Page 27 of Claiming the Shifter's Heart

“I’m home!” Della called, having driven like mad to get back in time to have a meal with the kids before work started.

“Mommy! Did you talk to Santa? Is he gonna be here for Christmas?” Sean asked.

She hugged her son and kissed Janie’s cheek, nodding at Aunt Eileen who winked before going back to stir something delicious smelling on the stove.

“Um, I haven’t seen him yet,” she hedged, setting the baby on the floor.

She loved this time of day when the kids wanted to play, and Sean entertained her with adventures from his day at the Pack run daycare in town where she hoped to work one day.

There were plenty of schools for normals, but this was a Pack run private school that offered extra care to supernaturally gifted children who were learning to control their gifts.

To normals it was all aboveboard, which was why she had to finish her college education and teaching certification before she could apply. But Della couldn’t wait for that day.

After dinner, Della dressed quickly, the urgency of the moment pushing her to move faster than usual.

She left earlier than normal, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kris before they had to put their work faces on.

She had promised Sean she’d talk to him about Christmas dinner, and she would never break that promise to her boy.

Della always kept her word to him, no matter what. As she stepped outside, a strange prickling sensation crawled up her spine.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and Della instinctively scanned her surroundings. The road was quiet. Shadows stretched long in the fading light, but there was nothing out of place.

No figures lurking in the corners, no signs of movement from the copse of trees. Everything seemed perfectly normal.

Probably just my nerves,she thought, shaking it off as her mind playing tricks on her. The stress of the holidays, of everything going on, was starting to wear on her.

Della had learned to trust her instincts, and they were as sharp as ever. Something about the stillness didn’t sit right. Just in case, she pulled out her phone and quickly typed out messages to Michael, Eileen, and Samantha.

She instructed them to lock all the doors and make sure the alarm systems were engaged, her fingers moving quickly over the keys. She hated to sound paranoid, but it never hurt to be cautious. Not with everything that had been happening lately.

The wind picked up, slicing through her winter coat like an icy knife. She pulled the collar up around her neck, but the chill seemed to seep into her bones.

The thought of working in her silly costume at Santa’s photo op crossed her mind. Would they even get many visitors tonight, with the cold biting so fiercely?

It was likely people would stay home to escape the chill. Still, she had to push those thoughts aside for now. There were bigger things to worry about—like her promise to Sean, and the conversation she needed to have with Kris.

But as she walked toward her car, the uneasy feeling lingered, like a shadow that wouldn’t let go.

Della’s instincts were driving her hard as she neared the farm. She didn’t stop or talk to anyone. It was an hour till her shift started, but she’d scented him the second she exited her vehicle.

Following her nose to the second barn where the sleigh was kept, Della found Kris inside. He was looking down at something, Santa’s bench, and she could tell he’d been working on repairing it after a mishap the night before.

Her breathing was labored, heart racing as she approached him. It was crazy, feeling this way about someone she barely knew.

We know him. Mate.

Della startled, her Crow rarely spoke so clearly to her, and she was stunned the animal was being so adamant about him. She should run right now.

Della should leave this place. She should pack up the house, take the kids, and go somewhere the Murder would never find her.

But Maccon City was her home now. It had taken time, but Della had come to realize that this place, with its asphalt streets and the familiar hum of life, was where she and her kids truly belonged.

The journey hadn’t been easy—there had been a lot of uncertainty, a lot of challenges along the way—but she had settled in, carving out a space for herself amidst the chaos of her past.

It wasn’t just about finding a roof over their heads anymore. She had started to build a life. Her kids were thriving here—Sean had friends, and Janie was growing by leaps and bounds.

This wasn’t just a temporary place they were staying. Maccon City and the adjoining Pack lands, Macconwood, were one solid community.

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