Page 36 of Forest Reed (Seals on Fraiser Mountain #8)

Forest

The wolf’s hand dipped into his vest, and my stomach dropped. Explosive. Trigger. Red blink is screaming at us.

“Now!” I barked.

Zoe moved first—fast as lightning. She dropped low, rolled across the floor, and came up behind the bastard before he could react. Her Glock pressed into his side, her eyes locked on mine.

“Take the shot,” she mouthed.

My finger twitched on the trigger. But the boy’s wide eyes, the muzzle pressed to his temple—I couldn’t risk it.

Zoe didn’t wait. She slammed her elbow back into the wolf’s ribs, wrenching his pistol hand wide. The kid bolted, tripping into the arms of a deputy.

“Clear!” Zoe shouted.

That was all I needed. I fired once—clean, fast. The round punched through the wolf’s chest, dropping him hard. He hit the ground, vest blinking like a demon heartbeat.

“Bomb!” Jason’s voice screamed through comms.

I was already moving. I grabbed Zoe, yanked her down as I tore the vest free from the man’s body, ripping wires loose with brute force. The timer stuttered, blinked—

And went dark.

Silence fell, ragged and sharp. My chest heaved, sweat pouring down my spine. Zoe pushed up to her knees, hair wild, eyes blazing, Glock still steady in her hand.

“You okay?” I rasped.

Her smirk was pure fire. “Saved your ass again, Mountain Man.”

I almost laughed, but the smell of cordite and fear stuck in my throat. Around us, deputies gathered civilians, kids sobbing into their parents’ shoulders. Lane’s voice snapped orders, Fraiser barked backup positions, the SEALs sweeping the gym for more infiltrators.

But all I saw was Zoe—alive, fierce, and steady in the storm.

And all I heard was the echo of the wolf’s last words: You’re already too late.