Wednesday was Christmas Day, Blair was the first one up as usual, she was always the first one up. She went downstairs and started a pot of coffee and sat looking out the sliding door in the kitchen, to the mountain range behind their house. The kiss she shared last night with James replaying in her mind. "Good morning Blair," Kaspar startled her coming in. Blair jumped, "Sorry," he offered. "It's ok, I was lost in thought," she replied. Kaspar poured a cup of coffee, "I'll put the cinnamon buns in the oven," Sofie said in a sing song voice coming in. Blair smiled; Mrs. Smith always made homemade cinnamon rolls in the fridge over night for them to bake Christmas morning. "Good morning," James said walking into the kitchen. Blair walked over and poured him a cup of coffee and handed it to him with a smile, "Thank you," James told her giving her a kiss on the cheek. Blair blushed, "Good morning," Jen called as she and Ben walked into the kitchen. "Ok, presents," Ben said grabbing a cup of coffee.
They all brought their coffees into the formal living room, where the eight-foot flocked Christmas tree was decorated and dripped with white, silver, and gold decorations. They sat down on the grey couches that sat opposite each other with a white coffee table between them. Kaspar played Santa and passed the presents out, Blair opened the one from her parents first. Blair opened the box and inside was an infinity band with blue sapphires and diamonds all the way around. "It's beautiful," Blair told them pulling it out and putting it on her right ring finger. "Some of the stones are from one of my rings, and some are from both your grandmothers," Sofie explained. Blair's eyes welled with tears, and she went over hugging her parents, "Now you'll always have a piece of our pack," Kaspar added her. "Thank you," she whispered and hugged him again. Kaspar opened his gift from Blair and Ben, it was an all-inclusive five-day fishing vacation to Alaska. "We figured after the alpha ceremony you might like a little break," Ben explained. "That's very thoughtful, I'm going to plan this right away," he answered with a smile looking at Sofie, who grinned back.
Blair opened the box from James, it a framed glass with an etching of stars and a date at the bottom. "Do you remember that day?" James asked. Blair smiled, "The day we met," she answered. "That's what the sky looked like that night," James explained. Blair hugged James, "Thank you," she replied. James quickly opened the present from Blair, inside was a classic Black and Tan watch with the Luckenbaugh carved into the leather. "Thank you, Blair. I didn't expect a present," James said. "Your band was starting to wear so I took a chance, flip it over," she instructed. He turned it over and, on the back, it read, "I am bound to you," he looked up and smiled at her. James put his arm around her and kissed her softly and quickly since they were around everyone else.
Jen unwrapped a box from Ben, "I was going to wait until our claiming ceremony, but I couldn't," he told her. She smiled and opened the box, it was a large cushion cut blue sapphire in a halo of diamonds, Jen's mouth dropped open. Ben pulled it from the box and slid it on Jen's left ring finger, "Do you like it?" He asked. Jen looked from her hand to him, "I love it," she answered with tears in her eyes as they hugged and kissed. More presents were opened, and they meandered into the kitchen for cinnamon rolls.
After breakfast Blair followed James out to his car, "I'll miss you," she said as he put his suitcase in the trunk. He smiled, "We've been apart for longer than a day, before," he told her. "So, you won't miss me?" She asked skeptical. James wrapped his arms around her, "Oh, I'll miss you," he said kissing her. They said their good-byes and Blair watched as he drove away, James was going back to his home to celebrate Christmas with his family and they would meet again Thursday for Ben's alpha ceremony and then her claiming on Friday, where Blair would be declared his.
Blair went back into the house and curled up with a book for the rest of the morning. That afternoon her mother helped her start packing her things that could be moved to her and James' new house. "Blair how many totes of purses do you have?" Sofie asked. "I think just the two," Blair answered. "Oh wait," she added and pulled out a long flatter tote from under her bed, "Three," she said with a smile. "I think you need to go through all of this and decide what you're keeping," Sofie ordered. After a few hours of going through her things and making piles to donate, Ben opened the door, "SLEDDING," he yelled and ran downstairs. "Benjamin Andrew," Sofie called annoyed. Blair laughed, she would miss this, her brother just yelling things through the house and her mother yelling at him not to yell. "It's tradition," Blair shrugged and ran after him. "Blair Alexandra," Sofie called after her. "It's tradition," Blair called back up the stairs as she laughed.
