* * *

It was getting late, and Remus promised to bring Sage back before dinner. The female beside him was rightly exhausted from the run and hunting. But the Alpha had the right amount of stamina that would match hers, another reason he thought the Moon Goddess made them mates.

Returning to their skin, a smile graced Sage's face as she flashed it in Remus' direction. His heart instantly grew fuzzy as he wanted to pounce and know what exactly was making her smile.

The number of possibilities was endless. Even a reminder of being free seemingly made Sage glow bright.

Remus had knocked at the Elwood's door, only to be greeted by Liam. And although he smiled at his little sister, she rightly didn't look him in the eyes. She could feel that he disapproved of Remus.

Causing her smile to begin to fall.

"You okay, Sage?" She blinked back to her brother, but it was a drastic shift to what Remus was picking up from their bond.

"Sleep?" The she-wolf was still getting used to the idea of not having a set bedtime, and it led her to ask when it was time. "Dinner first. What'd you two do all afternoon?" The brother was eyeing the Alpha with a skeptical side-eye, but the light shined bright as the female beamed at how she spent the last few hours.

"Run." Liam chuckled as he looked to the Alpha, silently hoping that something happened and he could have an excuse.

"Hope Alpha kept up with you alright..."

"I managed just fine." Sage knew that the tension was growing, and she shrunk far too quickly for Remus' likings.

Liam had attempted to reach an arm out, but she flinched away. Even doing the same when Remus had attempted to try. Her eyes didn't connect to either of theirs as she felt the looming threat of a fight.

It was far too difficult to ignore.

In remedy to the situation, Liam called for his mom, and the woman rushed to see the issue. Not daring or hesitating on crossing either the Alpha or her own son as she pulled Sage's head up to greet her properly.

A struggling smile formed on the daughter's face as she looked far too damned with her emotions.

"How about you join us for dinner tomorrow, Alpha? It would give Sage a chance to get to know you better in skin setting." The idea was tempting, but Liam was hoping that the Alpha was too busy.

And he withheld the frown when the Alpha agreed.

"I was thinking about a pack introduction on Friday. I don't know if Sage understood me entirely, but—"

"Party." She whispered, causing Camilla to nod. "Yes, darling, you get to meet everyone in the pack. I'm sure they're excited to meet you. And very well informed." The mother turned to the Alpha in question, who nodded.

"Of course, and if she feels uncomfortable in any way, we'll end it. Unless you feel she's not ready for that." Liam rolled his eyes under his lids. He did not want to have an ongoing issue with his sister's mate.

The protective side of Sage has yet to be unlocked, though Zoe was just a pack member she met perhaps twice before the attack.

That was simply acquaintance protection along with what Luke had ordered her to do, but this was her mate. If Kelly hadn't called a proper challenge for the Luna on the spot, then the Alpha would've had no trouble in attacking anyone who hurts his mate.

"I think she's ready." Liam offered, knowing that underestimating her again would just be shameful on their part once again.

"Mrs. Elwood, I wouldn't leave her side for even a moment with the pack in attendance, nor would I put her in any danger." At that moment, Remus discovered a trigger word, having the hairs of his little mate stand up straight, pairing with her dilated eyes.

"Hey, darling...It's alright, come. I made ribs." The mention of food and something familiar did a small smile creep up on her stoic expression. "Potatoes?"

"Of course." With that, Camilla had led her into the house. Leaving Liam and the Alpha toe to toe.

"I would invite you in, but mom would honestly kill me if she didn't get a chance to clean the house before the Alpha came."

"No need. Maybe before the party, you all can come to the Packhouse for dinner instead." While Liam could see the beginning of Remus' effect, it's defiantly going to take more than a few dinners to rectify what he had done.

To both the Elwood family and Sage.

And Remus knew it.

"What can I do to make things better?" The Alpha spoke, his hands tamed at his center and cuffed in front of him. Awaiting an answer to one of the male wolves his mate had befriended down in the facility.

One that she sees as a brother.

But him asking Liam what he could do simply gave him too much power in the situation. "You almost kicked her out and would've if she wasn't your mate. Sage thought she was going back. Sometimes I get the feeling that she still thinks she's going back."

The silence lingered as neither knew what to say. It was a shared sadness to try and remedy Sage's mindset of being brought back.

So it was then the Alpha excused himself with a quick goodnight as he set his sights on returning to the Packhouse.

And it didn't surprise him that Beta Eli was linking him in a crisis.

Kelly hadn't been officially released from the infirmary just yet, however, she did manage to sneak out and cause a tornado in his office.

This was not going to be an easy conversation.

