Page 159 of Ranger's Wildflower

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I feel it.

She’s not freezing.

She’s not breaking.

She’s right here.

With me.

Good.

Because I’m not letting her out of my reach again.

A branch snaps.

Too close.

Gunfire erupts.

Sharp. Controlled.

Not ours.

“Contact front!” Trigger shouts.

I push Tessa down behind the SUV as bullets slam into the gravel, sparks kicking off metal.

“Stay down,” I tell her.

“I’m not leaving you,” she fires back.

Damn right she isn’t.

But that doesn’t mean I like it.

I lean out—

Fire twice.

A shadow drops near the treeline.

“One down!” Beast calls.

But there’s no time to confirm—

Because movement flashes to the right.

Too fast.

Too close.

“ACE—!” Blaze shouts.

I turn—

And he’s there.

Daniel.

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