Riley stood in the center of the hall, every eye locked on her as Armani’s smirk slowly curved into place.
“You will be one of the new Wildcats assigned to this mission.”
The words barely settled before murmurs rippled through the room—low, uneasy, dangerous. Chairs shifted. Breath hitched. Theo rolled his eyes, already irritated.
“Silence.”
Armani’s voice cracked like a gunshot.
The hall fell dead quiet.
Lucas stepped forward, jaw tight. “The newbie hasn’t had any formal training yet.”
Armani let out a short scoff, his gaze never leaving Riley. “We all watched her take down Ex Number One Hundred and earn that spot. She didn’t survive that fight by luck. She’s trained.”
“But she doesn’t know how things work here,” Lucas pressed. “She doesn’t even know what this mission is about.”
