“By new tricks she means Decebel has figured out more uses for duct tape than just binding her wrists,” Jacque quipped.
That brought on another round of laughter, which Jen joined in on because it wasn’t far from the truth, though it wasn’t actually tape her mate had used to quiet her, but she’d keep that tidbit to herself. For now. She liked to keep the good shock value information for just the right time, and usually her mate needed to be present so he could punish her for it later. Was she a bit twisted? Yes. Did her mate love it? Absolutely.
“Okay,” she said and rubbed her hand across her face, attempting to wipe the rest of her sleep away. “We’ve got cakes to retrieve, and I hear a nap calling my name.”
“You just woke up. Are you sure that isn’t just your mate beckoning you back to your bed?” Elle asked.
“Probably a bit of both.”
“Everyone get dressed,” Jacque started, but before she could continue, Peri said something in her language, and suddenly every single one of them was wearing a cute holiday-appropriate outfit.
“Okay.” Jacque dragged the word out. “That’s done. Now, we just have to get the…” She paused and glanced around the room. “Wait, where are the presents?”
“Adam and the guys took them back,” Crina answered around a yawn.
“They weren’t wrapped,” Sally said.
“Yes, they were,” Elle said and pointed between her and Peri. “We made sure that everything was dressed in wrappings, ribbons, and bows before they carted it off.”
“Not going to lie,” Jen said. “I was not looking forward to wrapping all of those gifts, Christmas traditions or not.”
They’d all slept later than Jen would have liked, but it was clear they needed the rest. Apparently, her demanding schedule had taken its toll. After a quick brunch, they arrived at the baker’s to pick up the cakes.
“Was ten really necessa…” Elle began but stopped.
Jen turned her head to find both Jacque and Sally making cutting motions across their necks at the fae. They immediately dropped their hands and smiled at her.
She simply smirked at them. “I was actually thinking twenty would have been better, but I didn’t want to overdo it.”
One by one, the bakers brought out each box. Jen grinned as she watched the eyes of all the females widen. The cakes were not small. Why are they surprised? She had warned them that everything in Texas was bigger.
A baker by the name of Ben began opening the boxes for her inspection.
“Oh, um, wow,” Rachel muttered when she got a look at the first cake that was revealed.
Jen walked over and grinned down at the cake she had made for Drake and Bethany.
“By now, I should not be shocked. I really shouldn’t be. But no matter how many times I tell myself to be ready for anything, she amazes me.” Sally stared wide-eyed at the cake.
“What is it?” Crina asked from where she stood at the end of the row of cakes.
“A penis cake?” Zara said, her voice rising an octave as she added, “That doesn’t seem appropriate for a baby shower.”
“Read the writing, Z. It makes perfect sense,” Jen pointed out as she motioned to the cake in question.
“This is how you do it. Congratulations on the rugrat,” Zara read out loud.
There was silence, and then Peri shrugged. “She’s not wrong.”
Jen held up a hand, and the high fae gave her a high five.
The next three cakes were for the kids’ birthdays. Thankfully, there were no phalluses or genitalia of any kind. Each cake was shaped like a wolf, and the icing was applied in various shadings so each wolf looked a little different.
“Okay, I’ll admit, this is hilarious,” Jacque said.
“It really is.” Rachel laughed.
Crina, who still couldn’t see the cakes, said again, “What is it?”
Zara was still laughing as she said, “They’re wolf cakes for the kiddos and they say, This is what comes out when you do it. Happy Birthday, Rugrats.”
They moved down the row to the fifth cake. This one was two wolves facing one another, their heads bowed and their foreheads pressed together. It read, In celebration of two lives who changed the world without the world even knowing. There was silence as everyone stared at the cake for Vasile and Alina. Jen’s heart tightened, and she wondered if she would ever be able to think of them and not hurt.
“That’s beautiful,” Crina said. She must have gotten sick of not being able to see what was happening and had squeezed herself in between Rachel and Elle.
“It really is.” Jacque nodded.
Jen swallowed hard and then pointed to the next box. She couldn’t say anything about the alphas’ cake without tears falling, so she moved on. The next cake was shaped like a key. It was a huge key, but like the other cakes, it had to be big to fit all the words that Jen had requested.
“Happy adoption day, Trevor. I mean, Talbot. Or was it Tiberios? Your name doesn’t matter kid, just know you hold the key to your pack’s heart.”
“Dammit, Jen,” Sally mumbled and wiped tears from her eyes. “How do you manage to tease someone and still make it incredibly sweet?”
“It’s a gift.” Jen smiled. “Besides, you know I only mess with people I like.”
The next cake was a bed. Jen’s smile widened as everyone around her groaned. “I figured there was already a theme going with the other four cakes, might as well keep it up.”
“Might as well.” Elle laughed.
The cake read, “This is where you do it … after you’re bonded, mated, and married … just for clarification for the rugrats. Happy anniversaries missed because of all the asshole bad guys.”
“Now I understand why all the cakes had to be so massive,” Crina said.
There were three cakes left. Jen motioned to the one that was an enormous Christmas tree. The words on it said, Merry Christmas to our pack. “I went simple with that one.”
“Simple is good,” Peri said.
“Okay, but she didn’t go simple with this one.” Zara pointed to the next cake. “She went straight up disturbing.”
Jen laughed. The cake was made to look like a vagina. “When you have a penis cake, it’s only appropriate that you have a vagina cake as well.”
“That sentence is wrong on so many levels.” Sally sighed.
“Vagina or not, that’s just too funny,” Crina said and then read what was written on the icing. “Congratulations! Now you will never forget that on your birthday, you were pushed out of one of these. You’re welcome.”
“I’m assuming that’s a cake for everyone who hasn’t gotten to celebrate a birthday in the past few years?” Jacque asked.
Jen nodded. “Vaginas and birthdays go together like”—she paused—“well, like penises and vaginas. You can’t have one without the other.”
Everyone stared at her, blinking like cartoon characters.
“Do we need to explain how that doesn’t make any sense?” Peri asked her.
“I just have the one,” Crina said.
“Me, too,” Jacque added.
“Stop being obtuse. You know what I mean. It completely makes sense.” She continued to the last cake and grinned. Just like the others, it had turned out awesome.