168 Chapter 168

168 Chapter 168

Seraphina’s POV T

The gym smelled like sweat, blood, and something that might have been fear.

I stood in the doorway at 5:55 AM, my stomach churning with equal parts terror and desperate determination. This was it. My first day of

training for underground fighting.

The space was nothing like the pack training facility. No clean mats, no organized equipment, no cheerful teammates encouraging each

other. Just concrete floors stained with God knows what, heavy bags hanging from rusted chains, and a boxing ring that looked like it

had seen actual deaths.

“You’re early,” Rico’s voice came from behind me. “Good. Shows discipline.”

I turned to face him. He looked different in workout clothes–leaner, harder, more dangerous. Like he could actually teach someone how

to hurt people.

“Where is everyone?” I asked.

“Coming.” He checked his watch. “You’ll meet the team at six. Fair warning–they’re not gonna be happy about you.”


“Why not?”

“Because you’re a woman. And because you’re taking up space they think belongs to them.” His expression was matter–of–fact. “They’re

gonna test you. Push you. Try to make you quit.”

My hands clenched into fists. “I won’t quit.”

“We’ll see.”

At exactly six AM, they started arriving.

Men. All men. Big, brutal–looking men with cauliflower ears and scarred knuckles and eyes that had seen too much violence. They looked

at me like I was a joke. An insult.

“The fuck is this?” The first one through the door was massive–easily six–foot–four, built like a tank. His nose had been broken so many

times it barely looked human anymore. “We running a daycare now, Rico?”

“Flint, meet Sera. Sera, meet Flint.” Rico’s voice was calm. “She’s training with us.”

Flint’s laugh was harsh and ugly. “Training? You serious? She looks like a stiff wind would break her.”

More men filed in. Eight total, not counting Rico. All of them staring at me with varying degrees of amusement and contempt.


“Maybe she’s lost,” another one said. His accent was thick, Eastern European maybe. Scars crisscrossed his shaved head like a road map.

“Yoga studio is three blocks down, little girl.

Heat flooded my cheeks. “I’m not lost.”

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168 Chapter 168

said, cracking his knuckles with sounds like gunshots. “First time someone hits

his hands once, sharp and commanding. “Alright, ladies. Enough chatting. Time to

The warm–up was brutal.

gave out. Sprints across the gym floor until I

it all, the men watched me struggle

my

myself up. Did five


“Pathetic,” someone muttered.

Again. And again. Until the warm–up was finally over and my entire body was screaming for

Rico announced. “Flint, you’re with

grin was terrifying.

but fair. He’d pushed us hard but never tried to hurt

wanted us to fail.

This Flint was different.

money. Fast, brutal, with no mercy or restraint. His first punch caught me in the ribs before I

think about blocking.

my lungs in a rush. I stumbled backward,

from somewhere far away. “Get

He closed the distance with two steps and drove his fist

this time. His knuckles connected


swept my

hard I saw stars. Before I could move, his weight was on

“Tap out,” he growled.

breathe. Couldn’t think. Panic clawed

“TAP OUT!”

me immediately and stood up, leaving me gasping on the

someone said.

through the gym.

“Get up,” Rico ordered.

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168 Chapter 168

couldn’t. My body wouldn’t

“I said GET UP!”

his voice made me move. I rolled onto my side, then my hands

throat where Flint’s

“Again,” Rico said.

“What?”

“You heard me. Again.”

in a chokehold. I tapped out before

I

tenth round, I was barely conscious. Blood dripped from my nose. My right eye was

was stabbing my ribs.

“Enough,” Rico finally called.

to my knees, grateful

day,” Flint said, and there might have been the tiniest hint of respect in his voice. “Most

next three weeks

myself to the gym at six AM. Every

got beaten,

kept showing

guy told me after knocking me down for the fifth

open constantly.”

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