Chapter 54
Hestia
Now that I’m allowed to tell everyone about my mates, I have been.
After we finished this last round of being on call, we’ve been going on dates in Starsfalls in public. Dates where I held their hands and kissed and hugged them as much as I wanted.
I toned down the PDA after we got some wolf whistles, but still. I can sloppily make out with my pack in the street, and it won’t get us fired! That’s peak relationship goals right there. Well, that, and being bonded to my mates.
They asked to court me now that we have permission to be together, so we’re as official as a couple can be without a bond.
And I have no reason to complain about not being bonded down yet. It’s only our first Yule together, and I’m still just so thankful we don’t have to hide our relationship.
I showed off my mates all around town earlier this week, and now I’m ready to spend some time at home with them for the holiday.
Magnus and I harvested the icicle pansies the other day while Pete supervised. We had a great crop of them with a mix of big, colorful flowers and tiny, cute ones.
Pete still acts haughty, but ever since he saved me from that giant monster, I feel safe around him.
At the very least, I know he won’t let anyone else bully me, it will just be him kicking dirt at me if I accidentally mess with one of his nests or rearrange things in a way he doesn’t like.
I won’t have to worry about any other demons in the garden with my little green demon there.
I helped Henri turn our pansy crop into his special winter ice cream.
I’ve never made ice cream before, and it was fun seeing how it’s done.
He showed me how to flavor it using the pansies, and we ended up making so much of it that we’ve been eating ice cream with every meal.
The flowers give it a mild wintergreen flavor, sweet and cool like a winter day.
Eating homemade ice cream in front of the fire is the best way to do it.
At one point when I was “helping” Henri in the kitchen (taste-testing food while he cooked), I complimented his kitchen skills, and he got quiet and tense.
Eventually he confessed he was worried I wouldn’t approve of his homemaking interests now that they’re courting me.
That I might not want an alpha who takes care of the decorating, cooking, and cleaning, when omegas usually like to be in charge of the house.
I narrowly avoided saying I love him as he is.
I don’t want to just blurt that out the first time I tell him.
I assured Henri I was happy for him to do those things, adding that it wasn’t very omega of me not to be a good little homemaker.
He was quick to say he didn’t care about that, so we came to an agreement that we’re happy with who we are.
Later, Henri had one more little confession for me.
Before going up to my nest for the night, he pulled me aside but was too nervous to say why. I kissed him until he forgot to be anxious, and he told me what was on his mind.
Henri admitted he enjoyed watching me on the cameras and not just for “security purposes,” which I’d already assumed was the case. He was worried I would be upset about his interest, reiterating that his cameras are only in public spaces and he didn’t violate my privacy in that way.
Obviously, I had to ask, “Do you want to put your cameras in other places? Like my nest?”
Based on his cock’s excited reaction, I took that as a yes. I told him I’d like that too, so I expect to have some shiny new cameras overlooking my nest in the near future.
I finished my Yule gifts for them just in time. I was cutting it close because of all the quality time we’ve been spending together, celebrating our no-longer-clandestine relationship. That didn’t leave much room for me to sneak in gift preparation.
The pile of presents under the tree kept growing and growing over the past few weeks until eventually that entire corner of the living room became unusable. Our stockings were hung over the fireplace, but they’ve since been relocated after being stuffed full.
And now Yule Day is here, and it’s time to unwrap everything with my pack.
My pack.
The fire is roaring, festive music is playing, and everyone is gathered around the tree.
There are tons of snacks and drinks laid out, courtesy of Henri.
He went all out with the classic treats, gingerbread cookies, snowball cookies, sugar cookies, peppermint bark, fruitcake, and a Yule log, along with insulated pitchers of hot chocolate, eggnog, spiced cider, and coffee.
I sit in a cushy armchair near the tree while my alphas pass out the presents. Cato puts a gift from him in my lap, ensuring it’s the first one I open. I bounce excitedly while I wait for them to be ready.
They sort everything into six slightly more reasonable piles next to our seats, plus one smaller lump near Magnus’s stack.
“Let’s look at our stockings first,” Henri says.
I reach for mine, but Cato nudges the box he put in my lap and says, “Open my gift.”
“We’re doing stockings,” Charm says. “Besides, why do you get to decide whose gift she opens first? Let Hestia decide.”
