Page 31 of Jingle Bell Mate

Reed’s face was a mixture of confusion and pride, tinged with fear.

“Please tell me our daughter won’t be up there with Santa next year? You told me?—”

I put a finger to his lips and slung an arm around him. “Every reindeer shifter is gifted a harness bell. I have one, it’s on our mantlepiece.”

“Oh, I thought that was a present from the pack.”

Erik gave us the bell and we took pics of me, Reed and Holly with the gift and more photos with everyone.

As we walked home and Holly tried to grab her present, I explained that having a harness bell was a rite of passage for reindeer shifters. But not everyone learned to fly and not all who did were chosen to pull Santa’s sleigh.

“My gut is telling me our daughter will be clamoring to fly as soon as she meets her beast.” Reed sighed. “And I’ll have to worry about her whenever she takesoff.”

“She’ll probably be pestering Santa with videos of how proficient she is,” I joked. I hoped not or she might get banned from Santa’s Village.

My mate rested his head on my shoulder. “Or she’ll fly up to the North Pole and tell him herself.”

We passed the office and the holly that was blooming near the door, and continued on to the house. Reed put our daughter down for a nap while I made coffee.

“I could have done that. I’m so much better than I was at brewing it than I was a year ago.”

That was true, though his coffee-making ability had stalled and not improved enough for my taste.

“We have the cabin booked for next week. Are you ready to unplug and unwind?” I placed a tray on the table.

“So ready.”

Reed had hired a full-time manager for the lot which gave him more time to spend with Holly but the lead up to the holidays was exhausting no matter how many people were helping out.

My mate pulled out a wrapped gift from behind a cushion. “Merry Christmas, my love.”

“Oh, a present. What a surprise!” I brought his gift out from behind the couch. “Merry Christmas, darling.”

“I wonder what this could be.” Reed tore at the wrapping paper. “A sleigh bell? With my name on it?”

“I didn’t want you to feel left out. We can put it with mine and Holly’s.”

Tears slid down his cheeks. “I love it. Thank you.” He threw himself into my arms. “Now you.”

I unwrapped the present to find a framed family portrait, drawn by Zelda. It was Holly, Reed and me, but me with antlers, like that day when I’d revealed myself to my mate.

My heart was so full, I had no words so I rested my head on Reed’s and breathed in his scent. In the distance, a car on the highway was blasting Christmas carols. Jingle Bells rang out across the lot and the remaining trees swished their branches.

This was our Christmas magic. It wasn’t just about the trees that had passed down knowledge over generations, or Santa flying across the sky, it was us, me, Reed, Holly, and the pack creating our forever home.