Then he stopped in front of a tiny Christmas cottage. I read the sign and burst out laughing.
Pictures with Santa.
He grinned. “We might have to come back with the whole pack. Mom would eat that up. But this one? This is for you. A tradition you likely missed out on.”
Unable to contain my excitement, I practically bounced inside. He was absolutely right. I never got to do the whole ‘pictures with Santa’ thing. It was beneath us according to Mom.
Mrs. Claus greeted us as we stepped into the warm space. She had a bright smile and stark white har that was braided on top of her head. Her frilly, red apron and striped dress were as adorable as she was.
“Just the two of you?”
“Yes,” Cole started, but I shook my head. “I want at least one with both of us if that’s possible?”
“Whatever you’d like, omega,” he said with a grin and shake of his head.
“That’s the right answer,” Santa boomed, letting out a heartyho ho ho.
Mrs. Claus winked and ushered me over to Santa’s knee.
I hesitated for half a second, but Cole looked unbothered, so I sat. He was radiating warm grandfatherly vibes, at least.
“Smile for the camera!” Mrs. Claus chirped.
I beamed, a genuine, bright,happysmile I hadn’t felt in ages.
She snapped a picture before Cole joined us. Santa patted his other knee, and Cole sat, bracing a hand on the back of the chair to keep most of his weight off the old man.
We stood the moment she snapped the picture. Mrs. Claus disappeared to develop the photos.
“I think this is the part where you tell Santa what you want for Christmas,” Santa said, smiling up at us. He was one of the best Santas I’d seen. His hair was just as white as hers and he had a full, fluffy beard. He was wearing a christmas sweater and had red cheeks and little gold rimmed glasses.
“A pack,” I said softly, looking at Cole.
“I think I want the same,” he whispered, cupping my cheek and giving me a gentle kiss.
“I think that’s a promise Santa can keep,” Santa chuckled.
My cheeks burned. We’d just kissed in front of Santa Claus. That had to land us on the naughty list.
Mrs. Claus returned with an envelope, saving me from my worries. She handed it over with a smile while Cole handed her the money to cover the pictures.
I opened it immediately. The photo of me alone was adorable. But the one of Cole and me together, sitting on Santa’s lap, smiling like idiots, filled me with pure warmth.
Cole had thought about something I might’ve missed out on as a kid, and he’d brought me here. When I wanted him to join, he did without hesitation and no making me feel bad.
This alpha made me feel like the most precious omega in the world.
North
Iwoke up surrounded by warmth. It took a few seconds for my brain to come back online and realize it was Jack next to me. When I came home from the bakery, I thought things might be awkward or that Jack would see me come home desperate and think,wow, this is not what I want for my life.
I was so happy to be wrong.
He was just as desperate and got me off more than once before we finally passed out. Today, we’d work on being a pack and getting to know our omega, but last night was for us.
For me.
“You’re like a furnace,” Jack complained as he rolled over. Even though he protested, he pulled me close again, nuzzling his nose into my back.
