Chapter 1 : Northern Lights

*Lena*

Eason.

The single most important person to me. The one person who could make me plan a romantic trip when romance wasn’t even my thing.

Yet, here I was, driving through the darkness of rural Alaska, with a sulking ice hockey star slumped in my passenger seat.

That was what falling in love with someone as special as Eason would do to you.

He hadn’t spoken more than ten words since we left LA. His right hand, the one that should be gripping a hockey stick right now, lay useless in a cast on his lap. I could feel the waves of frustration rolling off him, filling the car with a heavy silence.

It was obvious he didn’t care to be here in the little effort he’d put into his outfit - a gray hoodie and jeans. A perfect representation of his mood. Normally Eason always tried to incorporate the team's color - gold, navy blue, and white - into his outfit, even though they heavily contrasted with his dirty blonde hair. That’s how much he loved hockey.

Still, I wasn’t about to let him freeze. I’d taken my persuasive girlfriend skills seriously by convincing him to wear a matching puffer jacket with me. The jacket was navy blue, the kind of color that screamed Eason, even if he wouldn’t admit it now.

This whole trip was my desperate attempt to cheer him up after he had to withdraw from last weekend's game. I couldn’t stand seeing that defeated look in his earthy brown eyes when the doctor delivered the verdict. No tournaments. Not anytime soon. Not with a broken wrist.

“Where are we going?” Eason finally asked.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter. “It’s a surprise.” He’s waited the five-hour plane ride and the extra hour in the car. He can wait till we get there now.

He snorted. “Since when do you do surprises, Lena?”

Since never, actually. I was all about schedules, classes, and damage control. Surprise weekend trips to see natural phenomena weren’t something I thought I’d ever do. But it was all for Eason. I pulled the car to a stop, my heart racing. Eason sat up straight, peering out the windshield.

“Lena, where are we?” He turned to face me, eyes wide and curious.

“You’ll see,” I said, trying to steady my voice. “Come on.”

The cold air rushed in as soon as the car doors opened. I reached into the back seat, pulling out two pairs of gloves. I watched as Eason climbed out slowly, his breath visible in the freezing air. Good thing I brought these gloves.

I handed him a pair without a word, slipping mine on. “I don’t think I need this,” he said, showing me the hand in a cast. I almost smacked myself in the face. I didn’t need to remind him of his broken wrist. Eason shoved the gloves into his pocket, not even bothering to put one on his left hand.

“Ready?”

He nodded, still sulking. As we stepped out into the crisp night air, Eason’s eyes widened. He turned to me, a slow smile spreading across his face. Before I could react, he leaned in and placed a soft, warm kiss on my forehead.

“You didn’t,” he whispered. He towered over me, his broad shoulders flexing as he pulled me into a solid hug.

I shrugged in his warm arms, suddenly feeling shy. “I did.”

We made our way up a small hill, our heavy snow boots sinking into the deep snow.

Eason’s good hand was firmly intertwined in mine, and I still tried to be gentle. Then we saw it - curtains of green and purple light dancing across the sky, painting the darkness with an otherworldly glow.

“It’s beautiful,” he murmured, seemingly mesmerized by the sight of the aurora before us.

“Lena.” His eyes stayed looking toward the sky as he spoke. “I need to tell you something.” His tone sounded awfully serious for what I believed to be a romantic moment.

“What is it?” I couldn’t stop my heart from hammering in my chest.

He turned to face me. “I want to be with you. Forever.”

I blinked, stunned. “Eason, I…”

He held up a hand. “Let me finish. I know you’re worried about my career, about my hand. But being with you, seeing this… it puts everything in perspective.” Eason slowly grabbed my hand, intertwining our fingers. “All I want is you.”

My eyes met his, and the butterflies in my stomach fluttered viciously. “I just want you to fulfill your dreams.”

He smiled, pulling me closer. “Forget about my dreams for a second. Just smile, baby.”

