I’ve missed my one chance to find my fated mate…

The moment I saw the captain, I knew. His scent unlocked a hidden part of me, a promise of a future filled with love and affection.

But the Fates are cruel–they matched me to a human man who could never be mine, for his duty binds him to the southern lands while I must remain here, at the Black Bear Hill.

As winter closes in, a human delegation arrives at my home, and with it, the man who’s been haunting my dreams and waking thoughts. He’s everything I remember from that first brief glimpse of him–honorable, kind, and unbearably handsome.

Yet the captain–Owen–is still bound by his service to the duke whose intentions toward our clan may be less than good. He’s a soldier first and will return to his post in the human kingdom once spring arrives and the snow melts in the mountains.

And I will be left here, broken-hearted and alone.

So I’ll keep my distance, no matter how difficult it may be. It’s better for us both. If only he didn’t have the knack for popping up whenever I am…