“And where are the wolves today?” she asked.

  “Out with the ranch hands and the reindeer.” He figured that was a good cover for the wolves for now.

  “Okay. And then later, we’ll take care of things so we can tell them the whole truth. I guess it’s about that time to get some breakfast with your brother and sister-in-law and my family.”

  He pulled her into a hug and kissed her. “Man, I would give anything to just return to bed with you and stay there with you the rest of the day.”

  She laughed. “If we didn’t have so much company, I would agree with you.”

  ***

  Gina and Maverick left the bedroom and heard her parents talking low in the kitchen, probably not wanting to disturb them if they had been asleep. Weston appeared to still be in his room, maybe in bed asleep after their wild wolf run last night.

  Then Brooke and Josh arrived to have breakfast with them.

  Everyone was in a cheery mood, wishing everyone else a merry Christmas, and then Weston came out wearing a blue shirt and jeans while everyone else was color coordinated.

  Gina motioned for him to return to his room. “Red shirt or red sweater. You better have brought one.”

  Weston groaned. “I did, but I needed more sleep last night to remember to wear it.”

  “We heard the wolves howling last night,” Faye said while they all started to help make breakfast or set the table.

  “Yeah, we have run into coyotes before, so the wolves go out and chase them off,” Maverick said.

  Gina kept quiet because she figured it was better if Maverick made up the story and got it right.

  Weston returned wearing a red shirt and got a cup of coffee.

  “You slept with one of the wolves?” Faye asked Weston.

  He glanced at Maverick as if looking for an explanation. But Maverick only raised his cup of coffee to him.

  “Uh, yeah, for a while, and then he left early this morning.” Weston sipped some of his coffee.

  “And the other two joined you and Maverick?” her mother said. “It sure shocked me to see them racing through the house like that. I’m sorry for dropping my glass of milk. Sometimes it helps me to sleep when I’m having trouble with insomnia.”

  “We have a wolf door for them so they can come and go as they please,” Maverick said. “We should have mentioned they run through the house when they want so they wouldn’t startle you. No problem about the glass. I could have cleaned it up.”

  “You seemed to have had your hands full last night,” Reggie said.

  Then Gina and Brooke slipped into the kitchen and were making omelets for everyone, filled with cheese, ham, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, whatever their hearts desired, while Maverick made mimosas for everyone.

  Josh was making the toast, and Faye stepped in to cook up some sausages.

  “We thought they were wolf dogs,” Reggie said, starting to take the plates filled with made-to-order omelets and sausages to the table. “Then we saw the news and Gina saying they were red wolves. So we worried when we heard that.”

  “They’re perfectly safe to be around,” Josh said.

  “They never hurt the reindeer?” Faye asked.

  “No, they’re raised with them, so they know them from birth,” Maverick said.

  Gina wanted desperately to change the subject. Brooke smiled at her and brought over the teapot and teacups and teabags for anyone who wanted tea instead of coffee. Gina wondered if Randall had told Josh and Brooke what had happened last night as a heads-up.

  “But they’re still wild animals.” Reggie didn’t sound convinced that the wolves could be safe to be around. “And someday, you’ll want to have kids, right? I’d really worry about having the wolves around them.”

  At least her parents didn’t sound like they believed they were werewolves, not that she was surprised in the least. Her brother and his friends had been the only believers.

  With mimosas in hand, they all cheered each other, wishing each other a merry Christmas.

  She sure hoped that the great morning would be just as successful after turning her parents. But she realized she and her brother were already wearing Maverick and Randall ragged with all their unscheduled nightly wolf runs, and her parents would too once they were turned. Maybe they’d all do it together though, but they still had the issue that they needed to have someone come with a rescue vehicle in case any of them suddenly shifted back to their human forms during a run. Particularly tonight because a snowstorm was coming in. She could even smell it in the air.

