"And that's okay," I said, smiling. "Because I don't need any other humans to accept me. I only need you, Angelo."
"Oh," he said in a tiny squeak. He took a long sip of his hot chocolate. "Um... Can I ask you something else?"
"Anything."
Angelo stared into his mug, tucking a strand of hair behind his pink ear. "About what happened... with the carolers..."
The memory came back like it was encased in ice, perfectly preserved for all time. Our first kiss. The one I'd run away after so foolishly.
"What about it?" I asked.
"It was... really nice," Angelo murmured. He watched the marshmallows float across the chocolatey liquid, not looking up at me. "I liked holding hands, too. But the kiss was..." He trailed off and went silent.
Gods, I wanted to throw our mugs aside, push Angelo down on the couch and kiss him until the sun came up. But I resisted my urges.
"It was perfect. That's what I thought," I replied softly.
Angelo's face shot up. His blue eyes were wide as he nodded slowly. "Yeah... That's how I felt, too."
My heart thumped hard enough to burst from my chest. Angelo was in my home, on my couch,right in front of me.It would be so easy to claim him—if that was what he wanted.
I reigned in my raging alpha instincts. Angelo had only just come in from the blizzard after a long day. He needed rest, not a fuzzy alpha crawling on top of him like a horny beast.
Thankfully the desire to care for Angelo was stronger than my lust. I got up to look through the windows. With the sun gone and the blizzard raging, all I saw was white.
"Sorry, Angelo," I said. "It's not safe for you to go home tonight. You'll have to stay here."
He laughed. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
My heart squeezed with affection. It made me so happy to hear that he wanted to stay of his own free will.
"Glad we're on the same page. Like I said earlier, make yourself at home. I've got food, a fireplace and plenty of Christmas movies, if you'd like to—"
"Christmas movies?" Angelo blurted out, nearly spilling hot chocolate all over himself. "Can wepleasehave a marathon? Every year I want to do it, but none of my friends love Christmas movies as much as me, so I have to do it alone and—" He stopped abruptly, looking embarrassed. "Wow, that makes me sound kinda sad, doesn't it?"
Grinning, I slid next to him on the couch. "No. It makes your friends sound boring. Who'd give up a movie marathon with you? And a Christmas one, no less."
My omega lit up like the little angel on top of the tree. He was absolutely glowing with joy.
"Thank you, Karl! You're the best ever!" he cried.
I'd never get tired of hearing that.
Seven
Angelo
I already knewthis was the best day of my life, but every time I thought it couldn't get any better, itdid.
Karl's secret was out in the open—and what a secret it was. I had no clue he was Krampus, though in hindsight the chains, leather and friendliness with reindeer should've been a hint.
Now I'd curled up beneath a warm blanket on his couch with a hot chocolate in one hand and my other hand in the shared popcorn bowl. The fireplace crackled pleasantly, and the lights on Karl's tree were all lit up, adding a festive glow to the living room. The buttery scent of popcorn mixed with the sweet hot chocolate was divine.
But there was another amazing scent—Karl's.
I had no clue why, but he smelledincredible.I hadn't noticed it as much while working together, since the outdoor air dampened it, but here on his couch, it was all I could think about. It was musky, alluring, a little spicy... like the best cologne. It made me secretly want to inch closer just to fill my lungs with it.
"You ready?" Karl asked.
