Grovel, page 14
He was talking about me.
Duke laughs good-naturedly, leaning down to peck Nana on the cheek. When he’s not looking, Nana wipes her cheek, and I cover my eyes.
Could she be any more obvious in her disdain of him? Luckily for her, Duke is too much of a narcissist to notice.
He honestly thinks he’s God’s gift to all women and Omegas.
“So, have you opened my present yet?” Duke asks as he sits down on my right, throwing his arm on the back of the couch behind me.
My whole body tenses at his proximity, and I feel my Nana’s hawk-like eyes the whole time.
None of the Alphas of Pack Wynter has ever made me flinch. Yet, Duke makes me want to curl up into a ball like a pangolin.
“You… got me a gift?” I say through clenched teeth.
Duke smiles, pointing his hand beneath the tree. “I placed it down by the tree last night.”
“Oh,” I reply, not knowing what else to say. “I never got you anything.”
Duke chuckles. “That’s okay. Just seeing your face on Christmas is a gift, Noelle.”
My Nana pretends to throw up, and I throw her a pointed look. Once again, Duke doesn’t notice.
Maybe he’s not as big a ladies’ man as he thought after all.
“Well, go on. Open it, Noelle.”
“Yes, Noelle. Open your gift. The suspense is killing me…” Nana mocks.
I roll my eyes, leaning down beneath the tree to bring out his present. It’s a little blue bag, and there’s no mistaking what it’ll be.
And lo and behold—it’s a diamond necklace with a silver chain. One that costs more than your average American’s monthly wage.
As a matter of fact, it's the exact same necklace I’ve seen around the pretty, slender neck of one of his socialite friends at his latest soirée—Francesca, I think her name was. She always looked at me as if I were beneath her.
That’s why she’s the Other Woman in my latest novel. A tall, beautiful blonde New York socialite with a taste for the finer things.
I have a pretty good idea who got her the necklace; I bet Duke likes to give all his female companions the same necklace.
I smile through clenched teeth. “You shouldn’t have.”
I suppose I’m one to talk. Duke and I were never official, and I did spend my heat with three other Alphas.
But I guess I was just a part of Duke’s collection. Or his harem.
When I was still dating the pack years ago, their eyes never wandered. It was like all other women were invisible.
Because I was the only woman they needed.
“I’m glad you like it, Noelle. Here, let me put it on you.”
Now I freeze up like a deer in the headlights as the Alpha brushes the back of my neck. His hands feel so wrong—hands that are too soft and have never done an honest day’s work in their life.
“See? Beautiful, just like you,” Duke winks at me.
Again, I offer a tight smile. I can feel my Nana shaking her head across from me.
Mom comes into the living room next, wearing an apron. Her eyes expand when she sees the diamond around my neck. “Ooh, new necklace?”
“Yes. Duke got it for her,” Nana teases, eyeing me suspiciously.
She knows I hate it. And she is stopping at nothing to make me feel bad about it. She knows I am lying to myself.
Mom comes over to admire the necklace. “How lovely… Oh! Did you get the gift from the pack?”
My heart pounds.
Duke peers back and forth between Mom and me. “What pack?”
I glare at Mom. She stumbles, eyes widening in horror once she realizes her mistake. “The… the turkey’s burning!”
It's not. Dad has it all under control. She was just looking for an excuse to exit the room. Nana laughs, and I throw the older Omega a warning scowl.
I decide to be real with Duke. So, I meet his brown eyes. “My old pack, Duke… Before I left for New York.”
The Alpha freezes, and I think I hear a slight growl from his chest. But then he shakes his head, giving me that debonair smile again.
“Well, don’t keep us waiting,” he replies. “What did they get you?”
Confused, I peer at Nana. She shrugs, fiddling with her sewing needles. Well, this is awkward, and I would rather not do this with Duke present.
“I will open it later,” I say.
“No. Open it now, Noelle.” Duke’s eyes have lost all their shine, and he’s tense.
Is he threatened? He has never once addressed the text message that Frost sent, and it still strikes me as odd.
