Chapter 3: Rogue Haven

The forest seemed endless as Amara followed Adrian through the dense underbrush. The moon hung high in the sky, its light casting eerie shadows on the ground. Despite her exhaustion, she forced herself to keep up, wary of the dangers lurking in the darkness.

Adrian moved with the ease of someone who knew every tree and trail, his broad shoulders cutting through the gloom like a shield. He didn’t speak, and his silence grated on Amara’s already frayed nerves.

“How much farther?” she asked, her voice sharp with frustration.

Adrian glanced over his shoulder, his gray eyes unreadable. “Not far. Try to keep up.”

Amara clenched her fists, biting back a retort. She didn’t like being ordered around, especially by someone she barely knew. But she had no other options. Alone, she wouldn’t survive the night.

After what felt like hours, the trees began to thin, revealing a hidden enclave nestled in the heart of the forest. A cluster of wooden cabins stood in a clearing, their windows glowing softly with lantern light. Wolves in human and shifted forms moved through the area, their eyes sharp and their postures wary.

Adrian stopped at the edge of the clearing, turning to face her. “Welcome to Rogue Haven.”

Amara blinked. “This...is where you live?”

He nodded. “For now. It’s not much, but it’s safe.”

She took in the scene, her chest tightening. This place was nothing like the orderly, structured pack territory she had grown up in. It was rough, chaotic—a far cry from the life she had known.

As they entered the clearing, all eyes turned to them. Whispers spread like wildfire, wolves sizing her up with suspicion and curiosity. Amara stiffened under their scrutiny, instinctively holding her chin high.

“Adrian!”

A petite woman with dark, curly hair and piercing blue eyes emerged from one of the cabins, her expression a mix of relief and exasperation. She approached them quickly, her gaze flicking to Amara before settling on Adrian.

“You were gone for hours,” the woman said, her voice sharp. “And you bring back...her?”

Adrian’s lips twitched in a faint smirk. “Nice to see you too, Mara.”

Mara rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. “You’re impossible. Who is she?”

Amara stepped forward, her voice steady despite the tension. “I’m Amara Blake. I—”

“She’s pack,” someone interrupted, their tone accusatory.

The murmurs grew louder, hostility rising in the air. Amara’s chest tightened as she realized how precarious her situation was. These rogues saw her as an enemy, a threat to their fragile sanctuary.

“Enough.” Adrian’s voice cut through the noise like a blade. The crowd fell silent, their eyes fixed on him.

“She’s no longer part of any pack,” he continued, his tone cold and commanding. “She was exiled. She’s one of us now.”

The words sent a chill through Amara. One of us. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to accept that, but she had little choice.

Mara frowned, clearly skeptical. “And you trust her?”

Adrian’s gaze didn’t waver. “I trust what I see. She needs our help.”

The tension in the clearing didn’t dissipate, but the murmurs subsided. Mara sighed, shaking her head. “Fine. But if she causes trouble, it’s on you.”

“Noted,” Adrian replied dryly. He turned to Amara. “Come on.”

He led her to a cabin on the edge of the clearing, its weathered exterior showing years of wear but still sturdy. Inside, the space was small but functional—a bed pushed against one wall, a table and chairs in the corner, and a fireplace that provided a faint warmth.

“You’ll stay here,” Adrian said, gesturing to the bed.

Amara hesitated. “Why are you helping me?”

He met her gaze, his expression unreadable. “Because I know what it’s like to be cast out.”

Something in his tone made her pause. There was a depth of pain there, a vulnerability he kept carefully hidden.

Before she could ask more, he stepped back toward the door. “Get some rest. You’ll need your strength.”

“For what?”

His lips curved into a faint, humorless smile. “For surviving.”

With that, he left, the door closing softly behind him.

Amara sank onto the bed, her mind racing. Everything she had known was gone—her pack, her future, her mate. She had nothing left but the clothes on her back and the faint hope that she could rebuild herself from the ashes.

But as she lay there, staring at the flickering firelight, she realized one thing: she wasn’t ready to give up.

Kael had taken everything from her, but he hadn’t broken her. Not yet.

And if the Moon Goddess had a plan for her, Amara intended to see it through.