Chapter 1
It was a beautiful day in the village. The air was a crisp -57°C—the kind of weather that would freeze a human’s lungs in seconds, but for us, it was perfect. Our temperatures ran so high that the biting wind felt like a light breeze.
All the women were out, taking advantage of the clear sky to dry the laundry before the next heavy snowfall moved in.
“Sky!”
I glanced over my shoulder as my best friend, Astrid, jogged toward me. We had been inseparable since we were cubs, and even in the biting cold, her cheeks were flushed with heat.
“Did you finish?” she asked, breathless. “I already did mine. The guys wanted to meet us later and hang around.”
I looked down at my basket, then back at her. Only a few remained. “Just a few more and I’m done, Astrid.”
I worked quickly, my fingers moving with practiced ease despite the cold. Once the last was pinned, I grabbed my empty basket. Together, we headed back toward the heart of the village.
We lived in the center of Snow Land, a place where the ice never truly melted. Only we—the polar bear shifters—could live comfortably here. Our village, the Atlas Clan, was one of the largest and most powerful in the territory.
We gave a small wave at the two warriors guarding the entrance to the village, and they gave us a nod in greeting.
The village felt small, snug, and familiar. We were only ninety-seven members, but I knew that made Atlas one of the largest polar bear-shifter clans in existence. Other bear species couldn’t handle groups this size; their egos and dominant sides kept them perpetually on edge, fracturing their groups into really small clans. We polar bears weren’t friendlier—our inner beasts were just as demanding—but we had learned not from nature, but for survival. We stayed together because we had to.
Polar bears were the biggest of the bear shifter species, and the other bears have never forgotten that. Long ago, they’d teamed up to try and erase the polar bears entirely, burning every last record of a supposed ‘Kingdom’. Now, only a few small clans like ours remained. A bitter irony, perhaps, that the only thing keeping us safe was our intense, internal heat. No other shifter could handle Snow Land’s crippling cold.
“I think Koby’s going to ask me to be his mate.” Astrid flipped a few of her white hairs off her face. Like all of us, her hair was the color of fresh snow—the fur of our bears—a shade whiter than my own. My hair reached just below my shoulders, and most of the time I had it in a ponytail, so it didn’t bother me when I’m working.
“Oh, really?” I shifted the basket, smiling. I decided to tease her a bit, “Koby? That means a big litter of cubs and more protection for the clan.”
Astrid glared at me and nudged me with her elbow. “Always thinking about the clan, Sky—But seriously, if he asks me, I think I’ll faint.”
“Skylar! Skylar!” Two bundles of joy careened into our path, forcing us to stop. I shifted my basket and looked down at the seven-year-old twins, Mishka and Nika.
“Nika snatched my teddy bear! He won’t give it back!” Mishka pointed an accusing finger at her brother.
Nika scowled back, clutching the stuffed bear, Mr. Kon, tightly against his chest. “It’s my time! She had it for ten whole minutes already!”
I handed the laundry basket to Astrid and knelt before them. “You guys need to learn to share.”
“But she had it for ten minutes!” Nika insisted, pouting so hard his lip trembled. He turned his face away from all of us.
Mishka’s eyes immediately filled, and a high-pitched cry tore out of her. I fixed my gaze on Nika. “Nika, listen to me. Do you remember what big brothers are supposed to do?”
“Do?” He looked at me, perplexed.
“Brothers protect sisters,” I told him, keeping my voice gentle but firm. “They don’t make them cry.”
Nika glanced from Mishka’s tear-streaked face to my own. He frowned, his grip tightening. “But it’s my turn with Mr. Kon.”
“Maybe, but is it worth it to see your sister cry over it?” I asked, and he shook his head and sighed in defeat.
“Here.” He thrust the teddy bear into Mishka’s hands, making her stop crying; only small hiccups could be heard. “And I don’t want you crying anymore, mkay?”
She squealed and immediately hugged her brother’s waist. Without another word, they ran off, probably to their mother.
Astrid watched me as I stood up, dusting the snow from my pants. “You’re going to be a great mother and Chiefess one day.”
I choked on my own saliva. “What?!” Me? A mother? Chiefess? No way!
My heart was suddenly hammering a frantic rhythm that had nothing to do with the cold. The very thought felt like an impossible set of demands.
“Look how those kids looked up to you,” Astrid insisted, handing the basket back to me. “You’re always helping everyone, asking if they are okay, and doing extra chores.”
I frowned. I liked to help; was that bad? These people could have left me for dead when my parents were slaughtered, and I almost died with them. But they saved me and raised me as part of their clan. Of course, I wanted to do my best to repay them for all they did for me.
Astrid just grinned, lowering her voice. “And besides, we all know Nikolai wants you to be his mate.”
The shock of that idea was enough to silence all other worries instantly.
We arrived at my cottage and set the basket by the door, then closed it behind us.
