Eileen's POV
The moonlight spilled silver over the treetops, dancing through the branches like it knew something I didn’t. We had just finished our third week of combat drills, and I could see it—no, feel it—in the way the women moved. Their stances were stronger, their strikes cleaner. They no longer hesitated. I watched Marla take down her opponent with a precise twist and a firm grip, and I felt so much pride in that moment, it nearly stole my breath.
Three weeks ago, she couldn’t hold her ground without flinching. Now, she was fierce. Alive. Every single one of them was changing, transforming into warriors. And somehow, they looked to me as the reason.
I never expected this. When I first stepped into the training circle, I was just trying to help. I knew what it felt like to
