A Collier First Christmas (Collier Pack)

Chapter 1

Lily

Looking down at the wiggling bundle in my arms I couldn’t believe she was actually here. I pinched myself every morning just to make sure this amazing life I had created with my mate, Thomas, was really real.

It felt like I’d waited a lifetime to become a mother and I knew it was the most important job I’d ever have.

I sniffled at the thought of the baby I had miscarried, but all the pain and sorrow had been worth it for that perfect moment when they had laid my newborn daughter in my arms.

I looked down with a smile as she suckled at my breast. A daughter. I had a daughter. She was now four months old, and it still amazed me. I wanted to give this girl the world.

With Christmas upon us, I knew I had a lot to do.

The Pack was hosting several Christmas events, and as Pack Mother, that meant I was overseeing them all.

I didn’t mind. I loved Christmas and this year would be Cammie’s first Christmas, which made it extra special to me.

I wanted everything to be perfect for her.

I started making mental lists of everything that needed to be done.

Decorating downtown

Decorating at the barn

Annual Christmas parade

The tree lighting ceremony

Caroling

Gingerbread house contest

Ice sculptures on the pond

Ice skating

S’mores night or maybe roasting chestnuts

A Christmas fair

The Pack feast

A Pack holiday run

A cookie or holiday feast cook off

A white Christmas

Shopping…

My brain immediately started migrating to the list of people I needed to buy presents for.

“What are you up to, slugger?”

I jumped, startling the baby. “Thomas! Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

He chuckled and leaned down to kiss me as he affectionately rubbed Cammie’s sweet head.

“That wasn’t my intention. You were just off in another world I think.”

I sighed happily. “Just thinking through my to-do list for the holidays.”

“Is that all?” he teased.

“This is going to be the biggest, best Christmas season Collier has ever seen.”

“Babe, what exactly are we talking about here?”

“You know, the usual.” I started listing off all my plans.

Thomas laughed and held up a hand to stop me. “Ice sculpting? You do know it probably won’t be cold enough for that here, right? Some years the pond isn’t even frozen over enough to skate on until New Year’s.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“Yes. I think you’ve been watching a little too much Hallmark lately. This is Wyoming, not Maine.”

I pouted, wondering what I could sub in for the ice sculpting idea.

“Fine. Can we at least check the pond and keep the ice skating if it’s safe to do so?”

He grinned. “That, I can do for you.”

“Now where are the decorations for around town and the barn and who usually puts them up? I want them bigger and brighter than ever this year.”

“Lil, I know you’re excited for Cammie’s first Christmas, but you don’t have to overdo it.”

“If you say she won’t even remember it, I’m going to slug you for real.”

He just shook his head. “Wouldn’t dream of it. Besides, she’s going to remember every second of her life with all the videos and pictures you’ve taken.”

That was it, I hauled back and punched him in the arm. It wasn’t hard enough to hurt him, just enough to let him know he was irritating me. All it did was solicit a deep rumble of laughter from him.

“I’m just saying, I know it’s going to be perfect.”

“It has to be because our daughter deserves perfect.”

“She does have a perfect mother.”

I rolled my eyes and snorted.

“Too much?”

“Just a bit.”

“I know you, Lily, even God himself can’t change your mind once it’s set, but it’s also my job to protect the two of you. Stressing yourself out over all of this isn’t good for you or for Cammie. Why can’t we just do a relaxing, laid back, family Christmas this year?”

“You’re the Alpha, Thomas, and I’m the Pack Mother. It’s our duty to provide a memorable Christmas for the entire Pack. It’s our job.”

He sighed, but he didn’t say a word.

I knew aside from some decorations scattered around town, that they had never done anything like this before. I didn’t care about that fact. I wanted my daughter to grow up in a picture perfect town that celebrated the holidays to the fullest and I was determined to make that happen.

I knew with the baby it was going to be hard to pull it all off.

“I’m going to need a committee,” I announced.

Thomas groaned. “I’ll start the inquiries right away.”

I squealed and threw one arm around him.

“Ow!” I yelled as Cammie clamped down on me uncomfortably.

Thomas laughed. “How dare you interrupt her lunch.”

He leaned down and kissed the top of Cammie’s head before getting up and excusing himself.

This was it. He was coming around to my Christmas vision. I knew it would happen. He loved me too much to deny me such pleasures. I just hadn’t thought it would happen quite so quickly.

Cammie finished her meal and drifted off to sleep. I rocked my sleeping girl as I hummed Christmas carols.

This was going to be the best Christmas Collier Pack had ever seen.