“I’m going to find that elf.” Steve Moore stood outside the main ballroom and peered in the window. He’d found his way to the North Pole with a little luck and good directions… and the help of an elf. He owed his friend, Luciano, big time. What was a cat shifter to do? He needed to find the elf who made his heart beat. Landon. Just thinking about the elf sent shivers down Steve’s spine and warmth through his veins.

He could think about his one-night stand all he wanted, but first he needed to get into the ballroom. No point in pining over a guy when Steve was outside freezing. But a human couldn’t just stroll into the building. He’d stick out amongst the shorter individuals.

Voices from where he couldn’t see grabbed his attention. Steve ducked into the snow-covered bushes on either side of the door. He couldn’t be seen. Not yet. The cat within him meowed. He needed to shift and allow the animal free rein. That was how he’d get into the ballroom.

He closed his eyes and gave in to the cat within him. His bones snapped, and fur sprouted on his arms and legs. His clothes slipped from his body and landed in a heap beneath him. His ears elongated, and his fangs jabbed within his mouth. When he opened his eyes, he shook the snow off his small body and then licked his paw. Time to sneak into the elves’ ball.

Steve crept to the edge of the bushes and watched for the owners of the voices he’d heard. Two female elves strolled up to the building. Steve hurried behind them and sneaked through the door before anyone noticed.

The moment he entered the ballroom, he paused. He’d never seen so much red and green in his life. Icicles dangled from the ceiling and lights glittered all over the place. The room reminded him of the brightest Christmas display in every shopping center all rolled into one. The scent of peppermint wafted through the space. Elves in red suits trimmed with white fur mingled in bunches. Mistletoe decorated the archways, and thick ropes of evergreen garland swooped from corner to corner of the room. A massive Christmas tree stood in the farthest corner, and presents of every shape and size had been piled beneath and around it.

Steve sat beneath a table overflowing with cookies and eggnog. He needed to find his elf. He’d been told all the elves looked alike. Not true. The more he glanced over the crowd, the more he realized they were different just like everyone else. A couple of the elves had dark hair like Landon’s, but none were him. He groaned. If he were going to find Landon, he needed to get a better vantage point.

The cat needed to climb. He stretched and dug his claws into the carpet. He knew exactly where he needed to go in order to see the rest of the room -- the Christmas tree. He meandered around the perimeter of the large space to the evergreen tree. Presents had been piled up at the bottom of the tree, giving him great camouflage. He ascended the branches until he found one with a decent vantage point. Steve perched on the limb and surveyed the crowd.

So many elves and so many happy faces. He’d never find Landon in the myriad of red and white. His heart sank. He’d been a fool to hunt for the elf. They’d spent one night together. Landon probably didn’t even remember him.

Three elves wandered past the tree, and the sound of one of the male elves’ voices caught his attention. Steve perked his ears and zeroed in on the dark-haired elf.

Landon.