I stared at the ceiling of my room. One arm thrown over my eyes. Replaying the disastrous training session on an endless loop in my mind.
A complete, humiliating clusterfuck.
I'd run criminal enterprises with more finesse than this group of superpowered teenagers. Back in my old life, I could orchestrate complex drug deals without breaking a sweat. Territory expansions were child's play. But here? I couldn't even get five hormonal kids to follow basic instructions without them devolving into chaos.
Natalia's words cut deeper than any blade.
You're a terrible teacher. You only know how to assemble assets.
She was right. That's what pissed me off the most. The truth always stings worse than any lie.
I could manipulate people all day long. Seduce them. Dominate them. Break them down and build them back up into whatever I needed. But creating a functioning team? That required something I'd never needed before.
Genuine leadership.
Whatever the hell that meant.
