Beast Bear (Return To Fate Mountain #2)

Chapter

Forty-Three

Theo stood at the summit. The wind whipped against his face as he stared down at the scene below. He saw a climber suspended limply from a backup rope, her main line clearly snapped. Most of the ropes were compromised.

He scanned the scattered gear. He found a harness Kai hadn’t touched, and he knew the line Kai had used must be secure. There was more shouting below, and it prompted him to move faster. After tugging on the rope to test its tension, he hooked himself in, took a breath, and stepped over the edge.

Theo kept his feet wide apart on the rocky surface, descending with controlled movements. The rope felt solid. Halfway down, he found himself level with the unconscious climber, a middle-aged woman. She hung limply, swaying slightly in the breeze. A fresh wave of anger coursed through him. He shouted toward the ground. “You can’t use any of these ropes.”

Theo steadied his feet and continued lowering himself. Relief washed through him when his boots touched the ground. He unhooked himself as Serena rushed forward. They embraced for one intense moment, and all the fear, guilt, and hope they shared passed between them. She pulled back, her face set with urgency. Logan arrived, jogging up with a coil of rope slung over his shoulder. Theo wasted no time explaining the situation.

Serena pointed up at the injured climber, still unconscious and dangling. “I have to get her down fast.”

Theo glanced over at the cliff. “We can’t trust any of these ropes, but I know for sure the one I used is safe.”

Serena nodded. “I have the backboard and first-aid supplies. I can climb up to her and secure her while you spot me from below.”

“I’ll secure more lines from above to help you get her down safely,” Logan said.

“Hurry,” Serena said as she secured her harness.Theo double and triple checked it. She strapped herself into the rope Theo had just confirmed. Her gaze flicked to the unconscious climber, then back to Theo. “I’ll get her stabilized on the backboard and wait for Logan to throw down the safely anchored ropes.”

Theo took his position at the base and then braced himself to support Serena’s weight. His adrenaline spiked at the thought of something going wrong. He met Serena’s eyes and gave a firm nod. She nodded back, resolve shining through. Together, they began hoisting her upward.