Heat for the Holidays: A Small Town Christmas Novella by Holly Monroe

Author:Holly Monroe [Monroe, Holly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Goodreads: 244165445
Published: 2025-12-01T08:00:00+00:00

SIXTEEN

FIVE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

I didn’t expect Clara to be here when I woke up, but it still hurts that she wasn’t.

I knew what I signed up for when I asked her to be with me. I told her it didn’t have to mean anything, and she agreed.

But how do I convince myself that it wasn’t supposed to mean anything when I want nothing more than for it to be everything?

My Omega heart struggles to contain itself at the prospect of Clara by my side as I try to find my Alpha. I can picture the two of us going on dates with an Alpha and inviting him into our lives.

And of course, my hindbrain has to remind me it thinks we have found our Alpha in Gabriel, which is a ridiculous notion. He’s my boss, and I barely know anything personal about him.

It means nothing that I felt compelled to steal his scarf, and now I have it wrapped around my neck while I cuddle my pillow, which I redressed with the shirt Clara wore last night.

Would the two of them get along? I should’ve asked Clara how her conversation went with Gabriel while Katy distracted me.

Not that anything could happen between me and Gabriel, but if Clara thought it was a good idea after talking to him, maybe I could be persuaded to at least entertain the idea of him being my Alpha, instead of burying my desire.

There’s nothing that says an Omega’s Beta and Alpha need to have a relationship, but in a perfect world, that’s how it would be for me. I’d have both of them.

It’s strange, feeling so drawn to Gabriel when I don’t know him outside of a work capacity. I don’t need to examine it when it comes to Clara; I know exactly what this feeling is.

I’m in love with her.

The pull to Gabriel is different. More primal. Something undeniable that goes beyond attraction and emotions, pulling from the very core of my being.

It’s all very confusing, and I have no idea how to handle this. In an ideal world, I’d tell Clara how deep my love for her goes, and she’d tell me she feels the same way, and then together, we’d pursue Gabriel, I’d bond them both, and we’d live happily ever after.

But that’s selfish. How am I supposed to ask her to pursue someone just because I want to?

I’m getting ahead of myself.

The Christmas present Gabriel gave me sits shoved against the wall of my nest, and I eyeball it. Should I wait until Christmas to open it? Should I push it under our tiny, table-top tree?

I really don’t want to.

I’m feeling fragile after last night, my heart aches knowing I won’t hold Clara again, and my Omega side is crying because the suppressants are still active, preventing me from smelling her pheromones in my nest.

Will they still linger in the air by the time I get that sense back?

Do I want them to?

I know there is no avoiding it. In a few days, my system will be clear, and I’ll finally know if Clara is my scent match.

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