You know, it's never wise to tempt the devil
-Kristen Callihan

Sleeping peacefully has always been hard for me, some people take medicine others resign themselves to the fact they're a insomniac and let it happen, others fight it and sit in bed for hours on end. For me, I have Xavier.

He sleeps, constantly. Every night if we're not already doing something he passes out before midnight and takes forever to wake up in the morning, though some days he'll stay up to around 2 in the morning just to talk for me which is adorable -but his biting and complaining in the morning isn't.

Especially now with baby Alexander, Xavier wants to sleep whenever he can.

This morning we were both sleeping quite peacefully, having fallen asleep after drinking just enough to get tipsy and kicking the night off with good sex, the key words being 'we were'. 

But then my best friends and her not so angelic husband barged in with the crazy one screaming about the fact that it's Christmas Eve and how we had to play White Elephant.

Being in his overprotective-just-woke-up mode Xavier crushed me under him and the growl he gave off was so loud it shook the bed under us. That silenced Jessie for a good ten seconds, but then she threw my husband's discarded shirt at me and told me to put it on -which made him realize I'm completely naked and kicked them out of our room.

Since the twins and baby Celeste are staying with Aunt Faye and Uncle JJ I know that at least Calum will take care of Xander if he starts crying before we get out of our room.

Despite me protesting that they're gone, and I would have to take it off again just to actually get dressed the stupid Devil still slipped his shirt over my head and dressed me like a toddler because he 'wasn't going to take any chances at them seeing what's his.' 

Such a caveman, I swear.

But now we got a little cave baby, because my stupid Wolf boy's instincts were right.

"Xavier?" I call out, wanting to know where his pajama shirt is. He didn't wear it last night for obvious reasons and it will smell just like him, so I want it.

"Yeah?" His deep voice echos slightly and it's then I hear the shower going.

Walking into our bathroom, I'm glad it's conjoined to our room it makes things so much easier, I'm met with a cold atmosphere. "Ew Zay why do you always take cold showers?" I ask, shivering slightly. "This is like the time you made a snow devil with shorts on."

My husband groans, sticking his head out of the door to frown at me. "Don't call it that. I even gave it wings."

"You're the devil, a fallen angel, hence wings. You're stupider than you look if you didn't make that connection." Shutting the door, I start to brush my hair -there's no way with my curly ass hair that I'm getting in the shower without it brushes knowing how it will turn out anyway. "You better turn that water warm by the time I get in there."

He grunts in reply, but by the time I'm done brushing steam is already brushing the ceiling.

I step into the shower, squealing as the water hits me but giggle as I see the Devil's exasperated look. "Is it too hot or something?" He goes to reach pass me but I swat at his arm before wrapping it around myself making him growl and instantly take to holding my waist.

Though I worked hard for it, the baby fat seemed to melt off me while it stayed on Jesse for a while, I'm proud of myself. Xander was healthy, coming out at 6 pounds 3 ounces and 21 inches long. He was one of the healthiest babies in the hospital, the nurse had said. He was able to leave after only a day of observation, but because it was so hard on my 'tiny' body the doctors kept me for three days. My husband, of course, refused to go home.

"Princess are you going to just stand there, or did you get in the shower to do something?" He grumbles, thumbs running up my side. "What are you thinking of?"

"You and how you need to stop sexing me up so we stop wanting to take showers in the morning." I say, more like scold making Xavier roll his eyes and bite his lip but still reach behind me to grab the shampoo and put some in my hair -all while I look at him with a pout. "I'm intimidating, fear me."

Then my Wolf boy's booming laughter echos around our entire bathroom and he clutches his stomach and his face disappears into my neck. "The only time I've even been afraid around you is for you. You're my baby mama Emma, I couldn't be intimidated by you for a second." His lips kiss across my neck, onto my collar bone, between the valley of my breasts and finally onto my stomach -in a sort of thanks. "I love you."

"I love you too, now come on, let's hurry up and hope that Cal doesn't let Jessie hype Xander up on syrup and chocolate milk this early in the morning."

Because Xavier kept messing around and tried to get me to get all the soap out of his hair without being over at all it's nearly half an hour later that we get out.

Hopefully Alexander isn't already loosing his mind.

I get dressed stealthily, as I put on white leggings and my husband's old soccer jersey. I made him keep for the sole purpose of being able to wear it around town and see the reactions they have when they read his name and jersey number- -66, iconic, right- -and then see my pregnant belly and stay away from me. It also makes for a great pajama shirt.

But he doesn't like me wearing it because it 'distracts him' and 'reminds him of all the assholes on the team' yet I still wear it.

"Ready Princ- oh fuck that." Is the Devil's first comment, his lip pulls up to show off his sharp teeth but I merely shrug. He doesn't have permission, he won't do shit. 

