Griffin's Pov
The familiar scent of pine and damp earth hit my nose. It brought with it a wave of memories I’d tried to bury. I realized I hadn't missed this place.
Second best. That's all I ever was in this pack. Mark, the strong Alpha, the one everyone looked up to. He always got what he wanted. And me? The shadow, the one no one noticed. Even she had chosen him.
I clenched my jaw, pushing the memories away. Thinking about the past was a weakness. I couldn’t afford to be weak. I was back, different. Hardened by what I’d seen. The old Griffin was gone, left for dead somewhere in these woods.
We arrived in the royal car and l hated staying still for hours. The fact that l was coming back here was enough to work me up.
The packhouse looked the same, but worse. The paint was peeling, th
