I frowned. “And the rogue elements? The ones we heard about?”
“Rogue elements?” He chuckled dryly. “That’s a polite way to put wolves who refused to follow the rules, who saw an opportunity to take what they wanted. Some tried to claim territory, others tried to manipulate the weaker members. By the time I returned, the damage was done. The pack was fractured. Leadership was gone. The trust that held everyone together? Destroyed.”
I let the words sink in, their weight pressing down. “So you disappeared… and they couldn’t hold it together?”
He nodded, eyes hard. “Yes. And I wasn’t ready to come back. Not until someone capable arrived. Someone who could handle what was left.”
My stomach tightened. “You mean… me?”
He didn’t answer. He turned to the shattered window, shoulders tense. “You
