Page 1 of Primal Snow

Chapter 1

Iknew this was a bad idea as soon as I heard ‘Alaska’.

“No, I told you not to text that bitch!” Mia shouts at Derek, her voice echoing off the vaulted wooden ceiling like an air horn.

We’ve been here for less than an hour, and I’ve already had enough. My best friend is all up in her boyfriend’s face, screeching like this is aJerry Springerholiday special. Mind you, this was supposed to be a romantic couples’ getaway. Just the six of us, me and my girls with our men. Three happy pairs, basking inthe snowy galore of togetherness.

Except here comes a plot twist—it’s in fucking Alaska.

Let me clarify that this was not my idea. This brilliant plan belongs to Vicky, who casually dropped, “My family has a cabin near this really cute ski resort! We should totally go!” over brunch last month. And because my dumbass boyfriend, Chase, has fewer brain cells than a snowflake, he thought it soundedamazing. “A once-in-a-lifetime experience!” he’d said, looking at me with those piercing blue eyes and stupidly perfect dimples.

Yeah, Chase. You know what’s also a once-in-a-lifetime experience? Freezing to death.

Which, by the way, is apparently a very real possibility tonight. The weather app on my phone is practically yelling at us: BLIZZARD WARNING.

“I think we should take this seriously. I’m not dying here with you guys,” I mumble, shaking my head.

Vicky thinks it’s quirky or something. “Oh, we’ll be snowed in! Cozy vibes!” she says with her mouth glued to her boyfriend’s.

That’s right. She and Jay are currently making out on the giant leather sectional sofa, completely unfazed. He has his hand halfway up her shirt with not a single care in the world.

Meanwhile, I’m over here calculating how long it will take hypothermia to set in if the power goes out.

“Ugh, you’re a fucking ass!” Mia throws what looks like a pair of puffer mittens at Derek. Huffing with irritation, she stomps past me, muttering a string of cursesand gesturing in her usual, exaggerated way when she's angry. Derek, on the other hand, just stares out the floor-to-ceiling windows like he’s contemplating throwing himself into the nearby lake in view and turning into an ice cube. I don’t blame him. Not that I condone cheating, and I have my girl’s back all the way, but Mia can be the biggest drama queen.

With a sigh, I glance around the cabin. To Vicky’s credit, this place is nice, though it’s as expected. Her being a trust fund baby, I knew her family wasrich-rich, and this property is, of course, top lux. The floors are heated, and there’s this massive stone fireplace that looks straight out of aHallmarkmovie. The furniture is sleek but rustic, and there’s a huge hot tub on the back deck. So, yeah, it’s gorgeous. But no amount of designer throw pillows or artisanal woodwork can distract me from the fact that I’m surrounded by damned snow. Everywhere.

“Babe, you’re not ready yet?” Chase’s baritone voice jolts me out of my thoughts. He’s standing in the doorway, wearing the black snowboarding overalls and his toothpaste-commercial-looking smile while his snow-dusted dark hair falls messily over his forehead. That man is so goddamn gorgeous that it’s hard to look at him sometimes.

“Do I look ready?” I ask, gesturing to the same sweats I wore on the flight and the death glare I’ve been cultivating the entire trip out here.

He laughs because he thinks I’m joking. I’m really not. I’m pissed. I don’t like any of this. I’m over this excursion, and we’re on day one. But give me a break—I’m a SoCal girl, born and raised. Moving to the northern part of the state for college was enough of a weather change for me.

“No, we should get going,” Vicky says, finally detaching herself from Jay. Her cheeks are flushed, and her hair’s a mess.Gross.“With this pace, it’ll get dark soon, and the resort’s, like, half an hour away. Plus, we still need to get fitted for the gear.”

Half an hour? That’s thirty minutes of being stuck in the mobile soap opera factory, driving through godforsaken wilderness. Awesome. Just what I wanted.

But, of course, she’s got the whole trip itinerary locked and loaded. Slopes are the main event that everyone is stoked about. Honestly, I’m just here for the snow tubing and snowmobiling she lined up for the next few days—because why not go full winter wonderland madness, right?

With an ostentatious sigh, I go change into my cute pink snow pants and a matching jacket, trying to come up with excuses to avoid even renting out a snowboard. I don’t think I remember how to glide, especially with all this advanced terrain around. The last time I did was, what, three years ago? Winter before college when my family and I spent Christmas in Aspen… which I naturally complained about for a month.

“Emma, move!” Vicky shouts at me, and I mentally gather myself before joining the others, waiting for me at the front door, all ready to go.

As we pile into the SUV, I can’t shake this weird feeling. Not quite fear, but… unease. Like the snow is too perfect, the trees too still. It’s the kind of ambiance where you expect to see a deer cross the road and then realize it’s one of those zombie ones that can’t be helped.

“Everything alright?” Chase asks, sliding into the driver’s seat.

“Peachy,” I reply cynically, nervously braiding my long, blonde hair so it wouldn’t get in the way.

He grins and cranks up the heater, then rests his large, veiny hand on my thigh. “Let’s hit the slopes!” he exclaims.

The rest of the group cheers in excitement from the back seats as the car jolts forward. Jay, predictably, lets out an exaggerated whoop, flexing his biceps for absolutely no fucking reason other than to remind us they exist—and are still visible under all the layers he’s wearing. At six-foot-five, Jay looks like he’s destined for the NFL draft, which is precisely where he’s headed after graduation, thanks to his full-ride football scholarship. He’s a rising star with a bright future ahead of him. But his easygoing attitude is what made him the group’s unofficial hype man. He’s the guy who’ll dare you to jump off a roof into a kiddie pool and then carry you to the ER when it inevitably goes wrong.

“Jesus, Jay, you sure those muscles won’t cause an avalanche?” Derek mutters sarcastically, smirking. “Maybe tone it down before you collapse the fucking mountain.”

Jay grins, flexing even harder and almost crushing Vicky cramped next to him. “I’m just letting nature know who’s boss.”

“Yeah, man, you’re real majestic in that snowsuit,” Derek deadpans, rolling his eyes.

---