Page 21 of Beary Mated Christmas

Denali threw his head back laughing. “I know. You’ve put me in quite the predicament. I have to really plan ahead to impress you now, but there’s nothing else I’d rather do.”

“You’re enough to impress me.”

We spent the day watching cheesy Christmas movies and eating entirely too many cookies. Soon, we would have to go back to our real lives, but for now, we were content in our Christmas bubble, surrounded by snow. Not another soul in sight.

That night, we ran together as our animals. There would be a time when I couldn’t shift anymore, but that would be months from now. And when we got back, I turned around to find my alpha down on one knee.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Asking you to marry me. I want to be tied to you in every way possible. I want our babies to have both of our last names, legally.” He shrugged. “I want it all, omega.”

“Babies, plural?”

“Whatever Fate deals us. She’s been pretty damned good to us so far. So…you haven’t answered me.”

I folded my arms over my chest. “You haven’t asked the question.”

“I have no ring yet, but I will. Abel, will you marry me? Be my husband and my mate and my omega and the father of my children?”

I nodded. “Yes. Of course I will.”

He gathered me up and took me to bed. Best Christmas ever.

Chapter Fifteen

Denali

It had been three months since Christmas. Three months since I’d found my Abel again. Three months since I started living for the first time in years.

Instantly, we wanted to be together every day. I mean, who wouldn’t want to? But my mate was teaching school, and I still had things to deal with at the college. It was much easier for me to switch things around than for him.

And really, school had been more about trying to find meaning and purpose than actually something I wanted. It had been a way to hide from all the turmoil of losing Abel. Now that he was back, now that I realized I’d never really lost him in the first place, not in the way I thought I had, I didn’t need the university to be my everything anymore.

I talked to my advisor, and we arranged for me to do the rest of my coursework pretty much all via Zoom and online written communication. I’d still need to make a few trips out there, but not many. Quitting my position was easy, especially now that Abel and I were expecting. Working and living far away from him wasn’t something I’d consider doing.

We wanted something more than his place, a place that was ours. We lucked out when a cabin came on the market within commuting distance to his school. It was big enough for a growing family, close enough to amenities that we wouldn’t have to deal with hour-long drives for groceries, but also right in the middle of nature, so we could shift. And best of all, the price was well within our budget.

And today, we had officially moved in.

In some ways, everything happened incredibly quickly…three months from getting back together to moving into our firsthome, but it had been literal decades in the making, and it was finally here.

Our families had insisted on helping us get it ready by painting, cleaning, arranging furniture, but they had all gone now. It was just us, for the first time.

“What do you think?” I asked.

I wrapped my arms around him from behind, settling my palms on his growing belly. It was still flat compared to many, but he had the cutest little bump, and I couldn’t keep my hands off it.

“Do you think we could be happy here?”

He turned in my arms, facing me, and kissed me. “I could be happy with you anywhere,” he said, kissing me again. “But yes, I love this cabin. I love being here with you. And I’m so grateful our families are gone. I’m so exhausted.”

In theory, he was out of the first trimester, but the exhaustion was holding on a little longer. Annoying, but normal, based on his endless internet research, which, honestly, was never the best idea. Still, his energy levels had been improving every day, even if having a house full of company all “trying to help” had worn both of us down.

“Why don’t you take a shower and get ready for bed?” I suggested. “Then I’ll make us some sandwiches for dinner.”

“How did you know I’d want a sandwich?” he teased, as if he hadn’t been eating sandwiches for nearly every meal for two weeks.

“It was more that I was being lazy,” I said with a grin. “Go on. I’ve got this.”