THE ROGUE QUEEN

Chapter 8

The screaming stopped before I even reached the center of camp.

That was somehow worse than if it had continued.

I pushed my way through the crowd that had gathered, ignoring the pain in my ribs, ignoring the way my legs threatened to give out. Wolves stood in a tight circle, their faces grim, and in the center

Blood.

So much blood.

A young man lay on the ground, his chest rising and falling in quick, painful breaths. His shirt was ripped open, and deep claw marks covered his torso. His body was trying to heal, but the damage was too much. Too fast. Too violent.

Lyra was on her knees beside him, her hands pressed against the worst of the injuries, her face pale.

"Someone get me clean water!" she shouted. "And my medical kit the big one!"

Wolves rushed off to get what she needed.

I stood frozen at the edge of the circle, unable to look away from all that blood. It pooled beneath him, soaking into the dirt, and the smell hit me all at once,metallic, sharp, heavy and my stomach twisted.

"What happened?" someone asked.

"Rogue attack," another voice answered. "He was on perimeter watch. They came out of nowhere."

"How many?"

"Three, maybe four. They ran before we could track them."

My heart hammered against my ribs. Rogue attack. Here. At the camp that had taken me in.

“This is your fault,” a voice whispered in the back of my mind. “They came looking for you.”

"Move."

Kael appeared at my side, his hand on my elbow, firmly guiding me backward. "You don't need to see this."

“Is he going to die?” I whispered.

"I don't know." His voice was tight. "But Lyra's the best healer we have. If anyone can save him, it's her."

The young man I realized with a jolt that I'd seen him before, one of the wolves who'd been friendly during dinner preparations let out a horrible, wet gasping sound.

Lyra's hands were shaking. "Come on, damn you. Stay with me. Don't you dare—"

"Lyra." Old Thomas appeared beside her, his weathered face grave. "The wounds are too deep. Even with your medicine—"

"I know what the wounds look like!" Her voice cracked. "Just give me time. I can—"

The young man's body went still.

The gasping stopped.

Silence crashed over the camp like a wave.

Lyra didn’t move at first. Her hands stayed on his chest, like she could force his heart to start again. Like she could pull him back.

“No,” she whispered. “No, no, no—please.”

Elena stepped forward and gently pulled Lyra away from the body. "He's gone, dear. You did everything you could."

"It wasn't enough." Lyra's voice was hollow. "It's never enough."

My throat closed up. I wanted to say something, do something, but what could I possibly offer? I was a stranger here. An outsider who'd brought nothing but danger.

"Everyone back to your shelters," Old Thomas commanded, his voice carrying authority despite his age. "We're doubling perimeter watch. No one goes anywhere alone until we know what we're dealing with."

The crowd began to disperse, murmuring among themselves. But I heard some of the conversation:

"—think they were looking for something?"

"—too organized for regular rogues—"

"—heard they were asking about the new girl—"

My blood turned to ice.

They were looking for me.

I'd brought this here. That young man, I didn't even know his name, was dead because of me.

"Selene." Kael's voice was gentle but firm. "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't blame yourself. You don't know that this was about you."

“How can I not?” I choked out. “They were asking about the new girl. Why else would trained rogues attack this camp?”

"Because rogues attack. It's what they do. We've had problems before—"

"Not like this." Maya appeared beside us, her expression dark. "Thomas is right to be worried. This wasn't a random attack. Those wounds—" she glanced back at the covered body, "—were precise. Professional. Someone sent trained fighters."

"The Council," Kael said quietly.

Maya's jaw tightened. "Maybe. Or someone who knows the Council is looking for a Shadow Wolf and wants to collect the reward themselves."

My stomach dropped.

"I should leave," I said. "Right now. Before anyone else gets hurt because of me."

"No." Maya's voice was sharp. "That's exactly what they want. They're trying to isolate you, make you vulnerable. The moment you step outside this camp's protection, you're dead."

"But if I stay—"

"If you stay, we protect you. All of us. Together." She looked between me and Kael. "That's what we do here. We don't abandon our own."

"I'm not one of you," I whispered. "I've been here two days."

“You think that matters?” Zara’s voice cracked as she pushed through the crowd. Her eyes were red from crying. “The man who died… his name was Davey. He told me yesterday that he was glad you came. He said having a Shadow Wolf on our side might finally give us a chance against the Council.”

The words hit me like a physical blow.

“He… he said that?”

“He did,” Zara said. “Because Davey understood something you haven’t realized yet, you’re not just some runaway. You’re someone who could help us change things. Maybe even win.”

“I don’t want anyone dying because of me.”

"Then get strong enough to fight beside us instead of being someone we have to protect." Maya crossed her arms. "Which is exactly what we were doing before this happened. Training. Learning. Becoming dangerous."

