Once free, the mother bear reared up, letting out a guttural growl that shook Nolan’s nerves. But her eyes found her cub, and she lumbered over to sniff and nudge it gently. Nolan’s legs nearly buckled with relief at the sight of them together.
The officers secured the last of the poachers, their protestations silenced by the glint of handcuffs. Some criminals tried to squirm away, but the Arctic offered nowhere to run once cornered. Nolan rubbed his wrists, feeling both exhaustion and gratitude flood through him.