Chapter Nineteen
Aideen
A beautiful, curvy woman just hugged me and told me she was glad to meet their boys’ mate.
“It’s nice to meet you too.”
I had manners even if I thought everyone in this place had lost their marbles. Either that or I had. I was beginning to believe the latter.
She was Mrs. Claus.
And the man standing next to her in a plaid shirt, jeans, and suspenders with a long, cottony beard was Santa Claus.
She called me their mate.
They were reindeer.
Only a week or so ago, I was complaining about my boring, blank-piece-of-paper life and thinking I was destined for more, but this? This wasn’t in my scope of imagination.
It’s me. I’m losing my mind.
“Are you okay?” Blitz came over after Santa and Mrs. Claus made their excuses and walked away, hand in hand.
“I have questions,” I choked out.
“That’s fine. We’re ready to answer anything now that you’re here. Our cabin is right down Candy Cane Lane. Let’s go get you warmed up.”
Candy Cane Lane. This was true. “Yes. Thank you.”
We walked as a group down a street whose cobblestones were red-and-white striped. Several people waved. One man approached us and man-hug-slapped my men on the backs. “I was wondering when you were going to come up again,” he said. He turned his gaze on me. “And who is this?”
Dash squared off his shoulders. “Jake, this is our mate, Aideen. This is her first time up here.”
Jake smiled and extended his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. It’s about time these three found their mate.”
Oh, we were so going to have a talk about this.
“Nice to meet you, Jake. You’re not an elf.”
Jake and the others laughed. “No. I’m the fix-it man up here. Always something breaking. Speaking of, I’m only one check mark done on my list. I’d better get moving. Welcome to the North Pole, Aideen. Make sure these three treat you right.”
We moved on and before getting to the cabin, several more people made their introductions.
“Here it is. Welcome to our home up here.” Blitz opened the door to the cutest log cabin that ever existed. It had lights on the outside and white trim that made the wood look like a gingerbread house.
Inside was a Christmas-lover’s dream.
I gasped and reached out for the first solid object which was Comet’s arm. “You live here?”
“We do. Do you like it? We felt so bad for not having any decorations up at the other house, but we are surrounded by decorations for a good part of the year. I’m sorry we didn’t have it done up for you.”
“I love it.” There wasn’t an inch of space that wasn’t decorated.
The outside theme of a gingerbread house bled inside.
The tree was decorated with bright lights and ornaments that looked like cookies and candy.
I turned around, taking it all in. Even the kitchen towels hanging on the stove had gingerbread men on them. “I take it you three love gingerbread?”
They chuckled and took off their jackets. Comet helped me get my giant one off. “It’s our favorite.”
A fire roared in the fireplace. Fresh-baked cookies were stacked in perfect rows under a clear cake stand.
“Can we talk?” I asked.
They shared a look. “Of course we can. Please, sit down. Make yourself at home.”
Because if I was their mate, and I thought I was, then this was my home too? More questions.
“You told everyone but me that I’m your mate,” I said, sitting down on the love seat. Dash rushed to sit next to me.
“We actually told Mr. and Mrs. Claus only and the Mrs. was supposed to keep her lips shut, but apparently she didn’t. We’re sorry about that. We were going to tell you up here. Since the first time we saw you, we knew—our reindeer knew—you were our mate.”
Wow. I recalled what I’d read about mates before. It meant they thought I was destined to be their partner for life.
“Okay. And I have to be mated and marked for that to be solidified, right?”
Every eye widened. “Yes, Aideen. But there’s no pressure.
We would only do that if you want us as well.
We want you in our lives for the rest of our lives.
Nothing like a human marriage. There is no divorce or cheating.
We would be committed to you for life.” My chest surged with warmth as Blitz told me what I already knew.
But hearing it from his mouth meant so much more.
“And if I didn't want to?” My heart ached just thinking about ever denying being their mate. I thought about how I was attracted to them instantly. Couldn’t get them off my mind. How their smells drew me in.
Comet squirmed in his seat. Not like him at all. “Then we will let you go. We would never force you into anything.”
“And you are Santa’s reindeer. You pull the sled. You help deliver presents all over the world, which explains your profile with every country visited.” I knew I was repeating what I’d figured out earlier, but still, it was so surreal.
“We’re sorry we had to keep this secret for a while.”
“It’s okay,” I answered Comet. “I have more questions but I can’t think of them right now. Oh, just one more. You’re gone all Christmas Eve, right?”
“We are. Mrs. Claus and everyone else has a big dinner, and they hang out until we get home.”
That actually sounded fun. Not the being without them but spending the night knowing my mates were bringing joy to the world’s children.
“Sounds like a good time.”
“It does?” Dash perked up and took my hands in his. “We thought you would be upset to be alone on Christmas. We actually dreaded telling you.”
“I’m not mad about it. I would miss you three but it’s very cool what you do.”
We didn’t speak for a moment. Blitz got up and grabbed my suitcase. “I’m going to bring your bag to your room. Want to come see it?”
This was it. My time to admit how I felt about them. I didn’t have the shifter biology or instinct, but I knew they were mine. “What if I don’t want my own room? What if I want to be your mate?”
The room fell silent.
“Are you sure?” Comet asked, standing up. “You don’t have to make any decisions today.”
“I’m sure. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. But…do you think I could see your reindeer first?”