THE ROGUE QUEEN

ld hav

up, to disappear into the shadows before

coul

g, every bit of strength, every drop of energy I didn't kno

ed. Her voice weak but

can'

ry

ried with

ely. I fell back to the ground with a small , broken, pathetic whimper

steps ca

hoever it was clearly didn't wa

ar

definitely male, with a rough edge that spoke of s

as a massive wolf made of literal shadows. the same creatu

helpless, too weak t

ed, closer now. "That arrow wound o

confusion mixing

ally stil

through me. Every part of me throbbed with pain. My bones felt broken

Medicine. Let me h

but even she sounded exhausted. *Hu

choice di

, I'd be dead before sunrise-either from the w

tranger killed me,

k to the ground, too t

stopped just a

ietly. "I'm coming closer

s my vision, and I

nelt be

e darkness, dark hair pulled back in a messy knot. A jagged scar cut across his jawline, pale and raised

ro

ng. The scars along his arms and neck told stories of fights he'd lived through.

en thro

is eyes moving over my huge wolf body

ave laughed,

close to that. I was a mons

pulled out some bandages, herbs, and a small bottle of clear liquid. "Th

slowly, watching for any si

dn't

t my fur, I flinched, not from

uc

le t

time someone had touched me

tore through me like fire. I growled, snapping my

softly, his voice calm but

nd with skill that came from experience. When h

ing it like a fact. "Shadow Wolves have been gone fo

arefully, unsur

highest bidder? The Council would pay a huge r

Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. I'm no

's a camp about a mile east," he said. "Rogues stay t

d and started

's voice echo

say, but it came

and looked

human form, but my body wouldn't obey.

l, I told her. I n

trong enough

n't

he was silent.

lace. My fur sank into my skin, and my claws turned into fingers. The pain was sharp an

over, I was

ke

ver

edi

o cover as much as I could with my arms an

tare. Instead, he quickly took off his

er

y. It was huge on me, falling almost to my knees, but it

hispered, my voi

carefully averted, looking at the t

sita

t making myself rea

did I hav

d finally. "My

replied. "K

tched between us, a

... Selene. What's a Shadow Wolf doing ble

know wher

id I ev

ishment? The hunters w

tened. "I don't have

ftened. "Yeah. I

ntioned it's not much. Just a bunch of outcasts trying to survive. But it's safe. A

quietly. "You don't know me. For a

g from half a mile away." He met my eyes, and there was no judgment there. Only understanding.

me harder th

e being told I was wor

rogue who owed me nothing wa

was a go

id quickly. "I don't want t

find somewhere you can breathe without

es

ay as long as you need. And when you're read

to beli

in this cruel world, might actually help

t was da

isn't a trap?" I a

urt, you're exhausted, and you're in the middle of territory you

as r

that he

for a long moment,

e on my own. Keep running unt

ld take

d out and placed

s warm. Ste

d I swayed immediately, my

immediately. Kael caught me before I fe

nk. Yesterday?

n't k

curse. "Okay. New plan. We get you to camp, get food in y

ded lik

" I wh

forest was dark and unfamiliar, but he seemed to know exactly whe

of silence. "Shadow Wolf, huh? T

. compl

y. "The best stor

"What about you? W

tened. "Also

u're a

ea

choi

hooses this life, Selene. We end up here b

as familiar. I'd felt it myse

ned?" I ask

long I thought he w

sixteen. The Council's enforcers destroyed us

caught. "I

aid otherwise. "I've been wandering ever since. Doing odd jobs

ds lo

ing unreadable in his expression.

nd, the trees opened

I fr

aps. Fires flickered across the space, casting warm light on faces tha

form, talking, laughing,

gu

of t

ly, "to the last place on