Knotty Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses

Chapter One

Vanessa

"Jesus, Nessie! You look like you're trying to conceal your identity in that outfit.

Are you hiding from someone? Who hurt you, sweetheart?

" Mom looks me up and down, taking in my entire outfit- which isn't even that bad for December- and then hollers for one of my dads to come up to my room.

"Look at our baby, George! We will never get any grandbabies if she keeps dressing like this!

Don't you have something to wear that shows a little cleavage? "

Daddy George rolls his eyes. "Leave our daughter alone, Abbie. She can dress however she wants to. I'm sure the other girls her age also dress like this. It must be the new fashion trend back in New York. We haven't been for a visit in a while."

"Not the girls here in Stonybrook. They at least flaunt what they've got.

You look like a sack of potatoes, Nessie.

" Her eyes rake over me once more for good measure, and she shakes her head.

"You look like you're on your way to audition for the church choir.

Is that it, Nessie? I told you from a young age that as much as your daddies and I love hearing you sing, the lord did not gift you with the voice of an angel.

It did come in handy to keep all the stray cats out of our garbage cans, though. "

I glare at Daddy George, who is trembling with his effort not to laugh, but it's a losing battle. A full-body laugh escapes him, and he doubles over, clutching at his stomach.

"Maybe she's trying to join a cult?" My other dad- Raymond- leans in the doorway and shoots me a wink. "The one where they shave off all their hair and tie themselves to trees. Barry's daughter joined them when she finished college."

"Rebecca didn't join a cult for fuck's sake, Dad! She shaved her head because she could, and she was trying to stop a greedy company from cutting down a bunch of trees to build a new mall," I retort, my voice filled with frustration.

"Language!" Mom pauses. "Is that what is going on, Nessie? Is your dad right? Did you join a cult?" She stares at me, her eyes filled with horror.

I scowl at the three of them. "I think there must have been a mix-up at the hospital when I was born. There is no way I'm your kid."

"You get your grump from Papa Spencer and your beauty from your mama, baby," Raymond says, pulling me into a side hug. "I know you don't enjoy big crowds, but you've always loved the Holiday Market. We'll leave if it gets too overwhelming."

I groan, knowing there's no way I'm getting out of this but still trying. "Do I have to go?"

Daddy George perks up. "You'll never guess who's coming today, sweetie."

I wait for him to tell me, but after a while, it becomes clear he wants me to guess. "Fuck if I know, Dad. Brad Pitt?"

"If only," Mom sighs. "You should find a good man like that, Nessie."

"He cheated on his wife," I say bluntly.

"Allegedly."

"Your three best friends from high school. Zayne, Silas and Mason," Daddy George says quickly before an argument over Brad Pitt's innocence could start.

Butterflies spring to life in my stomach, and a shiver runs down my spine. "They're back?"

"Got back about a year ago. Formed a pack- which you would know if you didn't run off the day you graduated. Zayne started how owns secur-"

"Brad would have been a great son-in-law," Mom hums, wandering out of my room, lost in her own head. We follow her downstairs. "He would have bought a house for his parents-in-law, and we wouldn't have had to trust Garry Jones with the construction. All the tiles in the bathroom are crooked."

"Pitt is a beta, and our daughter needs a pack of alphas, darling." Papa Spencer is standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for us, and I shoot him a look of gratitude. Even if what he is saying is not technically helping, at least it will get my mom to drop the Brad Pitt topic.

"Zayne started a big-time security firm with one of his friends. Mason and Silas both joined the NHL and signed with the Stonybrook Knights. Their pack is quite the catch. Still single too." Daddy George whispers next to me, wiggling his brows and making me giggle. "Anyway, everyone ready to go?"

I look longingly up the stairs where my laptop is waiting next to my Kindle. I could just stay home, read, and write all day. I could avoid the crowd and the three boys who still invade my dreams. "You guys go ahead. I'll catch up."

Mom scowls at me. "No, Nessie. This is the first time you've been home in over six years.

We didn't push you because it was obvious you were dealing with some things, but now that you're back, I refuse to have you hide in your room the entire time.

You're coming out with us. There are so many people dying to see you. "

"There are?"

"Ever since your mom found out you'll be home for the holidays, she's been bragging about you to all the single packs," Raymond says, snickering.

"Think of this as your coming-out party," Mom says quickly.

"My coming out party?" I ask, glaring at her. "Mom, I'm twenty-four. I'm good. I'll meet a pack when I'm ready."

"They might be there tonight! And you'll never know if you stay in your room all day and night instead of getting out there and mingling. I need you to find some nice alphas who will knock you up and give me grandbabies to spoil."

"Abbie, that is a lot of pressure to put on Vanessa, isn't it?" Papa Spencer asks Mom, frowning at her.

"Mom," I whisper. She must hear something in my voice that makes her drop the attitude. She pulls me into a tight hug, stroking my back.

"What's wrong, Nessie?"

"No one smells right," I whimper.

"Oh, honey…" She hugs me even tighter before pulling back to look me in the eyes. "Are you sure?"

"New York is such a big city with a lot of people, sweetie. All those smells… It would be easy to miss a scent match." Daddy George says from next to Mom, a sad smile on his face.

