Dark Moon

30

Ashton's POV:

Sage is driving me insane right now.

We've been assisting in the set up of Zach and Owen's mating ceremony to get the venue done a bit quicker, but Sage is being so finicky right now. He's rarely like this and usually just tries to organize and get things done with a positive attitude, but right now he's on edge and frustrating everyone.

The poor ceremony planners are just trying to do their job and Sage is freaking out! Goddess, I'm debating taking my mate to the doctor because of his weird mood.

"No, that doesn't look right!" Sage growls, making Edwin, the lead ceremony planner, sigh and start to move one of the chairs to the left by two inches. "There. That looks good."

"Sage, love, why don't we go get some waters for Edwin and his team? We've all been doing a lot of work," I say, hugging him from behind and earning a grateful look from Edwin. "Angel, come on..."

Sage scoffs. "You can go get water. I'm making sure this goes well!" he growls, trying to push me off of him. "Zach and Owen deserve a good ceremony."

"Sage, Edwin and his team have put together almost every ceremony for the pack members here, correct?"

He mumbles an irritated "yes."

"Then they can handle this. You're being a bit of a control freak, Sage... just relax, it's going to look beautiful and Zach and Owen's ceremony is going to go well," I assure him, all of my words being murmured into his ear.

Sage sighs. "I'm sorry, Edwin," he says, leaning back into my hold. "That was pretty rude of me."

Edwin accepts his apology with a kind smile, but he doesn't deny his desire to send Sage away for a few minutes.

We get to the pack house and grab a bunch of cups and a tray to carry them all back. Sage leaves me in the kitchen and goes upstairs to use the restroom and change into a less sweaty shirt.

Hazel walks into the kitchen and smiles softly when she sees me, and she looks absolutely exhausted. "How is the ceremony set up going?" she asks, leaning back against the counter.

"Sage is driving everyone a bit insane," I answer honestly. "He's never like this, so I'm honestly a bit concerned. He's being crazy neurotic and trying to direct everything when we have people who know how to set up a ceremony."

Hazel raises an eyebrow. "That is weird," she agrees before she smiles softly. "That's how Alder got when he got pregnant with Sage. He was driving everyone insane with how finicky he was."

I raise an eyebrow. "What did you just say?" I ask, because I know that mood swings and personality changes are a big part of getting pregnant based on what Sage has told me but I didn't think that would apply to him right now!

"Honey, I'm not saying he's pregnant," Hazel says after seeing the shock on my face. "I'm saying that his father had similar mood swings so it could be something that's happening because of how Alder was... or he could be pregnant."

"... yeah, I'm just not going to tell him this," I say, before I hear someone clear their throat and turn to see my mate standing in the doorway to the kitchen. "Well, looks like I have to take that back. Sage, we're going to see the doctor."

"Sure, let's bring Edwin and his team the water first," he says, grabbing the tray. "Why weren't you going to tell me? And did you think I wouldn't eventually guess on my own?"

I bite my bottom lip nervously. "Well... I didn't want to add to your stress, Sage. You're already stressed as hell with the pack and I'm a little scared, honestly."