THE WILD CAT

Chapter 12

The welcome party was in full swing. Laughter floated through the grand hall, clinking glasses punctuating the music that played softly in the background. Every guest seemed perfectly at ease, a drink in hand, their polished smiles reflecting the golden glow of the chandeliers.

Riley stood quietly near the edge of the crowd, her gaze drifting over the room. She took in the extravagant outfits, the sparkle of jewels under the lights, the subtle display of wealth in every movement. She didn’t blend in—she knew it—but she held herself steady, refusing to let anyone see her discomfort.

“Riley!”

The sound of her name made her turn. Skylar and Quinn approached with confident strides, their gowns hugging every perfect curve.

“Oh my goodness, girl, you look stunning,” Skylar said with an approving glance from head to toe.

Quinn nodded in agreement, her smile softer. “Truly. That dress was made for you.”

Riley returned their enthusiasm with a carefully crafted smile. She had already decided she needed to be friendly with everyone here, at least on the surface. Friends—real or fake—meant information, and information might mean a way out.

From across the room, Serial’s eyes narrowed. She had been watching Riley since she entered, her gaze sharp, calculating. Before she could approach, Ava appeared at her side, flanked by Lila and Lola.

“That girl Riley is going to be a big problem,” Ava remarked, her lips curling in something that wasn’t quite a smile.

Serial’s head tilted slightly, her expression cooling as her gaze stayed locked on Riley. “And what exactly do you mean by that?” she asked, her tone low, almost dangerous.

Ava chuckled lightly, as though she’d just shared a harmless observation. “With the way things are looking around here… she’ll be at the top soon.”

Serial rolled her eyes, though her stare never wavered from the sight of Riley laughing with Skylar and Quinn. Her jaw tightened, and she took a slow sip from her glass, the flicker of something unreadable crossing her face before she looked away.

“What makes you think so, Ava?” Lila asked, tilting her head.

“Is it because she defeated Kika and took the hundredth spot?” Lola chimed in, rolling her eyes. “Kika wasn’t that good anyway.”

Ava slowly turned her head toward her two girls, her smile tightening. Serial, standing beside them, listened with the air of someone who didn’t care—though the subtle stillness in her posture said otherwise.

“Well,” Ava began, her tone dripping with disdain, “you see, that girl was abducted… and the next thing we hear, she’s been given the title of the Triplets’ Wild Cat. A spot,” her voice sharpened, “that every single girl in this room has been fighting to claim for years.”

There was no mistaking the flash of anger in her eyes.

“But… I don’t think the triplets’ master would actually do that, right?” Lila asked cautiously.

“It isn’t fair. They can’t just—” Lola started, but Ava cut her off with a single raised hand.

“Silence, girls.”

The music in the hall swelled, bass thrumming through the air as laughter and dancing filled the floor. Riley was still across the room, talking to Skylar and Quinn as if she belonged here.

Ava leaned closer, lowering her voice to a knife’s whisper. “Ever since she came here, Master Lucas has been on her heels. And…” she glanced deliberately at Serial, “he even dared to speak to you badly.”

Serial’s eyes twitched at that, a slow blink masking the flare of irritation in her gaze. She didn’t answer, but her glass tilted just slightly, the amber liquid inside catching the light like molten gold.

“Maybe very soon Serial will stop being the leader of the girls,” Lola said with a soft chuckle.

Unfortunately for her, Serial heard every word.

“Enough with your nonsense,” Serial snapped, her voice slicing through the thumping music. Several people turned their heads, curious, but she didn’t care.

Her gaze cut to Ava, sharp as a blade. “Ava, train your dogs to know how to talk—or I promise you, very soon, they’ll be left with no tongues.”

Her eyes lingered on Lila and Lola just long enough for them to flinch before she turned on her heel and walked away, heels clicking like warning shots against the marble floor.

Ava’s lips curled into a smirk, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes. “I can’t wait for things to unfold in this mansion… leaving many people vulnerable—so I can break every single one of them.”

The thought tasted sweet.

“Let’s go, girls,” she said casually, flashing them a smile as if nothing had happened. The three of them slipped into the crowd, disappearing into the swirl of gowns and music.

Across the room, Riley stood with Skylar and Quinn, chatting quietly.

Then the lights dimmed, and an announcer stepped onto the stage, his voice booming through the speakers.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the welcome party of our new Wild Cat!”

Skylar let out an excited squeal, shaking Riley by the arm. Riley blinked, caught between surprise and mild panic, as the announcer continued.

“She is fierce and confident—breaking records as the first Wild Cat to enter the Top 100 on her very first trial!”

The massive projector flickered to life behind him, flashing with clips of Riley’s fight with Kika—every punch, every takedown—and still images of her standing victorious, the crowd around her roaring in the footage.

Some people clapped, some whispered, others stared in thinly veiled envy. But in one corner of the room, two pairs of eyes—Lucas’s and Theo’s—watched her with very different kinds of hunger.