“Because I know she’ll love it,” Cato replies smugly.
“She’ll love all of our gifts,” Orion says.
My giggle interrupts their argument.
“I’ll open Cato’s gift, and then we can do stockings,” I say placatingly.
They agree, and I thank Cato politely for my gift before tearing through the shiny green wrapping paper.
Underneath is a white wooden box with a fancy clasp.
I push the latch and it pops open, revealing rows of gourmet chocolate bars nestled in the silk-lined interior.
It looks like it should hold jewels or a crown or something, not food.
The chocolates are the fancy, expensive brands, the same as the ones I keep finding mixed in with my snacks. Every bar is a different flavor, creamy chocolate and dark, flavored with pistachio or fruit and nut, cognac or cherry liqueur.
“These look delicious, thank you!” I say, hugging Cato.
He vibrates with a pleased purr.
“I noticed you always eat those brands first, so I figured they were your favorite,” he says.
“Have you been looking through the snacks in my rooms? Did you eat some of them?” I ask suspiciously.
Cato grins, sharp teeth flashing. “I would never take food from you, pet. I noticed when I was refilling your snack stashes.”
“How long have you been doing that?” I ask, more suspicious than ever.
It did seem like my caches never ran out…
“Since you moved in,” he says unabashed.
I sigh. I kept catching whiffs of chocolate in my rooms but assumed it was the candy I had in there. I should have realized that snack stashes aren’t infinite. Cato must have been scent marking my things too based on the way his chocolate scent lingered.
“I would ask why you thought it was a good idea to creep around her rooms, but I don’t think the answer will make me feel better,” Magnus says.
“You wanted me in your nest even then, didn’t you, pet?” Cato says, dark eyes hypnotizing.
“Yes,” I say breathlessly.
There’s more arguing that I don’t catch because Cato’s tongue is in my mouth.
When he pulls back, Cato sets my chocolate treasure box aside and hands me my stocking. It’s ginormous, almost as long as me and stuffed full to overflowing.
We go through our stockings, admiring our new little trinkets. Nothing has gift tags, and it’s fun to guess which of my alphas gave me the miniature Uncovering Big Tex: Between Truth and Fib book, the fuzzy socks, or the edible underwear. Although that last one seems like an easy guess.
I keep an eye on Cato as he goes through his stocking. I put some charms in there that he can slip onto his hoop earring, but I’m worried he might not like them. Maybe he’s a simple jewelry kind of guy.
He smiles as soon as he pulls them out though. I give up on pretending I’m not watching him as Cato opens the package and picks out a few. He hooks the charms on his earring and turns to the side so I can see.
I laugh at his selection, a knot, a heart, and a peach. Cato grins and kisses me.
My other alphas also like the things I put in their stockings, so I’m hopeful my good gifting streak continues for their big presents.
Once Magnus finishes going through his stocking, he picks up the smaller stocking next to his pile. I only look away for a second, but when I turn back, Pete is on the side table next to him, small form dominating the space.
No one questions his appearance. I don’t know if Magnus brought him in, or if, once again, Pete knew he was needed and joined us.
Magnus unpacks Pete’s stocking for him and sets the presents on the table for him to inspect.
Most of his gifts are food, but there are also little baskets and boxes, and small squares of fabric in different patterns and materials.
That would explain why so many of our rags disappear if Pete has a fondness for cloth.
I tense as Magnus pulls out my present and sets it in front of Pete, waiting for his reaction.
Pete considers it just like he did the other offerings and takes a small bite. I made him a gingerbread cookie with seeds and nuts so it would be tasty and nutritious. After chewing slowly, he brushes the treat into the growing pile of gifts he approves of.
I let out a relieved sigh.
Once Magnus finishes going through Pete’s stocking, he settles in to eat his treats while we open our gifts.
Rather than going one at a time, which would take forever, everyone opens their gifts together.
My alphas got me lots of cozy things, blankets, sweatpants, candles, and bath bombs.
There are also dozens of books, tons of non-fiction ones that I can’t wait to dig into plus a stack of novels, romance, fantasy, and more Big Tex books, Big Tex and the Small Potatoes, Big Tex & Pete Moss: Caper at Cape Cod, and Big Tex, Bigger Saddle.
Magnus opens a large, round gift box and pulls out a cowboy hat. “What am I supposed to do with this?” he asks Cato.