14. Sawyer

Chapter 14

Sawyer

C ooper's office smelled like cedar wood and old leather, a scent I'd come to associate with my lead alpha.

I sat across from him, watching as he tapped away at his laptop, then leaned back in his chair and slid a stack of papers across the desk.

"What do you think of the new patrolling schedule?" Cooper asked.

I picked up the computer printout and immediately grimaced. Garth. Again.

My name was right next to his for the upcoming patrols.

"Seriously?" I sighed, holding the sheet up so Cooper could see. "You've paired me with Garth for another week?"

Cooper gave me an apologetic look, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You're the only one who can handle him," Cooper pointed out.

I set the paper down with a soft thud.

"Handle him? I'm doing more than handling him—I'm babysitting him. Garth's been getting worse, Cooper. He's a liability," I pointed out.

Cooper's gaze softened. "I've had a talk with him. He seemed repentant," Cooper said.

I let out a dry laugh, shaking my head.

"Repentant? That guy is a professional actor. He'll say whatever he needs to stay in the pack, but you and I both know he hasn't changed. He's still trying to stir up trouble," I pointed out.

Cooper sighed and leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing slightly.

"I get it, Sawyer. I do. But you've got to trust me. Garth promised to shape up, and I believe in giving people second chances," Cooper said.

I bit back my retort. This wasn't the first time we'd had this conversation, and it wasn't going to be the last, apparently.

I didn't want to challenge my lead alpha, but I couldn't just ignore the gut feeling gnawing at me.

Garth was dangerous. He'd always been, and I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep him in check.

"I just don't want something to happen that we can't take back," I finally said, my voice low, controlled. "Garth's already pushed his limits with Aaron and Griffin, and next time, we might not be lucky."

Cooper folded his hands in front of him, nodding slightly.

"I know. And I trust you to keep a lid on things," Cooper said.

I sighed again, feeling the weight of responsibility settle over me.

The last thing I needed was another confrontation with Garth, especially with my leg acting up.

I'd barely managed to stop the fight between him, Aaron, and Griffin the last time, and that was with Casey nearby.

The reminder of Casey sparked another thought.

"Speaking of Aaron, I wanted to talk to you about that town meeting." I shifted in my seat, remembering the tension in the room that night.

I continued, "One of the townsfolk asked how far shifters have to go before someone can report it."

Cooper raised an eyebrow. "And how did you respond?"

"I told them we'd handle it on a case-by-case basis and that we'd ideally work with the sheriff's office," I answered.

Cooper smiled, a proud look on his face.

"You handled that perfectly, Sawyer. It's exactly what I would've said," Cooper said.

I felt heat creep up my neck and quickly looked away, embarrassed by the praise.

"Just doing my job as your second," I muttered, trying to deflect the attention. "But it wasn't just my job that got me there," I continued, glancing up at him. "Casey invited me to the meeting. And it was a good thing too—it finally gave us a chance to open up a dialogue with the humans. They've been… cautious, but there's potential there."

Cooper leaned forward, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"You're really bringing Casey up a lot these days. You should invite him to the pack lands, maybe for a weekend lunch. It'd be a great way for him to get to know us better," Cooper said.

I blinked, caught off guard by the suggestion.

"You think that's a good idea?" I asked.

"Absolutely," Cooper said, his grin widening. "It's about time you showed him around, don't you think? He's a big part of your life now."

I mulled it over, nodding slowly.

Casey did owe me one for going to that town meeting, and honestly, I'd been wanting to spend more time with him.

"Yeah, you're right. I'll invite him," I said with a nod.

Cooper smirked. "Good. Now, as for this schedule…"

"Seriously, Cooper," I groaned, cutting him off. "You have to stop putting me on patrols with Garth."

"I'll think about it," he said, though the smile playing on his lips told me otherwise.

Later that day, I couldn't stop thinking about Cooper's suggestion. The idea of bringing Casey to the pack lands, letting him see where I grew up… it felt right.

