Free Web NovelChapter 237: Chapter 237 New Year’s Eve
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Time moved fast. Christmas came and went. Then suddenly, it was New Year’s Eve.
The main house was warm and loud. A fire crackled in the living room fireplace. String lights hung across the mantle, blinking slowly. Someone had a playlist going on the speaker. Old rock songs. Bruce Springsteen. Tom Petty. A little Fleetwood Mac.
Empty beer bottles covered the kitchen counter. A half-eaten tray of pigs in a blanket sat next to a bowl of chips and dip. Someone had brought a store-bought cheesecake and it was already missing two slices.
Orion sat on the rug in the living room, surrounded by Legos. He was building something that looked like a spaceship. Or maybe a dinosaur. It was hard to tell.
He wore thick fleece pajamas with little moose prints all over them. His hair was sticking up in the back from his afternoon nap. A smudge of chocolate cookie was still on his cheek.
Elara walked in from the kitchen with a glass of wine in her hand. She saw Orion and stopped.
"Oh my God. Look at you." She set her wine down on the coffee table and crouched next to him. "You are the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life."
Orion looked up. "Auntie Elara! Look what I built!"
He held up his Lego creation. It had wings and a cannon and something that might have been a cockpit.
"Wow," Elara said. "That is impressive. You are basically an engineer." freewebnσvel.cøm
Orion puffed up his chest a little.
Elara reached into her pocket and pulled out a small gift box. "Here, sweetie. This is for you. A little late Christmas present."
Orion tore the wrapping paper off. Inside was a plush wolf toy wearing a little red scarf. He grabbed it and hugged it tight.
"Thank you, Auntie Elara!"
"Merry Christmas, buddy." She ruffled his hair. "Maybe next year, you will have a little cousin to play with."
Alpha Dominic walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "We are working on it."
Elara elbowed him. "Dominic."
"What? It is true."
Orion looked between them. "Are you going to have a baby?"
"Hopefully soon," Alpha Dominic said, grinning.
Orion thought about it for a second. "I hope it is a girl. So I can teach her how to build spaceships."
Alpha Dominic laughed. "Deal. If it is a girl, you are in charge of training."
Nancy walked in from the kitchen with a plate of cookies. She set them on the coffee table and sat down on the floor next to Orion.
"Hey, buddy. You having fun?"
"Yeah!" He held up the wolf toy. "Look what Auntie Elara gave me."
"That is so cute." Nancy smiled. Then she reached behind her and pulled out a small gift bag. "I have something for you too."
Orion’s eyes went wide. "Another present?" frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
"Just a little one." She handed it to him.
Inside was a children’s book about a wolf pup learning to howl. And a handwritten coupon book. Good for one movie night. Good for one trip to the ice cream shop. Good for one extra bedtime story. Good for one homemade pizza night.
Orion looked at the coupon book. He looked at Nancy. His little face got serious.
"Nancy," he said softly. "Can I call you Mommy?"
Nancy’s throat closed up.
She had not expected that. Not tonight. Not like this.
"Of course you can, baby."
"Yay!" Orion threw his arms around her neck. "Thank you, Mommy!"
She hugged him tight. Her eyes stung a little. She blinked hard.
Yardley stood in the doorway, watching. A soft smile spread across his face.
He walked over and crouched next to them. "Alright. It is almost midnight. Who wants to go out to the field and watch the fireworks?"
"Me! Me! Me!" Orion jumped up and started hopping around the room.
Nancy stood up and grabbed a blanket from the couch. "It is freezing out there. Bundle up."
"I am already warm," Orion said.
"You are going to be cold in five minutes."
Orion ignored her and ran toward the back door.
Yardley looked at Alpha Dominic . "You guys coming?"
Alpha Dominic shook his head. He pulled Elara closer. "Nah. We are going to head upstairs. Got some things to work on."
Elara turned bright red. "Dominic."
"What? He asked."
Yardley smirked. "Alright. Have fun."
Alpha Dominic grinned and tugged Elara toward the staircase. She swatted his arm but she was laughing.
