Chapter 1

Otter Cove, Alaska

Present Day

The roar of the float plane"s engines reverberated through the expansive Alaskan wilderness as Orion banked to the right to come back around, lining up with the shoreline. The landscape below never failed to take his breath away. It was different than the expansive white tapestry that he lived with in the Arctic. Orion, who had years of experience navigating these remote areas, skillfully maneuvered the plane toward the shimmering watery surface of the cove.

The float plane coasted smoothly toward the water; Orion made subtle adjustments to align the plane with the natural contours of the cove. The floats began to skim the surface, sending up a gentle spray of water. As they made firmer contact, they created a soft, rhythmic thudding sound as they skipped across the surface. The plane slowed, the resistance of the water gradually bringing it to a gentle stop. Orion skillfully guided the plane toward the shallower part of the cove, where the water was calmer and mooring the plane would be safer and easier.

Orion cut the engines, dropped the mooring, and went back into the cargo area to get his kayak. Once he had it in the water, he slipped in and headed toward the shore. The dock at the Polaris compound was not ideal for mooring a float plane to load supplies for Aurora Station. He'd found it easier just to ferry the provisions out using one of the compound's powerboats.

The sensation of a dozen bees buzzing—not in the cockpit, but in his head—and the roiling nausea in the pit of his stomach continued to plague him. Both had started soon after he'd left Aurora Station and had been increasing the closer he got to his destination. He knew the legends said that those were the telltale signs that your fated mate was near. But that was ludicrous. He'd been to Otter Cove a number of times since joining the Resistance, and not once had there been any indication that he even had a fated mate, much less that she was at the Polaris compound. Could it be that she was not only fated, but a secret as well?

LARA

"Lara, you have to come. You promised Derek and me that you would come at least once a month and join us all for dinner," her sister Tess said with a note of irritation in her voice.

"I've been kind of busy," replied Lara, wishing she'd never answered her phone. "I don't know that I can break away this month."

The problem was Tess didn't know what she was working on—didn't understand she was reaching a critical point in her research and what that research could mean to Trudi and her kind. Trudi was a Tasmanian Devil-shifter and both the purebred and shifters were becoming extinct from a cancerous, genetic condition known as Devil Facial Tumor Disease. There was a real concern that if not eradicated it could wipe out the entire species.

Some work had been done in trying to ascertain the genetic anomaly that spread the disease and made it seemingly impervious to treatment. Another line of research had centered around a specific plant—with variants all over the world—that had once been a staple in the diet of Tasmanian Devils but had been wiped out due to human encroachment.

One researcher had found a similar plant in the Amazon rainforest, but it hadn't proved strong enough to make a difference. Lara had found evidence of a plant from the same genus that had once grown in the Arctic. It was thought to be extinct, but there was a rumor in the scientific community that it had re-appeared. The Solanum Mystica was said to have ‘magical properties," but the more research Lara did, the more she came to believe it could provide if not the answer, then at least a significant clue, for finding a cure for DFTD.

Lara suddenly realized Tess was still talking.

"That's what you've said last month and the month before that and the month before that." There was a pause. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Sort of," admitted Lara.

Tess laughed. "You're buried in your research again, aren't you?"

It was good that Tess knew and understood her so well. "I can't help it. Things have been a bit quiet, and I'm convinced the reappearance of the Solanum Mystica could be a significant find. It's been said to have been used and prized for its healing properties."

"But how can an Arctic plant help Tasmanian Devils who don't live in the Arctic or even anywhere it's really cold?"

"I don't know, but it's the best lead I've got."

"Do you want me to ask Derek or talk to the guy who runs Aurora Station?" Derek was Tess's husband and mate. He was also a member of the Resistance and the deputy sheriff of Otter Cove. "Maybe he could get you some and bring it down next time he comes."

"It has to be collected carefully. If it's not harvested or stored properly it could be for naught, only I wouldn't know that and might miss what it could do. Maybe I could just go up…"

"To Aurora Station? Good god, no! It's incredibly remote even for the Arctic. It's not just in the middle of nowhere, it's at the far reaches on the outskirts of nowhere. I'll talk to Derek. Maybe you could walk the guy through it."

It would do no good to argue with Tess, and Lara was convinced she needed to be the one to go and collect a sample of the plant so she could chase down her theory. Trudi and the other Tasmanian Devils were counting on her.

"Lara? You need to come to dinner. There are several single guys who would love to meet you."

Lara snorted. "Tess, I don't have time for romantic entanglements and the drama that always comes with them. I don't need a boyfriend. What I need is a plane with a pilot and guide to get me up there and back."

"What you need, at least according to Derek, is a keeper."

"Not true."

"Look around you, sweetie, what do you see? I haven't seen you in months and I'll bet your lab is a cluttered mess. I'm sure you can put your hands on anything you want, but you've always worked in organized chaos. Have you even finished unpacking? Zach said he's come by your lab a couple of times and found you sleeping on a cot."

