A concealed rope trap lay in the bear’s path. The poachers had anticipated her return. Nolan screamed, trying to warn her, but his voice only triggered the beast’s charge. She barreled forward, consumed by protective rage, straight into the snare’s lethal trigger.
The net shot out, thick and weighted. It landed on the bear with a heavy crash. She roared furiously, writhing and swiping, but the more she struggled, the tighter the net held. Nolan’s chest tightened with horror. She was caught, utterly vulnerable.