Shifter Starter Set

by Candace Ayers

  “Good memory,” Hannah smiled, “About eight years. It’s where I went to college, and then medical school. I went straight after high school and never left.”

  “So, a little rusty on your wilderness etiquette, then?”

  Hannah laughed, “Yes, okay, it’s been a long while. I’d say I’m more skilled at dealing with heart attacks and car accidents than wildlife attacks.”

  “Well, I hope it stays that way.”

  “I’ll be careful. I promise.”

  Colton nodded, “What are you doing for the rest of the day?”

  “Not much, just trying to keep warm, I guess.”

  “Do you want to take a ride?” When Hannah didn’t respond, he continued, “I can give you a tour of the place, I guarantee that I won’t convey enough of its history to bore you rigid, and I’ll do my best to keep you warm.”

  “Sure, I’d like that.” Hannah tried to keep her tone causal, but she couldn’t help the small flip her stomach did at the idea of spending the day in the company of easily the sexiest man she’d seen in a very long time.

  “C’mon,” Colton walked toward his truck, and held the passenger door for her.

  The initial part of the drive took place in silence. Now that she was in such close proximity, close enough to smell his subtle aftershave and admire the strong forearms and capable-looking hands as they maneuvered the steering wheel with ease, Hannah found herself tongue-tied.

  It wasn’t as if she didn’t have questions to ask. She did, plenty. She knew nothing about the man except that he was most likely the manager of a camping and outdoor goods store and obviously lived in Port Ursa. As a doctor, she was used to asking strangers all kinds of intimate, personal questions. Those on the receiving end rarely felt comfortable divulging information, but Hannah was more than capable of being straightforward and professional, barely blinking an eye, no matter how bizarre some of the answers might be.

  In the car with Colton, it felt different. She didn’t have any professional interest in him, and as hard as she was trying to remind herself this was just a casual outing at the benevolence of a local, her body was reacting as if it was a first date. She did a mental checklist of the symptoms—slightly accelerated heartbeat, repeatedly pushing her hair behind her ear, and then consciously trying to stop doing that, and a dry mouth. She really needed to get a grip.

  “So, how long have you lived in Alaska?”

  It was the best she could do, the silence had started to become awkwardly long.

  “All my life. I was born here. My dad used to own the camping shop.”

  “Is he retired?”

  “Dead.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Hannah groaned inwardly. Nice going.

  “Thanks. He was a good man. My brothers and I run it now, and a couple of other businesses here.”

  “Wait…you own the store?”

  “Yes.”

  Sterling. Colton Sterling, he had told her his name while she was shopping in a store called Sterling Outfitters and she hadn’t put two and two together. He must think she’s an idiot. He and his brothers must own the entire chain. There was nothing remotely flashy or ostentatious about him, but the clothes he wore exuded wealth–subtle, but definitely evident from the well-fitting cut of everything he wore.

  “You must like living here then. I’ve seen the Sterling Outfitters in Chicago, too.”

  “All across Canada and the lower 48 states,” he beamed. I do. Don’t get me wrong, the winters can be hard, but I like the wilderness of the place, and the privacy. I travel a lot, though, so that makes it easier. Maybe if I was stuck here, I’d have a different perspective.”

  “I can see that. The wilderness and privacy, I mean,” she hoped she wasn’t offending him. Hannah hadn’t quite made up her mind about Port Ursa yet. Just because of the situation, she had briefly imagined what it would be like to be married to Brad, not just in name only, and living here in the seedier part of the small town under the potential threat of being attacked by a wolf or bear every time she went for a run. Still, the quiet of the place was nice. She’d enjoyed getting to sleep with the sounds of nature surrounding her, rather than car horns blowing and drunken revelry that made up the chaotic symphony of noise she usually slept to.

  “You don’t yet, but you will,” Colton smirked, still looking straight ahead. His smile was deliciously wicked. It made him look sort of devilish.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Patience. Just trust me and you’ll find out soon enough.”

