THE ROGUE QUEEN

want to

I was still in my small basement room back at Bloodfang, getting ready for another day

ody didn

d pierced me. My muscles hurt, like I'd been stepped on by something heavy. And undern

rced them

verything a warm gold. The air smelled of herbs, smoke, and food co

since I'd eaten? Tw

. The world tilted, my shoulder burned, and f

a voic

good shoulder to keep me from falling back do

" I asked, my voi

t sixteen hours." She helped me sit up carefully, proppin

it by a truck

l smile. "That'

quickly and confidently as she worked. "Your wound's healing faster than normal

ng into a cup and handed it to me. "

smelled earthy and bitter, like crushed

rry, it won't kill you. I've kep

ad a

ut. It tasted even worse than it smelled-bitter, thic

wered the cup. "Unless you want to

it tasted awful. Every single drop went down like

a bowl of something that actually smelled good, some k

lowly. Your stomach's b

eed to be

etter than the cold scraps I used to get back at Bloodfang. I had to fo

green eyes softening. "When was t

hard. "I don

aze-anger, pity, maybe both.

ate." I stared down at the bowl, heat creeping up my ne

llshit," s

led by how fierc

away, her movements sharp as she fussed with jars on the table.

omforted me. They should h

to finally be angry. To admit that what happened

ou," I w

back at me

For... not makin

're not crazy, Selene. You were

d hit m

us

before. To me It had just been

sn't norm

change your bandages and get you cleaned up. You smell like blo

completely diffe

dating. Mor

e camp was larger than I'd thought, tents and shelters spread across a clearing, smoke rising from

Two men were sparring not far away, their movements fast and controlled. I even

ing rogues act...

ust felt ou

muttered. "You belong he

quietly. "Everyo

you showed up covered in blood in the

e looked up. One woman with short black hair and a

asked Lyra. "The o

," Lyra said, her t

picion clear in her eyes.

tter?" Lyra

he brought da

rong to worry. The Council woul

aybe nineteen or twenty, with warm brown skin and soft eyes.

t laugh. "You're

're too

a keeps

xtending her hand. "I'm Zara. Don't mind Maya, she doesn

taking her hand. It

" I said

from a pack, right? I can tell by the way you hold yourse

lin

n't mean that in a bad wa

okay,"

ound the fire, "-we've all been where you are. Lost. Scared. Trying to fig

es

"Come on. Let me introduce you to s

met more wolves than

ned, both friendly in a rough, teasing way that reminde

d wolf who looked like he'd seen e

air who watched everyone with sharp, assessing eyes b

there wer

ed at me with open curiosity, whispering to each other until t

y a Shadow Wol

camp wen

eart hammerin

said sharply.

Kael

ot of things.

gh she didn't loo

one's eyes on me.

ant to help me with dinner prep? We

A way out of the s

it grat

ng vegetables while Zara and two other women-Nora and

k, but it felt go

ether the old shelter needed fixing, and if Marcus was actu

mal talk.

out the fear, without the constan

trange. U

.. n

ill focused on her knife. "Y

what I was holdin

your Alpha rejected you." Her

ay to put it,

t. "Heard he's obsessed with maintaining his reputation. Probably co

s should

they made

could stop myself. "The bond formed, and five minut

le

and gave my hand a li

Alpha who'd throw away his mate ov

little, "you're better off her

to beli

eally wa

The medicine Lyra had given me was wearing off, and

p after dinner when K

d quietly. "G

for an excuse to

the clearing, where the f

u holding u

Everyone's been nice.

here else." He leaned against a tree, watching me carefully

t in a good way? Maybe? I don't kno

erent

r place and staying in it. But here..." I looked back toward the camp

vive." He was quiet for a mome

ur

rly not weak, you're strong. I saw what you did to those hunt

stion h

ere your wolf is everything, that made me worthless. And when everyone tells you t

're not

didn't. And even now, I still don't un

re a survivor. That's what you are. And th

re desperate than I intende

et for a l

one. A rogue found me. She fed me, taught me to live again. Before she died, she made me

me cracked

ou," I w

yet. Tomorrow, you start working. Training, c

n't expe

. "Get some sleep, Selene. Tom

leaving me alone

in the forest air, feeling the presenc

here, she

e

. That'

she wa

now, safe

the glow of the fires and the sound of l

life, I thought maybe, just m

k to Lyra's shelt

he edge of the firelight, watc

rl who'd asked if I

ing dark, and children were supposed to stay close t

softly. "You sh

her voice small but determined.

pped. "What ar

closer, and I could see tears glistening in her eyes. "My mama says Shadow Wol

t me like a

l her she was wrong that I wasn't a

ords woul

n't know if t

e of. What the shadows inside m

waiting for an answ

and ran back t

g, and for the first time since arriving at the camp,

ould be safer if I