Page 37 of A Pack Christmas

I smile and nod. How had I forgotten that Mom used to call her that?

“She’s the lost wolf I was supposed to go find, but Lykem went instead,” I tell them. “Turns out she’s his mate.”

Dad’s eyes narrow. “Why don’t you sound happy about this?”

“She didn’t see me,” I admit. “Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think I am.”

“What do you mean?” Mom asks, her guard going up.

Maybe I should have started this conversation better…

“I saw her face, but it’s been fifteen years,” I explain. “Lykem hasn’t let anyone else in the room with her, but he does call her Lexi.”

The hope returns to Mom’s longing gaze. “It has to be her.”

Dad wraps an arm around her, holding her tight against his side. “Don’t get too excited, Kel. Let’s put eyes on her first.”

She nods, but I can tell it doesn’t matter. Just like it hadn’t for me.

Wanting her to be alive after all this time is too strong to believe we might be wrong.

“That dragon can’t keep her locked up forever,” Dad says, and I had a feeling that would be his opinion. “Let’s go see her and know for sure.”

That’s something I would have done already if I didn’t consider Lykem a close friend. I don’t know what it’s like to find a fated mate, but I’ve seen how possessive shifters can be. Messing with him right now doesn’t seem like the best idea…

“We can wait,” I tell them. “I just couldn’t keep this news to myself and let you guys go home in the morning.”

Mom glares at me. “I would have grounded you for a month if you had.”

That makes me laugh, and my dad, too. She only wishes she could still do that.

Still, Dad shakes his head. “I don’t think so. Lexi is part of our pack even if she’s been missing all this time. We have every right to check on her.”

He moves past me, likely following the scent of the dragon shifter, and heads down the hallway, passing closed doors until he’s at the right one.

“Lykem is a good man,” I tell my dad. “Don’t take how he acts right now personally.”

He smirks. “I’ve been newly mated. I get it.”

Yeah, and I wish I did.

Dad knocks on the door and heavy feet stomp closer from inside. Lykem is on the other side, but only cracks open the door. “What?”

“We’d like to see Lexi,” Dad says.

“No.” The dragon tries to shut the door, but Dad keeps it open with one palm.

The two glare at each other, and Dad speaks first. “We think we know who she is and where she’s from.”

This has Lykem tensing. “So?”

“So, she was close to us and we want to see her.”

“Vaughn?” a soft, feminine voice sounds from inside the room. “Vaughn?” Her tone grows louder and more hopeful.

“Oh, Lexi.” Mom shoves past the dragon shifter, uncaring that he might be tempted to literally bite her head off.

The door opens wide, and we all watch as the two embrace, my chest tightening at the scene. Lexi’s eyes are squeezed closed, but when they open and see me, her mouth opens in shock.

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