Before I could withdraw, he stirred slightly, clouded eyes seeking me out. "Thank you...for coming. My son wronged you terribly once. I cannot blame you for harboring resentment."
An old sadness welled up in me. I had revered this wolf for most of my childhood, basking in the attention and approval I craved from a father figure. Hearing him acknowledge the unjust humiliation his own kin inflicted upon me stirred a bittersweet mix of emotions.
Grasping his gnarled hand in both my smaller ones, I met his faded silver-blue gaze earnestly. "The past is done. I'm only glad fate allowed our paths to cross again when you need me most."
The former Alpha searched my face with penetrating eyes that likely saw far deeper than I wished. But he merely smiled gently and gave my hand a feeble, gratefu