"Come on Zay! They're waiting for us?" I walk away without looking back, but quickly have to run back to the guest room where Xavier wrapped everything and get both of the presents for White Elephant.

One of them is a super fluffy grey blanket and the other is a gift card for Starbucks seeing as the other couple is in love with that place.

The Devil secretly likes Starbucks too.

Bah.

Caffeine freaks.

When I walk into the kitchen it's a welcomed sight, as Xancer is balanced on his dad's broad shoulder and holding one of his hands while he watches the older Wolf make waffles.

Xavier never was able to make my pancakes right, so he started making waffles. Though they're just pancakes with abs, he likes to point out he's good at making them because he has abs and I don't.

Stupid Wolf boy.

But it absolutely kills me when our son gives out a cute little baby laugh a grabs his dad's classic black hair, liking how Xavier has to flip them.

My husband is shirtless and is wearing sweatpants with no socks, our little Wolf man is dressed in a onesie that his dad got custom made as his honorary first dad joke.

Which of course made Jessamine ask: "Why does Xander's shirt say Groceries?"

"Because," The Devil smirks, and it's feral. "They're what you get from carts, and we got our very one Carter right here. Isn't that right, Princess?"

Xavier walks over to me, bending down to give me a quick peck and then dropping even lower to get our devil spawn to do the same.

"Aw!" The crazy blonde squeals, making me flinch at the sound. "That was so adorable, how are y'all still my OTP after all these years?"

"Sheer dumb luck?" I say, and realize who I quoted due to the Harry Potter series I'm rewatching with Alexander.

"Who else is coming to this crap show anyway?" Xavier asks, not cussing around the baby. "Your cousin?"

"And my brother and cousin." Jessie pipes in, smiling a little too merrily.

This causes me to squeal as loud as she does, something my husband clearly didn't expect to happen as takes a small step back. "Nolan's coming? This is awesome! I haven't seen him since the wedding, why did he have to move? Whatever, I'm so happy. Is Joel-" His fiance and co-parent. "-going to be there?"

"I don't like this. He flirted with you as you were walking up to the altar to marry me and still had the audacity to ask to be the god father." Xavier instantly takes to grumbling, moving Xander to his chest where he curls up resting on his dad's massive hand. "I don't like how he touches you either."

"He's gay Devil," Jessamine, who saw this as the perfect opportunity to annoy him. "Are you scared he can f-"

My Wolf boy growls, cutting her off with a sharp glare. "Finish that sentence without ending up with a face full of snow half way down my drive way. I dare you."

"I'm more of a truth person anyway." She squeaks, hiding behind her husband slightly. Being a mother has only made her more chaotic somehow, it unleashed a power we didn't know she had.

It just made me tired.

"No Dada," Xander is suddenly reaching up to grab onto his dad's shirt, batting his eyelashes at him. "Nice."

Alexander is an adorable baby, having my grey eyes and his dad's black hair and skin, he is already quite the heart snatcher. He can just look at someone and get exactly what he wants.

Lord help me if we have a girl.

"Okay buddy," Xavier agrees, kissing our son's head. "We won't throw Aunt Jess out in the snow. We can do it in the pond."

At first I was happy, but now I'm just disappointed but Cal sure found it funny. Xander burst out laughing, not really understanding it but understanding the hidden amusement in his dad's tone enough to be able to laugh.

I love my family.

I hate my family.

White Elephant just started and Nolan won't stop flirting with me just to make Xavier mad, all while holding the baby which only makes it worse.

Johann could care less, and I think he knows his partner is just goofing around to piss the Devil off. Joel is one cool dude. Their son, Atticus, is also with Uncle James and Fairy for the day, so Xander is the only baby around.

We all rolled to see what order we pick in, and I'm last meaning I'll get last dips on any gift.

Poor Julian, not really, has to go first followed by the Angel, then Cameron, then Xavier, then Jessie, then Joel, then Nolan and finally me.

This is going to get hectic, pretty much all due to the Thatchs.

And now, that one crazy Hilton.

"Uh...oh!" Julian finds the Starbucks gift card, which is unfortunate because Jessie will probably cut someone over it. "This is mine."

I wouldn't be so sure.

Callum picks the giant glow in the dark moon orb, one I know the Feral Wolf beside me will be taking to follow his instincts and submit to nature.

Cameron snatches the $200 gift card from Julian, which made the grown man have a two minute mental breakdown before making Cam beat him in a Rock, Paper, Sissors match to give it up. In return Julian got the blanket, something I will be taking.

Xavier stands before taking the moon from his best friend and his son from Nolan before sitting down, placing Alexander on the couch cousin between us.

