The blizzard had finally calmed, leaving the world dusted in shimmering white. It was quiet outside the cabin, but inside… laughter, warmth, and the soft crackle of a fire painted the moment in gold.
Bunny lay curled against her wolf, her cheek resting over his heartbeat. He looked different now softer somehow. As if loving her had smoothed out the sharpness he carried.
"You're glowing," he murmured, brushing her hair back.
She giggled. "It's the Christmas magic."
"No," he said, kissing her temple. "It's you."
They spent the morning wrapped in each other. No drama. No fear. Just happiness the kind people write in letters and never send, too afraid no one would believe them.
Later, they stepped outside, hand in hand. Snowflakes drifted lazily around them as they walked toward the frozen lake. The wolf's tail brushed over her thigh. Bunny nudged him playfully with her hip.
"Race you," she said.
The wolf grinned. "You'll lose."
"Try me."
She dashed ahead a blur of laughter, legs kicking up powder. He chased after her with exaggerated slowness just to watch her bunny ears bounce. She shrieked when he caught her, lifting her in one strong swoop and spinning her until her giggle cracked into breathless joy.
They collapsed into the snow, staring at the sky.
"Do you think we'll always be like this?" she whispered.
"Yes," he said without hesitation. "Bunny and wolf. Always."
Her heart fluttered. "Even next Christmas?"
He rolled over and kissed the tip of her nose.
"Especially next Christmas."
When they returned to the cabin, a fresh mistletoe hung in the doorway one they definitely hadn't put there.
They stopped. Looked at each other.
"Well," Bunny said softly. "Rules are rules."
Their last kiss of the story was slow, sweet, full of promise. Nothing rushed. Nothing wild. Just pure love sealed under enchanted mistletoe.
And that, for them, was everything.
The End.
Or so it seemed.
Because suddenly, as if the world itself were a TV screen, the scene zoomed out revealing someone sitting on a couch, staring at the ending with their mouth wide open.
"Wait. WHAT?" the viewer said, grabbing the remote.
"That's it? No sex? No final heat scene? No explicit mating? THIS IS HOW THEY END IT?!"
They clicked the screen, confused, offended, invested, shocked.
"Where is the Christmas mating special?! I sat through FIFTEEN chapters for WHAT?!"
They threw the pillow dramatically.
And somewhere far, far away…
Bunny and her wolf just looked at each other and laughed happy, fulfilled, and very much together.
Because their story wasn't about heat.
It was about love.
And love… was enough. As Talia chose to stay.