Page 58 of Sawyer
Miles flushed. “Hey, at least I made it with my own hands, not grabbed it off a store shelf.”
I smiled awkwardly, discreetly shifting the bag I was holding behind my back.
The two of them stared each other down for a moment before both turned to me expectantly. I froze.
Right—I’m supposed to settle this argument.
“Well, uh…” I glanced at the frittata. “I’m sure the extra calcium from the eggshells is… fine.” I smiled weakly. “And as for the store-bought chicken, I brought something from the grocery too.”
Sheepishly, I raised the bag I’d been hiding and pulled out a platter of mini bagel bites.
Noah and Miles both burst out laughing, and I couldn’t help but smile along with them.
Just then, Cooper emerged from what looked like the kitchen, balancing bowls of mashed potatoes and salad in his arms.
“Alright, children. No fighting—I could hear you all the way in the back.” He set the bowls down on the table before throwing a stern look toward Griffin and Sawyer. “Aren’t you two supposed to be my enforcers?”
Griffin, who had been sitting quietly in the corner with a newspaper, didn’t bother looking up. “He’s my brother,” he said,nodding toward Noah, “and that’s your mate,” he pointed at Miles, “so I’m staying out of it.”
“And we just got here,” Sawyer added, chuckling.
Sawyer gently placed down the pet carrier he’d been holding and let Benny out; the little dog immediately sniffed around the room.
Cooper rolled his eyes. “Fine, fine. Now that everyone’s here, let’s eat.”
Miles grabbed my arm with a grin, guiding me to sit between him and Sawyer at the long table.
The others quickly settled in as well, and soon, plates were being passed around, and conversation flowed naturally.
The pack talked about their recent projects and responsibilities, but they made an effort to include me, asking about my shop and what I liked to do in my free time.
I appreciated the effort, though I still felt a bit nervous. Every now and then, I tugged my jacket sleeve down, not because I was still uneasy around shifters, but because I didn’t want to be asked about the scar on my arm.
I wasn’t ready to answer any questions about that—not yet.
As we ate, I felt the tightness in my shoulders slowly start to melt away.
Maybe I was more nervous than I thought when we first arrived, but it was turning out exactly how Sawyer said it would.
Just a small, casual gathering with a few people—people close to him.
More importantly, there was no sign of Garth.
I took a slow breath, letting myself relax. It felt different being around shifters now.
A year ago, or even a few weeks ago, sitting at a table full of them would have been unimaginable. But I wasn’t that person anymore.
Something had shifted within me. Being here with Sawyer, knowing how much effort he put into making sure I felt comfortable, made me realize how much I’d changed. I didn’t feel like I had to constantly watch my back anymore.
Still, there was a small pang of guilt tugging at me. I had the feeling there were supposed to be more people here today.
The amount of food on the table suggested it—way more than the six of us could finish.
And after last night’s incident, I couldn’t shake the thought that Sawyer had rearranged things for my sake.
Sawyer tried not to show it, but I could tell he was still a little worried. This morning, I overheard him on the phone with Miles, making sure that only a few people were coming for lunch.
Conversation shifted around the table as the meal went on, with casual talk about the pack’s upcoming event—a family day at their annual fair.