"Following the wolf pack, eh?" Cal jokes while picking the $100 Barnes and Noble gift card. The Angel likes to read too.

"Something like that." Xavier grumbles in return.

The entire time my husband was up and walking I could see Jessamine's leg bouncing and the way her eyes turned murderous while looking at my cousin.

Sometimes I'm afraid of my bestie.

Other times I remember how I've seen her run up stairs in hells while drinking a whole bottle tequila and then wake up without a hangover and then I'm not just scared, I'm terrified.

Then I remember she's cried over a commercial for ice cream because she saw a kitten that was "Too cute to be alive!" and I'm not afraid anymore.

"CAMERON SILAS CARTER GIVE ME THAT STARBUCKS CARD!" Jessie screams, startling Xander so bad that he instantly bursts into tears.

Xavier growls at them, but that doesn't stop the two from wrestling onto the floor and accidentally kicking Joel.

I pick up my son, holding him against me while he starts to sob, holding tightly to me. I glare at the two on the floor, as I would be okay with them kicking Nolan I'm no where near okay with them kicking Johann.

"I said stop!" My Wolf boy snarls, reaching down and plucking the crazy and the idiot from the floor like they weigh nothing and nearly lifting them off their feet as he spins them to face me. "My son is crying, my wife is mad and the only other sane one got hurt so stop arguing. Cameron you lost the card that's how this game works, give it up. Jessamine, due to Xander's explicit orders, I will throw you in the pond. So stop trying to fight people, you're a grown woman with three children and a husband. Act like it."

"Okay, okay I'll behave!" Jessie says, struggling to get out of Xavier's iron grip and failing. He won't hurt her, but there's no way she's leaving without him letting her. "Now let go."

"Yeah, let go."

"Fine." Xavier grumbles, dropping them without a care and glances to Johann. "You good?"

"Used to it." Joel says, shrugging with a arm around his now pouting fiance.

"Emmeline, can I hold Xander?" Is my husband's next question.

Another weird thing I got from being a mother other then lack of sleep, is questions like this. If I'm already interacting with Alexander then Xavier won't do anything to disturb that at all, even if he probably should or it wouldn't be a bother, or even helpful.

He's asked if he could change a diaper for me instead of just doing it instead.

This man and permission, I swear.

"Of course." I giggle, letting Xavier pull Xander into his own chest and soothe him almost instantly into being quiet. "He wasn't actually sad," I gasp. "He just wanted your attention."

"Not a Mama's Boy anymore, huh little guy?" Xavier asks, bouncing our son slightly. "Who's turn now that stupidity is out of the way?"

"Just for the record Zay that stupidity is my wife and the mother of my children." Callum says like that will change something.

"The record doesn't care." Is Xavier's blunt reply.

Called that one.

Joel says it's his turn, and takes the giant Hershey's kiss, causing Nol to kiss him.

At this I wrinkle my nose, "No PDA."

"If you're aloud to have your love child I'm my glorious presence then I'm aloud to kiss my baby daddy while we pretend you don't want to be him, okay Em?" Nolan smoothly responds, his gay voice showing through his sass.

"Whatever." I say and roll my eyes. "It is your turn dude, just go."

"Okay...Pikachu, I choose you!" Nolan explains, grabbing the fluffy black blanket making me and Joel share a look of mockery towards the Thatch cousin.

"Well Nol get prepared because my Moltres just beat up Pikachu and I'm taking that blanket." I say smugly, snickering as I watch his jaw drop.

"No! My love, how could you wound me so?" Dramatically falling to the floor, Nol clutches the blanket to him. "I won't give up, there's no way a midget like you is strong enough to even get this from me. Fight me-"

Without missing a beat Xavier, while still holding Alexander in one hand, simply pries the blanket that he picked at the store from Nolan and hands it to me. I squeal and hug it, grinning at my husband. "Thanks!"

"Welcome." The Devil says, winking at me with his usual smirk. Xander follows suit and tries to wink at me but ends up just blinking adorable with wide eyes. I squeal at this, and his dad chuckles. "He's going to be a heart breaker."

"Definitely." I agree, turning back to Nolan when a strangeled sob comes from him.

"-loser." He finishes off, making everyone besides his fiance crack up.

Lame people.

Bah.

"Well," I giggle. "This has definitely been the most interesting Christmas Eve I've had."

"Nah," Xavier says, a grin on his face that lights up his blue eyes. Maybe that's how he smiles and a I've just missed it this whole time, his eyes. "I remember one Christmas Eve where we-"

"Aha, that's a -that's a real funny story, isn't it? Real interesting to hear when we're alone." I shoot him a look, but the Devil simply bites his lip and shrugs.

Clearly there will be more to it than this.