Page 20 of Beary Mated Christmas

Throwing off the covers, I rushed into the kitchen. “Merry Christmas, Denali,” I exclaimed. Our first Christmas together. And…

I ran back to the bedroom and then into the bathroom and kneeled on the floor, vomiting up acid and bile until I couldn’t anymore. The smell of those cinnamon rolls. Something was wrong.

“Abel, what’s wrong? Don’t move.” He flushed the toilet and ran some cold water on a washcloth and swiped it over my mouth and then used another one to cool the back of my neck. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“The smell of cinnamon rolls. It instantly made me sick.”

“You love cinnamon rolls,” he said, leaning back on his heels.

“I know. I don’t know what happened.”

Denali helped me up, and I cleaned up and brushed my teeth while he watched me in the mirror. “Come here, mate,” he said, opening his arms.

When I sunk into his embrace, he nuzzled into the crook of my neck and inhaled deeply. Once. Twice. Three times. “Is there something you want to tell me?” I asked, laughing. My stomach turned with the motion. I felt like I might upchuck again.

“Yes, actually. Come with me.” My mate led me outside after making me put on a jacket and some shoes.

“Snow?” I asked. “What does that have to do with the way you were smelling me?”

“I just wanted you to have some fresh air when I told you something.”

I fisted the front of his shirt. “Tell me, already. You’re killing me.”

He smiled at me. A new smile. One that I’d never seen before, and that was saying something since I knew every smile of Denali’s. “Your scent has changed. It’s still your chocolate and peppermint bark, but now there’s an added layer. It’s fresh snow and hot chocolate. It’s sweeter, and it makes my bear want to take you to bed and hibernate for the rest of the winter.”

I felt my eyebrows drop. “I’m getting the feeling that means something.”

“My bear told me what it means. Your wolf told him. I don’t know how but I’m guessing it’s through our bond. You’re pregnant, mate. You’re having our cub.”

My hands flew to my belly, and I sucked in a breath. “Are you sure?” I asked. “It’s so soon.”

The alpha shrugged. “If you could hear my polar bear roaring inside me with sheer pride, you would have no doubt. And I know it’s soon but, as my dad said, it only takes once. Are you upset?”

Joy filled me. “No. I’m not.” I let out a laugh matching my happiness. “I’m so excited. I can’t believe it. This is officially going down as the best Christmas of my entire life.”

He grabbed me up and wrapped me in his strong arms. “Same here, omega. Same here. I started hating Christmas, but now with finding you and us finally resolving everything and now our babe inside you? I can’t imagine a better season. We have a lot to be grateful for.”

We stood out there until I felt better. Once we were back inside, he made me some scrambled eggs instead and gave me a cup of hot chocolate.

“Are we not having coffee?”

“Aren’t pregnant people supposed to cut back on caffeine?” he asked. “This has less.”

“Oh. Damn. How…are you already looking things up?”

With that new grin on his face, he nodded. “I sure am. All the things. And maybe I’ve been scoping out a new place for us to live. Together. I don’t want to spend another moment or another day apart from you. Unless you’re partial to your apartment?”

I snorted. “Not at all. I don’t want to be away from you either. You’re really shopping for a house on Christmas day?”

He came to sit by me. “No. We are.”

We looked for a few hours. Next year, we would have presents under the tree. Mine. His. Our baby’s.

“Denali?” I asked. “You’re never going to let my stocking go empty, are you?”

He put his phone down, studying me for a moment. I’d seen videos on social media where one partner was severely neglected on birthdays and holidays. I didn’t want that for either of us. I wanted an equal partnership. “Never, Abel. I swear I’m going to be the best father and alpha you two could ever ask for. Besides, have I ever missed your birthday or Christmas? Wait, I did. But before that shift?”

I shook my head. He was right. He would never be one of those alphas who took their omegas for granted, and I wouldn’ttake him for granted either. “No. Besides, this Christmas is hard to top. An alpha and a baby? A toaster just doesn’t hit the same.”