Romance Rules For Werewolves:

Christmas Morning

Isobel

Christmas morning dawned bright and clear, with snow on the ground and the sun shining brightly overhead. We’d been preparing for a week, putting up decorations, wrapping gifts, and cooking up a storm. The house had loved it, filling the air with a sense of happiness that was palpable.

Shortly after eight a.m., I found Rafe in the kitchen, his thin sweater rolled up to his elbows as he flipped eggs on the skillet. The rich scent of coffee filled the air, along with a hint of sweetness from cinnamon buns I knew he’d planned to make.

“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty.” He smiled and nodded toward the coffee machine. “I’ve set out a cup for you.”

“My hero.” I stopped by the stove to press a kiss to his lips, and he pulled me in with one strong arm around my waist. Joy burst through me as his mouth moved on mine, and I smiled against his lips. “You’re going to have to save that for later. Your parents will be awake any minute.”

He chuckled low against my lips and pulled back. “You’re right.”

“I didn’t know you’d planned to make eggs,” I said as I walked toward the coffee machine. I leaned against the counter and poured myself a cup, glancing up at him. “You only mentioned cinnamon buns.”

“The queen insisted.” He pointed a spatula toward the kitchen hearth, where a fire burned warmly. Poa lounged on a cushion in front of it, a smug look on her white and orange face.

“She’s got you wrapped around her paw, doesn’t she?”

He sighed. “At the very least, she knows how to stand in front of the refrigerator and yowl until I get the eggs out.”

Tell him to add bacon.

I frowned at her. “No bacon. We’ve got way too much work to do. Everyone will be here by noon.”

“She wants bacon, doesn’t she?” Rafe asked.

“How did you know?”

He shrugged. “It’s what I would do.” He went to the refrigerator and pulled out a package. “I should have thought of this sooner.”

I arched a brow at Poa. “You are trouble, you know that?”

She just purred.

I pulled the cinnamon buns from the oven and went to get forks and plates. The house obligingly swung open the cabinet doors for me as I approached. “Thank you.”

Rafe’s parents joined us for breakfast. They’d been here for a few days already, and it had been a lovely visit. My grandmother had bonded quickly with Rafe’s mother, and the two of them could be found looking over cookbooks together at all hours. Sometimes, they even sat side by side, knitting away on their own projects.

Since there were no children in the picture—yet—we’d decided to host a casual Christmas Day with dinner at five and presents afterward around the fire. Even my parents were coming.

The afternoon passed in a lovely haze of snowball fights, a movie in front of the fire, and last-minute preparations. Snow fell lightly outside, an extreme rarity here in coastal Cornwall, but I wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

By the time my parents arrived for the main meal, I was buzzing with nerves. I hadn’t seen them in years, and honestly, it was a shock that they’d agreed to come when my grandmother had invited them. But if they wanted more of a relationship, I didn’t intend to be the one who stood in the way.

Rafe found me waiting in the foyer shortly before they were meant to arrive. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pressed a kiss to my head. The strongest sense of belonging rushed through me, and I leaned against him.

“This will be fine, right?” I asked.

“It will be great. And if it’s not, I’ll kick them out.”

I gave a low laugh. “Unnecessary. They’re not the type to fight or cause problems. It’s more of a disinterest thing. It shouldn’t hurt my feelings anymore, but it does, I guess.”

He hugged me closer to his side. “I’d be more than happy to kick them out for that.”

I smiled up at him and kissed his lips, so happy to be with him that I almost couldn’t contain it. Everything was better when he was around.

The doorbell rang, and I jumped. “That’s them.”

Rafe released me, and I hurried to the door, my heart pounding. When I opened it, I saw my parents standing on the doorstep, piles of presents in their arms. The beautifully wrapped packages surprised me—they were covered in paper featuring forest creatures gathered around brightly lit Christmas trees. I’d loved that paper since I was a girl.

“Your favorite.” My mother smiled, warmth in her eyes. Her hair was grayer than it had been before, and there were a few more lines on her face. She was still beautiful, though.

“How did you remember?” I asked.

“You thought I’d forget? Although it wasn’t easy to find this paper,” she added.

“Worth the effort, though,” my father said. He, too, was a little grayer and more lined than before. “We thought we needed to try a bit harder at our first Christmas together in quite a while.”

“He’s right.” My mother nodded. “We’ve been doing a lot of thinking and realized that we want to see you more.”