Blair gasped as she saw someone in the window of the door of the family room. "Blair?" Kaspar called coming around the corner. He looked to the door, where Blair was staring scared. "Oh, It's Alpha Tim from the red-creek pack. He's just early," Kaspar assured Blair walking over to the door and opening it. "Alpha Tim, I wasn't aware you were coming," Kaspar said confused. "I came early, to see your daughter's claiming ceremony," he said eyeing Blair. "Her claiming will be after Ben's alpha ceremony," Kaspar explained skeptical. Alpha Tim's gaze made her feel so uncomfortable, "Where is her mate?" Tim asked. "He went home a few hours ago to spend Christmas with his parents," Kaspar answered. "Shame, I wouldn't leave my mate unattended," Alpha Tim's words were sharp. "Alpha Kaspar, may I have a word with you?" Tim asked. "Of course, my office is down the hall," Kaspar replied showing him down the hall. "Blair, are you ok?" Sofie asked coming down the stairs. "Alpha Tim is here," she answered. "That man thinks he can go anywhere, anytime he pleases," Sofie said frustrated. "They're in dad's office," Blair told her robotically looking down the hall. "Go ahead and go sledding with your brother," Sofie ordered a little concerned.
Blair pulled her eyes to look at her mother, Sofie could see the fear in Blair. "Go ahead sweetie, it'll be ok," Sofie assured. Blair nodded and went out hoping to forget Alpha Tim, though if he stayed it would be difficult to do. Blair walked out the front door and across the street to the hill where Ben and Jen were sledding, it was Ben's favorite thing to do since he was a kid. Blair watched still distracted as they came down together. "I took all the sleds up to the top," Ben told Blair. "What's wrong?" Jen asked seeing the worry written all over Blair's face, "Alpha Tim is here," Blair informed. Ben straightened, "I thought he wasn't invited?" Ben questioned. "He wasn't, not to my claiming or your alpha ceremony, but he's here," Blair answered. Alpha Tim was also Simone's father, Ben grabbed Jen's hand. She looked up at him and smiled, "I'm fine," she told him. They went back up the hill but Blair and Ben couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, why was he so early? Why was he here at all?
They wouldn't know until dinner, Blair felt extremely uncomfortable sitting across from Alpha Tim as Kaspar carved the ham and gave everyone a piece as they passed up their plates. "So Alpha Tim, what brings you here so early?" Ben asked. "As I told your sister, I came to bear witness to your sister's claiming," he answered still staring at Blair. "I didn't think you were invited," Ben stated coolly. "Benjamin," Sofie scolded. Alpha Tim chuckled, "I admit, I wanted to try and convince your father that our houses should be joined, since my daughter's rejection I was hoping my son might have a chance to right some wrongs," Tim stated, the innuendos were not lost on Blair.
He clearly felt that his daughter was jilted, never mind she was the one sending the nude pics to Ben willingly. "You thought you would derail Blair's claiming ceremony, because of Simone?" Ben asked skeptical. "Exactly, you see my daughter and I thought we would be joining our houses," Tim explained. "You said that," Ben retorted. "Yes, well. We were hoping our families could still have a chance," Tim responded staring back at Blair with a weird grin making her uncomfortable. "As I explained to Alpha Tim, Blair was imprinted upon by James since she was ten," Kaspar interjected trying to get Ben to stop his questioning. That night Blair didn't sleep well, she felt scared and awkward with Alpha Tim staying in the guest quarters. She actually locked her door, which was a first for her.
Thursday morning Blair's alarm went off at eight, she slapped the alarm clock and rolled back over. The nob on her door turned but didn't opened, "Blair," Sofie called knocking. "I'm awake, mom," Blair called back. "Hurry up we need to get moving," Sofie told her. It wasn't Blair's ceremony, so she laid in bed texting James about alpha Tim, before she finally got up around eight thirty and took a long shower, she dried her hair still in her robe and walked out to her room. There was knock on her door, thinking it was her mom again she opened it, "I'm awake mom," she said and gasped. It was Alpha Tim, she suddenly felt like she wasn't wearing enough. He looked her up and down, "I'll let your mother know you're ready for your breakfast," he said with a raised eyebrow. "What do you want?" She asked. "Just to inform you of your options," he began, his voice dripping with smugness. "Now's not a good time," she told him. "Of course," he replied with a sickly smile, he bowed his head and left. Blair shut the door and locked it again, she didn't feel safe with him around. Blair quickly got dressed and went down to eat something, "Where is everyone?" She whispered to Jen when she reached the kitchen. "The guys, including alpha Tim went to hall, to get the tables and stuff for the caterers," Jen replied, easing Blair's emotions. "He creeps me out," Blair confessed. "Me too," Jen agreed. "There's something off with him. You and Ben need to be careful," Blair urged.