Sigma's Holiday (Tellurian #5) - E-Book

I wasn’t supposed to be in Marquette.

But after my mother died, I found a box of letters in her attic—dozens of them, all from the same man. Dave. My biological father. Turns out my mom had a whole secret life before me, complete with pack politics, scandal, and a lover she left before she gave birth to me. And now I find out I’ve got a half-brother named Chance and a town full of shifters who see me as an outsider.

Then I met Danny.

He runs a local Christmas tree lot and smells like pine, earth, and cinnamon coffee. He’s kind in a way I’ve never known, rough around the edges, and fiercely loyal to the land he calls home. I didn’t mean to fall for him. I just wanted to find some connection, to understand where I came from. But the closer we get, the harder it is to ignore the truth.

Because I’m not just here to meet my family.

I work for a strip mining company. And when I tested one of Danny’s Christmas trees to confirm what the reports said... I found exactly what I feared. The soil under his lot is rich with copper. My company wants it all. And Danny's tree lot is on the brink of foreclosure.

Now I have a choice. Either I tell him who I am and break his heart… or stay quiet and betray everything that’s starting to feel like home.

Sigma's Holiday is a heartwarming, spicy gay werewolf holiday romance about found family, forbidden truths, and the kind of love that only comes once—and changes everything when it does.