“Oh really?” We were soon to be of age, meaning we were ready to mate and become warriors. Our clan was strict about mates. It was important for us to reproduce and not let our species die. But sometimes I wish they would lay off; at least I would like to enjoy my life without an elder breathing down my neck, telling me to birth a cub.
Astrid’s hazel eyes met my light blue ones, and I could feel her excitement. “Yes! And Koby kind of hinted it this morning.”
I raised my eyebrows at that as I removed my boots, letting the inner heat of my body warm the chill from my toes. “Nikolai wants me?”
She nodded. “Yup, and I think he is really interested in you.”
I tensed at that. Nikolai was the son of our Chief Viktor and Chiefess Dinara. He was a few years older than us, but we were raised together in our early years. Being an orphan and all, we used to hang out a lot when Dinara took care of me.
“I don’t know, Astrid. I’m not sure I will be right for him.” I mumbled out while sitting down on my couch and taking my fur coat off.
The words felt heavy even before I spoke them. We weren’t like the wolves, lucky enough to have soulmates instantly aligned by fate. We bears had to choose carefully because once we sealed the deal, we couldn’t turn back, not like the felines who changed mates the moment they get bored.
Long ago, when the Gods created the world, our Goddess gifted three shifter species with mates and soulmates. She gave the wolves a soulmate for their loyalty, the bears a mate for life for their protective nature, and the birds a mate for life for their devotion. For us, sealing the deal meant forever.
Astrid ignored my panic. She threw herself next to me on the couch, receiving a glare from me. “How so? You are leader material. You help Dinara with her tasks, members ask you for help when Dinara’s busy, and the cubs look up at you.”
I frowned. It’s not my fault, I like to help people. I’m not interested in power; I’m happy where I am. Besides, I’ve always thought of Nikolai as my brother and closest friend, never as a mate. Sure, he is handsome. He is one of the tallest and strongest were-bears around. One of the top warriors and probably the next Chief after his father. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t chosen anyone yet? That makes sense...
I mumbled out while sitting down on my couch and taking my fur coat off. “I don’t know, Astrid. I’ll have to think about it.”
“Don’t think about it too much,” She warned. “He could move on and ask Freya.”
We thought about it, and both grimaced at the thought. Freya was the worst; she treated us all as if we were beneath her, and she sure was hungry for power. “Doubt it, we all know how she is, even Nikolai.”
“Anyway, we still have like a year left of freedom to decide.” Astrid sighed. Yeah, right, more like a few months. “No pressure.”
I stretched my arms and got ready to take a nice nap on my couch. “Where and when are we meeting the guys?”
“Oh crap! I forgot! Let’s go!” She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me away from the couch. Goodbye nap.
We broke out of the cottage door and set off at a fast stride, heading toward the barracks, where the sound of shouting and heavy impacts was already drifting through the cold air.
The barracks weren’t really barracks; they were the open, snow-cleared expanse between the chalet and a few cottages. But the sound they produced was pure, unrestrained violence. The air here was thicker, laced with the metallic scent of fresh sweat, the sharp tang of adrenaline, and the deep, guttural roars of shifting bears.
We stopped short at the edge of the training circle and stood captivated by the sight. Two massive figures were locked together in the center of the ring. One was Koby, a whirlwind of white fur and muscle. The other was unmistakable. Nikolai. Taller, broader, and moving with a lethal grace that made every woman in the clan secretly hold her breath.
Koby let out a frustrated grunt. Nikolai leveraged his greater height, hooking his arm under Koby’s elbow and slamming him hard into the packed snow. The sound of the impact echoed across the clearing, and Nikolai, still breathing heavily, raised his eyes and saw us.
I gave a small wave, but he didn’t grin or wave back. His stare, hot and focused, held mine for a long second, a second that felt longer than a friendly look.
Koby groaned from the ground, grabbing Nikolai’s leg in mock protest. “Get off me, Chief-to-be! You got lucky.”
Nikolai finally looked away, a small, knowing smile touching his lips as he offered Koby a hand. “No luck involved there, and you know it.”
We watched as they headed our way. Koby walked ahead of Nikolais, and he reached us first. “Hey, ladies. Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again?”
I rolled my eyes, and Astrid gave a scoff, “What kind of greeting is that?”
“That felt like a greeting to hookers instead of your best friends,” I added.
Nikolaus laughed as he reached us and placed his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. “He’s been practicing a scene he learned in a comic book. Supposedly, it helps with the girls.”
“Well, keep learning from that comic book, and you’ll end up alone for the rest of your life.” Astrid turned around, “Let’s go. I need the warmth of the Break.”
“Wait for me.” Koby jugged to catch up to her. “I was joking about the phrase!”
With Nikolai’s arm around my shoulder, we continued along the village. ‘The Break’ wasn’t that far from where we were; just a right turn and ten more cottages away.
It was literally the center of the village and a place for us—the soon-to-be adults—to be able to hang around and be us for a while. We could already see the faint flicker of warmth spilling out from the gathering.
