Page 6 of Beast Bear

Theo felt a stab of guilt, thinking about the time. He knew dinner service was well underway. “I’ll guide you back. You can follow me.”

“Thank you so much,” the hikers said.

He crouched behind the tree again and let his bear form roll across his skin. Within moments, he was a powerful grizzly once more. He knew he looked like a terrifying monster to humans. But when he revealed himself, they gladly followed him back down the trail.

He led them through the woods, navigating by scent and memory, until the academy’s outer lights came into view. A sense of urgency nagged at him. Dinner service was in progress, and he had abandoned his station.

Soon, they emerged from the tree line. The hikers thanked him, chattering excitedly as they made their way to the administrative building. He rushed back to his cabin, changed, and ducked back into the kitchen. His eyes swept the room, expecting chaos. Instead, the staff had kept things rolling without him.

He stood frozen for a moment, torn between relief and guilt. He might have done a good deed by helping those hikers, but in the end, he’d proved his beast side was a liability—pulling him away from the job he was hired to do.

Chapter

Seven

Serena steppedonto the training field, trying to shake off the lingering unease from her terrible date with Theo. Theo’s teeth had grazed her pulse point. If he’d managed to bite her, it could have locked her into a mate bond without her consent.

She shook her head, trying to focus on what had brought her to the academy. It wasn’t to get trapped into a doomed relationship like her parents. Day two of Rope Rescue I was about to begin. She gripped her small daypack, mentally running through the scenarios outlined in her training packet.

Morgan Delgado, the equipment manager, was arguing with a junior instructor at the base of the tower. “If you read these logs,” he said, voice taut with anger, “you can see the exact place where the gear was flagged. Yet no one took action. That is unacceptable.”

A few trainees passing by exchanged uneasy glances. Logan Carter emerged from behind a canvas tent and walked over to Morgan. “We can talk about the rope logs. Let’s not turn this into a shouting match before training even starts.”

“Talk?” Morgan repeated, waving his folder again. “I have been talking for weeks. We’re cutting corners on equipment, ignoring flagged ropes, and you want to have a polite conversation? A disaster is looming if we continue this penny-pinching.”

Logan sighed. “I hear you… Recruitment is down. Talk to Poppy about the funding issues.”

Morgan interrupted. “Logan, you are the climbing instructor, you need to take real steps to fix this.” He stomped off, leaving a hush in his wake.

Logan cleared his throat and gestured to the trainees gathered near the tower. “Everyone,” he said, projecting his voice so it carried across the field, “let’s have a quick briefing. Day one was about fundamentals. Day two will be more advanced. I need everyone focused. Harness checks, belay commands, and stable anchor setups remain vital.”

Serena noticed some glances among the trainees, and she could sense they felt on edge. Alicia, her paramedic instructor, waved to Serena and two other paramedic trainees.

Once they gathered, Alicia spoke in a low voice. “We’ll be rotating roles between belayer, rescuer, and on-site medic. In a real scenario, you’ll need to be prepared to handle injuries mid-wall. And don’t hesitate to call for assistance if you need it.”

Serena nodded. “Understood,” she said.

The group dispersed, and Serena paired with another trainee for a warm-up climb. She belayed without issue, the rope slipping neatly through her hands as her partner scaled the tower. Across the way, Logan coached a team on tying knots, emphasizing how critical it was to secure them properly under load.

Travis Li climbed to a designated ledge where a dummy had been placed to mimic an injured climber. As he shifted his weight onto the rope to secure the dummy, a sharp snapping sound rang out. The rope near his waist frayed alarmingly, leaving strands nearly severed. Travis let out a startled yell, clinging to the wall with white-knuckled hands. Serena’s stomach dropped.

Logan’s voice tore through the air. “Backup line now!” he commanded. “Everybody stay calm.”

Logan worked with swift efficiency, tying a figure-eight and anchoring it to a stable point, while Alicia and another trainee braced the line from below. Travis, though trembling, managed to shift his weight onto the backup rope. Within seconds, they lowered him gently to the grass.

Alicia crouched next to him. “Any pain?” she pressed. “Shoulder strain? Ankle twist?”

Travis shook his head, visibly shaken. “I think I’m just a little bruised,” he stammered. He lifted his gaze to the tower. “The rope felt fine a second ago. Then it just snapped.”

Serena followed his line of sight and saw the end of the rope dangling in the breeze. Her breath caught at how close Travis had come to a serious fall.

Course coordinator Kai Morrow stepped onto the training field. “What happened here?” He glanced around, looking for answers.

“We’re trying to figure that out,” Logan said.

Alicia ushered everyone to the base of the tower and then unhooked the damaged line. Alicia and Logan laid the ropeout on the grass. Serena hovered beside them, her heart still pounding. She studied the tear in the rope, noticing how clean and precise it seemed.

Logan’s face went pale. “This isn’t normal wear and tear. Friction doesn’t do this,” he said, pointing to the torn fibers. “Normal wear leaves frays along a length. This is almost like it was cut in a single spot.”

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