Page 47 of All Packed Up

“She’s grown a lot since the last time you saw her,” he said in his familiar, gravelly voice.

“She has,” Nic said in awe and in lieu of a greeting. He couldn’t look at Griffith yet.

His heart pounded as he avoided even glancing in the alpha’s direction. Nic closed his car door and squatted down, taking the dog’s face in his hands and squishing her cheeks. “You’re so cute,” he cooed, and stroked his hands back and forth, giving her the facial massage of a lifetime.

“I’m Griffith,” the alpha said, and Nic realized he wasn’t alone and now wasn’t the time for crisis panic. He had more issues than the past between them. Swallowing his pride, his embarrassment, he stood. His gaze landed on the alpha first, and those dark eyes threatened to suck him in. Then Nic’s lips moved on autopilot as he spoke, but his eyes remained on the alpha. “Sorry, this is Wendy. Wendy, Griffith.”

Griffith’s gaze left his first, and Nic tried to breathe past the pressure in his chest.

There’d been none of the emotion Nic would have expected in Griffith’s gaze. No frustration or ridicule, no… hate.

He was still exactly one inch shorter than Nic. But where Nic was lean and carried all his muscle in his thighs, Griffith carried muscle… everywhere. And at six-three, that was quite intimidating, but Wendy stood tall, cat clutched to her chest, fearless.

“Hi,” Wendy greeted. “Is it okay that I have…” She hefted Knuckles to a more comfortable position in her arms.

“Of course, Daisy doesn’t mind,” Grif told her.

Wendy tensed as Daisy rounded the truck, curled tail waving back and forth happily. But the pup just sniffed at whatever part of Knuckles she could reach. Just as Knuckles raised a paw to smack at her, Daisy gave up and went back to her dad.

“That went better than I thought it would,” Wendy said on a breath of relief.

Griffith leaned down and patted her on the head, and the pup leaned against his leg and stared up at him like he was her whole world.

Nic knew what that felt like.

“You brought a few tagalongs?” Griffith asked, dipping his head at the car behind them. Nic heard the doors shut and cleared his throat before they could join.

“I told you a little about what’s going on,” Nic began. “But things have changed since the last time I talked to you. This is Tate and Arlo, my neighbors. Long story short, they have agreed to help protect Wendy while she’s here, until her heat’s over. And it’s kind of nonnegotiable.”

“That’s fine. The more the merrier. I’m good at rolling with the punches,” Griffith said, and shocked Nic senseless with a wink. A wink.

“Thanks for letting us stay,” Wendy said quietly.

See, she could be sensible. Why couldn’t Nic?

It seemed all his words were stuck in his throat.

“Come on, it’s late. Let me show you where you’ll be staying,” Griffith said and turned without another word.

Wendy shot him a glance over the top of the car, and Nic just shrugged before grabbing their bags from the back seat.

Tate and Arlo were close behind, and Tate cleared his throat. “Dude’s huge,” he whispered. “Is he gonna kill us?”

Nic chuckled as they rushed to follow the alpha up the wooden steps and through a front door with two panels of glass on either side.

“He will not kill you,” Nic promised.

It was a country home, which fit perfectly on the small… farm? Plants and flowers were covered with plastic to protect them from the winter.

The house was simple. All wood floors with a shiny finish, rugs, and basic furniture.

“Oh my god, you don’t have leather!” Wendy exclaimed and pointed at the couch.

Griffith arched a brow. “No… Is that a problem?”

She shook her head with a smile. “Not at all. I hate leather.”

“Glad to oblige, I think,” Griffith answered dryly, and continued up the stairs. “My room is on the first floor, but there’s plenty of room for all of you guys up here. Uh, just find wherever you’re comfy…” He trailed off, gaze hopping from the alphas to Wendy and back to him. “I have to admit I wasn’t expecting more of you, so the sleeping arrangements aren’t that impressive.”