Page 50 of Sawyer
He paused, scanning the room again before adding, “We’re also considering organizing more joint events to help build trust and cooperation.”
As I watched him speak, a mix of emotions hit me.
I felt guilty since I was the one who had volunteered him for this. But under that guilt was something else entirely—excitement.
Seeing this side of Sawyer—the calm, composed leader handling a tense crowd—it was new. And damn, if it wasn’t attractive.
Despite the calm exterior, though, I knew better. He was nervous.
His fingers fidgeted with the edge of the note cards he’d brought, a tell I’d picked up on whenever he was anxious.
For some reason, something about it made me want to tease him. Maybe snap a quick picture when he wasn’t looking.
Then again, maybe I didn’t have to. With how this meeting was going, between the ‘official’ logo and the formal tone, it felt more like a high-stakes summit than a local town meeting.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this ended up on the front page of the town paper next week.
If it did, I’d have to grab a couple of copies—maybe even frame one for Sawyer if they used his picture. He’d probably hate it, but it’d be worth it just to see his reaction.
Sawyer cleared his throat before asking, "Any questions?"
Before anyone else could respond, Lisa’s hand shot up, her voice slicing through the silence. “So, how much do shifters have to threaten or intimidate someone before it gets reported or punished? Does it have to be physical?”
I whipped my head toward Lisa, startled. Seriously? She asked that?
Of all people, I hadn’t expected her to jump in with a question like that.
But as the words sunk in, I understood why. She was probably worried about me.
Also, I had told her about what happened with Aaron and Garth, how Sawyer and Griffin stepped in before things got worse.
I bet a few other people in the room had heard about it too. I glanced at Sawyer, curious to see how he’d handle such a direct question in front of everyone.
His expression shifted, becoming more serious. “Each incident will be handled on a case-by-case basis,” he said. “While we don’t have all the specifics figured out yet, we’re working closely with the sheriff’s department. Ideally, we want to have a shifter on staff to help with these situations.”
His eyes swept the room, gauging the crowd’s reaction.
A few murmurs broke out—some skeptical, others more thoughtful. The idea of a shifter in law enforcement didn’t seem to be an easy sell.
"If you know a shifter who’d be a good fit for the role," Sawyer continued, "someone the town trusts, someone people feel comfortable bringing concerns to, feel free to recommend them."
That seemed to land better. A few people nodded, though the tension in the room hadn’t completely lifted.
Sawyer looked around one more time before wrapping up. "If there aren’t any more questions, I’d like to thank you again for having me here tonight. Hopefully, this is the start of a more open and ongoing dialogue between all of us—human and shifter. Have a good evening."
He stepped down from the small stage, his formal stance relaxing the moment he hit the floor.
Someone else took over, something about road repairs and a school fundraiser, but my attention stayed fixed on Sawyer.
He slumped into a chair in the front row, exhaustion etched in his features like the whole thing had drained him.
And I didn’t blame him.
When we’d talked about this yesterday, I’d told him it would be casual. Nothing too intense. I didn’t expect him to stand in front of over thirty people and give a speech.
“Just answer a few questions, maybe say a couple of things,” I’d reassured him. It wasn’t supposed to turn into… this.
But he’d handled it well. More than that—he’d made a solid impression, even if he didn’t realize it.