Page 51 of All Packed Up

And from someone who had experienced it firsthand, Nic knew Griffith could do just that.

Chapter 12

GRIFFITH

Griffith slept on his bed, fluffy mattress and all, but he might as well have been lying on a pile of rocks.

All he could think about were the rooms upstairs, completely empty except for the few pieces he’d managed to revive after his uncle’s passing.

He didn’t even have a proper bed for Nic to sleep on. Or the omega he’d told Grif about. And the two surprise guests? Grif had no choice but to stick them in the room he’d been using for storage. They really only had to step around a few boxes, but the blow-up mattresses wouldn’t last for long.

Especially not through an omega’s heat.

Nic hadn’t given him many details, but Grif was so in love with the guy he hadn’t asked any questions. Just opened his door to him without even asking why. Nic needed him? How was Grif supposed to say no? Especially when that ever-present good ole boy attitude had him saving another sad soul.

Especially when his deep voice—the first time Grif had heard it in years—was smoother than the first chocolate bar he’d had after being released back into the world.

So Griffith had agreed. And now here he was, his small house now four people more crowded. He blinked his eyes open, widening them as horror washed over him like a cold shower.

His house was old. As in, he still used a wood stove to heat the place old. The warmest room in the house was the living room, and in the evening that was the only place Griffith wanted to be. Alone. Which was great when it was just him and Daisy.

And now he was going to share that space with four other people? Only one of which he was familiar with… if you could go five years without speaking to someone and still call it familiar. How was he supposed to hold a conversation and entertain two alphas and an omega he’d never met?

Well, you won’t be the one entertaining her.

Nic will.

With a huff, Grif forced his mind to blank and closed his eyes, rolling over and trying to coax sleep to come.

It did, regretfully.

When his alarm went off only a few hours later, he was more tired than before he’d fallen asleep.

The only thing that saved his mood was walking out of his room, freshly showered and reluctantly ready to start the day, and finding Nic in his kitchen.

Part of him felt like he was finally dreaming, especially when Nic scooted over to pass him a mug full of steaming coffee across the countertop.

Maybe having someone else in his house wouldn’t be that bad.

If that someone was only Nic, and not three other strangers.

“What’s wrong?” Nic’s voice startled him out of his thoughts, and he lifted his gaze only to realize he’d been staring forlornly at the mug Nic had prepared for him.

Shaking his head, he made his way to the dining room and took a seat facing the back door. “What’s the blond’s name again?” At this point, Grif didn’t even know their names, and he was supposed to entertain these people?

Nic sat across from him. “Tate. Arlo is the other alpha, and Wendy—”

“Is the omega, yeah. I hope you guys like Netflix, because that’s all there really is to do out here,” he said, running a hand over the back of his neck.

“This is new,” Nic mused, sipping his coffee with a gleam in his eye.

“What is?” Griffith asked, heart thumping as Nic referenced their past.

Griffith wanted Nic to keep talking. He’d missed the cadence of his soft voice.

“You, nervous.” Nic let out a soft laugh.

Griffith finally got the courage to say, “I thought I was invincible.”