* * *

 A small gasp had escaped Sage when Jade came in with the pup, and nobody could've guessed how she would've reacted. And neither Remus nor Jade could understand if it was happy or sad tears that graced the room with that strong salty smell.

"Sage, do you want to meet Hardin?" Her eyes continued to blink at the small pup who was cuddling close to his mama. And so with another moment of debate, Sage nodded and held out her hands to hold the child.

Remus was highly conflicted, when reading the bond it was a mixture of worry and jealousy. And that wasn't a trait that was ever found with Sage.

Or it had been in her early weeks when her speech wasn't as officiant as it is now, however Jade was all too happy to pass her lil pup into the arms of Sage. And although he was slightly fussy, he conformed naturally into her hold.

Her wolf purred down to the pup, and she received a small toothy grin, babbles here and there. But ultimately he was rightly set on relaxing in a new person's hold.

"Huh..." Harlow chuckled, causing Jade to flick his ear. It was enough of a reaction to cause Remus to turn his attention to the couple and question it.

"Hardin is usually wary of new people," Jade explained, and Haylee felt rightly worried as the pup hadn't responded as well to her. Even when she was related to him by blood.

"Ah, Sage is a pup whisperer."
"I help lil pup when he was crying under table at Christmas party. He can't...Couldn't find mom." Jade was completely giddy once again as she went to go sit on Harlows lap. Though there was conversation, mostly between Harlow and Haylee to catch up on everything. One of which Hayes found himself involved in as well.

As for Sage, she was completely infatuated with the pup in her arms. Giggling along with him, tickling him. And by the time noon rolled around the little pup turned hungry, causing him to assume that he could just ask to be fed.

And he tried to latch himself onto Sage's breasts. But she knew what he was getting at, so she carefully pried him away—But Harlow caught what his son was doing and let his head fall back and laughed.

"He did it to Sage too!" He called out, and Sage turned to look at everyone around her. She had been sitting on the floor with Hardin playing with his toys and doting on him, but now she just held him arms length away attempting to stop his obsessive want.

"Pup hungry?" She questioned, and Jade hurried to the kitchen to warm him up a bottle. Which allowed Harlow to take him from Sage, she smiled up to the Alpha and he smirked.

"He tried that on me too."
"Funny pup." It had been the joke of the afternoon to try and pet Sage, but as she was cleaning up the toys around her she caught his hand as he attempted to do the same.

"You want to keep hand, you not pet me."

"Better watch it son, she has a nasty bite," Hayes called out, and Remus cautiously reminds him that was meant to remain a secret. "A nasty bite and she paints?"
"Haylee show you my painting?" Sage questioned, being fairly comfortable on the floor beside her mate.

"Yup, it's in our dining room in a frame." Drake said, and it gained him her attention. Which was the perfect time for him ask about the Luna fight.

And Sage turned to put her chin on her knees, she acted very much like a teenager. Making Haylee think that the witches got the ages wrong, but the way she would change emotions so quickly was simply her means of expression.

"I not proud of that."
"What? Why not? Haylee showed me, I think it was awesome." Sage shook her head as she shot a glance to Remus beside her, leaning her head to his knee and blinked silently towards Drake.

"I not proud of hurting Lunas."
"Sometimes you have to beat them into shape, not going to get any respect by just letting them win like they planned to do." She shrugged, remaining silent as her play buddy had gone off to eat, and Hayes had caught the look of boredom in her eyes.

"How about we go and hunt for lunch, sure there's enough out there for all of us." The Alpha males of the room found it to be a perfect idea.

Sage turned to look at Remus with an excited smile, surely after the plane ride she'd want to stretch out her legs. But when Jade returned with Hardin in her arms settled with a bottle she too thought it a great idea, calling upon the nanny to watch him while the leaders go out and eat.

"Pup not come with?"
"Not for the hunt no, but he does like teething on deer bones. In a few weeks he can start watching from a distance." She took all that into consideration, the pup wouldn't just know how to hunt, he needed to learn.

"Bring back bone?"
"I'm sure he'd love that." Jade said through her mate's laugh, as Harlow thought readily adorable for Sage to even think of doing that.

The group soon set out to the closest area to change. Remus followed after Sage behind a tree, allowing her to shift first and bundle up their combined clothes. What they hadn't noticed the first few times was that their clothes would get dirty if their fur gets bloody during hunting, Sage told her birdie friend and they were in the works of getting it re-enchanted.

But that just made him more protective of his mate being in the nude than he would've before, her wolf was surprisingly calm about it. Thriving in the fact that after mating he was protective in the nature against other males, though she knew that most of them were doing the same to their own mates.

Once Remus shifted, the two began rolling around in the dirt and playing with one another. The new pack grounds caused either new couple to enjoy the benefit of not having to worry for the given few days, and that left the Alpha males much more relaxed than Sage or Haylee could've predicted.

Both the Mystic Grimm leaders hadn't seen Sage in quiet some time—In her fur side that is, and it took Jade by surprise seeing the she-wolf being of much larger size than herself.

