Page 40 of The Knot Before Christmas

He lowers his voice. “Don’t tell, Nick, but I might have taken a few things from our inventory for you.” He winks, and I let out a choked laugh.

The need to cry is there. Not out of sadness, but out of joy. Fucking hell, this Alpha. I didn’t ask for him to come into my life and change everything I thought I wanted when it came to Alphas. Or the fact that I didn’t want an Alpha at all.

And here he’s done more for me in three days, than anyone has in my whole life.

“Nova?” Ian asks, face falling. “Are you okay? Was this too much? Shit, it was, wasn’t it? I–”

Putting the cat on the couch, I make my way across the living room and throw myself into Ian’s arms.

He grunts, but immediately wraps his arms around me.

“Thank you,” I murmur against his chest. “I love it.” Tears sting the back of my eyes, emotions thick in my throat.

When I pull back, I wipe at my eyes, not making eye contact. “Don’t think too much into that,” I tell Ian.

“Too late, baby girl.” He chuckles. “I’m already planning our wedding in my head.”

I smile at that, because I’m in too much of a good mood to pretend that I’m not falling hard and fast for this Alpha.

“I helped,” Will mutters.

I laugh, smiling. “Thank you. Guess the only Scrooge this year is Nick.”

Will and Ian give each other a look.

“What?” I look between the two of them.

“He’s still sleeping. He stayed up late, ahh... working.” Ian scratches the back of his head. “He doesn’t know we did this.”

“Is it going to be a big deal or something? It’s just a tree.”

“He kind of hates Christmas,” Will admits.

“What? Why? Who hates Christmas?”He really is Scrooge.I shouldn’t be surprised, though.

“It’s personal. Not our story to tell,” Ian answers. “But don’t worry, we’re not going to let him ruin this for you.”

“Good. If he has an issue with it, he can stay in the basement. He spends a lot of time down there anyway. Does he have a portal to Hell down there or something? You know, it would make sense with him being the devil and all,” I mutter, moving over to the tree to get a closer look at all the decorations.

They’re quiet for a while, letting me take in all their hard work.

“Something bad happened to me on Christmas, but I didn’t become the Grinch,” I finally say, turning around to see the two Alpha’s watching me. Ian’s brows furrow.

“What happened?”

Biting my lip, I look away, focusing on a cute reindeer ornament. “My dad died in a car crash. It was our favorite holiday. We had our own Christmas traditions. Like going to get photos with Santa.” I laugh, turning to face them with watery eyes.

“Not going to lie, I was tempted to get one this year when I saw the three of you working the North Pole at the mall.”

“You saw us working?” Ian grins.

“Oh yeah.” I lick my lips, eyes roaming his body as I remember what he looked like in that elf costume. “Sexiest elves I’ve ever seen. Took everything in me not to push my way to the front of the line.” I take a step toward Ian. “But I’d much rather sit on Santa's little helper's lap.”

“Nothing little about me, Little Doe.”

“Little Doe?” I cock my head to the side. “I thought I was Baby Girl.” I grin.

“You are. Always. But when you look at me with those doe eyes, fuck me, Baby Girl,” he groans.

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