The way he said it, in that voice, I had no choice but to. I was grinning from ear to ear,

staring at this boy who held my heart in his hands. His hand grazed my cheek, my eyebrows, my lips. It was cold against my skin, but I leaned into his touch. He stared at me for a moment, and I could literally feel the love radiating off of him. Before I could say anything or even breathe, he leaned in, capturing my lips with his.

It was always a wonder to me how he always managed to radiate heat, but as I gently held onto his shoulders, I was grateful for the warmth of him. His lips slid over mine in a different way, different from any and every kiss we’d ever shared.

It was soft, sweet, and full of promise. Very Eason.

Eason reached up to graze my chin, pushing it to meet his lips again. It was as if he couldn’t get enough of me. The kiss was passionate this time, and I instantly forgot about everything else. I held onto his shoulders carefully. I didn’t want to hurt his already injured hand, but oh, I desperately wanted to be as close to him as I could get.

A moment too soon, he broke the kiss. He took my hand with his good one and began leading me in the direction of where we came from. “Come on.”

The aurora’s glow faded behind us as we made our way back to the car, our footsteps crunching on the frosty ground. I was hyper-aware of Eason’s presence beside me, my hand hovering near his arm, wanting to touch him but afraid of causing pain.

Eason noticed my hesitation and chuckled softly. “I’m not made of glass, you know,” he teased.

I blushed, grateful for the darkness. “I just don’t want to hurt you, or make your injury worse.”

“Is that why you were hesitant when we kissed earlier? If I knew this injury would stop my girlfriend from kissing me, then I would’ve been more careful.” He pulled me flush against him with his free hand, his fingers drifting to my neck as he kissed me again, and again and again.

“You’ve proved your point,” I mused, dizzy with the taste of him.

He laughed, his hand never leaving my waist. “You’re so fucking amazing, you know that, right?” he said softly. “I need you to know how much I care about you, how much I appreciate everything you’ve done. This trip, your support... it means the world to me.”

My heart swelled, but I could see a shadow of worry cross his face. “What is it?”

Eason sighed, his forehead dropping to rest against mine. “I’m scared, Lena. Hockey isn’t

just my career, it’s my dream. And now, with this injury... I feel like it’s slipping away.”

The vulnerability in his voice made my chest ache. Yes, he’d said to forget about it, but hockey’s all he’s known for his entire life.

I reached up, cupping his cheek with my free hand. “Hey, look at me,” I said gently. When he met my eyes, I continued, “Your dream isn’t slipping away. It’s just on pause. You’re going to heal, and you’re going to come back stronger than ever. I believe in you, Eason. I always have. And even if that doesn’t happen, who cares? My feelings for you would never change.”

“How do you always know exactly what to say?”

“It’s because I love you.”

Eason’s eyes widened slightly, and then he pulled me close, his lips meeting mine in a kiss that was both tender and passionate. He rested his forehead against mine when we broke apart.

“I love you too,” he whispered, kissing my hand as we resumed our walk.

We were about halfway back to the car, still in our little romantic bubble when Eason’s hand slipped out of mine. One moment he was by my side, and next, there was a sickening snap followed by a painful cry.

“Eason!” I whirled around to see him on the ground. His left leg was caught in what looked like some kind of trap. My stomach churned at the sight of metal clamped viciously around his snow boot. Blood seeped through the thick material, staining the snow a dark red.

“Don’t move,” I told him, trying to keep my voice steady as I knelt beside him. “I’ll get you out.”

But it was no use. The trap was too strong, and I couldn’t pry it open without risking further injury to his leg. Fuck!

“Lena,” he gritted out, his face pale with pain. “You need to go get help.”

I shook my head. “I can’t leave you here alone!”

“You have to,” he insisted. “There’s no cell service here.”

I knew he was right, but the thought of leaving him injured and vulnerable made me sick. I pressed a kiss to his forehead, my hands cupping his face. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. I promise.”

With one last look at Eason, I took off running in the direction we came from. I vaguely remembered passing a small village on our drive here. It seemed impossibly far then, and it felt even further now as I sprinted through the darkness.

