A Siberian Werewolf Christmas by Caryn Moya Block

dinner? The sun
will be setting, and the men will be returning soon. They like
their food ready,” Yelena answered, taking Maggie by the arm and
leading her to the stairs.
    A little disappointed, Maggie let
Yelena steer her down to the kitchen. Why wouldn’t she let her see
the twins? Shaking her head in confusion, Maggie started peeling
the potatoes as Yelena directed. Didn’t they trust her?
     
    §
     
    Kolya left the security building and
headed for home. The report on the mine inspection he’d read before
leaving contained some disturbing news he would need to share with
Dmitry. Several of the cross timbers were rotting and needed to be
replaced in the spring. It looked like the accident that killed
Slava’s father had been just that, an accident.
    But since the landslide, Slava had
grown more aggressive. Would he challenge Kolya for the Beta
position? It wasn’t unheard of for a pack to have more than one
Beta, especially one this large. Could he accept another wolf
sharing his job?
    Humming floated through the air, and
Kolya’s heart filled with love. He put the troubles of the day
aside. Alena must be in the kitchen.
    He opened the door, walked up behind
his wife, and slipped his arms around her. Alena giggled and turned
away from the stove, into his arms. Love filled him to
overflowing.
    “How was your day?” she asked and gave
him a kiss.
    “Miserable without you,” Koyla
replied, realizing it was true.
    “I missed you too, detka . I think Aleksandr
might be teething. I caught him chewing on the leg of the crib
today. What should we do?”
    Kolya liked the way Alena included him
in the decision making. “Do we have any of those rubber bones like
Dmitry got for the twins when they were chewing the lodge up? Or we
could give him a large steak bone to gnaw on.”
    “I worry about giving him a real bone.
What if it broke apart? The slivers might be dangerous. I’ll ask
Violet about the rubber bones tonight at dinner. We’ve been invited
over to welcome Maggie.”
    “What do you have cooking on the stove
then?”
    “Soup. Violet said Maggie doesn’t like
the cold, so I thought it would warm her.”
    A sudden wailing filled the air. They
both smiled at each other, hearing their son’s voice.
    “I’ll get Sadushka , while you get
the soup ready,” Kolya said.
    He kissed his wife once more before
moving down the hall to his son’s room. He opened the door, and his
heart clenched at seeing his child fussing in the crib. His heart
felt so full he feared it would burst.
    “Easy, Sadushka . Papa will get you ready to
go.”
    His son quieted immediately upon
hearing his voice.
    “Tonight we go to visit with the
Alpha, your Uncle Dmitry, and your twin cousins. Your babushka will
hold you and sing you a lullaby. Would you like that?” He finished
changing Aleksandr’s diaper and dressed him in warm clothes to make
the trek over to the Alpha’s lodge.
    Alena came in behind him and wrapped
her arm around his waist as she peered over his shoulder. “How are
my two guys doing?” she asked.
    “Almost ready, mamochka .”
     
    §
     
    Maggie heard the front door open, and
then someone ran up the stairs. She looked up and over at Yelena,
wondering who it was.
    “Violet is home to get the girls up
from their nap. She should be down in a few minutes.”
    Violet was finally home? Maybe now she
could go into the girls’ room.
    “I’d like to help her. Would you mind
if I go up?” Maggie asked.
    “Of course not, dear. Dinner is almost
ready. Go visit with your friend.”
    Maggie untied her apron, hurried out
of the kitchen, and up the stairs. The door to the girls room stood
open, and she could hear giggling coming from inside. “Can I come
in?” she asked, standing in the doorway.
    Violet turned with a smile. “Of
course. Aunt Maggie is always welcome, isn’t she,
girls?”
    Both girls jumped up and down in their
cribs. Maggie walked into the room and over to Karina. Violet
handed her a diaper and