Guarding Love

Chapter 31 - Fearless

A/N—Trigger warning - violence and blood. Thank you so much for all the reads. OMG, you are all amazing! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. 

"The best battle is the battle that is never fought. The best war is the war that is won without a battle." - Frederick Lenz 

3rd Person POV

Y/N donned her military fatigues and laced up her military boots before adjusting the velcro straps and buckles on her Kevlar vest as they approached the drop point. Besides the odd comment, the only sound that could be heard was from the plane engines. She glanced up at Echo team, and everyone was trying to get focused. However, Reeses would joke when he felt the silence was too awkward, making everyone laugh.

"Was it good to see your girl?" West says as he walks over to Y/N.

Y/N looks up while she places full magazines in her various ammunition carriers. "Of course, it was nice to show her this world. Although that IED scared her, it probably made her worry more. I want to finish this mission, and then I can return to spending the little time we have left." She smiles as she grabs her rifle and checks it to see if it is in working order before loading a magazine.

"Well, let's hope intel is good this time, and we can end it." He replies as he inspects his rifle, loads it and slings it over his shoulder.

"Can only hope." She says as she slings her rifle over her shoulder. It hangs at her side as she pulls the Glock from her leg holster and checks it. "How long is it until your tour is up?"

Y/N looked up as she racked the action back before looking back down and racking it back into place. "I'm finishing this one off with everyone, and then I'll do one more for you. I'm unsure if I want to make this a career yet." West replies as he adjusts the straps on his vest. "What about you? You do after this one?"

"Yeah, I just want to be home with my wife..." The words slip out before she realizes it.

West laughs, "As long as I'm invited to the wedding." He slaps her on the back.

Y/N jolts slightly at the impact. "Of course you are."

"Don't worry, we'll keep her safe." He says as he watches Y/N's gaze fall on Kel, knowing fully why Y/N enlisted.

"I'm not worried about that. I know that I can't control... I'm just worried about Kel losing herself or control in this quest for revenge." Her gaze follows Kel, who's busy gearing up and talking to Mason. "The last thing anyone needs is her to be Rambo and go off alone." Breaking her gaze, she looks back at West.

"That won't happen." His voice was firm as he tried to get rid of the doubt. Y/N nods, but before she can say anything, the loadmaster comes over the intercom, saying they are eight minutes off the drop zone. Y/N walks to the tail and adjusts her chute as the roar of the C-130's engines fills the cargo hold while Echo Team moves into formation and checks their chutes and gear. After a while, Kel shifts towards the front, shouting, barely audible over the roar of the engines, "Two minutes to drop zone!" Y/N's heart raced in her chest with excitement and fear coursing through her veins. The burden of her rucksack pressed against her shoulders as the straps dug into her shoulders, and the smell of jet fuel and sweat lingered in the air around her.

"One minute!" The loadmaster's voice crackled through their comms.

Y/N glanced at Reeses, his face a mask of concentration as their gaze locked briefly. He gave her a small, warm smile and a nod as he tried to get her to relax. In the distance, she could see West and Raven, their bodies tense as they did their final checks on their gear. The red light above the jump door flicked to green. "Go, go, go!" Kel shouted.