Page 112 of Her Knotty Alphas

Nobody can accuse holidays at the De Lucca Pack Household of not being entertaining.

The guys let me deck out the house right after Thanksgiving, complete with a ridiculously large tree and more wreaths and snow globes than I can count. Tomorrow morning we'll exchange presents in matching pajamas Enzo got all of us, and I've never been happier.

It's my first Christmas since Nana passed, and I'm so grateful that I have my pack here to share it with.

"My parents always got take out so they didn't have to cook." Noah wrinkles his nose.

"Turkey is the typical fowl consumed for Christmas in European countries and England," Simon supplies, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"I still say we should have gone full British and done Yorkshire pudding and roastedspuds," Ollie says the last word with a very bad English accent. I guess we can add 'accents' right next to 'singing' on the list of things Ollie isn't great at.

"Yeah, and who'd be doin' all that cooking?" Austin asks, bringing in a giant bowl filled with mashed potatoes and gravy. He looks so cute with his apron that says "Kiss the Alpha".

"Well—" Ollie starts, but is interrupted when Mattie comes out, carrying the steamed vegetables.

"My friend, I believe we all know the answer is not you." His light Italian accent makes the sentence seem a little more lighthearted than if Titus or Archie was the one saying it.

Cady shoots me a grin. "Look at our packs, all playing nice together."

Our packs. That has a nice ring to it.

Six months ago I never would have thought it would be my reality. To be here, on Christmas Eve, and not as a seventh wheel to Cady's pack, but with my own.

Charlie's hand grips my thigh. "You okay, mags?"

"Yeah, Golden Boy," I smile at him, "I'm good."

Eventually they figure out carving the turkey, and we all have heaping plates of food, laughing and joking together like we're an actual family or something.

"So, Hannah, not to be tacky, but what are you planning on doing with the money from your Nana's estate?" Archie asks, popping a cooked carrot in his mouth.

"Cucciolo," Mattie admonishes his beta, "just because you say 'not to be tacky', it doesn't make itnottacky."

"It's okay." I smile, shaking my head. "I'm actually going to donate most of it. Maybe to Brody's new omega-centric law firm to help keep him going. But…" I bite my lip, looking at Austin, who raises a brow at me. "I was going to wait until tomorrow and tell you as your Christmas present…"

His brow furrows, and I know they can all sense my excitement through the bond. Charlie squeezes my leg again, and Enzo and Noah smile at me. "Just tell him, princess."

"I want to use some of the money to invest in a business." Austin's look is blank, so I keep going. "More specially…a new local business…a bakery."

His eyes widen in realization. "…What? I don't—"

"I want you to open up your bakery, Austin." I stand, and walk around the table to him, where he pulls me into his lap. "You deserve to do something you love, and I know you'll be great at it."

He buries his face in my neck. "I don't…I don't know what to say, darlin'. This is more than I coulda ever dreamed of."

"'Thank you' is the typical response for when you receive a gift." Simon grins at us, and the table chuckles.

"I…thank you, darlin'. I won't let you down." Austin kisses me, a big smile on his face and then Cady's pack, (okay, maybe just Archie and Ollie) let out wolf whistles until Austin pulls back, his cheeks flushed.

"You could never," I tell him, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"Aw, look at our Banana," Ollie croons, "all grown up and buying her alphas bakeries."

"We're so proud," Archie wipes a mock tear from his cheek and I chuck a bread roll from Austin's plate at him.

"Hey! I was gonna eat that!" Austin laughs, and after everyone congratulates my alpha we finish our meal and head home.

Home.

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