Everyone was rigid. We didn't move, our bodies were to tense and frozen to do anything other than blink and breathe.

Nobody spoke for several long seconds. My mom continued to eat, the only sound in the room was her silverware hitting the plate.

I tried to see Arlis's reaction but he was facing too forward and I was scared to turn to my head to him.

"You think I'd be just okay with any man taking my daughter? No no no. But Alpha Arlis Barron? And his mate, my daughter. I trust you." She was acting like none of this was spooky. She just kept on eating her dinner while the rest of us looked like deers caught in headlights.

"H— how did you know that?" Dalia asked, the first of us to speak.

Mom rose one eyebrow. "Because I'm Linda, maiden name Partain."

"No." Anthony's fork dropped onto the floor and he made no attempt to pick it up.

"She had one sister." Iris said.

What the fuck is going on? Who's she? What the hell. I'm so lost. I'm in the desert without a map.

"Who had two kids. My cousin is Becker, if he were here he'd greet me like an old friend." Mom stabbed her turkey. "I'm surprised none of you recognize her." Mom pointed at me with her turkey fork.

I recoiled back. "Mom, I'm out of the loop. What the hell is going on on?"

"Your mom is Sisca Partain?" Arlis asked.

Sisca? Sisca who? My mom's parents are dead. I've seen their graves and my grandmother's name was not Sisca. It was Cassi.

Mom nodded however, sighing. "Yeah. I might've disowned her and all. I didn't want to be a witch. I didn't want to subjugate my children to that life. I had human blood put in Chance and Kadelyn." She rolled her shoulders back. "Have none of you seen Kate?"

I stood up from my chair, knocking it over. "Mom!? You explain things without rhetorical questions. I want answers now. What are you talking about!?"

Mom stood up too, just as angry. Her chair didn't knock over though, and somehow she made the movement seem more fluid. "Becker called me, asking why some girl who looks just like his mom is mated to Arlis and I had to explain. Oh, that's not Polyphema that's my daughter. Who yeah, is related to her. Polyphema is your great Aunt, and you take after her looks in near perfection." Mom explained.

She reached inside her pant pockets and took out a photograph of a woman who sort of looked like my mom— my grandma I suppose— and a woman who looked just like me. "That's Polyphema."

Iris and the others looked back and forth from the picture to me, back and forth back and forth.

"Oh. Okay cool." Arlis went back to his food. "Everything makes sense now."

I widened my eyes and picked my chair back up, sitting back down. "No. Nothing makes sense. Am I a witch? Becker is my second cousin? Why are you just now telling me this? Mom!"

Arlis cleared his throat. "Okay not for you, but things make sense to me. When Becker was drunk and was saying, "you're dead. You died." The fact that you, not you, called Konrad husband in my vision. I'm fine. I'm learning things."

I huffed out a deep breath. "Mom?"

"No. You're not a witch. I'm assuming Arlis bit you so you'll be a full blood werewolf. Becker is your second cousin. I didn't want you to ever know." Mom said plain out and simple.

I was practically ripping out my hair at this point. "Mom!" I yelled.

Chance was silent this whole time, looking at his food with a loss of appetite. All this was crashing down on him too. He barely knew what any of it meant. He was probably more loss than I was. And that was saying something because I was pretty beyond finding.

I licked my lips and wiped my eyes, massaging my temples. "I'm guessing you know about the whole Konrad thing?"

Mom nodded her head ruefully. "I thought you were safer here. Konrad has tried to talk to me and every time he's been pushed away and shot at by your father."

That explains the shotgun.

Iris chuckled. "I like you."

"I really like you too." Mom laughed. "And I'm okay with everything you're doing Arlis, but please... don't let my daughter get hurt."

Arlis looked at me and kissed my head. "I promise. Her life is more important than mine."

"And with that... where's my grandchildren?" Mom asked, and the whole table except Iris groaned.

"I really like you!" Iris yelled and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.

We all laughed and continued on with dinner, a lot more openly and happily

***

"Are you sure you can get home safely?" I asked mom for the hundredth time.

