SCARS DON'T LIE Griffin sat in his office, watching the door as Selena entered. She looked rough, with a split lip and torn shirt, but her eyes still sparkled with defiance. Griffin leaned back in his chair, smoking a cigarette. "You're still standing," he said, his voice neutral. Selena walked in, her limp noticeable, but she didn't back down. "Wasn't that the point of your little test?" she shot back. Griffin's gaze hardened. "That wasn't a game. That was a taste of the world you're trying to be part of. And from what I've heard, you made a mess of the Red Vultures." Selena met his stare without flinching. Griffin studied her, his eyes lingering on her bruises. "Scars don't lie," he said, his voice low. "You bleed and keep moving. That means something." Selena's jaw clenched. "Stop testing me. Either I'm in, or I'm out." Griffin crushed his cigarette and stood up, circling around her. "Surviving one fight doesn't make you one of us," he said. "Now comes the real test. Can you

OBEDIENCE TEST Selena walked quickly through the streets, feeling like she was being watched. She heard footsteps matching her pace and ducked into an alley, waiting for the figure to follow. But it didn't, and she realized she was being herded towards dead ends. Griffin's men were tracking her movements, waiting for the right moment to act. Selena spotted one of them in a pawn shop window and pretended not to notice, buying apples from a vendor instead. Griffin watched Selena's every move from his office, impressed that she hadn't broken yet. "Let her think she's free," he said to himself. "A cornered wolf fights harder." Selena returned to her apartment, locked the door, and set her blade on the table. She was tired but determined, whispering to herself, "If he wants a war, I'll give him one." Unbeknownst to her, Griffin had already tightened his grip, watching her every move. The game had just begun, and Selena was walking right into his trap Selena walked quickly throu

BREAKING POINT Selena knelt in the courtyard, her body trembling with pain and exhaustion. The moon cast a faint glow, but it only seemed to deepen the shadows around her. Griffin's men had pushed her to the limit, their relentless training and brutal tactics leaving her battered and bruised. Their whispers – "She won't make it," "The boss will drop her after the test" – echoed in her mind, sowing seeds of doubt. For a moment, Selena felt like giving up. The weight of her struggles, the pain, and the fear seemed too much to bear. She wondered if she was strong enough to survive in Griffin's world, where toughness was the only currency that mattered. But when Griffin appeared at the far end of the courtyard, his presence seemed to command the air around him. His cold gaze swept over her, and his harsh words cut deep into her psyche. "If you fall here, you were never meant to stand with me," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. Selena's eyes welled up with tears, and her throat