Nana looks as if she wants to stab Duke with one of her sewing needles. He was definitely trying to use an Alpha bark on me with that command just now.
You know what? I will open it. Maybe he can tell Francesa all about it when he goes back to New York.
Finally, I unwrap the gift, gasping when I spy the four Christmas tree ornaments.
It's me and the pack. But we’re older now. I’m wearing my pink coat, purple hat, and scarf, and Robin is in his suit and glasses. Shepard has his flannel shirt, and Frost has his tattoos and guitar.
It's us. As we are now. It’s symbolic of what we could be…
“What the devil is that?” Duke asks, horrified, when he sees the little ornaments.
I roll my eyes. He’s such an insufferable snob.
“That, young man, is the real way to win a woman’s heart. Unless you mined that diamond around my granddaughter’s neck yourself, shut up.”
Nana has that stabby look in her eyes again as she clutches her sewing needles. Duke loses all bravado now, and he appears genuinely terrified.
His face pales next, and the tan he got from his recent trip to Hawaii has long gone now.
I can’t stop staring at the ornaments as tears build up in my eyes. They made these just for me…
Just like the ones we made in kindergarten.
“Dinner’s finally ready,” Mom announces, popping her head through the door.
Oh, thank God. A distraction at last.
We haven’t even discussed seating arrangements, but one thing I know for certain. I will be sitting with Nana.
Duke doesn’t even offer to help me with Nana as I guide her to her feet. I mostly think it’s because he’s afraid of her as he gets up from the couch, joining my fathers in the kitchen.
The door knocks next, and Mom looks around at me. I get a sense of Déjà vu, and then my stomach drops.
No... Not now.
“Who on earth could that be at a time like this?” Mom says, answering the door.
I brace for the worst as I guide Nana down into her seat at the table. Just as I place a handkerchief around her neck, Mom steps into the living room. “You’ll never guess who has arrived,” she says.
I sigh as I take my seat next to Nana. “Santa?”
Mom squeezes her fists with glee, and she’s so goddamn clueless, it's adorable. “Even better!”
Finally, she steps out of the way, and my eyes land on the real versions of my new Christmas ornaments.
Duke tenses, and I hear my dad, Richard, offering him apologies. After all, he still likes Duke.
Honestly, I’m not even surprised anymore. It wouldn’t be Christmas without at least some drama.
Well, let the festivities begin.
36
Robin
Christmas over at Noelle’s grandmother’s house didn’t exactly go as planned.
We were supposed to win her back with a bold, romantic gesture, taking each of our fathers’ advice.
Yet, the last thing we expected to find was a strange Alpha sitting at the table with our Omega.
I can see why Frost sent that message now. Duke is not a good Alpha, especially for our Omega, and my instincts go on overdrive next as I try to maintain my decorum.
It’s a tense dinner indeed. Even Shepard can’t stop scowling at Duke.
And Frost… he does try. But any moment, he’s going to snap.
The moment we arrived, Duke changed seats, taking his place right beside Noelle. When he placed a slice of turkey onto her plate, I gripped my fork.
Bastard. That’s my job.
Poor Rebecca doesn’t know what to do with herself, and her Alphas offer her nothing but support. Joel pats her hand in comfort. Bernard pours her a glass of wine, and the Omega drinks it right away.
Richard, however, won’t stop scowling at the three of us. Shepard smiles at the stern Alpha, trying to offer him an olive branch, but Frost and I avoid eye contact.
He hates us. And I don’t blame him.
We broke his daughter’s heart twice. I bet we’re the last people he wanted at his mother-in-law's at Christmas.
But he can’t honestly prefer Duke to us, right? There’s just something about the smug Alpha that puts me on edge, and it’s not because he’s a rich douchebag.
The Alpha keeps glaring at the three of us, but only Frost meets his challenge. It’s not that Robin and I are afraid of Duke; we just want to show some respect at Noelle’s Nana’s house.