  As soon as he finished the words, he took a sharp turn up a small road and parked in a large parking lot. It backed onto a small office, a sign reading Kodiak Rentals hanging above the door. The lot held a variety of outdoor sports equipment, from snowmobiles to dirt bikes and even a few jetty boats.

  “Please tell me you’re just running an errand?” Hannah moaned.

  “Nope, ‘fraid not.”

  “You’re not getting me on a dirt bike. I’m a doctor. I see more injuries from motorcycle accidents than I have hot dinners.”

  “Okay, I’m not getting you on a dirt bike.” He walked ahead, leading the way to the office. Hannah rolled her eyes at his retreating back and then followed. Great, she thought, a guided tour by an adrenaline junky.

  He held the door of the office open for her, and she walked gratefully into the warmth. There was a very pretty young girl sitting behind the desk, who couldn’t be more than sixteen years old.

  “Your dad out, Lori?”

  “Yeah,” she paused and looked over at Hannah before continuing, “On business.”

  “Good.”

  “Can I get you anything, Colton?” She shot him a coquettish eyebrow raise, and Hannah smiled to herself. If she were a sixteen-year-old girl, she’d already be head-over-heels in crushville with Colton Sterling.

  “Yeah, a skidoo. Anything that’s not booked up today.”

  “Sure. Take number six,” she pulled out a drawer and handed him a key, “The back’s clear so you can drive right out. Not much snow for a mile or two, though. Take a wheel kit.”

  “Thanks. See you later, Lori.”

  Hannah tried to smile at the girl as they departed from the office, but the girl just returned her look with a suspicious stare. Clearly she didn’t take kindly to Colton hanging out with strange women she didn’t recognize.

  Outside, Colton located their snowmobile and went about affixing wheels to its base. He casually chucked his jacket aside, leaving him in just the plain white t-shit. Hannah was stunned that he didn’t seem to be absolutely freezing, but then quickly became transfixed as she saw the muscles on his back ripple in motion as he worked. He was more built than she had originally assumed. Every part of his torso appeared to be solid muscle, as compact as granite. Hannah couldn’t begin to imagine how a retail owner managed to achieve that level of physical perfection. Not that it mattered - she certainly wasn’t complaining.

  9

  The drive up the dry mountain path was bumpy. Though Colton stayed in perfect control of the machine, the small jumps were unavoidable in such a light vehicle – even with two passengers. Hannah held on tightly, convincing herself it was just out of necessity. It had nothing whatsoever to do with the feeling of Colton’s rock hard six-pack emanating intense heat under the pressure of her fingers.

  Soon the forest ground of rock and soil gave way to a light sprinkling of snow that got denser the further they travelled away from the port. The trees reduced in number, and before long there were wide flat plains of thick snow.

  “Are you ready?” Colton asked, his profile turning so he was an inch away from her face.

  “No–not if you’re going to massively speed up!”

  He just laughed in return and revved the engine. Hannah clasped tighter, and he held one of his hands over hers, warm and reassuring.

  “Just hold on. It’s going to be fun, I promise.”

  “Famous last words.”

  The snowmobile shot
off across the snow, smooth and fast. The icy wind whipped at Hannah’s face, lifting her loose hair up and off her shoulders. She drew in closer to Colton, trying to shield herself from the worst of the cold, and slightly terrified of looking down at the skidoo’s rapid progress.

  Colton effortlessly weaved around the few pine trees that crossed their path, leaning into the turns so that Hannah had no choice but to mirror his movements, carving figures of eight into the snow.

  Hannah reluctantly acknowledged that she was in safe hands. After they had been driving for a while, she stopped being so anxious and let the exhilaration of the experience take over. For someone that had spent the majority of the last six years closeted in a medical facility, rarely seeing daylight between intensive shifts, being outdoors in such epically magnificent surroundings was refreshing, to say the least.

