The bear reared up, lifting its massive paws high into the air.

  It towered over Tessa like a mountain of flesh and muscle, its dark eyes glinting wildly with raw power.

  Eleven and a half feet of pure beast.

  A deep growl vibrated through the air as it rose onto its hind legs—a primal dispy of dominance.

  Any other animal would have submitted by now.

  Any normal human would have already fled.

  But Tessa stood her ground.

  Her gaze locked with the bear’s, unwavering.

  Then… a grin formed on her lips.

  The First AttackThe bear roared—a deep, thunderous sound that made the forest tremble.

  In a sudden, brutal motion, it swung a massive paw down at her.

  A blow that could have split a tree.

  But Tessa had already leapt to the side.

  The paw smmed into the ground, sending dust and leaves flying, carving a deep furrow into the earth.

  He’s strong. But not stronger than me.

  In a fsh, she ducked under his massive arm, grabbed hold of his fur, and smmed her shoulder into his chest.

  The impact made the bear stagger a step backward.

  Its dark eyes fred with surprise.

  It hadn’t expected that.

  A Dance of Raw PowerThe bear hesitated for only a moment—then unched into another attack.

  This time its paw shot forward, more precise, more brutal.

  But Tessa threw up her arms and caught him.

  With bare hands, she seized his forelegs, her fingers digging deep into the thick fur as she braced against him with all her strength.

  It was a contest no human could ever win.

  But Tessa was more than that.

  Her muscles tensed, her feet dug into the earth as the bear tried to overpower her.

  Seconds ticked by.

  Then minutes.

  Nature itself seemed to hold its breath as two titans cshed.

  Tessa stood firm.

  She didn’t budge.

  The Turning PointThe bear roared again, rearing back and tearing free.

  Its massive paw swung once more.

  This time, Tessa didn’t dodge.

  Instead, she caught his arm mid-swing and threw her full weight into a spinning motion.

  Caught off guard by her inhuman strength, the bear lost its footing.

  With a heavy crash, it toppled onto its side.

  The ground shook with the impact, a cloud of dust and leaves rising around them.

  For a moment, there was only silence.

  The bear y on its back, its chest heaving.

  Tessa stood over him.

  Breathing steadily. Barely winded.

  He couldn’t win.

  And now he knew it.

  A Sign of RespectSlowly, the bear pulled itself upright.

  He didn’t attack again.

  His dark eyes were alert, but no longer hostile.

  He let out a deep rumble—no longer a threat, but... something else.

  An acknowledgment.

  He had fought. He had lost.

  But he was still alive.

  Why?

  His instincts told him: this being could have killed him.

  But she didn’t.

  Tessa met his gaze and then slowly raised a hand.

  No threat. No aggression.

  Just a simple gesture. A quiet offer.

  Stay.

  The bear hesitated.

  He snorted deeply, as if testing her sincerity.

  Then, with slow, deliberate steps, he turned and lumbered into the cave.

  Not as a defeated enemy.

  But as a guardian.

  A New HomeIt took Mike a long moment to find his voice.

  “You… you just wrestled a damn grizzly and made him your roommate?!”

  Tessa smiled slightly as she gazed at the cave entrance.

  “He belongs here. And now… so do I.”

  A deep, rumbling sound came from within the cave.

  Not hostile.

  Not threatening.

  It was the sound of a creature that had made its decision.

  He had stayed.

  Tessa let her gaze wander across the ndscape.

  The dense forest, the river, the distant shrine.

  This was the perfect pce for a camp.

  The cave no longer belonged to the bear alone.

  It belonged to both of them.

  A new beginning.

  End of Chapter 13.