Page 39 of Donner

I checked my phone for any new messages from Derek. Instead, I found one from Santa himself.

"Get some rest."

I grinned and tugged Beau with me toward my bedroom.

Chapter 22

Beau

When I woke up in Jax's bed the next morning, I felt like I was waking from a nightmare into a true dreamscape. Everything in his room was surreal, from the snowflake pattern on his bed sheets to the delicate lace curtains hanging over his bed. Even though there was no sunlight this far underground, his walls glowed with the dawn. It was the prettiest thing I'd ever seen. I had to pinch my arm and remind myself it wasn't real.

It felt real, though. If it tricked my body into believing I watched the sun rise while curled around Jax in his bed, what was the harm? I had a feeling the light had the correct wavelengths to trick my brain, so this might be the first winter I wouldn't experience seasonal affective disorder.

Jax's phone chirped with a notification, and he stirred in his sleep, burying his face against my bare chest and tucking his leg between mine. I'd turned him into a bit of a night owl in Miami, but everything around me hinted Jax was a morning person. I'd adapted to the late-night schedule as a bouncer, but it would be nice to return to the daytime, if that was possible. I needed to open my laptop and check for messages from Jax's Santa.

I knew I should have asked more questions, but I was so stunned by Santa's existence. He made me reconsider my other beliefs. I'd been angry at Santa Claus for a very long time for ignoring my pleas for a friend. Now, Santa 30 had granted me more than that. He'd brought me my mate. He'd given me a place to live after two years of feeling adrift in the world. I owed him far more gratitude than the simple handshake I'd given him when we met.

I kissed the top of Jax's head, remembering how we'd come to be here, together. I didn't like the way Derek had pried words from us after only two weeks of knowing each other. Jax had said he wished he was my mate, and I had admitted the same to him, but it still seemed too soon.

Two weeks together did not a compatible relationship make, especially when Jax was on vacation, and I was between jobs. There were still so many uncertainties between us. What if Jax didn't like the way I folded towels, or hated peanut butter, or detested my favorite movies? What if he wanted to talk at the end of a workday, while all I wanted to do was zone out in front of the television? I remembered Jax saying he didn't have a television in his apartment, and now it made sense. He didn't need one. The walls themselves were entertainment enough. Gulls flew over a lake in the distance and sunlight glistened across the dew-touched grassy hills as the sun's light stretched to each blade. I might learn to do without, as well.

"It's time to get up," Jax mumbled against my chest. "You need to check your emails. I need to get ready for work."

"Are you feeling all right?"

"A little parched," he admitted.

"I'll get you a glass of water."

I tried to roll away, but Jax held me in place. "I need to get groceries on my way home today. Think you could meet me at the store this afternoon if I send you bus instructions?"

I kissed the top of his head as he nestled closer. "Yes."

I hated to leave the bed, but when my feet hit the warm carpet, I sighed in relief. If we lived in perpetual winter, heated flooring would make it easier.

I found some cereal in the cupboard, but no milk or eggs. I grabbed the glass of water, as promised, after searching through the cupboards for glassware.

"I'll grab coffee and a bagel before I get on the bus," Jax promised. "Don't worry."

He sat up, kicked his legs over the side of the bed, and downed half of the water in one gulp.

"I don't want you to get sick again."

"I feel fine," he said. "Nothing a quick shower won't fix. We slept half the day yesterday, and I had a great night's sleep."

"Good."

I hadn't gotten as much sleep as Jax had the day before, but I'd learned a lot from the book the research facility had given us. Bites worked for most mated pairs, it turned out. They also explained that the first human shifters had been wolves, and then the species had branched out from that, which was why all alphas knotted even if their animals didn't.

The book reiterated something experience had already taught me. I had a new compulsion to take care of my omega mate, to stay by his side whenever possible and to protect him from harm. Right now, harm was another bout of morning sickness, but he promised me again he was fine before he left for work.

In my laptop bag, I found the framed photograph of my mom and me that I'd packed when we'd visited my house. If only she could see me now. I smiled at my teary reflection in the glass. My face ghosted over hers in the light projected from the walls, making her image seem more real. In my heart, I felt her presence. She knew I'd found my mate. From the warm hug-like energy surrounding me, I knew she approved.

I placed her picture on the bare corner of Jax's dresser. His only family portrait hung in the living room, so I didn't think he would mind. I blew a kiss at Mom's picture and returned to my task of finding a job.

I poured myself a cup of puffed rice cereal and drank it like coffee while I booted up my computer. There were several job listings in the email Santa 30 sent, but one caught my eye right away. Honeycomb Community Center Coordinator. It was on the ground floor of our building, The Honeycomb, and it housed a daycare, a recreational space, and a dance hall.

I skimmed through the others, but I didn't find anything within my qualifications. I had a feeling the folks at the North Pole didn't see many outside visitors, and therefore didn't need a bouncer for a nightclub. They also weren't looking for an EMT or a soldier, which was a relief.

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