The Coldest Winter Ever 2 Novels & Stories

After that, I hung up first and stared blankly at the photos in my hands. I had no idea how long had passed. Outside, it seemed like a heavy storm had started. Rain hammered against the roof in a relentless roar. In the darkness, Vincent’s voice suddenly echoed faintly in my ears, as if from a distant past. “Christine, do you not like New York winters because it doesn’t snow heavily? Then from now on, every winter, I’ll take you somewhere with snow, like the Alps, Norway, or Iceland.” Longyearbyen was the northernmost city in the world, six thousand kilometers away from New York. It was a place where it snowed all year round, with endless snow.

The northern territory was thriving, the elite pack lines were secure, and my mother’s legacy was finally running free among the stars. I looked down at the silver medal resting securely against my heart, then turned my gaze back to the massive, powerful male commanding the ice below. The winter solstice had once marked the absolute darkest hour of my life—the moment my world had been plunged into a freezing, permanent dark. But as Sebastian caught my eye from across the roaring stadium, offering a slow, private smile that belonged exclusively to my wolf, I knew the data had completely realigned. The shadows had been thoroughly hunted out of our den.

She'd only ever known cold. I thought about that for a long time after I got into bed. The power came back on at two in the morning, I heard the fridge hum back to life, saw the small glow of the hallway nightlight reappear under my door, and I lay there in the sudden ordinary brightness of a restored apartment and thought about sunflowers growing in cold ground. And a man who said he didn't know the ending yet.

I could hear his teeth clatter when the gusts grew stronger. “The neighboring countries?” I asked. “They have also momentarily paused their search because it is too cold now, Alpha,” he replied carefully. “The northern countries are becoming icy. The winter is set to be harsh. Along with that, the men are getting sick.” I closed my eyes for a brief moment. Wolves were resilient, but we were not immune to nature’s cruelty. Patrols had been extended into the mountains and northern forests for weeks now. All for her. And still, there was nothing.

Something about it didn't feel right. Nicole had a feeling that the deep freeze was coming. Compared to the flood, that would be a lot worse. A dog like Cola could adapt to harsh conditions, but this wasn't just cold. It could drop to -90°F. Even people wrapped up head to toe might not survive that, much less Cola, who had short fur. The memory hit her hard. Last time, his body had been covered in frostbite, wounds oozing. Nicole's chest tightened.

The Moonfall bunker was experiencing the winter season. The Dead Zone surface froze after the explosion, which brought chilling temperatures that spread through Sector Two's large opening. The warm underground air which had been present for weeks turned into a harsh freezing wind. I stood at the Sector Two chokepoint while two heavy wool blankets wrapped around my body over my sweater.

The city had become a massive skating rink. The temperature was unforgiving. Even fully armored, anyone could remain outside for only fifteen to twenty minutes before lung damage set in. He carefully steered the car out of the neighborhood. Onlookers couldn't help but stare, both shocked and envious. The good news: the fog had cleared, and the deadly hail had stopped. The bad news: the temperature had plummeted again. Senna City had never experienced anything below –10°C. No winter clothes could truly protect against this cold. Layering was one option—but how many layers could a person wear before being weighed down and clumsy?

Heavy snowstorms throughout the winter delayed upcoming raids, a storm so severe that even Terrance and Phuture didn't want any parts of adventuring outside. The storm lasted for weeks throughout majority of the month of December, a record-breaking storm that was never supposed to take place in the history of Greenland. Heavy winds, freezing weather, and snow devastated states that barely had ever seen snow in the south. The east was engulfed in snow during the storm as well, forcing everyone to mostly stay stationary where they were before the sudden storm.

The underground bunker, hidden from satellites and maps alike. “This is it,” he said as he shut off the engine. “From here, we shift.” They moved with practiced ease. Thick winter coats were exchanged for lighter base layers better suited for shifting. Bags were re-packed, fastened tight so they could be carried by their wolves. Celeste stood at the edge of the vehicle, her breath visible in the icy air. The snow was coming down harder now, thick and fast, sticking to lashes and hair within seconds. The cold crept through her clothes, but the anticipation warmed her blood.

Snow fell in soft spirals, the sky a silvery gray canvas. “Did it snow all night?” I asked, quietly. “Yes,” he replied with a faint scoff. “I hate the snow. Crimson Dusk has long, bitter winters. But the season will pass. Very soon.” I nodded absently, but it wasn’t the cold that bothered me. It was the image of the captives, Zevarion, sleeping outside, shivering under open skies, stripped of warmth. I imagined the snow clinging to their skin, burying them slowly.