  After they had a lovely time at breakfast, they moved into the living room to begin opening Christmas presents, her mom video-recording the morning, though they passed around the phone to capture her unwrapping presents too. It was a free-for-all, everyone having a blast as they opened fun gifts of colorful-toed socks and funny T-shirts, a really cool, colorful Bigfoot artistically created T-shirt for Weston, a pair of reindeer pajamas for Gina—because she was now part of the reindeer family, aka wolf family, a cowboy hat for Maverick because his had seen better days, and belt buckles with reindeer on them for Maverick, Josh, and even Randall, though Gina would give him his later. Her brother had gotten her a headlamp for camping trips and an ultra-cool lantern, all before he knew they wouldn’t need them now with their wolf vision. But if they were with others who were only human, she could use them then.

  Brooke had given Gina a collection of gnomes for Christmas after she’d shown an interest in them at the antiques shop.

  At one point, Maverick got a text on his phone and said amid all the wrapping paper and opened boxes, “I’ve got to go feed the reindeer. Randall was going to, but something came up.”

  “I’ll go with you and get it done quicker,” Josh said.

  “Me too,” Gina said, enjoying the time she spent with the reindeer.

  “We all will,” Faye said, getting up from the couch and wading through the wrapping paper to get her coat, phone in hand. “I love the reindeer.”

  Everyone echoed the same sentiments.

  Gina was glad everyone was willing to help out so they could get back to the party. After starting the turkey, they all headed outside wearing their parkas and gloves. A light flurry of snow was falling, the moon still visible between the snowy clouds.

  Her mom got ahead of everyone with her phone to record them heading to the stables, and then she hurried off and went inside.

  When they went inside, Gina expected it to be like any other day with the special Christmas lights on in the stables, the reindeer waiting for food, but this time the calves’ stall had a huge red bow on top and even more lights around it.

  She peeked into the stall and gasped. “Ohmigod, a white reindeer calf!” She turned to look at everyone watching her; even the ranch hands had come to join in on the reindeer fun.

  “That’s Sugarkin, our newest addition to the reindeer ranch, but she’s all yours to raise and study,” Maverick said, giving Gina a hug before opening the stall door for her.

  She gave him a hug and a Christmas kiss. “Thank you. She’s beautiful.”

  “You’re welcome. She had to be special for my special…uh, fiancée.”

  Wolf mate? She figured that was what he was going for until he remembered her parents were there.

  Then she went into the stall and greeted the calves. She couldn’t just give all her loving to Sugarkin. All the calves were adorable. So was her mate. She hugged on Sugarkin too, loving her soft white fur, her dark eyes, and her pink nose.

  Even though the ranch hands were there, everyone pitched in to help with the reindeer as one big happy family, visiting with each other, visiting with the reindeer and llama. Brooke and Gina finally returned to the house to make hot cocoa for everyone and then brought it out for everyone to drink. This had been the best Christmas ever, though Gina still worried about ruining it when they turned her parents.

  Chapter 21

  Later that day, Gina and her family and Maverick and his had a late lunch of turkey and all the fixings. They were having a great time talking about the new year and the party coming up. But the whole time they were visiting, Gina was feeling apprehensive. Maybe they could wait to turn her parents during the New Year’s Eve party. It would be the time of the new moon, and they couldn’t shift.

  “So you want to have the wedding on the twenty-eighth of June?” her mother asked.

  “Yes, we figured Maverick doesn’t have as much business during the summer and we could have a wedding here.” And also Gina had looked up the phases of the moon, something she didn’t think she’d ever be concerned with when she got married.

  Maverick got a call from someone and said, “Merry Christmas, Leidolf.”

  Gina’s heart skipped a beat, and Weston was watching him to see what he had to say.

  Maverick glanced at Gina. “Right, making choices.”

  She raised her brows at him.

  “We’re almost finished eating. Thanks, okay.” Maverick ended the call. “Would anyone like some more champagne?” He got up to get another bottle.

