A Very Merry Iona Christmas (7 page)

Fine. He’s growing
on me.
Carly reluctantly admitted.

‘
Yes!’

Shut up, Iona.

‘You can’t see me
doing this, but it’s the dance of love, of victory, of…’

The funky chicken
meets the hokey-cokey… Goodnight, Iona.

‘I don’t know what
those are, but if I had a body this would be as good as it gets...’

~

~

~

Carly practically flew
down the stairs. She almost missed the last one, but managed to steady herself
at the bottom. Her eyes flicked around the room; her heart hammered, and a cold
sweat had broken out across her body…

Then she heard the
sound of Hope’s laughter and her heart almost burst out of her chest. Damn it.
That was the second time in as many days that she’d lost her… She didn’t know
if she could take a third.

Carly moved on fast
legs over towards the kitchen and pushed through the doorway. There at the
table sat Hope in between the two big Lycan brothers that towered over her.
Hope was chuckling and they looked all soft and mushy.

‘
And as sexy as
hell. I’ll take Dougie seen as Mason’s your mate. Damn, I wish I had a body cos
I’d love him good…’

Jesus, Iona. Just
shut up for five minutes.

‘Girl, it’s not in
my nature to do that.’
Iona sassed
back.

Mason’s eyes locked on
hers and held them. The flush of her skin, the doe eyes, and the fact that she
was breathing like a wolf after a good run… Crap! He’d done it again…

“Hope came out of the
bedroom hungry. I thought you could use some sleep, so…”

“It’s fine.” Carly bit
out. It wasn’t fine- she’d almost had a damn heart attack when she’d found Hope
gone. But in the grand scheme of things and considering that Hope was ok… it
was fine.

“Hungry?” Mason went
to push up but she waved it away.

“Not right now.”

‘
Have one of those
coffees that you like so much.’

With a whiskey
chaser.

“Coffee?” Mason read
her mind.

“I’ve got it. Just
point me in the right direction.” He lifted his hand and she followed that long
outstretched finger. Grateful for the sight of the coffee pot.

“Anyone else want
anything?” Carly asked as she filled a mug and hunted for the sugar.

“Well if you’re
offering…” Douglas piped up, but Mason’s hand slapped him around the back of
the head and he grunted. “No.” He shook his head before he gave Mason a glare
of annoyance.

“Don’t you have…
chores?” Mason gave only the smallest of growls because of Hope.

‘
Chores, what is he
ten?’
Iona chuckled.

“Right. Stuff to get
done.” Douglas pushed up from his seat and Hope tipped her head backwards to
stare up at him with a big grin on her face. He tousled her hair. “Behave
yourself, little sprite.”

“I’m not a sprite. I’m
a Princess. Mason said so.” She beamed him a smile.

“Ok, so act like a
Princess and eat all of your breakfast, so you’ll be big and strong to rule
your kingdom.” Douglas challenged her with just a look.

“Absolutely.” She
almost stumbled over the word, but made it through with just the cutest of
quivers in her voice.

“And I’ll see you
later for that snowball fight.” Douglas grinned and Hope chuckled. Carly had
the mug to her mouth but it went no further as she raised her eyebrows at
Douglas’s words.

“Snowball…?” Carly
started.

“Little snowballs. No
rocks inside, and I’ll throw like a girl.” Douglas teased and Carly grunted.

“I won’t.” Hope
announced with glee. “Princesses can throw however they like, and I’m gonna get
you good.” Hope chuckled. Douglas made a point of huffing, and Mason watched as
Carly settled down a little more.

“Talks cheap, its
actions that count.” Douglas offered as his parting shot before he closed the
back door. Hope twizzled her eggs on the end of her fork and sniggered.

“I’m gonna get him
good.” She beamed.

“Do I get to help?”
Mason leaned in sideways and Hope grinned up at him.

“Can you throw a
snowball?” She narrowed her eyes on him.

“Really hard.” Mason
assured her.

“Then you can help.”
Hope shovelled another forkful of food into her mouth and placed her fork down
on her plate.

“Want more eggs?”
Mason offered and Hope swallowed down as she shook her head.

