The tension in Winslet’s shoulders increased fractionally, and her attention seemed to drift elsewhere even as she maintained eye contact. There were secrets behind those green eyes, shadows that spoke of experiences she wasn’t ready to share.
Something is off,he realized, his instincts sharpening to a razor’s edge.She’s scared. But not of me personally.
The knowledge both relieved and concerned him. He’d worried that his alpha presence might intimidate her tonight, but this was different. She looked genuinely afraid that he might tell her to leave his territory.
Why would that scare her so much if she was just here for a temporary job?
“Well,” he said, deliberately softening his tone, “regardless of the circumstances that brought you here, you’re welcome in Northland Bay. This territory operates on simple principles—respect the land, follow the rules, and ask for help when you need it.”
She nodded, but he sensed she was only half-listening. Her gaze kept flickering toward the windows, as if she expected something—or someone—to emerge from the storm.
Are you on the run? If so, why?
The questions burned on his tongue, but he forced himself to maintain the pretense of casual conversation. Trust had to be earned, especially from someone who carried themselves like a survivor.
He reached for the wine bottle, refilling both their glasses with steady hands despite the chaos raging beneath his skin.“This should help settle the nerves,” he said, offering her a slight smile. “Mine included. It’s not often I have dinner guests.”
The admission slipped out before he could stop it, revealing more vulnerability than he’d intended. But something about her presence stripped away his usual defenses and made him want to offer comfort.
Winslet’s fingers wrapped around her wine glass with careful precision, and he found himself mesmerized by the elegant movement of her hands. Everything about her spoke of refinement and wealth, of a life lived far from the brutal realities of arctic survival.
Definitely city-bred,he observed, noting the way she held herself perfectly poised.What brought someone like you to a place like this?
The wine loosened tongues and dissolved barriers with each passing minute. Korrak studied the way Winslet’s fingers traced the rim of her glass and the subtle flush that had crept up her neck as the alcohol worked its magic. The candlelight caught the amber highlights in her dark brown hair, and he had to grip his own glass tighter to keep from reaching across the table to touch those silken strands.
Control yourself,his rational mind demanded, even as his polar bear rumbled with satisfaction at having her so close in his sanctuary.
“Ellie mentioned you’ve been alone here for a long time,” she said, her voice softer now, more curious than cautious. “That must be incredibly isolating.”
The observation hit deeper than it should have. Korrak set down his wine glass with deliberate precision, his gaze meeting hers across the flickering flames. “I became Alpha of the Icefang clan when I was seventeen,” he heard himself saying, the words spilling out. “My parents died in an avalanche that winter. One minute they were there, the next...”
He trailed off, surprised by his own vulnerability. He never spoke about that day, about the crushing weight of responsibility that had been thrust upon his shoulders when he was barely more than a boy himself.
Winslet’s expression softened with genuine sympathy. “That must have been overwhelming. To lose them and then have to take care of everyone else while you were still grieving.”
“Grief was a luxury I couldn’t afford when people depended on me for survival.” The words came out harsher than he intended, but she didn’t flinch. Instead, she leaned forward slightly, her attention completely focused on him, making his chest tighten.
“But it must get so lonely at times,” she said quietly. “Living alone, not having a partner to share it all with.”
The innocent observation sent heat racing through his veins. His polar bear stirred, wanting to tell her that he’d been waiting for her, that every lonely night had been leading to this moment when she would finally arrive to complete the missing piece of his soul. But admitting that would send her running into the storm.
“Loneliness is safer than attachment,” he said instead, his voice carefully controlled even as his knuckles whitened around his wine glass. “In my world, caring about someone makes you vulnerable.”
She studied his face with those perceptive green eyes, and he had the unsettling feeling that she could see straight through him. “That sounds like a very rigid way to live. And pretty depressing.”
Maybe so,he thought, watching the way her lips curved around the rim of her glass as she took another sip.
“What about you?” he asked, desperate to shift the focus away from his own emotional minefield.
A shadow crossed her features, and her posture tensed slightly. “I moved to Seattle six months ago looking for a fresh start. It was going pretty well until recently. But sometimes things change quickly, and you adapt.”
The careful way she phrased it sent warning bells through his system. His alpha instincts sharpened, reading the subtle signs of a woman who’d learned to tiptoe around the truth too long.
“What changed quickly?” he pressed gently, noting how her breathing had quickened.
Her smile became brittle around the edges. “Just some recent developments made it clear that Seattle wouldn’t work out for me.”
His polar bear wanted to demand clearer answers, to identify and eliminate whatever had put that haunted look in her eyes. But pushing now would only drive her further away.
