The Rogue Series Book 2: The Rogue Resistance
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Gemma Rue
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The Future of Rogues
Book 2: The Rogue Resistance
SIMON
Iâm trying to blend into the background, lost in a sea of alphas. I never imagined Iâd find myself here, in the midst of the very pack leaders I despise. The tales my mother told me echo in my mind, each one more horrifying than the last.
Theyâre all monsters. I scan the room, my gaze hard. How many of these so-called leaders abuse their power, treating their packs the same way my mother was treated?
How many of them exploit the trust that comes with their title? I donât shy away from anyoneâs gaze, not here, not now. Iâm not the frightened pup I once was.
Iâve got nothing left to lose. Throw me in the pit. Kill me. It doesnât matter anymore.
The room falls silent as an announcer steps forward. Todayâs the day, the day weâve been striving for. The day we find out if the dream of rogues being protected and free will be accepted by the packs.
Ever since Harley became alpha, sheâs been advocating for a change in the laws regarding rogues. Many packs have already pledged their support. Thereâs a glimmer of hope that things might finally change.
âDo you think sheâs done it?â Ember whispers from my left, her anxiety palpable. âMy camp is counting on her today.â
I shake my head, keeping my voice low. âI havenât had a chance to talk to either of them for more than five minutes this entire conference. Sheâs been swamped with meetings and dinnersâŚâ
My voice trails off as I spot a blonde beauty weaving through the crowdâApril. My heart clenches as I watch her, but she pays me no mind. She never does.
âStill pretending you donât care about her?â Emberâs voice drips with sarcasm and judgment as she fixes me with a knowing look.
âItâs not like that⌠Shut up,â I retort, trying to suppress the growl building in my chest.
But it is like that, and we both know it. April, my mate, wants nothing to do with me, and itâs all my fault.
Harley and Jackson step onto the stage. The room is filled with pack leaders from all over the country, their eyes trained on them. Elders line the side of the room, their disapproval evident.
Theyâve been the toughest to convince; even Jackson isnât sure he can sway them. The pair hold hands, looking as nauseatingly in love as ever. Their relationship seems to have been a breeze; itâs maddening.
âThank you for giving us the chance to speak,â Jackson begins, his voice echoing through the room. âAs many of you know, Night Fang has been leading discussions this past week about pack laws and how we can coexist with rogues. Weâve had support from the council leaders chosen by all of you.â He gestures toward the front row.
Ember and I both scrutinize the people seated there. Three elders, four alphas, and three betas make up the row. Their eyes are all downcast, their bodies rigid, except for one. Alpha Dane from Silverclaw Pack.
A chill runs down my spine. I canât believe the fate of rogues hinges on the opinion of that dreadful pack. My momâs stories are becoming louder in my mind.
If they could treat her, their own pack member, so horribly, why would they behave any differently now? I push the memories to the back of my mind, locking them away as I refocus on the front of the room.
Harley starts to speak. Despite her being an alpha, I trust Harley. She hasnât let me down yet, not that Iâd ever admit that to her.
She gives Jacksonâs arm a reassuring squeeze as she begins, her smile warm as she addresses the committee. âThank you, Alpha Jackson. As my mate mentioned, we have a proposal to change pack laws regarding rogues, and with your support, we hope to implement this today.
âLiving in packs is inherent to all wolves, an instinct we all shareâjust like the need to obey stronger wolves or the urge to find oneâs mate. For too long, weâve overlooked this. Rogue children have been punished for their parentsâ decisions.
âChoosing to be a rogue is a conscious decision made when one decides to abandon their pack. Rogue children, however, donât get this opportunity because they donât have an alpha to follow. Who can tell how many talented wolves were lost before they even had a chance, due to these policies and the decisions of their parents? The committee proposes that rogue children should no longer be held responsible for this choice and should be allowed to join packs.â
The room fills with a blend of applause and grumbles. What if the grumbles overpower the applause?
âWhy is she only discussing children? I thought the goal was to alter all rogue rights?â Ember whispers to me.
âPerhaps theyâre trying to ease the room into it⌠If everyoneâs this upset, it might be the best approach.â As I say this, a chill runs down my spine.
This isnât the plan. This isnât what weâve been striving for. All rogues, not just children, deserve a chance at safety.
Sparks mingle with the goosebumps on my skin, and the familiar smell of rain-soaked leaves fills my nostrils. Itâs April.
She quietly slips in to stand next to us. âYou need to leave. Somethingâs not right⌠It wonât be safe here for rogues,â April whispers.
We exchange glances as Harley continues to speak. April must be mistaken or trying to get rid of me. Harley wouldnât betray us. She was a rogue before she became an alpha. Sheâs loyal to her kind and her family.
âListen before you jump to conclusions,â she commands, her voice resonating with alpha authority. âWe understand that your duty is to keep your pack safe, to shield your pack members. You canât just invite rogue children into your home. The safety of the pack is paramount.â
I glance at Ember, anxiety creeping in. How much of a threat could a few children pose to a pack? Reflecting on Sage, Reese, and Millieâs transition to Night Fang, there was no danger. The most they did was introduce a few new games to the playground kids.
âRogue children will be permitted to train, learn the packâs customs, and prove their worth in schools. Once they turn eighteen, theyâll be welcomed into a pack if they pass their schooling and prove their worth,â Harley continues.
I shake my head as I watch her. She canât be saying this.
âStarting tomorrow, the eight packs represented on the committee will replace their pits with training facilities for rogue children. We will allow the children to become fightersand help protect us all.â
âWhat about the adults?â an audience member shouts.
Aprilâs hand tightens around my arm as she hurries me toward the exit. I resist her pull, straining to hear Harleyâs response. Iâm halfway out the door when my sisterâs words reach me.
âThe pack will be protected. Theyâll be liberated from the burden of their existence.â
It canât be⌠Not Harley. Not after everything weâve been through.
I push against Aprilâs hold, my wolf surfacing with strength.
âWhat the hell, Harley? How could you?â I shout as I enter the room. âYouâre a traitor!â
Our eyes meet. Harleyâs mouth opens as her eyebrows knit together, confusion spreading across her face, and her eyes glow.
But in an instant, the expression is gone. Her face becomes impassive, and she remains silent.
The coward doesnât utter a word.
âGuards, please escort this rogue to the pit,â someone commands from the front.
What the hell? This must be some kind of joke. Some sort of trick.
Theyâve done so much for rogues: freeing rogues, shutting down pits, and collaborating with Emberâs camp.
This undoes all that progress.
Even if our relationship meant nothing to Harley and Jackson, how could they do this to other families?
Hands seize me, roughly dragging me toward the back of the room.
I push against them, my voice tearing from my throat. âHarley! You canât do this⌠What about your familyâŚâ
But she never looks back at me. The council surrounds her, shielding her from facing me.
The least she could do is face me and confess her betrayal.
I push harder, but I canât overcome them. The guards are too strong, too formidable.
Damn, they are such jerks.
She canât do this. She canât do this to us, to the children.
Itâs one thing to hunt and kill rogues, but to steal their children? Thatâs unthinkable, even for a pack wolf.
We arenât safe. Weâll never be safe.
My mom was right.
