pushed my food away. I couldn’t eat until I saw what was in the box. “Show me now.”
Lyla shook her head. “After we do your hair and—”
I made a sudden turn and took off out of the kitchen. Taking the stairs two at a time, I raced toward Lyla’s suite. She shrieked as she chased after me and caught me just as we burst into her room.
“Where is it?” I huffed, looking around at the mess of fabrics and wild Christmas outfits on her five mannequins. Please tell me it wasn’t one of those crazy get-ups.
“It’s better to build up the suspense. That way I’ll have your full attention as I do your hair and makeup.” Lyla attempted to tug me out of her room.
“You’ll have my full attention, I promise.” My heart still pounded. I grasped her hands in mine. “Please, Lyla. It’s driving me crazy. I need to know.”
I thought maybe she was going to say no again, but she sighed.
“Fine. First off, see those leggings there?” She motioned to the colorful pairs she had laid out on her desk.
“Those are the ones I think will go best with the outfit. It came with a little cap, but I think it’s way too old-fashioned for you.
Doing your hair up as I planned will be so much better. ”
“Let me see it.” I folded my arms.
“Just keep an open mind.” Lyla went to her closet. I tensed, holding my breath.
Keep an open mind? Oh no.
She opened her usually messy closet, and there was a space cleared in the middle. Hanging in all its bright red Christmas glory was something I didn’t know I had to fear. I took a step backwards. Either the floor squeaked or I did.
“Isn’t it adorable?” Lyla clapped her hands.
The short red dress was trimmed with white fur and had a thick black belt.
It was a Mrs. Claus dress.
The pack wanted me to be Santa’s rosy cheeked wife.