Page 72 of Sawyer

His hands clutched me tightly, as if afraid I’d disappear if he let go.

My heart ached for him—this wasn’t the life I wanted him to be part of, yet he had been dragged into it because of me.

“I was so scared,” Casey murmured against my skin, his voice shaking.

“I know,” I said softly, running my fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry. I should’ve been there sooner.”

Casey pulled back slightly, looking up at me with tear-filled eyes.

“No, Sawyer. You saved me. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you,” he said.

I smiled gently and kissed his forehead.

“If you hadn’t hit him with that lid, I would’ve been a goner,” I reminded him.

He gave me a shaky smile, and the tension in my chest began to ease.

But then, Casey’s expression darkened as he glanced over at Garth’s still form.

“What... what do we do about the body?” he asked, biting his lower lip, clearly anxious.

I squeezed his hand, trying to offer reassurance.

“Don’t worry, the pack will handle it. I’ll call Cooper,” I told him.

I grabbed my phone, dialing Cooper’s number with one hand while keeping Casey close with the other.

Benny, sensing that things had calmed down, padded over and leaned against Casey’s legs, offering silent comfort.

“Cooper,” I said when he picked up. “There’s been an incident. Garth came after Casey. I had no choice.”

There was a brief silence on the other end before Cooper sighed heavily. “Are you both okay?” he asked.

“We’re fine,” I assured him. “But... Garth, I had to take care of him.”

“I’ll send someone to take care of it,” Cooper said, his voice grim. “Don’t worry about the cleanup. Just take care of Casey.”

“Thanks, Coop,” I said before hanging up.

Casey was watching me intently.

“Is he... is Cooper angry?” Casey asked.

I shook my head, pulling Casey closer again.

“No, not at us. He’s mad at Garth. None of us expected him to take it this far,” I explained.

Casey let out a small breath of relief, resting his head against my chest. “I’m just glad it’s over,” he said.

“Come on,” I said gently, standing and offering him my hand. “Let’s get you home.”

Casey nodded, his grip on my hand tightening as we made our way back to his apartment.

Benny followed us closely, his little paws clicking against the pavement as we walked in silence, the weight of what had just happened hanging in the air.

When we finally got inside, I could see the exhaustion etched on Casey’s face.

He looked worn out—physically and emotionally—but I also saw his strength.