Free Primal Calling by Jillian Burns

childhood. But that was just one person’s experience. She needed to question a lot more people before she assumed.
    Hooking into her seat belt, she started the car and took in her surroundings. The sun was low on the horizon and the wind had whipped up the snowdrifts. The temperature had dropped considerably and visibilitywas going to make it a challenge finding her way back to the hotel.
    After twenty minutes, her fears were realized. She must have made a wrong turn somewhere. The ice fog was so dense, she was afraid to go any farther without knowing exactly how to get there. She pulled the car over and grabbed her cell from her purse, but she hadn’t charged it in days. Damn. The streets were empty, the ice fog thickened and she started to panic.
    What was she doing in this place? She could be sitting by the pool with dinner reservations tonight. Going to a movie, meeting her friends at a bar. She’d been crazy to think she could do anything like this on her own.
    Calm down, Serena. You can do this. She closed her eyes and tried to picture the way she’d come in her mind.
    A horn honked, and she jumped, her heart pounding. The window of the truck beside her came down and she caught a glimpse of Mickey in the seat beside the driver. It was Max. He stuck his arm out, motioned her to follow him and then pulled ahead.
    She followed him back to the hotel and expected him to get out, but he drove off once she pulled into a parking space. How had he known where she was? He had to have followed her. So, he was spying on her?
    If he was into some sort of criminal activity, why had he bothered to save her just now? Most of the stores had already closed, but she could’ve knocked on someone’sdoor and borrowed a phone. This made it the second time he’d come to her rescue.
    And it was difficult to be objective about a hero.
    Â 
    A FEW HOURS LATER , after a shower and a nap, she came down the stairs to the loud murmur of voices. The lobby, which looked more like her grandmother’s living room, was full of people.
    â€œSerena, everyone’s so excited to meet you,” Arna greeted her as she stepped into the throng. “And when they heard you were without luggage, they brought gifts.”
    An old Inuit with long gray hair stepped forward and offered her a large foil-wrapped package. “Welcome to Barrow, Ms. Sandstone.”
    â€œSerena, this is Mayor Chuka, mayor of the North Slope Borough. He’s also our whaling captain.”
    Serena took the packet, which felt like fish meat. “Thank you so much, Mayor Chuka. Please call me Serena.”
    â€œI’ll get that whale meat on the grill, Mayor.” Chris took her gift and—wait. Did he say “whale” meat? Serena glanced warily back at the foil-wrapped food disappearing into the kitchen as Arna tugged her to the next person.
    She met a scientist from the old naval-base-turned-research-lab who was studying climate change and a Korean schoolteacher. There was a Tonkin grocery store owner and a Latino nurse who’d just arrived to work at the hospital. Each brought her a gift. A pair of snowpants, some sealskin mitts, a traditional, fur-lined parka and some moose meat. Serena was overwhelmed by their generosity.
    â€œDinner is served, folks,” Chris called from the kitchen.
    â€œYou won’t find a better home-cooked meal anywhere in the Arctic,” Arna bragged. Everyone filed in to the buffet-style dinner.
    The food was simple but good. Wine and coffee were poured and, after everyone had eaten, Serena stood and raised her plastic cup. “To the people of Barrow, the most welcoming and generous folks I’ve met in all my travels.” As they clinked their glasses to the toast, Serena wondered about Max. Wasn’t he part of this community? Even if he hid away from reporters, surely he had friends here in town.
    â€œMy compliments to the chef,” she told Chris when he came by to take