gift, Susi still had running water, underground power, and a ton of backup generators. A few wulfkin now occupied the former snow resort welcome centre. My new home was located deep in the Finnish woods, away from prying eyes, making it the perfect spot to hide. Though according to Tianna, the Santa Village in the nearby human city of Rovaniemi, just south of Susi, was what made this place a magical location.
A nutty and cinnamon scent wafted through the air of the store. Dried herbs hung from the ceiling, along with tinsel of every color, casting shadows across the walls. Oak shelves lined the walls, filled with everything from clothing and condiments to buckets of jerky. Plus baubles. The decorations were tucked into every crevice, and each time I entered the store, I swore I’d stepped into a Christmas wonderland.
I salivated for a moment, unable to move past the fresh meat behind the refrigerated glass panel. But without missing a beat, I pulled out several strands of mistletoe from a wooden barrel, along with a bag of jelly candies. Tianna insisted they were necessary for Christmas, and something about this place caused the child in me to linger. But the rumble and whistling gale outside reminded me blizzard conditions were headed our way.
“The weatherman said we had two days to prepare, but I can already feel the storm in my bones.” Henri stepped around the counter, wearing a Santa’s hat and dressed in a red jacket. All he was missing was a beard. The wulfkin was incorrigible when it came to all things festive, so no wonder the kids in town visited the store several times a day. He grabbed a notebook from the shelf behind him. His angular face and large eyes reminded me of my dad. Strange, because my old man insisted that working inside was a female’s job. My father had been very opinionated about his old-fashioned beliefs, but I still loved him. Maybe it was the way Henri studied at me—without a smidgen of judgment—that brought me comfort. I’d lost my parents three years and five months ago in a car accident. A day didn’t pass when they didn’t enter my thoughts, and still, their memories cut right through me. The loving moments we’d had were a double-edged sword, a reminder that I’d never experience those times again. So instead, I made new memories with Tianna.
Henri scribbled my purchases in his notebook. No need for money in Susi. Each citizen contributed. Hunters brought in fresh meat for the store. Others sold deer meat to the local city for money in order to pay for the electricity and water used in the town. A teacher taught the young ones, and a singer entertained the pack. I provided services as the local doctor. Something my parents had forced me to study, and I thanked them every day because it meant helping others.
“I hear Tianna’s spending the night at Anja’s.” Henri’s gaze lifted from his book, his eyes smiling. “You can finally enjoy an evening to yourself.”
Anja had greeted me the first day Tianna and I arrived in Susi. She asked no questions, but took us into her home and gave us food, and we’d been inseparable friends ever since. Plus, she had two young girls, one aged six, and the other nine. They’d bonded with Tianna right away.
“Yeah, Tianna was so excited, she packed her bags last week.” I broke into a laugh. “Time to myself sounds fantastic, even if it did take me more than a week to agree to this sleepover. I’ve never spent a night without her under the same roof, you know.” Besides, it was selfish of me to deny Tianna the opportunity to create her own childhood memories.
“Anja will take good care of her, don’t worry.”
I nodded, anxiousness tickling through my veins. Focus on the positive. Everything is going to be fine. “Without Tianna shadowing me, I’ll have more time to prepare the house for the blizzard.” She’d be home before the full brute force of it.
My attention shifted to the meat counter, and my stomach growled at the thought of treating myself to a nice adult meal. “I’ll take two deer steaks.” Usually, I’d only eat one steak, but tonight I wanted to gorge on food, take a bath, and read a book.
Henri bustled with the order and bagged it in no time. “I’ve added a small sachet of my special Christmas blend. Add heated milk and you’ll forget your troubles for