Werewolf Boyfriend: Max 3 (complete)

One morning I wake up to see that the world beyond my window is white. It has never occurred to me how long I had been in Hearthway Hollow, only that I am here at all. I step out onto the porch, gazing in childlike bewilderment as the snow falls, breathing out puffs of thick white steam into the air. The world is tranquil, time has stopped, and I can feel magic in the air.

“You’re going to catch a cold if you’re not careful.”

I look up as Max approaches and smile at him. “I got so excited, I couldn’t hold back. I wanted to see it.”

“You like the snow?” he asks.

“Very much. I always preferred the cold to the heat.” I became aware of my feelings for Max a long time ago, but I pushed them way down inside me and convinced myself he was only my friend. There are still moments when things are quiet and it’s just the two of us, and those feelings begin to wiggle their fingers in the coffin I shoved them into. Right now, in the snow, they’ve reached out enough that I want to hold his hand, or worse.

Max’s soft laugh adds to the magic of the world. “You’re only in pajamas, Elisa. You’d best get dressed in something warm. Or at least put on some slippers.”

Recently, Max’s daughter Helene has set him up with a friend of hers, a glamorous older woman who has four sons. She’s come over a couple of times, and the two look well together. It would be best for him to to be with someone his age rather than, well, me. I try to convince myself I’m happy for him, but being dumb hurts sometimes.

“I’ll get the fireplace started for you,” Max says, “so the living room will be warm while you work today.”

Since I got here I’ve cleaned, restored, and repaired more than a dozen paintings from his collection. Some he’s donated, others he’s sold. The stack of paintings marked off by Carlotta are still in the basement. I want to restore those together, so the girls can get them all at once. 

“Working by the fire. How romantic,” I sigh.

Max turns and arches a brow. “Romantic?”

I nod as I turn to go back into my room. “The snow, the fire... it all makes me think of a Christmas song or something.” I sigh dreamily, then clear my throat. “If you wanted me to clear out the living room, it would be a perfect setting for a date with June.”

Max clicks his tongue. “It would be if we were still seeing one another.”

I turn around, nearly hitting my elbow against the doorway. “You broke up?”

“To break up would mean we were dating. I saw June as a friend, but she wanted something more, so she called it off.” Max shrugs like it’s the most casual thing. “No hurt feelings.”

“I thought things were going well,” I murmur. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Don’t be. It was an amiable thing. It wasn’t right for either of us.” He turns back inside, and I follow him in before breaking off to go to my room. The crisp chill in my room and the lingering thoughts on my mind make me hurry to dress. My feelings are now a clamoring, excited mess. Stay down, stay away, stay quiet, I think to myself.

I go into the kitchen to make my green tea, but the kettle is already done boiling, and my cup is prepared on the table. As I pick it up, Max walks in, dusting his hands off on his pants. His hair has gotten longer since I arrived, and now it reaches past his shoulders. The soft waves seem more defined than usual. “You’ll be warm in no time,” he smiles.

“Thanks.” It’s getting hard for me to breathe.

“What are your holiday plans?” Max asks. “You went home for Thanksgiving. Will you be doing that again for Christmas?”

“I think so,” I say. “I’ve been talking to my mom about it, but we haven’t set a date for me to come down.”

“It’s coming up quick.” He makes himself a cup of tea as well. “I was just wondering, because I bought you something, and I wanted to give it to you before you left.”

“You didn’t need to get me anything!” I blurt as the thrumming of my heart moves into my ears. 

Max’s smile has been much more honest lately. It isn’t that soft, hidden sort of thing, it’s wider and crinkles his eyes. “You’ve become important to my daily life. I think that counts.”

I could have been killed in that instant, but he doesn’t know what he is doing to me.

“Do you need anything in town today?” he asks me.

I shake my head. “I think I’m fine. Are the roads going to be okay to drive on?” I follow him to the front door as he heads out to work. 

He puts on a coat and scarf. “I guess I’ll find out.”

The door swings open before he can touch the handle, and Clementine rushes in. “Don’t go out there!” she warns loudly.

