Page 27 of Polestar
He looked down into her upturned face, tight with concern.“A polar bear shifter, like you.”
The blood drained from his face.If that were the case, why hadn’t he recognized the scent right away?And what the hell was one of his kind doing aboard this ship?Who was he?
Magnus crouched next to the opening again while the crew worked to remove the steel framing of the box surrounding the pipes and wires to determine how to extract the man safely.
He inhaled, scenting.
Yes, now he could pick out the distinct, faint scent familiar to him, but it wasn’t right.Familiar yet distorted.It was… other.Someone he knew.Polar bear, yes, but tainted.
Finally, after cutting through the steel paneling, the team lifted it off, allowing the light to wash over the hidden man.
The side panel came away, and the man rolled free, unconscious.
“Fuck.”Magnus barked, chest tight, as he shoved team members aside to get a closer look at the man’s face.“Aksel Matochkin.”
As gently as he could, he lifted him off the floor and carried him to the awaiting gurney so the medics could work on him right away.
He backed off to give them space, listening as they assessed.
“We need to get him to GPSA Medics,” he said to Ana.
She nodded and pulled her phone from her pocket to make the call.
By the time the medical team could safely bring their patient out of the ship and transferred to the docks, the GPSA medical staff were already landing via a nearby helipad to take him into custody.
Magnus helped load Aksel into the helicopter, identifying him as one of his clansmen.
His instinct was to accompany him to see to his care and find out how the hell he was on this ship.
But that would have to wait.Answers would have to wait.For now, Magnus had to trust the GPSA medical team to do their jobs while he did his.
He and Ana still had work to do aboard the ship.
EIGHT
Anarubbedherfingersacross the back of her neck, kneading the muscles as she listened to the rest of her teammates give their reports to Kane, now that they were all back at the estate.
After the extraction of Magnus’ clansman, Ana had continued her investigation with little success.The only directional intention she could glean was ‘north’, which was pretty darned useless as far as she was concerned.
She looked up as Magnus crossed the back of the room again.
He was with them in body, but his mind was visibly with his clansman.
“Bjornson, will you sit?Your pacing is making me twitchy,” Aaron Connor snapped, cutting into what Raya was saying.
Magnus scowled at Aaron, but dropped into the leather chair next to Ana.
Raya resumed.
Ana tuned out Raya’s words as Magnus’ energy swarmed her, stealing her breath away.
“I’m sure he’ll be alright.Our medics are the best.”She reached out, hesitated for only a second to ensure her psychic barrier was in place, then laid her hand over his on the arm of the chair.
Magnus blew out his breath, looking down at her hand on his.“I know.He flipped his hand over, so they were palm to palm, giving her fingers a slight squeeze.
Shivers rippled through her at the intimate contact.She struggled against the urge to slide her fingers between his, anchoring them together.
She looked up into his face, his eyes locked on hers, thoughtful.