Excerpt from Chapter Three:
“You guys don’t have a wreath,” I said, the words coming out before I could stop them.
The barista laughed. “Kael’s been complaining about that for days. He ordered a fake one online, but it never showed up.”
Perfect. “Is there somewhere in town I could buy one?”
“There’s a Christmas tree lot on the southwestern edge of town. They usually have wreaths and other decorations too. And they’re like us too.”
More werewolves. Great. This town was full of them.
Twenty minutes later, I was pulling into the lot she’d described. The scent of fresh pine hit me as soon as I stepped out of the SUV, sharp and clean in the cold air. Rows of evergreens stood in neat lines, their branches heavy with snow. A few families wandered between them, children running ahead excitedly while parents discussed the merits of Fraser firs versus blue spruces.
I made my way toward a small wooden shed at the center of the lot, where a hand-painted sign advertised “Wreaths & Garlands.” As I approached, a man emerged from behind a particularly large tree, carrying an armful of freshly cut branches for weaving.
The moment our eyes met, something electric shot through me. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair and richly tanned skin despite the lack of sun this time of year. And he had the most beautiful dark brown eyes I’d ever seen. I stared openly, all thoughts except him pushed from my mind.
He was a werewolf too; I could tell immediately from his scent, something wild and woodsy that made my wolf sit up and take notice. But there was something else about him, something that made my heart skip in a way that had nothing to do with pack dynamics or territorial instincts.
“Can I help you?” he asked, his voice warm despite the cold air between us. A small smile played at the corners of his mouth, and I realized I’d been standing there staring like an idiot.
“Wreaths,” I managed, my usual confidence completely deserting me. “I need a wreath.”
His smile widened, revealing perfect white teeth. “Well, you’ve come to the right place. I’m Danny.” He shifted the bundle of branches to one arm and extended his free hand.
“Cody.” His grip was firm and warm, and I found myself reluctant to let go. I suddenly wondered if we were related. “Danny Tellurian?”
Something flickered across his features, surprise, maybe? “Just Danny Makade. But I know the Tellurians well. Are you looking for them?”
Relief and disappointment warred in my chest. Not another family member to complicate things, but also not another connection to the answers I was seeking. “No, I just... I met Kael yesterday at the coffee shop. He mentioned the pack name.”
“Ah.” Danny’s expression cleared. “You’re the New York wolf he was texting about. He said you were coming to the gathering tonight.”
Heat crept up my neck. “He was texting about me?”
“Nothing invasive,” Danny said quickly, though his eyes sparkled with amusement. “Just that there was a handsome Alpha visiting town who looked like he could use some friends.”
I groaned. “He called me handsome?”
“That was my editorial addition,” Danny said with a grin that made my stomach flip. “Though I have to say, his description was accurate.”
Was he flirting with me? I couldn’t tell if I was reading the situation right or if my wolf was just responding to an attractive face. It had been so long since I’d felt any kind of spark with someone that I’d almost forgotten what it felt like.
“So,” I said, trying to regain some composure, “wreaths?”
“Right.” Danny gestured toward the shed. “What kind of look are you going for? Traditional? Modern? Rustic?”
I followed him, trying not to stare at the way his jeans hugged his legs or how his breath created small clouds in the frigid air. “It’s for the coffee shop, actually. Kael’s been wanting one for the door. It’s sort of a peace offering.”
Danny’s face lit up. “That’s thoughtful of you. Kael’s been complaining about that missing delivery for weeks. I tried to tell him fake was the wrong choice, but I guess the universe proved me right on that one.” He led me to a display of wreaths hanging from wooden pegs. “These are all fresh, made them myself this morning.”
The wreaths were beautiful, clearly handcrafted with care. Some were simple and elegant, others were bedecked with pinecones, berries, and ribbons. They smelled incredible, like the forest itself had been condensed into these circular works of art.
“These are amazing,” I said, genuinely impressed. “You made all of these?”
Danny nodded, running his fingers along the edge of one particularly lush wreath. “It’s a family tradition. My dad taught me when I was a kid.”
“Is he here too?” I asked, glancing around the lot.
Something in Danny’s expression shifted, a shadow passing behind his eyes. “He’s back at the house. He doesn’t come out to the lot much anymore. Age is catching up with him.”
I wanted to ask more, but the sadness in his voice made me hold back. Instead, I pointed to a wreath adorned with deep red berries and a simple burlap bow. “That one seems perfect for the coffee shop. Rustic but elegant.”
“Good choice.” Danny carefully lifted it from its hook. “Kael will love it.”
Our fingers brushed as he handed it to me, and that same electric jolt shot through my body. I could tell from the slight widening of his eyes that he felt it too.
“So… are you going to the gathering tonight?” I asked, hoping my voice sounded casual.
“I wasn’t planning on it.” Danny shoved his hands into the pockets of his denim jacket. “The holidays are our busiest time. I should stay and help my dad.”
“Oh.” I tried to hide my disappointment. “That makes sense.”
He studied me for a moment, his dark eyes searching my face. “But maybe I could stop by. For a little while.”
My heart leapt embarrassingly. “That would be great. I mean, I don’t really know anyone there, so...”
“A friendly face would be nice?” he finished for me, his smile returning.
“Exactly.”
We stood there for a moment, just looking at each other, while snowflakes drifted lazily around us. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so immediately drawn to someone. It was more than physical attraction, though there was definitely plenty of that. Something about Danny felt... familiar. Comfortable. Like I’d known him much longer than these few minutes.
“How much do I owe you for the wreath?” I finally asked, reluctantly breaking the moment.
Danny waved a hand dismissively. “Consider it a welcome gift. From our pack to you.”
“Absolutely not—”
“You can and you will,” he insisted. “It’s Christmas. And it sounds like you’re doing Kael a favor, anyway.”
I held the wreath carefully, touched by his generosity. “Thank you. Really.”
“Just make sure you save me some hot chocolate tonight,” he said with a wink that made my stomach do another flip.
As I walked back to my SUV, wreath in hand, I couldn’t help glancing back. Danny had returned to his work, helping a family wrap up their tree and strap it down on top of their car. I doubled back inside the barn for just a moment without being noticed. With no small amount of dexterity, I slipped a hundred-dollar bill into the tip jar next to the till. At least this way, Danny wouldn’t know who it was from.
Back in my SUV, I turned the heat up full blast and sat for a moment, letting the warmth wash over me. The wreath sat on the passenger seat, filling the small space with the scent of pine and something else… something that reminded me of Danny. I found myself replaying our conversation, analyzing every word, every look, every moment our hands had touched.
This was ridiculous. I was here on a mission, not to get distracted by the first attractive werewolf I met. But gods, there was something about him that made my wolf practically purr with contentment. The way he’d smiled, the gentle teasing, the generosity of refusing payment, it all felt so different from the calculated interactions I was used to in New York. Not to mention, Danny was probably the kindest and warmest person I’d interacted with in months. Julian was a good friend, but he still had that cold big city edge like everyone else did.
My phone buzzed and I picked it up, seeing a text from Kael.
Kael: Hope you’re planning to show up tonight! Can’t wait to introduce you to everyone.
I stared at the message, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. Part of me wanted to text back and ask if Danny would actually be there, but that seemed pathetic even by my standards.
Me: Looking forward to it. See you at seven.
The drive back to the hotel gave me time to think, though I wasn’t sure that was a good thing. Every rational part of my brain was screaming that I was getting in too deep, too fast. I was supposed to be gathering information about Dave Tellurian, not mooning over some Christmas tree farmer who may or may not show up to a pack gathering. Not to mention, I still had my survey to do after the meeting with the bankers.
But as I carried the wreath up to my hotel room, I couldn’t shake the image of Danny’s dark eyes or the way his whole face had lit up when he smiled. There had been something there, some kind of connection that went beyond simple attraction. My wolf certainly thought so. I could feel the restless energy building under my skin, the kind that usually only came during the full moon.
Honestly, I didn’t have a lot of time or energy to explore what that meant though. There was my meeting to prepare for and the party tonight. I was going to come face to face with the man that might be my biological father. That was going to take no small amount of mental fortitude to endure.
I just hoped it wasn’t the biggest mistake of my life.