Page 6 of Bite the Power
"Right," Bjorn said dryly, settling his muscular frame into one of the leather chairs facing Kaidan's desk. "And polar bears don't fish."
Heat crawled up Kaidan's neck—irritation mixed with something more vulnerable he refused to acknowledge. His bear stirred again, still unsettled by Gerri's call and the strange anticipation that had been building in his chest.
"Gerri Wilder called," he said finally, moving back to his desk with deliberate control. "There's another human scientist coming to assist Eli at the research station. The seismic activity has been beyond what one person can handle."
Elora perched on the edge of his desk, her athletic build radiating a casual confidence that had made her one of his most trusted advisors. "And this is causing your current state of brooding because...?"
"I told you, I don't—" Kaidan caught himself, recognizing the trap his sister had laid. She'd been reading his moods since theywere cubs, and deflection wouldn't work. "We need to discuss patrol adjustments. Magnus has been increasing surveillance around the station, and adding another human to the mix will complicate things."
Bjorn's brown eyes sharpened with interest, his strategic mind immediately engaging. "What kind of complications? Environmental or political?"
"Both." Kaidan pulled out the territorial maps, spreading them across his desk. "Dr. Tessa Monroe is a climate scientist specializing in fault lines and glaciers. She'll be valuable for understanding what's happening to the land, but her presence will give Magnus additional ammunition for his arguments about human contamination to our territory."
"Tessa," Elora repeated thoughtfully, her voice carrying a note that made Kaidan's bear prickle. "Interesting name. Pretty, even. What does she look like?"
"How the hell would I know?" The words came out sharper than intended, betraying the restlessness that had been building since Gerri's call. "I've never met the woman."
Bjorn's eyebrows rose slightly, his keen intelligence picking up on the defensive tone. "Caution might be warranted. Adding another human—especially a female—could destabilize the careful balance we've maintained."
"If she's as capable as Eli, the clan will respect her competence. They always do," Elora added, her tone lighter than Bjorn's concern.
Kaidan nodded, trying to focus on the practical implications while his thoughts kept circling back to the way Gerri's voice had carried satisfaction when she'd mentioned Tessa's name. As if she knew something he didn't. As if she was orchestrating something beyond simple research assistance.
"The real concern," Bjorn continued, "is how Magnus will interpret another human presence. He's been looking for any evidence that your leadership is weak."
"Let him keep looking," Kaidan growled, his territorial instincts flaring. "My decisions aren't subject to his approval."
"No," Elora said slowly, her blue eyes studying his face with uncomfortable intensity. "But they might be subject to other influences. You seem unusually... invested in this particular scientist's welfare."
"She'll need protection. That's standard protocol for any human in our territory."
"Mmm-hmm." Elora's expression turned knowing, the same look she'd worn when they were children and she'd caught him stealing honey cakes from the kitchen. "Standard protocol. Of course."
Heat flooded Kaidan's cheeks—embarrassment, frustration, and something deeper that felt dangerously like hunger. His bear paced beneath his skin, responding to implications he couldn't deny.
"What exactly are you suggesting?" he demanded.
"Nothing at all," his sister replied innocently. "Just noting that there's this look in your eyes..."
"What look?"
"The same one you get when you're planning to claim something new," Bjorn observed with clinical precision. "Focused. Determined. Possessive."
The accusation hit like a blow, mainly because Kaidan couldn't entirely deny it.
"She's human," he said roughly, as if that explained everything.
"Brother dear," his sister said with fond exasperation, "you're practically vibrating with tension. Either you're worried aboutthis woman's safety, or you're anticipating something that you've been ignoring for years."
The words struck too close to truth for comfort.
THREE
TESSA
The small plane's engines cut to silence, leaving Tessa surrounded by a vastness that stole her breath. She stepped out onto the makeshift landing strip, and the Arctic cold hit her like a physical slap—sharp and so intense it made her lungs burn. But it wasn't the temperature that made her pause mid-step. It was the sheer, overwhelming beauty of Frosthaven.
Glaciers stretched in every direction, their surfaces catching the afternoon light and throwing it back in brilliant, crystalline flashes. The research station looked like a child's toy against the sweep of ice and tundra, dwarfed by the immensity of the landscape. Tessa pulled her parka hood tighter, the fur trim framing her face as she tried to process the magnitude of what surrounded her.
