He seemed to be putting on a brave front for his viewers, but his posture was a little too tense, his laugh not quite as genuine.
The chat box scrolled by in a blur, the usual flood of messages pouring in from his fans.
And the more I watched, the more I felt this weird sense of helplessness.
Here he was, putting himself out there for everyone to see, while something in his life was clearly weighing him down.
When the stream finally ended, I shot him a quick message.
Griffin: Are you okay? You left in a hurry just now.
His response was almost instant.
Michael: Yeah, all good! Just tired. Thanks for asking.
But something about it didn’t sit right with me. The speed of the reply felt almost too automatic, like he was brushing me off.
Still, I didn’t want to push. We were still figuring out what we were to each other—friends, maybe. Or was I just his boss?
Whatever it was, showing up unannounced might seem like overkill.
Yet, my wolf wasn’t content. The thought of leaving him to handle whatever he was going through alone felt wrong.
I debated just driving past his place, a quick check-in.
I wouldn’t let him know I was there, but just seeing the lights on would make me feel better.
Before I could get up, another message came through.
Michael: I’m not okay.
The honesty in those three words nearly floored me.
I stared at my phone, my thumb hovering over the screen as I typed my reply, trying not to sound too eager to head over.
Griffin: Want me to come over? Have you eaten? I can stop by the pizza place near your building.
Michael was staying at Casey and Sawyer’s place, so I knew the address.
A moment later, the message bubble popped up, and I saw his reply.
Michael: Pepperoni sounds great. Can you also include wings?
I couldn’t help the smile that broke out across my face.
Griffin: One pepperoni pizza and wings, coming right up.
The drive to the pizza place was quick, and after picking up the food, I headed to the building where Michael was staying.
I didn’t even hesitate before sending him another message.
Griffin: I’m outside.
The entrance door buzzed open, and Michael’s familiar silhouette appeared at the top of the stairs.
He seemed relieved to see me, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he gestured for me to come in.
“Hey,” he said softly, his voice carrying a weariness that tugged at me.