  “Would anyone like anything else? I’ll get everyone a refill on their water too,” Gina said, joining Maverick in the kitchen. It was open to the dining room and living room, so they couldn’t really talk in private there, except to kiss and whisper sweet nothings in each other’s ear.

  “Sure on the water and champagne,” Brooke said.

  “Leidolf is bringing an injection of wolf saliva for your mom and dad if we choose to tell them and turn them that way.”

  She sighed. “I thought of even waiting until New Year’s Eve.”

  He smiled. “You would put it off forever if you could.”

  “Yeah, I would. Okay, so we wait to tell them after Leidolf gets here?”

  “He’ll be here with us to talk to them soon.”

  “Okay.” She took the pitcher of ice water to the dining room while he opened another bottle of champagne and brought it in.

  “No more champagne for me,” her dad said, covering the top of his champagne glass. “I’ll be driving home and am the designated driver.”

  “We want you to stay another night.” Gina hadn’t talked to them about it earlier because she was certain they would have bowed out. But now with the snowstorm coming, they could convince them it was the right thing to do.

  “Yeah, Dad,” Weston said. “We have so much to eat, and we want to play board games tonight like we did in the past.”

  “It’s going to snow heavily tonight,” Maverick said. “We’d feel better if you stayed another night at least.”

  “Right, and you know how you don’t like to drive in snow or rainstorms,” Gina said.

  “We don’t want to be an imposition,” their dad said.

  Gina knew he’d say that, which was why she hadn’t mentioned it before. She smiled, refilled everyone’s water glasses, and then began clearing away the dishes. “It isn’t. Besides, we’re going to have three different desserts later, and so you have to stay for that.”

  “More champagne?” Maverick held up the bottle.

  Everyone took refills then.

  They took their seats in the living room, the lights sparkling on the Christmas tree, the fire glowing, and soft Christmas music playing in the background.

  “Okay, so we have some news to share,” Maverick started.

  He was going to do it, spill the beans, and Leidolf wasn’t even here yet?

  “Not a baby this soon,” Faye said, looking shocked.

  Maverick smiled. “No. Though that could be a real possibility in a few months. But you know how your son and his friends, well, Gina too, search for Bigfoot—”

  “And werewolves,” Gina said.

  “Yeah, they found some. Not Bigfoot, but werewolves,” Maverick said, his arm wrapped around Gina, and he squeezed.

  Faye smiled. “Weston told us you are a werewolf, and your brother too.”

  “Right. And we want you to join the pack.”

  A knock sounded at the door.

  “I’ll get it,” Josh said and hurried to get the door.

  Leidolf, Gina figured. And then she let out her breath.

  “Yeah, so Weston wanted to be one of us in the worst way,” Maverick said.

  Josh said, “Merry Christmas, Leidolf. So this is Leidolf Wildhaven, our pack leader.”

  Reggie and Faye smiled as Josh introduced them.

  “Have you told them all about us?” Leidolf asked.

  “Not yet. Maverick was just getting started,” Josh said.

  “Some of us were born as wolf shifters, lupus garous, and some were turned. We have two ways of being turned—breaking the skin or taking an injection, something new we’ve tried when we need to turn someone,” Maverick said.

  “Let’s say I’m buying into this. Why would you need to turn someone?” Reggie asked.

  “Once you know that someone is a wolf shifter, we need to ensure you won’t tell anyone else. As a wolf shifter, you have the same stake in this,” Leidolf said. “We don’t do this without giving it a lot of serious consideration.”

  “I accidentally turned Gina when I was a wolf as she tried to save me after I fell through the ice on a lake,” Maverick said.

  “He’s right, he turned me accidentally, and we didn’t have any other choice. Weston and his friends were doggedly trying to learn the truth about us,” Gina said.

  “I could understand if this were Halloween or an April Fool’s joke,” their dad said, “but at Christmas?”

