Chapter 113
Ellie's POV
6:45 AM. Three days before Christmas.
I grabbed my yoga mat from the corner and unrolled it by the window. Outside, fresh snow covered the yard in a pristine white blanket, and across the street... I paused, frowning. The Miller house looked dark. No lights in the windows. No wreath on the door. Nothing that suggested Christmas was three days away.
Weird. Caroline loved Christmas almost as much as my mom did.
The other female is unwell, Thalia reminded me quietly. Her scent has been off for months.
Right. Caroline's illness. I'd noticed how frail she looked at Richard's birthday dinner, how her hands trembled. But still—Christmas was her favorite holiday. She always went all out.
I pushed the thought away and started my yoga routine. Downward dog made my hamstrings scream. Warrior two had my thighs trembling. But I forced myself through the poses, feeling my body slowly wake up despite its protests.
By the time I finished and checked my reflection in the bathroom mirror, my eyes were back to their normal amber color. I splashed cold water on my face and headed downstairs.
The smell of coffee and bacon greeted me, along with Mom's voice humming "Silver Bells." She was at the stove, still in her pajamas and robe, hair pulled up in a messy bun.
"Morning, sweetheart!" She beamed at me. "Perfect timing. I just made pancakes."
"Morning, Mom." I slid into my usual seat at the kitchen table. "Where's Dad?"
"Getting the tree." She set a plate in front of me, stacked high with fluffy pancakes. "He left about twenty minutes ago. Should be back soon."
I poured syrup over my breakfast, watching as Mom moved around the kitchen with easy energy. She was in full Christmas mode—had been since we got back from CVU. The house already smelled like her special spiced cider, and I'd spotted at least three new scented candles burning in the living room.
"So," Mom said, settling into the chair across from me with her own coffee. "Today's the big decorating day. We'll do the tree when Dad gets back, obviously, but I thought we could work on the garlands and wreaths this morning. Get a head start."
"Sounds good." I took a bite of pancake. "Do we have enough lights?"
"I bought two extra strings just in case. They're in the garage." She sipped her coffee, studying me over the rim. "I'm proud of you, you know. How you're handling everything. College, the wolf transitions, and now..." She smiled. "Jackson."
Heat crept up my neck. "Mom."
"What? I'm allowed to be happy for you." Her expression turned more serious. "Speaking of which, have you talked to him today?"
"Not yet. It's still early." I pulled out my phone to check the time. 7:43 AM. "He's probably still asleep."
"Well, when you do talk to him, make sure he knows he's welcome to come over early. On Christmas Eve, I mean. He doesn't need to wait until dinner." She stood, carrying her mug to the sink. "I want him to feel like he's part of the family, not just a guest."
I raised an eyebrow, unable to resist. "Oh, so he's already family? And here I thought you and Dad were planning to put him through some intense interrogation on Christmas. You know, some excessive tests to prove whether he's worthy of being part of the family."
Mom laughed, turning back to face me. "You know we wouldn't do that."
"I'm not so sure about that." I gave her a pointed look. "Your tone in the car when you first suggested inviting him for Christmas wasn't exactly warm and fuzzy. More like... 'let's observe the specimen.'"
Mom's expression softened, though there was still a hint of amusement in her eyes. "That was just... concern. We need to make sure you'll be happy in the long run, sweetheart. But you know that no matter what, if you've decided he's the one—" She paused, her voice dropping to something more tender. "We'll accept him as family. We'll love him because you love him."
Something warm bloomed in my chest. "Thanks, Mom. That... that means a lot."
"Of course, sweetheart." She glanced out the kitchen window toward the Miller house, and her expression shifted. Softened with sympathy. "I wish I could say the same for Lucas and his family."
I followed her gaze. The Miller house still looked empty, lifeless. "What do you mean?"
Mom sighed, turning back to me. "I ran into Richard at the grocery store yesterday. Caroline's not doing well, Ellie. The treatments aren't working like they hoped, and she's been too weak to do much of anything. Richard said she barely got out of bed last week."
My stomach twisted. I'd known Caroline was sick, but hearing it put so bluntly...
"That's awful."
"It is. And on top of that..." Mom hesitated. "Richard found out about Lucas and that girl—Samantha. He's not happy about it."
I blinked. "Not happy" seemed like an understatement where Richard Miller was concerned. The man was protective of Lucas to an almost suffocating degree, especially given Caroline's condition and their hopes for the family bloodline.
"What happened?"
"Apparently Lucas finally told them he's in a serious relationship. With a human girl." Mom's tone was careful, neutral. "Richard didn't take it well. There was... quite an argument. Lucas hasn't been home since."
Good, Thalia muttered. The young male makes poor choices. Let him face consequences.
I didn't respond to her, focusing instead on the strange absence of feeling in my chest. A few months ago, hearing about Lucas fighting with his parents would have devastated me. Would have made me want to reach out, to fix things, to be there for him.
Now? I felt... nothing. Maybe a distant flicker of sympathy for Caroline, who definitely didn't need the stress. But for Lucas?
Nothing.