Naughty Elf: Alfie (Santa’s Naughty Elf Mates)

4. Pisces

Chapter 4

Pisces

My heart pounds as I look for a good hiding space under the shelving units. Damn me and my need to clean. Only just two days ago I had a nice big pile of newspaper I could run into, but no, I had to recycle it.

“Wait! Come back! My name is Alfie. He/him please and thank you. I’m an alpha elf from the North Pole, and you’re my fated mate.” He drops to his knees and looks under the shelves. “There you are.”

I crowd against the back wall. Alpha. Elf from the North Pole. I always joke about getting a gift from Santa every year, but it’s just a joke. Do I actually believe? I shake my head and hop toward the front of the row, towards the front door. I have a cat door I should be able to escape from.

I stop as he watches me. Alfie is handsome with honey eyes. His hair is a curly dark blond mess. Mate. My tiny rabbit heart pounds so fast I wonder if I’ll pass out. Mate .

Fated mates, I do believe in, but I doubt I have one of my own. My parents didn’t want me, why would I have a fated?

“Please come out. We can talk. I didn’t mean to scare you. I don’t know what activated the magic.” He swoops his muscular arm under the shelf as if to catch me, and I bite him when his hand comes too close. “Ow!” He pulls his arm back. Serves him right for trying to steal me. I run to my freedom.

Alfie sniffles behind me, causing me to pause.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I’d like to meet you before you reject me, though.” Tears shine in his honey eyes, making the color darker. Despite the tears, he gives me the most endearing lopsided smile. “I’ve always wanted to meet the person that gets crystals every year. I love them, too.” He rubs his finger along the concrete floor and drops his eyes. “I don’t think I have a favorite favorite, but I can narrow it down to my top five.”

I take a tentative step toward him. Maybe he isn’t so bad if he likes crystals.

“Amethyst, because purple is one of my favorite colors. Blue lace agate because it’s so freaking calming. Rose quartz, because who doesn’t need more loving energy?”

I snort and take a few steps closer still.

“Gold sheen obsidian is pretty and I like getting lost in the shimmer in sunlight. And finally, fluorite because it helps my creativity.”

I bound back to where I shed my clothes and bite down on my shirt, then snuggle under my pajama pants, hoping they stay on my back as I find a spot behind shelves to dress in private. I awkwardly walk to my destination with the alpha staying in place, watching me. I’m not sure if he’s too scared to offer to help, but I’m grateful he’s not moving.

I shift and scramble to dress. My ears twitch as I pull my shirt over my head. The alpha, Alfie, smells divine. Like roasted marshmallows and cinnamon with the tiniest hint of evergreen. Do all elves from the North Pole have the scent or just Alfie?

I smooth my shirt and bottoms, hoping I’m presentable, and walk out to meet him. His smile stuns me and I can’t find words until I realize I can’t just stand here and stare at him.

“I’m Pisces. Also, he/him. Uh…” I wave to my head. “Rabbit shifter omega.”

Alfie gives me the biggest grin and bounces to his feet. He’s so much taller than me, I have to look up at him. Way up. It takes everything in me to not take a step back.

He holds out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Pisces.”

The moment I take his offering, electricity wraps around us and sizzles up our arms. His eyes go wide and I’m sure mine do as well.

“See? Fate!”

I step back, nodding, trying to wrap my head around it all. “Fate,” I whisper. Fate. Mate . “I don’t know what this means.”

Alfie’s brows scrunch and he opens his mouth, but I continue, “I know what it means, but don’t know what it means. You know? What now?”

He opens and closes his mouth a few times as he thinks, and I have to keep from giggling. His brows scrunch again before he speaks. “I don’t know. But if we don’t fall in love by next Christmas, back in the bag I go because I’ll be stuck as a figurine forever.”

“Why?”

“As punishment.” His honey eyes drop to the floor. “I’m not the best at being good. I’ve done some things my fellow elves frown upon.”

I take a step back and my heart pounds frantically again. “Are you a serial killer? Shit. You’re a serial killer.” I back up again. “Maybe just a thief. That’s it. Just a thief.” I laugh as I hold my hands up. “Please don’t?—”

Alfie looks as if I’ve struck him. “Nothing like that, no. I have the habit of rearranging the fridge magnets in the mailroom. The other elves thought it was naughty, and I got in trouble. Now I’m here.”

“What? I need more information than that.”

“The alphabet magnets. My last message may have been monster fudging… but not fudging, if you know what I mean, is fun. On the communal fridge.” He cringes. “That is bad. No one wants to see that at work.”

“It’s not great, no. Probably warrants a visit to HR.” I fight my mouth to keep from smiling. “Okay, but it is funny.”

“I don’t even know if monster fudging is fun!” Another breath stopping grin has me staring at Alfie.

“Same, well, real monsters. I’m quite fond of my tentacle dildo.” I slam a hand over my mouth, my eyes go wide. “Why did I tell you that?”

“Dunno, but I like knowing.”

The way he’s looking at me has my slick trickle from my hole and I try to will my body from reacting.

“Okay okay.” I hold up my hands. “We’re fated, but I can’t— won’t —fall into bed immediately.” Omegas have too much at stake when they sleep with alphas.

