He pushes past me, and his titanic strength and size brush him past me as if I were no more than a piece of paper. Undeterred, I run ahead and circle in front of him, putting myself between him and Duane.
"Stop, Bear.Stop. No more." I hold out my arms as if to create a barrier.
His eyes clear a tiny bit, flicking over my bloody face, and Riley's oversized T-shirt. "He hurt you."
"I'm fine, Bear," I say, inching closer. "I'm okay. Let it be over. Please."
His gaze goes past me to Duane, who, while broken and battered, is still alive, watching in abject terror. "He raped you."
I shuffle closer, inches from him now. "No. No, he didn't. I promise you. I fought him off. Panzer got him. He didn't. I'm okay."
A shake of his head. "He touched you." His voice is flat with terrible finality. "He dies."
Another long stride carries him closer to Duane, who tries to crawl away.
With no other options left, I'm beyond desperation now. I sprint around in front of him once more and leap onto Bear, latching my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. I bury my face in his throat, heedless of our blood smearing on each other, mingling
"Please." I grab his beard and jerk his face to mine, hard. "Bear. Listen to me. Look at me, baby. Look at me. Please."
It's the "baby" that gets him. He stands still, eyes moving almost robotically down to mine. His hands are fisted at his sides, chest heaving; my weight clinging to him is nothing whatsoever. "Noelle?" That soft, quiet growl, finally, his eyes clearing of the haze of rage.
"There you are," I whisper. I cling to him all the harder. "Take me home. Please, Bear. Please. I want to go home. Let it go."
His hands uncurl from the fists and lift to my butt, supporting my weight. "You're hurt."
I shake my head. "It's nothing. Broken nose. Bumped head. I'm fine. I promise you I'm okay. He didn't touch me like that."
"He was going to."
"Yes," I admit. "He was. I fought him off, and Panzer stopped him."
"Panzer." He blinks, looking around. "Where is he?"
"Riley's truck."
Sirens howl in the distance, approaching us. At the sound, Bear tenses. Looks at Duane. At me. "Should've let the dog have him."
"I couldn't. I had to get to you. I…I didn't want his death on anyone's conscience. Not mine, not yours, not Panzer’s.” I shake my head. "I know dogs don't have consciences, but still."
Felix and Riley approach us.
"Bear?” Felix meets Bear's gaze, his voice low, calm, and hesitant. "I know Sheriff Mannix personally, okay? He’s my friend. I called him and explained the situation. It's going to be okay. Just stay calm and follow my lead, okay?"
Bear nods and looks at me. "Give me a second."
I hesitate to let him go. "Leave him alone."
"Won't touch him," he promises.
I slide down his front to my feet, and Bear crouches in front of Duane, who cringes away, whimpering pathetically, trying to scrabble under the ruined trailer.
"Thank her for your life." It's a command.
"Th-th-thank you," Duane says, past missing teeth and split lips.
"Don't give a fuck what the police do with you," Bear growls. "No one in Three Rivers ever sees you again. Understand?"
Duane nods, curling into a smaller ball. "Understand."
