Ari’s POV“Hey,” Finch smiles at me from the couch. He hasn’t come to bed in over a week.Juliet- He needs us. I lay down with him on the couch and we hold each other.“You need real sleep,” I tell him.“I can’t sleep until I know Anderson is okay,” he mumbles.Juliet- Something is off. Duke is not worried about the boys he is worried about Finch’s lack of sleep.“If there is a battle, you will be useless,” I tell him. “Come to bed. You will hold me, and my scent will help you sleep.”He seems to finally give in, and I pull him to the bed.It’s been a hard week.No sign of Alicia, Carter, or Anderson. Finley can feel his brothers are alive, but not where they are. Dad decided not to declare Alicia an enemy. Instead, he asked any Alpha who found her to detain her for the Royal Guard, so that she can have a private reprimand as befitting her status as a Princess. After all, if you don’t count the years of abuse she did to me, Alicia hasn’t been convicted of any crime.Dad did decide to
Finch’s POV“Finch,” Ari is shaking me a minute after I fall asleep.“Sweetheart, didn’t you tell me to sleep?” I groan and try to pull her into a cuddle.“They found Anderson, he is 6 hours from home, but they found him and are bringing him here,” she smiles at me.I kiss her and jump from the bed. I go toward Finley’s room, but Ari pulls me back.“He has company, leave him alone,” she tells me. “We are setting up a video call for us and Anderson.”She pulls me to the office.Duke- Can we be with our mate now?Me- Can we wait until the boys are home?Duke- I want my mate.I can feel him sulking. He has not been helpful this week at all. He has actually been fighting me as I coordinate the search. All he wants is to bed Ari. I have actually been sleeping on the sofa to keep him from taking over.“Hey, you okay?” Ari asks. “You seem far away.”“I’m having a small issue with Duke,” I tell her as she closes the office door.“I think Juliet understands,” Ari kisses my lips but pulls away
Finch’s POVAnderson leads us until we can smell them.“They are over this ridge. Dad, I’m ready, I want to fight,” Anderson tells me.I look to Ari, who nods. I nod and tell him, Peter and Jack.“Fan out and surround the place,” I give the order.We scan the area and take out any guards we cross.When Peter mindlinks that we have them surrounded. Ari and I start to walk toward the cabin.Alicia comes out and looks at us.“So, the Narc got away and straight to his Daddy,” Alicia rolls her eyes. “Come for your other son?”Duke- Oh, Juliet is too excited.“Let Carter go,” Ari tells Alicia.“Or what, Bitch?”Duke- No one call our mate a bitch.Me- We promised them this fight.I mindlink my troops to each throw a rock at the cabin. I move Ari to the front of me in case someone’s aim is off. But all the rocks sail over our heads and hit the cabin.Alicia jumps as the rain of rocks falls.“Or those rocks become something more real, like shifted wolves,” Ari answers.“Carter marked me, he is
DUKE’S POVFinch- You ready, buddy?Me- It’s Christmas Eve, I have been waiting and waiting. Either let me out, or I'll force my way out.Finch- Okay, okay, have fun, buddy. I’m putting up a wall.Me- Why?Finch- Unlike my wolf, I’m not a prev.Me- I’m not a prev, but I like the feeling mate gives us.Finch- Yeah, I’m not for secondhand orgasms.The wall goes up and I don’t care. Ariella is standing naked in front of me. I like her and I would mate with her human form but that is a little weird. Okay, that is a lot weird.She smiles and transforms into my mate. The most beautiful wolf on four paws.“They are finally letting us out,” Juliet swishes her tail as she looks at me. “Ari put a wall up. But I don’t know how long she will stay silent.”“We should mate before they take back over,” I growl a little, hoping she will just let me mount her already.“I’m okay with that,” Juliet turns around.As I am about to mount her to complete the mating process and finally enjoy my mate, she runs
Ari’s POV “Merry Christmas,” Finch whispers in my ear as we start to wake up.“How the hell are you awake before me?” I ask with a small groan. Juliet-Sorry Duke and I kept you both up so late. Me-I am not talking to you.Juliet-I am apologizing. Me-You shifted in the snow a mile from our clothes. “Duke is apologizing,” Finch tells me nipping at my ear and kissing my neck. “Juliet too, but I’m not talking to her,” I turn over and face him. “After our adventure last night how are you awake?“It’s a special day, Our First Christmas,” He kisses my mark and holds me close to him.“Happy Christmas,” I tell him. He chuckles not used to the normal expression we use at home. We start kissing and I have an idea. “I’ve been very naughty Daddy. Will you punish me?” I ask with a pout. Finch lets out a little growl. “I bet you have been rather naughty,” Finch gets off me and out of the bed. “Say nothing. Kneel on the bed with your hands behind you back.”I do as instructed and downcast
Air’s POV“Let’s race to see who gets ready faster,” I tease him and run into my closet. When I come out dressed for the day, he is putting on a polo and smirking. “My Perfect Luna even gets dressed faster than me,” He pulls me in for a kiss. “Youth has it advantages,” I tease back deepening the kiss.We make it to the den and his mom is busy setting up piles of gifts for the boys. I remember waking up on Christmas and there were piles for Caleb and Alicia, then a few things for me. “Just move that pile, she is a mated girl why should she care about gifts anymore,” I hear her say and his Dad starts moving a fourth pile. “Stop,” Finch orders making both his parents straighten and look at us. “Those are Ari’s gifts and I don’t care her mated status, you will not move them.”I look over and there is a mountain of things. “Who are those from?” I ask. “Caleb, your parents, the boys bought one each, Kale’s parents sent a couple, and of course me,” Finch explains with small pecks on m
Finch’s POVDuke- Kill.Me- Our mother?Duke- Roseline’s broach. Roseline’s birthstones. The suggestion of the damn cufflinks. KILL HER!Me- Ari seems to not know.Duke- You are the dumbest human. She is being gracious!“Mother, may I speak to you in the hallway, please,” I order, not ask.Duke- Look at the boys!Me- They are heartbroken.Duke- Their grandmother ruined a great Christmas. “Is there a problem, Finch?” Mom asks with an innocent smirk.“You are a bitch,” I say directly. “And what is worse is you know it and are doing it on purpose.”Duke- Atta BOY!“She doesn’t get it. Her little brain is so filled with cobwebs she will never get it,” Mom actually waves her hand in my face.“Cobwebs? Did you see the boys opening their gifts from us? She picked out individual gifts for each one based on knowing them,” I remind her.“How does she know the boys so well? Could it be that she is actually in love with them?” Mom asks with raised eyebrows.“You don’t know this, but the boys
Ari’s POVJuliet- You ready to talk to me now?Me- You are a total Bitch.Juliet- I own it, but I am sorry.Me- At least you are sorry.“Hey, you with us?” Finley asks as I start to clear the plates.“I’m here, sorry,” I smile and stand to clear.“Oh, no,” Finch takes the plates from me. “You and Romana cooked; we shall clean.”I am shocked when Turk and the triplets follow his lead without complaint.“I like this deal,” Romona sits back and takes a long swig of her beer.“I guess I won’t complain,” I shrug and reach for Finch’s beer to finish it.Juliet- Nope!Me- Why? It’s just beer?Juliet- Don’t drink that.Me- Why?Juliet- Don’t be stupid.My heart skips a beat and I put the beer bottle down.I look at Romana, who looks confused. I guess I have a stupid look on my face.Me- Really? Like, no lie.Juliet- Your scent should start to shift in the next couple of days. But yeah, you are having an Alpha Heir.I jump up from the table.“What is it?” Romana asks me.“I can’t tell you unti