It had all happened so quickly and I didn't have a clue what had happened.

One minute we were all sitting happily eating, and chatting away. And then the next Sage was spooked, and more or less ran from the room like a bat out of hell. With Ruth doing a 180-degree turn asking me to end my involvement with Sage.

What the fuck?

Sat at my table, running my hand through my hair. I was trying to figure out how to fix this—only I didn't have a fucking clue what needed to be fixed.

Ruth had scurried off, quick sharp, and Sage was still locked in the downstairs bathroom.

I was wracking my brain, my mind conjuring all kinds of crazy random shit when I heard her speak.

"Hunter," she said but kept her eyes lowered. "I need to get home. I'm not feeling well. If you could call me a cab, or..." she trailed off.

I heard the thud of my jaw on the table and I would have looked like one of those crazy cartoon characters with my eyes bugging out my head.

She was fine ten minutes ago and I wanted to call bullshit.

But I held back because she did look freaked out as she stood in the doorway now wearing her crumpled dress with her fingers gripping the material. I hadn't even heard her go upstairs.

I rose slowly from my seat lifting my hands to show I meant her no harm. "Sage..."

She looked up and hopped a step back. I wasn't sure if I should go towards her or not.

My wolf let me know his feelings. He wanted to be closer. I tried again. "Sage, I don't know what the fuck just happened, but something has you freaked." I paused hoping she might jump in, but she didn't. "Talk to me. I can sort this, yeah?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but then bit down on her lip instead. And still, that simple gesture made me hard.

Quit it! I swore my dick had a mind of its own.

I stood there for at least another minute. My head said talk to her and my stomach was screaming at me to sort this out, as the constant fucking churning was making me feel sick—literally.

Again, not something I was used to dealing with.

"I really need to go, Hunter," she said, and I heard the crack in her voice.

Enough of this shit!

She responded last time when I was firm with her, so that's what was gonna happen.

Walking towards her, her eyebrows shot up and stayed there and her eyes went round. She held her hand up and out towards me, holding me off, warning me.

I didn't stop.

Her small warm hand came in contact with my abdomen, pressing lightly, The heat from her touch extended outwards, flooding me with need. She gasped.

"You're not going anywhere, Sage. Not until we talk." Her cheeks flushed. "Then, if you do that. I will call my driver or the helicopter and I'll get you home, yeah?"

She didn't move her hand but splayed her fingers out slightly. I took this as a good sign. I think she wanted to fix this too. She looked at me for a while before giving me a quick nod of her head.

Thank fuck for that.

I purposely kept my voice low, but non-threatening. "Now what just happened?"

She licked over her dry lips and then said. "I honestly don't know Hunter." Shaking her head. "I think I upset Ruth. I felt... " She trailed off and bit her bottom lip... again before she worried the inside of her cheek.

A weird feeling niggled at the back of my mind. She was hiding something.

I took her hand from me, lowering it but not letting it go, rubbing my thumb over it gently, reassuringly.

Taking another step toward her, we were inches apart and I could feel the heat from her body. It kindled something inside me, I wanted to soothe her, hold her. Make her feel better.

It's another first for me.

This woman made me feel hundreds of things that I couldn't put into words. It was mind-boggling.

Bringing my other hand up, I lifted her chin so she had to look at me. "You can tell me anything Sage, I need you to know that." She blinked a few times and her breath hitched.

"Anything Sage, nothing will scare me away, yeah."

I moved my hand from her chin, a little more prompting and I was sure she would tell me what's got her spooked. "This feels right." I motioned between her and me with my finger. "Me and you." I gave a slight nod of my head. "You felt it too, I know you did."

She said nothing and my eyes were staring at her perfect lips as dragged her bottom lip between her teeth. Every inch of me wanted to kiss her.

Fuck it.

I reached my hand up around her neck and pulled her towards me. My mouth slanted over hers. She stiffened, then slowly relaxed. I pulled her closer, feeling her tension slip away as her hand came up the side of my arms. I deepened the kiss as I slid my tongue into her fiery mouth. She rose on her tiptoes and let out a murmur.

My stomach flipped as my other hand went around her waist bringing us closer, with our bodies now flush it made the small hairs on my arms stand rigid.

Everything about this... about her, was telling me I couldn't be wrong.

Pulling back, I rested my forehead against hers. "Now tell me you don't feel that Sage and I'll step away. Tell me you don't want me."

Her breathing was heavy and almost laboured. "I do," she whispered. "Want you."

Those two words had my insides doing fucking somersaults. I wanted to pick her up and spin her around like you see in those cheesy chick-flick movies.

Fucking hell!

