Chapter 44
Chapter
Forty-Four
Serena felt the weight of the backboard on her shoulders, reminding her how much was at stake. Theo had assured her this line was safe, but the memory of Kai’s sly words made her hands shake. With a determined breath, she pulled the rope taut and started her climb.
Each step that carried her higher made anxiety tighten in her gut. She had learned to trust her instincts, but right now every nerve was on edge. The unconscious climber hung above, and there was no telling how long she had before things got worse.
At last, she came level with the limp figure clinging to a backup line. Her breath caught at the sight of the woman’s pale face and slack limbs. Serena rushed to examine the injured climber, murmuring a reassurance the woman could not hear.
She checked for a pulse, relieved to find one. She placed a hand on the woman’s ribs, sensing a shallow rise and fall. With careful fingers, she felt along her neck and found no obvious fractures.
Serena pulled out a brace from her pack and slipped it around the woman’s neck, securing it snugly. Next, she gave a quick look for bleeding. There was some bruising around the woman’s temple, but no large wounds.
A shout from above caught her attention as two ropes tumbled down the mountain toward her. “Serena,” Logan called, his voice echoing down the rocks. “These lines are safe.”
“Got it,” Serena yelled back.
She grabbed the lines Logan had sent down and attached the board. She tested each connection and then maneuvered the board into position under the injured climber, careful not to jar the climber’s neck or spine. Serena exhaled a relieved breath as she strapped the woman onto the backboard, aligning her spine and cushioning her head against any further impact. Sweat beaded on Serena’s forehead. A single mistake could worsen the woman’s injuries.
With the help of Logan and Theo, Serena guided the backboard in a controlled descent. On the way down, she stayed by the injured woman’s side as best she could, adjusting the board’s angle whenever it bumped into the rock. At last, they reached the lower ledge. With a final push, Serena ensured the board landed gracefully on solid ground.
Serena then began her own rappel. Adrenaline coursed through her, heightening every sensation. Her feet finally met the ground. She stepped away from the wall, unhooking the rope. Across the clearing, she saw Alicia rushing in, medical bag in hand. The injured woman still lay strapped to the backboard, eyes closed, bruises forming on her face.
Alicia knelt and started examining the patient. “She’s got a bump on her head, likely a concussion, and there may be spinal damage,” Alicia muttered, her voice tight. “We need to evacuate her fast.”
Serena felt an arm slide around her shoulders. She glanced up to see Theo, worry etched across his features. She let herself lean into him, comforted by his presence. It felt like a small miracle that they had brought the woman down safely.
Alicia’s urgency brought them back to the present. “We’ll carry her down the mountain right away. Serena, I need you to help notify everyone the climb is canceled. There’s no telling which gear was tampered with.”
Serena nodded. “We’ll handle it.”
Alicia and a small rescue crew lifted the injured climber, careful to keep her spine aligned. They headed down the trail, Alicia in the lead, delivering orders to keep the board steady. Within moments, they disappeared behind a line of pine trees, their voices fading into the forest.
Serena let out a shaky breath, turning to Theo. She felt overwhelming remorse for ever doubting him, for letting her fear cloud the truth. Tears pricked at her lids as she remembered how it had felt to question him. She swallowed hard, wishing she could take it back.She wrapped her arms around him, leaned against him, pressed her cheek to his chest, and inhaled his scent.
“I was so afraid I’d lost you,” he whispered.
“I should have trusted you.”
Theo held her firmly against him. “No matter what happened, I never stopped believing in us,” he said, his voice rough with relief. “I knew we’d find our way back to each other.”
She closed her eyes, letting that knowledge wash over her, something deep in her responding to the mate bond they shared. Gratitude flooded her, along with an undeniable longing she had tried for so long to suppress.