The Wolf Came on Christmas (Johanna and Alexander) novel Chapter 52

+25 Points

Everyone else looked first at their fellow pack member, then at Alexander. He sighed and covered his face with one hand, bending slightly over the map.

“And have them locate her and use her as a hostage?” Christian murmured.

“Oh, God,” the Australian complained, annoyed. “I agree with Toshi-the cats aren’t that smart! Hostages? I know we’re trying to cover all our bases, but come on! This will be solved with a raid. Kick in the door and bag them, mate!”

“Yeah, and you’re ignoring the fact that there are THREE OF THEM running around because-”

“Don’t piss me off, Christian.”

Richie’s guttural growl echoed through the whole room, and the blond young man was about to take a defensive stance (or so it seemed to me-he was so tense I thought he might jump at his huge colleague at any second) when Nika quickly stepped between them, turning her back on her brother. She looked at the Australian with a hostility that once again made the big man lower his head.

“Enough! Can’t you see you both want the same thing? To go after the cats. Idiots!”

“Sorry, Nika,” Richie apologized with a snort.

I thought I saw Christian smiling, secretly. Or maybe I just imagined it. And it also seemed to me that this was the perfect moment to say something that had been stuck in my throat for a while.

I cleared my throat to get their attention.

“Excuse me… this ‘hideout’-could it be just anywhere?”

That time, all of them turned to look at me. Alexander nodded and answered:

“Yes, but the topography indicates there are no caves nearby. And town is six miles from here -that’s very far. Not even a feline’s night vision is much use at that distance, so…”

“Well, about a mile north there’s the Berkeley sawmill,” I hurried to say. “It’s been kind of shut down since the owner died, and people say they’re going to close it very soon. Could they be hiding there? It just occurred to me. I don’t have any closer neighbors, and to the south the forest is a bit dense.”

A troubling silence suddenly fell over my kitchen. Sasha finished her bottle and sighed adorably, then looked around at everyone else with her big blue eyes, sniffing the air with

© Chapter 52-1

curiosity. I would have loved to kiss her cheeks right then, but…

“One mile,” Richie murmured, interested.

+25 Points

I forgot that in Australia they use the metric system, but that probably wasn’t his doubt-he seemed to be weighing the possibility.

“One point six kilometers. Not too far, not too close. It’s perfect,” Ishida commented without lifting his eyes from his tablet. He was working even faster now. Then the Hattai showed Alexander the screen of his device and leaned over the map on the table, pointing with his finger. “Look-it’s right here. The elevation is also very convenient, it’s on the mountain.”

Alexander looked at me after examining what his companion had shown him.

“This sawmill you’re talking about-can it be seen from here?” he asked urgently.

“Uh… well, when there’s no fog and with a good pair of binoculars, I suppose so,” I replied, a little uncomfortable.

“Could be,” Nika said. “Every window works both ways: if it’s within our sight, it’s also within

theirs.”

“Nika, my father and I can go check it out,” Christian offered seriously.

Alexander stared at the map for a moment, and everyone else stared at him. The anxiety with which they awaited his answer could be felt clearly in the air-they almost looked like hungry dogs waiting for a bone.

Figuratively speaking, of course.

“Alright. But you’re going to need Richie’s nose,” the leader decided, straightening up, tall and proud as his title demanded. “Toshi and I will stay here to watch the perimeter. But listen to me carefully… at the slightest sign that something isn’t right, I want all of you back. This is not a stupid hunt and we’re not risking anyone’s life, under any circumstances. They have weapons-they didn’t hesitate to shoot me. So no heroic attitudes. This is just reconnaissance. Understood?”

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about me reminded her of her mother, and Alexander was acting protective toward me most likely because he felt he had brought danger to my door himself. He smelled so good right then. I don’t know how I remember it, but I know he smelled like the soap from my own vanity,

and…

And that was completely unnecessary.

That. My thoughts, his, theirs, that fight.

I didn’t ask to get dragged into a war between species. And I had told him so.

Still, Alexander answered. He always did-he was too polite to be rude.

“I’d like you to stay upstairs for a few hours,” he explained cautiously. “Toshi is going to install some locks and contact sensors on your bedroom window and things like that; and I’ll stay outside watching until the others come back. Is there anything specific you need to do? Don’t feel obligated to abandon your normal activities just because we’re here.”

We started up the stairs together. I looked at him with one eyebrow raised.

“Sure-how could I forget to keep up my normal routine when there are five werewolves and one she-wolf inside my house? I’m terribly careless.”

Alexander made a displeased face and frowned slightly.

“Alright. I get it,” he growled from deep in his throat. “But I want you upstairs with the kids- it’s for your own safety. If you need to write, feel free. Or whatever.”

“Are you afraid the cats will go around your friends and attack the house directly? Last time we counted, and according to your most recent theory, there were three of them,” I said, a little self-conscious.

“How’s your arm?”

“This arm?” I slowly moved my injured hand. “It doesn’t hurt much. Are we going to avoid the important things now? Alexander, do I have to remind you they almost tore my arm off? Please don’t hide things from me. The worst thing you can do is not talk! I’m not stupid.”

Alright-I was starting to crack under the strain of living in constant tension. I couldn’t help it. Who, in a situation like mine, could remain unmoved?

We reached the top of the stairs and Alexander stopped, but he didn’t let go of my elbow. Sasha was playing with my loose hair, grabbing handfuls, laughing and enjoying herself in her tiny bubble of innocence.

Alexander stood still for a moment, as if he didn’t quite know what to do next.