Chapter 327
+25 Bonus
Chapter 327
Finally, he nodded. “A traditional ceremony. Of course.” He gestured to one of the rogues standing by the door.” Bring her food. Water. And get a bath ready. Our Queen needs to be properly cared for.”
The rogue hesitated, then nodded and hurried out.
Eyepatch turned back to me. “You’ll have everything you need. Anything you want, just ask. We want you to be comfortable here.”
“How generous of you,” I said.
He smiled. “We’re not savages, despite what your precious Alpha might have told you about rogues. We’re just wolves who refuse to bow to tyrants.” He walked toward the door, then paused. “Rest. We’ll begin preparations for the ceremony tomorrow.”
The moment he left, I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding.
I’d bought myself time. It wasn’t much, but it might just be enough to figure out my next move.
A few minutes later, two women entered carrying trays of food. They set them down on the low table near the fire pit without a word, then left. I stared at the food. Roasted meat, bread, some kind of vegetable stew. It smelled incredible, and my stomach growled.
I didn’t let myself think about whether it was safe. I just ate.
After I’d finished, more people arrived. They hauled in a large wooden tub and filled it with steaming water, then laid out clean clothes on one of the chairs. One of the women, older with graying hair, gestured to the tub.
“For you, my lady,” she said, bowing her head.
I stood and walked over, peeling off what was left of the ruined dress. The fabric was torn and bloodstained, barely holding together by threads at this point. Tossing it aside, I stepped into the tub and sank down into the hot water with a sigh.
The heat stung my cuts and scrapes, but I had to admit: it felt pretty fucking good for someone who had just spent two days in the wilderness.
The older woman knelt beside the tub and started washing my hair. I tensed at first, then forced myself to relax. If they thought I was some kind of Lycan royalty, then I needed to act like it.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Mira, my lady.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Three years,” she said. She poured water over my head, rinsing out the soap. “I came after my mate was killed by a pack patrol. The leader took me in.”
I glanced at her. “Eyepatch?”
“His name is Gareth,” she said with a small smile.
“And the others? How many are there?”
“About fifty,” she said. “Maybe more. People come and go.”
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Chapter 327
+25 Bonus
Fifty rogues. That was more than I’d expected. Far too many for me to take on my own, if half of them were as large and strong as the ones who had kidnapped me.
“Where are we?” I asked. “I mean, what’s around here? Towns? Other packs?”
Mira hesitated. “We’re deep in the northern wilderness. The nearest pack territory is at least two days’ journey south. There’s a river about a mile east, and the forest is thick with game. We’re self-sufficient and well hidden.”
Two days from pack territory and well-hidden. That was too far to run, especially in my condition. And I certainly wasn’t going to sit around and wait for help while I got raped by “Gareth”.
“What about the forest?” I asked. “Are there any dangerous areas? Places people avoid?”
“There’s a gorge to the west,” she said. “It’s too steep to cross. And the forest to the north is dark, even during the day. Most people don’t go there.”
I filed that information away for later.
After the bath, I dressed in the clothes they’d left. A simple tunic and pants, both clean and soft. They even gave me a pair of boots that fit reasonably well.
I spent the rest of the evening sitting by the fire, pretending to be deep in thought while I actually planned my escape. The problem was, I didn’t have a clear path yet. I was still injured, still surrounded by rogues, and still too far from any help.
I needed an advantage. Something they wouldn’t expect.
The next morning, Gareth returned. He looked pleased with himself.
“We’ll hold the ceremony tonight,” he said. “That should give us enough time to prepare everything properly.”
P
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