Page 34 of His Snowbound Omega

Despite his words, he stopped in the entrance to the living room, mouth opening slightly as he took in the decorations.

It’d been decorated for Yuletide, with holiday lights strung up over large bay windows that overlooked a bustling night city view. An evergreen tree larger than Thorn’s couchback home sat in the corner of the room, sparkling in the golden overhead lighting. There were ornaments in whites and blues and silvers, and gold tinsel hanging from thick branches.

“Do you like it?” Baal had paused when he realized Thorn was no longer following, and was watching him by a dark wooden dining room table. There were big, poofy, red bows tied to the back of each chair, and a miniature version of the tree on the table as the centerpiece.

Thorn nodded. “I can’t remember the last time I decorated for the season.”

“You and your brother haven’t?”

“We couldn’t really waste coin on stuff like that.” When they’d been younger, occasionally their dad would manage to scrounge something up from the dumpsters. Wrinkled or torn decorations that people no longer wanted. They’d kept them for as long as they could, but eventually they’d had to admit defeat and toss out the scraps that were left.

Thorn turned back to the big tree. “Aster used to love tinsel.”

It felt weird, talking about something innocent like that while in the presence of the alpha who’d hunted him down this Yuletide. Thorn had spent the holiday on his hands and knees, stuffed with alpha cock, instead of at the hospital celebrating with his sick brother.

At the time, he’d excused it away. Told Aster he was working. It wasn’t entirely a lie, since he’d joined the Hunt to make money in a sense.

Maybe next year…

He was getting ahead of himself.

What? Did he really think the alpha wasn’t going to get sick of him by then? Next year, there’d be another White Hunt. Another running omega.

Another shiny new conquest to replace the old, boring, and used one.

Though Thorn did suppose that would at least mean he’d be free to spend the holiday however he wanted. With no debts to clear, and a broken contract with Baal, he wouldn’t need to—

“Whatever you’re thinking,” the alpha’s growl caught his attention and had Thorn’s eyes widening, “stop.”

“What?”

“You’re too expressive, omega. I can read every emotion in vibrant color.”

Yeah, right. “What was I thinking about then?”

“Escape.”

Thorn blinked.

“Come here.”

Approaching an angry alpha was dangerous, but not seeing a way around it, Thorn tentatively did as he was told, crossing into the dining room area cautiously. When the alpha picked up a box from the table and presented it to him, he frowned.

“What is it?” he asked dumbly.

“A present.”

“For…me?”

“No, it’s for Espen.” Baal rolled his eyes. “Yes, it’s for you. Obviously.”

Thorn took the wrapped box but stared at the alpha, inspecting him. “I don’t think I’ve seen you sulky before.”

“I’m not sulking.”

“Sure.” He totally was, but who was Thorn to argue? Instead, he pulled out a seat at the table and settled into it, putting the box down so he could open the white and silver packaging.

“You don’t have to be so careful with it,” Baal said, noting how Thorn was peeling the folded edges so as not to tear the paper.