Page 34 of Beast Bear

Panic clenched in Serena’s chest. She saw the spotters rushing forward, shouting for help. Without a second’s hesitation, she sprinted to her medic tent and yanked open the flap. She snatched up her radio again. “Alicia, we have an emergency. Oneclimber’s main rope snapped. She’s dangling by her backup and hit the wall hard. She’s unconscious.”

Alicia’s voice turned instantly urgent. “Serena, you’ll need a backboard to secure her. You have to get her down carefully, or you’ll risk further injury.”

“On it,” Serena said, snatching the backboard from her supplies. Her heart pounded as she thought of the height of the wall and the tangled lines. Every second she waited, the climber remained unconscious and vulnerable, suspended in midair.

Chapter

Forty-Three

Theo stood at the summit.The wind whipped against his face as he stared down at the scene below. He saw a climber suspended limply from a backup rope, her main line clearly snapped. Most of the ropes were compromised.

He scanned the scattered gear. He found a harness Kai hadn’t touched, and he knew the line Kai had used must be secure. There was more shouting below, and it prompted him to move faster. After tugging on the rope to test its tension, he hooked himself in, took a breath, and stepped over the edge.

Theo kept his feet wide apart on the rocky surface, descending with controlled movements. The rope felt solid. Halfway down, he found himself level with the unconscious climber, a middle-aged woman. She hung limply, swaying slightly in the breeze. A fresh wave of anger coursed through him. He shouted toward the ground. “You can’t use any of these ropes.”

Theo steadied his feet and continued lowering himself. Relief washed through him when his boots touched the ground. He unhooked himself as Serena rushed forward. They embraced for one intense moment, and all the fear, guilt, and hope theyshared passed between them. She pulled back, her face set with urgency. Logan arrived, jogging up with a coil of rope slung over his shoulder. Theo wasted no time explaining the situation.

Serena pointed up at the injured climber, still unconscious and dangling. “I have to get her down fast.”

Theo glanced over at the cliff. “We can’t trust any of these ropes, but I know for sure the one I used is safe.”

Serena nodded. “I have the backboard and first-aid supplies. I can climb up to her and secure her while you spot me from below.”

“I’ll secure more lines from above to help you get her down safely,” Logan said.

“Hurry,” Serena said as she secured her harness.Theo double and triple checked it. She strapped herself into the rope Theo had just confirmed. Her gaze flicked to the unconscious climber, then back to Theo. “I’ll get her stabilized on the backboard and wait for Logan to throw down the safely anchored ropes.”

Theo took his position at the base and then braced himself to support Serena’s weight. His adrenaline spiked at the thought of something going wrong. He met Serena’s eyes and gave a firm nod. She nodded back, resolve shining through. Together, they began hoisting her upward.

Chapter

Forty-Four

Serena feltthe weight of the backboard on her shoulders, reminding her how much was at stake. Theo had assured her this line was safe, but the memory of Kai’s sly words made her hands shake. With a determined breath, she pulled the rope taut and started her climb.

Each step that carried her higher made anxiety tighten in her gut. She had learned to trust her instincts, but right now every nerve was on edge. The unconscious climber hung above, and there was no telling how long she had before things got worse.

At last, she came level with the limp figure clinging to a backup line. Her breath caught at the sight of the woman’s pale face and slack limbs. Serena rushed to examine the injured climber, murmuring a reassurance the woman could not hear.

She checked for a pulse, relieved to find one. She placed a hand on the woman’s ribs, sensing a shallow rise and fall. With careful fingers, she felt along her neck and found no obvious fractures.

Serena pulled out a brace from her pack and slipped it around the woman’s neck, securing it snugly. Next, she gave a quicklook for bleeding. There was some bruising around the woman’s temple, but no large wounds.

A shout from above caught her attention as two ropes tumbled down the mountain toward her. “Serena,” Logan called, his voice echoing down the rocks. “These lines are safe.”

“Got it,” Serena yelled back.

She grabbed the lines Logan had sent down and attached the board. She tested each connection and then maneuvered the board into position under the injured climber, careful not to jar the climber’s neck or spine. Serena exhaled a relieved breath as she strapped the woman onto the backboard, aligning her spine and cushioning her head against any further impact. Sweat beaded on Serena’s forehead. A single mistake could worsen the woman’s injuries.

With the help of Logan and Theo, Serena guided the backboard in a controlled descent. On the way down, she stayed by the injured woman’s side as best she could, adjusting the board’s angle whenever it bumped into the rock. At last, they reached the lower ledge. With a final push, Serena ensured the board landed gracefully on solid ground.

Serena then began her own rappel. Adrenaline coursed through her, heightening every sensation. Her feet finally met the ground. She stepped away from the wall, unhooking the rope. Across the clearing, she saw Alicia rushing in, medical bag in hand. The injured woman still lay strapped to the backboard, eyes closed, bruises forming on her face.

Alicia knelt and started examining the patient. “She’s got a bump on her head, likely a concussion, and there may be spinaldamage,” Alicia muttered, her voice tight. “We need to evacuate her fast.”

Serena felt an arm slide around her shoulders. She glanced up to see Theo, worry etched across his features. She let herself lean into him, comforted by his presence. It felt like a small miracle that they had brought the woman down safely.

Alicia’s urgency brought them back to the present. “We’ll carry her down the mountain right away. Serena, I need you to help notify everyone the climb is canceled. There’s no telling which gear was tampered with.”

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