Max instantly goes into protective mode. “Tiny, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Joey just left something out there.” Tiny laughs, but she sounds very nervous.

Max’s eyes narrow. “Joey left...” He stops and cups his hand around his mouth. “When is Adam getting here?”

“What’s going on?” I ask urgently. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Clementine tries to soothe. “The roads are pretty frosty, so Adam might not be able to pick it up right away.”

I glance out the window. Beyond the front porch, I see red. Clementine catches me and pushes me back a bit. “It’s cold. Let’s go to the fire.”

“What is that?” I demand.

“Nothing!”

I manage to duck around Clementine and open the doors. I’ve seen a lot of blood in my life, most of it from me. I’ve grown used to the sight. But throwing open those doors, I see a trail of red in the snow, hollow eyes that gaze up the stairs. I open my mouth to scream, but Max grabs me and pulls me back inside. He shuts the doors and turns me away from them. 

“It’s dead!” My voice is raised to a squealing panic. 

“It’s a gift!” Clementine blurts.

I look at her with a wild-eyed expression. “Why is it on the porch?”

Max turns me to face him. “You asked me once to show you the magic of Hearthway Hollow. Right?” His voice is calm. 

“But that’s a dead bear!” I feel like I’m going crazy. Am I the only one who sees it? Am I the only one acknowledging that a dead bear seems odd?

Max nods. “Clementine’s boyfriend, Joey, left it as a gift for her. As a promise.”

Joey is tall, sure, but he’s a string bean. How did he do such a thing? “A promise for what?”

“There’s a secret to Hearthway Hollow, Elisa,” Max murmurs. “One I trust you can keep. If you care about anyone you’ve met here, you’ll understand.”

He takes me into the living room and sits me down. He and Clementine tell me first that there is no danger, and I am more safe here than anywhere. They explain that the town is a haven for werewolves, and it adheres to tradition to ensure the safety of the secret. A courtship ritual is one of them, and it’s something Clementine is going through now with her boyfriend. The words I hear take  my breath away.

“I made jokes about werewolves when I first got here,” I say breathlessly. “I was joking! How is this possible?”

“I don’t know how to explain it, other than to tell you to think upon your time here. The people you have met, the friends you’ve made - have you ever felt in danger here? Have you ever once questioned their kindness?” His soothing voice helps me keep my calm. My mind is a flurry of activity, but I feel safe.

“Oh, shoot.” Clementine hands me the tissue box, and I quickly catch my nosebleed. 

“I’m not allowed to ask who is and who isn’t,” I say through the tissue. “But can you tell me?”

“My whole family,” Max says. “You’re sitting with werewolves now.”

I stare at Clementine and Max as if seeing them for the first time. Clementine is so tiny and shapely, Max is so tall and regal. What makes them werewolves? I can’t see it. But why would they lie to me?

“Are you okay?” Clementine asks.

“I’m just thinking about how many fairy tales and ghost stories could be real.” I swallow and try to laugh. “Vampires and the monsters under my bed, fairies and Mothman and all those things.” I close my eyes. “Maybe even Neverland is real.”

“You don’t need to worry about the things that go bump in the night, Elisa. Sometimes it is the things in broad daylight that can cause you the most harm.” He reaches out and takes my hand. “I understand if you feel the need to escape.”

Clementine stares at him with daggers in her eyes.

Max looks down. “You don’t have to stay here if this knowledge unnerves you.”

“I’m not sure how I feel.” I lift away the tissue. “It’s all so surreal right now. I’m not...” I frown and stop myself. “You’re Austrian. I thought werewolves were from France?”

Clementine starts to laugh but quickly stops.

“There are many tales about the origins of werewolves,” Max’s voice is light and charming. “But they have existed everywhere in every place. Packs have wandered this earth with man since the beginning of time.”

“And the world was convinced it was stories,” I whisper. 

“Would you want to see?” Clementine offers.

“Tiny, not now,” Max whispers.

I wipe my nose to make sure the bleeding has stopped. “Your werewolf forms? But it’s not even a full moon.”

