Page 2 of His Relentless Mate
As she briefed the team, Annika was careful to keep her emotions in check, her words precise and devoid of any personal inflection. But she could feel Trace’s eyes on her the entire time, could sense the tension in the room that no one else seemed to notice. Every now and then, she would catch a glimpse of his expression, the same mix of curiosity and wariness that she felt gnawing at her insides. But she pushed it all down, determined to stay professional, determined to ignore the past.
The day had been long, and so far, the night hadn’t been much better. Sleep eluded her. The weight of the day pressed down on her, a heavy reminder of the unresolved feelings she had buried long ago. Giving up on the idea of resting, Annika left the small cottage where she was staying and walked down to the beach. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver glow over the water, and the cool breeze off the sea helped to clear her mind.
She walked along the shore, her feet sinking into the soft sand with each step. The rhythmic sound of the waves crashing against the rocks was soothing, a balm to her frayed nerves. But the tranquility was short-lived, replaced by a growing sense of unease that she couldn’t quite shake.
Annika paused, looking out over the moonlit water, her thoughts swirling. She didn’t notice the shadowy figure watching her from the tree line, hidden in the darkness, eyes trained on her every move. The chill that ran down her spine had nothing to do with the cool night air.
Then, from above, she heard it—a low, guttural roar that sent a shiver of recognition through her. It was a sound she had never heard and yet one that evoked memories from long ago—a dragon’s roar. At least that’s what she thought a dragon should sound like. It’s what they sounded like on television.
Annika looked up, her heart pounding in her chest. The sky was clear, the stars twinkling against the inky blackness, but there was nothing to be seen. And yet, she knew that sound, knew it deep in her bones. Even though she’d never heard a real dragon, somehow, she knew the sound from above was a portent of things to come.
As the roar faded into the night, Annika stood there, her mind racing. The past she had tried so hard to escape was catching up to her, and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to face it. But one thing was certain—whatever was happening now was tied to what had happened all those years ago, and she had no choice but to confront it.
Chapter Two
Trace
Trace leaned back in his office chair, staring out the window as the rain, mixed with wet snow, drizzled down in a slow, steady rhythm. His mind, however, was far from the dreary weather outside. It was focused on the woman who had just walked back into his life after more than a decade away. Annika Connelly. The name alone stirred memories—some sweet, others bitter, all of them complicated.
She was different now. Hardened. Guarded in a way that made him ache for the girl she had been. The girl he had loved with every ounce of his young, foolish heart. Trace rubbed a hand over his face, trying to reconcile the woman who had stood before him today with the vibrant, open-hearted girl he had left behind all those years ago.
Back then, leaving for the military had seemed like the only path that made sense. He’d been young and hungry for something bigger than the small town of Kodiak could offer. A bigger, better life he could offer her. Enlisting right out of high school had been a no-brainer, even if it meant leaving behind the girl who had meant everything to him. He had been so certain that she would wait for him, that their love was strong enough to survive the distance, the time apart.
But life had a way of throwing curveballs. His phone calls had gone unanswered, his letters returned unopened. He’d been confused, hurt, and then angry when he heard through mutual friends that Annika had left for Seattle to become a cop. She hadn’t just moved on; she had erased him from her life, and that had stung more than he cared to admit.
In the years that followed, Trace had learned to bury that pain deep inside, focusing on his military service and the new challenges that came with it. He hadn’t been a dragon shifter when they were together, but that had changed during a mission gone wrong, a dark twist of fate that had rewritten his life in ways he still struggled to understand. Looking back, he wondered if maybe it had been a blessing in disguise that Annika had left when she did. He wasn’t sure he would have wanted to burden her with the monstrous truth of what he had become.
But now she was back, and not just for a social visit. She was here to solve a cold case that had haunted the community for decades, a case that had been her uncle’s obsession for as long as Trace could remember. He had humored the old chief for years, listening to theories and following up on leads that never panned out. But this was different. This time, Annika was the one chasing the ghosts of the past, and Trace found himself drawn into the investigation and into the orbit of the woman he had never quite gotten over.
He sighed and stood, shrugging into his jacket as he prepared to take Annika to the Grand Alaskan Hotel, the scene of the crime that had remained unsolved for so long. The place was a relic from another era, much like the case itself. But if anyone could breathe new life into it, it was Annika. He had seen the fire in her eyes when she talked about it, the determination that reminded him so much of the girl she used to be.
Annika was waiting for him in the station’s lobby when he stepped out of his office. She looked up as he approached, her expression carefully neutral, though he didn’t miss the way her gaze flicked over him, assessing, maybe even remembering. He wondered if she saw the changes in him as clearly as he saw them in her.
“Ready to go?” he asked, keeping his tone casual.
She nodded, the tightness in her posture suggesting that she was just as aware of the tension between them as he was. “Let’s get this started.”
They left the station and headed to the hotel in silence, the drive through the familiar streets of Kodiak feeling surreal with Annika beside him. The town hadn’t changed much in the years since she’d left—still small, still wrapped in the rugged beauty of Alaska’s wilderness. But everything else between them felt different, heavy with the weight of unspoken words and unresolved feelings.
The Grand Alaskan Hotel loomed ahead, its once-impressive facade now faded and weather-worn. The building had seen better days, but it still retained a certain charm, a reminder of its former glory. Trace parked the car, and they stepped out into the chilly air, the scent of the sea mixing with the dampness of the rain.
“This place hasn’t changed much,” Annika remarked, her voice tinged with nostalgia as she looked up at the old building.
“Not many places around here do,” Trace replied. “But it’s got history, even if some of it is the kind most people would rather forget.”
They entered the lobby, where the years had taken their toll. The carpet was threadbare in places, and the once-polished wood of the front desk was dulled by time. The air was thick with the smell of old wood and memories, as if the building itself was reluctant to let go of the past.
The staff they interviewed were just as worn by time as the hotel. They were older now, their memories clouded by the passage of years, but they answered Annika’s questions with a sense of duty, as if they, too, wanted to see the case finally resolved. Trace watched her work, noting the way she handled herself—calm, professional, with a sharpness that hadn’t been there before. But every now and then, he caught a glimpse of something else, something softer, as if the old Annika was peeking out from behind the tough exterior she had built.
One of the older staff members, a woman in her seventies with a stern expression, mentioned a guest who had checked in under a false name around the time of the murder. The details had been overlooked in the original investigation, dismissed as irrelevant. But Annika latched onto it, her mind working through the possibilities with a determination that reminded Trace of the girl who used to stay up late with him, debating the merits of detective novels.
“It’s not much,” the woman said, her hands twisting the edge of her apron nervously. “But I remember thinking it was odd at the time. The man didn’t seem to want to be noticed, kept to himself, and left without a word. It’s strange that it never came up before.”
“It’s more than we’ve had in years,” Annika said, her voice thoughtful. “Thank you for your help.”
The woman nodded, her expression softening as she looked at Annika. “Your uncle is a good man, and he was a good cop. I hope you can finally put this to rest.”
“We’re going to do our best,” Annika replied in a firm tone.