“Nope. Full.
Thank
you, Mason
.” It was such a sweet tone to her voice that Carly almost choked
on her coffee. Hope was beginning to get attached to the man, she could feel it
in her bones.

‘
That’s a good
thing.’
Iona offered her comfort and Carly snorted her contempt.

Says you, and you
can’t be trusted.

‘I thought he
couldn’t be trusted?’

He… can’t. But
neither can you.

‘And you can?’
Iona sounded sceptical.

Of course I can.

‘Just checking
which universe I was in.’
Iona
snorted.

“Can I be excused?”
Hope asked Mason and Carly frowned. That was a new one on her…

“Sure, go wash your
hands, and don’t go far because Bo will be here soon.” Hope’s eyes lit up at
the sound of the little boy’s name.

“Cool.” She rushed
around the table and towards the door.

“Walk!” Carly shouted
after her and she slowed in her step. Only for the sound of her little feet to
speed up again on the other side.

“Sleep well?” Mason
asked as he pushed up from the chair and collected the plates together.

“Are we speaking now?”
Carly teased, she saw him miss a step as he walked towards her at the counter.

‘
Harsh.’
Iona
scolded her.

Mason turned the
corner and came towards her and Carly felt that presence against her shields.
She was hoping that little bit of magic might protect her a little longer from
the mating pull, but the man just seemed to be able to get through them a tiny
bit more each time. As he came up behind her and reached around her body to place
the plates in the sink every inch of her body tingled from where his body
touched hers.

Then she felt his hot
breath at her neck…

“If you’d prefer we do
other things rather than talk…” He growled. It was low, deep, and gentle, but
it was potent.

Holy Shit!

‘Gets you right
there, don’t it?’
Iona chuckled.

“I’m more than willing
and able to accommodate that desire.” He finished off strong. Carly flushed
from head to toe at the thought of that one word that created such an image
within her mind. Desire…

“Pass.” Carly rushed
out. She went to sidestep him, but both of his hands came down on the counter
top on either side of her body. Trapped. Caged in by him, and it only added to
the damn excitement within her.

“Sure?” Mason’s growl
was becoming more pronounced. The sound of his beast was now underlying his
words, and that rumble went through his chest, into her back, and seemed to
roll in waves throughout her body.

“Y…” She squeaked and
cursed herself for doing it. The fact that she had to press her inner thighs
together and had a death grip on her mug should have told her all that she
needed to know about keeping the mating pull at bay. She cleared her throat and
tried again. “I’m good. But thanks.”

‘
Liar, liar, you
damn nose is growing…’
Iona chuckled again.

“When you’re ready,
I’ll be waiting.” Mason teased her with playful intent. He never expected her
to just give in to him. She needed to be wooed, and woo he would, but there was
no saying he couldn’t have a little fun while doing it.

“Good to know.” Carly
nudged his arm out of the way and sidestepped the counter. If she thought she
could have gotten away with it then she would have walked outside and face
planted a snow bank. Her cheeks were on fire, and the rest of her wasn’t
exactly a warm glow.

‘
That man is
seriously hot.’
Iona giggled and Carly wished for one long moment that Iona
was standing in front of her so she could wring her damn neck.

“I’m gonna go and
check on Hope.” Carly placed her mug on the side and shot a look at the
temptation that was her mate.

His eyes were jet
black and that smile on his face was hungry. He watched her walk away like a
predator that was deciding if he should chase down and capture his prey. There
was something just so damn sexy in everything he was, and she never thought she
would see the day when she had a
thing
for anything supernatural…

‘
You know you’re
hooked, right?’

Shut up, Iona.
Carly hissed as she escaped his gaze and felt the need
to try to gather herself. The man was dangerously moreish.

~

~

~

Carly was becoming
more than concerned. She’d checked all of the open spaces inside the house and
Hope was nowhere to be seen. At first she’d told herself that Hope was just
around the next corner, and the next, but now each next corner just held a
little be more panic to it.

‘
She’s fine, it’ll
be fine… calm down…’

“What’s wrong?” Mason
deep tone caused Carly to jump in place. She brought her eyes up to his and
Mason started towards her down the long hallway.

