Page 3 of Claiming the Shifter’s Heart (The Macconwood Pack Tales #16)

“ O h my God, Sam! Where on earth would I wear that?”

“I don’t know. Beneath some silky little dress or a pair of blue jeans. Heck, you could wear this under those godawful plaid pajama bottoms you like so much, and you’d still have enough confidence to draw the eye of a dozen men. Della! You’d have them lined up around the corner for your attention.”

“Just what I need,” she muttered, rolling her eyes and serving her impatient Janie her bowl of pea mush.

“Della Connors, oops , I mean, O’Neil —is it O’Neil yet? Um, anyway, sorry about that,” Sam said when Della turned with her eyebrows raised.

With the help of the Macconwood Pack’s excellent legal team, she’d managed to finalize her divorce and started proceedings to change hers, and her children’s names to her maiden name.

After Samantha and her mate, Michael, who also happened to be a Wolf Shifter, had saved her, his Pack had offered sanctuary to the small Crow Shifter family.

Crow babies weren’t like Wolves. They could change almost as soon as they took a notion to do it, whereas in most cases Wolf pups needed to wait until after puberty.

Little Sean had had two shifts already, and Della was just so darn proud of him.

“Seriously though, when are you going to let your hair down and go have some fun,” Samantha said, fluffing out the naughty little nighty she’d brought over for her neighbor.

“It’s only been six weeks since that whole thing with Cade,” Della hissed.

“Six weeks is a long time. And I know you Shifters do everything faster than us normals, so don’t pretend you haven’t been thinking about getting back in the saddle again,” Samantha told her.

Della ignored her and prepared Sean’s dinner plate, having already agreed to let him watch TV while he ate since it was a special night and he and Janie were staying at Auntie Sam’s and Uncle Michael’s house.

Ever since that night they’d saved them, her neighbors had been upgraded to instant family. She added some whole peas next to the carefully cut chicken breast and homemade mac and cheese before grabbing a juice box.

“Watch her a sec, please?” she asked and went to deliver the food.

“Hey Buddy, what are you doing by the window?” she asked, ruffling his hair and squatting down next to him.

“Just saying hi to my Wolf!” Sean squealed and giggled.

“Your Wolf? Honey, are you telling stories again?”

“Nope. It’s the truth! He comes by every day, Mommy, and he protects me and Janie and you!” Sean nodded enthusiastically.

“Well, what does your Wolf look like?”

“He’s got big fangs and claws, and he has red fur like a fox!”

Della searched the tree line but saw nothing unusual. Her sweet Sean had a great imagination, though, and she smiled indulgently.

“Okay, well, it looks like your Wolf went home for dinner. Now, you eat every bite or none of Aunt Eileen’s cookies,” Della told her son, mentioning Michael’s aunt who loved to spoil her kids with tons of home baked goodies.

“Okay, Mommy,” Sean said, nodding sagely.

Such a good boy , she thought and kissed his head before returning to the kitchen.

“Okay, I am sorry if I’m pushing. It’s just, well, rumor has it you caught someone’s eye at work,” Sam hedged.

Della closed her eyes. She knew exactly who Sam was talking about—a certain six and a half foot tall, muscled, bearded, tatted up, monster of a man who also happened to be playing Santa Claus at Manning Farms.

“Who said that?” she said, spoon feeding Janie and pointedly ignoring Samantha.

Della had picked up a night job working as a Christmas Elf there while she tried to finish her teaching degree during the day when her kids were at school and daycare.

The Macconwood Alpha had managed to find an available scholarship for her, and she had never been so happy. Becoming a teacher was just something she’d always wanted to do.

She’d almost had her degree and license when she met Cade.

It was just one more thing her ex had stolen from her, along with her youthful innocence and naivete. But she’d gotten something from him, hadn’t she?

Her two blessed babies.

That was something she and her therapist had spent hours pouring over the last few weeks. Her guilt at staying with him so long, and her relief that he was no longer a part of her life.

Della was learning to accept that she could not change the past, but she could be angry, and sad, and happy now that it was in her past. She had a whole future to look forward to, being a mom and providing her little family with the best life she could.

Yes, Kristoff Varg was playing Santa Claus at Manning Farms. And yes, Della was working there, too. But that was all. There was nothing going on between them.

Okay, so sometimes her gaze roamed in his direction to find his stunning green eyes already locked on her. And maybe sometimes, whenever she was walking a child over to sit on the bench beside Santa for a photo, or passing out cookies to the people in line, Della caught a whiff of his delicious alpine scent.

“Is it true?” her nosy neighbor asked, taking the spoon from her so she could finish feeding Janie, who was drooling and clapping happily as she made a mess of her dinner.

“Nothing is going on with anyone at work,” she clarified.

“Oh well, it’s early days yet. Anyway, go put that on under your Elf costume tonight. Who knows, maybe you’ll get inspired?” Sam said with a twinkle in her eye.

“Woman, you are insane. I can’t keep this, it’s too expensive,” Della replied, giggling as she caught the bright red teddy.

“I am not! But seriously, you’d be doing me a favor. Lingerie is final sale, and I knew before I tried it on it wasn’t going to work out on me. I have too long a torso for that thing. But it will fit perfectly on you. I say keep it and wear it!”

Della sighed and shook her head, a mixture of frustration and resignation settling over her as she made her way to her bedroom and adjoining bathroom.

She had about fifteen minutes to get ready, and there was still the small matter of a shower. Time was slipping away quickly.

Being a mother prepares you for many things—patience, chaos, the occasional broken heart. But moving her fluffy ass at lightning speed to get dressed? That was a skill she had honed over the years, with a sense of urgency that could rival any Olympic sprinter.

She stepped into the shower, the hot water soothing her stiff muscles, and scrubbed herself down with practiced efficiency. Shampoo, rinse, and done. No time for lingering under the warm cascade.

In under seven minutes, she was out, towel drying her hair while eyeing the ridiculous piece of lingerie where she’d dropped it on the bed.

Samantha meant well, but she’d never been the kind of woman to wear something like that.

For one thing, there was never money for that kind of flippancy. For another, she was short and chubby. Not exactly runway model material.

And yet, she had to admit she was curious.