Page 79 of Griffin

Inside, Cooper led us to the main room, where tables were laden with food.

A large photo of Dad was propped up on a stand, surrounded by candles and flowers. My chest tightened at the sight, but I pushed through it.

I turned to Michael, who looked wide-eyed at the scene.

“Come on. Let’s meet everyone,” I told my mate.

Introducing Michael to the pack felt like a whirlwind. At first, he was shy, his usual confidence subdued in the presence of so many wolves.

He stuck close to me, offering small smiles and polite nods as I made the rounds.

“This is Michael,” I said for what felt like the hundredth time. “My mate.”

Each time, the word “mate” felt like a badge of honor. Gradually, Michael started to warm up.

It helped that the pack wasn’t shy about welcoming him, their warmth and curiosity drawing him out of his shell.

Sawyer cracked a joke that had Michael laughing, and Casey teased him about surviving life with me.

By the time we reached the food table, Michael was chatting easily with Miles and another pack mate about his favorite local restaurants.

I stepped back for a moment, watching him. Seeing Michael smiling, surrounded by my pack—our pack—made something settle in my chest.

This was where he belonged, where we belonged.

Cooper sidled up beside me, handing me a beer.

“Told you they’d like him,” he said with a knowing smirk.

I chuckled, taking the drink. “Yeah. He’s got that effect on people.”

Cooper raised his bottle in a small toast.

“Your dad would’ve liked him too, Griffin. He’d be happy to see you like this,” Cooper told me.

I nodded, the lump in my throat making it hard to speak. “Thanks, Coop.”

As the night went on, the pack’s laughter and stories filled the room.

Michael stuck by my side the whole time, reminding me that even with everything we’d lost, there was still a lot to be thankful for.

Chapter 21

Michael

Three Months Later

Griffin and I were standing near the main hall, debating our next move.

“We should grab queue numbers for the more popular games first,” I suggested, glancing at the schedule. The lines were already ridiculous.

Griffin shrugged. “Or we could wait a couple of hours for the crowds to thin out. Then we can queue up. In the meantime, we could grab a bite.”

I opened my mouth to argue when someone grabbed my arm and yanked me aside. A flash went off, leaving spots in my vision.

Blinking rapidly, I turned to find Shawn beside me, grinning and throwing an arm around my shoulder like we were old friends.

“Michael! Didn’t know you were coming to this GamesCon,” he said, his tone all easy charm. “Didn’t see your name on the list.”

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