Duke smirks at Frost, reaching across to Noelle’s neck. He brushes a finger over the diamond pendant hanging from her silver necklace.
Frost growls, and Shepard mutters, “Cool it.”
Noelle flinches at Duke’s touch, and I can’t help but feel smug. Noelle’s Nana glares at Duke, and I can tell she hates him.
She’s worse than Frost. Every time he touches her, she looks as if she wants to grab her fork and stab him in the hand.
“So,” Duke drawls, addressing me and my brothers next. “The three of you own a lodge in Silverpine? How quaint.”
Frost growls yet again at his mocking tone, and I kick him under the table. “Yes. As a matter of fact, Duke, we do. We have nothing but five-star reviews.”
Duke purses his lips, gripping his wine glass. “That’s adorable. Yet it’s not as if it’s a five-star resort, right? I mean, do you even have a ski slope? Now that would be impressive.”
“Yeah, almost as impressive as Noelle’s diamond necklace,” Shepard cuts in.
Noelle glares at my brother next, and he stops right away. Then she looks at Duke. “Duke. That’s enough. Their lodge is beautiful. You’d be honored to be a guest there.”
“No. By all means, continue. All of you. I’m having a grand old time,” Nana chuckles.
“Mom,” Rebecca scolds.
“At least Duke never broke her heart twice,” Richard chimes in now.
Frost bares his teeth at the older Alpha. “Seriously, dude. If you’ve got something to say, just say it. Don’t keep us all in suspense.”
“Frost!” I scold now, looking across at Richard, Joel, and Bernard next. “Sorry, sirs. He didn’t mean that.”
“It’s all right, Robin,” Joel replies, softly. “Please excuse our pack brother, too. And Dick, take it easy. They’re just kids. We all made mistakes at that age.”
Yet Richard and Frost keep glaring at each other across the table. I put my knife and fork down—this is getting out of hand. “Frost. A word, please.”
Frost shakes his head, finally breaking eye contact with Richard. Now he glances at Duke. “I apologize, Richard. I may have broken your daughter’s heart twice, but that’s nothing compared to what this Alpha will put her through next.”
Duke shows his canines. “What the hell is that supposed to mean, punk?”
I roll my eyes. Here we go.
Frost smirks at Duke, showing his own canines. “Do you love her, Duke? Tell me now… and we'll leave."
Duke stammers, peering quickly at Noelle over on his right. The Omega covers her face in embarrassment. Her Nana, though, won’t stop giggling. She even has a glass of wine to celebrate.
The Alpha inhales through his nose, brushing his hands down his bespoke suit. “Maybe I do.”
Frost’s eyes glow as I grip his shoulder, trying to tug him away. “All right. Then who is her favorite author?” he asks.
Now Duke is totally stumped. So, he just names the first author from the top of his head, and even then, he can’t get that right. “The… the one who wrote those books about the wizards at that magical school. Obviously…”
No. Not even close.
It’s best we leave. We’ve long outstayed our welcome.
“Shepard,” I say.
The Alpha doesn’t have to be told twice. He finishes off his food and gets to his feet. Now we both start pulling Frost away.
But our stubborn brother pushes us off him. “No. We’re not the ones who should be leaving.”
Duke chuckles. “Well, that’s just too bad. Bye-bye now.”
“Frost,” I warn again. “It’s time to go.”
Yet Frost won’t budge. Duke leans across toward Noelle next, brushing her hair aside so he can kiss her neck.
Frost swoops in, yanking the Alpha by the scruff of his neck as he shoves him hard against the wall.
“Frost!” Noelle screams.
Nana cheers. “Yes! Knock the living snot out of him!”
Frost only has eyes for Duke, though, as he grips his silken ascot, almost choking the life from the Alpha. It looks like Duke is no match as he flinches in Frost’s grip. “N-not the face… please…”
“That’s enough!” Bernard steps in, breaking the Alphas apart. He glares at Frost. “It’s best you leave. You’re upsetting my family.”
Actually, Nana is overjoyed. It’s only his Omega and his daughter who look remotely distraught.
