Page 26 of My Omega's Gift

My heart swelled with love for Wade and our family, including the little baby who currently was making it impossible for him to tie his boots. “On my way.” I set Junie on her feet and went to kneel in front of my omega. When I had his laces in secure double bows, I kissed his belly before standing and offering him a hand up. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?”

“Not in hours.” His lower lip thrust out in an adorable pout. “Do you still? I’m such a bother. Beached whale that I am. I wasn’t nearly this big with Juniper.”

My humor dissipated as I gave him a stern look. “The fact you were able to carry a healthy baby to delivery before was nothing short of a miracle. The healer has told you already you are just where you should be weight wise, healthy, wealthy with love, and usually wise. I’m so grateful that you are here with us now and not stripping your own body of nutrients for the baby’s well-being. Now”—I pulled him as tight against me as the bump permitted and brushed a kiss over his lips—“are you ready to tell Santa what you want for Christmas?”

“I have everything I could ever dream of,” he sighed. “But I know of one little girl who might have some wishes.”

“Santa!” Junie chimed, wrapping her arms around our legs as far as they could reach. “Go now.”

Sometimes it occurred to me that our toddler’s basic sentences were very similar to my wolf’s.

My wolf who had finally agreed not to try to kill anyone who hurt our omega when the pack he came from went through another bloody leadership change but now seemed to be on a different track. Those who’d hurt him were all either dead or rogue, and nobody knew where they’d gone.

With my family finally ready, we paraded from our home to the community hall right next door. It was one of my first acts after returning from the resort to have it built because traditionally all the gatherings were held in the alpha house. I’d never minded before, but my family’s arrival gave me a desire for privacy. The hall was a community project, everyone coming together to raise the roof and put together a building we could all enjoy and truly be proud of. At first, I’d been afraid they might feel like we were pushing them back, but as Marco said, “This way, we can have all the celebrations and events we want without feeling like we are under the alpha’s feet.” I had no idea they had those concerns but was glad all of our interests coincided. It was as it should be. My father would be proud.

I always strove to use the training he gave me while making my own decisions for our pack. The first five years had been hard, but something changed since last Christmas. We walked into the hall and stopped short. When I was in there this afternoon, the decorating had just begun, but in a few hours, the pack had outdone themselves. There were bows and greenery and lights and tinsel attached to just about every surface and a Christmas tree in the very center, where the ceiling peaked enough to accommodate it. A big chair draped with red velvet to appear thronelike stood beside the tree.

A buffet lined the far wall, tables filled with delicious food of all kinds from appetizers to desserts, and the scent of grilling meat seeped in from outside. My stomach rumbled.

Miss Junie went back into wriggle mode, and I set her down to find her way over to the other children gathered around the tree, all equally excited. It was a beautiful sight, and I pulled my phone from my pocket to snap a quick picture of the scene. Arm around my omega, I took in all the happiness. The pack had rocked every element of the holiday.

“Nice job, omega,” Marco said, appearing from somewhere in the crowded room. “It’s wonderful.”

“Omega?” I turned to face Wade. “How did you manage to arrange all this when you haven’t left the house in days?”

Marco looked from Wade to me and back again. “Hasn’t left the house? But he—”

The look my sweet omega sent his way could have frozen the urn of cocoa next to the buffet table. My beta clammed up.

“Wade? When did you do this?”

His cheeks reddened. “I didn’t exactly stay inside the whole time.”

“But the healer said…”

“The healer said to take it easy, not overdo, and recommended gentle exercise, so while you were working, Juniper and I came over here and supervised. I didn’t lift anything heavy or climb any ladders.”

He must have been reading my mind. My wolf rumbled. “But why did you let me think you were always home?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t want you to worry. You were being so sexy and protective, I hated to say anything. And, really, alpha, the hall’s side door is about ten feet from ours.”

“True.” I chuckled. “I guess after all you went through before, I wanted you to have the happiest, easiest pregnancy possible.”

“Oh, my love.” He blinked fast, his eyes shiny with the tears that came easier when he was pregnant. “It’s been bliss. But as the pack omega, I have jobs to do, and you set such an example, how could I let everyone down.”

I hugged him to me hard. “As long as you promise not to do more than you need or, and this is important, want to.”

He struggled to free one hand and raised it. “Upon my children’s toes, I swear.”

I was still laughing when the big front doors burst open to admit Santa Theo and his elf Elias. The children swarmed him, cheering and clapping and escorted him and the big bag of toys over his shoulder to the throne for the most important event of the night.

I escorted Wade to the comfortable chairs set up for us as the alpha-omega pair, and a beta brought us a plate of food. I kept an eye on Junie, as did Wade, but our pack loved their young and everyone watched all of them with care.

One by one, they approached Santa Theo and either stood in front of him or, if they wanted to, climbed onto his lap and shared their Christmas wishes. Of course we had gifts at home both from Santa and from us, including a few extra for her birthday, but from the big red bag emerged a small present for each child. Junie, after her turn, raced toward us with the gaily wrapped package. “Daddies, it’s my prezzie!”

“It sure is, sweetheart.” Wade admired it as she presented all sides. “Aren’t you going to open it?”

The blank look on her face reminded me that she’d not only never had a Christmas to remember before but her birthday either. “Yes, Junie. The gift is inside the wrapping.” I took her shoulders and turned her gently toward the rest of the room. “See the other children?”

“Oh.” The wonder in her voice was everything. “I do it.”

As she shredded the paper and tossed it over her shoulder, I reached for my omega’s hand. “What do you think she got?”

He smiled but said nothing, so I just watched until our just-about one-year-old successfully managed to retrieve the contents of her present.

“Daddies, it’s a Cwistmas wolfie.” A little girl wolf wearing a red dress with a big poinsettia flower on it andChristmas Wolfieembroidered below. “I wuv her!” She climbed on my lap, the soft toy cuddled close. “And I wuv Santa and you and…” She waved her free hand expansively, encompassing the room. “I wuv everybody.”

“Me too, baby.” I kissed the top of her head and then lifted my omega’s hand to kiss as well. “But my family best.”

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