Page 7 of Bite the Power
This is it,she thought, excitement warring with a flutter of uncertainty.This is what I've always dreamed of.
"Dr. Monroe!"
She turned toward the voice and saw a lean man approaching from the research station, his brown hair tousled by the wind and his face lighting up with relief. Dr. Eli Varkov looked exactly as she'd imagined from their brief phone conversation—practical, weathered, and currently frazzled around the edges.
"Thank God you're here," he said, reaching for her luggage. "I was starting to think I'd have to clone myself to keep up with all this data."
"Happy to help," Tessa replied, following him toward the cluster of buildings that made up the station. "Though I have to admit, I couldn't find this place on any maps."
Eli's expression shifted slightly, becoming more guarded. "Frosthaven's... unique. The town prefers to keep a low profile. You'll understand why soon enough."
Cryptic,Tessa thought, filing away the comment for later examination. She'd always been good at reading between the lines, and something in Eli's tone suggested there were significant details he hadn't shared yet.
The research station's main building welcomed them with a rush of warm air that felt like salvation after the brutal cold outside. Tessa pulled back her hood, shaking out her dark brown waves as she looked around the space. It was cramped but efficiently organized—banks of monitoring equipment hummed quietly along one wall, while charts and printouts covered nearly every available surface.
"Coffee?" Eli asked, already moving toward an industrial-strength machine that looked like it had seen better days.
"Please." Tessa accepted the steaming mug gratefully, wrapping her fingers around the ceramic warmth. "So, tell me about these anomalies. Your preliminary data was fascinating, but I'd love to hear your firsthand observations."
Eli's eyes flicked toward the windows, where the sun was beginning its descent toward the horizon. The gesture was quick, nervous, as if he was checking for something—or someone.
"It's unlike anything I've documented in five years of Arctic research," he said, his voice carrying the weight of genuine concern. "Seismic shifts that don't follow any predictablepatterns, glacier movements that defy basic physics, and weather systems that appear and disappear without warning."
Tessa moved to examine the readouts more closely, her scientific mind immediately engaging with the puzzle. The data was indeed strange—readings that suggested massive underground instability without corresponding surface evidence.
"These pressure variations," she murmured, tracing one particularly dramatic spike with her finger. "They're consistent with major fault activity, but your surface surveys don't show any significant fractures."
"Exactly. It's like the land is responding to forces we can't measure or identify."
As if he'd read her mind about the mysterious aspects of this assignment, Eli cleared his throat awkwardly. "There's something else you should know about Frosthaven. Something Gerri might have... overlooked in her briefing."
Tessa raised an eyebrow, sensing the approach of information that would explain some of the oddities she'd already noticed. "What kind of something?"
"The locals aren't exactly... typical small-town residents." Eli ran a hand through his dark hair, clearly struggling with how to phrase his explanation. "They're polar bear shifters, Tessa. All of them. This entire territory is controlled by four different clans, and their king—a man named Kaidan—is the only reason this research station exists."
Polar bear shifters.The words hung in the air between them like an unexploded bomb.
Tessa blinked, certain she'd misheard. "Did you just say?—"
"People who can transform into polar bears, yes." Eli's expression was deadly serious. "I know how it sounds, but you'll see for yourself soon enough. Kaidan's clan has beensurprisingly supportive of our work, but the other clans... well, let's just say they view humans as trespassers at best."
The coffee mug grew heavier in Tessa's hands as the implications sank in. Shapeshifters. She'd heard rumors, of course—whispered stories about supernatural communities existing on the fringes of human society. But she'd never imagined she'd find herself in the middle of one.
"Gerri definitely left that detail out of our conversation," she said dryly, surprised by how steady her voice sounded.
"She has a talent for strategic omissions." Eli's smile was rueful. "But before you start questioning your sanity, let me show you around. You'll want to get settled before the real work begins tomorrow."
He led her through the station's various rooms—equipment storage, lab spaces, a compact but well-stocked kitchen, and finally a small dormitory area with two simple bedrooms.
"This one's yours," Eli said, opening a door to reveal a space that was surprisingly inviting. "Generator keeps this place powered, and the heating system is more reliable than it looks. Just... be aware that I've had some security issues lately."
"Security issues?"
Eli's expression darkened. "Equipment tampered with, data mysteriously corrupted, and supplies going missing. I never catch anyone in the act, but it's clear someone wants this research station gone."
A chill that had nothing to do with the Arctic temperature ran down Tessa's spine. "One of the other clans?"
"Most likely Magnus Rake's people. He's been vocal about his opposition to human presence in the territory." Eli checked the window again, that same nervous gesture. "Kaidan keeps patrol units near the station, but they can't be everywhere at once."