Noelle just palms her face. Rebecca has Joel pour her another glass of wine, and I think that is her fourth now.
“Frost,” I say again. “Let’s go.”
My brother scowls at Duke for a few moments longer. Then he rolls his eyes, stepping toward the door.
He doesn’t even wait for me and Shepard. Before we leave, I look at Noelle. “I’m sorry.”
But she just sighs, closing herself off to us at last. It looks as if we lost our third chance with her.
I offer my apologies to her family, then Duke, much to my chagrin, and then we finally leave.
What a Christmas this turned out to be after all.
37
Noelle
After that disastrous dinner, I went straight upstairs to stew alone in my bedroom for a while.
In the end, I told Duke that he should leave, too, as I just wanted to be alone.
So, the Alpha is now back on his way to New York. Will he call again? Who knows. But I have a feeling that this will be the last time I'll ever hear from him.
Nana was not at all upset to see the back of that Alpha.
Ugh. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Nana was supposed to have a Christmas to remember… but it just ended up turning into a goddamn soap opera.
However, she says she enjoyed every moment and that she will take that joy with her to the grave. She even joked that she would be telling my grandparents about that disastrous dinner for the rest of eternity when she finally reunites with them in heaven.
Honestly, I haven’t heard her laugh so much in a long time, and I’m glad my misery can at least bring her some happiness.
Now I can’t stop the smile that takes over my own face. I suppose maybe I will be able to look back on that dinner one day and laugh.
And I know exactly which Alphas I will be laughing with as I gaze down at the ornaments that they made for me.
A knock comes at my bedroom door, and I clear my throat, “Yes?"
Someone opens the door. It's my father, Richard. He wears a taut expression on his face, but what else is new?
“Hello, Noelle.”
Oh, no. Here it comes… the talk.
Someone whispers behind him, and I recognize my mother’s voice. I roll my eyes. “Come in, Dad.”
The stalwart Alpha freezes. Then he sighs, stepping into the room. He pulls out the chair from beneath my desk, the one where I used to do my homework, and takes his seat.
“How are you holding up?” he asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know. It wasn’t exactly the perfect Christmas I envisioned for my Nana.”
My father falls silent, running a hand through his beard. Then he sighs. “While I don’t condone the pack’s behavior, and that Frost…” he stops, shaking his head, “I don’t think Duke is the one for you. Noelle. I saw it in his eyes when Frost asked him who your favorite author was. It’s Emily Brontë. We all know that. Yet, he had no clue. He… doesn’t care about you.”
Now his words take me by surprise. I honestly thought he was going to push me toward Duke since he has never liked the Pack.
“Dad…” I whisper.
He meets my eyes, and for the first time since he returned home to Silverpine, my dad smiles. He was the reason why we all moved to New York in the first place. My other dads were more than happy to relocate when he got the job. My dad, Joel, even has a successful chain of bakeries, and my dad, Bernard, is a well-established accountant.
“And between you and me,” Dad whispers next. “I can’t stand Duke’s father. A brown noser if I ever saw one.”
Well, now I’m shocked. A laugh bursts from my lips. “What are you saying?”
Dad really looks me in the eyes now, and I know he’s remembering the nights I spent crying in my bedroom when we first got to New York.
“Go after them, Noelle. Don’t live with regrets.”
My eyes pop.
Then the tears drip down my face. My dad gets up from the chair and wraps his arms around me.
The door to my bedroom opens, and my other dads come in next. Now all three of them hold me.
My mom waits at the door, a tear dripping down her own cheek as she links arms with Nana. I think she’s still a little drunk from dinner.
“So, I have all three of your blessings?” I ask.
Richard, Joel, and Bernard Hale share a glance, and I can sense their thoughts through the bond.
After all, I am their child. I was always a part of the pack bond they shared with Mom. They were just always careful to block my connection whenever they spent time with her, and I’m grateful.
There are some things a kid should not be privy to where her parents are concerned.
Maybe my Alphas will do the same thing with our children one day in the future, too.
