Chapter 324
I stared at the meat. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what animal it came from, but I was starving, and I needed to keep up my strength if I was going to figure out a way to escape. So I bit into it and chewed, forcing myself to swallow despite the ashy taste.
The other rogues were already packing up camp, rolling up bedrolls and kicking dirt over the fire. Eyepatch was standing near the cave entrance, watching me with that same unsettling grin.
“Sleep well?” he asked.
I didn’t answer.
He laughed. “Come on, then. We’ve got a long walk ahead of us.”
They untied my ankles but kept my wrists bound in front of me as they shoved me out of the cave and into the early morning light. The sun was just barely starting to rise. I didn’t scent any other wolves on
the air, which meant that Dominic hadn’t come back for me.
I tried not to think about him cozied up with Vivian right now, warm and comfortable in bed while I was out here, and instead focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
We walked for hours. My bare feet were torn to shreds within the first mile, cut up by rocks and thorns and Goddess knows what else. By the second mile, my legs were shaking, and by the third, I felt like I
was somewhere else entirely.
Eventually, I completely lost track of time. The sun climbed higher, then started to sink again. We stopped once for water, and I drank greedily from the skin they offered, not caring that it tasted like dirt and metal. My throat was so dry I could barely swallow.
By the time the sun was setting, my legs were shaking so badly I could barely stand. I tripped over a root and went down hard, scraping my knees on the ground. One of the rogues hauled me back up without a word and shoved me forward.
“Not much longer now,” Eyepatch said from somewhere behind me. “Almost home.”
Home. Right. Because that was exactly what I needed right now. To see where these bastards lived.
Finally, just as the last of the daylight was fading, we broke through the trees and into a clearing.
The camp we stumbled upon in that clearing was much bigger than I expected. There were at least a dozen structures scattered around the clearing, some of them made of wood and mud, others just tents or lean–tos. Smoke rose from several fires, and I could see people moving around, cooking or talking or sharpening weapons.
Eyepatch walked past me and gestured for the others to follow. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get her
settled.”
People stopped what they were doing to watch as they led me through the camp. I kept my head up and my face blank, refusing to show any fear.
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Finally, we stopped in front of the longhouse at the center of the camp. It was made of wood and mud, with a thatched roof overhead. Eyepatch pushed the door open and stepped inside, and the others shoved me in after him before shutting it behind me.
The inside was too dark to see at first. As my eyes adjusted, I saw that there was a fire pit in the center that smelled like roasting meat. Scattered around it were various cushions and chairs, some clearly stolen, others hastily made.
Eyepatch turned to face me, and for the first time since we’d met, his grin faded.
He pulled out a chair and guided me over to it with a touch that was gentler than I expected. “Here,” he said. “Sit. You must be exhausted.”
I sat. Mostly because my legs were about to give out anyway, and I didn’t want to do myself the disservice of falling over in front of him.
He stood in front of me. “I suppose you’re wondering why we brought you here.”
“The thought crossed my mind, yes,” I said with a chuff.
He chuckled. “You’ve got as much spirit as the legends say. It’ll be good for our pack.” He tilted his head. “First, I want to apologize for your treatment out there; we had no choice but to intimidate your Alpha and your wolf in order to get you here.” He took a breath. “Your bloodline is very important to us, Luna. We spent years searching for you–despite what you may think, you will not be a prisoner here.”
Suddenly, he grabbed the knife at his belt. I flinched as he reached for my wrists, but he calmly cut the ropes, freeing me.
Then, he dropped to one knee and bowed his head.
“What are you doing?” I blurted out.
“My Queen,” Eyepatch said, looking up at me with his one good eye. “Please forgive me for my actions.”
1 blinked. “Queen?”
“You are a Lycan, are you not?”
I froze. He was insane. He had to be. Lycans were extinct. Everyone knew that. They’d died off hundreds of years ago, long before I was even born.
But I kept that part to myself, curious to see where this was going. He said I wasn’t a prisoner here- maybe I could use his obvious ignorance to my advantage.
“What do you want from me?” I asked coolly rather than answering his question.
“My people need strength. We need numbers. And we need blood that can give us an edge over the packs that hunt us. Your blood can do that. Your children can do that.”
“Children,” I said flatly.
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“Lycan children are powerful, but they’re rare.” He gestured to me. “I’m sure you know that already, of course, being one yourself.”
I most definitely was not, but I let him keep talking.
“Look. I know this isn’t what you expected,” he said, rising again. “I know we kidnapped you, frightened you–but now that you’re here, we will only take care of you from here on out. You will be our Queen. All we ask is that you promise to provide us with a strong future. Marry me, and you will want for nothing.”
A strong future.
In his eyes, that meant opening my legs and giving him children. So–called “Lycans” that didn’t exist, at least not anymore. He said I wouldn’t be a prisoner, but to me, that sounded like the greatest prison sentence of all.
My eyes darted to the exit. For a moment, I considered trying to make a run for it; but I knew I was too weak, without allies, without food and water, completely surrounded by rogues who had clearly spent enough time living deep in the wilderness to think that ancient races of magical people were still alive.
I was trapped.
But… I wasn’t stupid.
Maybe I could use this to my advantage. Buy myself some time, give myself enough freedom to find a way to escape.
I lifted my chin and met Eyepatch’s gaze.
“So,” I said, forcing my voice to remain calm. Even. Regal. “You found out my secret. You know I’m a Lycan.
His lips twitched into a partial smile, and he nodded, one good eye sparkling.
“Then you must also know that Lycans are highly traditional,” I said. “We take our rituals very seriously. I can’t marry you without the proper ceremony.”
