The Wolf Came on Christmas (Johanna and Alexander) novel Chapter 62

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Chapter 62-1

“Should I assume you found nothing at the sawmill, judging by that proposal of yours?” the leader said, with his usual patience. “Because you’ve been very quiet since you came back.”

The doctor looked at Alexander with a slight smile, perhaps pride, perhaps weariness.

“Well, eight years away from the clan and training only half finished, but you’re still the fastest hare in the field, aren’t you? I’m glad. That means I didn’t teach you badly either,” he commented ironically. He ran a hand through his hair with a weary sigh. “Look, I’m not saying you were wrong, but the original plan no longer works. Circumstances have changed: the cats were at the sawmill for a few days, yes, but they left it at least twenty-four hours ago. They didn’t leave anything behind, just dirty clothes that we brought back to keep their scent.”

“That’s careless,” Ishida agreed, confused. “They shouldn’t leave clothes. Anything else, but not clothes that give them away.”

“Or it’s a trap. They left a message on the wall, disguised as graffiti. It’s recent-the paint was still fresh. ‘The king is here.’ Do you know what that means?” Hans demanded, in a dominant

tone.

The Hattai shrugged. Nika spoke then:

“It’s a warning. They’re trying to scare us.”

“And from what we know, they’ve succeeded. I am officially scared, and we don’t need to stay here waiting for the next attack,” the doctor said, showing for the first time since I’d met him. the experience that justified his position as Alexander’s ‘mentor,’ and why it was worth listening when he spoke. “We can’t determine how many felines are out there or why they want you, Alexander, but I’m not going to allow myself to lose you again. You are my responsibility, and this party’s. I suggest we move, and as soon as Rex returns, we disappear. If nothing happens before then.

“We’re no longer in an advantageous position, and you know it well. Being the majority right now is irrelevant.”

There was silence for several minutes. I had stopped pacing back and forth rocking Sasha from the moment Hans spoke about leaving my house. All I wanted to hear at that moment was that they weren’t going to leave me to my fate, even though part of me suspected they wouldn’t forget me so easily.

Or at least, Alexander wouldn’t allow it.

He promised their enemies wouldn’t hurt me. He promised.

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< Chapter 62-1

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And even with all the money Alexander had put in my bank account, I could disappear from the world and settle somewhere else peacefully, right? Of course I could. But I didn’t want to. I wasn’t going to abandon my home, my place, MY PEACE. I chose Wyoming, I went there for the promise of solitude, and I stayed for the charm of its silence. That was my refuge. Why did / have to leave my house, if this was their problem?

I hugged Sasha tighter without realizing it. Alexander’s voice startled me when he snapped:

“And let them win?” he shot back with an irritated growl, his words growing increasingly fierce. His tone turned more irritable; I had only heard him speak this nervously once before.” Do you think I’m going to give up without avenging my wife’s death? Huh? No. I’m not moving from here until I catch each and every one of those bastards, until I can capture the one who killed her!”

“Lai, you’re not thinking clearly-” Nika began.

“Don’t you say anything, you don’t know how I feel! You have no idea of the uncertainty I’m living with, Nika! Not knowing, not being able to get my hands on him! It’s tearing me apart, for God’s sake! And those damn bastards keep mocking me!” This time, the leader’s voice sounded like thunder, forcing the others to fall silent and listen with great respect. “The king is here.’ Damn sons of bitches, I’m not going to let them get away with it! They left my

children without a mother!”

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Chapter 62-2

Chapter 62-2

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His fury filled my eyes with tears. That was even worse, more painful. I covered my mouth with my hand and tried to be strong, not to let his grief infect me. Sasha stirred in my arms, but I kissed her head and whispered a few words so she would fall back asleep.

“What is it, Andre? Why are you sho-”

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“Look, Dad, there’s something on the floor. And it smells funny there.”

Andre pointed toward the stairwell that led down to the basement.

Alexander froze mid-sentence and immediately turned toward where his son was pointing. I didn’t miss how he began sniffing the air, how he quickly wrinkled the bridge of his nose and inhaled deeply. Something cold suddenly ran down my spine, and I stepped back until Hans put a hand on my shoulders.

“What is it, Alexander?” the doctor asked, worried.

Richie came over and crouched beside Andre. He touched something on the wooden floor, then stood up again and headed down the stairs without anyone giving him an order. Alexander followed him. A few seconds later, a string of very harsh, profane words echoed from downstairs in another language-I assumed it was Russian because it was Alexander’s voice and it sounded furious, growling, savage. Their footsteps thundered on the stairs as both men came back up and returned to the ground floor.

“Bastard! He came in through the basement skylight,” Richie said, because Alexander was rigid with fury. The Australian held something shiny in his hand-a piece of broken glass.” The window’s broken and there are traces of blood and fur on the shards. He strained like hell to get through there, but he made it. The glass fragments fell onto a box of old clothes, that’s why nobody heard anything. There’s also blood on the basement stairs and the door frame, just a few drops. And his smell is everywhere.”

I stood there open-mouthed. I know there were murmurs behind me, but…

Through the skylight? The tiny skylight!?

That was impossible! That skylight was so small that I couldn’t have fit through it! Andre maybe, with some help-but that panther? Not even if his slim body had folded in half. What on earth were they talking about? Was that monster a contortionist?

Álvaro’s voice echoed in my mind for a moment:

“There’s a small window you didn’t take into account. And felines climb trees, Johanna-we live in the wild. Did those dogs really think they could do anything?”

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