I explain to Anya through our bond what that would mean, and her almost dry eyes glisten once more. We turn to him and nod.
“I . . . I wasn’t sure if shifters got married, so we hadn’t really talked about all of this.” Anya breaks the silence, so I explain.
“A lot don’t. The bond is stronger than anymarriagebut some of the ones in more public positions, or like my case their mates are human and want to get married, they do.”
She nods, still entranced by her ring. “I never really dreamed of a wedding like most girls. I didn’t have a father figure that made me want that for myself, but here, now, with all of you... I couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas present.”
The day continues, doing everything I had planned, but it was all so much better than I anticipated as a result of my spontaneous proposal. I had a whole Christmas Eve plan in place, but I was busting at the seams and just couldn’t wait another minute after she said she wanted to live here.
We made Christmas sugar cookies and Mam even dug out a cookie cutter that looked like a diamond ring, and we made a batch of those.
Anya video-called Carrie to tell her and show her the ring. I asked if she wanted to tell the team, but she said she’d rather tell them all in person. Who knew her and Carrie would become so close?
We spent the rest of the day lounging in front of a steadily burning fire, bingeing Christmas movies and hot cocoa.
1 Day Until Christmas
44
Anya
There are so many emotions scrambling my brain I can’t sort them straight anymore. The main one being my nervous excitement to surprise Kodi tomorrow. Carrie helped me find the perfect gift when we were shopping and was just . . . she was the real MVP of the whole thing, honestly.
I don’t know what I would have done without her. I miss her already, and that’s so weird for me because I’ve never had an attachment to another girl like this, and I definitely didn’t expectit to come in the form of the girl my mate—now fiancé—used to mess around with, but here we are.
Now, Kodi and I are working together to wrap the presents we bought his parents and put them under the tree with everything else already resting there. Carrie gave me some professional present wrapping tips. Kodi’s mad it’s my first time and all mine look better than his.
We’re wearing the matching Christmas pajamas that Kodi got us as part of a new Christmas tradition that’s all ours.
His parents’ sitting room couldn’t look any more like a Christmas commercial than it does right now.
I thought I hated Christmas; it turns out I just hated being alone and feeling unloved.
Kodi has taken my life and completely turned it on its end. I don’t even recognize the old version of Anastasia Greene anymore, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I also managed to call the hockey scout while I was out with Carrie and let them know I would have to decline their offer at this time. Hockey isn’t my whole life anymore and while I love the sport and everything that’s come from playing it, I want to find out what else there is in this life to love when the doors and windows are wide open.
The thought reminds me that when winter break ends, I’ll have to leave this magical place to finish college, and that kind of sucks. I already know I’ll miss it every minute that I’m away. It’s a piece of me now. But it will give me time to finish school, graduate, and make a plan.
We’ve talked about our future a little bit, but there are definitely more in-depth conversations and planning that needs to happen. All of that can wait until we get back to Phoenix andthe rest of the real world, though. For now, we’ll just enjoy every enchanted moment we can.
Christmas Day
45
Kodi
It’s me. I’m the one running around like a small kid on Christmas morning to wake everyone in the house and start the coffee pot. Sure, we’re all adults and could theoretically sleep in today, but the sun is up, so I am up.
Mam makes it down the stairs first, with her grey-streaked hair neatly clipped to the back of her head, her plush red robe wrapped around her, matching slippers on her feet, and her classic, soft smile on her face.
Father is next, lumbering down the stairs in his shiny red Christmas pajamas with Santa embroidered over his heart. He rubs the sleep from his eyes as he yawns, then stretches his arms above his head, making a beeline for the coffee that’s almost done brewing.
As if having a secret coffee detection system, as soon as Mam hands me my mug of coffee and one for Anya, her cute, little sleepy face appears at the top of the stairs.
“Merry Christmas!” I yell, Mam sings, and Father bellows.
She chuckles as she takes gentle steps down the stairs, her eyes never leaving mine. I meet her at the bottom with her coffee which she snatches up and holds close. She looks so cute when she’s all disheveled in the morning. Her sleepy eyes, pinkish cheeks, and freckles warm my heart.