No, she did not hold as much Alpha blood, more Beta than anything else as her previous pack her parents were Betas. When Sage caught sight of everyone she yipped in excitement and playfully snapped at her mate to let her go.

Hayes had made his way over to the newest couple, smelling right beside Sage's ear and earning him a flop of her ears as it tickled more than anything. And Remus mistook a proud lick as a sign of flirtation, causing a growl to admit and a previous Alpha to stand back.

Sage hadn't a clue as to what happened in that exchange, but she did know her mate was fairly angry—So she whined and licked at his jaw in both confusion and apology.

Oh Sage don't give him that satisfaction, let him work for it a little. 

Haylee called out, and Jade sneezed in reaction to her sister in laws retort.

He work for what?

Your affection sweetie, it makes them work harder to impress you. They like attention, watch.

Haylee knew that if Drake was any bit affectionate her father and brother would act like Remus would in that regard, so it was up to Jade as she walked ahead of Harlow without much of greeting to his wolf.

And Sage realized that she was far too flirtatious with Remus and his wolf that she turned to Haylee.

Is it bad?...Remmy gets sad.

Oh and Harlow can be sad all he wants, we don't want them to get cocky on us. Watch, they'll try and out Alpha each other.

Haylee had been the one to intervene, thinking it was hilarious for this little contest, one of the many things that Jade planned for entertainment. Even if she had to plant it into her father in law's head.

Sage hadn't met Jade's wolf, and it was a fairly interesting introduction after having known her so long. She wagged her tail politely before nipping slightly at her jaw before rubbing the likes of it as a greeting.

But Jade was a mother figure first and formost, and still saw Sage as pup in a few ways. After coating her in licks for a few seconds, it was Haylee who broke it up.

Hunt?

Sage called out the group, and the males looked ready as ever to get the taste of any prey on their fangs. The level of testosterone was suffocating to both Jade and Haylee, but they let out a wolfe grin in seeing how Sage's snoot scrunched up.

Knock it off!

Jade yelled through their grouped link, but also formulated a growl as her wolf demanded at least some sort of order. Though it was a curious sight to see that Harlow's apology hadn't been accepted as she turned away and started to lead the group.

Come upfront with us, Sage. She-wolves lead the hunt.

Remus felt his wolf's heart thump erratically at the sight of his she wolf leading with two other strong females in the country's rank.

Sage had risen in rank of never having been known to being one of the highest, though there wasn't much to go off of considering she had never sparred with either female at her side. And she probably wouldn't, however for Remus and the males just at his heels. They too were following after their females, while Hayes was at a cautious distance back.

He simply wanted to observe how his son was handling said position, but seeing the young mated couples was starting to wain heavy on his own hearts.

It made his wolf reach out to Willow, but she was far too away with the Moon Goddess to truly respond.

With the she-wolves leading the lot of them, it hadn't taken all that long as Jade knew this land as well as Haylee, having grown up and led this territory for as long as they have. The same with Sage, she was starting to understand each and every turn of Crescent Moon.

It hadn't taken all that long to see a small herd of moose, now the issue with this was that Sage didn't recognize the scent. Causing her to whine lowly at the beast before her.

Hey sage, what's wrong sweetheart?

This ultimately caused Remus to pick up the pace and layer himself on top of his mate, looking at the direction she was so focused on. Then it clicked.

She's never seen one before...The scent confused her.

Hayes had been the first to growl his aggravation, but it was a shared agreement that even Drake came over and nudged her.

Why don't you two go first?
Harlow suggested, and Sage looked between both her mate and this lands Alpha.

What is it?

Come on hun, look at the antlers.

Remus didn't outright tell her, much like everyone else was going to around her. And Harlow finally understood the method of how easily it was to cater to her.

Big monster moose.

Yeah or they're just moose...Hayes, you want to come with?

Hayes was indeed prepared to give some aid, and thus the three darted off to settle the first settled attack. While the two couples prior had gone after their own targeted set.

There wasn't much additional to be done, Sage was quick and bloodthirsty to each and every prey that's targeted. She was swift with death and didn't play with her meal, and it was a damn sight to see her face completely soaked with the blood of the moose.

But what had Jade laughing was how much of a mother hen Remus was in trying to get the blood off her.

The energetic Luna had yipped and yowled, twirling around wanting to play. And thus Jade tackled her from one end and it caused the gals to find a common ground, their food slightly forgotten until Remus came over and swayed Sage with the heart.

I don't even get the best piece!

You also didn't rip out a Luna's extensions.

Drake was just as playful if not more than Haylee, come the time to be childish that is. Both Remus and Harlow knew that if it came down to it, he could surely reign some hell on a pack of Rogues. Haylee's mate wasn't allowed to mate until the cocky Alpha was knocked down a few times and won in a sparring match.

And after Jade's father heard that, he did the same to Harlow—Even Hayes took his turn in the ring. It was simply the tradition to test and enact the Alpha's protective nature.

I bring back bone for Hardin.

