ARCTOS
Caitlin Kely hunkered down lower in the snow, attempting to ward off Northern Alaska’s biting wind. She raised her equipment and gazed through the scope. Two polar bears wrestled in the fresh powder, flashing deadly claws and powerful teeth as they vied for dominance.
She set the scope down and replaced it with the camera lens, then fired. The click, click, click rattled out in quick succession as she captured the bears’ every move. “National Geographic, here I come,” she murmured.
Caitlin had made sure to stay down wind, since polar bears weren’t exactly known for their sunny dispositions.
Unlike most bears, polar bears loved sneak attacks. It wasn’t uncommon for them to come up behind their prey and be on them before the prey even knew they were there. It helped that they blended seamlessly in with their environment. There’d only been one fatal polar bear attack in decades, but Caitlin had no plans to become number two.
* * * * *
Arctos watched as the woman wiggled her butt and burrowed down into the high snowdrift. He couldn’t seem to pul his gaze away from the round little globes as they twitched from side to side.
His hands itched to touch them. He clenched his fists, fighting the sudden urge and inhaled instead, taking in her clean fresh scent. The beast snarled inside of him, demanding to be let out.
When he’d first spotted her, Arctos had thought she was a child given her petite stature. She had smal hands and equaly smal feet. Standing, she’d barely reach his chest. He’d almost kept walking, but then the woman had shifted and he’d noticed the lush round curves hidden beneath her white protective clothing. From that moment on, she’d had his undivided attention.
She reached into the bag tucked at her side and puled out what looked to be a weapon. Arctos’ body tensed in disbelief as she pointed the device at the white bears in the distance. Surely she wouldn’t… The woman pressed the trigger and a rapid-fire sound filed the air. His heart clenched and his ardor quickly cooled.
This was not the type of female he wanted as a mate. If he wanted someone bloodthirsty, al he had to do was look in the mirror.
Arctos glanced at the bears and waited for them to fal, but nothing happened. He looked back at the woman and frowned.
Had she missed the shot? It seemed unlikely given the range and the lack of obstructions, but it was always possible. She raised the weapon again.
He growled, a deep rumbling sound that seemed to come from the depths of his bowels. No way would he give her a second chance to make the kil.
* * * * *
Caitlin continued to take her shots, always conscious of where the bears were in regard to her location. Risk wasn’t a job requirement for a nature photographer, but it was certainly an occupational hazard.
She switched out lenses on her camera and fired off a few more shots. With any luck, she’d be able to sel some of these photos, so she could pay for this last minute trip to Alaska. Caitlin had come up here to lend support to her friend Aly, who’d caled a week ago, heartbroken over the fact that despite there being a ton of single men in Alaska, she hadn’t been able to find a husband yet.
As if that was ever a goal worth achieving… She roled her eyes and glanced once more through the camera lens. The bears were stil frolicking, two bals of white against a blanket of soft powder, but it no longer mattered because she’d lost the light.
Without the right lighting, the shots wouldn’t turn out, so she decided to cal it a day. Caitlin had just lifted the camera to put it in the bag, when a deep rumbling growl sounded behind her. Her breath locked in her lungs. The sound came again—louder.
The blonde hair on Caitlin’s neck stood on end and she froze too frightened to move, to scared to blink. Maybe the bear hadn’t seen her, but even as the thought crossed her mind, Caitlin knew she’d never be that lucky. She put her camera down
Caitlin Kely hunkered down lower in the snow, attempting to ward off Northern Alaska’s biting wind. She raised her equipment and gazed through the scope. Two polar bears wrestled in the fresh powder, flashing deadly claws and powerful teeth as they vied for dominance.
She set the scope down and replaced it with the camera lens, then fired. The click, click, click rattled out in quick succession as she captured the bears’ every move. “National Geographic, here I come,” she murmured.
Caitlin had made sure to stay down wind, since polar bears weren’t exactly known for their sunny dispositions.
Unlike most bears, polar bears loved sneak attacks. It wasn’t uncommon for them to come up behind their prey and be on them before the prey even knew they were there. It helped that they blended seamlessly in with their environment. There’d only been one fatal polar bear attack in decades, but Caitlin had no plans to become number two.
* * * * *
Arctos watched as the woman wiggled her butt and burrowed down into the high snowdrift. He couldn’t seem to pul his gaze away from the round little globes as they twitched from side to side.
His hands itched to touch them. He clenched his fists, fighting the sudden urge and inhaled instead, taking in her clean fresh scent. The beast snarled inside of him, demanding to be let out.
When he’d first spotted her, Arctos had thought she was a child given her petite stature. She had smal hands and equaly smal feet. Standing, she’d barely reach his chest. He’d almost kept walking, but then the woman had shifted and he’d noticed the lush round curves hidden beneath her white protective clothing. From that moment on, she’d had his undivided attention.
She reached into the bag tucked at her side and puled out what looked to be a weapon. Arctos’ body tensed in disbelief as she pointed the device at the white bears in the distance. Surely she wouldn’t… The woman pressed the trigger and a rapid-fire sound filed the air. His heart clenched and his ardor quickly cooled.
This was not the type of female he wanted as a mate. If he wanted someone bloodthirsty, al he had to do was look in the mirror.
Arctos glanced at the bears and waited for them to fal, but nothing happened. He looked back at the woman and frowned.
Had she missed the shot? It seemed unlikely given the range and the lack of obstructions, but it was always possible. She raised the weapon again.
He growled, a deep rumbling sound that seemed to come from the depths of his bowels. No way would he give her a second chance to make the kil.
* * * * *
Caitlin continued to take her shots, always conscious of where the bears were in regard to her location. Risk wasn’t a job requirement for a nature photographer, but it was certainly an occupational hazard.
She switched out lenses on her camera and fired off a few more shots. With any luck, she’d be able to sel some of these photos, so she could pay for this last minute trip to Alaska. Caitlin had come up here to lend support to her friend Aly, who’d caled a week ago, heartbroken over the fact that despite there being a ton of single men in Alaska, she hadn’t been able to find a husband yet.
As if that was ever a goal worth achieving… She roled her eyes and glanced once more through the camera lens. The bears were stil frolicking, two bals of white against a blanket of soft powder, but it no longer mattered because she’d lost the light.
Without the right lighting, the shots wouldn’t turn out, so she decided to cal it a day. Caitlin had just lifted the camera to put it in the bag, when a deep rumbling growl sounded behind her. Her breath locked in her lungs. The sound came again—louder.
The blonde hair on Caitlin’s neck stood on end and she froze too frightened to move, to scared to blink. Maybe the bear hadn’t seen her, but even as the thought crossed her mind, Caitlin knew she’d never be that lucky. She put her camera down
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