Christmas with Two Alphas (8 page)

“That’s
him,” said Maisey, glancing at Lucas.

“And
how do you know him?” asked her father.

“We
met when I was up there one time,” said Maisey, wondering what her parents
would think if they knew she’d had sex not only with Lucas, but Nick too, and
both at the same time.

She
swallowed.

“I
see. You know that we’ve had this talk many times before and we’d prefer for
you to follow in academics like us,” said her mother.

“I
know and maybe I’ll do that when I’m older, but for now I want to do what makes
me happy.”

Lucas
smiled at her.

“Maisey,
I can’t say that we approve of this.
We’ve
worked hard
to give you a good education. Your mother almost lost her life
bringing
you into this world and this is the
thanks we get?”

Maisey
stood. “I’m sorry you feel that way, and if you don’t mind, we have to leave
because Nick has invited Lucas and me to his cabin for some dinner.”

Lucas
put his arm around her as they left the room. Tears slid down her cheeks. When
would her parents accept her for who she was?

****

Even
his world famous venison chili
couldn’t
encourage Maisey
to eat. She pushed it around the bowl while he and Lucas dived into it. She
didn’t
know if she was upset over her parent’s words or what,
but on the drive to Nick’s place she’d felt light-headed and sort of strange.

“Let’s
go out and cut a tree and bring it back in here. I have a few decorations we
can put on it and we’ll start to make this place look like it’s the holidays,”
said Nick, clearing up the dishes.

Maisey
loved Christmas. She did have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season—like
Lucas and Nick making
her dream of owning her own business
come true
.

“You
know what I’m going to get you for Christmas?” she asked Nick as they cleared
away the dishes.

“Gift
certificate for yoga classes,” he said, loading the dishwasher.

“Nope,
I’m going to find you a mate.”

“Really?
Will she
come
gift wrapped?”

“Maybe.”

“
Which reminds me.
I hope you two guys can come for Christmas
dinner,” said Nick.

“We’d
love to,” said Lucas.

“Christmas
with two alphas, am I lucky girl or what?”

Lucas
smacked her on the butt. “Okay, let’s go get this tree cut and brought back and
start making this place look like a winter wonderland.”

All
three pulled up their coat collars when they stepped outside only to
be met
by heavy snow falling.

“I’ll
just go get the
ax
from the shed and be
right back. I saw what I
think
will be
the perfect tree over there to the left of the property,” said Nick.

Maisey
and Lucas held hands while they waited for Nick and the three of them headed
down the hill a bit.

 
“That’s the one I was looking at. You think it
will
fit into
the living room?” said
Nick.

Maisey
hugged herself and shivered, positive that she was coming down with a cold or
flu.

“Can
we get this over with quickly because I’m freezing,” said Lucas.

“Okay,
you want to give me a hand?” said Nick.

Nick
took the
ax
and chopped away at the trunk
and then he and Lucas laid it on the ground.

“Maisey,
can you carry the
ax
while
me
and Lucas take care of the tree?” Nick asked her.

He
handed it to her. It was heavier than she thought so she dragged it beside her
as she walked a few feet behind the
guys
who carried
the tree between them. Snow got into her eyes and mouth, and it felt like she
was going to pass out. Before she could call for
help,
she went down in the snow

“Nick,
hold up, Maisey’s fallen,” Lucas shouted.

She
saw both of them suddenly kneeling beside her.

“What’s
wrong?” Lucas asked her.

“I
don’t feel so good.”

“Shit,
she’s fallen on the
ax
,” she heard Nick
say.

She
looked at her outstretched arm and the blood seeping from it.

“It
looks like a pretty deep cut and nothing her body will fix for itself so we
need to get her to the hospital,” said Nick after
he’d
ripped her coat sleeve open. “You stay with her and I’ll go call Charlotte
Renner and tell her we’re bringing Maisey into the new hospital. It’s not
completely finished yet, but it’s the safest thing to do.”

“Maisey
baby, hang on because we’re going to get you help,” said Lucas before kissing
her on the cheek.

