The afternoon light streamed through the coffee shop windows, casting a golden glow across the table where I sat with Rowan. My coffee had gone cold, forgotten as I listened to him speak. His voice had dropped to almost a whisper, forcing me to lean in closer.
"Rhys wasn't always this way, you know," Rowan said, his eyes downcast. "Back when we were kids, he was different."
I wrapped my hands around my mug, absorbing its remaining warmth. "Different how?"
"More... vulnerable, I guess." Rowan traced the rim of his cup with his finger. "There was this girl from Storm Crest Pack. They weren't mates or anything—they were too young to know—but they were inseparable whenever their packs had joint events."
My stomach tightened unexpectedly. "Rhys had a childhood sweetheart?"
"He never told you?" Rowan looked surprised. "I thought you two shared everything now."
I shook my head slowly. "There's still a lot I don't know about him."
