Chapter 697

I unclasp my hands from behind my back as I speak and calmly raising one at my side, palm up. Whatever words the Captain was going to say get stuck in his throat as he just stares at me, stunned by my claims.

But they're not claims. My wolf howls in my chest, proud and angry, knowing that they're true. That I'm all of that and more.

"Now I've seen you listen to Jackson when he interrupts your plans," I say quietly, not looking to my mate but feeling his wolf close to mine, just at the other edge of the bond, ready to race across it should I need him. "When he told you that he wanted to train me differently, to teach me how to sharpshoot on the run, you listened to him. In fact, you immediately approved the addition to my training. Because he's short-listed for Command."

The Captain closes his mouth, standing straighter.

"And I don't know whether it is simply because I am ineligible for command," I continue, my voice quieting now, "or if it is simply because I am a girl, and I am small, and I am pretty, and have a tendency towards a sweet disposition. But despite the reason, I find that it is true that you will hear out Rafe and Jackson. You took two meetings with them regarding the draft, heard their case for why I should be reassigned." I pause, turning my head to the side and considering him. "But when I asked you for the same courtesy last night - for you to simply hear me out and watch a simple demonstration that proves incontrovertibly why I should not be trained separately from my team - you refused."

The Captain inhales a deep breath, clenching his jaw, realizing that I'm right.

"And now that I've done enough to finally get your attention, sir," I say, "that's again all that I ask - for you to simply hear me out as you do Jackson and Rafe. And once I have finished explaining you why I should not be trained separately from Jackson, Jesse, Luca, and Tony, I will follow every single one of your orders without hesitation or complaint.”

Finished, I stand straight before the Captain, evenly meeting his eyes.

He takes a long moment, standing very still, before he inhales a deep breath and crosses his arms across his chest. "I am not so arrogant as you would believe me, Cadet," he growls. "I can admit when I've made a mistake."

I nod to him, knowing better than to preen at his tacit admittance that I'm right - that he did dismiss me, a little, because I'm an Espionage cadet and a girl. That had it been Rafe demanding a demonstration last night, he would have listened.

The Captain sighs deeply then, glancing down the hall then, towards the stairs.

"All right, then," he says. "If you've got some sort of earth-shattering power that will change my mind. about all of this and keep you in this school, then I guess I'd better see it."noveldrama

UMS

I squeal then with triumph and excitement, jumping once and clasping my hands together in front of my chest.

The Captain turns immediately to me and raises an eyebrow. I clear my throat, dropping my hands and giving him a serious nod.

But he smirks, and I can't help the smile that breaks out on my facezas I turn to everyone in the room and wave them forward. "Come on!" I

call, eager. "Let's show him what we

call eager.

can do!"

“Oh, god, the whole party's coming?" The Captain sighs as all of my friends get to their feet and move towards the door. “Even the seamstress?"

"Yes," I say, nodding to him as I step into the hall at his side. "I need her opinion on fire-retardant battle gear."

The Captain does a double-take

when he realizes that I'm serious, but then he groans and turns, heading down the stairs. "Come on!"

he calls, waving us after him. "Team Sinclair, outside with me. Now."

I bite my lip with excitement, glancing over my shoulder at all of my friends as we together troop down the stairs.