"Let me know when you finish," Raze murmured above me. His voice still held that gruffness, but there was a kindness beneath it now.
I sniffled and wiped my face against my hospital gown, then glanced up at the leader of the rogue wolves. Raze stood there, watching me, silent and unmoving.
"I'm done," I whispered hoarsely. "What now?"
"Well," he grabbed my arm and yanked me upwards—even that movement sent my vision spiralling. "Even though I kind of call the shots around here, I would still like the others to make the decision."
I frowned in confusion. "What... What decision?"
Raze glanced at me, then turned towards the direction of the camp. "They get to decide whether you live or die."
*******
The rogues' camp was buzzing with tension as we returned. My head was clearer now, and I took the time to properly take a look at where I was.
The rogue's camp spread several yards around—about a dozen large tents forming a circle, in the middle of which a hearth made from a large oil tank stood. Several rogues sat around the hearth, roasting some animal on a spit—a small deer? A large rabbit?—and laughing. Some kids played tag, squealing as they dashed past Raze and I.
Kaid, Buzz-Cut Woman and the twins sat on a bench in one corner, staring at us and whispering. Behind them stood some other rogues, all glaring at me.
I wondered if there were other rogue packs like this one, scattered across the forest. From my running throughout the night, I knew the forest was large enough to hold all of them without incident.
Every eye in the camp was on me—sharp, suspicious, hostile. But Raze barely acknowledged their presence as he pushed me toward the center of the camp. The fire crackled ominously in the middle, throwing shadows over the scarred, battle-hardened faces surrounding me. It felt like a trial, like they were all silently deciding whether I should be allowed to live or die.
"She doesn't belong here," one rogue said from the shadows. "She's an Elite's daughter, Raze. A traitor!"
"She's no better than the wolves who hunt us!" another one spat, glaring at me like I was some kind of disease.
The murmurs of agreement spread quickly through the camp. They wanted blood. My blood.
"Enough!" Raze barked. The camp fell silent, but the air still sizzled with their hostility. "She's not here to die. Not yet."
A tall, lanky woman with wild black hair stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied me. I knew instantly that she was one of the leaders here, if not second only to Raze.
"What do you want with her, Raze?" she asked. "We can't afford to keep someone like her. She's dangerous!"
"She's not one of them, Yani." Raze replied, glancing at me. "Not anymore, at least. Like us, she was cast out, abandoned."
Yani's eyes flicked toward me. "We've heard that story before. But she is the daughter of an Alpha. She's as dangerous as they come."
I knew I had to speak up, had to say something before they decided my fate for me. My throat was tight, but I forced the words out. "I'm not on the Conclave's side. I'm not one of them."
Yani scoffed. "So you say. But you've got Elite blood in your veins, girl. And blood doesn't lie."
I took a deep breath, willing myself to stay strong. "My father is one of them, yes. But he's the reason I'm here. He killed Jesse, my mate!"
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Kaid stood to his feet, slowly approaching us. "Wait, wait. Jesse was your wolf mate?"
"That's right." I nodded. "And I know Jesse was the son of your leader, Silverfang. My father was behind Jesse's death, and perhaps Silverfang's as well. The Conclave wanted Jesse dead because he was a threat to them. Because he was a friend to all of you!"
A ripple of interest went through the crowd. The mention of Jesse's death had them listening, but I knew they weren't ready to believe me yet.
"It was them, and my father helped cover it up." I revealed. "They'll stop at nothing to end anyone who threatens their rule. You know they will go to any lengths to silence any rebellion; you've seen it firsthand, haven't you?"
The camp was silent now. The rogues were watching me, waiting for more. I could feel the mood shifting. They were genuinely curious now.
"I'm not here to betray you," I continued, taking a step forward. "I don't have anywhere else to go. The Conclave has taken everything from me. Jesse, my home, my future. I'm not one of them. I'm nothing like them. I am on your side!"
For a moment, no one spoke. I could see in their eyes that they were weighing my words, measuring the truth behind them. If I didn't convince them, I was as good as dead.
"What do you all say we let her live?" Raze asked the crowd. "A show of hands if you want Lena Cross here to be part of us!"
I turned to them, praying fervently in my heart for a positive answer. They were whispering amongst themselves, speculating.
Slowly, a number of them began to raise their hands up. I did a silent head-count—about thirty of them were in agreement. That was more than I was expecting.
I took a breath of relief and turned to Raze gratefully. He smiled at me for the first time, patting my shoulder genially.
Then I heard a short screech in the corner as Buzz-Cut woman stood up from the bench. She stepped forward and crossed her arms over her chest. "You talk big, girl. But words don't mean much around here. You'll have to prove you're not like them."
I swallowed, nodding. "Right."
She grunted, unimpressed. "You start at sunrise. You work, you earn your place. We don't hand out trust around here, especially not to people like you."
She turned away from me, motioning to one of the others. A bundle of clothes—rough, worn, but clean—was thrown at my feet.
"Put these on," the woman said without looking back. "You'll need them."
I bent down, picking up the clothes, my hands trembling. I had expected their mistrust. But the reality of it was harder to swallow. I was alone in this. Surrounded by people who didn't want me here, people who would happily see me dead if I made one wrong move.
Raze glanced at me, then shrugged. "Sorry, Elite. Around here, you earn your place or you die trying. It's that simple."
I nodded, even though my heart was constricting with despair. "I understand."
The camp began to disperse into their tents, the rogues retreating into the shadows, leaving me standing in the firelight. I could feel their eyes still on me, watching, judging, waiting to see if I would survive the night.
I sighed, heading into the forest to put on my new clothes. I had nothing left to lose. My father had betrayed me, the Conclave had destroyed my life, and Jesse was gone. But I was still here. I was still breathing.
And I would make them see that I wasn't my father's daughter. I wasn't an Elite.
I was going to survive.