“Oh! No! Never.” Alfie shakes his head so hard it’s comical.

“Alfie.”

His breath hitches. “Pisces.”

I give him the smallest of smiles. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“We should be friends. I’ve never had a real friend before. Can we try that?” Alfie looks so hopeful.

“We can try it.” My words come out as more of a whisper. “I’ve never really had friends before, either. Except for my cat Harold.”

“Delightful! I love cats.” Alfie grabs my hand and that sizzles goes up my spine. “Show me the cat.” He waves to the door.

I snort. “Hold up.”

“But… cat?” Alfie pleads with his eyes.

“Harold isn’t really friendly to many people.” Besides, can I really take this alpha back to my apartment? It’s absurd! But… “Do you have someplace to stay?” I probably shouldn’t even be asking.

“No, but Santa gave me a bunch of money.” He digs into his pocket and pulls out a huge wad of cash. “I can pay.”

“No. No.” I push his hand back and that zing runs through me. “Keep it. You might need it for something else later. I have a two-bedroom apartment. You can stay with me for now.”

“Is this what friends do?” Alfie tips his head as he studies me.

“Sometimes, I think. Yes.” I nod and turn on my heel. What am I doing? I don’t know, but my planned new year’s resolution is to be more outgoing. What’s more outgoing than inviting a strange yet endearing alpha to live in my apartment with me? My fated. I’m inviting my fated to live with me so we can be friends. Nothing more. At least not until we know each other. “It’s just a short walk.”

He hums beside me as he follows my lead.

“So, the North Pole?” I say.

“Yep! All my life. And you?”

“Same. Well, here not the North Pole.” I wave my hand out in front of me. “Low cost of living.” As if I need to explain why I’m still in the same city as my birth, with no reason to stay. “And I love my little shop. I just wish…” I sigh. “I wish it’d take off. It’s been my dream for Pieces of Pisces to be much more profitable than it is. I barely make enough to live off of.”

“Why’d you start the biz?”

We cross the quiet street to get to the sidewalk on the other side. We’ll get to the apartment in about five minutes. The crossing gives me time to formulate my answer. Not that I needed the time, just how to word it.

“I love crystals and helping people feel better and teaching classes on crystals and—” I stop because Alfie grabs my hand.

I’m not sure I’ll get used to the shock every time we touch, but I don’t think I want to either. His palm is callused and warm and so big compared to mine.

“You sound pretty passionate about this.”

“I am. But…” My shoulders drop. “I discovered early on that my enthusiasm can annoy people, so I rein myself in. It’s exhausting. Some days I just want to word vomit everything. I get a lot of older clientele that just want tarot readings. Of course they’re nice, but I wish I could draw in patrons that like me for me. Where we get lost in conversations about rose quartz and moss agate.”

“Then maybe you need to start acting like your true self, not this fake version of you. That’s the lesson Santa says I need to learn. Maybe we can learn the lesson together.” Alfie squeezes my hand. “We can do this.”

“You have more faith than I do.”

Naked trees line the sidewalk leading up to my apartment building.

“Maybe in those early days people were just having a bad time. People go to these type shops when they’re desperate. Right?”

“Sometimes, yeah. They want to feel better and they’ve exhausted all the mundane ways, so they take crystals for a spin. Or want a tarot reading.”

Alfie stops and steps in front of me. “Maybe, just maybe, it was an off day for these people. You should try being Pisces again.”

“Okay. I’ll try. But why do you need to learn to be Alfie?” He seems to exude I’m always me type of energy.

Alfie shrugs as he takes too much interest in the concrete sidewalk. “I act out for attention. Always have.”

“Why?” I squeeze his hand.

“I’d rather have people laughing with me than at me.” He scuffs his toe on the sidewalk and starts walking. We’re close to my apartment building. “It doesn’t always work. I know they’re laughing at me, but I can’t help myself anymore. If there’s something silly I think will bring a smile to someone’s face, I do it.”

“Hence, monster fudging is fun?”

“Exactly. It was funny at the time.” He gasps when he looks up and we’re at my building. “Is that your kitty?” He waves at Harold in the window. Harold cocks his head and leaves his spot, making Alfie pout. “He doesn’t like me.”

“He doesn’t know you.” I snort laugh and slap a hand over my mouth again.

“That was adorable.”

“Harold isn’t usually friendly to strangers and certainly not alphas. So please don’t be upset if he hides.”

Alfie pouts, but I’m pretty sure it’s fake. “I’ll be good.”

I unlock the building and wave for the stairs. “Up and to the left.”

We bound up the stairs with Alfie leading.

“Fate.” He rubs the silver metallic letters screwed into my door. “My apartment number in the North Pole is?—”

“888?”

He nods. “Always thought it was special.” He waits patiently as I find the right key and unlock the door to my apartment.

“Welcome to my apartment. Make yourself at home.”

