Page 48 of The Bear's Christmas Wish
Michael reached behind the seat and pulled out a thick woolen blanket, carefully draping it across their laps. The gesture felt oddly intimate, domestic in a way that made his bear rumble with satisfaction.
“All set?” he asked, his eyes meeting Sarah’s. The look she returned warmed him from the inside out.
“Ready when you are.” She flashed him a smile.
“Then away we go!” Michael gathered the reins in his gloved hands, the leather supple and familiar against his palms. He clicked his tongue and gave a gentle flick of the wrists. “Let’s go, Fable.”
The reindeer snorted, a plume of vapor rising from his nostrils as he lurched forward. The sleigh runners hissed against the snow, and then they were moving, gliding across the pristine white landscape with surprising speed.
Emmy gasped, her small body rigid with wonder beside him. The only sounds were the soft jingling of the bells on the reindeer’s harness and the whisper of the runners cutting through snow. Michael stole a glance at her face and cracked a smile at her expression of pure delight.
We did it. We saved the day!His bear preened with pride at having saved Emmy from heartbreaking disappointment.
They followed the well-worn trail at first, curving up the lower mountain slopes where the forest grew denser. Massive pines towered on either side, their branches heavy with snow. Michael guided the reindeer with practiced ease, remembering the lessons his mom had taught him years ago.
The trail forked ahead, one path continuing along the usual route, the other veering off into a less traveled section of woods. Michael hesitated for only a second before making his decision. He steered the reindeer toward the narrower path.
“Where are we going?” Sarah asked, her body tensing slightly beside him. “Didn’t the other path go straight on?”
Michael turned to her, the question heavy with meaning beyond just their physical direction. “Do you trust me?”
Sarah’s eyes met his, searching his face. Her hesitation lasted only a heartbeat before she nodded. “Yes.”
Euphoric. That was the feeling that swept over him. She trusted him. No small thing.
“Then hold on.” Michael urged the reindeer forward with a gentle flick of the reins. “We’re going on an adventure!”
“I love adventures!” Emmy yelled as the reindeer responded immediately, picking up speed as they veered off the main trail. The sleigh slid sideways for a heart-stopping moment before finding purchase again, racing through untouched snow.
His bear surged with exhilaration as they flew through the forest, weaving between ancient pines. This was freedom. This was joy. The sleigh was nimble under Michael’s expert guidance, the reindeer powerful and eager.
Snow began to fall more heavily around them, fat flakes swirling in their wake. The forest grew quieter, more intimate, as if they’d entered a secret world meant only for them.
“Look, Mom!” Emmy finally found her voice, pointing upward where sunlight filtered through branches, turning falling snowflakes into sparkling diamonds. “It’s magic!”
Magic. Yes, that was exactly what this felt like. Michael stole another glance at Sarah and found her watching him, her eyes reflecting the wonder all around them.
Would she look at him with the same sense of wonder when she found out he was a bear shifter?
Yes!his bear roared in triumph.
They raced through a narrow passage between towering pines, the branches creating a natural archway overhead. The shortcut would bring them back to the main trail. With any luck, they would soon catch up with the others.
After about ten minutes of this wild, exhilarating ride, the trees thinned. Michael slowed the reindeer slightly as they approached the main trail again. Through breaks in the forest,he could see the other sleighs up ahead, stopped at the traditional viewing spot.
“There they are!” Emmy bounced in her seat, pointing excitedly.
Michael grinned and urged the reindeer forward again. “Let’s catch up to them, shall we?”
“Yes, Fable, come on!” Emmy urged.
The magnificent animal responded with enthusiasm, breaking into a gallop across an open field of untouched snow. The sleigh runners hissed beneath them, and Michael felt the pure, primal joy of speed and freedom.
His bear roared with delight inside him, wishing he could shift and run alongside the reindeer, feeling snow beneath his paws, cold air in his lungs.
Soon,he promised his bear.Soon we’ll run through these woods. With Sarah and Emmy beside us.
Emmy and Sarah whooped with delight as they raced across the snowfield, their voices carried away by the wind. Michael’s heart soared at the sound, at their shared joy, their trust in him to guide them safely.
