Entering my grandfather's study, he stood peering out onto his vast gardens.

He turned as I closed the door behind me. His face was unreadable.

Taking a few steps towards the middle of his study, a strange deja-vu moment sent a ripple of shivers down my spine. Something had taken place in this room. I had been here recently. Dread triggered a thought of wanting to run, escape. My heartbeat picked up, and I hesitated to take another step forward.

"Take a seat Sage," he instructed.

Avoiding eye contact, I didn't move from my spot. Standing would give me some control. Straightening my spine, determined he would hear me out.

Meeting his stony stare, I played dumb not revealing I had spoken to Uncle Harvey. "Why are all these people here? I thought you wanted me to meet Victor?"

"Yes, yes Sage. You will meet Victor shortly." He didn't answer my question.

"Grandfather, why are all these people here?" I asked again.

"To celebrate your engagement to Victor. The joining of two old families."

My stomach went haywire, my uncle was right.

"Grandfather, I can't do this. It was one thing to come here tonight and meet him the man. I agreed to that, but you've gone too far. What if I don't like him, or he likes me?" My heart grew heavy.

He narrowed his eyes, his gaze intense. "Do you think I would choose someone unsuitable for you Sage?"

Shaking my head. "No no, Grandfather. But that's the problem, right there—You chose him. Not me." I placed my hand on my chest.

His stare never wavered as I continued. "Grandfather, it should be my choice; I don't want an arranged marriage, I prefer to be in love with the person I'm going to spend the rest of my life with. I want to find my mate."

He scoffed at my suggestion of a mate. "Mates are a myth. I thought I'd raised you better than that."

I bristled at his remark but held my tongue.

We stared at each other; his annoyance clear as the window behind him. He cracked his knuckles before finally turning away from me and walking toward his study table. Taking a seat in his usual chair, he reached inside his drawer and retrieved his laptop. I observed as he opened the lid and entered his password, swivelled it around so I could see the screen.

"I have something to show you, Sage." My chest tightened, but still, I didn't move.

"You may want to sit for this." He signalled towards the seat in front of his desk. "We need to discuss the blackouts."

What? How did he know about them? There was only me and Pearl who knew about those. I called his bluff.

"I don't know what you're referring to Grandfather, please explain."

An ominous look crossed his expression as he released a forceful breath.

"Don't test me, Sage. I'm well aware of your blackouts. Now I won't ask you again, take a seat."

As I clenched my fists, forcing my feet to move, I rapidly felt exposed and vulnerable. Slowly sitting, I waited as he pressed a button and a small video popped up.

A cold sweat ran across my hairline. My eyes widened; a gasp escaped and my hand flew over my mouth to capture the next one as watched in horror at the events unfolding.

"We have been watching you for quite a while now, Sage. It appears this gift of yours is growing in power, and I'm not sure how we can control it. The blackouts result in the same outcome each time—someone gets hurt."

I heard his voice but couldn't drag my eyes from the small screen. The screams—just as in my dream.

I was hurting a wolf.

My heart banged in my chest as it constricted, cutting off air. Fending off tears, my vision blurred as a chill stilled my heart and pierced my lungs.

As the wolf released a painful ear-piercing howl. I crushed both hands over my ears, unable to tolerate any more. "Turn it off." I shut my eyes tightly, my breathing thick and fast.

I couldn't think straight.

How could I have done that? He had been afraid.

Why did I do that?

A hand rested on my shoulder. I trembled, unable to acknowledge him.

"Sage."

I said nothing.

"Sage, look at me," he ordered.

Forcing a breath, the cold hair stabbed my lungs and through tear-ridden eyes, I looked up. As he came into focus, his eyes registered no emotion. Only cold, dark unflinching eyes stared back.

"Is he dead? Did I kill him... the wolf?"

He nodded. "Yes Sage, you did."

"H-How... how could I do that?"

My heart thundered in my chest; bile rose up my gullet.

I was a murderer, a killer.

Rising to my feet, my hands balled into fists. "I have to go to the Police, hand myself in." My mind thought of Hunter, I would need to tell Hunter. He was the go-between the humans and wolves, he would need to be there when I confessed my crimes to the Police. They would arrest me and throw me in jail.

"NO!" my grandfather roared. "I will not allow it," he stated firmly.

The abruptness of his tone made me jump and take a step back.

"There will be no reporting of this incident, I have already fixed it." He declared as calmly as if he was talking about fixing a cut lip, or a broken arm—not me murdering someone in cold blood.

"Grandfather, I killed someone. I did that. I don't know what's happening to me. What if I hurt someone else?" I couldn't say the word murder again. "Pearl, Uncle Harvey—you?" Hunter.

I wouldn't take the risk, not with the people I loved. It was clear what needed to be done, accept responsibility for my crime, I was dangerous.

He stepped towards me, grasping my shoulders. "You will not bring this family's name into disrepute; you will follow my instructions, Sage."

