The accusation hit its intended mark, making Korrak’s hands clench tighter. A growl rumbled low in his throat, denial and frustration warring in his chest.
“It’s nothing.”
“Sure it isn’t.” Kol’s voice carried that dry skepticism that meant he’d already seen through every layer of Korrak’s carefully constructed facade. “You’re a terrible liar, Korrak. If it’s really nothing, then why is your breathing so forced? Why can I practically see the wheels spinning in your head?”
Because she’s my fated mate,Korrak thought desperately.
The mate bond thrummed in his chest like a distant drum, insistent and undeniable.
Kol wasn’t stupid—one look at his Alpha’s reaction and he’d piece together the truth that Korrak wasn’t ready to acknowledge himself.
“Kol.” Korrak’s voice dropped to the tone that usually ended conversations, flat and final. “Don’t tell anyone about this yet.”
The admission hung between them, confirmation and warning rolled into one. Kol’s expression shifted, the amusement fading into something more serious and more understanding.
“The clan will get restless if they think?—“
“The only thing they need to know right now is that she’s under my protection.” Korrak’s words carried the weight of absolute authority, the kind of command that had kept his territory secure for eighteen years. “That’s all.”
Kol studied him for a long moment, then that insufferable grin returned. “The clan will figure it out soon enough. Probably before you stop lying to yourself.” He pushed away from the porch, hands sliding into his jacket pockets. “Enjoy the delusion while you can, Alpha.”
Korrak watched his Beta walk away with measured steps, irritation and concern warring in his chest. The casual dismissal rankled, but underneath it lay a deeper worry—if Kol had seen through his defenses this easily, how long before the rest of the clan noticed?
This is getting away from me too fast.
The thought followed him as he climbed the porch steps, each board creaking under his weight. He wasn’t ready for this. Wasn’t prepared to balance the demands of leadership with the overwhelming pull of the mate bond. Wasn’t sure he even wanted to try.
The minute Korrak entered his cabin, the silence felt oppressive. The space still carried traces of Winslet’s scent, faint but unmistakable, making his chest tighten with longing he couldn’t afford.
Abandon caution,his polar bear urged.Claim what’s ours. Protect her properly.
But his rational mind pushed back with eighteen years of hard-won discipline. Mates were vulnerabilities. Attachments blinded you to danger. She was human—fragile and unpredictable.
The restlessness clawed at Korrak’s insides like a living thing, demanding action, demanding movement, demanding anything other than the suffocating stillness of his cabin. He’d tried sitting by the fire, attempted reading territorial reports, even considered reorganizing his weapon cache—but nothing dulled the sharp edge of need that had been building since he’d dropped Winslet off at the outpost.
This is what I always do,he told himself, pulling on his heaviest winter gear with movements that betrayed his agitation.When control slips, I patrol. When focus wavers, I secure the perimeter.
The morning air bit deep when he stepped outside, sharp enough to freeze breath in his lungs and sting exposed skin. Perfect conditions for a long patrol—the kind that would exhaust his body and quiet his mind through sheer physical demand. The kind that had always worked before.
Before her.
Korrak set a punishing pace across the snow-covered terrain, his boots crunching through the crystalline surface as he followed the invisible boundary lines he’d memorized years ago. Every tree, every outcropping, every potential shelter or hazard was cataloged in his mind like entries in a tactical manual.
The storm had left its mark—fallen branches scattered across game trails, fresh snow drifts that altered familiar landmarks, ice formations that created new obstacles. He noted each change with methodical precision, his Alpha instincts automatically assessing threats and opportunities.
Focus on the territory,he commanded himself.Not on the way she looked in your kitchen wearing nothing but your shirt.
But even as he forced his attention to patrol duties, his polar bear snarled beneath his skin, unsatisfied with the distance from their mate. The beast wanted to turn around, to track Winslet’s scent back to the outpost, to ensure she was safe and protected.
She’s fine,Korrak growled under his breath.Ellie’s competent. The outpost is secure. She doesn’t need me hovering like some lovesick fool.
The words rang false even as he spoke them. His polar bear knew better, and so did he.
Hours passed in relentless movement. Korrak pushed himself harder than usual, covering ground with the single-minded determination of a man trying to outrun his own instincts. He checked perimeter markers, investigated unusual tracks, cleared debris from emergency supply caches—anything that required focus and left no room for thoughts of dark hair and green eyes.
By midday, the cold had seeped through even his enhanced shifter constitution, biting deep into his bones with the promise of frostbite for any human foolish enough to attempt this pace. But instead of the usual satisfaction that came from testing his limits, Korrak felt only hollow exhaustion.
The ache should be fading by now,he thought, pausing near a wind-carved ice formation that marked the eastern boundary.Distance should dull the edge.
