Page 78 of Coming Home

She grinned up at me. “Merry Christmas, Ben.”

Right on cue, my phone rang.

I groaned. “Told ya.”

Shelby grabbed it from me and swiped to answer. “Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas, Shelby,” the twins said in unison.

“Is Ben there too?” Troy asked.

“I’m here, buddy,” I said.

Shelby headed into our new living to sit on the floor in front of the pathetic Charlie Brown-esque Christmas tree we’d thrown together before bed.

I made a mental note to at least borrow a few camp chairs or something to sit on until we had time to buy some furniture. For now, I joined my mate on the floor and leaned close to watch the festivities back home on the small screen of my phone.

One by one, they opened presents I had left.

“Shelby, can I open this one from you and Ben next?” Will asked.

“That one is for the both you. Open it with Troy,” she instructed.

I didn’t even know Shelby had gotten them gifts, let alone marked them from both of us. I kissed her temple, feeling overwhelmingly grateful to have her back in my life.

I watched the boys open the gift and freak out in excitement. I couldn’t even tell what it was.

“What is it?”

“It’s a drone!” they screamed together.

“You have to share it though. No fighting,” Shelby added.

“You bought them a drone?”

She shrugged. “I wanted something they could do together.”

“You’re amazing,” I told her.

She looked up and smiled as I closed the gap and kissed her. The boys were too absorbed with their new toy to even notice.

We hung out on the phone a few more minutes as the last of the presents were opened before saying goodbye to the boys and my parents.

“Is that how Christmas always is for you?” she asked.

I shrugged. “Sort of. This year is so much greater though because I got the best Christmas present of all.”

She gave me a weird look and her eyes darted back to our empty, pitiful little tree. “You didn’t get anything,” she said. “I literally left your gifts in Collier under the tree at the Alpha house without even thinking.”

I shrugged again. “I got you, sport. What more could I possibly want or need?”

She smiled happily and kissed me.

An alarm started alerting in the kitchen. I ran to investigate and found the entire room filled with smoke. It was only then that I remembered the cinnamon rolls in the oven.

“Oh no!” Shelby cried. “I ruined our first Christmas breakfast.”

We opened the windows to air the place out. Fortunately, even with a dusting of snow on the ground, our wolves would help regulate our temperatures and keep us warm.

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