Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards) is alive, bringing relief to Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brunt) but also a new problem: his father killed people trafficker Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) and needs help covering up the murder.
Ray had many enemies after exploiting vulnerable teenagers April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) and Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle) into drug trafficking, extorting money from Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) and Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry), and conning Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy). His body was found in Jai Sharma's van.
The killer was revealed as Bear, who had been forced into modern slavery by Ray and Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths). Believed dead, Bear survived and killed Ray to save Dylan. Now Paddy faces a cover-up to keep his father out of prison.
Dominic Brunt said Paddy feels 'double relief' that Bear is alive and not murdered, but fears being separated from his father again. 'He fears that his dad will go away again. He thought he was dead and he's back. And now Bear might go down for murder,' Brunt explained.
Paddy is determined to protect Bear, who is struggling psychologically with Stockholm Syndrome. 'I think he truly believes that they'll get through this, it'll go away and nobody will be blamed,' Brunt said, though he warned that secrets rarely stay buried in soaps.
