New Pack [Book 3]

Chapter 2

"How do we keep getting into these situations?!" I asked Peter as we ran around the kitchen, trying to put out an oven fire.

    "Four years of friendship and I still don't know." He answered, taking out the pan in the oven and setting it on the counter.

    "The cookies are burnt!" I said, running around and opening windows to get the smoke out.

    Stiles came into the kitchen and coughed, covering his nose with his shirt. "I guess it's safe to assume the Dynamic Duo is back together."

"Want to try a cookie?" I asked, walking over and picking one up, seeing it was all black. "Uh . . . it's a little burnt."

He chuckled. "You call that a little? Elizabeth, it's ashes."

"Peter. Smack him for me."

"That's child abuse!" Stiles shouted, running behind me.

"Stiles, you're almost twenty." I pointed out.

Peter smiled at us. "Come on. Let's get some cheap cookies at a store and watch movies."

    "And we can decorate for Christmas!" I said happily.

    "What?" Peter looked at me. "Yeah, we don't decorate."

    "Peter Hale! What do you mean you don't decorate for Christmas?!" I gasped.

    Stiles sucked in a breath and left the room, saying: "I'm gonna leave you two to hash this out."

    "Okay, we are going to the store and getting Christmas decorations and I will show you just how fun decorating for this holiday will be." I told him.

    He smiled and shrugged. "If you're going to keep nagging at me like that, I don't see the point in arguing."

    "Really? Wow. That was easy."

    Stiles came into the kitchen again. "Hey, so Derek is gonna be here any second, so you two can just head to the store without me."

    "Okay, Stiles. We will give you time with your boyfriend." I teased.

    "Elizabeth! You know I'm gonna propose to Lydia on Christmas." Stiles said.

    "Awwww, that's sweet." I cooed.

    "Don't you dare tell anyone that." He told me.

    "What about Dad?"

    He sighed. "Fine. Tell Dad, and then that is it. You hear?"

    "Loud and clear, Sarge." I saluted him.

———

Peter handed me a row of multi-colored lights and looked around at the loft, at the plain evergreen tree in the right corner near the giant window and the scented candle of Christmas Cookies and peppermint.

    "You know, this place doesn't look half bad, Liz." Peter said.

    "Yeah. Don't doubt my sister when it comes to interior decorating." Stiles said with a smile as he, Malia, Lydia, and Derek came downstairs.

    "I'm surprised you aren't helping Theo with decorating." Lydia said as I hopped down from the ladder after hanging the lights.

    "He doesn't celebrate Christmas, Lydia. Ans I'm okay with whatever he chooses." I said with a thin smile.

    "But you want him to celebrate Christmas, right?" Malia asked.

    "Of course I do, Malia. But I won't force him to believe in something." I replied.