Chapter 18 Kaidan
EIGHTEEN
KAIDAN
Kaidan was just reaching for a fresh shirt when his chamber doors burst open without so much as a courtesy knock. The familiar sound of his sister's boots clicking against the stone floor made his jaw clench with irritation.
"Don't you knock anymore?" he growled, his voice carrying the full weight of his alpha authority as he clutched his towel more securely around his waist.
Elora froze mid-stride, her pale blue eyes taking in the scene before her—Kaidan in nothing but a bath towel and Tessa beside him wrapped in his fluffy white bath robe, both of them still damp from their shower.
"I never had to before," Elora said with a slight shrug, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. "But seeing you two like this..." Her gaze flicked meaningfully between them. "Maybe I should be more careful. I really don't want to walk in on anything too... intimate."
Christ, his sister had perfect timing. Heat blazed through Kaidan's chest, part embarrassment and part possessive fury at having their private moment interrupted. The mate bond thrummed with protective energy, making his bear stir restlessly under his skin.
Tessa's face went crimson, and she pulled the robe tighter around herself, which only served to emphasize the curves of her hips. Kaidan had to bite back a growl at the way his body immediately responded, even in this mortifying situation.
"Yes, you really should," he said tersely, stepping slightly in front of Tessa in an instinctive move to shield her from his sister's knowing gaze. "Now give us our privacy, and we'll meet you shortly in the grand foyer."
Elora held up the bundle of clothes in her hands—practical thermal layers and field gear that would keep Tessa warm during their surveillance mission today.
"I was looking for Tessa and saw she wasn't in her guest room, so I figured she might be here with you.
" The slight emphasis on the word 'figured' made it clear she'd known exactly where to find Tessa.
"Smart deduction," Kaidan said dryly, his tone brooking no further discussion. "We'll be down in ten minutes to go set up the surveillance cameras around the research station. Plus, Tessa thinks we should put some around the fault lines where Magnus might be creating manmade earthquakes."
His sister's expression sobered at the mention of their mission. "Bjorn's already got the equipment loaded—motion-activated cameras, some of those new booby traps from the armory. We're ready when you are."
"Good. Now get out."
Elora grinned and tossed the clothes onto his massive bed before backing toward the door. "Ten minutes, brother. Don't keep us waiting too long." She shot a wink at Tessa before disappearing into the corridor, finally having the decency to close the door behind her.
Kaidan turned to Tessa, who was still standing there looking adorably flustered, her dark hair falling in damp waves around her shoulders. The sight of her in his bathrobe, in his bedroom, looking thoroughly ravished from their shower, sent a surge of primitive satisfaction through him.
"I'm sorry about my sister," he said, moving closer and cupping her face with one hand.
"Elora and I have always been close, and I never thought to lock my doors before.
" His thumb traced her still-flushed cheek.
"But maybe I should start doing that if you're planning on sleeping here with me from now on. "
The words hung between them, loaded with hope and barely restrained desire.
Please say yes, his bear rumbled. She belongs here with us.
"I mean, I hope you would want to," he continued, his voice dropping to that low tone that made her shiver. "Because I can't bear the thought of you sleeping anywhere else."
Tessa's green eyes searched his face, and he could feel her emotions through their bond—uncertainty warring with desire, fear battling with something deeper that made his chest tight with hope.
"Kaidan..." she started, then seemed to lose her words.
"Just think about it," he said, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead before reluctantly stepping back. "But we should really get dressed before Elora decides to come back and drag us downstairs herself."
They dressed quickly, the comfortable silence between them charged with unspoken possibilities.
Kaidan pulled on his black thermal shirt and tactical pants, watching from the corner of his eye as Tessa slipped into the clothes his sister had brought—fitted thermal pants that hugged her curves and a soft wool sweater that brought out the green in her eyes.
Perfect, he thought, his bear practically purring with satisfaction.
When they finally made their way downstairs to the grand foyer, the rest of their team was waiting with military precision.
Bjorn stood near the massive stone fireplace, his sandy hair catching the light from the crystal chandelier overhead, two heavy field packs at his feet bristling with surveillance equipment.
Eli hovered nearby, his scientific mind clearly already focused on the mission ahead, while Elora and three of Kaidan's most trusted clan members flanked the entrance, their faces grim with determination.
The sight of his team assembled and ready sent a surge of alpha pride through Kaidan's chest.
Time to go catch a bastard.
The Arctic wind cut through their parkas like invisible blades as Kaidan led his team across the crystalline landscape toward the research station.
Snow swirled around them in lazy spirals, each flake stinging exposed skin with the promise of the harsh weather to come.
He adjusted the heavy pack on his shoulders, feeling the weight of motion-activated cameras and booby traps that would hopefully catch Magnus in the act.
"Stay close," he called over the wind to Tessa, who was navigating the treacherous path beside him with surprising grace. Her dark hair whipped around her face beneath her hood, but her green eyes remained focused and alert as she scanned the ice ahead.