Casey had already become a huge part of my life, even if I hadn't officially introduced him to the pack yet. I took out my phone and texted Casey.

Sawyer: Want to grab a bite? There's something I want to ask you.

His reply was almost instant.

Casey: Sure! Let's go to that same dog-friendly café by the park. Want to meet there?

"What do you say, boy? Want to go to a café?" I glanced at Benny, who perked up immediately at the mention of the café.

He seemed to recognize the word, as if he knew where we were headed, and his tail wagged furiously.

That dog was always up for a good meal and a walk in the park.

By the time we reached the café, Benny was practically pulling me toward the entrance, his excitement contagious.

When we walked in, Casey was already waiting at a table by the window, a grin on his face as soon as he saw us.

Benny, of course, was over the moon, nearly jumping into Casey's lap the moment we approached.

"He's always so excited to see me," Casey said with a laugh, reaching down to give Benny a head rub.

I leaned against the table, my gaze softening as I watched the two of them.

"He likes you. Can't blame him," I said.

Casey looked up at me and smiled, his eyes catching the sunlight filtering through the café window.

In that moment, the weight of everything—Garth, my responsibilities, the stress—seemed to ease. It was just me, Casey, and Benny, and for a brief second, the world outside didn't matter.

We ordered some food and drinks, settling into an easy conversation.

We talked about the usual stuff: his shop, my patrols, the town. But eventually, the topic drifted back to my conversation with Cooper, and of course, Garth came up.

"So Cooper believes Garth can still change?" Casey asked, his brow furrowing in concern.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair.

"Cooper has a big heart, but sometimes I think that makes him blind," I muttered. "Garth promised him what happened with Aaron won't happen again, but… I don't believe him one bit."

Casey's face softened with sympathy.

"I can tell you've been dealing with a lot. Garth is a piece of work. You're the only one keeping him in check," Casey said.

I smiled a little at that. "Yeah, well, someone has to make sure he doesn't tear the town apart," I joked.

The waiter brought our food, and as we started eating, the weight of the conversation lifted a bit.

There was something calming about sharing a meal with Casey—something that made me feel more grounded, like maybe all the chaos outside of us wasn't so overwhelming when I had him by my side.

As we finished our plates, I wiped my hands on a napkin and decided it was time.

Time to ask him the question that had been sitting in the back of my mind since this morning.

"So, I've been thinking," I started, clearing my throat as I gathered my thoughts.

Casey looked up at me with those curious eyes, waiting for what I had to say.

"How would you feel about coming to the pack lands for a weekend lunch? It's something Cooper suggested, and I think it's a good idea. You'd meet everyone, see where I grew up, get a feel for the pack," I suggested.

Casey blinked, surprised.

"Meet everyone? Like… the whole pack?" Casey asked.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Not all at once. Just a few people at lunch. Afterward, we could go for a hike in the woods and spend the afternoon together. What do you think?" I asked.

His eyes lit up at the mention of the woods, and I could see the wheels turning in his head.

"That sounds… amazing, actually," Casey said.

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through my chest.

"It'll be fun. Benny would love it, too," I told him.

Casey glanced down at Benny, who seemed to nod in agreement with his big eyes.

"I mean, how could I say no when Benny's clearly on board?" he teased.

We both laughed, and the sound of it felt light, easy—like a fresh breeze on a hot summer day.

There was something so natural about the way we fit together, like two pieces of a puzzle finally clicking into place.

"I think you'll like it," I said, my voice dropping to a more serious tone. "It's a big part of who I am, and… I want you to see that. To be a part of it."

Casey's expression softened, and he reached across the table to squeeze my hand.

"I'd like that. A lot," he said.

His touch sent a surge of warmth up my arm, and I realized just how much I wanted this—him, us, the life we were starting to build together.

The pack was important to me, and so was Casey.

Bringing him into that world felt like the next step, and I knew it would be the right one.

We finished our drinks, and as we stepped outside, I felt lighter than I had in weeks.