Riley’s eyes widened. “Wait—someone was videoing?” she asked, her voice low but sharp with shock as she glanced around the glittering room.

“Of course. Everything that happens here is always on camera,” Skylar replied matter-of-factly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“There are cameras everywhere,” Quinn groaned, rolling her eyes.

Riley froze. If that was true… then escaping this place without being caught was impossible. Her stomach twisted. The only way out now was through—straight into the Top 50. And instead of making progress quietly, she was standing here in heels and makeup, getting a welcome party for just entering the Top 100.

Her mind drifted, barely registering the announcer’s booming voice anymore.

Then—blinding light.

The spotlight flared over her, locking her in place like prey caught in a hunter’s sights.

“Tonight’s welcome party,” the announcer declared, “is for our new Wild Cat—number 100!”

The crowd erupted into cheers, the sound swallowing her whole. Riley’s breath quickened as she looked around—hundreds of eyes fixed on her, the glare of the light pressing hot against her skin.

“I have to get out of here,” she muttered under her breath, shaking her head. This wasn’t the life she wanted. It never had been.

From across the room, Theo’s gaze snapped to her. He noticed the way her chest rose too quickly, the way her knees edged toward running. She was about to bolt—he could see it. He started toward her, weaving through the crowd—

—only for Lucas to appear first, stepping in like he’d been watching her all along. His hand landed firmly on her shoulder, halting her before she could move.

Theo stopped mid-stride, his jaw tightening.

Riley turned toward Lucas, eyes searching his face.

“Everything will be fine, love,” Lucas murmured, his voice smooth and steady. He slid his hand into hers, and without waiting for her reply, guided her toward the stage.

The crowd watched. Some are curious. Some are envious. And in the far corner, Theo’s stare burned hotter with every step she took beside Lucas.

Lucas took the microphone with an ease that demanded silence, his voice carrying effortlessly over the music.

“Everyone, listen carefully,” he drawled, his eyes sweeping the room before landing on Riley. “This is our new Number 100… and also my personal Wild Cat. Touch her—” his gaze sharpened, his tone dropping into something lethal, “—and you die.”

The crowd rippled with gasps, a sharp intake of collective breath cutting through the noise.

Across the room, Theo and Armani exchanged a look before sneering.

“How can Lucas choose a weak Wild Cat as his personal?” Armani muttered, disbelief twisting his voice.

In another corner, Ava’s expression darkened. She’d dreamed of being the one at Lucas’s side, earning the right to go on missions with him.

“No way Master Lucas would choose a Number 100,” she scoffed, stomping her heel into the floor. “This is absurd.” She turned sharply, Lila and Lola trailing after her in whispered agreement.

On stage, Riley stared at Lucas, her voice barely audible. “What?”

He met her confusion with a slow, knowing smile, then guided her away from the microphone. The crowd clapped, some out of respect, others because they knew better than to do anything else.

The applause faded as they stepped off the stage—straight into Theo. He stood square in their path, his expression hard, his eyes locked on Riley until she dropped her gaze.

“What did you just do?” Theo’s voice was low, tight, as if the words were pulled through clenched teeth.

“I picked my Wild Cat,” Lucas said simply, his grip still warm on Riley’s hand.

Theo’s eyes narrowed. “You can’t have a weak Wild Cat. It’s a dangerously stupid decision.”

Riley let out the faintest eye-roll, the kind that could be passed off as nothing if anyone asked—but Theo caught it. And for the briefest second, his lips twitched like he might smile.

“She isn’t weak,” Lucas said, his voice steady, almost bored despite the stares around them. “And I believe I did the right thing.”

“That’s it—you always believe you’re doing the right thing,” Armani’s voice cut in from behind, laced with venom. He strode toward them, jaw tight. “And still, you walk straight into deep shit.”

Theo’s gaze shifted to Armani, sensing the heat radiating off him.

“You know how dangerous this is,” Armani continued, stopping just short of Lucas. “Picking a weak cat to be with you? She could be used against you by your enemies. But no—” his lip curled, “—you don’t seem to give a damn. All because you just wanna get into this b***h’s pants.”

Riley’s head snapped toward him, disbelief flashing across her face. “Excuse me?” she asked, half hoping she’d misheard.

Lucas’s eyes darkened. “That’s your f*****g issue, Armani. Whether I want to get into her pants or not, it’s my damn business. Not yours.” He stepped closer, his tone like ice. “And it would be best for you to stay out of it.”

With that, Lucas brushed past him, shoulder slamming into Armani hard enough to jolt him off balance.

Armani turned his glare on Riley, his eyes cold and lingering before he finally stalked off.

Theo’s attention snapped back to her. “You. Come with me.”

Riley acted as though she hadn’t heard, taking a step in the opposite direction. But before she could get far, Theo’s hand shot out, fingers closing around her wrist. Without another word, he dragged her away through the murmuring crowd.

From the edge of the room, Serial watched the scene unfold, her arms crossed. “I have to do something before this gets out of hand,” she muttered under her breath.