"There's a lot of things to get done, and I sleep fine on a cot."

"You sleep like shit on a cot. You've always liked big soft beds, with fluffy bedding. He also said they have to drag you down to the bonfires…"

"Zach should mind his own business," Lara said defensively.

"You don't understand the Grayson polar bears, they think anyone who is family is their business and like it or not, you're family."

Lara groaned. She really did not want to be having this conversation. Much as she loved her sister, she didn't want to be having a conversation with her or anyone else. What she wanted was to get up to the Arctic, get the Solanum Mystica, and uncover its secrets. She wanted to find a cure for DFTD.

"Okay, I can tell you want to get back to your work but think about coming for dinner. If you don't come this month, I'll send a squad of horny polar bears to kidnap you next month."

"Hmm, kidnapping? Do you think they'd be willing to ravish me? I'm worried my vibrator is going to leave me for another—it's not getting a lot of use."

"Gross. You are spending way too much time alone."

"Says the woman who gets awakened every day by a mate who thinks an orgasm a day keeps the doctor away."

Tess laughed. "Honey, you know nothing about bear-shifters. If I was only getting an orgasm a day, I'd be looking for another mate or three. Seriously, Lara, think about it. You deserve a great life. I didn't encourage you to come just to see you shut yourself away in your lab."

"I'll think about it. I don't know about Sunday, but next month for sure."

"I'm going to hold you to that."

"Well, I'll be looking for the horny polar bears."

"You're awful," said Tess, humor lacing her voice.

"But you love me because I'm your favorite sister."

"You're my only sister, but I love you dearly. Please take care of yourself and do try to come Sunday."

"I won't promise, but I'll think about it."

They ended the call. Tess did have a point, but Trudi and her kind were running out of time. Lara looked around her lab. Tess wasn't wrong. It was a cluttered sanctuary of half-written formulas, lab equipment, and stacks of books on everything from biochemistry to Tasmanian Devil behavior.

The faint hum of the scientific apparatus was the only sound that broke the silence, punctuated by the occasional frustrated sigh as Lara pored over her latest set of data. There was something missing. Another trail that had led her nowhere. She brushed a strand of blonde hair from her face, her eyes never leaving the computer screen. She tried tucking it into the scrunchy holding her hair in a ponytail, but when that failed, she settled for tucking it behind her ear.

Her eyes were riveted to the computer monitor. The lines of code and chemical structures had become a second language to her, more familiar than her own handwriting. Lara had no time for anything but the mission. The Resistance relied on her expertise, and Trudi's life hung in the balance. If even half the stories of the Solanum Mystica were true, the plant would be a god-send.

Every spare moment spent on anything other than finding a cure for DFTD felt like a betrayal. Lara wasn't so arrogant that she believed she was the only person who might find or at least contribute to a cure, but she was certain she was pursuing a unique avenue of research. Romantic entanglements? Drama? They were laughable distractions. She had a species and a friend to save, and nothing was going to stop her.

After a few hours, Lara leaned back in her chair, removing her glasses and rubbing her eyes and temples. The data was promising but incomplete. A breakthrough seemed just out of reach. Every piece of data, conjecture, and instinct told her she was right. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. Shaking her head and shoulders, she centered herself.

Her phone buzzed on the desk, snapping her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen. It was a message from Deke, the head of the Resistance. "Urgent. Come to HQ." She wondered what a cave lion-shifter might consider ‘urgent.'

Lara stood, locked down her computer and grabbed her coat, stuffing her phone into her pocket. The Resistance headquarters was a short walk up from her lab.

Only part of the encampment could be seen. Most of it was a hidden compound burrowed into the side of the sea cliff. She punched in her security code and then navigated the dimly lit corridors with practiced ease, nodding to fellow members as she went. She found Deke in the war room, surrounded by maps and screens displaying various intel feeds.

"You called?" Lara asked, stepping into the room.

Deke looked up, his expression grave. "We've found something. Sit down."

Lara took a seat, a knot forming in her stomach. "What is it?"

Deke punched up some information and threw it up on a central screen, a photograph of a delicate, purple-flowered plant. "That is the Solanum Mystica. It's been thought extinct for centuries. I can see from your face you've heard the stories."

Not wanting to tip her hand as to the plan she had been plotting, Lara tried to play it cool. But this was a digital image of the plant itself. Her breath caught. "The Solanum Mystica? Are you sure?"

Deke snorted derisively. "I am, as are you. Our guy up at Aurora Station found it growing in a remote part of the Arctic. He didn't know its significance but thought where it was growing seemed odd. If the legends are true, this plant could be significant in a number of ways, not the least of which, according to your research, might be the key to curing Trudi and the others."

"How do you know about my research? Those files are private, Deke, as are Trudi and the others' medical records. You can't just go poking around in my files. They were password protected for a reason."

