The Wolf Came on Christmas (Johanna and Alexander) novel Chapter 55

So, no “white knight” for me.

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The thing is, ever since I was very young, I learned to be my own white knight. Being a loner was always part of me, and for a long time I had to manage on my own in my social and school life because I had no siblings. Then, once I met Paul, we were never apart. But before my husband, I was a different kind of woman, a different person who had been a bit rebellious in her youth. Fear usually never intimidated me (I suppose that’s why I chose to be a journalist in the first place), but the safe life beside Paul and the fact of HAVING him for everything, with his unconditional protection and pleasant company, calmed me greatly. I admit that with him, my way of being changed a lot. Life put new challenges before us every day that came with age, career, with living together as a couple, and I adapted to it because it was something new, and I felt inspired to move forward. Something in me changed in those years, but I don’t think it was for the worse.

There was the seductive idea that one day I would have the responsibility of being a mother and a wife, and that I would no longer be able to do whatever I pleased, because others would depend on me. In my future with Paul, there would be no more hunting trips, nor butchering days or fishing journeys with my father and my uncle.

I will always remember with nostalgia that last trip to Montana, when I was nineteen. I still smile remembering how we took down that powerful elk together; Dad, Uncle Lou and I, the first time I fired a high-caliber rifle. The mounted head decorates the fireplace in my family’s house in Minneapolis, and its succulent wild meat fed us for an entire month.

So, contrary to what Agent Aguilera had read in me at first, I could indeed grab a weapon and pull the trigger. If my prey was an animal, I could do it with total confidence. Before this new prey, not so animal but very dangerous, I could do it too; with a little fear, but I could try to shoot him-and even more so if protecting Sasha and Andre depended on it. I would have done anything to prevent that sinister black being from taking them or hurting them.

The daring woman I once was was being reborn in those days with everything that was happening around me. The one I sometimes only saw acting in the pages of my own novels. I didn’t quite know how to feel about it-it was like stepping back ten paces and looking at my life with Paul from a completely different perspective.

I suppose that’s why I felt that tremendous fire in my veins replacing the cold of terror when I knew, in every cell of my body, that that panther was about to pull the trigger and shoot me. I wanted to do something-some heroic stupidity-but Sasha’s weight in my arm was stopping me. Fear for her overcame me, paralyzed me for a moment.

Had I thought about putting my life in danger for a baby who wasn’t even mine?

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<Chapter 55-1

Oh, of course I had.

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In fact, I was about to strike the gun to try to escape, but someone did me the favor of creating the perfect “window” to act. A small white flash entered the bathroom, and before the panther could turn-alerted by the scratching of claws on the floor-it had already leapt onto him and its small but strong jaws were clamped around the horrible neck of the enemy. Its short but sharp claws frantically sought the soft flesh of the black feline in a raid of unexpected fury.

From my mouth came only one word, I’m sure of it:

“ANDRE!”

It was him. I don’t know at what moment he shifted into his wolf form, but although he was very small compared to the panther, he had no trouble climbing onto his shoulders and attacking him from behind. His youthful growls were as chilling-or more-than his father’s. I already knew he was a brave child, but this was extremely dangerous! The beastly ferocity with which he bit him, with all his strength, clinging to his neck and trying to dig in his useless little claws! Unfortunately, his furious voice was drowned out by the feline’s roar, and I saw my opportunity:

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<Chapter 55-2

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Chapter 55-2

The rest happened very fast. Thanks to Andre, I had one second to throw my hand toward the wall and grab the hair dryer. With it, I struck the panther’s already unsteady hand, and the gun veered to the right.

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What I do know is that Ishida appeared behind me, coming from my bedroom, and in his hands were those swords he had shown me when we were introduced, already unsheathed and ready to cut anything placed before him. In the narrow hallway, he barely had space to move freely, but he managed to make the deadly steel graze the panther’s head (I hope it was an attempt to decapitate him, because…) and slice off half of his ear in a single strike. The panther’s roar was deafening. He began to lash back with swipes, and the Hattai stepped in front of me and defended me with a mastery you only see in movies.

Those two swords were as dangerous-or more-than that monster’s claws.

What I’m not sure of is whether the panther realized Andre was on the floor behind him and at his mercy. He could have killed him at any moment with a single misstep; but I suppose he was far more occupied dodging Ishida’s blows and hissing ferociously.

With my heart in my throat and Sasha screaming in my ear, I somehow managed to grab Andre’s tail and drag his nearly inert body out of there. He howled louder, hurt by my action. A trail of blood remained on the floor and my breath caught. A terrible despair closed my throat, clouded my entire perception-blood! I couldn’t even reconcile within myself the idea that Andre was hurt. He was so small! Something like that could…!

I screamed when the panther’s claws passed too close to me.

Ishida stopped the swipe with the edge of one sword and kicked the beast in the chest, sending him flying to the end of the hallway. The Japanese man already had his shirt torn to shreds and stained with blood, breathing in great gulps, revealing long, curved fangs. When had he been wounded? Why didn’t he shift to fight better? Alexander had said their wolf skin was tougher and they handled injuries better-did Ishida not have time to transform? What

the hell did that matter at that moment!?

Everything started spinning, and I know I should have run out of there, but I couldn’t leave without Andre. I shifted Sasha to my injured arm and lifted the boy with my good arm as best I could, almost crying from pain and desperation. I stood up as if propelled by pure instinct, heading for the stairs.

WHERE WAS ALEXANDER!?

Stumbling, I reached the staircase and began going down in clumsy steps. I wanted to get out-not hide. Outside. To the yard. To Alexander!

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