Page 19 of Bite the Power
"These readings are off the charts," she called to Elora, kneeling to check her instruments. "The subsurface temperature variations suggest something massive is happening beneath the ice sheet."
She was so absorbed in collecting data that she didn't notice the hairline crack spreading beneath her boots until it was too late. The ice gave way with a sharp crack that echoed across the frozen landscape.
Just as she felt herself beginning to fall through the fractured surface, strong arms swept around her, lifting her effortlessly away from danger. She found herself pressed against a familiar broad chest, breathing in Kaidan's distinctive scent of pine and something uniquely masculine.
Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck as he carried her to safer ground. "Thank you," she breathed, her hearthammering from both the near-miss and his proximity. "I didn't even know you were following us."
Being held in Kaidan's strong arms felt so right and perfect that she momentarily forgot about everything else—the danger, the research, even Elora's presence. His blue eyes were intense as he looked at her, and she could feel the controlled strength in every muscle of his body.
"Tessa! Are you alright?" Elora's voice broke the spell as she rushed over, her face pale with concern.
Kaidan set her down quickly but gently, his hands lingering on her waist. "I'm fine," Tessa managed, though her voice came out breathy. "Thank goodness Kaidan was around, or else that could've been really bad."
Kaidan's expression shifted into something commanding and protective. "I don't want you exploring these volatile areas anymore. Not unless I'm personally escorting you."
Tessa bristled despite her gratitude. "I can handle myself, Kaidan. I've been doing fieldwork for years."
"Not in conditions like these." His voice carried the unmistakable authority of a king. "The ice is more unstable than our instruments can detect."
She wanted to argue, but the memory of nearly plunging through the ice was still fresh. "Fine. If I need to explore any volatile areas, I'll consult you first."
Kaidan glanced up at the darkening sky, where heavy clouds were rolling in faster than expected. "We need to hurry back to the research station. That storm's moving in quicker than predicted, and we don't want to get caught out here."
They made it back to the station just as the first fat snowflakes began to fall. Within minutes, the storm had dumped down with a ferocity that turned the world into a swirling white void. Through the windows, Tessa could see that the blizzard had effectively trapped them all inside.
EIGHT
KAIDAN
As the blizzard raged outside the research station, Kaidan found himself trapped in the confined space with Tessa, and he couldn't bring himself to mind. The storm had effectively imprisoned them all inside, but his bear rumbled with satisfaction at being forced to remain close to his mate for the afternoon.
His protective instincts had reached a fever pitch after watching Tessa nearly plunge through that fractured ice. The memory of her falling, the split second of terror before he'd caught her—it sent his heart hammering against his ribs even now.
What if he hadn't been following them? What if she'd fallen into that subzero water? The thoughts made his hands clench into fists.
He'd been following her again today, unable to stay away despite knowing it drew unwanted attention. Every rational part of him screamed that he was being reckless, that his clan would start asking questions he wasn't ready to answer yet. But his bear didn't care about politics or propriety—it only cared about keeping their mate safe.
The memory of last night in his Jeep haunted him. He'd come so close to losing control, to pressing his lips to hers and spilling the truth about the mate bond. Only sheer willpower had stopped him from confessing everything right there in the charged space. The way she'd looked at him with those green eyes, the scent of her arousal mixing with her natural sweetness—it had nearly shattered his restraint completely.
Nobody knows she's my mate yet,he reminded himself grimly.And when they find out...
The thought of revealing that truth to his clan made his stomach churn. They barely tolerated Eli's presence, and that was only because Kaidan had forced the issue. A human queen would be seen as an insult to everything they held sacred.
"Anyone hungry?" Eli's voice cut through his spiraling thoughts. "I can whip up some sandwiches. It's not exactly gourmet, but it'll keep us fed until this storm passes."
"That sounds perfect," Tessa said, shooting Eli a grateful smile that made Kaidan's chest tighten with an unfamiliar emotion.Jealousy,he realized with uncomfortable clarity.
Ten minutes later, they were cramped around the small table in the kitchen area, their knees bumping as they ate simple turkey sandwiches. Kaidan had positioned himself strategically beside Tessa, close enough that her warmth seeped through his thermal shirt and her scent filled his nostrils with every breath.
"Kaidan," Eli said, setting down his sandwich with a troubled expression. "The sabotage is getting worse. They're not just targeting the station anymore—our field equipment is being damaged too. And I'm starting to think someone at the local weather station is feeding us false data on purpose."
Kaidan's jaw clenched. He'd suspected Magnus was behind the harassment, but targeting field equipment was an escalation that couldn't be ignored. "I already had Bjorn increase patrolsaround the station. I'll extend coverage to your equipment sites and have a conversation with the weather station staff."
"Maybe some of them need to be replaced," Elora added quietly, her meaning clear. Anyone feeding false data to endanger people was crossing a line.
"I was thinking we could set up some booby traps," Tessa interjected, her green eyes sparking with determination. "Nothing harmful, just enough to deter whoever's doing this."
Kaidan caught himself nodding before he'd fully processed her words. "That's actually brilliant. I'll help you set them up tomorrow."