She was right.

They were all right.

Running wouldn't solve anything. It would just get me killed somewhere else, alone, with no one to mourn me.

At least here, I had a chance.

"Okay," I said quietly. "I'll stay. I'll train. I'll do whatever it takes."

Maya nodded approvingly. "Good. Because tomorrow, we're doubling your training schedule. And Kael—" she looked at him, "—you're going to teach her tracking. If more assassins come, she needs to sense them before they get close."

"Agreed," Kael said.

"I'll work on strengthening her shadows," Lyra's voice came from behind us. She'd cleaned most of the blood off her hands, but her eyes were red-rimmed and haunted. "If she's going to be a target, she needs to learn how to weaponize her power. Really weaponize it."

"Lyra, you should rest—" Elena started.

"I'll rest when we're safe." Lyra's voice was steel. "Davey died because I couldn't save him. I won't let that happen again."

That night, the camp was silent.

No fires. No laughter. No children playing.

Just wolves on high alert, watching the darkness, waiting for another attack that might or might not come.

I sat outside Lyra’s shelter with my knees pulled up to my chest, staring into the quiet night. My body was worn out, but my mind refused to rest. Every sound made me jump, a branch snapping, wind brushing through the trees, footsteps far away.

This is your life now, my wolf whispered. Always watching. Always worrying.

I never wanted this, I whispered back.

No one chooses danger, she said. But it's here, and we handle it together.

"Can't sleep either?"

I turned and saw Kael walking toward me, holding two steaming cups. He sat next to me and handed me one.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Lyra's tea. It won't put you to sleep, but it'll calm your nerves. Trust me, you need it."

I took the cup and sipped. It was bitter but warming, spreading through my chest like liquid comfort.

We sat in silence for a while, watching the camp.

“His name was Davey,” Kael said after a long pause. “David Chen. He was nineteen.”

Nineteen. Younger than me.

“He came from the Crescent Moon Pack. They exiled him after he refused a direct order from his Alpha. The Alpha wanted him to kill a human who saw a wolf shift. Davey said no. Said the human didn’t deserve to die for being in the wrong place.”

My throat tightened. "He sounds like a good person."

"He was." Kael's voice was rough. "And he died doing exactly what he would've wanted, protecting someone who needed it."

"He didn't even know me."

"He didn't have to." Kael looked at me, his amber eyes reflecting the moonlight. "That's what you need to understand about this place, Selene. We're not a pack in the traditional sense. We don't have an Alpha dictating our every move. But we have something stronger, choice. We choose to protect each other. We choose to stand together. And we choose who we let in."

"And you chose me."

"We did. And we'd do it again." He paused. "But you have to choose us too. You have to decide if you're going to be part of this community or just someone passing through."

The question hung in the air between us.

Was I part of this? Could I be?

At Bloodfang, I'd never belonged. I'd never been wanted. But here, in this ragged group of outcasts and survivors, I'd found something I'd never had before.

Purpose.

"I choose you," I said quietly. "All of you. I'm not running."

Kael smiled—small but genuine. "Good. Because we need you, Selene. More than you know."

“Why do you keep saying that?” I asked. “I’m untrained. I’m unstable. Right now, I’m more danger than help.”

He was quiet for a long moment, his expression thoughtful.

“I’ve been a rogue for years,” he said finally. “I’ve watched wolves fight, survive, and fall apart. I know what strength looks like. I know what fear looks like. And I know what potential looks like.”

He looked at me fully

“And you, Selene Hale, have all three. You’re not just powerful because you’re a Shadow Wolf . You’re powerful because you refuse to stay broken, you're a survivor who refuses to stay a victim. Someone who, given the right training and support, could become something truly extraordinary. And that—" he gestured to the sleeping camp, "—is exactly what we need. Not just for protection. For hope."

The word pressed gently against the ache in my chest.

“I don’t feel powerful,” I admitted. “I feel scared.”

“Then use the fear,” Kael said simply. “Fear can either make you freeze or make you unstoppable. Let it push you.”

He stood, offering me his hand. "Come on. Let's get a few hours of sleep. Tomorrow's going to be brutal, and you'll need your strength."

I took his hand and let him pull me to my feet.

As we walked back toward Lyra's shelter, I glanced back at the center of camp where Davey's body had been. Someone had built a small cairn of stones, a temporary memorial until they could give him a proper rogue's burial.

I’m sorry, I thought, staring at the stones. I’m sorry this happened, I'm sorry this happened because of me. But I swear you won’t be forgotten. And I won’t let your death be useless.

My wolf stirred in agreement.

And somewhere in the darkness beyond the camp's borders, I could have sworn I felt eyes watching.

Waiting.