He retreated slowly, palms open, giving the wolf space. Its eyes tracked every step until he was back across the river. Only then did the growl fade, leaving silence in its wake. Adrian’s body trembled with adrenaline. He had gotten closer, but not close enough.
Adrian now had only one course before him. He set his pack down deliberately, the sound muffled in the damp earth. The wolf’s ears flicked forward, body quivering with tension. Adrian met its gaze, then lowered himself to his knees. His movements were slow, deliberate—offering every signal he was not there to threaten.