Mom rolled her eyes at me and hugged me close to her. She pulled back and looked me in the eyes, mom to daughter. "Please don't get hurt. Don't let that boy walk all over you. Take care of your brother. Call me if you need anything." She kissed my forehead.

I hugged her one more time, throwing myself into her arms. "I love you. Thank you. For being my mom."

She squeezed me. "I love you too. Thank you for being my daughter." We pulled away and she looked to Arlis, who was casually leaning against the wall. "Come here." Mom held her arms open.

He wrapped her in a hug and then smiled when they broke apart. "Thanks for trusting me with your daughter."

"It is CHRISTMAS! Not thanksgiving! As long as you invite me to the wedding, you can keep her." She scolded, slapping his arm.

As she said the holiday, I realized that for the first time in my life I skipped it. I guess werewolves didn't celebrate Thanksgiving.

He smiled and bobbed his head up and down. "Will do."

We said our goodbyes with my dad who, knew some of the context of the conversations at dinner but didn't care. He was here for food.

Chance said his own goodbyes, to our parents. He had decided that he was going to stay here with me and the pack. Whether it was because he was worried about me or himself, I had no idea.

Chance shut the door and stretched his arms up, giving me a tired look. "I'm tuckered out." He started his way up stairs.

I chortled at his use of "tuckered out" and nodded back. I pulled my hair out of my face and shoved it into a loose bun, one that I knew wouldn't stay up.

"Hey Chance!" Arlis yelled.

Chance looked down at us from the staircase. "Yeah?"

Arlis through up a set of keys to Chance, who, caught them in his palm. "About a five minute walk down the road on the left. There's an empty one bedroom house. Feel free to take it."

Chance's face lit up with excitement. "Really!?"

Arlis nodded. "Furnished and everything. Merry Christmas!"

Chance bounded down the stairs and ran to the door. "See you guys tomorrow!?" He asked.

We nodded back, waving our hands. "See you tomorrow."

I let all my weight carry me down. "What about the girls and Lilly's little brother?"

He looked at the door. "Melloni has them."

O Holy Night by Céline Dion started softly over the speakers in the house, spreading heat through the already warm atmosphere.

Arlis grabbed my hand and kissed my palm softly, grabbing my hips and swaying slightly to the music.

Our foreheads rested against each other, our breaths fanning each other's cheeks.

I peeked up at him through my lashes, seeing his closed eyes.

I love you, Kate.

"I love you too." I said, wrapping my arms around his neck.

Arlis looked up suddenly and widened his eyes. "I didn't say that!" He yelled happily.

I backed up. "What? What?"

"I like, mind linked you!" He said, picking me up by my hips and spinning me around in a circle before kissing me roughly and setting me back down.

I was geared up and excited but I didn't know why. I felt like a little Pomeranian puppy, happy because its owner is happy. "I'm confused but YAY!"

"Werewolves can mind link. Because we can't talk in our wolf form. So we have other means of communication. That's why we don't really have cell phones. BABE YOU CAN DO THAT NOW!" He yelled and kissed me again.

I kissed him back, my skin broiling by the touch of his. "Yay!?" I questioned.

"YES, YAY!" He yelled and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder and spinning in a circle. "My fiancé can mind link, my baby girl is almost fully a werewolf!" He sang. I laughed as he set me down on the staircase.

I kissed his cheek. "Arlis, it's no big deal."

"Kate, this is a huge deal! Do it again. Ooh, scare Jonah with it." He smiled maliciously. "We'll have to wait to teach you that, never mind." He noted sadly. "BUT WE CAN DO IT!"

I felt so light and airy inside. All I saw was his smile and I saw my love, my hope, happy and bright and it made me feel good.

You can hear me? He asked excitedly.

Yes. I can hear. I replied, lame and boringly.

He placed his hands on my cheeks. "This is a good day."

I slapped his hands away lightly. "You're right, it is a good day."

He picked me up and carried me up the stairs. "Come on, I got one more present."

I tilted my head. "How could you possibly have one more present." My mind went to something more... naughty than nice and I shivered. That wasn't it. Surely it wasn't it.

He turned on the lights and there was nothing off about the room. Was he hiding it?

