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As soon as he says that, he shifts. It’s seamless. No bones cracking, no screaming, no horror. In one breath, he’s standing in front of me, and in the next, there’s a massive silver wolf where Griffin was.

Now that danger is not breathing down my neck, I have the chance to really look at him. He’s beautiful. His fur is clean and looks healthier. So much better than when we first escaped.

When he gazes at me, I freeze, my breath caught in my throat. His eyes—those same sharp eyes—meet mine, and I feel something flicker between us. A spark. Not fear. Not shock. Something warmer.

Griffin lowers himself so I can climb on. I hesitate, heart pounding, then swing my leg over, sliding up onto his back.

His muscles ripple under me, solid and strong. His body radiates heat, and the moment he rises to his full height, I feel weightless.

Then, we run.

The world blurs past us, shadows streaking at the edge of my vision. Wind whips against my cheeks, and I hold on tight, not out of fear but because for the first time in days, I feel like I’m moving toward something.

And I’m not alone.

Chapter Five

Griffin Wild

I never thought I’d see these trees again. I shift back to my human form, lowering Maya gently to the ground.

The wind shifts through the pines, carrying the sharp, mineral scent of the river nearby. The forest grows denser here, older. These were the woods I used to run through as a boy, long before the weight of a crown was placed on my head.

Erik.

The thought of my younger brother pierces my heart.

Our father always told us that the kingdom could only prosper if we had each other’s backs. He trained us, drilled loyalty to each other into us, while our mother filled our hearts with love. I know my brother better than I know myself. Losing me must not have been easy on him. All these years, he has had to watch his own back as well as watch over a kingdom he never learned to govern.

I don’t know what I expect when we break through the last thicket. Grief, maybe. Resentment. But mostly, I feel the ache of returning to a place that no longer remembers me.

The border of the palace grounds begins in the woods—always has. Designed that way, so our kind could come and go unnoticed. But now it’s heavily patrolled. I smell them before I see them—guards. Young. Anxious. Eager to prove themselves.

We emerge into a clearing, and there they are. Four guards, dressed in dark leathers, weapons at their sides. They tense up immediately.

“Halt!”

I raise my hands slowly, Maya now at my side. My body angles instinctively between her and the threat.

One of them steps forward, narrowing his eyes. He’s older than the rest—scarred across the cheek, silver at the temples.

“K–King Griffin?”

My name is a whisper on his lips. Like he doesn’t believe it even as he says it.

I recognize him. Tomas. One of the palace guards from my youth. He was barely older than me. Now, he looks like he has carried the weight of a decade in my absence.

The other guards exchange a look. “That’s not King Griffin. He’s been gone over ten years by now.”

“I’m telling you, that’s him!” Tomas snaps, hurrying forward and kneeling. “Your Majesty. How—How are you here? Where have you been?”

“Where’s Erik?” I look between the distrustful faces. The younger guards seem to have their doubts.

“You’re wrong Tomas. He can’t be the long-lost king. Look, he’s with her!”

“Isn’t she the human woman who went missing the night of the ball? I thought she ran off.”

Maya’s eyes are blazing. “I didn’t run off, you jerk!”