I shook myself free, taking a step backwards to stare at him incredulously. "That's what you care about—our family name? I murdered someone; I did that." I pointed towards the small screen, its image frozen on the wolf, its mouth open, eyes wide.

"I have to do the right thing; I won't risk hurting anyone else...ever!"

Turning back to my Grandfather, his lips pressed together, a stoney expression hardened across his features. "You will not disappoint me, Sage."

I heard him growl.

Never had I been afraid of my grandfather, but in that moment, fear washed through me.

Run, run, run. My wolf howled.

Hiking up my dress I dashed the door but only succeeded in taking four steps before I came to an abrupt stop. The cage slowly closed in around me, sealing off any viable exit.

"Violets bloom and roses curse," he muttered.

Everything slowed and the blackness followed. I tried to move, but my mind told me it was futile.

A thought rushed my brain. I was under his control and I was sure this had happened before. A rush of air tickled my ear as I heard him speak.

"You feel nothing for this wolf. You will speak of this no more; you are not responsible for his death and you will not confess to any crime. You will do only as I command you. Do you understand Sage? Nod if you hear me." He ran his hand across my cheek.

A strange, slow cloud settled over my mind; his words seemed so far away as I drifted from myself, the ache in my chest evaporating.

Grandfather spoke again, only softly. "I only want the best for you Sage, I care for you and you will trust me to fix this. I'm the only one to care for and love you, Sage. Nobody will ever accept you." He took a breath before continuing. "Tell me you understand."

Without control I nodded my head, the worry of the wolf's death disappearing from my thoughts. No guilt remained. I would follow my grandfather's instructions; he would look after me. He had always taken care of me—he loved me.

"Now awaken."

Blinking; my sight returned. I was calmer, unsure why I had been crying. "What must I do to stop this happening again, Grandfather?" My head turned as I pointed towards his laptop unaffected by what I saw.

A strange look passed over his features. "To cease these blackouts, I have two conditions."

"What?" I asked.

"First, you will marry Victor and carry out my wishes. Secondly, the Dream-Walker has informed me we must open a bridge between your mind and his. He will put a barrier in place, which will control your Wolf and end these blackouts. You must permit him, submit your mind to him, and we can stop this from happening again. Do you understand Sage?" His voice was firm, unwavering in its instruction.

My heart cracked, acknowledging my fate. "Oui, Grandfather. I will do as you ask."

His face relaxed and a small smile graced his lips, happy with my decision.

Without conscious thought I asked a question, I wasn't sure where it came from. "Did the Wolf have a family—was he married, had children?"

His eyes narrowed; jaw clenched as if I'd slapped him. "Yes, Sage, a wife, and two young offspring."

I absorbed his words, they echoed in my head as I tried to muster some emotion, but there was none to find.

I'd killed someone, destroyed a family and yet, I felt nothing.

"You are not to worry about that Sage, or give it another thought. It has all been taken care of, his family will want for nothing. You are not to think of this again, do you understand Sage?"

His words afforded me no reassurance, but I nodded.

"But what if it doesn't work Grandfather?" I paused. "What if I kill again?" The word 'kill' danced on my tongue, but again registered zero emotion. I felt empty.

"Be assured knowing that the Dream-Walker can fix this, he has offered me reassurances."

I stood unsure of my feelings, my own thoughts. My body and my emotions were numb. Perhaps I was crazy?

"I will bring through Victor Stone now."

The last pieces of my heart shattered in the knowledge that I would never be with Hunter again, I lowered my eyes, accepting my loss. "Okay, grandfather, I'm ready."

Both our heads snapped towards the door; someone knocked.

"Ah, that will be him. Enter." My grandfather walked towards the man who I could safely assume was Victor Stone. "Perfect timing, Victor. Sage is excited to meet you."

I wasn't, not in the least. My attention turned to the man standing next to my grandfather. His smile though genuine did nothing to touch the coldness that held my body hostage.

He walked towards me, leaning in to kiss me, his lips dusting along my cheek towards my ear as he whispered. "You are more beautiful than your pictures, they did you no justice, no justice at all," he said.

His words offered no warmth as he moved back. I studied him, the man I would marry. He was tall and lean, not muscular like Hunter, I suppose he could be described as handsome; his bone structure was fine and perfectly symmetrical. His blond hair styled neatly was a statement of sorts, but he was less manly, more a boy pretending to be a man. His blue eyes, darker than mine, looked shrewd as if waiting for me to confront him. But I felt nothing, no spark, no shivers—nothing. "Nice to meet you, Victor," I said and smiled appropriately.

My grandfather interrupted our brief introduction. "Victor, if you could wait here, Sage and I have something we need to attend to. It won't take long, then we can make our announcement."

I looked at my grandfather, knowing full well the Dream-Walker waited for me in the Red Room.

For the first time in my life, I felt truly alone.