"I'm the head of the Resistance and in charge of this place and of keeping all of our people safe. There is nothing that is kept secret from me."

Lara's mind raced. So, the Solanum Mystica wasn't a myth—not a story told by botanists and healers about a plant with unparalleled healing properties—but an actual plant that existed in the physical world. If it had truly made a resurgence, it could be the breakthrough they needed. But getting to the Arctic could be a problem. It was a perilous journey, fraught with danger and uncertainty.

"I need to go there," Lara said, her voice firm.

Deke didn't look surprised. "I thought you might say that, and the answer before you even start is no."

"I don't believe I was asking for permission."

"You will stand down, Dixon," growled Deke. "We have a man in place who is able to deal with the harsh realities of tracking something down in the Arctic. A dire wolf named Orion Nightshadow. He flew in earlier today to pick up provisions for the station. I'll arrange for you to meet him, and you can tell him what you need and how you need him to get it. But you can't go."

"You've talked to Tess," Lara accused.

"No. I talked to Derek, and to be frank, you should have been talking to me and not your big sister."

"I'll talk to whomever I damn well please," she snarled.

Derek chuckled. "You're a fierce little thing when riled, but Orion is perfectly capable of getting you your sample. I'm not going to risk someone with your experience and expertise on what could be a fool's errand to pick posies."

Lara's heart pounded with a mix of excitement, trepidation, and anger. "Does this guy have any experience in collecting botanical samples?"

As if on cue, a tall figure stepped into the room, bringing with him dark hair, chiseled features, and an air of brooding confidence that bordered on arrogance. Deke introduced him with a nod. "This is Orion Nightshadow. He runs Aurora Station."

Orion extended a hand—an odd look on his face, not the kind you normally saw when first meeting someone. It was a look Lara didn't recognize.

"Dr. Dixon," he said, "I've heard a lot about you. Derek Grayson is a friend. I understand you're the human sister to his mate. You tell me how you want me to get that plant, and I'll get it done."

Lara shook his hand, noting the strength in his grip. "That's very nice of you, Mr. Nightshadow, but that won't be necessary. I'm going with you."

Orion smiled, an icy glint of arrogance in his eyes. "That isn't happening. Aurora Station is no place for a human, much less one from the lower forty-eight." He turned to Deke. "No fucking way I'm taking her north with me."

Deke frowned. "While I don't necessarily condone her going with you, she's a lot tougher than her exterior would suggest. She is familiar with the terrain, has experience with shifters, and is convinced if the plant isn't harvested correctly, we might destroy any chance we have of finding out what it can do."

Orion inclined his head. "Dr. Dixon, I'll do what you need me to do to ensure we reach and collect the Solanum Mystica safely."

"I'm going," she said turning to leave.

Orion's iron grip wrapped around her upper arm. He held her and sniffed the air around her. "You're not. I leave first thing in the morning. If you don't tell me what I need to know to collect your sample, you can kiss that sucker goodbye."

Lara snatched her arm away. "With you or without you," challenged Lara, "I intend to get what I need."

"Dixon," hollered Deke. "You either get your ass back up here to talk to Orion or send him instructions via email. He's on the contact list."

She marched out of the Resistance's headquarters, waving her hand above her head, but never looking back. Let them think she was in a snit. She headed back down to her lab, via a walk along the shoreline. She wanted a look at Orion Nightshadow's plane. It was a large cargo plane. Regardless of how many supplies he crammed in there, she was certain she could find a way to smuggle herself and what she needed inside. Once she was there, she'd find the plant and convince him to give her a ride back.

Lara spent the rest of the night preparing for the journey. She packed her clothes, vials, syringes, and portable equipment, meticulously checking and rechecking her supplies. The first rays of dawn had yet to break over the horizon when she canoed her way out to the plane and loaded her gear into the hold where it wouldn't be seen. Before hauling herself inside, she placed the paddle in the canoe and then gave it a nudge so the tide would take it back to shore. She wriggled her way in between the provisions for Aurora Station, which had been secured to keep from shifting around and breaking.

Lara took a deep breath as she heard Deke and Orion approach. Orion climbed onboard, made a quick last-minute check that everything was secure then went forward into the cockpit. As the plane's engines roared to life, Lara kept her mind focused on the task ahead.

The propellor blades settled into a dull whine as they pulled away from the shore. The plane moved along the water's surface, picking up speed as it lifted off. The Solanum Mystica was real, and she was going to find it. The journey would be treacherous, but her unyielding resolve told her she wouldn't fail. For the first time in weeks, a faint smile played at the corners of her lips. The real work was about to begin.

As they soared northward towards the Arctic, Lara looked out the tiny window in her hidey hole at the sprawling encampment below and allowed herself a small glimmer of hope. She was cold, cramped and frightened, but she shoved it all down. She couldn't fail. Not with Trudi's life on the line, and the future of the Tasmanian Devil shifters hanging in the balance.