Page 81 of The Alien Reindeer's Bounty
“You were hurt and he gave you what you needed. Don’t be ashamed of surviving,” she said.
“I never questioned him. Not once. Not even when I returned to Earth and I had a list of his crimes. I refused to believe them.” Another breath. “I don’t think my father knew what Karl had done.”
“Why do you say that? I have a hard time imagining Karl keeping it a secret. He liked the sound of his own voice.”
“Why would he come to Earth with the male who murdered his mate? That makes no sense. I was a little older than eight when we left Reilen. Arne was not the type to forgive and forget, even after eight years.”
“You don’t forgive murder. I’m sorry. If that happened to you, I’d never forgive the person responsible. Maybe if it was an accident, but not what Karl did.” She shuddered. “He said he was going to open up my brain to watch it working.”
He pulled her closer to him. The tension in her relaxed as she snuggled in. “Arne always told me that she left after I was born. That story never wavered. Not once, not even when he was drunk as a skunk. He must have believed it to be true. He didn’t know.” Sympathy stirred in him for his father and the pain the male lived with for decades, believing his bonded mate walked away from him and their newborn calf.
“It’s okay to still be upset with your father for what he did, for how he treated you,” his mate said, almost sensing his thoughts. “Even if you understand him better now, you’re entitled to feel that way you feel. His pain doesn’t erase the pain he caused.”
“But that’s what wounded creatures do. They lash out,” Mads said.
“What’s going to happen to him?”
Mads wanted to tell his mate that Karl would be held accountable for his crimes, but Svallin hinted that Karl had friends on the Council. The old bull might get nothing more than the minimum sentence for interfering with a lesser species. Murdering humans wouldn’t be seen as a serious crime, as they were merely human and not reilendeer. “Prison,” he said. “Perhaps time in a re-education facility on Reilen.”
“Are those as bad as they sound?”
“Yes.” He spoke bluntly and with vitriol. He should tell his mate about his experience but so many serious words had already been shared. Then again, he promised no more secrets. “Arne sent me to such a facility after we left Earth.”
She curled into him, pressing her face against his shoulder. “Just when I think I can’t despise that man more. I’d pee on his grave if I could.”
An unexpected laugh tore out of him. “Me, too. It’d be weird for a date, but I’d do it with you.”
Odessa checked her phone. “Midnight. You ready?”
Mads went to the back door, stripped off his clothes and handed them to Odessa. She, in turn, handed him the red velvet bag. He shifted to his four-legged form and carried the bag to the trees.
He waited while Odessa disappeared inside, enjoying the crisp air and the peace of the moonlight on frost.
The back porch light switched on and two figures emerged.
There was his cue.
Taking the velvet bag in his mouth, he walked toward Odessa and a sleepy Ruby. Okay, he pranced. He held his head high, not because he was a vain male flaunting his antlers, but to make a dramatic figure in the early hours of Christmas morning.
“Ruby, tell me I’m imagining this,” Odessa said dramatically.
The calf gasped. “Santa’s here!” She clapped and bounced in place.
He approached the back porch and dropped the bag of “Santa’s” presents at Ruby’s feet. The calf’s eyes were huge. She held up a hand to stroke his muzzle but withdrew it.
He lowered his head and butted against her hand. With a shy smile, she stroked the soft velvet of his muzzle. “Mommy, this is amazing,” she said, barely above a whisper. “Can we feed him a cookie? He has to be tired from pulling Santa’s sleigh all night.”
“I’m not sure reindeer eat cookies. Why don’t you grab a carrot?”
He’d rather have a cookie, honestly.
Ruby ran inside and returned in a flash with a baby carrot. She held out her hand, palm flat, and he carefully took the offered morsel. With a grin, she stroked his muzzle again. “Thank you for the presents, Mr. Reindeer. This is the best Christmas.”
“I’m sure Mr. Reindeer has a busy night and needs to get going,” Odessa said. “Come inside.”
Ruby smacked a wet kiss on his muzzle and zoomed inside, shouting about Santa and reindeers. Odessa gave him a softer, gentler kiss and scratched behind an ear. His eyes nearly rolled to the back of his head.
“Thank you for the magic,” she said. “I left your clothes on the steps. Don’t freeze.”