Duke laughs good-naturedly, leaning down to peck Nana on the cheek. When he’s not looking, Nana wipes her cheek, and I cover my eyes.
Could she be any more obvious in her disdain of him? Luckily for her, Duke is too much of a narcissist to notice.
He honestly thinks he’s God’s gift to all women and Omegas.
“So, have you opened my present yet?” Duke asks as he sits down on my right, throwing his arm on the back of the couch behind me.
My whole body tenses at his proximity, and I feel my Nana’s hawk-like eyes the whole time.
None of the Alphas of Pack Wynter has ever made me flinch. Yet, Duke makes me want to curl up into a ball like a pangolin.
“You… got me a gift?” I say through clenched teeth.
Duke smiles, pointing his hand beneath the tree. “I placed it down by the tree last night.”
“Oh,” I reply, not knowing what else to say. “I never got you anything.”
Duke chuckles. “That’s okay. Just seeing your face on Christmas is a gift, Noelle.”
My Nana pretends to throw up, and I throw her a pointed look. Once again, Duke doesn’t notice.
Maybe he’s not as big a ladies’ man as he thought after all.
“Well, go on. Open it, Noelle.”
“Yes, Noelle. Open your gift. The suspense is killing me…” Nana mocks.
I roll my eyes, leaning down beneath the tree to bring out his present. It’s a little blue bag, and there’s no mistaking what it’ll be.
And lo and behold—it’s a diamond necklace with a silver chain. One that costs more than your average American’s monthly wage.
As a matter of fact, it's the exact same necklace I’ve seen around the pretty, slender neck of one of his socialite friends at his latest soirée—Francesca, I think her name was. She always looked at me as if I were beneath her.
That’s why she’s the Other Woman in my latest novel. A tall, beautiful blonde New York socialite with a taste for the finer things.
I have a pretty good idea who got her the necklace; I bet Duke likes to give all his female companions the same necklace.
I smile through clenched teeth. “You shouldn’t have.”
I suppose I’m one to talk. Duke and I were never official, and I did spend my heat with three other Alphas.
But I guess I was just a part of Duke’s collection. Or his harem.
When I was still dating the pack years ago, their eyes never wandered. It was like all other women were invisible.
Because I was the only woman they needed.
“I’m glad you like it, Noelle. Here, let me put it on you.”
Now I freeze up like a deer in the headlights as the Alpha brushes the back of my neck. His hands feel so wrong—hands that are too soft and have never done an honest day’s work in their life.
“See? Beautiful, just like you,” Duke winks at me.
Again, I offer a tight smile. I can feel my Nana shaking her head across from me.
Mom comes into the living room next, wearing an apron. Her eyes expand when she sees the diamond around my neck. “Ooh, new necklace?”
“Yes. Duke got it for her,” Nana teases, eyeing me suspiciously.
She knows I hate it. And she is stopping at nothing to make me feel bad about it. She knows I am lying to myself.
Mom comes over to admire the necklace. “How lovely… Oh! Did you get the gift from the pack?”
My heart pounds.
Duke peers back and forth between Mom and me. “What pack?”
I glare at Mom. She stumbles, eyes widening in horror once she realizes her mistake. “The… the turkey’s burning!”
It's not. Dad has it all under control. She was just looking for an excuse to exit the room. Nana laughs, and I throw the older Omega a warning scowl.
I decide to be real with Duke. So, I meet his brown eyes. “My old pack, Duke… Before I left for New York.”
The Alpha freezes, and I think I hear a slight growl from his chest. But then he shakes his head, giving me that debonair smile again.
“Well, don’t keep us waiting,” he replies. “What did they get you?”
Confused, I peer at Nana. She shrugs, fiddling with her sewing needles. Well, this is awkward, and I would rather not do this with Duke present.
“I will open it later,” I say.
“No. Open it now, Noelle.” Duke’s eyes have lost all their shine, and he’s tense.
Is he threatened? He has never once addressed the text message that Frost sent, and it still strikes me as odd.
