Page 2 of Wild Eyes
“But…there are babies.” She all but coos the wordbabies, saying it with extra emphasis, like it should make this entire thing endearing. Like it makes her irrational behavior more logical somehow.
But anyone who knows about bears knows that things just got so much worse. I edge closer to the ditch, as though needing to see them with my own eyes to confirm just how bad this situation is. I crane my neck, and sure enough…there they are. Two.
“Please,” I say, trying a less forceful approach while also filling my voice with as much pleading as I can muster. With one arm held out, I fold my fingers over my palm repeatedly, gesturing her forward like I might a skittish horse. As a horse trainer, I’ve got lots of experience with those. All bluster—until they’re not.
She must pick up on the urgent tone in my voice because her shoulders fall, and she swallows heavily as her eyes dart back and forth between mine, seeming to weigh whether I’m trustworthy.
Finally, I get a nod and a tentative step away from the deep ditch. A heavy, relieved breath rushes from my lungs as she moves toward me.
But that relief is short-lived because, as soon as she moves away, the bear follows her as though attached to an invisible leash.
I can’t blame it.
She’s alluring. There’s something about her that makes it hard to peel my eyes away. You can see it onscreen. Hear it on the radio. And it’s even more pronounced in person.
“Okay, doll.”
“Don’tdollme?—”
“You need to shut up,” I blurt out, keeping my voice as even as possible. My gaze moves beyond her to the massive bear emerging from the slope, four-inch-long nails clacking as it takes its first steps onto the asphalt. The sound freezes Skylar in her tracks. “Walk toward me slowly. Do not run. Do not look behind you. Stay calm.”
She blinks hard and fast. I can see she wants to tell me to go fuck myself, but she has some survival instinct underneath all that attitude because she follows my instructions.
The bear lets out a loud huff, and Skylar stutter-steps, wide eyes latching onto mine for dear life. I nod and gesture with my hand again. As though I can do a single fucking thing for her right now other than get her close enough to dive through the open door of my truck.
She continues walking, but her steps increase ever so slightly in speed. Her breathing turns ragged. I start to edge back toward my truck, hoping she’ll follow.
“Good girl. You’re doing so well.” Any other time, I’d laugh at myself for talking to this woman like a horse. But in this moment, my skin hums with tension and my muscles coil as though ready to spring into action.
She nods, then peeks over her shoulder and makes a small squealing noise as if she’s just realized the massive size of the bear following her.
But that noise was not the right one to make. Because the grizzly notices it and is suddenly more interested than it was. The bear stops and rears up onto its hind legs.
The sound it makes now is more of a bark, followed by a sniff and an interested head tilt.
A show of curiosity, not aggression.
Not yet anyway.
“Oh god, oh god, oh god,” she whispers, her voice coming up choked and tearful.
With one hand outstretched, I summon all the calm within me. “Whatever you do, don’t r?—”
Before I can say the wordrun, she fucking sprints toward me. And against what would be most people’s better judgment, I leap into action without thinking.
I head straight toward her.
And the bear.
The bear that is now pawing at the road like it’s ready to charge. It takes a few powerful leaps forward before drawing back.
Now in defensive mode, I do the only thing I can think of. The instant I reach Skylar, my fingers wrap around her bicep, and I curl one arm around the back of her head before tossing us to the ground. My tall body covers her smaller one like a shield.
She squirms against me. “What are you?—”
I cut her off by clamping a palm over her mouth, propping myself up on my opposite arm, and shaking my head. “Stop. Please stop. I need you to be quiet and still. And the bear will probably go away.”
She nods subtly. Enough so that I can remove my hand and cage the entire top of her head in with my forearms.
