Page 46 of Mountain Impact

That doesn’t sound like good news.

The cat hissed as if in agreement, shifting elegantly to the side ―Isolde and Drake moved as well, but the cat wasn’t letting the distance between them grow.

The animal’s body was lean and elegant, but there was no mistaking the strength in her jaws or the speed at which she could move.

In one slow, controlled movement, Drake brought Jamie down from his shoulders and placed him on the ground behind him. He then took a step forward, so he was standing in front of both Isolde and the boy.

“Isolde?”

Isolde nodded jerkily, taking her eyes away from the lynx.

“I’m going to need you to go back along the path the way we came. Keep Jamie in front of you at all times.”

Bile inched up Isolde’s throat.

“Are you crazy?” Now she was hissing as well. “I’m not leaving you here with her.”

Drake seemed to expect some pushback. He kept his eyes trained on the cat, who hissed at them again.

“The three of us are more at risk than I am on my own,” he said patiently. “I’m bigger. She won’t know what to do with me.”

Bullshit.

She looks like she knows exactly what to do with you.

“I need you to take Jamie away from here,” Drake said, trying a different tack.

As if on queue, Jamie released a small, fearful sob. Isolde tightened her arms around his small body. Drake was right. They couldn’t risk the boy.

Isolde nodded. “Okay. But I don’t like this.”

“Noted,” Drake said. “Next time we meet a wild predator, we’ll discuss a different strategy.”

His eyes crinkled at the corner.

He’s having fun.

Isolde took a couple steps back, bringing Jamie with her. The lynx tracked them with her eyes until Drake took another step forwards and blocked them from view completely.

Isolde understood what Drake was doing―he wanted the animal to focus on him and forget about her and Jamie. A part of her even recognized that it was the right thing to do. But Drake didn’t have any weapons that could match the lynx’s formidable teeth―teeth made for ripping and tearing. He could get badly hurt.

Still, she kept walking, because she’d promised him she would, and because they had to protect Jamie. She kept her arms tight around the boy, holding his body in front of hers―wondering if she’d hear the attack when it came.

Suddenly, there was a loud shuffling noise. Isolde turned to see Drake jumping backwards as the lynx raced across the path in front of him, disappearing on the other side.

“Fuck,” Drake said loudly. “Sorry, Jamie.”

“Is she gone?” Isolde asked.

Drake nodded. He leaned forwards, his hands on his knees, panting as if he’d run a long distance. Isolde understood the physiology of the body’s response to stress, so she wasn’t surprised at his reaction.

Jamie clasped her hand. Isolde looked down to comfort the boy, but he looked up at her, eyes shining. “Wow, wait till I tell my friends on Monday. Wait till I tell my dad, tonight.”

Drake laughed. His gaze was still on the direction the lynx had left in. “Yeah, little guy, can’t wait till your dad hears about this.”

“How about we get back to the ―?” Isolde said. Her heart was playing a staccato beat inside her chest. She wanted to get in the car and lock the doors behind them.

Drake nodded. “We’re the second group to bump into this cat in the last week. I’ll need to call animal protection services.”