Nana looks as if she wants to stab Duke with one of her sewing needles. He was definitely trying to use an Alpha bark on me with that command just now.
You know what? I will open it. Maybe he can tell Francesa all about it when he goes back to New York.
Finally, I unwrap the gift, gasping when I spy the four Christmas tree ornaments.
It's me and the pack. But we’re older now. I’m wearing my pink coat, purple hat, and scarf, and Robin is in his suit and glasses. Shepard has his flannel shirt, and Frost has his tattoos and guitar.
It's us. As we are now. It’s symbolic of what we could be…
“What the devil is that?” Duke asks, horrified, when he sees the little ornaments.
I roll my eyes. He’s such an insufferable snob.
“That, young man, is the real way to win a woman’s heart. Unless you mined that diamond around my granddaughter’s neck yourself, shut up.”
Nana has that stabby look in her eyes again as she clutches her sewing needles. Duke loses all bravado now, and he appears genuinely terrified.
His face pales next, and the tan he got from his recent trip to Hawaii has long gone now.
I can’t stop staring at the ornaments as tears build up in my eyes. They made these just for me…
Just like the ones we made in kindergarten.
“Dinner’s finally ready,” Mom announces, popping her head through the door.
Oh, thank God. A distraction at last.
We haven’t even discussed seating arrangements, but one thing I know for certain. I will be sitting with Nana.
Duke doesn’t even offer to help me with Nana as I guide her to her feet. I mostly think it’s because he’s afraid of her as he gets up from the couch, joining my fathers in the kitchen.
The door knocks next, and Mom looks around at me. I get a sense of Déjà vu, and then my stomach drops.
No... Not now.
“Who on earth could that be at a time like this?” Mom says, answering the door.
I brace for the worst as I guide Nana down into her seat at the table. Just as I place a handkerchief around her neck, Mom steps into the living room. “You’ll never guess who has arrived,” she says.
I sigh as I take my seat next to Nana. “Santa?”
Mom squeezes her fists with glee, and she’s so goddamn clueless, it's adorable. “Even better!”
Finally, she steps out of the way, and my eyes land on the real versions of my new Christmas ornaments.
Duke tenses, and I hear my dad, Richard, offering him apologies. After all, he still likes Duke.
Honestly, I’m not even surprised anymore. It wouldn’t be Christmas without at least some drama.
Well, let the festivities begin.
36
Robin
Christmas over at Noelle’s grandmother’s house didn’t exactly go as planned.
We were supposed to win her back with a bold, romantic gesture, taking each of our fathers’ advice.
Yet, the last thing we expected to find was a strange Alpha sitting at the table with our Omega.
I can see why Frost sent that message now. Duke is not a good Alpha, especially for our Omega, and my instincts go on overdrive next as I try to maintain my decorum.
It’s a tense dinner indeed. Even Shepard can’t stop scowling at Duke.
And Frost… he does try. But any moment, he’s going to snap.
The moment we arrived, Duke changed seats, taking his place right beside Noelle. When he placed a slice of turkey onto her plate, I gripped my fork.
Bastard. That’s my job.
Poor Rebecca doesn’t know what to do with herself, and her Alphas offer her nothing but support. Joel pats her hand in comfort. Bernard pours her a glass of wine, and the Omega drinks it right away.
Richard, however, won’t stop scowling at the three of us. Shepard smiles at the stern Alpha, trying to offer him an olive branch, but Frost and I avoid eye contact.
He hates us. And I don’t blame him.
We broke his daughter’s heart twice. I bet we’re the last people he wanted at his mother-in-law's at Christmas.
But he can’t honestly prefer Duke to us, right? There’s just something about the smug Alpha that puts me on edge, and it’s not because he’s a rich douchebag.
The Alpha keeps glaring at the three of us, but only Frost meets his challenge. It’s not that Robin and I are afraid of Duke; we just want to show some respect at Noelle’s Nana’s house.
Duke smirks at Frost, reaching across to Noelle’s neck. He brushes a finger over the diamond pendant hanging from her silver necklace.
