"Ava, Lisa, this is Jericho. He's one of our most experienced enforcers and will be overseeing your training."
Kellan's introduction hangs in the air as I take in the man before me. Jericho's weathered face is a tapestry of scars, each one a story etched into his skin. His eyes, a piercing blue, seem to see right through me, assessing and calculating in equal measure, his scarred lip curling in disdain.
I force myself to stand tall, to meet his stare head-on.
"These are the whelps I'm meant to train? They look like they'd snap in a stiff breeze."
Kellan's jaw tightens. "Jericho, mind your tongue. Ava and Lisa are under the Alpha's protection. You will treat them with respect."
Jericho snorts, a harsh sound in the tense air between us.
The shifter's lip curls, exposing yellowed teeth. "Respect is earned, not given. They live or die by their own strength, not mine. If they can't handle it, that's not my problem."
