The Wolf Came on Christmas (Johanna and Alexander) novel Chapter 75

Chapter 75-1

“Let me see.” He took me by the wrist gently and grabbed my waist to make me turn my back to him. He moved my wet hair over my left shoulder, exposing the wound, and for a moment I straightened sharply: I felt his warm fingers sliding the edge of the towel down beneath my shoulder blades, I’d say almost to the level of my kidneys. “Does it hurt much?”

“No. Well, a little because of the hot water, but it’s nothing.”

“Do you want more painkillers? You’ll sleep more peacefully that way.”

“It’s not necessary. I’m fine. Really,” I insisted, nervous.

“All right, I trust you,” he replied, with a slight growl.

That deep, guttural sound did something to my stomach.

Heat rose to my cheeks again when I recognized that bubbling in my insides and realized it was nerves-awful nerves. At that rate, I wouldn’t go unnoticed by his fine hound-like senses. A couple of seconds passed in which I tried not to make a single movement, and finally I spoke again:

“So… how does it look? Am I going to survive?” I joked.

“Well, yes. It looks like it’s healing well. The shallower cuts are closing fast, it doesn’t look infected. In a couple of days you won’t even feel it, but for now you should use some bandages to prevent oozing and so your clothes don’t stick to it. That would be painful. Do you want me to help you?”

The very idea sent a shiver of unhealthy excitement through me, and I trembled slightly.

“No,” I said sharply, and he withdrew his arm immediately when I pulled away. I pressed the towel against my breasts in an unconscious gesture; my feet were practically nailed to the floor because I didn’t dare move away. “It’s not necessary. I’ll do it myself. You can go.”

And he didn’t move from his spot.

I sensed him clearly, upright behind me. I could almost feel on my own skin how his presence covered me like a shadow. At that moment everything was so uncomfortable… I cursed again the moment I’d decided to record the conversation. There was no way I could look him in the face, not knowing that his emotional stability hung by a thread almost as thin as mine. Had his imprint around me always been so NOTICEABLE? Even without seeing him, I swear I could describe what expression he had on his face. Or how tightly his jaw was clenched. He realized it. I don’t know how, but he realized it.

<Chapter 75-1

+25 Points

Maybe he smelled my nerves. I don’t know. For him, it must have been very easy to read me completely.

“We need to talk about something, Johanna,” he said suddenly.

“Uh, don’t worry, I’ll stay with the kids. I plan to sleep all night. Why don’t you take the guest room bed, so you’ll be more comfortable?” I said, playing dumb.

And I realized it right after that. Instantly.

There were very few “things” he and I would have had to talk about, I figured.

“It’s a good offer and I appreciate it, but I don’t want to talk to you about that,” he replied, and I heard him draw a deep breath. His long arm passed over my shoulder and pointed at the laptop with its glowing screen. “I mean THAT.”

I swear I can’t explain how my soul dropped to my feet.

Well, I couldn’t play stupid anymore, so I assumed he had read it. Besides, I was the idiot who left the laptop on with the message open. It would have been stranger if he hadn’t seen it or said anything. Keeping quiet about it would only damage our trust in each other even more, I

suppose.

But I could still point out the obvious:

“Were you reading my sss?” I demanded angrily.

“Were you recording a private conversation between me and Hans? You left the laptop on. How did you expect me not to see it? It practically has a ‘read me’ sign stuck on it.”

E

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If we were going to talk about it, then fine. There was no escape.

“First of all, I want to assure you that you have nothing to fear. I don’t know how to say this right now, but I don’t want you to be afraid of me or think that I’m trying to take advantage of anything here, Johanna. I didn’t ask to be in this situation, and neither did you.”

“Afraid? You’re not going to hurt me. I’m not afraid of you.”

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<Chapter 75-2

“I know. That I know. It’s just that all of this overwhelms me.”

+25 Points

“…I can tell,” I agreed, more patiently. “It overwhelms me too. But I’m not misunderstanding anything. Don’t worry about that.”

“… As stupid as it sounds, what you’re doing-you’re not aware of it, but instinctively, unconsciously, you’re doing it. And it’s not your fault, you have no way of feeling it; we do. I don’t like talking like this because it’s a side of me I hate to exploit, but… when you experience emotions, some kind of hormone is always released. Certain hormones give off scents that a sensitive nose like mine can pick up and recognize, like pheromones; others don’t.” He explained, uncomfortable, as if it truly cost him to talk about it. “And right now, especially when you’re with the children, your whole being smells like a mother. Like their mother. Because you’re a woman similar to her, and because they feel that you love them and take care of them. It’s a vicious circle, I’m afraid. I’m sorry. I don’t want you to think something that isn’t. And I’m not completely immune to it either. A good part of me reacts. It’s impossible not to feel the impulse. Up until three weeks ago, I had a family and suddenly…

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