The Wolf Came on Christmas (Johanna and Alexander) novel Chapter 126

Shapter 126-1

Chapter 126-1

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Like when Luke showed up that evening with that dead deer over his shoulder, and calmly butchered it in the cabin’s garage, near his collection of “hunting trophies.” It wasn’t the nicest thing to watch, but it was impressive to see the precision with which his sharp claws opened the flesh and separated the hide from the muscle, passing the succulent, bloody pieces to Kaylee through the inner window that connected to the kitchen.

“So… how did you two meet?” I asked, after a small sip of beer.

Luke looked at me with irony as he drank from the mouth of his bottle. He had already shifted back to his human form and showered to wash the blood off his body, and then he turned to his wife. We were in the kitchen. She kept her back to us, very focused on cutting onions. However, she had hunched in place and pretended she hadn’t heard us, which was frankly a somewhat childish

attitude.

“Well, to be honest, I almost put her behind bars,” he answered after a moment.

My eyes went wide, impressed.

“Wait–did you arrest her? Why?”

“For theft and trespassing.”

“That’s not true,” Kaylee defended herself, and this time she turned toward us with a half–cut onion in one hand and the kitchen knife in the other. “I wasn’t stealing, and I wasn’t trespassing. I was running away and looking for a place to spend the night.”

Luke smirked to one side and nodded sarcastically.

“Sure, and you couldn’t think of a better idea than breaking into a warehouse. Always so brilliant.”

“…I didn’t have money,” she shrugged, amused. “Sue me.”

With the same amused smile as Luke’s, I sat sideways in the chair closest to the lit fireplace, using the backrest like an armrest. I felt comfortable between them, as if I’d known them my whole life.

“Good thing Luke found you,” I commented. “So–did you click from the start?”

“Hells, no. None of that,” Luke laughed, set the bottle down on the counter, and leaned back with his arms crossed. “First, imagine my surprise when I found her. I couldn’t just take her to the station. Itinerant felines aren’t very sociable. If she hadn’t been so hungry, I imagine this little kitty would’ve fought like a beast. Still, I had to force her to come to my house once I managed to catch her. And since she wouldn’t come willingly, I arrested her and took her with me. I fed her, gave her a place to sleep for a few days…”

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“A job,” Kaylee cut in, smiling.

“Working with you was easy. You could be useful to me.”

“Not more than you were useful to me. You could protect me.”

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Kaylee finished with the onions and tossed them into the nonstick pot, where the deer was already cooking. She stirred the mixture a little, and soon the aroma of onions cooking in meat juices and the other vegetables flooded the tiny kitchen. My stomach turned happily–my mouth was

practically watering from that delicious smell.

So I ventured, almost without thinking:

“Was someone looking for you, Kaylee?” I asked.

“My older brothers. Long story,” she made a dismissive little gesture with her hand, though she had her back to us to watch the food. “Luke scared them off.”

I smiled, encouraged.

“So basically, you found an abandoned little kitty on the street and took care of her?”

The sheriff nodded and lifted his bottle again for another calm sip.

“And it’s funny how everything happened,” he continued. “I didn’t want anything to do with other cats, but there was something about her that was different. That clicked from the start. The rest came with time. She was a good partner- not everyone is lucky enough to find a work partner you can get along with, someone you can trust. That she was female was a plus. How was I going to let her go, if with her it seemed like I could have everything? Strength, loyalty, a family. It was mutual benefit.”

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Chapter 126-2

Chapter 126-2

In some strange way, I felt a little hollow hearing his last words.

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“…so you didn’t love her,” I didn’t mean to sound disappointed, but that’s what it provoked in me.

“Of course he did,” Kaylee interrupted, and turned toward us. “He just didn’t know it yet. Neither of us was thinking about pairing up when we decided to work together. And for about two years, we didn’t look at each other as anything more than that–partners. One day, things started to change.

“What changed?” I insisted, consumed by curiosity.

They looked at each other for a moment, serious.

“I realized she was cute.”

“I realized I liked having him close.”

They spoke at the same time, and then they laughed together. After that, Luke added:

“Liar. You couldn’t see this whole monument of a street cat without wanting to throw yourself at

me.”

“Alright, I’ll give you that, but do I have to remind you who started reeking of pheromones first?” she shot back, with a sly smile full of sharp fangs–short and delicate. She gestured to herself, like the host of a TV sales show. “Obviously, you were the one who started noticing this little kitty. And then you didn’t resist my charms for very long. Chasing you was fun.”

“Guilty. And the sentence?”

“Hmm. I sentence you to stay fabulous and never abandon me. Or you’ll pay.”

Kaylee set the spoon and the cloth down on the counter and casually wrapped her arms around his

shoulders.

He was not slow to respond–he slipped an arm around her waist and placed his free hand on the curve of her swollen belly She was noticeably shorter than her husband, and even with the prominent baby burnp between them, they looked made to complete each other in an absolute way. They only shared a quick kiss on the lips, I think out of consideration for me watching from

the front row.

“And the rest is history,” Luke said, looking his wife in the eyes.

How could I not melt with love just seeing them? No wonder they seemed so right together–they were perfect for each other.

“And how long have you known each other? You could say I interrupted an epic moment

“Seven years, I think.”

“Eight,” Kaylee corrected, clearing her throat.

“..well, yes, eight. But we’ve only been together for five, if you know what I mean.”

“Six. We’ve been together for six years,” she corrected him again, patient.

“…right, six. Does it really matter? We’re together, Luke repeated, with a purr, looking into he Then he looked at me and continued. “We got married when I got my promotion to sheriff. 1 when we decided to start a family, with everything it’s supposed to have.” He kissed his wife cheek with a very feline affection, rubbing his nose and cheek along her jaw. Kaylee laughed. it was worth every second of all that time, believe me.”

Judging by the affection between them, I could bet it was.

Later, during dinner, Kaylee announced she felt a little sick. It didn’t become a big deal and no

worried much–until a few hours later, her water broke while she was in the bathroom, getting

ready to go to sleep.

I had already gone back to my house by then.

The next morning, I got scared when Luke called me on the phone, a little nervous, to ask me to

come to the central clinic because Kaylee wanted to see me. When I arrived, they wouldn’t let m

into my feline friend’s room: she had gone into labor after spending the night with contractions.

had to stay outside, just as nervous–or more–than the baby’s own father

I had never seen Luke so distracted as during the fifteen minutes the task of bringing that little

creature into the world lasted. When we heard the full–throated crying. I’m sure his soul came bac

into his body.

An hour later they let me into the room, and I couldn’t help shedding a few tears with Kaylee She

was very excited and smiling, holding against her chest her little bundle with a red face. It was a girl, and they were going to name her Stacey Ann

Kaylee wanted to see me urgently because she wanted to ask me to be her daughter’s godmother.

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