Page 77 of Griffin

Michael nodded shakily, his eyes filling with tears. There was no judgment or fear in his gaze, and that gave me a measure of relief.

I pulled him into my arms, holding him close as my wolf settled, finally at peace knowing Michael was safe.

Chapter 20

Griffin

One Week Later

Michael, Noah, and I pulled into the hospital parking lot, the truck’s tires crunching softly against the asphalt.

None of us spoke as I turned off the engine. The silence that followed was heavy, oppressive—like the calm before a storm.

It was time to say goodbye. The thought wrapped around my chest like a vice, squeezing tighter with each passing second.

I glanced at Noah sitting beside me, his hands gripping his knees so tightly his knuckles were white.

Michael was on the other side, his quiet presence steady, but the worry in his eyes mirrored my own.

As we stepped out of the truck, the knot of dread in my stomach twisted tighter with every step toward the hospital entrance.

Each step felt deliberate, almost too slow, like my body was trying to delay the inevitable.

The sliding glass doors whooshed open, and the sterile scent of the hospital hit me, sharp and unwelcoming.

My wolf stirred uneasily, pacing just beneath my skin. This wasn’t where we wanted to be—not for this reason.

Michael slipped his hand into mine as we walked, a silent offering of comfort.

His fingers were warm against my cold ones, grounding me just enough to keep my legs moving forward.

It amazed me how Michael had kept everything together the past week, especially after the chaos of Todd’s betrayal. Michael was shaken but holding steady.

I knew it wasn’t easy for him to process what Todd had done, considering how long they’d been friends. Yet he’d grown stronger, taking control of his life.

He even scheduled his own streams while looking for a replacement manager.

“You okay?” he asked softly, his warm eyes searching mine.

I swallowed hard and nodded. “I will be.”

Further inside, I wasn’t prepared for the sight waiting for us outside Dad’s room.

The hallway was filled with pack members—faces old and new, all here to honor him. Sawyer and Casey were among them, standing off to the side.

Even Cooper was there with his mate, Miles—a rare and unexpected sight that nearly broke me.

Noah, already emotional, started bawling into Michael’s shoulder. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to keep it together.

My dad had always been the backbone of our pack, the kind of wolf everyone respected. Seeing them here, I finally realized just how much he meant to all of us.

“Hey,” I managed, forcing a grin through the lump in my throat. “What’s everyone doing here? You know the hospital staff will lose it with this many people on one floor.”

Cooper clapped a hand on my shoulder, his usual smirk in place.

“Relax, Griffin. We cleared it with the hospital. No wolves left behind, remember?”

I huffed out a shaky laugh, grateful for the levity.

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