Third-person POV: Hugo had prepared himself for two outcomes—Thora agreeing or Thora refusing. But he never expected a third possibility, Thora naming her own conditions. And her condition was something no commander could accept or imagine. Still, Hugo refused to give up. "Bring people? Bring who?" He could bend on giving her command authority if she proved she was good enough. But joining the military while bringing her crew? He had never heard of anything like that. Thora smirked and met his eyes. She listed the names one by one. The more Hugo listened, the deeper his gaze became. His heartbeat even sped up.Thora touched the silver bracelet on her left wrist and said calmly, "I've made my terms clear. The rest is up to you, General Stanton." She wasn't in a rush to join Wolffang. A famous title meant nothing. What mattered was the people fighting beside her. With a team she could trust, even in a ditch, she could still rise and shake the whole world. Hugo fell into heavy thought. He should refuse immediately. Not only him, but no one in the upper ranks would ever approve this. But every single name Thora mentioned, they were exactly the kind of people he wanted but could never get. They are top talents with extreme skills, wild tempers, some with criminal records, and a few officially labeled "high risk." "Those people you mentioned do qualify for special recruitment," Hugo finally said. He lifted his head, voice solemn."But I need time to consider it. I have a responsibility to the empire, Sector Six, and to Wolffang." Thora said no more. She simply nodded politely. Whether Hugo agreed or not, she had her own plans. The meeting ended. A soldier escorted Thora out of the Special Operations Base. Seeing her car untouched, Thora let out a small laugh. She got in, turned the wheel sharply, and drifted out of the lot, vanishing from the soldiers' sight. ... At the same time, inside the Skybound Tower, Carl was giving his report. "Alpha, Ms. Green has already driven back to her pack," Carl reported. Darius nodded and tapped the projection screen twice. "Call Hugo for me." Right now, Hugo was stressing over the term Thora named.The Wolffang Unit was funded by the congress, and every member had to be officially approved. Even special recruits had to pass strict reviews. Those troublemakers Thora wanted to bring in would almost definitely fail the screening. But Hugo still didn't want to lose someone as rare and versatile as Thora. "Hello?" Hugo answered with a sour tone. "General Stanton." The moment Darius's calm but authoritative voice came through, Hugo immediately straightened his back and switched to a respectful tone. "Mr. Blackwood." A cold smile tugged at Darius's lips. "I heard you just took my mate away. So? Mr. Stanton, what exactly do you want to do with my mate?" That icy tone made Hugo shiver. It took him a moment to realize Darius was calling Thora his mate. He couldn't help grumbling inside his heart. Those two only make a mating pact, not exactly a bonding ceremony, but Mr. Blackwood keeps saying "my mate" like he just caught someone cheating. But he dared not show it. "Mr. Blackwood, I would never have inappropriate thoughts about your mate." "Mmm, very well." Darius answered slowly, his voice cold and steady. "I have no problem with you recruiting talent, but I don't want this to cause her any trouble. Do you understand, General Stanton?" Hugo's expression tightened. "I will keep your words in mind, Mr. Blackwood. But I belong to the military. My decisions represent the stance of the army. I hope Mr. Blackwood won't interfere with this." On the other end of the line, Darius's smile deepened. "Well, that depends on what you do, Mr. Stanton." Hugo cursed in his heart. Mr. Blackwood never meddles in military affairs. But for Thora? He suddenly breaks every rule? Is this what being blinded by love looks like?!