The cub whimpered, stumbling, pressing into the wolf’s chest as though she were its mother. Adrian felt his breath catch at the sight. Predator and prey were not supposed to cross these lines, yet here they were—an orphaned bear clinging to a guardian who owed it nothing.
The wolf lay down heavily, curling around the cub. Her ribs still showed, her body still frail, but her vigil had ended. She had starved, suffered, and endured storms to protect another’s young. The cub nuzzled into her belly, safe at last within the warmth of her fur.