Page 76 of The Wolf and the Monarch

“You didn’t. Really, you didn’t. There’s no one to blame here but Dad,” his voice cracked with that statement. Sawyer couldn’t help but reach his hand out and hold Benji’s, which he quickly returned.

Travis looked back at Sawyer. “Why are you here?”

That was a valid question. He cleared his throat and sat up a bit straighter in his chair. “Benji and I worked together to escape the bunker that he was held in. And I didn’t want to be there anymore. I just wanted to…start over?” That was the best way to describe it.

“And the people who were holding you captive?”

“They’re preoccupied,” Benji answered. “Their whole bunker was burnt to the ground when we were getting out. They won’t be an issue.”

Spence huffed. “Good. Matthew had a point though. I do think we’ll need to relocate, just to be safe. I’ll reach out to our contacts and see where they can move us.”

“Are you going to…take over then?” Andi asked.

He shrugged his shoulders and looked over to brother. “I was thinking that we both could. Unless one of you wants the responsibility.” Immediately, both twins laughed and simultaneously answered with a quick “no”. Spence smiled a bit. “I didn’t think so, but I wanted to offer.”

“You two will be good for it,” she offered with a nod.

Benji cleared his throat then spoke up. “Can Sawyer work with us?” His eyes went wide. He didn’t expect to hear that so soon. Especially since they didn’t know him at all. “He’s super resourceful. I think he’d be a good field medic with some quick training, honestly.”

He felt all the eyes around the table settle upon him and he wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. Sawyer was expecting the worst. They were probably going to tell him to leave and forget all about Benjamin Madison and his family. And if that were the case, he didn’t think it’d even be possible. Benji had changed his life forever.

“He’s a good person and he deserves this,” Benji quickly added, “I trust him with my life.”

The brothers looked at one another again. They both nodded their heads a few times and then shrugged. “We’ll figure out the logistics soon,” Spence said simply.

“Really?” Sawyer asked, clearly shocked by this.

Travis leaned back into his seat and folded his arms across his chest. “Benji doesn’t ask for much,” he said, “And I trust his intuition.”

A smile crossed his lips and he nodded his head, looking around at the table before he settled his gaze fully on Benji. “I won’t let you down.”

Benji just nodded and squeezed the hand that he was still holding. They held each other's gazes for a while longer before they forced themselves to look away. Benji cleared his throat and spoke up. “You talk to Mom then?”

“Yeah. She’s on her way up here,” Spence mentioned, “She’s going to be a mess, for the record. Matthew apparently was calling her nonstop when I was talking to her.”

“Figured as much,” Benji huffed. It made sense though considering the situation. Her son was back from the dead, basically, and her husband was found to be a crook.

“Guess today wouldn’t be a good day to ask her about that chicken pot pie, huh?” Sawyer asked Benji with a small smile, obviously joking.

He groaned and threw his head back. “It sounds so good.”

“Give her a day then ask,” Andi mentioned with a grin, “Because I could really go for some too.”

Benji nodded. “She can’t deny it, right?”

“Absolutely not. She’d make you an entire Thanksgiving dinner if you asked, I’m sure.”

With a smile, he glanced over to Sawyer. “Then tomorrow I will ask.”

Sawyer couldn’t help but return the smile. He had only been around the Madisons for a short time, but he already felt better there than he had for the past twenty years around Milo and his goons. They all seemed like genuine, kind people. He felt like he could really belong there with them. And the thought of working for people who were doing good things sounded right up his alley. With Benji’s help and encouragement, he knew that he could do the job they would give him. If he was going to be a field medic, he was going to make Cole and Benji proud and be the best medic around that he could.

It was the very least he could do.

Epilogue

Benji

Six months later.