Chapter Twelve

Lucas
had volunteered to make
the call
to Maisey’s
parents, the one telling them
she’d
lost a lot of
blood and they needed to get to the hospital to donate some to her.
He looked through the window where
both her mom and dad lay on gurneys. Charlotte was getting great at all this
shifter stuff. She was learning about blood types for shifters and that every
few could survive without blood from their
closest
family members so she knew straight away that both he and Nick would be of
little help.

He
just hoped it would be enough to save Maisey. Maybe they
shouldn’t
have gone out cutting trees or made her carry the
ax
, but she hadn’t said a thing about not feeling good. Charlotte
took the two bags from the stands and headed outside with her lab coat pulled
over her growing belly

“Why
don’t you and Nick go in and wait with Maisey’s parents while I go and give her
this blood.”

“She’s
going to be okay, isn’t she?”

“Once
I get this into her system I think she’s going to be just fine.”

****

Maisey
opened her eyes to see Charlotte Renner sitting on a stool beside her, her arms
folded over her baby bump.

“Welcome
back,” she said, stroking the back of Maisey’s hand.

“Geez,
what happened?

“You
fell on an
ax
while you were helping Nick
and Lucas cut down a tree. Your parents donated blood and you’ll be back on your
feet in a couple of days.”

“I
felt light-headed.”

“Did
you know you have diabetes?”

She
shook her head. “Is that bad?”

“Not
as long as you eat right and monitor your blood sugar. When’s the last time you
ate?”

“This morning?
So you can
treat
me?
I mean I’m not going to die?”

“Definitely not going to die.
And I’m going
to take
first-class
care of you.”

“And
will I be able to have a family?”

“I
don’t see why not. Aiden told me that he saw you and Lucas together last week. Does
that mean you’re a couple?”

Maisey
nodded.

“He’s
a nice guy, cute too.”

“Do
you know what you’re having?” said Maisey, pointing to Charlotte’s belly.

“Nope,
we want to keep it a surprise. So you feel up to seeing your parents and
Lucas?
I think Nick’s still around here someplace too.”

“Sure.”

Maisey
watched as Charlotte left the room and soon her parents and Lucas were by her
side.

Her
mother leaned over and kissed her. “You had us worried.”

“Thank
you for donating the blood,” said Maisey.

“You’re
our daughter, it was our duty,” said her father. “How’s your arm feeling?”

“Sore and numb.”

“Charlotte
is so
clever
. Aiden’s even more brilliant
to marry a woman like that,” said her father. “Now you see what
an education
can do for a woman,” he said.

“Bob,
this isn’t the time or place for that, and I think I have to agree with Maisey,
it’s what makes her happy, not us,” said her mom.

“Women,”
said her father, throwing his hands into the air.

“And
my darling husband, I’m sure that Lucas would like a chance to visit with our
daughter alone.”

She
winked at Maisey and then Lucas as she almost pulled her dad from the room.

“I
like them a lot,” said Lucas, sitting on the bed and taking her hand into his.

“I
have diabetes,” said Maisey. Best he knew all her faults up front.

“That
means I’ll have to take even better care of you.”

“Also
means you’ll have to eat more of my mom’s cookies and cakes because they’ll be
off limits to me now.”

They
both burst out laughing. “I might have to sign up for the yoga classes to burn
off all those calories. Pure luck she’s such a great cook.”

Maisey
smiled. Life was so much better with a mate.

“So
are you really going to get Nick a girlfriend for Christmas?” asked Lucas.

“Well,
there’s only twelve shopping days left so it might have to be in the New Year,
but I never break my word.”

“You
know what I’m getting you?”

“
Sugar-free
chocolates?” asked Maisey.

“Nope,
and in fact, I shouldn’t tell you because it will ruin Christmas morning at Nick’s
place.”

Christmas with two alphas, one her mate,
one her new business partner.
How much better could
a she
-wolf’s life get?

The
End

www.vanessadevereaux.com

Other Books by Vanessa
Devereaux
:

www.evernightpublishing.com/vanessa-devereaux

If you enjoyed this book, you may also like:

Bought for Christmas by Doris O’Connor

Mistletoe
Menage
by Molly Ann
Wishlade

Backwoods Bailout by M. Levesque

Evernight
Publishing

www.evernightpublishing.com