Beast Bear (Return To Fate Mountain #2)

Chapter

Forty-Five

Serena threw her arms around Theo’s shoulders, and he pulled her against him. Their lips met in a fierce, desperate kiss, the taste of relief on her mouth. Every ounce of fear and tension poured into that moment. His thoughts spun with renewed devotion, and he clung to her, remembering how close he had come to losing her.

When the kiss finally ended, he pressed his forehead against hers. She looked up at him, eyes filled with lingering adrenaline. His pulse raced as he brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. For a long moment, they savored the quiet together, safe on solid ground.

He swallowed, then spoke in a hushed tone. “Serena, I have proof Kai is the saboteur. I caught it on my phone.” He fished the device out of his pocket, his hand trembling.

Serena’s expression shifted from tenderness to alarmed curiosity. She stepped closer, resting a hand on his arm. “You actually have evidence?”

“Yeah, I filmed him. And I took some pictures too.” He tapped his phone’s screen, pulling up the videos. He showed her a clip of Kai hunched on the summit, tampering with ropes and anchor bolts. Serena’s eyes widened.

“This is everything we need,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “Poppy can’t ignore that.”

Before Theo could respond, Serena’s radio came to life. Alicia’s voice came through with a crackle. “Serena, do you read me? No more climbers on the trails. The injured climber is on her way to the hospital. The charity climb is canceled. Head back to campus.”

Serena lifted the radio. “Received. We’re on our way.” She turned to Theo, a flicker of relief in her eyes. “It’s over for now. At least no one else is in danger.”

Theo gave a short nod, though he felt a new sense of urgency gnaw at his stomach. They gathered their backpacks and started down the trail. Midway along the path, Theo stopped and turned to face her, his voice steady but charged. “When we get back, if Poppy doesn’t finally see that Kai is guilty, I’ll take my evidence to the police.”

Serena squeezed his hand. “The footage is undeniable. We’ll make them see it. We have to protect the school.”

“And the people of Fate Mountain.”