Relief hit like a breaking storm, buckling her knees. She exhaled a shaky laugh, breath fogging. “You keep sneaking up on me,” she managed, voice cracking with joy and nerves. The grizzly stepped forward, deliberate yet unhurried, gaze fixed on the crate.
Tessa backed away, unlatched the carrier door, and retreated ten yards. The cub stirred, a frail silhouette against shadowed slats. Mother and child were one heartbeat from reunion; she held her breath, ready to witness the moment hope became certainty.