Winter Soldier Zola Novels & Stories

Zara’s POV The first frost of the season dusts the forest floor, glittering like shattered diamonds under the pale morning sun. Winter has always been a time of quiet—of huddling close for warmth, of stories whispered by firelight. But this year, the cold feels different. It’s not just the chill in the air; it’s the weight of what we’ve survived, the ghosts of what we’ve lost.

Snow covered the evergreen trees outside like sugar on pastries, the skies were a pale blur of lavender and silver. Zane sat by the window in the upstairs library, a thick wool throwover slung around his shoulders. The fire crackled behind him, but he didn’t move closer. He watched the snow with distant eyes, a cup of untouched black coffee cooling in his hands. The silence in the lodge today wasn’t comforting. Wasn't soothing. It was deliberate. Suspended. Like the screeching calm after an explosion. Katherina hadn’t been seen since that explosive night two days ago.

With that, she took in a deep breath before closing her eyes to sleep… With that, silence ensued for the longest time… It was sometime in the night when Zivon—who was patting the frost off his pants—realized that his legs were freezing. Even when he attempted to move them, he quickly found out that they had gone numb, most probably because he hadn’t moved in a while…

One of our villa districts had already been transformed into a steel fortress, strong enough to keep even zombies out. Remembering the extreme cold from my previous life, I felt a chill deep in my bones. I added a few more instructions. I told them to move all the supplies underground, stock up on heating equipment, and make sure the place could stay warm continuously for 50 years. In my previous life, we died early, at the hands of the Bakers. I never found out how long the freeze would last. However, my family had power and resources. Upgrading a place like that was nothing for them.

If Zane and his team were discovered, the Firewalls would have to catch the terror of drowning. I stood beside Elias. I watched Zane tie a heavy iron chisel to his belt. He did not look like a Chosen’s partner. He did not look like a diplomat. He looked exactly like the boy who had survived the Thornback woods by learning how to disappear into the shadows. "The water is freezing," I said quietly, the ocean wind tearing the words from my mouth. "I've been cold before," Zane said. He didn't kiss me. We didn't do grand, tragic farewells. That was for stories that ended.

A cool and familiar female voice came from behind us. At some point, my sister had walked over. She wore a sharp professional skirt suit, her presence fully unleashed. She came to my side and gave me a reproachful look. "Why aren't you going in? What are you doing out here in the wind? Aren't you cold?" Lydia's eyes locked onto my sister, then flicked back to me. She screeched. "Connor! You! You actually betrayed me! You sold your body for orders!"

Elara walked out of the building into the gray light of the valley. The storm from the north had had arrived, the first heavy flakes of winter snow were falling down through the trees like ashes from a fire. The timber wolf was still standing on the ridge above the road, his eyes watching her. His eyes were a pretty gold color. The wolf and the woman were just standing there looking at each other. They were standing in the middle of an empty space with forty yards of cold hard stone between them. The woman did not call out to the timber wolf. She did not get her fire ready. The timber wolf did not call out either. The winter was going to be a long one. The timber wolf and the woman were two

Over the next week, the daytime temperature continued climbing to terrifying levels, eventually reaching nearly 140 degrees Fahrenheit at its hottest. But once night fell, the temperature would plummet to almost negative sixty. The difference between day and night was so extreme it felt insane. Even though it was technically still summer, every night I could see thick layers of snow piling up outside, only for it to rapidly evaporate beneath the scorching heat the next morning. Sharon hadn’t come looking for trouble in quite some time now. During the day, zombies crossing the asphalt roads were literally being burned so badly their flesh peeled off onto the pavement.

The Lombartti family will cease to exist in this world. Thomas and I were at this bar on the east side of town, and I was looking at this beautiful woman. Good Lord, she was beautiful. She had waist-length curly kinky hair, caramel skin, legs that went for days, and a face that I knew if she smiled, it would light the whole room. I don’t know what came over me, but I stood up and started to press my drink into Thomas’ chest. “ Sir? Sir? Where are you-” His voice faded as I walked further and further away from him. I walked up to the chair and I could smell her. She smelled like Shea Butter and ocean waters, like she had bathed in a candle and lotioned up with Shea Butter.

“You two once loved each other deeply. You survived countless storms together, but you couldn’t survive the quiet. Ms. Winters won’t come back once she’s gone. “I can help you bring her back by force,” the assistant said, lowering his gaze. “You could lock her away if you wanted, but she would never forgive your betrayal.” Nick shook his head. “I want her to come back willingly.” The assistant was stunned. Then he offered a single piece of advice. “If that’s what you want, you’ll have to win her heart again. Make her fall in love with you one more time.” Nick’s expression shifted. For the first time in days, there was life in his eyes. He immediately signed his discharge papers and bought th