Rumors Spread Fast

Outside the room, the hospital was a swirl of panic and speculation. Staff whispered about a “tame bear” and “mutant wildlife.” A local reporter who had caught wind of the lockdown hovered near the entrance, phone camera ready. Hargrove stood at the nurses’ station, arms crossed, grumbling about liability and containment protocols.

Inside, none of that mattered. The pup had stopped shaking and now slept in a blanket near the bear’s massive paws. Hana paced near the window, tension rising. She knew this calm couldn’t last. Someone would make a call—animal control, the press, or worse. Their time was running out.