Page 13 of Beary Mated Christmas
“How did you sleep?” He kissed the back of my neck and reached around, splaying his hand over my heart.
“Like I was thoroughly mated and marked. Like I’ve never slept before.”
Denali chuckled. “Same here. Are you okay? Sore?” He brushed his fingers over the mark on my shoulder, making me shudder. “Does this hurt?”
“A little sore, but my mark, just sensitive.”
“Breakfast? Shower? Coffee? Which one would you like first?”
“Shower then coffee. All the coffee.”
“Should I join you for the shower, or do you need some time?”
I stretched. Yeah, I was more than a little sore. “I need some time, please.” Also, the stall was very small for me and the bear.
“Of course. I’ll shower quickly and then get to making my mate coffee.”
“That sounds great. Thank you.”
He gave me a quick kiss and went to shower. While the water ran, I stretched and tried to process everything that happened the day before. We had mated. Marked each other. Made promises that would last a lifetime.
All those years and we had bet everything on not having a scent. I still didn’t know why Denali didn’t smell like everything he was supposed to but then again, maybe I was just different. To me, he smelled like home and maybe that was simply the scent that made him mine.
Though a small part of me would be glad if he smelled like cheesecake, like in the shifter romance novels.
A small price to pay for his love.
My alpha came back into the room with only a towel wrapped around his waist. We didn’t have to get dressed in the bathroom anymore. Thank goodness. He turned to me and winked, dropping the towel to the floor, semi-erect, and came over to kiss me again. “Your turn, sweet omega. I can’t believe you’re mine.”
“I am. I always have been. Now, coffee.”
He laughed loudly. “So demanding. Last night and this morning. I like it. I’m going. I’m going.”
I took a long, languid shower and considered staying in there longer until the scent of coffee and something savory aroused my hunger. Denali had always been a giving, loving person but I had a feeling, now that we were mated, his qualities would be amplified.
In return, it would be my life’s purpose to see him happy.
With sweatpants on and one of his sweaters—because it made me feel cozy to wear something of his—I came out and walked into the living room slowly, wanting to see the bear in his element. Denali was whistling a tune about all he wanted for Christmas. He shook his hips he spun around, facing me. “Abel!” he exclaimed, slapping his hand over his heart.
“What? Don’t stop on my account. Can I make a request? Bing Crosby next? I had no idea you had this talent.”
“You’re gonna pay for that later.”
I shuddered, thinking about the possibilities. All of them ended in making love. “A wolf can hope. What are you making? It smells delicious.”
He came over and kissed me. I tasted coffee and creamer on his lips. “Breakfast casserole. After last night, I need more than coffee and toast.”
“You made a breakfast casserole? You’ve become a skilled chef.”
“Come on and sit. I’ll pour you a cup of coffee.”
I walked behind him. “I can get my own coffee, Denali.”
Damn, he looked hurt. “Don’t deny me my pleasures, omega.”
“Far be it for me to do that.”
We sat down to have coffee, and he proudly presented his breakfast casserole full of bacon, sausage, and eggs, the top bubbling with cheese. “Christmas is going to be different this year.”