Frost growls, and Shepard mutters, “Cool it.”
Noelle flinches at Duke’s touch, and I can’t help but feel smug. Noelle’s Nana glares at Duke, and I can tell she hates him.
She’s worse than Frost. Every time he touches her, she looks as if she wants to grab her fork and stab him in the hand.
“So,” Duke drawls, addressing me and my brothers next. “The three of you own a lodge in Silverpine? How quaint.”
Frost growls yet again at his mocking tone, and I kick him under the table. “Yes. As a matter of fact, Duke, we do. We have nothing but five-star reviews.”
Duke purses his lips, gripping his wine glass. “That’s adorable. Yet it’s not as if it’s a five-star resort, right? I mean, do you even have a ski slope? Now that would be impressive.”
“Yeah, almost as impressive as Noelle’s diamond necklace,” Shepard cuts in.
Noelle glares at my brother next, and he stops right away. Then she looks at Duke. “Duke. That’s enough. Their lodge is beautiful. You’d be honored to be a guest there.”
“No. By all means, continue. All of you. I’m having a grand old time,” Nana chuckles.
“Mom,” Rebecca scolds.
“At least Duke never broke her heart twice,” Richard chimes in now.
Frost bares his teeth at the older Alpha. “Seriously, dude. If you’ve got something to say, just say it. Don’t keep us all in suspense.”
“Frost!” I scold now, looking across at Richard, Joel, and Bernard next. “Sorry, sirs. He didn’t mean that.”
“It’s all right, Robin,” Joel replies, softly. “Please excuse our pack brother, too. And Dick, take it easy. They’re just kids. We all made mistakes at that age.”
Yet Richard and Frost keep glaring at each other across the table. I put my knife and fork down—this is getting out of hand. “Frost. A word, please.”
Frost shakes his head, finally breaking eye contact with Richard. Now he glances at Duke. “I apologize, Richard. I may have broken your daughter’s heart twice, but that’s nothing compared to what this Alpha will put her through next.”
Duke shows his canines. “What the hell is that supposed to mean, punk?”
I roll my eyes. Here we go.
Frost smirks at Duke, showing his own canines. “Do you love her, Duke? Tell me now… and we'll leave."
Duke stammers, peering quickly at Noelle over on his right. The Omega covers her face in embarrassment. Her Nana, though, won’t stop giggling. She even has a glass of wine to celebrate.
The Alpha inhales through his nose, brushing his hands down his bespoke suit. “Maybe I do.”
Frost’s eyes glow as I grip his shoulder, trying to tug him away. “All right. Then who is her favorite author?” he asks.
Now Duke is totally stumped. So, he just names the first author from the top of his head, and even then, he can’t get that right. “The… the one who wrote those books about the wizards at that magical school. Obviously…”
No. Not even close.
It’s best we leave. We’ve long outstayed our welcome.
“Shepard,” I say.
The Alpha doesn’t have to be told twice. He finishes off his food and gets to his feet. Now we both start pulling Frost away.
But our stubborn brother pushes us off him. “No. We’re not the ones who should be leaving.”
Duke chuckles. “Well, that’s just too bad. Bye-bye now.”
“Frost,” I warn again. “It’s time to go.”
Yet Frost won’t budge. Duke leans across toward Noelle next, brushing her hair aside so he can kiss her neck.
Frost swoops in, yanking the Alpha by the scruff of his neck as he shoves him hard against the wall.
“Frost!” Noelle screams.
Nana cheers. “Yes! Knock the living snot out of him!”
Frost only has eyes for Duke, though, as he grips his silken ascot, almost choking the life from the Alpha. It looks like Duke is no match as he flinches in Frost’s grip. “N-not the face… please…”
“That’s enough!” Bernard steps in, breaking the Alphas apart. He glares at Frost. “It’s best you leave. You’re upsetting my family.”
Actually, Nana is overjoyed. It’s only his Omega and his daughter who look remotely distraught.