  Colton must have felt her body relax. In the next moment, he sped up sending huge, arching waves of powdery snow in the wake of their track. As the wind changed direction, the powder showered them both, glinting like diamond dust in the sunshine. Hannah held on tighter, her hands reaching closer together across his waist.

  She had noticed a little before, but the heat that emanated from his body was intense. It was like he was suffering from a high fever–except there was no perspiration that would lead her to confirm that diagnosis. The normal internal acclimatization process ensured that people adjusted to their surroundings. The population of Alaska wouldn’t feel the cold the way she did, but this was ridiculous. It was like he was his own personal furnace.

  “There’s a place I want to take you–up at the top. We’ll stop there for a bit.”

  Colton now drove straight, charting his direction to the precipice of the mountain. Pines whipped past them, and Colton repeatedly accelerated, getting the vehicle up the final, steep incline.

  They reached the top at full steam, traversing the final hump by flying inches off the ground, and came to an abrupt halt. It was just in time. The edge of the precipice suddenly dropped off a few feet from their stop. Ahead of Hannah and Colton lay an empty expanse of ice-blue sky.

  With trembling legs, tired from the exertion of tensing into the body of the snowmobile, Hannah stepped onto icy snow. The view left her breathless, and without looking back at Colton she edged closer to the drop.

  “Careful,” he called, softly.

  She looked down. The various bays of Kodiak Island stretched out miles below her, and she could see nothing but the tops of pine trees. Then, most spectacular of all, the huge vastness of the rippling ocean.

  “That’s the Gulf of Alaska, leading to the North Pacific Sea.” Colton had come to stand next to her. She was so mesmerized by the view, she hadn’t been aware of his approach.

  “On your left is Canada, and about seven hundred miles on your right, Russia.”

  “That’s crazy. I know we’re close, but when you say it like that…”

  “I know. It makes the world seem so small.”

  It really did. Hannah took it all in, breathing in the cold, fresh air that tasted almost sweet this far away from pollution and the general, myriad smells of urbanization.

  “This is really amazing. Thanks, Colton.”

  “It’s my pleasure.”

  “You’re quite the tour guide. I’m impressed.”

  Hannah looked at him sideways, watching a small smile soften his features.

  “Well, you’re my first customer. Maybe I’ll start charging after this.”

  “I’m flattered, but do you really need the business revenue?”

  She’d made the lame joke to hide the swell of pleasure that erupted in the pit of her stomach. She had actually thought that this was where he routinely brought women to impress them. Not that she minded. It was dammed impressive, but she’d believed him when he said it was the first time he’d done this. Knowing that this wasn’t part of a well-rehearsed repertoire made her feel slightly giddy and light. She stepped back from the edge.

  “Getting dizzy?” he asked.

  “I’m okay.”

  “Stand a bit further back, just in case. It can get a bit weird after a while. Your perspective gets confused. You can start to feel like the ocean’s right in front of you and could just step out onto it.”

  Hannah shivered.

  “I can imagine that.”

  “Don’t. This is meant to be an awe-inspiring wonders of Alaska trip, I don’t want to frighten you.”

  Hannah laughed out loud.

  “It’s okay, consider me inspired.”

  “Good.”

  Colton’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and checked the screen.

  “Sorry. I need to take this.”

  Hannah nodded, more than a little amazed that he managed to get a signal up here. Colton walked a few paces off.

  She really didn’t want to listen in to the conversation, but the silence was absolute, and Colton’s voice carried easily across the breeze.

  “Yeah, fine…near Old Harbor, top of the mountain…Shit. They’re tracking. Heard from Joe yet? Okay. Get in touch with him. I need to know what’s going on.” Hannah watched as he hung up abruptly, and walked back toward her.

  “Everything okay?” She asked.

  “Yeah. Fine. Just a delivery I’m tracking,” he slipped the phone back into his pocket. “You ready to get back?”

  “Sure.”

  “Happy to go a bit faster?”

  “Within reason,” Hannah eyed him wearily.