  “It’s not a joke,” Weston said. “I’m glad I’m one of them now too. So are Bromley and Patterson. We know you won’t believe us unless we shift. Gina and I went running as wolves last night. Maverick had to come after us and make sure we stayed safe. You were in the kitchen when we ran through the house.”

  “As wolves,” Faye said. “But you’re right, Weston, I don’t believe any of this. Next, you’ll be telling us Bigfoot lives here too.”

  They all smiled.

  “Okay, so you said only you and Gina can shift?” Reggie said. “What about the rest of you?”

  “We can shift. We’re known as royals, born and raised as wolf shifters, and we can shift at any time,” Maverick said. “So I’ll give you the choice. We can strip off our clothes and shift into wolves, or one of us will so it’s not so overwhelming, or we can go to another room and shift. Your choice. We’re used to stripping naked in front of other wolves, but we don’t expect you to feel comfortable with it.”

  “You will never believe it if they don’t shift in front of you. It’s amazing to see,” Weston said.

  “Do it,” Reggie said.

  Faye gripped Reggie’s hand.

  Gina knew her parents wouldn’t believe it.

  Maverick kissed Gina, and then he rose from the couch. He began stripping off his shirt and then his boots and socks. When he got down to his boxer briefs, he turned around so he wouldn’t embarrass her mother, Gina suspected.

  Then he pulled his boxer briefs off and shifted.

  Gina’s mother and father both gasped. Maverick turned around and sat down as a wolf on the floor.

  “See?” Weston said as if he was witnessing the miracle again for the first time. “The shift is so fast, you can barely see it.”

  “It’s impossible to believe,” Reggie said.

  “It’s a trick,” Faye said. “Like a magician’s trick.”

  “It isn’t, Mom. I think you should go with the saliva injection. Maverick, Josh, and Brooke also want to give you, Dad, and Weston parcels of land so you can build homes on them and live here with us. Weston and the other guys were bitten, their choice, being all macho. Dad, I don’t know which way you want to go, but it’s up to you,” Gina said.

  “What’s the punch line?” Faye asked.

  Leidolf explained all the pros to her parents and then said, “And the con is the shifting issue. You’ll need to be with us, with the pack, and believe me, you’ll have plenty of friends of all ages. So like Gina said, it’s up to you how you’re turned.”

  “If you’re bitten, the bite mark is light, just enough to break the skin,” Weston said. “The guys wanted to be bitten so that they could tell generations to come. Way cooler than getting a shot. Also, we heal in record time.”

  “Who bit you, Weston?” Reggie asked, still sounding like he couldn’t grasp what they were telling them.

  “Maverick bit me. I hadn’t expected it, but I would have opted for that the same as the others.”

  Without warning, Josh started stripping off his clothes and shifted. Her parents had the same reaction as before, jaws dropped, a sharp intake of breath.

  “If you want, I can shift too,” Brooke said.

  “And I can,” Leidolf said.

  “The wolves at the reindeer exhibit,” her mother said, “who were they? Real wolves? Or werewolves?”

  “Josh and me,” Brooke said.

  “And like I said, the wolves you saw last night racing through the house were Gina, Maverick, and me. I went into my guest room, and you asked me if the wolf had slept in my room. It had, but the wolf was me,” Weston said.

  “I don’t believe any of this,” Reggie said, shaking his head. Then he shrugged. “But I’ll humor you. Since Weston and Gina and their friends went with a wolf bite, I will too. That’s saying if I believed in all this.”

  “Do you want to choose who bites you? We want a royal to do it, not one of your kids because you’ll have more royal roots then rather than newly turned wolf genes,” Leidolf said.

  “It should be family,” Reggie said, looking at Maverick.

  Josh was family too, but maybe her father felt more comfortable with Maverick doing it because he had already turned his son and Gina and they were both fine with it.

  Maverick didn’t hesitate to cross the room to join Reggie. Her dad offered his hand. Maverick took a bite.