"Kelly." Remus kept his face expressionless, especially after not being able to say a proper goodnight to his mate was only ruining his patience now.

"What are you doing?" He growled with his wolf nearly coming to the surface. Nearly plowing down his Beta and Delta, who were both attempting to calm the she-wolf.

"Getting your attention." She honestly admitted, and it was finally then that Remus could see the damage his mate had done to her.

All without a shift to fur, his wolf so slyly reminded.

Even after the fight, Sage fought with himself, and she still managed to come out generally unscathed. Or at the very least not whining about the pain like she had been for the past day.

"Look what she did to me, to us! She's torn us apart. You should've just sent her away like we planned to!" Neither Eli and Jack had held back growled in defense, but as Remus took another check, it was in retaliation to the future Luna.

Hoping to get this under control, he ordered his second and third in command to depart from the room. As it was the only way for the tension to stay between either himself and Kelly.

Just last week, he refiled for her to be his choice Luna of his Pack. All without knowing it, his true Luna has been racing around like an ordinary pack member without his knowledge.

Not even an ordinary member as his ignorance failed her.

A good Alpha would meet a newcomer upon arrival.

Instead, he was busy entertaining ally packs while he sent Eli to go and check-in with the returned Elwoods.

His wolf was already giving him hard enough time, but just looking at what Kelly had done to countless documents and treaties that were once stack neatly on his desk, now lingered just by his feet.

It was more or less the last straw that Kelly had with Remus' wolf.

"Getting my attention by having a tantrum is not acceptable, in any way, shape, or form." He growled lowly as it was evident that a shiver ran through her spine.

She knew he wouldn't attack her, but Remus wasn't sure how long he could control his wolf.

"You're here, aren't you? Or are you sleeping with that—that who—"

"I will remind you that she is my mate and this pack's—"

"I AM THIS PACK'S LUNA! I have been working in the position for years, I've been by your side for longer. Does that mean anything to you?" Her voice had finally given way, cracked even. It was the skin side of Remus that was facing inner turmoil once again.

And this time, his wolf was winning over.

"I can't ignore my mate."

"You almost did. You almost sent her away." He came closer and began picking up the endless stacks scattered from the desk, only to rise up and point the book in her direction.

"I've trusted your judgment and ignored my Beta, my Delta, and the rest of my pack. That is not how an Alpha and Luna are meant to operate." This caused Kelly to scoff, her tears still streaming down her face as she managed to dramatically wipe them away as she hissed in his direction.

"You expect her to do anything more than drool at your feet."

"That is strike two against my mate, chose your words more carefully. And I happen to remember quite vividly how she almost killed you in skin as well. A female standing by my side shouldn't be beaten by a newcomer." The amount of sheer anger that sprouted on Kelly's face had sent Remus to hide his own smirk.

Yeah, Sage did do a number on her.

"She isn't normal. Tell me you can see it too."

"I see my mate, a she-wolf that has been imprisoned for the majority of her life. Whatever you constitute for normal doesn't apply to her." Another huff rallied as she threw the last remaining portion off his desk.

"It doesn't apply?! How does that make a shred of sense?!" He made a gesture with either of his hands extended out.

"You want me to fault her for having no social skills when she's been in a cage for her whole life? Tell me how that would make a shred of sense. Now...I want you to remove yourself from my office now and return to—"

"Where? I'm not going back to the infirmary, and I am not staying in the bed we shared. Not when you've slept with that pathetic she-wolf." Remus had unceremoniously dropped everything in his hand and stalked forward towards his previous fling.

"Strike three." He whispered, and Eli returned back into the Alpha's office.

Never in his entire life had he been more elated to follow through with the order as he escorted Ms.Synder out of the Alpha's sight.

And Jackson's caught the escort as he chuckled at the mess on the floor, and what became of Remus' hair.

"Sir, is it really the best option to—"

"For now. Until I sort through this mess and figure a way to keep her calm." Jack didn't want to say anything, but he was incapable of keeping a thought to himself.

And Remus was far too used to it.

"Alpha, half the pack—No. More than half the pack would rather have Sage as their Luna than her. And I'm sure you've come to realize that—"

"That I made a mistake, Jackson? That I was mesmerized by the Omega in my bed?" He snarled, but not as roughly as he surely meant to. The little effect hadn't angered Remus, no. What angered him was the distance that he was forced to have with his mate.

"Not...I wouldn't say mesmerized, but—" Harlow's words were starting to affect him now. The Alpha had been right. The Goddess was surely made him pay for his ignorance.