“The full moon was certainly a beloved time for our ancestors, but we can transform whenever we need to,” Max explains.

“So anytime you want, you can just, like, ‘poof’ and that’s it?” I start to chuckle. “Oh, wow. That’s...” I take a deep breath and laugh again.

“It’s not quite a ‘poof’ moment,” Clementine murmurs.

I shake my head. “I don’t need to see it, not now, anyway. Not until I sort out...” I stop myself from going any further. I may give away the feelings locked inside me. “I need time,” I whisper. “To sort this out.”

“If you want to go home, that’s fine,” Max lets go of my hand. “You’re always welcome here with us.”

“This is home too,” Clementine forcefully adds.

I nod, my smile faint. “I know that. Don’t worry, I’m not going to run away. I just need to think.”

“Dad,” Clementine urges under her breath.

He pats her back and shakes his head. “You should go and see Joey, Tiny. He put in a lot of effort to bring you that bear.”

Clementine frowns as she stands. She leaves the room, and a moment later I hear the door open and close.

“Take all the time you need. The paintings will always be here,” Max says softly. “There’s no urgency there.”

“I enjoy the work,” I murmur. “And there’s the dance class too.” Who am I trying to convince? I’m not so sure what I am thinking, but Max seems to know.

“I know you do.” Max fidgets in his chair. He sits up, leans forward, leans back again. “Are there any more questions on your mind?” he asks. “Anything that troubles you?”

I chew my bottom lip, catching a piece of chapped skin. I know if I tug, it will bleed, and if it bleeds, it won’t stop. I stop chewing and catch my tongue between my teeth. “I’m not sure,” I laugh. “It seems the things I thought, or at least, the stories about werewolves all seem wrong. Do silver bullets really kill werewolves?”

Max smiles. “Wouldn't you die if you were shot by a silver bullet?”

I nod. “Yeah. I guess that’s true.”

“Many legends about werewolves were started by the werewolves themselves in order to protect one another. The more ridiculous fables you hear, the more scared the starter was. Full moons, silver, lycanthropy being a curse caused by a bite or scratch - all fairy tales.”

“So werewolves aren’t made, they’re just...born that way?”

Max nods. “As natural as the color of your eyes.”

I rub my hands into my knees. “So you and your wife - did you do the courtship with her, too?”

“Carlotta and I both grew up in Austria. The courtship is strictly local, and we only moved to Hearthway Hollow when my grandfather passed away. We were already married. I wouldn’t even know where to begin,” he sighs. “I feel I passed the time to do a courtship.”

“Is that why you ended things with June?” I ask.

“I told you the truth about June,” he insists. “We were both in different places.” He looks at me, his amber eyes beautiful. 

“You shouldn’t give up.” My voice trembles. “You’re not at the end, you can still find someone worth the courtship. You can still be happy. You can have a son.”

He smiles and shakes his head. “Who would want an old wolf like me?”

My facade is cracking. “There’s someone, I’m sure of it.”

I plan to head home the next day. Hopefully then the roads will be fine. I’ve bought a bus ticket, and I’ll be home until Christmas, or maybe later. As I’m packing my bags that evening, there is a knock on the doorframe. Looking up to the open door, I see Max standing there. “Getting everything?” he asks.

“Yeah.” I fold a sweater over my arm and plaster a smile on my face. “Don’t worry about me, okay? I’m sure once Christmas is over, I’ll be fine. I’m excited to see my family, and I bet you’re looking forward to having all your girls home.”

Max steps further into the room. “It won’t be all of them.”

“If you want, you can go ahead and show them the paintings set aside by Carlotta. It’ll be a wonderful gift for them, and it will be like she’s here with you.”

“I don’t mean Carlotta,” Max says softly. “You won’t be here.”

My mouth goes dry. “Oh, don’t be silly! I’m just renting a room here and cleaning those paintings.” I’ve been folding and unfolding the same sweater all the time we’ve been talking.

“You’re important here. My daughters all like you, and Clementine and Helene adore you. My grandchildren say you’re their favorite teacher...” His voice catches and he stops. “My life would change if you weren’t here. You’re not just someone taking up a room, Elisa.”