Noelle just palms her face. Rebecca has Joel pour her another glass of wine, and I think that is her fourth now.
“Frost,” I say again. “Let’s go.”
My brother scowls at Duke for a few moments longer. Then he rolls his eyes, stepping toward the door.
He doesn’t even wait for me and Shepard. Before we leave, I look at Noelle. “I’m sorry.”
But she just sighs, closing herself off to us at last. It looks as if we lost our third chance with her.
I offer my apologies to her family, then Duke, much to my chagrin, and then we finally leave.
What a Christmas this turned out to be after all.
37
Noelle
After that disastrous dinner, I went straight upstairs to stew alone in my bedroom for a while.
In the end, I told Duke that he should leave, too, as I just wanted to be alone.
So, the Alpha is now back on his way to New York. Will he call again? Who knows. But I have a feeling that this will be the last time I'll ever hear from him.
Nana was not at all upset to see the back of that Alpha.
Ugh. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Nana was supposed to have a Christmas to remember… but it just ended up turning into a goddamn soap opera.
However, she says she enjoyed every moment and that she will take that joy with her to the grave. She even joked that she would be telling my grandparents about that disastrous dinner for the rest of eternity when she finally reunites with them in heaven.
Honestly, I haven’t heard her laugh so much in a long time, and I’m glad my misery can at least bring her some happiness.
Now I can’t stop the smile that takes over my own face. I suppose maybe I will be able to look back on that dinner one day and laugh.
And I know exactly which Alphas I will be laughing with as I gaze down at the ornaments that they made for me.
A knock comes at my bedroom door, and I clear my throat, “Yes?"
Someone opens the door. It's my father, Richard. He wears a taut expression on his face, but what else is new?
“Hello, Noelle.”
Oh, no. Here it comes… the talk.
Someone whispers behind him, and I recognize my mother’s voice. I roll my eyes. “Come in, Dad.”
The stalwart Alpha freezes. Then he sighs, stepping into the room. He pulls out the chair from beneath my desk, the one where I used to do my homework, and takes his seat.
“How are you holding up?” he asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know. It wasn’t exactly the perfect Christmas I envisioned for my Nana.”
My father falls silent, running a hand through his beard. Then he sighs. “While I don’t condone the pack’s behavior, and that Frost…” he stops, shaking his head, “I don’t think Duke is the one for you. Noelle. I saw it in his eyes when Frost asked him who your favorite author was. It’s Emily Brontë. We all know that. Yet, he had no clue. He… doesn’t care about you.”
Now his words take me by surprise. I honestly thought he was going to push me toward Duke since he has never liked the Pack.
“Dad…” I whisper.
He meets my eyes, and for the first time since he returned home to Silverpine, my dad smiles. He was the reason why we all moved to New York in the first place. My other dads were more than happy to relocate when he got the job. My dad, Joel, even has a successful chain of bakeries, and my dad, Bernard, is a well-established accountant.
“And between you and me,” Dad whispers next. “I can’t stand Duke’s father. A brown noser if I ever saw one.”
Well, now I’m shocked. A laugh bursts from my lips. “What are you saying?”
Dad really looks me in the eyes now, and I know he’s remembering the nights I spent crying in my bedroom when we first got to New York.
“Go after them, Noelle. Don’t live with regrets.”
My eyes pop.
Then the tears drip down my face. My dad gets up from the chair and wraps his arms around me.
The door to my bedroom opens, and my other dads come in next. Now all three of them hold me.
My mom waits at the door, a tear dripping down her own cheek as she links arms with Nana. I think she’s still a little drunk from dinner.
“So, I have all three of your blessings?” I ask.
Richard, Joel, and Bernard Hale share a glance, and I can sense their thoughts through the bond.
After all, I am their child. I was always a part of the pack bond they shared with Mom. They were just always careful to block my connection whenever they spent time with her, and I’m grateful.
There are some things a kid should not be privy to where her parents are concerned.
Maybe my Alphas will do the same thing with our children one day in the future, too.