I hardly recognised myself. I'd never chased a woman before. But I know without a shadow of a doubt that I would chase her to the end of the fucking earth and back.

"I need to get home, Hunter. Please just give me some space. I need to sort a few things out and please don't ask me what. I will share that when it's done."

She pulled back and her eyes looked at me, pleading silently with me to understand what she was going on about—which I didn't. I didn't have a fucking clue.

However, I would do as she asked.

I nodded. "Okay Sage. We can do it your way." A look of relief crossed her face, reaching her eyes. "Do you want me to get my driver or do you want to fly?"

"Drive if that's ok?"

"Sure, Let me get Jim, my driver on the blower, he will be over quick sharp."

"Thank you, Hunter."

>>

Ten minutes later I heard Jim beep on the car horn. "Ready?" I asked.

"I need my phone. It's in your car in the city."

"Don't sweat it. I'll sort it."

Her shoulders sagged she let out a relieved sigh. I took her hand, and we walked out to the car.

"Morning Hunter," said Jim as he tipped his head in Sage's direction. "Miss."

"Jim, this is Sage. I need you to grab her bag from my car in the city, the Bentley. And then make sure she gets home safely, yeah."

He nodded his understanding, I could trust Jim. "On it boss."

I opened the car door for her and turned to her, lifting her chin so I could look at those mesmerising blue eyes of hers. "I want this to go somewhere Sage, you and me." Her eyes lit up. "Now you sort whatever needs sorting. I'm here when you're ready."

I leant down and pressed my lips to hers, sucking in her bottom lip before pulling back.

"Goodbye Hunter and thank you." She smiled at me—the smile that had me considering handing over my balls to her.

My wolf let out a low whimper, he didn't want her to go. Honestly, I didn't and the feeling of dread now spreading through my guts wasn't helping either.

Sage dipped her head to get into the car. I closed the door behind her, pressing my hand flat against the window before I stepped back.

Now I had to deal with Ruth and find out what the fuck was going on.

>>

I didn't knock as I walked into Ruth's kitchen, she never locked the doors anyway.

She heard me come in, but she kept on scrubbing at a frying pan like her life depended on it. "You'll put a hole in that if you're not careful." I watched her stiffen as she paused but then carried on.

"Sage gone home?" she asked without looking at me.

"What do you think?" I replied, perhaps a little too sarcastically.

"No need for that tone, Hunter."

"Ok then, let's sit yeah, and you can tell me what happened."

She paused again. "I've got chores I need to crack on with. I haven't got time to sit and chat."

"Ruth don't make me pick you up and sit you at that table." I pointed to the table—pointless as she still wasn't looking at me.

I heard her huff as she grabbed a towel and dried her hands. Then she started muttering to herself, but I didn't catch what she said as I made my way to the table, sitting my arse down... waiting.

She sat opposite me and again she was as stiff as a board. I signalled with my head for her start and she opened her mouth up twice... before slamming it shut.

This was getting tedious and I could feel my patience wearing pretty fucking thin. I rubbed my hand across my forehead forcing myself down the softly-softly approach, because Ruth wouldn't take my shit. She would probably clip me around the ear.

"Listen, Ruth, Sage won't talk to me and left quicker than a rat up a drain pipe. And now you're not talking to me." Her face was blank. Damn, this would woman would be good at poker.

"I know you liked her, you lit up like a fucking Christmas tree when you met her—so tell me, what happened...what's changed?"

I sighed hoping she could sense my desperation. Ruth was the only other woman in my life who I genuinely cared for—like a mother to me she was and I knew she wouldn't do anything to upset me intentionally.

She let out a lengthy sigh. "You need to talk to Zander," she said, her eyes refusing to look at me.

I didn't have a clue what my brother had to do with this. "Why?"

"This isn't about Sage...directly." She reached over and took my hand and finally, her eyes met mine.

"Ruth, I don't have a clue where you're going with this, you're gonna need to explain it to me."

She let out another long-frustrated sigh. "This is about who she's related to."

She's still lost me. "What? And Zander knows Sage?"

She shook her head. "No, it's about her grandfather, a man named Charles DuPonte. Her mother's father." She let go of my hand and stood up.

Charles who? It didn't ring a bell.

"I've already telephoned him. There is nothing more I can tell you Hunter, speak with your brother."

"What?" She'd called him already?

She started walking back towards the kitchen sink–apparently, we're done talking.

"He's catching the next flight home," she said.

Fucking hell–I knew then it must be serious. About to ask another question my phone vibrated and I fished it from my back pocket.

Fuck. It was Gunner.

No doubt with more shit I'd have to deal with.

Fuck my life.