THE ROGUE QUEEN

– Bloodfang

re cele

basement room. It was the night of the Moonrise Ceremony, the night when every eighteen-year-o

ge of my old mattress,

. She said I wasn't wolfless like everyone believed-that ther

the pendant my mother gave me, because

ieving the same lie everyone el

t of me still hoped she'd been right. That maybe my

no pull, no sign of life from the crea

sil

e thundered from upstai

mach t

was always left alone in the basement, forgot

lowly, my heart racing

d the main ha

ne was

around the center of the room. The ranked members were seated a

ing on a throne-like c

g, strong, proud, an

en eyes were

ictor said, his deep voice e

ky legs, feeling every s

oke out aro

lfless

she ev

embarra

or's chair, keeping my head do

me," he

my eyes

rything

heart jumped, my body burning as something deep inside me stirred aw

a

tiff, his jaw tight, his hands grip

lt it

uffered for so long. The Moon Goddess had chosen him for me. Not just anyone, but the A

he woul

into a wave of

ou see

and the wol

t can't

voice thundered, and

d to read, and began walking toward me. Each step echoed

d in my chest. M

me-so close I could feel his warmt

y voice shaking. "I felt

through the air, deep a

nfused. "But.

me, his eyes filled with disgust. "You thought I

like sharp kniv

f hope inside me

ng sure everyone could hear. "You eat our food, live under our roof, and

held them back. I wouldn't cry.

ged softly. "Pl

tone sharp and cold. "And I won't

dable, his eyes empty as he spo

Bloodfang Pack, reject you, Se

ike glass shatteri

I couldn't breathe. My knees gave out as I grabbed at my chest,

hoed throug

oment to reali

quietly, no hint of fee

streaming down my face. I someh

ept... your

tely, and I fell to the

h gasps, whispers,

did you se

y thought he

the

se above them all

k. You have until sunrise to leave our land. If you a

tears, my whole body shaking

turned his back on me like i

e nowhere

nce my way. "That'

my arm and yanked me to my fee

if touching me might curse them. Some laughed, som

nd me, filled with mockery. "

and into the cold night. I stumbl

voice cold. "If you're stil

ammed shut

he sounds of laughter and mu

had reje

had thro

g, no home, no f

ht above me like it was laughing at my pai

and walked i

-

dea where

that I couldn

ls on every side. The deeper I went, the colder it got. My thin sw

kept w

ad

knew I'd fall

walked-minutes, hours-

ruggling to breathe. My chest burned where the bond used to be

o

I'd **ne

to the Goddess who'd cursed me with this life. "Why

le

s sil

my chest and buried

here. Let the cold take m

sier than what

so t

viving, of pretending I was

asn

er ha

cked somew

d snapping up a

Human

! I found

ross the border.

nt

stayed gone. Or maybe making s

eaming in the moonlight. I recognized them-Marcus, Jace, and Cole. All of t

me. "Well, look at that. The wolfless f

the tree, shaking. "I'm

were banished until sunrise. But he also said if you happened to...

old. "He sent y

Marcus raised his crossbow, aiming it at my chest. "Co

rrow

ing inside