CHAPTER FOUR

Chloe woke the next morning, not bright eyed nor bushy tailed. She was cold, the ancient log home draft ridden the entire night. A knock on the door made her shoot up, her hair matted around her cranky face.

“Chloe! Time to get up! Seven O'clock!”

She rolled her eyes and flipped on her stomach, grumbling, “Yeah, yeah...”

The sounds of her dad getting ready across the hall correlated with her buzzing phone. Grabbing it, she shut it off. Her thoughts wandered back to the night’s main attraction, a vivid dream about wolves and in particular, a large grey one with bright green eyes.

Rubbing her forehead, the picture him standing in front of her; head low, a soft grey coat under her palm as he brushed against her, burned in her mind. It had been too real.

“Too much fresh air already going to my head.” She got out of bed and walked across her room to her open suitcases. Trying to dress for the weather, she chose a pair of leggings, four layered shirts and a long sweater that capped mid thigh.

“I look like a blimp. A short one, but a blimp...” she grumbled

Trudging out of her room with her purse and cell phone in hand, she made a quick pit stop at the bathroom to douse her eyes in mascara and brushed her unruly auburn hair.

Feeling bored with her appearance, she huffed, leaving for downstairs.

Her stomach began to growl; the caribou stew was not something she had indulged too much in the night before.

In the kitchen, she found her dad at the table eating a bowl of corn flakes.

“Wow, Dad, some things never change.”
“Corn flakes are the best way to start the day, Loe!”

She rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm, “so, tonight can we have something normal to eat?”

“Normal?” he tugged at the collar of his uniform.

“Yeah, you know, things without antlers?”

“I have some beef, I guess.”

“Cool,” Chloe nodded and opened the fridge. She found a crushed pack of bread and removed it, “you need to clean this thing out. There might be murder cases in there for you to investigate.”

He chuckled, “you always were a funny one, Loe.”

She popped some crushed bread in the toaster as there was a sharp knock at the front door.

Her dad got up, “That's Grayson.”

Chloe groaned and turned back to the toaster. She heard her father greet wolf-boy and invite him in, still she kept her eyes on her toast.

Her dad walked back in, adjusting his duty belt and slipping on his jacket, “Well, I'm off.”

“Huh...” Chloe swung around. Wasn't a father supposed to be protective of his daughter? Why did Grayson Holtz get a free pass!

Quick with her eyes, she took in the gigantic boy stepping into the kitchen. His eyes came to her and he smiled. Her response was a sneer.

“Morning, Chloe,” he tried.

“Morning, Grayson,” she hissed and turned away.

“See you tonight. Thanks again, Gray!” Her dad walked out of the house and left the two seventeen-year-olds.

“So?” Grayson started once Henry was out the door.

Chloe had no interest in striking a conversation with him.

He cleared his throat, “have a good sleep?”

Her toast popped into her face, making her jump.

He laughed at her expense, “Scary toast.”

She growled and whipped the bread up to butter it.

He moved across the kitchen and sat in a chair, “you're not going to talk to me?”

She took a bite of her toast and watched him out of the corner of her eye.

He grunted as she noted his fitted jeans and dark blue t-shirt under his huge parka; the boy was sort of hot. He almost looked like he belonged in the city, well, a frozen-city.

“Alright, mute-Chloe, if you were this against the ride share, you should have just said so.”

Chloe swung around to him, “what?”

He stood, shrugging, “it's cool. Take the bus.”

Her mouth dropped open, “You asked me and I said I was getting a car, then my dad comes upstairs and informs me, that you are now giving me a ride. You pouted to your daddy to get your way! Baby.”

Grayson lifted an eyebrow, “are you always this cranky in the morning?”

“I'm a city girl. This is what we're like.”

Grayson smiled, “no, I see that. You're dressed in leggings and fuzzy sheep boots, you're going to freeze out there. I'll stick around, I think you might need me.”

Her blue orbs burned into him, “Just forget giving me a ride, I'll take the bus!”

He sighed, “come on, Chloe. What did I do to you?”

“You're persistent.”

He laughed, “That's not a thing.”

“It's a thing!” She snapped.

“It's not a thing.” He growled, his voice cutting through her. It took her a moment to get her bearings.

“It's a thing.” She hissed, eying him up.

He snorted, “we better get going or we'll be late.”

