Chapter 23
Chapter 23
I needed my phone as an alarm. I let out an annoyed huff and put my boots back on. I tried to walk quietly down the hallway–it was almost eleven. I didn’t want to wake anyone who’d gone to bed early. When I got to the dining room, it was empty. Quiet. The lights were dim. I crossed the dining room and headed for the back door that led to the garage.
I hurried through the cold and into the unheated garage. My phone was on the passenger seat–too cold to turn on.
I tucked it into my coat, hoping my body heat would warm it up.
As I trudged out of the garage, I saw movement at the far corner of
the building.
The security light above the kitchen door was dim. I saw a wolf.
A big iron–gray wolf, pawing at the kitchen door like a pet dog wanting to come in. I stood there like a rabbit. Staring.
What scared me was that the kitchen door suddenly opened.
I wanted to shout a warning–but my throat was as frozen as my legs. All I could do was watch in horror as Natalia appeared in the
doorway.
The wolf crouched in front of her, ears perked, tail wagging.
I saw Natalia raise her hand angrily. My fear turned to shock–she motioned for the wolf to come into the kitchen. The big animal
trotted inside. The door closed behind them.
It’s a dog, I told myself. It has to be a big dog that looks like a wolf,
Chapter 23
A few seconds later, the door opened again. Natalia held the door
and watched as the wolf–dog trotted out with a big chunk of red
meat in its mouth. She waved the animal away. It bolted off and
disappeared into the trees.
She watched the wolf–dog run off. As she turned to go back inside,
she caught sight of me.
She stood there for a moment, looking at me. Finally, she waved and
closed the door.
When I got back to the Spruce, I went straight to the dining room.
The second I reached the counter, Natalia came out through the
kitchen’s swinging door.
“Tessa.” She smiled. “It’s so late. Why aren’t you asleep yet p>
“I left my phone in my truck,” I replied. “Was that a wolf p>
Natalia shrugged. “I’m not a zoologist p>
“It looked like a wolf. And you were feeding it raw meat.” I remembered Cynthia’s earlier warning–wolves came into town often. Maybe it was because some crazy woman was feeding them!
“Could be a big dog,” Natalia shrugged again.
Feeding wild animals was dangerous and illegal! I stared at Natalia, completely baffled.
Natalia looked at me expressionlessly. “It’s late, Tessa. Aren’t you
tired p>
I got the message. I backed away from the counter and gave her one last wary look. I climbed the stairs to my room, still unsure what I’d just seen. When I reached the top of the stairwell landing, Declan was walking down the hallway toward me–wearing sweatpants, his
Chapter 23
parka unzipped with nothing underneath, boots unlaced.
“Where are you going this late?” I asked, trying not to look at his bare chest.
“Do I need a hall pass to leave my room, Ms. Romano?” Declan kept walking, filling the entire hallway. As he passed, I had to press myself against the wall. After he bounced down the stairs, I glared at his back–was he doing that on purpose? Did he do that to everyone? What would happen if he ran into Harlan in the hallway?
I didn’t believe Harlan would press himself against the wall to avoid him like I did. I was angry. I decided that next time we crossed paths, I was going to hold my ground. If he didn’t yield, and my elbow hit his ribs, he couldn’t blame me.
The next morning at breakfast, Connor Ankonisdoi sat down next to
“Hey, Tessa. How’s your first month in Alaska going p>
“Not bad. Especially since the days are getting longer.” By
mid–February, the sun was up for almost eight hours–way better
than the three hours of daylight per day when I first arrived.
“Just wait,” Roger told me. “By summer, you’ll be wishing for more
darkness p>
“So you’re all settled in?” Connor pressed.
I nodded and took a sip of coffee. “Yeah, I think so. Reading list’s set. Lesson plans are mostly done p>
“So I’m guessing you’ve got some free time now p>
Uh–oh. That familiar panic tightened in my chest.
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Connor leaned in. “If you want to see the northern lights, we
could-” He suddenly stopped and wrinkled his nose. “Have you seen Declan Kovak recently p>
♡ (5)
000
Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.