Alone at last, she began the methodical process of unpacking, letting the familiar ritual calm her frayed nerves. Gerri had thought of everything—thermal undergarments, warm clothes to last at least a month, insulated jackets and boots, and winter accessories that looked like they could withstand an Arctic expedition. Each item she pulled from the suitcases felt like armor against this harsh new world.
I can do this,she told herself, hanging her winter clothes in the closet with careful precision.I’ve adapted before. I can adapt again.
But as she arranged her toiletries in the small attached bathroom, catching a glimpse of her pale, wide-eyed reflection inthe mirror, she couldn’t shake the feeling that adaptation might be the least of her challenges here.
The outpost’s main room hummed with purposeful energy as Winslet rejoined Ellie, who stood beside a massive control panel that looked like it belonged on a space station rather than in the middle of nowhere Alaska. Banks of switches, gauges, and digital readouts created a symphony of blinking lights against the utilitarian walls.
“This beauty here is your lifeline,” Ellie said, patting the generator housing with obvious affection. Her red ponytail swished as she gestured to various components. “She’s temperamental but reliable, like most things worth depending on. Never, and I meannever, let her run out of fuel or overheat. In this cold, losing power means losing everything—heat, communications, life support.”
Winslet nodded, committing every detail to memory. The generator’s steady thrum felt like a heartbeat keeping this isolated world alive.
One mistake here could be fatal.
“Over here is our satellite communications hub,” Ellie continued, leading her to a sophisticated array of equipment that looked both cutting-edge and battle-tested. “Use it sparingly—bandwidth costs a fortune, and storms can knock us offline for days. But if you need emergency contact with the outside world, this is your ticket.”
She picked up a sturdy walkie-talkie from its charging dock, the device worn smooth from constant use. “This is your direct line to Korrak. Twenty-four seven, no exceptions. Any problem, any concern, any weird noise in the night—you call him. He responds faster than humanly possible.”
Faster than humanly possible.The phrase stuck in Winslet’s mind like a splinter. There had been something about Korrak’spresence, the way he’d moved with predatory grace despite his massive frame.
“He runs this territory like a well-0iled machine,” Ellie continued, her voice taking on an almost reverent quality. “Everything operates under his oversight, and I’ve never seen him miss a detail or fail to respond when needed. Attentive doesn’t begin to cover it.”
They moved through the research areas next—laboratory spaces filled with climate monitoring equipment, sample storage, and data analysis stations. Then the kitchen area. The kitchen was compact but well-equipped, designed for efficiency rather than comfort. Finally, they moved to the storage area. The storage closets held an impressive array of survival gear: thermal clothing, emergency flares, medical supplies, and tools that looked capable of handling any crisis the Arctic landscape could throw at them.
“Shovels, ice axes, rope, emergency beacons,” Ellie cataloged, opening various closets. “You’ll need to familiarize yourself with all of this. The landscape out there doesn’t forgive ignorance.”
Each piece of equipment felt weighted with importance, tools that could mean the difference between survival and becoming another cautionary tale. Winslet absorbed every instruction, every emergency procedure, every operational detail with the focused intensity she’d once reserved for high-stakes event planning. But this was different—here, mistakes weren’t embarrassing, they were deadly.
“The underlying truth about this place,” Ellie said as they completed their circuit, “is that Korrak is the center of it all. His authority, his protection, his efficiency—that’s what keeps everyone safe out here.”
The routine of the outpost, the clear protocols, the knowledge that someone capable was truly in charge—it all combined to create the first sense of genuine security Winslethad felt in months. No shadowy figures watching from parking lots, no threatening texts, no paranoid glances over her shoulder. Just order, competence, and the promise of protection from someone who clearly took that responsibility seriously.
As they returned to the front entrance, Ellie’s demeanor shifted, her expression becoming more serious as she began pulling on her winter gear. “Time to get you ready for dinner with our territorial guardian.”
Winslet’s pulse quickened at the reminder, but she made herself focus on the practical task of bundling up against the brutal cold. The thermal layers felt foreign against her city-softened skin.
“So, Gerri explained things to me before you arrived,” Ellie said quietly, her voice dropping to just above a whisper. “You’re not really here as my assistant. You’re hiding from someone dangerous.”
The words hit like a physical jab, dragging Winslet back to the reality she’d been trying to forget. Bracken’s face flashed through her mind—those calculating dark eyes, the way his smile could shift from charming to menacing in an instant.
“But that doesn’t mean you can’t be genuinely useful to me,” Ellie continued, her tone matter-of-fact rather than pitying. “I can tell you’ve got survival instincts. That counts for everything out here.”
Relief flooded through Winslet’s chest. Being seen as capable rather than helpless felt like oxygen after months of suffocation. “Thank you. For understanding, for not asking questions.”
“Your cover story is safe with me,” Ellie assured her, then hesitated, her hazel eyes growing serious. “But there’s something else you need to know before you spend the evening with Korrak.”
The weight in her voice made Winslet’s stomach twist with anticipation.
“He’s not entirely human,” Ellie said, her words measured and deliberate. “Korrak is a polar bear shifter—the Alpha of this territory and his Icefang clan, not just some human town leader. Everything you’ve seen, everything out there, it all falls under his dominion. That’s why he’s so intense, why the very air seems to change when he’s around.”
The world tilted sideways.
Polar bear shifter.
The words sounded impossible yet somehow they clicked into place like puzzle pieces she’d gathered since meeting him. His inhuman stillness, the predatory way he’d assessed her, the sheer presence that had made her feel simultaneously threatened and protected.
“Shifters are real?” Winslet blurted out.
“As real as the ground beneath your feet,” Ellie confirmed. “Korrak is powerful in ways that go beyond our human understanding. And that power carries both danger and...” she paused, studying Winslet’s face, “fascination.”