I rolled my eyes. "Theres nothing—"

I was cut off by his arms wrapping around me and turning me to face him. "Mmm... merry Christmas."

He kissed my neck and I shuddered, flames igniting down my body. He brushed my hair back and picked me up by my hips, kissing my cheek as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I'm not really tired, but if you are... we can go to sleep." He said, moving away from me and running a hand through his hair.

I didn't say anything, just took two quick steps too him and wrapped him in an entangling kiss, all my passion and all my heat wafting off of me in pounds of emotions.

He put his hands on my lower back, his thumb tracing under my shirt. His kiss was hungry and finite, deadly captivating from every millisecond of our mouths moving in sync.

He pushed us backwards and in little to no time I was laying back on the bed, him above me.

I tugged off his shirt and he kissed down my stomach line, biting the hemming of my jeans. He slid his hands up me, under my shirt, to my back. He unclasped my bra and slid his hands out.

In a single, fluid, motion, my top and bra was off.

I didn't feel ashamed like I had before. I didn't feel vulnerable and belittled with him. I didn't feel... guilty. This felt right, it was comfortable and open.

He nipped at my neck, drawing kisses across my collar bone. I sat up and wrapped my legs around him.

He stood up and got on the bed, laying me down on the blankets and my head on the pillow.

Time stopped about there, when he became not just a want but a need, a necessity. When my body craved him like oxygen. When suddenly my hunger could only be filled by him, when my thirst could only be quenched by him. When everything was about him.

My head rushed and my stomach fluttered as he stripped my pants off near expertly, leaving me in a single strip of fabric— underwear.

I sat up and was on top of him, where I could pull of his in all my amateur, with slight experience, glory.

I kissed down his chest, stopping at his boxer line, and then slid slowly back up him.

He smirked as he brought our lips back together, grabbing my hips and rocking his body into mine.

He flipped us back so he was on top, pressing me too him with no effort due to the fact that I was arching into him, his length pressed in between my thighs.

And we slipped off the last pieces of fabric between us, leaving us in our pure natural form.

***

I woke up eventually, tangled in sheets with my legs sore. I smiled and breathed in the scent of Arlis's pillow.

"Who knows, maybe I will need that wheelchair." I laughed, putting my hand to the side to feel Arlis.

Only... my hand met nothing but bed.

I sat up and stretched, yawning as my eyes closed. "Arlis!" I yelled, smiling. "You better not be taking a shower without me."

I moved the blankets off from on top of me and walked to the dresser to put some clothes on and then left the bedroom. I didn't hear the shower going and so I figured he might've been downstairs, cooking.

I piddle paddled down the steps and looked in the empty kitchen, surprised to find no one there.

I looked to the couch and, again, found no one. My eyes darted to the open door of the bathroom, no one.

I panicked for a second and then relaxed. He was probably grabbing the kids from Melloni's. 

I walked to the door and snatched up a jacket before heading outside, the cool breeze not affecting me as much as I thought it would. It was still freezing, don't get me wrong, but it was a little more... bearable.

I trekked along the familiar pathway road down to the smaller paths that lead through the rest of the pack.

I made my way to the day care and knocked on it.

It took a while before anyone answered and when they did i instantly regretted it.

"What the hell are you doing? It's 8am?" Jonah asked, blocking the sunrise from his eyes.

I took a step back, biting my lip. "I'm sorry I... thought Arlis was here." I said.

Jonah gave me a weird face. "Arlis? Up before 8am? Yeah right." He slammed the door in my face. I went to knock again but realized there was no point. He wasn't here.

I walked further down the path, passing cabins with quiet yards, houses with kids playing in the snow. A little girl brought me a snowball and asked me to throw it at her brother, which I did so but very lightly.

I was starting to get a little nervous until it hit me. The pack house. His office.

I felt stupid as I walked into the pack house. He was here and I was dumb for thinking otherwise. He probably has business work to do from stuff he didn't get to do yesterday.

I walked into the house, Christmas decorations still strung up every where. Kids wandered through the house playing with brand new toys.

Adults sat on couches and waved when they saw me. I waved back and smiled, wishing them a late merry Christmas before continuing on my way to Arlis's office.