“But your life would go back to normal.” I finally toss the sweater aside in frustration. “I don’t want to go, but I also need to leave. It isn’t because of what you’ve told me. I promise.”

Max’s expression is so sad. I want to hug him, but I know if I did that, I would never let go. “I’m not afraid,” I whisper. “Not of Hearthway Hollow or the people in it. I don’t know quite what to think, but I don’t want to leave this place because of what you told me.”

His brow furrows. “But there is a reason you want to leave.”

I press my lips into a tight line. My chest is aching and my eyes feel hot as tears are threatening to lurch over the brim. “I love it here.” The whimper in my voice doesn’t sound like me. “And I love you, but I can’t...” The tears leak out, cascading down my cheeks like the words from my lips.

Max sweeps me into his arms and claims a kiss. I cling tightly to him, holding on for dear life as the kisses take over. I pull him closer to me, tangling my fingers in that beautiful hair like I’ve always wanted. It’s soft, so soft. I gasp for breath, and his mouth moves down my neck. I feel fur on the back of his neck, and when I look into his eyes next I see the wolf.

I don’t stop. Werewolf or not, I desire him. I give myself to him to be devoured, to be ravished, whatever he wants to do to me. His fur is as white as his hair, soft and fluffy, and his hands are gentle as they rake over me, claws and all. Bare skin against fur is such a luxurious feeling. I am rendered breathless by him, the white fur, the hulking body. It’s not the Max I fell in love with, but I’m falling in love with him right now.

“Don’t stop!” I beg as he lays on top of me. 

“Never,” he whispers. “Elisa, how I’ve wanted this. How I’ve dreamed of you.”

I’ve forgotten the world around me; he’s the only thing I can see, hear, smell and taste. My hands know no other touch besides his. He is so loving and gentle with me, even though we’re both consumed by passion. The bed creaks as he puts his full weight into it. His fingers swirl, delving into the deepest parts of me. He coaxes honey and songs from me, and all those beautiful flowery words for lust and arousal. His voice flows through me, breathing soft words of praise and adoration. Max pulls something primal from me, and I lose myself for a moment as I give in to the pleasure of his touch. 

“Breathe,” he whispers to me. His hand cups over my sensitive mound, his heat feels wonderful, making each aftershock pulse a little more. “You’re trembling,” he chuckles. “I didn’t mean to do that much.”

“It’s okay,” I pant. “You could have done more.” I kiss his cheek and neck, burying myself into his fur. “You can do more now.”

He growls into my ear. “Elisa.”

I open myself for him, and he cautiously takes the invitation. I look into his amber eyes, both of us breathing deeply. Like this morning, there is no sound, no time, only quiet, only us.

He and I join together, and the warmth and thickness fill me to the brim. I whine at the sensation, squeezing tight around him to make sure I’m not dreaming again. I’ve wanted this moment for so long, but I wasn’t prepared for how I was to receive it.

“I’m not hurting you, am I?” he whispers.

I shake my head, slowly regaining my use of words. “Am I hurting you?”

The wolf over me chuckles, kisses me and nuzzles my neck. His moans flood into my ear, drowning out any thought besides him. “I can’t stop myself, Elisa. You have to tell me.”

I arch my back to the sway of his hips. “Maxim!” I cry for him. “Keep going, please.”

His moans are in my ear again before he kisses me. I hold fast to him, not wanting to let him go. I’m not sure how long into the night this goes, but it doesn’t matter; time has ceased. He takes my breath away, he steals my bones. As I sink into the bed, I might as well dissolve. He kisses and strokes me, snuggling to me as we both fade into sleep.

I let him sleep on, leaving only a note for him. I know I’ll regret running like this, but I don’t know what else to do. I was a fool to let passion take control of me last night. I can’t bear the thought of loving him and then to be taken away like Carlotta was. It’s better to run from him than to die with him.

I pretend everything is okay when I get home. Work is fine. My living situation is fine. I’ve turned my phone off and tucked it away. Out of sight, out of mind.