I was so focused on my goal that I didn’t notice the ground sloping sharply downhill until it was too late. My foot caught on a root, and suddenly, I was tumbling down a steep hill.

I came to a stop at the bottom, dazed and bruised. As I struggled to my feet, a low growl froze me in place. Slowly, I turned my head to see a large wolf emerging from the shadows, its eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

Its yellow eyes locked onto mine, and every instinct screamed at me to run. My heart was pounding so hard that I could feel it in my throat, but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.

I was paralyzed with fear.

Time stretched as we stared at each other. The wolf took a step closer as its lips curled back, revealing gleaming fangs. A low growl rumbled from its chest, and I could swear that I felt the vibration in my bones.

Just as I gathered the courage to move, the wolf lunged forward.

Its jaw clamped down on my jacket. The beast dragged me through the snow, its teeth slicing through the fabric with chilling precision. I clawed and screamed, but I couldn’t get away. I struggled to wriggle free, wrenching the jacket off and tossing it at the animal.

I tried to rise, but the ground seemed to conspire against me, and my feet kept slipping. I dropped to my knees, crawling away in a frantic scramble. Desperately, I ripped off my scarf and threw it at the beast, hoping to distract it.

My gloves and boots followed, scattered in a futile attempt to ward off the relentless predator. I could feel the snow wetting my clothes, seeping into my brown hair.

Undeterred, the wolf lunged again. I could feel its hot, hungry breath against my bare feet. I scrambled backward, my feet slipping on the snow. Its jaws snapped shut inches from my leg, and I felt the rush of air from its muzzle. Terror gave me more strength I didn’t

know I had, and I somehow managed to claw my way up the steep slope.

But it was right behind me.

I could hear its panting, feel its hot breath on my heels. My muscles screamed in protest, but I couldn’t dare slow down. One slip, one moment of hesitation, and it would be over.

I reached the top of the hill and sprinted across the open ground. The wolf was still in pursuit, its paws pounding the earth behind me. I risked a glance over my shoulder and immediately wished I hadn’t. The predator’s eyes gleamed with hunger, its powerful body coiled and ready to pounce.

In desperation, I grabbed a fallen branch from the ground while running. When I felt the wolf getting close, I whirled around, swinging the branch with all my might.

The wood connected with a satisfying thud, and the wolf yelped in surprise. It backed off a few paces, shaking its head. But it wasn’t enough to deter it completely. It lunged again, and this time it landed on me, teeth bared, ready to strike. Filled with so much adrenaline, I barely registered what was happening. Next thing I knew, I was screaming bloody murder and kicking the wolf off me with everything I had.

I cried out in pain and fear, swinging my branch wildly. I connected with something solid, and I heard another yelp.

I wasted no time. Exploding into motion, I ran for my life. I risked another look back. The wolf had stopped, watching me from a distance.

I kept running until I could no longer see those glowing eyes in the darkness. And even then, I still didn’t stop. With tears pouring down my face, I pushed my body beyond its limit until I could see the village light grow closer. Just a little further…

Suddenly, I broke through the treeline and stumbled onto gravel. A blinding light flooded my vision, accompanied by the screech of tires. I threw myself to the side, my body slamming into the ground as a car whizzed past, horn blaring.

As I struggled to sit, a sharp pain lanced through my side. I looked down and froze. There, just above my hip, was a row of angry red punctures. Teeth marks. The wolf’s teeth marks.

My mind reeled, trying to piece together when it happened. The chase flashed through my head in scattered images: the wolf’s gleaming eyes, the snap of jaws, the burning in my leg. But I don’t remember this. How did I not feel it?

Shock, probably. Or adrenaline. It didn’t matter. Eason was still trapped and alone in the wilderness.

A pair of headlights appeared in the distance, growing larger. As they drew closer, I made out the distinct shape of a police cruiser. Relief flooded through me, quickly followed by determination.

Ignoring the pain in my side, I pushed myself to my feet. The cruiser was approaching fast. Too fast to flag down normally.

I didn’t bother to think before I acted.

With the last reserves of my strength, I threw myself into the middle of the road, arms outstretched.