When I finally made it to the grand mahogany door I froze before knocking. I was past that. I opened the door and my heart rose a beat when I saw the top of someone's head in the seat, facing out toward the window.

"You're here." I said at the same as the person in the chair spun to face me. "Chleo?"

It wasn't Arlis.

Chleo waved at me. "Uh, yeah. Where Arlis, he's late. We have to go over paperwork again, someone found their mate last night." He began tapping his hand on the table.

I frowned. "I'm not sure, I woke up and he was gone."

Chleo tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

I widened my eyes. "Exactly that. I checked the daycare and here."

"And you didn't find him anywhere?" Chleo asked. He hummed for a second. "Probably hungry. He got laid last night so he probably woke up and went hunting. Or hiding from paperwork. He tends to do that. Do you want me to mind link him?"

I put my hand on my hip and gave him the stink eye. "And how do you know that?"

Chleo laughed and pinched his nose. "I can smell it!" He said and then leaned back in the chair, guffawing.

I huffed out. Stupid werewolves. "I can mind link him. Or I can try. I did it last night."

"But you won't get anything back." It was a deep, mellifluous voice that spread through the air like honey.

I froze and Chleo looked at me with worried, wide eyes.

A hand brushed my hair to the side. "Hickies. You know, those are actually gross? Someone sucking on your skin so it pulls blood up and creates a bruise?" The hand traced my jawline. "Sweet sweet Kadelyn. Arlis hasn't mentioned your name once since I took this morning."

Konrad materialized in front of me, his red hair glinting in the sunlight sprouting through the window.

"Where is he!?" I yelled.

Konrad snapped his fingers and Arlis appeared from nowhere, falling into the ground. He looked up at me, his eyes red from crying. Cuts and scratches ran up and down his arms. Chains bound his wrists together.

"Kadelyn." He muttered out.

"Oh shut the fuck up." Konrad kicked Arlis over onto his back. "Nobody cares about your stupid fucking mutt love."

Chleo rushed towards Konrad. Konrad spoke something in Latin, a language I barely even recognized, and black smoke poured from his hands and onto Chleo. Ropes of black wrapped themselves around Chleo's arms, pulling him down onto the ground.

Chleo screamed and his skin started bleeding from different pores.

"Stop!" I yelled.

Konrad looked at me sweetly. "You look so much like your great aunt. Might have to kill you just like her too." Konrad ran at me and I had no choice but to run back. I ran to the door but found that it had slammed shut, and locked itself into place.

He pushed me against the wall, his forearm over my chest. My sight found Arlis, who was crawling to me weakly.

Chleo was writhing on the ground, the black smoke burning his skin.

"Take me instead." I said, looking into Konrad's blue eyes. Wasn't I his weakness? Isn't that what Arlis said?

Konrad smiled with bright white teeth. "That can be arranged." I waited for my world to warp away but it never did. "Sadly, I'm to lazy to work around my plans."

He had a knife in his hand and he raised it up, to bring it back down. It would've hit my heart but a not so fluffy brown wolf tackled Konrad.

Konrad stood up and looked at the smaller wolf.

"Not a Barron... but definitely close enough." He seethed.

The wolf barked back, it's familiar brown eyes full of menace. Melloni?

The wolf ran forward, quicker than even Arlis it seemed, and bit onto Konrad's leg.

Konrad bent down and placed his hand on the wolf's back. "Obcillo." He said and something broke in the wolf as it slumped to the ground, crying out and whining as it made eye contact with me.

A large blonde and white wolf came in through the hole that the other wolf had crashed through.

Konrad raised his arm up, yelled a foreign word, and then through his hand down. The blonde would floated up and then smacked against the ground.

Konrad stumbled to me, the knife still in hand. "Hey Arlis, watch this." Konrad stabbed the knife through my stomach and all I felt was instant pain and burning and freezing in my body that I couldn't even scream.

I slumped to the ground, placing my hand over my stomach.

"NO!" Arlis screamed, using his last strength to get up onto his knees. He fell to me, and at the last second I felt our fingers touch at the tips before he vanished, Konrad along with him.