The Wolf Came on Christmas (Johanna and Alexander) novel Chapter 148

Chapter 148-1

Christmas in Moscow was more than beautiful.

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Alexander didn’t want us to go to Bratsk; he insisted that he wanted to show me the capital and

the most important tourist sites, but to me it was more like an “I’m not ready yet for the rest of my

family to meet you.” I understood. I also had to explain to my mother that I had started seeing

someone, and after meeting Alexander on my birthday (it had already been two years), it was very

obvious to her who I was talking about. She had the good sense not to ask me too much about it; I

promised her that when it was safer I would tell her everything. At that point, I seriously doubted

that my relationship with Alexander was not “safe,” but I didn’t want to take any false step until we

settled things either way.

At times it seemed to me that it was Alexander who had to get used to the idea that we were

together, and that he was no longer alone in life, in raising his children, or in anything else.

We spent an entire week in the city; Andre took his role as guide so seriously that he didn’t leave a

single day of our activities unplanned. I couldn’t believe how much he had grown, how secure and

dominant he was even at such a young age. If when I first met him I had already thought he was a

very strong boy, I always felt that he grew in body and soul by leaps and bounds every time I saw

him again; it seemed to me that he had stretched a meter- it was incredible! He was about to turn

ten years old, but he had the height of a twelve- or thirteen–year–old boy, and the character of any

responsible adult. Seeing his enthusiasm and his happy smile were things one would surely have

paid for even with blood.

Sasha was adorable; she had very long hair and liked having braids and all kinds of hairstyles done

for her, until she fell asleep on my lap. She relaxed a lot when someone combed her hair. She was

about to turn three, and she already knew how to write several words and read simple phrases;

both in English and in Cyrillic. She talked nonstop; she always wanted to be the center of my

attention. She asked me about everyone back home and got very upset if I suddenly stopped to

talk to Andre or her father. During those days she became so attached to me that I started

worrying about the damage it might do to her when I returned to the United States. Alexander was

honest with me then and told me that, in reality, Sasha constantly asked for me and was rather

used to me not being near her; according to him, it gave her hope to know that they would travel

again to visit me. That might have prevented me from going back home, if I hadn’t been strong

enough to face it. I promised myself that soon I would be able to fix all that, once Alexander and I

resolved our matters.

Without a doubt, Andre and Sasha were little prodigies. I felt extremely proud of both of them.

And Alexander had been absolutely right about everything: snowy Moscow was a beautiful city. I

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Chapter 148-1

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even took a picture with the Kremlin and its multicolored roofs covered in white in the background,

one of those typical vacation photos acting silly. I returned home on December 28 with many

photos, in fact. In some, I was playing or making faces with the children; in others, with Alexander.

We risked taking a couple in the protected park of the house, with my wolves in their semi–animal

form, but Alexander wanted to keep those last ones. For safety, he said. I understood, of course.

I also understood that, when we exchanged gifts on Christmas morning, Alexander didn’t say

anything to the children about our relationship, even though we had agreed to do so. I didn’t have

to ask why he hadn’t dared, nor did it bother me or make me think about taking the initiative

myself; it was something for both of us, and after all, Andre and Sasha were his children- he knew

what was best for them. Once I was back home, during a phone conversation we had, Alexander

apologized to me about that matter; I preferred to silence him by telling him that I loved him, and

that we would find a more suitable moment.

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Chapter 148-2

Chapter 148-2

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Neither of us overlooked Andre’s intelligence or his sensitivity; I suppose we could think that the boy already knew…

Several weeks after New Year’s, and now that my parents surely knew who my new partner was, things began to fall into place. Since Alexander could practically work from wherever he was (as

his job as director of VLC Air Services & Logistics was more about receiving and writing miles of

emails, analyzing projections, arranging budgets, reviewing documents, proposing business

strategies, making phone calls and video calls, and signing things that he then sent by fax), I

invited them to spend a few days with me, when Andre told me they were on school vacation at his

academy.

Of course, I had been thinking a lot about those days while trying to develop a vague idea I had for

a new novel, and I was alone again.

And the first big decision I reached was that I didn’t want to have to hide from the children if I

wanted to spend quality time with Alexander. I told him so. He promised to think about it; he also

didn’t feel like holding back kisses or anything else until we were alone again. We had no reason to

do so.

One afternoon, after it had snowed again, I suggested going out to play a little outside.

Andre and Alexander looked at each other when I said “play“; they knew that I meant I was giving them the green light to change form and do as they pleased (as long as they didn’t dirty the house

that was another thing I had to clarify). After wrapping Sasha up very well and placing her hand in the rough paw–hand of her brother, I watched them run off into the forest escorted by Kit, Kim and their puppies, and I stayed near the porch waiting for Alexander to join me.

“Are you wagging your tail like that for some special reason, or are you just happy to see me?” I joked with a pleasant smile when I saw him appear around the corner of the house.

Alexander smiled, wrinkling his muzzle, and dashed toward me. He caught me in his arms before I could escape, and suddenly ran his tongue hot and wet across my face, leaving me stiff. It was strange. He had never done something like that before; I didn’t know what to think.

He laughed, most likely at my horrified expression.

“Does it bother you if I do that?” he asked mockingly.

“I haven’t decided yet. But don’t get too enthusiastic, huh? If you’re going to kiss me, I want it

without the fur coat on top. Understood?”

“Understood.”

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< Chapter 148-2

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Alexander knew well that I would never allow him to approach me with sexual intentions while he

was in his semi–animal form; I had made that clear to him. I wanted to enjoy the man, but anything

outside the normality of sharing a bed with him was completely out of the question; it was

unacceptable to me. I laughed inwardly thinking about that time, about how awkward it was for

me to try to explain what I meant (while struggling not to die of embarrassment), and the horrified

expression on his face when he understood. Neither of us approved of such things, even though I

was aware of his true nature and did not fear him. Alexander agreed that desiring me in his

semi–animal form was not something that happened to him either; he said that when he was

transformed he felt an adrenaline that pushed him to run, hunt and fight, not to seek a mate.

He released me from the tight embrace and took my hand so we could walk together after the

children.

“You know? There are stories about some of my ancestors; back then it was still believed that the

moon was sinister and caused extreme reactions in us…” he told me, and I knew what he was

referring to. He often told stories about ancestors and beliefs of his people, he told them to the

children and allowed me to listen. “They believed that on full moon nights they had to turn into

their semi–animal forms to avoid raping their wives. Nothing more superstitious, you see; but they

were convinced that the only way not to commit unworthy acts, ironically, was by taking refuge in

their other form, their shame. Of course, that was long before they could assimilate their humanity

and stop thinking of themselves as abnormal monsters. The disgust they felt toward themselves

made them forget everything else…”

I looked at him as we walked among the trees, contemplating his prominent and elegant muzzle.

“Really?”

“Really,” he nodded softly.

“Do you feel repulsed when you think about me while you’re like this?”

I gestured at him entirely–him and his “fur coat,” his animal ears, his muzzle, his thick and bushy

tail, his hands harmoniously combined with paws, his height much greater than mine. Alexander shrugged and shook his head.

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no, I just know that all That is out of the question. I’m a civilized person, Johanna.”

I smiled, showing him that I accepted his answer, and then added:

“Of course you’re a civilized person, Alexander. I believe all of you are.”

Of course. However, that did not mean he didn’t have a wild side or that he did not make use of his

instinct.

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