Jeniva snapped a few photos of herself beside her modestly decorated Christmas tree and sent the images off to her sister. Ever since Dominick had departed for the palace, she felt even lonelier.
"What kind of mate is he, anyway?" she murmured to the empty room.
She let out a sigh, realizing she was likely expecting too much from a man of his stature. She collapsed onto the couch, the TV remote clutched in her hand.
"He'll probably just reject me again in a few days," she whispered to the ceiling. "Maybe it was just the rut. He needed someone, and that's why he was so sweet for a while."
She absentmindedly flicked through the channels. The winter chill seemed to seep through the windows, prompting her to pull a thin fleece blanket up to her chin. She stopped on a holiday special showing a family gathered around a fireplace, and her heart gave a painful tug. This was how mates were supposed to spend Christmas. Together with each other.
