Page 49 of Griffin

The tension in my chest eased, and I shook my head. Of course, Cooper wasn’t like Ryder. The two were polar opposites—one ruled by fear, the other by mutual respect.

Still, the brief thought unsettled me—a ghost of the past I couldn’t quite shake.

“So, what’s this about?” I asked, steering the conversation back to business.

“Right, down to business,” Cooper said, his tone shifting. “I’m calling all the enforcers for a meeting next week. We’ve got some big things to cover, including the upcoming regional pack summit.”

That caught me off guard. “The summit?”

“Yeah,” Cooper confirmed. “I know it’s not something we want to deal with right this moment, what with everything that went down after Ryder. But we’ve got to show the other packs we’re back on our feet. Stronger than ever.”

I ran a hand through my hair, feeling a pang of guilt.

Between Michael and the mess with his stalker, I’d completely lost track of the pack’s larger issues.

“Which pack is hosting this year?” I asked.

“We drew the short straw,” Cooper said, a wry edge to his voice. “We’re hosting.”

Of course, we were. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“I see. No wonder you’re calling for a meeting,” I said.

“Exactly. I want to get all the enforcers on the same page before we announce it to the pack. We’ve got to be united, Griffin. No cracks in the armor,” Cooper said.

“I understand,” I said. “I’ll be there. Do you need me to bring anything?”

Cooper hesitated for half a second, then said, “Those spicy BBQ chicken wings of yours wouldn’t hurt.”

I laughed, the sound surprising even me. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Good. I’ll see you next week, Griffin,” he said.

“Alright,” I promised.

Cooper ended the call, leaving me in my office with my thoughts spinning.

Despite Cooper’s lighthearted teasing and our brief moment of laughter, the weight of his news finally set in.

Hosting the upcoming regional pack summit wasn’t something the pack could screw up.

The summit was more than just a gathering of nearby packs; it was a show of strength, unity, and leadership.

After Ryder’s catastrophic reign and eventual defeat, our pack was still clawing its way out of the chaos he’d left behind.

Hosting the summit wasn’t just a logistical nightmare—it was a statement.

We couldn’t let the other packs think we were weak or disorganized, not when we were finally finding our footing under Cooper’s steady leadership.

And yet, for a while now, my mind had been elsewhere. In truth, it had been occupied by Michael.

I rubbed a hand over my face, leaning back in my chair. The memory of our earlier conversation played on a loop in my mind.

The way Michael’s eyes softened when he spoke about Todd.

The quiet vulnerability in his voice when he talked about their history—it painted a picture I couldn’t ignore.

Todd wasn’t just Michael’s manager; he was woven into Michael’s life, a constant presence who’d helped him carve out his place in the world.

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