I shake my head. "I tried dating, speed dating, and matchmaking agencies.

" I tick off the list with my fingers. "I even went to one of those omega centers where they give you scent cards to sniff and nothing!

Everyone smells wrong! There isn't a pack out there for me.

" A tear slips down my cheek, but I'm quick to wipe it away.

"Nessie, most omegas have many scent matches out there, and it's just about finding the pack you are most comfortable with."

"Didn't you just hear what I said, Mom?" I ask her in disbelief.

She tsks. "You didn't let me finish. I said most omegas.

I feel like an idiot for not telling you this sooner, but I was the same.

No one ever smelled right to me, either, not until your dads came along when I was twenty-one.

They are my soul matches, Nessie and no other alpha would ever be able to compete with that.

You just need to keep putting yourself out there so that your soul matches can find you. "

"No omega was good enough until we found your mom," Papa Spencer says, not looking at me. He's staring at Mom with heart in his eyes. "She drives us insane, but our hearts only beat for her. She is my everything."

"The light of my life," Daddy George whispers.

"The pain in my ass," Raymond teases, making Mom gasp.

"Stoooooop." I groan, making them all laugh. "Fine, I'll come, but I'm not going to mingle. I'll stand on the outskirts with the four of you until I get so drunk I stumble back here without a care in the world."

Mom rolls her eyes in that dramatic way she loves. "Fine. Fine! Leave me childless and alone."

"What the fuck, Mom! You have a kid."

She waves me off. "You know what I mean."

"All alone?" Daddy George pouts.

"Stop bullying me," Mom sighs, walking out the front door.

Papa Spencer looks at me and shrugs. "Those three boys from high school… You guys were so close, and I know you were into them. Maybe you already had your alphas but didn't realize it."

I ignore the wave of awareness attempting to overtake me and wag a finger at him. "You're my favorite parent right now, and I don't want to have to change that."

He mimes zipping his lips and throwing away the key.

Throwing an arm over my shoulder, he leads me out the front door, where the other three are waiting for us.

It's a short walk to the center of town, and when we get there, I can't help but get excited as I take in all the Christmas decorations and holiday stalls set up.

I miss small-town life, even if I'll never admit it.

I turn my back on my parents for one second to take everything in, and they seem to disappear from existence, so much for sticking with me and showing me off. I think about heading back home, but I hear someone shouting my name before I get the chance.

I glance over my shoulder to see who it is, then curse under my breath for being so indecisive and not booking it when I had the chance. Samantha Frost. Zayne's scary older sister. She's always hated my guts.

She scurries across the street, a wicked gleam in her eyes and boops me right on the nose like a naughty dog. "I never thought I'd see you in Stonybrook again, Vanessa."

I smile, fighting down the urge to slap away her hand. "Hi, Sammy," -she hates it when anyone calls her that- " it's been a long time, huh? How have you been?"

She stands there taking me in, arms crossed, pushing her tits up while also flashing me a massive rock on her ring finger. "I'm amazing! I married Kyle Prichard. You know, the same guy I dated in high school? He owns his own bar now! We are very happy."

A group of kids runs past us, and we step to the side to avoid being run over. The town has definitely grown in the six years I've been gone. The same charm is still there, but there are more families living here now, and more children causing havoc.

"I'm so happy for you, Sammy! Kyle was always so nice to me in high school.

Please tell him I say hi." I look around, trying to spot my parents and mentally curse when I don't see them.

I wonder how long it would take me to get a hot cocoa and a giant pretzel so I can get out of here.

"I think I'm going to grab some food, but it was really nice to see you.

I'm sure we'll run into each other again. "

I try to step around her, but she follows my movement. "We also have two little boys, Kyle Jr. and Gregory." She stares down at me, and I bristle. Samantha was a beta, and I was tiny for an omega. "Do you have kids?"

I shake my head. "Nope."

"Oh, dear. Do you not want kids, or are you still single?

" She gasps. "I'm so sorry! That is none of my business.

It's just that you're twenty-four now. Kyle Jr was already two years old when I was that age.

Anyway, I have to get going. We're having the family over tonight for dinner, and I need to go get everything ready. "

I march past her, determined to get away this time. Just because I was still single and childless didn't mean there was something wrong with me. I wanted kids, but until I found the perfect pack, that wasn't happening.

"Vanessa?"

I sigh. I really want to ignore her, but I'm a people pleaser. "Yeah?"

"Try not to cause any trouble while you're in town. Zayne and the boys are doing so well, and it would be pretty shitty if you strolled in here and ruined their friendship again just because you couldn't choose which one you wanted."

I snort at that, and her eyes widen. Fuck it.

I didn't want to sink to her level, but this bitch has it coming.

"Didn't you hear the news, Sammy? I'm an omega," I tell her, a shit eating grin on my face, "It took a bit longer for my designation to present, but here I am.

Maybe I could never choose because all three were always meant to be mine.

" With that, I turn my back on her, not sticking around to hear her response.

I walk around the stalls in search of anything to eat away my feelings when I'm engulfed in a massive pair of arms that pick me up and spin me around.

"Gorgeous!"

That voice. I would recognize that voice anywhere.