Damn, she's magnificent, his bear rumbled with pride.
Most humans would be struggling just to keep their footing on the icy terrain, but Tessa moved with the confidence of someone who understood the land.
"Ice fault about twenty meters ahead," Tessa announced, pointing toward a barely visible crack in the surface. "We should veer left—the stress patterns suggest it's unstable."
Bjorn, who had been skeptical about following a human's guidance, paused and studied the area she'd indicated. His eyes narrowed as he processed what she was seeing. "She's right," he admitted grudgingly. "Good eye, Dr. Monroe."
Kaidan felt a surge of satisfaction at his Beta's growing respect. If Bjorn was coming around, the others would follow. The three clan members behind them—Torben, Leif, and Astrid—had been listening to Tessa's navigational advice with increasing attention over the past hour.
"This way," Tessa said, adjusting their course with fluid precision. "The ground is more stable along this ridge."
They followed her lead, their boots crunching through the snow as they traced a safer path toward their destination.
Kaidan found himself watching the way she moved—confident but careful, reading the landscape like others might read a book.
The mate bond hummed with warmth at her increasing competence of his territory.
"How do you do that?" Elora asked, genuine curiosity replacing her usual teasing tone. "See the weak spots, I mean."
Tessa glanced back with a smile. "Years of studying rock and ice formations, and fault lines.
You learn to understand the subtle signs—the way the snow and dirt settle differently over cracks, how the ice reflects light when it's under stress.
" She paused to point out a discolored patch ahead.
"See how that area looks slightly different?
That's meltwater refreezing in a stress fracture. "
"That's quite fascinating," Eli murmured, his scientific mind clearly engaged. "I've been walking these paths for five years and never noticed half of what you're pointing out."
Kaidan's chest swelled with possessive pride. That's my mate, his bear preened. Smart and beautiful and mine.
They crested a small ridge, and the research station came into view below—the large insulated building looked tiny against the vast white expanse. Lingering smoke still curled from the damaged sections, a stark reminder of Magnus's escalating tactics against humans.
"There," Tessa said, pointing toward a series of fault lines that radiated out from the station like spokes on a wheel. "If Magnus is creating artificial tremors, those would be the logical placement points for sonic devices."
Torben, a grizzled clan member with a long scar across his jaw, hefted his pack with new determination. "Then that's where we plant our cameras."
"And our traps," Astrid added, her blonde braid whipping in the wind. "Let's see how Magnus likes a taste of his own medicine."
Kaidan felt the shift in his team's dynamic—they were no longer just tolerating Tessa's presence, they were actively seeking her input. The realization sent a thrill through him.
Maybe someday they will acknowledge her as their queen as well.
"Bjorn, take Torben and Leif to the eastern fault lines," Kaidan commanded, falling naturally into his king role. "Elora, take Eli and Astrid to cover the western approach. Tessa and I will handle the primary stress points near the station."
As they spread out across his terrain, Kaidan caught himself moving in perfect sync with Tessa.
She would gesture toward a promising location, and he would already be adjusting course toward it.
When she paused to examine ice formations, he automatically positioned himself to shield her from the worst of the wind.
"You're adapting to this environment remarkably well," he said, admiration coloring his voice as she knelt to examine suspicious scrape marks in the ice.
"It helps having such an excellent guide," she replied, glancing up at him with a smile that made his bear rumble with satisfaction.
She belongs in my kingdom, he thought, watching her work with practiced ease. She belongs with me as my queen.
The way his clan members had responded to her—actually listening to her suggestions and following her lead when it came to terrain navigation—had filled him with a hope he hadn't dared feel before now. If they could accept her expertise, maybe they could accept her as their queen.
"Found something," Tessa announced, brushing snow away from what looked like a small metal device embedded in the ice. "Sonic resonator, military grade. This would definitely create artificial tremors."
Kaidan's jaw tightened as fury blazed through his chest. "That sneaky bastard."
"Let's put a camera here," she said, pointing to a concealed position that would capture anyone approaching the device. "And we should set up a proximity alarm about thirty meters back."
As they worked together to install the equipment, Kaidan marveled at how naturally they moved as a duo. Tessa's scientific precision complemented his tactical instincts perfectly, creating a partnership that felt as inevitable as breathing.
This is what it means to have a true mate, he realized. Not just desire, but trust and equality.
When Kaidan finished securing the camera, the wind shifted—soft at first, then sharper, carrying a strange metallic tang that raised the hairs on his neck.
His bear stirred uneasily beneath his skin, but when Tessa looked up at him with that determined smile, the tension in his chest eased slightly.
He reached out, his gloved hand brushing hers, grounding them both against the frozen wild.
Around them, the Arctic stretched silent and endless as if the land itself was holding its breath.
For a fleeting heartbeat, it felt like the world had stilled just for them.
Then, a loud rumble echoed through the frozen air—a warning that the momentary peace between them was as fragile as the ice beneath their feet.