2. Bjorn

Chapter 2

Bjorn

“ I didn’t think you’d be a bear.” Ben Hunter raked his little gaze over me as he sat on my lap. “Is that why you’re from the North Pole?”

He wasn’t the only kid with questions tonight. As a human, I was a big guy with a beard, and recognizable around Sunset Springs. Not Santa shaped. So when the costume company said they didn’t have a Santa outfit in my size, I offered to do the job as a bear.

There was no reason the big guy couldn’t be a shifter.

“Benny takes Christmas very seriously,” his mom, Michelle explained. “Now let Santa Bear know what you want to ask him for, and then we’re headed to Mema’s for a sleepover.”

“Then the real party can get started,” Jackson, her mate, winked at me.

“I’d like a bike, and an action figure,” Ben said, and then put his finger on his chin as he pondered what else he’d like to find under the tree on Christmas morning. “My sister probably wants a doll.”

“That’s very nice of you to ask for something for your sister.” I had a lengthy list of requests from the kids in the Colorado Ranch and Green Mountain packs that I needed to relay to their parents, just in case the kids had shared their most wanted present requests with me only. Didn’t realize when I volunteered for this gig that it would come with so much responsibility. Now that I had a chance to get to know the kids a little better, I was totally invested in them having the best Christmas ever.

Maybe next year you’ll have one of your own….

“Are you ready for your picture?” Michelle asked, mostly to get her son to focus, but I was the one distracted by the sweet vanilla scent of my mate entering the building…

I smiled for the picture and helped Ben off my lap. Bibi, my boss and host of the party, closed the velvet rope that had led to my chair.

“You did amazing,” she said. “The kids couldn’t stop raving about Santa Bear. You might have to do this every year.”

“That gives you time to come up with something to top that Christmas tree catsuit.” I teased.

Beebs put her hand on her hip and pursed her red lips. “Next year I might be Santa’s sleigh and bring in nine reindeer shifters to carry me around the party.”

“Can’t wait to see it.” That delectable vanilla scent grew stronger. “Have you seen Marissa?”

“Not yet.” She turned to scan the room. “Oh, there they are. And oh my, is someone making a statement tonight…”

Bibi sauntered off, and I scanned the room to find my mate.

My mouth dropped when I saw Marissa.

I leaned forward… from this distance, it looked like she was wearing nothing but a strategically placed vine of mistletoe.

It took everything I had to control myself. In my bear form, there would be no way to hide how much her outfit turned me on.

Her dark hair was in a high ponytail, and she pushed her glasses up her nose, a move she made when she was nervous. Her gaze met mine and her lips parted.

I hadn’t told her I planned to shift tonight.

Hannah touched her arm, but she barely noticed. Not that it fazed Hannah, she was off to see Lars at the naughty station.

I thought it would be fun to surprise Marissa as a bear. I didn’t get to shift often. I needed cold and space. When we were in the middle of filming an episode, it wasn’t easy to get up to the mountains.

She approached slowly and stood at the velvet rope, timid.

“You look fucking incredible,” I said, my words almost pure growl. This close, her scent was intoxicating.

Her lips curled up into a grin. “Can I sit on Santa’s lap?”

I took a quick scan of the room. Only a few kids were left, and Ben and his sister were busy saying good night to Bibi.

My attention quickly turned back to my mate . “Is that all you plan to do?”

Crimson tipped fingers unhooked the rope and she gracefully slid inside, turning to close it. Now I could see a stocking covering her body, and its slight sheen accentuated her curves.

This costume made her move differently. Like she had become one with her she-wolf.

She hesitated at the bottom of the stairs, and I patted my leg, just like I had many times tonight, but this time, it was supercharged.

“Are you gonna tell me how you plan to be naughty?” I asked as she settled on my leg.

She gasped. “I thought Lars was taking care of the naughty girls.”

“He can take care of the rest of them. But you’re all mine, little wolf.” Everyone else in the room melted away and the tension thickened between us as her dark eyes met mine. I hooked a claw under a mistletoe leaf. “I thought this was all you were wearing when you walked into the party.”

