Hiss... The sound cut through the quiet of the first-aid tent. Everyone turned. Chloe pulled Oralia hard against her. The force sent them both tumbling to the ground—Oralia pinned safely beneath Chloe. Oralia pushed herself up, dazed. Her head spun. She didn't understand what was happening. "Baby, what is it?" "Stay still," Chloe said firmly. Oralia froze. It was only then that everyone noticed—next to Oralia, no, on Chloe herself—a green snake flicking its tongue, looking extremely ferocious. Oralia had no idea what was happening. All she knew was that from the shocked looks on everyone else's faces, something terrible must have happened. A soft gasp came from the crowd. "A snake..." No one dared move. Carolyn's voice trembled as she warned, "Stay quiet. Don't startle it." The green snake had wrapped itself around Chloe's wrist, its body tightening slowly. One wrong move—from either Oralia or Chloe—and it would strike. When Chloe had pulled Oralia back earlier, was this why? Had it been about to bite Oralia then? For a moment, the scene was so tense that everyone held their breath. Tears pooled in Oralia's eyes. She bit her lip to keep from crying, her whole body shaking. Chloe kept her gaze locked on the snake. It was poised to attack. How long could they hold like this? She didn't know. Her wrist was growing numb under its grip. They couldn't wait. She had to act."Oralia... don't move," she whispered, barely loud enough to hear. Her gaze was fixed on the snake coiling tightly around her wrist, and her hand moved slightly. She had to test her speed against the snake's. Oralia seemed to understand what Chloe was about to do. In a shaky voice, she breathed, "Chloe..." Chloe watched the viper closely. Its head rose, tongue flashing red. She chose her angle. When it struck, she had to keep Oralia safe. She moved exactly when she'd planned—yanking Oralia away, throwing herself over Oralia, shielding her with her body. At the same time, her free hand shot out and grabbed for the snake. But the snake was faster. It struck as Chloe moved. She only caught its tail. Her focus was on Oralia—the snake came second. Chloe had already accepted she might get bitten. She wrapped Oralia tight, ignoring everything else."Chloe!" Oralia's eyes flew open. Seeing Chloe covering her, she stared wide-eyed, voice tight. "Are you okay?" "I'm fine," Chloe said, forcing a calm smile. The snake had lunged—but as long as Oralia was safe, that was all that mattered. She couldn't tell if it had bitten her. She felt nothing. Maybe the venom was already working. "Eugene!" Landon's voice ripped across the field, sharp with fear. Chloe's heart jumped. She turned and looked over her shoulder—and saw a sight she wouldn't forget. Eugene stood in front of her, blocking the light. The sun seemed to outline him like a glow. For a second, she couldn't see his face—only his tall frame braced in front of her. And in his hand, gripped tight, was the snake that had just attacked. When had he moved?How had he caught it? His hand locked onto the snake's crucial spot. The viper thrashed wildly in his grasp. "You..." Chloe forgot what she meant to say. She just stared, stunned. "You're a mother now. Still this reckless?" Eugene's voice was quiet, his eyes locked on hers. He almost smiled, but his tone left no room for argument. Chloe blinked, slowly coming back to herself. She let go of the snake's tail. A crew member helped her to her feet. "Eugene, you—" Landon rushed to his side, his face pale. But one look from Eugene silenced him. Chloe stood, watching as Eugene held the still-struggling snake. Bruce came over quickly, now wearing thick gloves. Gently, he took the snake from Eugene's hand. Other staff moved in, sealing it into a secure container.