After a few minutes, Zara broke the silence. “If werewolves can’t get drunk—” she began.
“Oh, they can,” Crina interrupted. “It just takes a lot. Like, seriously a lot of alcohol.”
“Okay.” Zara nodded. “With that in mind, why on earth does Costin have a bar, and why are the males going there to have a drink?”
“They’re mated to us,” Bethany pointed out. “Wouldn’t you need to go to a bar, too?”
“That.” Sally pointed at Bethany. “I know what a pain I am, and we all know what Jacque and Jen are like.”
“But nobody asked you,” Jen sang.
Sally ignored her and continued. “They’ve been cooped up here, hanging lights, getting trees, taking orders, and building a sleigh with all the skill and craftsmanship of a gang of toddlers. I don’t think it’s the alcohol they’re interested in so much as the retreat.”
“What are we going to do while they’re gone?” Rachel asked.
“Where’s Gavril and Titus?” Sally perked up, as if she’d just realized that her own child wasn’t in the room. The poor healer looked exhausted. Maybe Jen was working them a little too hard.
“Training.” Rachel smiled mischievously.
“He needs to get over this obsession he has with spying on me,” Jen muttered.
“He’s not spying. He’s hunting,” Sally said, sounding way too pleased.
“Whatever it is, he sucks at it.”
“And your kid has the vocabulary of a juvenile delinquent. You probably shouldn’t be pointing fingers.”
Jen shrugged. “Probably. Doesn’t mean I won’t.”
Sally started to respond, but suddenly the coffee table in front of them was covered with pies and cookies.
“I need less bitching and more eating.” Peri closed her hand and then snapped her fingers again, making a cookie appear. Thia’s smile, which had dropped, was back in full force as she took the cookie from the fae’s hand. Peri picked the girl up and set her on the floor.
For the next hour, there was some chatting, bantering, and not much else because they were all scarfing the feast Peri had provided as if they hadn’t eaten in days. It wasn’t until Jacque started laughing uncontrollably that everyone froze, some in mid-bite, and stared at her. Then, seconds later, Crina and Elle burst out laughing, too.
“What am I missing?” Jen asked. As soon as the question was out of her mouth, Adam appeared with all of the males, including a shirtless Decebel and Costin. Jen’s eyes widened. “Oookay,” she said slowly. “Usually, I’m the one coming home with less clothing than when I left. Are you trying to one up me, B?”
“I may or may not have given the males some fairy drinks to help them relax,” Adam admitted, not showing the least bit of remorse.
“That doesn’t explain why our mates are half dressed.” Sally motioned to Costin and Decebel.
“Oh, that,” Adam said as the other males chuckled. “That was a dare. Wadim, Lucian, and Fane dared anyone willing to try and imitate their mates.”
Jen glanced at Sally, who’s eyes had widened. “I’m pretty sure Sally has never done a striptease in her life.”
The grin plastered across Costin’s face grew even wider. “Just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened.”
Sally’s face turned the same shade of red as the Christmas bows that were hanging everywhere in the mansion. “I’m going to kill you.” She narrowed her eyes on her mate.
“Please, tell me someone videoed these two goobers,” Jacque pleaded.
“I’m not an amateur.” Wadim held up his phone.
Decebel made to grab the phone, but Wadim tossed it over her mate’s head. Lucian caught it and then slipped it around his back, tossing it to Fane. Decebel was too jacked up on whatever Adam had given him to be able to keep up with the movement of the phone.
“Text it to me,” Jen said to the pack historian. “It will be awesome blackmail material.”
“We don’t even get to watch it?” Zara asked.
“It’s called a double standard,” Jen told her. “I’m allowed to do a striptease. If Decebel does it and females are present, somebody is going to lose some eyeballs. Unless I need it as ammunition. Then y’all can get an eye full.”
“Noted.” Zara gave her a thumbs-up.
“Looks like all sleigh construction is done for the day,” Jacque said.
Jen looked over the males and realized they were all glassy-eyed and unsteady on their feet. She didn’t know how much longer they’d remain upright. “You’re right,” Jen agreed. “There’s not much left to do. You all have worked really hard, and I’m very thankful. I know I’ve been a bit uptight and bossy.”
“And that’s new how?” Elle asked.
Jen smiled. “Totally not new. Which is why you guys just rolled with it. I’ve got some last-minute orders showing up in the next couple of days. So as long as those show up, we should be good to go.”
“There’s still some more decorating to do in the garden room, the library, and a few of the bathrooms,” Crina added.
“We’ve got time.” Jen stood and reached for Thia, whose face was covered in chocolate. “Let’s get our men to bed, and we will regroup tomorrow.”
Everyone began to move, the females attempting to shuffle their mates in the directions of their suites. As Jen walked over to Decebel, Thia reached for her dad. Decebel started to take her from Jen, but she shook her head. “You’re not holding my child while you’re high as a kite on fairy juice.”
“I’ve got some fairy juice for you.” Decebel bounced his eyebrows suggestively.
Jen snorted. “I’m pretty sure that’s the worst pick-up line you’ve ever used on me. Head for the stairs, mate, or I’ll lock you out, and you’ll have to sleep on the floor outside our door.”
“Momma, Daddy, hell,” Thia pointed.
“Yes, babe, Daddy does look like hell.”
“Jennifer,” Decebel growled.
“But apparently he’s sober enough to be bothered by me cursing around you. So the good news is, his morals have stayed somewhat intact.”
As they were walking down the corridor to their suite, Jen rolled her eyes. “I know you’re behind me, Teebow. You’re about as stealthy as a rhinoceros walking on bubble wrapping.”
“I’ll get better, Aunt Jen,” Titus said, apparently undeterred by her description.
“I hope so, or your wolf is going to starve on hunts. Your dad will have to eat food and regurgitate like Momma birds do for their babies.”
“That would be better than starving,” Titus pointed out, his voice getting further away.
“You’re a weirdo, Terrance, but I love you anyway. Go to bed. You need all the rest you can get to work on your non-existent hunting skills.”
She heard the little boy snicker. Jen liked that the kid had a sense of humor and wasn’t rattled by her teasing. He was going to grow up into one hell of a wolf.
Once in their suite, Jen pushed Decebel toward their room. “If you don’t make it to the bed, I’m leaving you wherever you fall.” He grumbled something unintelligible but kept shuffling forward.