** Paige’s POV **

“That was so much harder than I expected,” I admit, my eyes meeting Ryder’s.

“You held your ground,” he says, voice low, pride and fury mixed in his tone. “You didn’t back down once.”

“I wanted to,” I admit, my throat tight. “The way they looked at me… like I didn’t belong. Like I was some… mistake. I wanted to turn and run.”

“You’re not a mistake.” Callen soothes. “You’re the one thing they don’t know how to ...