Page 38 of The Twelve Knots of Christmas
Lucian stood talking softly to Mariska near the rear entrance of the auditorium. She turned her head away from me as I approached which tempted me to kiss the exposed length of her neck.
From inside, I could hear my mom talking to the crowd and getting the kids to cheer for Santa Claus. I adjusted my fluffy white beard to make certain it was on properly and rubbed myhands together. “This is going to be so much fun. Are you two ready?”
The kids cheered even louder.
“We’re good.” Lucian exchanged a look with Mariska and she gave him a nod.
It stung that she wouldn’t say anything to me or even look my way. Her fire had revved me up a minute ago, but now it made my chest tighten as a coldness crept in.
Fucking hell. Did I push the line too far?
Mom called for Santa Claus, and Lucian pushed open the door. The kids went crazy, and I put on a big smile I wasn’t fully feeling.
Lucian led the way and held the door, sprinkling some ‘magic snow’ from his pocket to cool the air for the Claus family. Mariska went out next and waved with both her hands. A small girl ran up to her and threw her arms around her waist. There was a micro second where Mariska went stiff, but she hugged the child back and took her by the hand to step to the side so I could enter.
That’s right. My Omega was a natural with kids.
I boomed a big, “Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas, everyone!” And stepped into the room. Several children rushed to me. I laughed and smiled, shaking hands and giving hugs. There were just under fifty kids who were patients at the hospital, but their siblings were also allowed to attend the party, and that brought us up to nearly one hundred.
The excited energy of the kids pumped me up. Mariska didn’t look lost or panicky surrounded by them. She was calm and sweet, complimenting their sweaters and dresses, and asking if they’ve been good this year. Her cheeks shimmered with glitter under the bright lights as she smiled.
She was career focused at the moment, but I wasn’t wrong. When the time came, she would be an awesome mother.I’d do as Lucian said and apologize later, but look at her. Fuck, she the perfect Omega.
We slowly made our way to the big Santa chair and I sat down with Mariska at my side. Several pictures were snapped, and the kids gathered around eagerly to await their names to be called. We started with the youngest to the oldest, with siblings being called up together, because families loved taking photos of all of them on my lap.
The gift giving part always took the longest, but we made sure to spend enough time with each child. Every single one of them would know they were special and loved by the time they left today.
Lucian called the first names, a pair of fourteen month old twins. The one in the red sweater ran up immediately to climb on my lap and squeal with delight. The other in a green sweater wanted nothing to do with me. His parents tried to coax him and then bribe him to sit on my lap, but he refused. Yet the father asked if Mrs. Claus might like to hold his son for the picture, and the toddler agreed with a shy smile.
The boy leaned his head against Mariska’s shoulder as she took him into her arms and he sucked his thumb. She held him at first like a sack of potatoes, but then adjusted him to her hip. While she kept smiling, I could see that she truly wasn’t experienced with children.
Today was going to be a hard and fast lesson for her, and I grinned that I would get to be here for it. Silver Tree Farm had been doing this charity event for over thirty years. My father had been Santa for most of those years, but when he passed away nearly ten years ago, I’d taken up the mantle. Both my mom and my sister had played Mrs. Claus over that time, but it felt right to have Mariska as my Mrs.
The misunderstanding earlier in the parking lot was just a bump in the road. Our plan to convince Mariska she should staywith our pack was well on its way. Jasper always accused me of being blindingly optimistic, but I wouldn’t live any other way.
This was our first Christmas season with our Omega, and I would enjoy every single second of it.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Mariska
Noise and chaos ruled the afternoon. When Artemis was a puppy, she required a lot of attention and energy. These children were like that furry whirlwind times a hundred. How did parents do it?
The whole time, Balthazar’s comments about Omegas having strong maternal instincts rattled around in the back of my mind. I knew the Omega stereotypes as well as everyone else, but the more my nerves wore thin, the more I wondered if I should ever have kids. I hadn’t planned on having a baby any time soon, but I hadn’t completely tossed the possibility out for the future. Yet the crying, the grabby hands, the screams, and the snotty noses… Fuck. It was too much.
On top of it all, a fever simmered under my skin. When I got too close to Lucian or Balthazar, it flared, and I found it hard to concentrate. The ache between my legs magnified with our proximity, and a few times, I might have been actually panting.
The skintight green outfit that Lucian wore left nothing to the imagination. I could see the ridges of his ripped abs and the bulge he was packing couldn’t be hidden under a big belt buckle. Plus the pointed elf ears were doing things to me. I’d sent a picture of him earlier to Emberlee, and she freaked out how hot he looked.
Then Balthazar as Father Christmas. Damn. I’d never felt the warm fuzzies looking at Santa, but staring at this hunk in a red coat with his dreamy green eyes sparkling was going to get me put on the naughty list.
Every time I tried not to look at Balthazar and Lucian, I found myself catching sight of Jasper across the room. That Alpha could wear a suit like no other. Sleek and sexy and why did he have to mention the Mustang in front of Liz?
Oh God. It was a battle with my heat that I knew I was going to lose.
The only thing that saved me was that as Mrs. Claus, I was to sit in the reading corner and tell stories. No walls separated the section from the rest of the craziness, but it was an oasis of quiet and calm. I noted several parents seemed to feel the same way.
Soft and sweet. That’s what I needed to immerse myself in. A few of the smaller kids fell asleep clutching their new toys on their parents’ laps.
Balthazar’s laughter boomed in the auditorium as he threw kids up in the air and caught them. His huge muscles threatened to rip open the arms of his coat. How easily he could pick me up and I could wrap my legs around him…
