Shadow growled low, muscles rippling with the storm’s tension. Elise fumbled with her jacket, tossing it upstream. It snagged on a rock, drawing the panther’s eyes. Instead of chasing, Shadow nudged the fabric toward Theo, covering the boy’s shoulders with surprising gentleness. Gasps rose from the men above.
“Stay,” Elise breathed, voice trembling. She crouched, knife flicking open to saw at Theo’s soaked laces. The current surged, threatening to sweep them both away. Suddenly, Shadow lunged—not at them, but against the boy, bracing his body against a rock, shielding him until the wave recoiled. Elise’s heart thundered.