“I'm taking the bus,” she chirped.

Grayson titled his head, “you're on the bus route?”

Chloe swallowed, “Umm... what do you mean?”
He laughed at her again; it made her boil.

“Chloe, you have to sign up to be on a bus route or else the bus doesn’t come.”

Her face creased with confusion, “there's no bus stop?”

He held his amusement, “nope.”

“Oh my god!” She shoved her toast in her mouth and walked out of the kitchen.

“Oh.” Grayson stumbled after her.

She grabbed her father's down filled jacket as her eyes wandered to him. He came up behind her, slowing his step and waiting.

“How tall are you?” she wondered.

He smiled, “I'm six foot six. How tall are you?”
Chloe wrinkled her nose, “five foot four... in a half.”

He laughed, “you are pretty darn tiny.”

“Well, you’re a freak of nature... whose six foot six and normal?”

“I don't really remember saying I was normal,” he pulled his keys out and shoved a black knit toque on over his thick brown hair.

She stared at him, “What?”

He smirked, “What?”

“Whatever.” Grabbing her white toque, she pulled it on, “Oh.” She held out his gloves from the day before, “here.”
He glanced at them, “well, you might as well wear them. It's cold out.”

She paused as he moved to the door and opened it, stepping out into the brisk air. He headed towards the massive black truck and she chased after him, slamming the door behind her. She noticed the foot or more of fresh snow on the ground.

“Does it ever stop snowing here!” She called, skipping to the truck.

“It's November. It starts in late September and might melt off in April-ish.” He answered, grabbing his door.

“Great...” She hauled the passenger door open and crawled into it, securing herself in the seat for the journey.

Grayson climbed in beside her and started the diesel. He flipped the heat on. She was thankful he did, already being numb from the cold.

“It'll take a moment to get warm again. I had it running for you when I was coming down the road.”

“For me?” she echoed as the truck ploughed through the new heavy snow and out onto the highway.

He shrugged, “Cold doesn’t bother me. I'm used to it, I guess.”

“I hope I never get used to it,” she snapped.

The silence between them became thick.

“So, what's the deal, do you hate Henry or something?”

“I don't hate my dad!” Chloe shot, “My dad's the only sane one in my family.”

“So, what happened?”

She sighed, knowing she wouldn't win the no talking war and against the master of twenty questions.

“They divorced five years ago. My dad worked for the Los Angeles Police Department and my mom was having psych issues from it. He was a good cop there.”

“He's a good cop here,” Grayson stated. “Henry Pryce is one of the best things that has ever happened to Polar, Alaska. Most of the Troopers up here are a bit crooked.”

She swallowed, “well, I guess my dad just couldn't handle my mom's constant nagging about police work. How he was never home, yatta, yatta... next thing I knew, Dad was leaving for Alaska. I didn't talk to him for the first three years. I thought he...” she paused the pouring of her heart. Not even Dodge had gotten that much out of her.

“Thought he, what?” Grayson pushed.

Breathless, she admitted, “I thought he didn't love me anymore.”

Grayson winced, “everyone here knew about you. My dad even tried to convince him a few times to go see you. He seemed to miss you, the way he talks at least.”

She gazed out her side window, “well, whatever, it's all done and now I live here, with him.”

Her eyes came to the bracelet on her wrist and she thought of home.

Grayson let out a grunt, “So, I'm not worthy of a friend request?”

She smirked, not looking at him, “maybe one day, Grayson Holtz.”

“I look forward to it, Chloe Pryce,” he was smirking; she could hear it in his voice. How she could tell his facial expression from his tone of voice was disturbing.

Fifteen minutes later, and less of any talking, they were out front Polar High.

He shut the truck off and turned to her, “so, we can meet back here after school?”

Chloe shrugged, “sure. Looks like I don't have a choice anyway.”

Grayson smiled and jumped out of the truck, “Nope! See you later, Little.”

“What did you call me?” The door slammed and she scrambled out, bracing herself for the ice.

His friend's bombarded him on the other side of the vehicle. Instead of sticking around for introductions, she booked it to the other side of the parking lot where Annie stepped in front of her.

“Chloe.” The girl tapped her foot with her arms folded across her chest, looking miserable.

“Hey...” Chloe greeted, afraid to venture into conversation.

“Did you just exit Grayson Holtz's truck?”