Christmas with the Grumpy Alpha (Feuding Hearts Christmas)

10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Tanner

I know, I know.

I’m an asshole.

But what else could I do? It wasn’t like there were a whole lot of other options for me to pick from. And beggars can’t be choosers, as everyone knows very well.

Mate , my wolf growls from deep within me, but this time, it isn’t a happy growl. No, this one’s an angry one, a growl of betrayal.

My wolf has realized what game I’d begun to play, and it didn’t like it one bit. When it comes to Lena, my wolf wants nothing but honesty and complete acceptance.

Sorry pal , I tell it. There’s a lot of stuff going on here in the real world that you just don’t know about. If you’re not going to be of help, at least let me handle it myself.

I press my lips together and begin gliding forward, making V-strokes on the ice with my skates to increase my pace.

Lena is only a couple of steps ahead of me, precariously balanced on her own skates, and as I whoosh past her, I grab her hand and twirl her around with my momentum.

“Tanner!” She squeals, laughing crazily, trying to swat me away even though I’m already way ahead of her. I travel in a circle back to her, grinning devilishly.

“Stay away,” she warns, still laughing, her face telling me she wants anything but that.

“Hmm, you’re going to have to make me,” I tease, sliding past her again and grabbing her waist to haul her with me. We speed through the ice in a mad dance, Lena squealing in my grasp, her mittens covering her eyes.

“Lena, let go and enjoy!” I tell her, holding her firmly by the waist in case she stumbles. “It’s not every day that you get to skate on a frozen lake on Christmas Day!”

She takes my advice and opens her mahogany eyes slowly, letting her hands drop beside her. As she does, I allow us to slow down a little, so we can both maintain our balance, and then I whip out my phone from my back pocket.

“Hey, look here,” I tell Lena, trying to sound as casual as possible. “Let’s capture this beautiful moment forever.”

Lena glances curiously in my direction, and I snap a selfie of the two of us. It’s a very wholesome one, raw in its beauty and simplicity, with no pretension in it whatsoever.

Both Lena and I aren’t posing, and we are too caught up in the moment to put on an act.

Satisfied, I send the photo of us to my parents, and then slip the phone back inside my pocket.

Mission accomplished, I think to myself.

My inner wolf growls threateningly, baring its teeth at me. I sense its unhappiness emanating through me like waves of heat, palpable in its intensity.

It hates what I’m doing, drawing Lena unknowingly into my plan and making use of our fake relationship to benefit myself.

I must do this , I speak silently, feeling a stab of guilt at my actions. I don’t feel particularly proud of my actions, but it’s the only way I can get my parents off my back for a little while.

Before this conversation can be prolonged any further, I hunch my shoulders and begin to speed forward on the ice, hoping that it will distract me from my guilt. Lena is still fixed to me, my hand holding her waist.

“Whoa, Tanner, that’s too fast—nooo!” she giggles madly as I twirl her again, my arm encircling her body to ensure she doesn’t fall.

The next half an hour passes by in this fashion, with us dancing around on the glittering icy surface. Surrounding us are the other guests, some moving faster than us and some at a snail’s pace.

After skating until the crisp air cooled the fire in my veins, I finally guide us toward the rink’s edge, my movements still steady and sure.

Lena follows closely behind, her steps slower but much steadier than when she started.

We sit on a nearby bench, taking off our heavy skates, and I glance at her flushed face as she breathes in the cold air, her breath coming out in soft puffs.

Even though I could keep going, I match her pace, walking back alongside her, our steps in sync despite the silence between us.

“I hate to admit it, but that was the most fun I’ve had in ages,” Lena gasps, shaking her head in disbelief.

“You’re welcome,” I tell her. “If I had left you on your own, you would have continued skating like an old grandma.”

Lena punches me on the shoulder playfully. After a moment, she speaks again. “You’re right, though. I wouldn’t have had half the fun I had today if it hadn’t been for you.” The admission is sincere, without any insult or mockery hidden within it.

She looks up at me with solemn eyes. “Thank you, Tanner. For today. And I have to admit, the image I used to have of you before is quite different from who you actually are. I’m beginning to see that.”

The guilt rises within me again, sharper than ever, making my skin flush despite the cold.

“Thank you, Lena,” I tell her, casting my eyes on the snow-packed Earth.

I shake off the feelings of guilt as we walk back toward the lodge. The crisp air fills my lungs, and I spot a group of kids nearby, gathering around what looks like a half-built snowman.

They’re struggling to lift the second ball of snow onto the first, and the smaller ones are clearly having trouble. Before I know what I’m doing, I walk over to them, dropping down into the snow.

“Need some help?” I ask, my voice light.

The kids all look up, eyes wide as they recognize me. "Tanner!" one of the younger boys says, practically bouncing where he stands.

I smile, bending down to grab the giant snowball and help lift it onto the base.

The kids gather around, packing more snow to keep it in place, their little hands moving quickly in the cold air.

Lena stands off to the side, watching with a small smile tugging at her lips.

I can feel her eyes on me, but for once, it doesn’t make me uncomfortable. I actually like that she’s watching me with the pack’s kids. Something about it feels... right.

As we finish up the snowman, two of the boys nearby start shoving each other. They argue about whose turn it is to put the finishing touches on the snowman.