“That’s what it feels like.” She let out a nervous chuckle. “I almost chickened out and changed into that red dress you like so much before I left the cabin. But Hannah insisted I stick with the naked body stocking, because she thought it would drive you wild.”

“Hannah was right.” I let my claw graze the material on her belly, and she tensed when I made contact. My mate was nervous. “I love seeing you be a wild.”

“You told me you don’t want me to hold back anymore.” Her hand was on top of my paw. Even though she was sitting on my lap, and I’d had her in almost every way I’d ever dreamed of, something about it felt forbidden. Intimate.

We’d never been together when I was in my bear form. She was so much smaller than me, even as a human.

But tonight, I wanted to break all my rules, every single promise I ever made to myself, and claim her in the most primal way possible.

“I can’t wait to kiss you under this.” I nuzzled her cheek as my claw wiggled one of the berries. I moved to the next one. “And this.” And further down her lap, heat radiated from her core. The scent of her arousal mixed with the vanilla. “And this one.”

She swallowed hard. “Everyone made a bet with me that we wouldn’t make it until the end of the party before we were all over each other.”

I raised a brow. “What did you wager?”

“That I’d be able to wait until we got home.” Her eyes closed for a long blink. “But then I saw you were in your bear form, and damn, I had no idea how much it would turn me on. Something about you in that Santa hat…”

“Makes you want to be naughty with Santa.”

“Fuck yes.” The words were little more than a sigh.

“Whatever you choose, you’d win.” Desire stirred inside me. I wanted her, right here, right now. “Maybe we could sneak into your office.”

Her eyes widened. “But everyone would know what we did if you shifted. Not that I’m ashamed, but we already have a reputation…”

My mouth was against her ear. Her heart fluttered and that vanilla scent tangled with her arousal. “What if I didn’t shift?”

Her lips parted and I nodded.

“Can I have everyone’s attention, please?” Both of us jolted at the sound of Bibi’s voice. She stood in the middle of the room, with the star at the top of her wig pulsing with golden light. “Before we do the Secret Santa gift exchange, I thought it would be fun if we played a little game. So if everyone could come to the middle of the room, we can truly get this party started.”

I groaned and lifted Marissa off my lap.

“That’s it?” Marissa’s body was hot against mine as I stood. “Are we gonna talk about this again?”

“You need to work on your patience, little wolf. I know I’m hard to resist.”

She rolled her eyes. “Cocky bear.”

“Tell me you don’t want me like this.”

A growl caught in her throat that sounded positively feral. Like her wolf was trying to get her to let go of every single human limitation she had.

“Ahem.” Bibi suddenly right beside us. “I’m sure you just finished telling Santa your wish list, and he’s very eager to make your dreams come true, but it will have to wait just a little while longer.” She turned to head back to the circle, and looked over her shoulder. “If you’re wondering, my bet is on just after the Secret Santa exchange. I can’t wait for our girls’ night out.”

“I didn’t get a chance to tell you what I wanted for Christmas,” Marissa said with a playful pout.

“ Oh, you will .” I put my hand on the small of her back. “ So what does the winner of the bet get as a prize? ”

“I offered to take them to burlesque night at the Orchid Lounge.”

“ Maybe I should’ve gotten in on this bet. I’d like to see you up on stage. Maybe you can put this outfit to use again .”

Marissa turned to me, right outside the circle. Our friends, coworkers, and former contestants had already gathered, waiting for the festivities to start. She went up on her tiptoes, and placed her hands on my shoulders to balance herself. “Once you rip it off me, I won’t be able to wear it again.”

Hot damn. I took my seat, but my gaze was fixed on my mate. She smiled coyly as she settled beside me.

“Bjorn, do you want to shift before start the game?” Our coworker Tina asked. She was dressed as an elf, in a matching costume with her mate Sterling. “Lars is natural all winter long, but he can communicate with humans—they might have a harder time understanding you when you’re in your bear form. It might be hard for you to play the game.”

I turned to Marissa. “Which do you prefer?”

“Do you mind staying bear for a little while longer?” she asked.

That was exactly the answer I hoped for.