Alfie sucks in a breath, and I try to see my apartment from his perspective. It’s probably chaos to an outsider, but my rabbit needs enrichment. I have play structures everywhere. Plenty of things to chew on. Toys for cats and rabbits. A cat tree. I have a plastic bin with hay. And another full of cardboard tubes and other fun things to root around in. Harold doesn’t mind all the clutter. Not that I’d call it clutter. Everything is organized in its own way. And the so-called mess is contained to the living room. Everywhere else is clean, only needing a weekly light dusting and vacuum.

“This is amazing,” Alfie says. His eyes seem to shine as he takes everything in.

“It’s home.” A yawn escapes before I can say anything else.

Alfie frowns and his shoulders drop. “You’re tired.”

“I am. The adrenaline is dropping now that I know a serial killer or thief didn’t infiltrate my warehouse.” I yawn again. “But if Harold freaks out, you might need to go unless you have scent suppressors.”

“I do not.”

“Then let’s hope Harold is just a grumpy kitty instead of terrified.” I turn to head towards my bedroom to find Harold trotting out. He rubs his head against Alfie’s calf and purrs. “That… is strange. He doesn’t normally like alphas.” When I take him to the shop, he hides from alphas in his little safe space I built for him in the backroom.

Alfie squats to pet Harold on his head. “Awe, you’re a sweetie pie, aren’t you?” He coos at my cat and I melt. “Why don’t you like the other alphas, little one?”

“An alpha abused him in his kittenhood.” I watch on in wonder as my cat loves on my fated mate.

Alfie frowns as he continues petting. “I’m so sorry, Harold. No one deserves that. I’ll keep you safe. I like kitties and bunnies.” He looks up and winks at me. “And doggies and reindeer and cows, and well, I don’t think I’ve met an animal I don’t like.” He stands up straight again, Harold continues on with rubbing against Alfie. “I think I passed the test.”

“You did.” I turn towards my kitchen. “Are you hungry? It’s late, but I can make you something.”

“Oh, no. I’m good. I had a ton of cookies with Santa.” He pats his tummy as he grins. “So many cookies.”

“Okay, then.” I fight the yawn.

“You need to sleep.” Alfie plops onto the couch. “I’ll just take the couch and?—”

“I have a second bedroom. But you should take my bed. Let me just change the sheets and it’ll be?—”

“I can not take your bed.”

“Uhm, my guest bed is a twin and I’m not sure you’ll be very comfortable.” I wave for him to follow me. When we get to my bedroom, I flip on the lights, wave inside. “I have a much bigger bed.” I lead him to the second room. “See, tiny bed.”

I turn to him, and he’s just grinning. “I’m fine on the couch or on the tiny bed.”

“It just feels wrong. I’ll change the sheets on my bed so you can get a good night’s sleep.” I rush back to my bedroom and start stripping the bed.

“If you insist.” Alfie helps and we have the bed and pillows stripped quickly. I grab a new sheet set from the top of my closet and we get the bed back together in silence. “You know…” He looks at me and nibbles his bottom lip. How is an alpha of all people so sweet? His eyes drop to the bed. “The bed is too big for just me. There won’t be any harm in sharing it.”

I spread my hand over my side of the bed to smooth out the comforter. Could it be that simple?

“Just for sleep. No getting rowdy or anything.” His cheeks blush at the same time he starts to yawn. “It’s been a long, long night.”

“I usually shift and cuddle with Harold. The guest bed is big enough for that.”

Harold decides for us and hops on top of my bed. He curls up while we’re still yammering on about sleeping arrangements.

“I wouldn’t mind.” Alfie shrugs as he turns down the corner on his side. He yanks off his shirt and a soft moan escapes my lips. He’s more muscular than I realized and so yummy. If he heard my moan, he’s being polite by not mentioning it. He folds his shirt neatly before placing it on top of the dresser, and I appreciate the gesture.

“I think Harold already chose you and I don’t like sleeping cold.” I pull off my own shirt, a little self-conscious that I’m thin and soft, along with my short stature.

Alfie’s eyes rake over my chest, and his tongue darts out to lick his lips. He makes a soft little sound I’m hoping is approval. It’s like he has me in his hold. I can’t look away.

I slide Harold closer to me so Alfie can climb in under the blankets. It’s not ridiculously cold yet, but it’s still chilly enough I need blankets to sleep under. Harold’s the same and he roots under the blankets until he’s satisfied.

Instead of joining him, I move to drop my shirt in the clothes hamper by my door, then turn off the lights. I’m not ready for Alfie to see me naked. As soon as I plant my hands on the bed, I shift into my rabbit, letting my pajama bottoms and underwear fall to the floor. Alfie holds up the blanket and I hop in next to Harold, who purrumphs at me as we get comfy in our usual way.

“You two are so so so cute together.” Alfie’s hand is already in Harold’s fur and a twinge of jealousy heats through me. I snort the thought away. Harold is a good kitty that deserves all the pets. I’m just… me.

Alfie turns to his side to face us. His hand absently petting. I fight myself, but I butt my nose under his hand. Pets please.

“My fated is the cutest mate in the world.” His huge hand starts at the top of my head and smoothes down my back. It’s everything.

Through the night, Harold migrates closer to my mate and I follow him until I’m snuggled up to Alfie’s chest. The perfect place for a bunny like me.