Casey walked beside me, close enough that our shoulders brushed occasionally, and I couldn't help but feel that everything was falling into place.

I was jolted awake by a sound, soft at first but unmistakable—a moan.

The kind that chilled my blood because I knew where it came from. Casey.

I blinked, disoriented for a second, my senses flaring as I sat up, muscles tensing, ready for a threat.

An intruder? Someone trying to hurt him?

But no. It was just Casey, curled up in one corner of the bed, gripping his arm tightly.

His face was twisted in distress, and his fingers clutched the scarred flesh as though he was trying to protect himself from some unseen enemy.

"Get away," he muttered, his voice low, haunted.

The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

I knew exactly what was happening. Casey was dreaming—reliving something that I had no doubt came from his past.

The one he'd shared with his shifter ex. The bastard who hurt him.

My heart pounded in my chest, torn between wanting to shake him out of the nightmare and the sinking realization that this was something I couldn't protect him from.

"Case," I whispered, inching closer to him on the bed, my hand hovering over his shoulder.

I didn't want to startle him, but I couldn't just let him suffer like this.

He flinched in his sleep, his brow furrowed as if he was fighting something off.

The sight of him like that, in pain, struggling—broke something inside me.

He had been through so much, more than he ever let on, and here he was, curled up like a wounded animal, battling ghosts I couldn't fight for him.

"Casey, it's just a dream," I murmured, finally placing my hand on his shoulder and gently shaking him.

His skin was damp with sweat, his breathing ragged.

"You're safe. It's me, Sawyer," I told him.

For a moment, nothing changed. He was still locked in whatever nightmare had gripped him.

I hated seeing him like this—so vulnerable, so tormented.

My inner wolf growled in frustration, wanting to tear apart whatever was hurting him, but I knew the only thing I could do was be there.

Be the person he could lean on when the nightmares came.

"Casey," I tried again, more firmly this time. "It's just a dream. I've got you."

His eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first, but then they landed on me, and I could see the fear in them slowly dissipate.

His chest heaved, and for a second, I thought he might push me away, retreat into himself like he sometimes did.

But instead, he let out a shaky breath and leaned into my touch, resting his forehead against my chest.

I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him close, his body trembling slightly.

I could feel his heartbeat pounding against my own, fast and erratic, like he was still trying to escape whatever had haunted him in his sleep.

"You're okay," I whispered, rubbing circles on his back. "It's over. You're safe."

For a long while, we stayed like that, just breathing, the silence of the room settling around us.

The warmth of his body pressed against mine grounded me, but I couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened.

We were supposed to head to the pack lands today, take that next step—introducing him to the rest of my world.

But I felt like an idiot for not considering how all of this might be affecting him.

His past wasn't just some story he'd told me in passing.

It was real, it was painful, and it wasn't something he could just shake off.

I leaned back slightly, brushing a strand of damp hair from his forehead.

"We don't have to go today," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. "We can reschedule. You don't have to?—"

"No," he interrupted, his voice still shaky but resolute.

He pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes, his expression determined.

"It was just a nightmare. That's all," Casey insisted.

I searched his face, trying to read between the lines.

"Casey…"

"I'm serious," he said, his hand resting on mine, squeezing it lightly. "I'm putting the past where it belongs. Today is about us. About moving forward, right?"

I nodded slowly, my chest tightening at how brave he was.

Brave, not because he wasn't scared, but because he chose to face it anyway.

"If you're sure," I said, still hesitant. "I don't want you to feel like you have to do this for me."

"I'm doing this for us," he replied, giving me a soft smile. "And I want to meet your pack. To see where you grew up."

I stared at him for a moment, my heart swelling with emotion. He was doing it—for us.

For our future, for the life we were building together. And if that didn't make me love him even more, I don't know what did.

"All right," I said, brushing my thumb across his cheek. "But if it gets too much, you tell me. Promise?"

"I promise." He leaned into my touch, closing his eyes briefly as if savoring the moment.