Page 30 of Forest Reed (Seals on Fraiser Mountain #8)

Zoe

The square was chaos—sirens wailing, smoke choking the air, civilians stumbling like shadows through the wreckage. My ears still rang from the blast, and my hands shook even as I reloaded. Forest stood beside me, steady as stone, eyes scanning rooftops for the next threat.

And then I saw them.

Five figures cutting through the smoke like it was nothing. Tall, hard, fast—moving with the kind of precision you don’t mistake for anything but military.

“Who the hell—” I started, then blinked as recognition hit. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Forest followed my gaze, jaw tightening until I recognized my SEAL Team.”

They came in hard. Fraiser at the point, barking orders to deputies like he already owned the scene.

Max right behind him, calm under fire, dragging a wounded teenager into cover without missing a beat.

Axel’s rifle swept the rooftops as he moved, Nate covered his flank, and Jack Raider—of course—grinned like a man who lived for chaos, shotgun slung across his chest.

Fraiser spotted us first. “Forest!” His deep voice boomed across the square. “You look like hell.”

“Feel like it too,” Forest called back, dry as stone.

Jack Raider gave me a once-over, smirk curling. “And who’s this? You finally brought company to your bonfires?”

I narrowed my eyes, Glock still hot in my hand. “Detective Zoe Brewer. Try not to get in my way, cowboy.”

He barked a laugh. “Oh, I like her.”

Forest stepped forward, jaw tight, all business. “North set the stage here. The bomb was his opener. He’s not done.”

Nate’s gaze swept the wreckage, sharp and certain. “Then we don’t let him set the curtain call.”

Fraiser nodded, turning to his men. “Form a line. Civilians out, perimeter locked. If North wants a war, he just got one. No one burns Fraiser Mountain and gets by with it.”

I holstered my Glock, meeting Forest’s eyes. For once, he didn’t argue, didn’t push me back. He just gave a sharp nod, silent promise burning between us.

We weren’t alone anymore.

And if North thought he could break us?

He was about to find out what happened when you cornered wolves.