Page 8 of The Twelve Knots of Christmas
Our pack lived in the farmhouse Balthazar had grown up in, and his mom, wanting a place of her own on the farm, transformed the carriage house into a country cottage. My older brother Hudson married Balthazar’s sister Justine, and they had two boys. Justine worked at the farm and always brought the kids. That meant I saw Hudson a lot too.
Lucian raised his brows and leaned against the corner post. “You know how badly Bal wants an Omega. If she’s the right one, she’ll be good for all of us.”
“Do you know how impossible it would be to find an Omega perfect for us all?” Such a person didn’t exist. I was happy with my pack. I didn’t want anyone coming in and fucking everything up.
“Less than a one percent chance.” Lucian motioned to the far road and the sudden appearance of a snow machine. “There’s Bal now.”
“I thought I was supposed to be the numbers guy.” I gave him a teasing narrow-eyed look and he chuckled. Hudson and I were close, but the bond I felt to Lucian and Balthazar was infinitely stronger. I knew them inside and out, and they knew me. For Balthazar to be bringing an Omega here, it meant something big, even if I bitched about it.
We walked around to the side of the lot where Balthazar pulled up on his snow machine. Alone. No Omega.
Shutting off the engine, he stood and brushed the snow off the front of him. He was the tallest of the three of us, butwe all towered above the customers who walked back and forth through the lot. “Did you see her?”
There was a gleam in his eyes. Something hungry.
“You never told us who we were meeting.” Lucian had perked up, feeling Balthazar’s excitement.
“Mariska.” As if that answered the question. Balthazar pointed to a red van with a Fraser Fir on top of it parked near the lot’s corner. “That’s their ride.” He walked forward to be able to get the right angle to see through the shop’s open doors. “And there’s Eloise talking to Mom. Mariska has to be around here somewhere. Look for a white beanie.”
Big van meant the girl was probably here with her family. I wasn’t ready to meet any Omega, never mind meet her whole damn family. “There are like fifty women wearing white hats.”
“You’ll know her if you see her.”
This was fucking ridiculous. Balthazar was letting his dick lead the way. Lucian exchanged a look with me and gave the faintest of shrugs.
“That’s her!” Balthazar pointed and marched across the lot toward the shop. Three young women exited the building, giggling as they blew the steam from their cups of hot cocoa. There was a pretty blonde in a reindeer sweater, a redhead with a Christmas tree scarf, and the third, squished between the two taller girls, was the most exquisite woman I’d ever seen. Eyes sparkling like liquid gold, succulent full lips, and that smile. She lit up the whole world.
Balthazar was right.
No. Fuck. I shook my head as I followed him. She was just a hot girl. I had a thing for short women. It was justmydick thinking for me now.
“Hi girls.” Balthazar grinned as he stopped about five feet in front of them. They came to a halt as one unit, pressing closer together. “Thought you might like to meet the other two ownersof Silver Tree Farm. These are my packmates, Jasper Norwood and Lucian Snow. Guys, this is Lyla,” he gestured to the blonde and then the redhead. “Emberlee.” Then with a lingering gaze, he nodded to the one in the middle. “And Mariska.”
Omegas. All of them.
Where was their escort? Why weren’t they being protected? My Alpha instincts demanded I get them out of this crowd. There were other men eyeing the girls. Whether they be Alphas or not, my fight mode was being triggered.
I hated it. Last time I fought for an Omega who I thought was the one, she left me for the Alpha I beat the shit out of, saying I was too cold and violent. I never wanted to feel that way again, and yet here Balthazar goes introducing us to these Omegas.
Lyla is the first to smile and Emberlee gazes at us shyly from behind her hair. Mariska’s cheeks flushed and her breathing came in quicker pants. She stepped back and tugged the other two girls more in front of her.
“Nice to meet all of you.” Lucian’s gaze fixed on Mariska too. He didn’t offer his hand. We all knew the rules.
“Yeah, same. It’s a beautiful place you have.” Lyla lifted her cup in a gesture of cheers.
“It’s so pretty. I can imagine it will be gorgeous any season. Too bad you aren’t open all year round.” Emberlee’s voice is soft and musical, but it’s Mariska’s I want to hear.
“But we are.” Balthazar nodded. “We grow for landscaping companies and offer educational programs for both primary and college students.”
“Plus we offer tours any time of the year to various groups,” Lucian added. “Any time you girls would like a tour, we can arrange it.”
The two of them were sounding too eager. I gritted my teeth. “We’re very busy this time of the year though.”
Balthazar shot me a hard look that said to shut up. He turned a softer expression back to the girls. “We would make time for you.” The guy couldn’t be more obvious, staring at Mariska as he said it. Fucking hell. “Just let us know.”
Lyla glanced at her friends. “It might be fun to do that before you leave to go home on Friday, Em. We could all ride in the sled like Mari did.”
“Ringing jingle bells all the way.” Emberlee laughed.
