Chapter 6 – The Camp

Lyra’s POV

The camp of the rogues was nothing like I imagined.

Just tents here and there. There was no grand hall or chandeliers . Just that leather patched tents, a fire pit that was more of smoke,than fire... And wolves that watched every step I take like I was a predator.

I stayed as close as I was allowed to Nicolas side. Pressing in on his back.

"Stop hiding behind me,"He murmured without looking at me. "Keep your eyes straight ahead. You owe no body. And whatever you do, don't let them see you tremble "

I bit the inside ofy cheek till I tasted copper. Easier said than done.

As we approached the largest tent,a woman stepped out from the tent. A pissed off look visible on her face.

She wasn't happy to have me here,that alone was obvious.

She was lean,sharp jawed. If I didn't know better I will think she was harmless... But I knew she was far from being a harmless she wolf.

Her eyes swept over me once,then back to Nicholas.

"This her?"The woman's voice wasn't what I expected,it was like gravel.

"Yeah. This is her,"Nicholas said. "Raven,meet Lyra. And exiled Omega. Fated to Aiden the Alpha of Howler's Pack but was rejected during the  Royal Mating Ceremony"

Wow.. he was very specific.

Raven's brows lifted, her face softening as she looked at me again.

"That's a lot of tragedy for one day for such a small thing "

I wasn't small... I wanted to say but I couldn't alter a word. I wanted to shrink back to Nicholas side,but I held it in. Instead I lifted my eyes just as he had told me to,and looked straight at her.

Raven's brows lifted again,but this time in amazement. Then she laughed,low and rough. "Oh she's got a spine after all. Come on little wolf, let's see if we can keep you alive."

She turned and walked back into the tent, laughing all the way.

Did I just gain myself a new friend?

I looked at Nicholas not knowing what to do.

"Go on,"He said. "You are lucky she likes you. Raven doesn't gives an offer twice"

Looked like I really gained myself a new friend. Without wasting time,I ducked inside.

The tent didn't smell like the expensive scents that runs through the hall of Howler's Pack. No. It smelled like herbs and oiled leather.

A cot sat in one corner of the tent,a table that was covered with maps in another side of the tent. Everywhere looked organized and neat.

Raven practically threw herself onto a stool and gestured for me to sit across from her. And I did, without waiting for her to tell me again.

It would be for my own good to get into her favour.

"You know, you're not the first rejected mate to come into my camp,"She said, lighting a cigarette. " And you will definitely not be the last I tell you."She blow the smoke of the cigarette right of my face and the smoke made it's way into my nose then straight down into my lungs.

She watched me as I struggled not to cough or block my nose from the smoke. When she saw I didn't give in she smiled and places the cigarette on an ashtray that was by her side, using the tip of her fingers to stub it out.

"But what's got the wolves talking, and what got me interested in you,is that you are the first who came with Nicholas Redrock at her heel"

I blinked. "Nicholas Redrock?"

Raven's eyes narrowed. "Who blindly follows a man she doesn't know?"

She must think I am stupid... Or maybe I was a little bit stupid. But what would I have done? Stayed back alone in the forest with rogues roaming about?

"I just know his name is Nicholas,"I said slowly. "And I saved me from two rogues. He doesn't look like one that will hurt me"

Raven laughed. Really hard. She looked at me like I was unbelievable then she reached for for a cloth and began wiping down a blade she took out from her ankle.

"Nicholas Redrock that I know, doesn't go around saving damsel in distress. He doesn't save people,"She said slowly. "He collects informations that are important,that matters to him. If he brought you here,you matter to him. The question is,do you even know why?"

I didn't.

But I remembered the way he had looked at me in the woods. Not the way Aiden had looked at me – with destiny and fear tangled together. No. Nicholas had looked at me like I was a sort of puzzle he hadn't solved yet.

"I don't know why."I admitted.

Raven shrugged. "That's good. We will have to find out together. Don't we?"

I nodded my head not knowing what else to say.

Raven stood up from the stool and I quickly jumped up to my feet as well.

"For now ,you eat,sleep. And then tomorrow,you learn how to use a knife."

How to use a knife? I have never held a weapon before.

"I'm an Omega,"I said quietly. "We are not taught how to fight or use weapons."

Raven's smile was thin. "You are no longer in your Pack little wolf. You are now a rogue. And in this camp, everyone learns how to fight. Because that's your only means of survival."

She walked to where a pile of clothes were kept and tossed a thick thin blanket at me.

 

"Sleep. You are going to need all your strength tomorrow."

Then she left the tent, leaving me all alone in the big space.

That night, curled on the cold ground with my blanket wrapped tightly around me,I stared at the canvas above me and listened to the camp laughter and chatters  until the noise settled.

I took a deep breath, thinking about everything that had happened. I should have felt relief that I wasn't dead or torn apart by those rogues.

But all I felt was the emptiness. The hollow space where the mate bond used to be.

And then as my eyes grew heavy,the world shifted.