"Are you serious about the guards patrolling the Elwood residence? I'm sure that Sage's brothers and father will protect her." When their eyes met, it was already in the knowledge that he was going to get a lecture.

With Kelly and her big mouth, Sage's popularity had grown. Ever since they had finished the run with a shared hunt and howled in unity, it caused the pack to shift in regards to making room for the Luna.

And with that, he wanted Sage to have a bodyguard.

"Mated males or females."

"Alpha, she took on twelve Rogues to protect—" The eyes flared now as Jack was not getting the bigger picture. But the silence had him continue in regards to that Sage had a tie with him.

"She tied with me, Jackson. This is both a safety concern for the pack and for her." The Delta was finally starting to get the picture. It was for either side to be safe. So he bobbed his head and sighed in agreement.

"Mated males?" A firm nod solidified the plans as he started to wrack up a few names and a body count.

It was instantly met with a confirmation and a quick term of action.

In reality, the Elwoods hadn't even finished doing the dishes when Camilla noticed a few pack members outside. "Leo...Isn't that—" The mother of the home barely had a second to get her thoughts of before her mate managed to storm out of the house and plow his way through to two out of the eight protecting the home.

Leo returned inside, but Sage was starting to feel enclosed with all the commotion.

Goddess, she was on the verge of having an anxiety attack.

The only calmness that she had was Caleb and Casey bringing her upstairs, where the scents of Lavender aided her breathing.

But the tears were still going strong, causing Remus to feel the dread as though she were right behind him in his study.

It felt like an itch he couldn't scratch.

He looked around the entirety of the study before being interrupted by Leo. Again.

"I'm sorry, sir. I tried to—" Eli attempted to apologize, but it was dismissed as he hurried out from the room. No part of him wanted to witness this.

"What in Goddess's name are you doing?!" Leo growled, standing his ground for the second time in defense of his daughter. And now Remus leaned back and shook his head. "I was going over this month's financial statements if you're really interested in numbers Le—"

"Why are there males at my house?" The question remained in the air until Remus rose from his seat and challenged the Master of Arms authority.

For he had none in this office.

"I appointed them there to help keep Sage safe from the pack, and keep the pack safe from her." He finished his sentence through, even with Leo over-speaking the explanation. But the mated male watched in pure amusement as he witnessed his Alpha falling victim to the symptoms of having a mate.

"You're feeling her panic. It's only going to get stronger with the more men you put to watch her."

"What do you suggest then? That I have females watch over her?" The aggravation was another sign of Sage's distance. It wasn't too often that mates would actually wait to begin the mating process.

Or in their terms, continue it, as stage one has been completed.

"Sage trusts about as many people as I have fingers. She's feeling boxed in. And if you hadn't noticed, she doesn't like enclosed spaces." Remus dug his head into his hands, thinking that a layer of protection would make him feel better, but it didn't.

It caused more problems.

"Son, Sage needs to trust you. She needs to learn the ways of our people. She's been deprived of everything. Control your wolf. Agree with him, because right now, he's being spiteful for everything that's happened with you and Kelly." The pain had worsened. Sage was unknowingly calling out to her mate in pain and agony.

Munchkin? Are you alright?

He called out through the bond, and she immediately responded, causing him to feel an even bigger rush of pain.

His hand instantly gestured to his forehead as though he was having the worst migraine of his entire life, so much so that he needed to sit down.

"Caleb and Casey are with her in her room, trying to get her calm. For her sake, and before she tries to run off again...Call. Them. Off." And so the Alpha followed Leo's advice. However, that still didn't rectify the situation as Sage felt she was being watched, followed, and prepared to be taken once again.

The faces were unknown to her, making her senses work overdrive as she tried pinning each scent to a person.

All of these feelings rushed over to the Alpha as he started to understand his mate in a better light.

And Leo let out a knowing chuckle.

"I suppose we'll stay here in Crescent Moon. Give Alpha Harlow a call for me. Sure he'd be happy to know you're keeping us. Or why you're keeping us." Remus groaned for a multitude of reasons, but more importantly, the sudden pool of cool calmness that washed over Sage's thoughts and turned into an adoring moment caused him to growl.

Who was giving her this feeling of safety?

In reality, with the guards gone, Luke and Liam returned to the house. And either we're the best at firmly telling Sage what is happening and that everything will be okay.

Because the truth still stands that the Elwoods are the most trusted people on her list.

And they already counted as seven members.

Leaving Remus to wonder, did he even make the cut?

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Date: 11-22-2020

Time: 8:48

Words: 2861

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EDIT--
DATE: 09/23/2021
WORDS: 2854