I step in quickly, kneeling between them and placing a hand on each of their shoulders. “Hey, hey,” I say gently but firmly, “we don’t need to fight about it. How about you both do it together?”

The boys look at me, then at each other, their anger fading as they nod. Together, they place the last snowball on the snowman, both of them beaming with pride.

I stand up, brushing snow off my hands, and catch Lena watching me again. Her expression is soft, almost... admiring. And damn if that doesn’t send a strange, warm feeling through my chest.

But I’m not about to let things get too serious.

I scoop up a handful of snow and pack it into a ball, my lips curling into a devilish grin. “Hey, Lena,” I call out.

She looks up just in time for me to hurl the snowball in her direction. It hits her square in the shoulder, and she gasps in shock before narrowing her eyes at me.

“Oh, it’s on,” she mutters.

She bends down to scoop up her own snowball, and before I know it, we’re in an all-out snowball fight.

The kids around us join in, pelting both of us with snow, laughing and shrieking as they dart around the makeshift battlefield.

Lena’s laughter fills the air, bright and free, and I can’t help but laugh along with her.

For the first time in a long time, I feel... lighter. Like I’m not carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. Just for these few moments, it’s just us, the snow, and the laughter ringing around us.

By the time the snowball fight ends, we’re both breathless, covered in snow, and grinning like idiots.

Lena’s hair is a mess of damp waves, her cheeks flushed pink from the cold and the excitement. She looks beautiful, and I can’t stop staring at her, can’t stop feeling this pull between us.

But then, my phone vibrates in my pocket, breaking my attention on Lena.

I pull it out, glancing at the screen, and my heart sinks.

It’s a message from my mother.

Mom : “Is that Lena? Derek’s ex-girlfriend? What are you doing with her? Are you two dating? Derek hasn’t said nice things about her, Tanner. I think you should be careful…”

I curse under my breath and shove the phone back in my pocket, my mood darkening. I can feel Lena’s eyes on me again, this time questioning.

“You okay?” she asks, her voice soft, concerned.

“Yeah,” I mutter, trying to shake off the frustration, but it’s not working.

My mind is already racing. My wolf growls inside me, protective, territorial. I need to say something or do something, but my thoughts are a jumbled mess. “Just wondering…”

“Wondering what?” she responds with confusion on her face.

And then, before I even realize what I’m doing, the question slips out of my mouth. “Why did you and Derek break up?”

The words left my mouth before I had a chance to understand what was happening. My eyes shoot up towards Lena, to see if I have violated the boundaries of our fake relationship by prying too deep.

Her eyes widen just slightly, and for a moment, I think she’s going to tell me to mind my own business. But instead, she just looks... sad.

Like she’s somewhere else entirely.

“That’s... a long story,” she says softly, her lips tugging into a bitter smile. “And not a pleasant one. Are you sure you want to hear it?”

“Yes,” I answer without hesitation, though part of me isn’t sure why I’m pushing this. Why do I even care? But I do. For some reason, I want to know. Need to know.

She studies me for a long moment as if trying to gauge whether I’m serious. I guess she sees something in my face because she lets out a heavy sigh and nods.

“You got any alcohol?” she asks, her voice dry but playful, though there’s a sadness behind it.

I chuckle softly. “Yeah, I’ve got some whiskey back in the room. Will that do?”

“Perfect,” she says, her tone lightening up just a bit. “Because this story, it definitely needs whiskey.”

We make our way back through the lodge, the buzz of holiday activity starting to wind down as guests return from skating and snowball fights.

The cold air is still fresh on my skin, but there’s a warmth between us now, a connection that wasn’t there before. And it’s making me feel... conflicted.

My wolf is practically pacing inside me, growling in frustration. “ Mate ,” he grumbles again like he’s trying to drive the point home for the hundredth time today.

“ Yeah, I know ,” I shoot back, silently. “I get it. But what do you want me to do about it?”

There’s a part of me that knows what my wolf wants, to claim her. To make her mine, no questions asked. But the other part, the rational part of me, knows that’s not an option.

Not with everything else going on. I don’t need the kind of complication that Lena would bring into my life. Hell, I’m not even sure I’m ready for that kind of responsibility, mate or not.

We reach our room, and I hold the door open for her. She steps inside, rubbing her hands together as she looks around.

I head over to the small bar in the corner, grabbing the bottle of whiskey and two glasses. I pour a generous amount into each and hand her one.

Our fingers brush, and for a second, I feel that same jolt of electricity, that same connection that’s been simmering between us since... well, since we met.

She takes a sip, her eyes fluttering shut as the alcohol burns its way down. “Alright,” she says, settling onto the edge of the bed, looking both resigned and ready to spill whatever’s been weighing her down.

I sit beside her, close but not too close, waiting.

“So... Derek,” she starts, staring down into her glass like it holds the answer. “He wasn’t exactly the guy everyone thinks he is.”

I frown, the mention of my brother putting me on edge. “What do you mean?”

Lena hesitates for a moment, then glances up at me, her expression hard to read. “Let’s just say... he has a lot of expectations. And when I didn’t fit into the mold he wanted me to, things got... messy.”

Her voice is calm, but I can feel the weight of what she’s not saying. The tension in her words.

“Messy, how?” I ask, my voice low.