The Break was simple: a large clearing shaped like a perfect circle. In the middle was a big fire pit, where we used to tell stories and eat snacks until our bellies hurt.
As they drew closer, the cold air lost its edge, giving way to a rich scent of wood smoke and melting snow. A few figures were already gathered around the blazing pit.
“Finally,” Koby grumbled, stepping straight into the warmth. “I’m freezing my tail off.”
“You’re a polar bear, you can’t freeze at this temperature.”
“Don’t take everything so seriously, Sky.”
Nikolai removed his arm from my shoulders as we sat on a wooden log; it served as our seat.
“Anyway,” Koby grabbed snow from the ground and stared at it for a moment before dropping it back. “Polar week is nearing.”
Ah yes, the Polar Week. Seven days without sun. Nothing special happens on those days, aside from the usual. We can see pretty well at night, so the darkness doesn’t bother us. We usually try to stay inside since the temperature outside gets super cold, as if it’s the death of winter, and sometimes we can get caught in a sudden snowstorm.
If we needed to go outside, we were mostly in our bear form, since the cold is more intense, and we handle the cold much better in that shape. We could talk just fine in our bear form. We didn’t speak through mind link, like the wolves and felines, but we could talk normally, using the same voices we’d used in our human form.
Astrid leaned forward, a playful glint in her eyes. “Game week?” she joked, referring to our usual tradition of card games and challenges during the winter lull.
Nikolai didn’t smile. He scratched his head before continuing, “Don’t know about that. There’s been a lot of sightings of Kodiak bears around the end of our grounds, and Father wants more warriors on guard.”
My eyes widened. Kodiak bears were among our greatest threats. They were one of the creatures who started the war against us. We never understood their deep hatred for us, besides the fact that we were the strongest of all the bear shifters.
“Kodiak bears?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper against the crackle of the fire. “How can it be? We are nearing the coldest season, and they are usually sleeping it off.”
“I know, we are as confused as you,” Nikolai said, his expression grim. “And father’s been on guard. He feels they are planning something, and it angers him that he can’t find what it is.”
“Weird,” Astrid said.
“Let’s not bring our mood down by things we can not control,” Kodiak suggested, “By the way, snow foxes are supposed to visit us soon. What do we have for trade?”
My eyes brightened. “I hope they bring more chocolate.”
We continued talking for a while about random things—mostly Koby teasing Astrid about her bad luck at cards and discussing which old-time story to tell next—until Astrid’s mom came to ask her for help with something. Koby quickly volunteered to go with them, his excitement at spending more time with Astrid obvious. We waved goodbye and watched them go before I, too, stood up to leave.
Stretching my back and hearing it crack made me grin. I turned to Nikolai and noticed him watching me, his expression unreadable in the firelight. “I guess it’s time to go,” I said, the words echoing slightly in the sudden quiet of The Break.
Nikolai stood up in front of me, his height suddenly dominating the space. I gave him a questioning look. “I know there’s still a lot of time,” he said, his voice dropping to a serious tone. “But I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”
He grabbed both my hands, and I tensed. What did I do? I couldn’t think of anything that he would need from me, or anything I had done wrong. My mind immediately flashed back to Astrid’s grin and the terrifying rules of the Goddess. He wasn’t going to ask me about chores. He was going to ask me about forever.
His brown eyes met my light blue eyes, and his voice was low, deep with seriousness. “Next year you will be ready for a mate...” He took a deep breath before continuing, but I was already tensing, knowing exactly where he was going with it. “And I was wondering if maybe you will be interested in being my mate?”
So Astrid was right. He did want me as his mate.
I don’t know... I mean, I do have feelings for him, but are they romantic? I truly didn’t know. I’ve always looked up to him; he’s always been by my side when I got hurt or needed help. But I have always seen him like a brother, I think. I haven’t been in love before, so I don’t know how this is supposed to go. But it just doesn’t feel right when I think about it.
Think, Sky, think. What did those silly love books say when the heroines fell in love? I quickly assessed him: In the handsome department, there wasn’t a problem. His body was to kill for, and those brown eyes were the color of my favorite chocolate bar—
Ah, hell, how long have we been in silence!?
I squeezed his hands reflexively. I could feel his warmth, the calloused strength of a warrior, but the only heat I focused on was the frantic, embarrassing blush rising up my neck. I realized I’d been staring at his mouth for an uncomfortable amount of time, trying desperately to formulate a sentence.
I opened my mouth to speak, but he motioned for me to stop. “I don’t need an answer now. Just think about it, okay?” His voice was softer now, releasing some of the pressure that had built up.
I hesitated before nodding. He’s right, I should take time thinking about it before doing anything stupid right now, like blurting out ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to make the silence stop.
With a lingering kiss to my cheek, I watched him walk away. I let out a slow sigh and started walking the opposite way. Better find Dinara to see if she needs help with something to get my mind off this.
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Thanks for reading!
Let me explain something about their age and what it means on this book;
Of age- 23 and up
Soon to be adults -22
Youngsters- from age 17 till 21
