Page 20 of Griffin (Pecan Pines #3)

Chapter 20

Griffin

One Week Later

M ichael, 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.

Inside Dad’s room, a few of the pack elders were gathered, sharing quiet stories of his younger days.

Their voices carried a mix of sorrow and reverence that made my throat tighten. When they noticed us, they finished their farewells and stepped aside, giving us space.

“Look at that, Dad,” I said, my voice cracking. “The whole pack came to see you off.”

Noah sniffled beside me, wiping his eyes with the handkerchief Michael handed him.

“Yeah, it was unexpected,” Noah muttered, his voice thick.

Michael stood quietly by my side, our fingers laced together. His steady presence grounded me in a way nothing else could.

A nurse entered the room, her expression soft but professional.

“Are you ready?” she asked gently.

I glanced at Noah. His red-rimmed eyes met mine, and for a moment, I wondered if he needed more time.

But then he nodded, a quiet strength in his expression I hadn’t seen in weeks.

“We’re ready,” I said, gripping Michael’s hand a little tighter.

As the nurse began the process, I leaned into my mate’s warmth, drawing on the bond we shared. No matter how much it hurt, I knew Noah and I would be okay.

As we stepped out of the hospital, the crisp evening air hit me.

The weight of finality lingered, but the sight of the pack still gathered outside helped ease the ache. Cooper stepped forward, clasping my shoulder again.

“You did good, Griffin. He’d be proud of you and Noah,” Cooper said.

I swallowed hard, managing a small smile.

“Thanks, Coop. And thank you all for being here. It means a lot,” I told him.

He nodded, his expression softening.

“You know how it is. When one of us goes, we send them off properly. Speaking of…” He glanced around at the gathered wolves. “We’ve got a remembrance gathering at the pack house tonight. Food, stories, the usual. Figured you’d want to be there.”

I nodded, my throat tight. “Yeah, we’ll be there. Thanks for organizing it.”

Cooper grinned, his way of easing the tension. “Of course.”

We all started heading toward the parking lot together.

I caught Michael glancing around, taking in the faces of the pack. He stayed close to my side, his fingers brushing mine.

“You okay?” I asked him.

He nodded, though his expression was still a bit reserved.

“Yeah. Just…a little nervous. It’s a lot of new faces,” he admitted.

I squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry. They’ll love you.”

When we arrived at the pack house, the familiar buzz of pack life greeted us.

The sprawling log cabin-style home was already packed, the scent of food wafting through the open windows.

Wolves milled about, some sharing quiet conversations while others laughed, the weight of grief balanced by the need to celebrate Dad’s life.

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.