“I knew you would be a good sparring partner,” Griffin says after a while. “I sometimes saw you train.”
“They kept you away from the regular training schedules?”
“Your lovely father made sure I had the most awful shifts and was placed in the middle of nowhere constantly. Would have loved to challenge the future beta to a fight, too, but we barely met.”
That answers my question, relief flooding me when I realize Martin didn’t lie to me.
“Fuck it!” I curse, pressing my hands to my face. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck them! I am so done with their bullshit.”
Griffin pushes himself up on his elbows, looking at me thoughtfully. “And now?”
“I want you as my sparring partner again,” I say quietly.
“What if your psycho parents oppose it?”
“I couldn’t care less anymore,” I say bitterly.
Griffin throws me a curious gaze but doesn’t push for answers.
“So, will you?” I ask. “I am incredibly sorry for how I treated you the last few years,” I say. “I should have stood up for you, at least later down the road when I had more to say and more strength. I am really sorry.”
“Took you long enough,” Griffin says, showing me a toothy grin. “If I weren’t such a great guy, I would kick your apology to the moon. But I am just so fantastic.”
“Aren’t I lucky?” I chuckle. “Glad to have you back, Griffin.”
“Glad to haveyouback. I never left.”
“I know,” I say.
“But admittedly, your parents would have fucked me completely over if we continued to hang out,” he admits.
“They can’t do that anymore,” I say with finality in my voice.
Griffin tosses me a curious gaze. “Did something happen?”
“Maybe,” I say.
“Right, you met your luna. I have heard.” He eyes me curiously. “How did that happen so fast?”
I look at him for a long while. “It’s a long story,” I finally say, diplomatically.
“Do you want to tell me?”
“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “I mean, you were my only friend—“
“I stillamyour friend, Forest. YouknowI think your parents are shit, always have been, but you were always a decent guy.”
“Then youaremy only friend,” I say. “But I don’t know if I am able to share my story with you.”
“Then take your time.”
We both sit up. “Do you want to join Rose and me for breakfast?” I ask. “Martin will be there too. I’d like you to meet Rose and him.”
Griffin stares at me. “Are you planning an uprising?” he asks. “You want me to join you, like officially, at the time when everyone is at breakfast?”
“Yes,” I say.
His curiosity seems to grow. “Everyone will see us together.”
