“A dog raising lions,” one man said, shaking his head as if he couldn’t trust his own eyes. “Never seen anything like it.” Reporters called. News vans parked outside. Headlines shouted about miracles and dangers in equal measure. The director paced his office, muttering about liability while rubbing his temples. But he didn’t shut it down.
The crowds were too good for business, and besides, even he couldn’t deny the power of what people were seeing. Ethan tried to ignore the cameras, focusing on the cubs. Yet he felt the weight of eyes everywhere—watching for a slip, waiting for instinct to reclaim its place. He carried the doubts home with him each night, sitting with Bella in his small apartment.