She returned back to her mate and kill, digging around before placing the liver in front of her mate's paw. And he swallowed it down in just two gulps. He always waited for her to get the slice he craved. It wasn't about the actual piece, it was Sage getting it for him that made his heart swoon.

At the first bite of the tough meat she wagged her tail high in liking the taste.

You like it munchkin?

Good. Taste like nice deer.

Remus was quite surprised that she liked this type of meat, but then again should he really be? The human processed food was something of the past, even the side of tv dinners at home was monumentally better than what he was told they receive.

As the group ate until they couldn't eat a single scrap, Sage thought it best to tease Remus. It usually went this way when they finished eating, he was a grumpy mess. And if anything he was much more dominant in this stance, perhaps her wolf craved a little tussle.

But it was clear to the other males that Sage was gauging a reaction, her wolf testing the bonds. It was surely going to be a learning experience, but the she-wolves thought it hilarious in seeing Remus struggle to remain calm.

And that he did.

His wolf was in purgatory as he couldn't punish her any more than he had, and if it was a reaction she craved all he needed to do was lick her mate mark and thus stop the obsessive nagging.

But the beast in him adored the attention.

However when a pack member had come to the scene, Sage had straightened her back and appeared to be the destined Luna she was faded to be. She eyed the male cautiously, and thus Remus nudged her...All in an attempt to get her to calm herself, he knew she wouldn't attack without proper cause.

But the she-wolf was full of surprises.

Relax hun, he's just a scout. He wanted to know if he should bring the leftovers to the butcher.

Jade was an angel for clarifying for Sage, and she tilted her head in greeting to the lone wolf and the male gave a bright wolf smile.

With the news not having concerned Sage herself, she turned back to the moose and attempted to take away one of the rib bones. Though Remus did have to help her with it, she ran the entire rest of the way back to the packhouse with it in her mouth.

"Do you want to stay out here hun? We can bring Hardin out for a bit." Sage couldn't contain the wiggle as she whined, her front paws bounced up and down from the ground.

Harlow was still in confusion as to why Sage was acting like this, but when he questioned it—it was his mate that stopped him instantly. "Her wolf wants to learn, stop judging her. It's not like Remus would be able to help her." It was true, this was a task she-wolves learned from other she-wolves.

The difference here was they were mated to Alphas, and so he assumed his sister was already informed about the plans for her own pup. However it was the nude little Alpha's heir that caught Sage's attention from her mate's teasing nips.

"Hardin look, Sage brought you a bone from our hunt." His mother cooed, and thus the pup looked at the wolves below and urged to be let down, though Jade wasn't given enough time before the little fellow shifted.

For Remus, it had been the first time he had witnessed an Alpha pup, in fur for that as well. But for Sage she looked down at the fellow who had lost his mother's height, he was slightly indifferent as his idea of smells was generally uncontrolled at the moment.

Though he knew the smell of blood.

His nose titled up as high as it could, a sign that he was attempting to sort out all around him. But what Sage was used to was how puppies reacted. And the little fellow almost galloped towards the Alpha couple.

And even if they were on Mystic grounds, and he was the heir. Remus did not take lightly to this behavior, even in a pup. Yet it was Sage's snap for him to stop that truly caught Hardin's attention.

"Well you have to say hello. I swear, you have your father's manners." Had the guest couple been anyone else, any other rank then they would've played along with this introduction as he was indeed the heir. And by Sage's attitude towards the pup, she was sure to do that later.

But her wolf was looking for respect and a little bit of submission as it'd show complete trust between the pup and her.

She let out a small whine towards the pup, making sure that he knew that she wasn't a threat to him after what Remus had displayed. And his parents were rightly nearby to he was safe beyond belief, so he took another cautious step forward before finding himself just at her feet. Her long legs guarding the bone, and once the pup saw it he yipped.

More or less screaming his appreciation, especially when he tried jumping to lick her muzzle. But instead she leaned down and took a large sniff of the pure pup scent.

It was beautiful.

The pup starting gnawing on her jaw, his actions brought her to him in the neck and he absolutely wanted to play. But when he caught sight of the bone again, he sat right down on his rump and let a paw up.

Asking for it.

With one final motherly lick, she picked up the bone and placed it before him. Nudging it closer and thus the little rascal to pounce, Remus saw that the damn bone itself was much larger than the pup could manage, hell he even thought that it weighed more than Hardin himself.

But Sage sat patiently beside the pup, while Jade and Harlow were watching strangely towards her.

Remus...Is Sage expecting her heat soon?

Not that I'm aware of, but our she-wolves have been leaving blessings at our door.

Just making sure, Jade's predicting it'll happen soon. Suppose Sage is acting too motherly...

We talked about it, Sage said if her heat came that we'd try. Her wolf is a lot more prepared than I thought.

And that was proven yet again, she was an utter natural. And it turned into an in-fur babysitting session with the she-wolves while Remus—For the first time in awhile—Was able to relax and enjoy the time with those of his own rank.

Better yet, they were building an alliance that was reassuring and powerful.

______

Date: 05-21-2021

Time: 10:23

Words: 3367