“I can’t find Hope…”
Carly’s words rushed out from inside of her. It was more of a plea for him to
do something, anything, because after last night she didn’t think that she
could go through this again.

“Wait. Hold still…”
Mason’s hand wrapped around her other arm and he held her in place. He closed
his eyes and listened to the sounds coming from all around him. There was no
sound of a heartbeat inside of the house apart from the two of them.

“Mason?” Carly needed
answers.

“She’s not in the
house.” Mason tried to say it in such a way as to not scare the hell out of
her, but after last night; he knew he’d never find those words.

‘
The little witch,
Hope is missing…’
Mason alerted his pack. They hadn’t had time to meet his
mate or Hope yet, but her scent would be easy to track. ‘
Find my daughter.’
Mason’s wolf was already attached to Hope, and so was Mason. In his mind she
was already a part of his life and his family…

“I need to…” Carly
went to pull away from him, but Mason held her firmly.

“I’ve just called on
the pack to search for her. She won’t have gone far, Carly. We’ll find her. I
promise.” Mason gave it everything he had to try to sooth his mate’s worried
mind, but until Hope was back in her arms; that was all he could do.

“I can’t just stand
here…”

“I know. Come with me.
I’ll track her scent from the house.” Mason assured her.

‘
How far can a
little witch travel on her own?’
Dougie was already out on the land. His
beast had turned tail and started back towards the house as soon as he’d heard
his brother’s words. He could hear the tension in Mason’s voice and he knew
that this was the last thing his brother needed to persuade Carly that this was
home for her and Hope.

‘
I know, but
Carly’s worried.’
Mason offered back.

‘
I’m headed back
your way. Just coming up on the far side of the woods now.’

‘
I’ve picked up the
scent from just outside my house…’
Annie gave Mason some good news. ‘
I’m
following it into the woods.’

Mason yanked open the
front door and heard Carly follow him out. He’d be faster if he shifted, but he
couldn’t leave his mate behind.

“Annie’s picked up
Hope’s scent heading into the woods and Dougie’s already in there coming back
this way. Both wolves will…”

“Wolves? They’re
wolves?” Carly didn’t like the thought of that. Wolves around Hope. It would
scare her half to death, hell, it scared Carly half to death at the thought of
it.

She kept up with
Mason’s long legs only by jogging, and when Mason broke into a jog she had to
run to keep up with him.

“They won’t hurt her,
Carly. She’s pack.” Mason bit out over his shoulder.

“I don’t…” Carly’s
mind raced with everything that could go wrong. She blindly followed on behind
Mason thinking of everything that she had done wrong since she’d met him, since
she’d taken that stupid job.

‘
Now, Carly, you
need to calm yourself. Hope’s just wandered off, kids do that…’

Carly didn’t answer
Iona. She couldn’t. The worst possible scenario was playing over and over in
her mind and there was nothing that she could do to stop it. If anything
happened to Hope, she knew she only had herself to blame.

~

~

~

“Are you ok?” Bo asked
Hope as she wrapped her arms around her body and hugged herself.

“I wish I had my
coat.” Hope looked miserable. At first the thought of exploring with Bo had
sounded good. She wanted to make a real life den within the woods, but now… now
she just wanted to be warm. She missed her mum.

“I’m cold. Like really
cold. Like really, really cold.” She couldn’t emphasise it enough.

“Do you know what
wolves do when they’re cold?” Bo asked and Hope shook her head. “They huggle
together for warmth.”

“But we’re not
wolves.” Hope gave a little shrug off her shoulders.

“Not yet, but I will
be one day.” Bo stuck out his chest with pride and Hope frowned.

“So we should huggle?”
She asked. Not sure what huggling was.

“Yep.” Bo nodded
adamantly. “I’ll protect you like a male protects his mate.”

“What’s a mate?” Hope
asked as she snuggled up to Bo in the makeshift den that they had been
building.

“Your Mum is a mate.”
Bo informed her and she frowned again.

“Because she’s my
mum?”

“Because she’s Mason’s
mate.” Bo replied. While he didn’t understand all of the ins and outs of it
yet. He would one day and then he could tell Hope all about it.