Page 3 of Santa's Knotty Workshop

I was doing well at my job, and if I didn’t have an heir, so be it. There was nothing in my job description that required one. That was some old-school garbage, if I ever heard any. Maybe I wanted a cabin full of kids and maybe I didn’t. None of that mattered when it came to me doing my job well.

Bertram crossed his arms over his chest. “Yet here you are, still single. I don’t even know if you’ve been with anyone in all the time I’ve worked for you.”

As if that were even his business. I kept my private life private. Unlike the elves in the workshop, I didn’t make a show of sampling all the goodies. I crafted them. I knew how they worked. Of course I took some home with me. I had my favorites. But that was between me and… me. I was the boss, and the last thing I needed was the elves knowing what toys I enjoyed best.

And besides, there was only one elf I wanted to know about me… the real me. The me that was fun and liked to watchsappy movies and who preferred scones to cookies. The me that enjoyed toys but longed for a warm body to be snuggled with me each night as I went to sleep.

“This is the year, Bertram,” I said, putting my hands behind my head. “It’s the year that my plan comes to fruition. Already, there are things in place that you don’t even know about.”

He scoffed. “Nothing happens in this workshop that I don’t know about.”

“Oh, really?” I raised a brow, tweaking my nose. “Well, I know that a very unique toy has gone missing.”

That caught his attention.

“What?” His eyes widened as he lifted his paperwork, flipping through the catalog of orders we had to fill. “Impossible. We’re on track. There is nothing amiss. Not this close to Christmas.”

“Don’t worry,” I said, a mischievous grin spreading across my face. “I planted that toy, and it’s going to land in the hands of my mate. I will track it down, and all will be well. My mate and I will claim each other before Christmas Eve. Mark my words.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose and rolled his eyes, staring up at the ceiling. My plan, impressive as it was, didn’t seem to draw his interest. He didn’t need to say the words for me to see that. But he didn’t need to see. The plan wasn’t for him—it was for my mate.

“Why can’t you just ask him out on a date like a normal alpha? Why play games?”

I let out a heartyHo Ho Hoat that.

“How boring. I need to keep my mate on their toes.” And watch him blush and squirm and… great. Now I was stirring in my pants. Hardly the way to get things done, and despite my excitement about a certain elf, work needed to get done. Christmas waited for no one. “Now tell me, what are the reports saying? Are we on track for real?”

Bertram switched back to the professional conversation we should’ve been having in the first place. It was where he was most comfortable. It amused me that he, of all elves, ended up in my department. He was very straight-laced and by the book. It was great for his position, but there were days he had to go home and drown himself in cocoa and wonder why he ever applied.

“We seem on track, yes. Getting the extra help from Santa 35 has made a substantial difference. That new elf is coming along nicely, although I’ve noticed some contention between him and Chester.”

I stroked my long beard thoughtfully. I might be slimmer than other Santa’s — most of my bulk was muscle—but I still had the iconic beard. It looked good, and made the elves think of me as Santa, even with the products we were producing. I considered it part of my professional attire, along with my red coat.

“Yes, I had noticed that as well.” Over the years, Chester had become quite the interesting individual. He had an inflated sense of importance that annoyed many, and there were a few times I’d considered transferring him out of here, but then what? Pass him on to be someone else’s problem? That didn’t seem like a good idea either.

While he was fantastic at his job, he was no better than any other elf on that floor, and he forgot that. That wasn’t a trait the other Santas would appreciate, that was for sure.

“He also seems to think there’s something between him and me, and I can assure everyone that is not the case.” He was so sure of himself that it was outside his understanding that anyone he crushed on wouldn’t be jumping right into his arms. “I’d hate to relocate him for many reasons, but monitor that. I don’t want him bothering Percy—or anyone.”

Bertram raised a brow but nodded. “Absolutely,” he said. “Now, you need to get some rest. Your big day is coming up.”

I rolled my eyes. “As if I don’t already know that.”

Rest was not something I could count on this close to Christmas. I’d rest in January. It was the way of things in this position, and I didn’t mind. Knowing all the sated faces on Christmas morning made the job worth it.

Right now, I had just seven days before my sleigh left the ground with the bag full of goodies. I also had to woo a mate, in additionto completing the regular holiday tasks. It was going to be my busiest season ever, and I could hardly wait.

It was going to be a Merry Christmas indeed.

Chapter 3

Percy

Seven Days Until Christmas Eve

I stared at the enormous dick on my bed. It was larger than I remembered it being. Was it modeled after a real person? There was no way. Containing that in your pants would be impossible.

My earlier actions were coming back to haunt me. I couldn’t believe I had actually taken it from the workshop floor without permission. We could have toys, that wasn’t it. But they kept inventory, and we needed to let them know so they didn’t golooking for them on Christmas Eve. But did I follow that simple rule? Of course not. Why? Because I was afraid they might say no to my request.

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