  “Okay. Just punch me in the stomach if I go too fast.”

  Hannah smiled to herself at the last remark. Would you even be able to feel it if I did?

  Hannah clasped him more tightly this time. They did go faster, but she didn’t mind. She felt pretty content as the scenery flew by. The wind’s icy blasts were nothing to her whilst she was comforted by her own personal heater. From her perspective behind Colton, she could really only see a sliver of his profile, the strong line of his jaw, which seemed more tightly clenched than on the way up. She assumed that something from the phone call had irritated him, or made him anxious. When she looked down at the steering wheel, his hands were gripped tightly, his turns sharper and more efficient than his previously languid driving.

  Hannah guessed he was in a hurry to drop her off. It was a shame, she’d really enjoyed their afternoon together, and this was likely to be the last she’d see of Colton Sterling. Not that she’d ever forget this afternoon. The memory of his dangerously good looks and rock-hard physique would be something that would keep her warm on many, many nights to come.

  10

  The wolves were on their trail. The pack had tracked them from the shop, and kept their distance as they made their way up the mountain. They hadn’t known that the clan had been tracking them in turn. A few of the clan were now setting their sights on detaining one of the wolves, and getting some much-needed information, which would be fine, as long as they didn’t get to him and Hannah first.

  Colton sped up. He didn’t want to frighten her, but he needed to get her to safety as soon as possible. There was now a perimeter around her cabin made up of the clan members that Colton trusted most, Tucker included. She would be safe there. At least for the time being.

  He hadn’t wanted to ask who she was visiting in town. Hannah hadn’t brought it up herself, so he felt that it would be impertinent for him to ask, but time was running out. It was likely that whoever she was seeing was the missing piece to this puzzle. Otherwise, he just couldn’t comprehend why suddenly a pack of wolves would be so intently hunting her down, especially when Colton was clearly taking an interest in her. That should have been warning enough to stay away.

  Colton accelerated fiercely, determined that the pack would once again be reminded why they needed to respect the Sterling clan.

  When they reached Hannah’s cabin, driving in from the forest rather than the main road, Colton cut the engine. Hannah’s hands slid down from his waist, and he felt the loss of their coldness pres
sing into him. This afternoon had been agony for him, being so close to Hannah, spending the day immersed in her delicious scent, without being able to do a thing about it. Torn, as well, because he was meant to be protecting her. His physical reactions, if let rule, would jeopardize that. If anything happened to Hannah, he would never forgive himself, so it was preferable that he ignored his instincts and stuck to his job.

  “Thanks for the ride, Colton.” They had just pulled up in front of her cabin. Hannah looked a bit shell shocked, and Colton once again regretted the speed at which he’d had to go. It was nice to have her clinging on so tightly, but it had also made the journey a lot shorter than he would have liked.

  “Like I said, it was a pleasure.”

  “Same here.”

  She made a move as if to open the passenger door, and Colton stopped her.

  “I was actually wondering if there was something else I could show you–if you have the time?”

  Hannah looked taken aback.

  “Um, sure. As long as I’m not taking you away from anything?”

  “No. You’re not.”

  Colton reached behind his seat and brought out a canvas covered bag. He revealed two small pistols and a pack of about ten cartridge sets. Hannah was silent.

  “I know this is a bit strange, but consider this wilderness training one-oh-one. This,” he picked up one of the pistols, “is a Ruger Redhawk forty-four magnum. Most dependable model in its class. Short of giving you a shotgun, this is the best protection I can provide you with.”

  “You want to give me a gun?” Hannah spoke slowly.

  “Yeah. You can keep it on you all times while you’re here, easily straps to the body, or you can keep it in a purse, whatever. But it’s good for protection. Against the animals. It won’t necessarily kill a bear, but it will a wolf. Even if you miss vital organs, it will slow it down or scare it off.”

  “You don’t think it’s a bit weird, you giving me a gun?”

  “It’s weird, I know, but it also might save your life. How many more nights are you staying?”