Chapter 23

Maeve POV

“We are here,” Ario said, looking outside the car window. I looked outside, and everything was in ruins. The door opened, and Ario came down, helping me down. I took a deep breath as my feet touched the ground, and I didn’t get any familiar scents. My heart ached as I looked at the pack grounds. This used to be a bubbly place, with pups running around, parents taking a stroll or just going about their day, the beautiful houses—they are all gone. Now the air smells like death; the once-fine buildings have collapsed; some don’t have any roofs. I sighed, holding my tears. This is really just so sad.

“Should I tell the warriors to excuse us?” Ario asked in the link, holding my hand.

“No, let’s walk around,” I mind link, walking forward, and he followed me quietly. I know this land perfectly; I have lived here all my life, so even if everything is in ruins or if there are enormous stones in the areas, I know where everything was. The pack house, the arena, the supermarket, the bou