Happiness flared within me. A gust of cold wind blew inside, bringing with it a few flurries of snow. “Why don’t you come in?”

They followed me and set the presents on the table in the foyer. I gave the beautiful, snowy view one last look before shutting the door and turning to introduce them to Rafe. My grandmother joined us, and we all went in to the dining room for dinner. As we walked, my grandmother leaned in and whispered. “See? What did I tell you? Your mother also wants to spend more time together.”

“You were right.”

“Age can give a person perspective. It doesn’t right the wrongs of the past, but hopefully, we can have a happier future.”

“I’m willing to try.” And I meant it. Life was short, and there was so much happiness to be had. For that, I could let bygones be bygones and try for a fresh start.

We gathered round the table—even Poa, who had her own seat next to me. The dinner was delicious, all of it put together by my grandmother and Rafe’s mother while we’d finished wrapping gifts and trimming the tree. The wine flowed as freely as the conversation, and I was delighted to see how well everyone got on.

By the time we moved into the living room for gifts, I felt a warm buzz from the wine and the company. I cuddled up next to Rafe on one of the couches. Candles flickered, and plates of cookies were spread out on the end tables. Music played softly on the speakers, and Poa sat in front of the fire.

We laughed and sang along to the music as we opened gifts. By the time I handed Rafe his present, I was jittery with excitement. He took the small package and smiled at me. “What is it?”

“I’m not telling. You need to open it.”

He unwrapped the sparkling red paper carefully, revealing a little box that contained a key. He held up the old-fashioned brass key, a confused frown crossing his face. “It’s lovely but…what is it?”

“Symbolic. Come with me.” I hopped up and gestured for him to follow me down the hall.

“Wait for us!” my grandmother cried.

Our families followed us down the hall to the coat closet near the rear of the house, and I gestured to the back door with a flourish. “May I present your Christmas present.”

“I like a mystery.” There was a grin in his voice as he stepped toward the door and slipped the key inside. It clicked, and the door swung open.

Magic spilled out, glowing brightly from the portal within. The air shimmered with a milky sheen, pulsing with power.

“A portal.” Confusion echoed in his voice as he turned to me. “But to where?”

“To your parents’ house. So you can visit your pack whenever you like.” I grinned at him. The magic for a permanent portal had been difficult to manage, but my coven had helped me. Rafe and I were deliriously happy here in Charming Cove, and I believed him when he said he didn’t want to live anywhere else, but he was still a werewolf. He needed his pack.

A grin lit his face, and he pulled me into his arms for a massive hug.

From behind me, his mother clapped happily. His parents had been in on the secret, since I’d needed their permission to put the other end of the portal in their coat closet, but they had been more than happy to help.

For my gift, Rafe had built me a greenhouse in the back garden. It hadn’t been a surprise, because that would have been impossible, but I adored it. So did Poa, who finally had her own lemon trees.

That night, after we’d eaten the glorious chocolate cake that Rafe’s mother had made, we went to bed. As we were settling under the covers, Rafe turned to me. He held a small box in his hand, and I couldn’t help the gasp that escaped me.

“Rafe.” I reached toward the little velvet box, trembling slightly. “Is this what I think it is?”

He smiled, his expression tender. “You don’t have to say yes. I’m happy to continue on just as we are. I’ve never been happier in my life,” he said, and shrugged. “But when I saw this in the window of the jeweler downtown, I just knew.”

“Yes. Yes, yes, yes.” I didn’t even need to open the box to know I wanted to say yes. It didn’t matter what the ring looked like. I threw my arms around him and kissed him.

He laughed, kissing me back, and joy filled my heart.

Finally, he pulled away, beaming. “Now open the box.”

“All right, all right.” I raised the lid to reveal the most gorgeous antique opal ring I’d ever seen. A delicate gold setting twisted around a sparkling stone that gleamed with internal fire. The air whooshed out of me. “It’s gorgeous.”

“Not as gorgeous as you.” He cupped my face and pressed a kiss to my lips, then slipped the ring on my finger. It fit perfectly, of course. “It’s unique, like you are. And full of fire. It’s been enchanted to be stronger than the usual opal, so you won’t have to worry about it.”

Warmth filled me, along with a happiness that made me feel like I could float to the clouds. “I love you, Rafe.”

“I love you, Isobel. With all my heart.”

I kissed him, and we rolled back onto the bed, laughing. Life was perfect.