* * *
Sage's excitement rang higher than anything, especially when Jade called for other reasons than just war details. While she was already an aunt to Hardin, the idea of having another niece or nephew rang through her head and she couldn't wait.
Her father had left just yesterday to fly to White Paw with a boatload of presents from Sage, all of which were not only fun supplies but what she thought a new mama would need.
And it wasn't her first gift she's packed, not when she had a pregnant Beta female and her Charge's mate were both expecting pups.
However, her excitement rang for another reason, Remus had a small date planned for tonight—But they had to get through today. Which was already tiring and vexing. Including heavy training on figuring out her element that still proved to come out as tempts for another day.
She hadn't been a witch for very long, and these were claimed for 'in time' growth, making her become discouraged. The movement of plant life would always give her a thrill, especially when she tried to figure out ways to make it defensive.
Luke's laugh certainly told her it had worked, as the vines had gripped onto Blake's ankle just as she intended it to. "Hey! That's not fair Sagey..." He said in a slight beg and pout, so she dropped to sit on the ground and smiled as she waited to be attacked by her pinned opponent.
"I didn't sign up to fight sassy Sage. Man, what the hell?" The female grinned and Luke huffed. "Sage, no magic in the ring."
"I thought you said 'all bets are off,'" She said whilst rising back to her feet and summoning back the vines—Only for Blake to fall down to his feet and really be at the will of nature as they started to creep up all around him.
"You're sadistic, Sage. Or you're watching too much tv," Blake said getting out of the general range the magical plants held, which ended up being beside Luke away from the circle. While Sage found herself petting them as though they were her personal house pet, all before they were dismissed and vanished from their line of sight.
"So what's the plan for tonight?" Blake teased, and Luke narrowed his brows. "Are you throwing a party without me Sagey?" She shook her head and threw her best smile.
"Remmy plan a date, no pups. Just me and Remmy." While Blake wiggled his brow Luke shook his head and sighed. "Alright, we have to work on this list of what not to openly talk about hun."
"But picnic date." She claimed and Blake just continued to taunt her adopted brother further, only to be silenced by the master of arms with a growl.
"That's nice hun, but you need to control that face you're making."
"But I'm happy." She deem, though that didn't stop her from trying to get what he was trying to say.
"How about trying not look like you're ready to get fucked by the Alpha," Blake said, earning himself a gawk from the Luna and an enraged brother.
"Change of plans, all bets are of Sagey." Luke's temptation went through and close to instantly had the thick green hemps started to claw Blake to the ground.
"Hey! Sage wait—Oh come on!" The male groaned trying to dodge and swipe back at the vines. Which prompted Luke to have his own laugh, all in an attempt to forget the blunt phrase that Blake had used.
"He's funny."
"A bad influence is more like it...You know Ellie and I would love to babysit the pups if you need someone."
"Jules is getting big, maybe she wants help? Eli acts scared when a pup's crying. You're really good with pups." Luke's wolf was pacing back and forth, they were his family after.
Considering she and Elenor are cousins.
"Okay, only because Rue's teething...I just link Jules she said she'd like help too. But don't tell Eli." The male nodded, though he knew firsthand that once the Beta lays eyes on his firstborn pup, everything in the world would change.
Hey munchkin, why don't you head on home and get dressed...Six-thirty we're off.
She squealed both in person and in her head, which caused the males that she was with to assume what happened. "Alright, I take it that was the Alpha?" Sage nodded and instantly went for her duffle bag and pointed off to the males.
"No swearing around pups Blake." At the instance of her pointing figure, the singled out male gawked and pleaded his case on the matter. But Luke patted his shoulder, knowing it was a losing battle.
Sage enjoyed the walk to her house alone for once, with nobody but her thoughts. She did spend a good minute or two with the pups but she needed a shower desperately as well as getting dressed.
She threw on a flower dress that she hadn't gotten the chance to wear over the summer because she was pregnant and the size of an actual balloon. Yet looking in the mirror now she adored the solid black color and flower pattern.
While trying her best to dry her hair, a darkened and possessive growl caused her to jump. And while one might've been alarmed or worried in hearing that sound, it caused Sage to smirk and hum, knowing full well that she was the reason behind that growl.
Remus took the small strives forward and wrapped an arm around her stomach and pulled her to his chest, locking his lips down to claim hers. "Rem—" She breathed, but it was quickly stopped as his pursuit was damning and addicting.
"Hey Alpha, the basket was just dropped off at the front—Oh goddess above. Pups in the vicinity!" Eli yelled with his hands going over Rue's eyes, which the little pup deemed in her way, only to shoot her own hands onto her eyes before a giggle escaped her.
"Peek-a-boo!" Sage said, and Remus groaned as his mate left his side to coo over their pup.
"Alright, I take it back. You two do need a date...Ah ah, you mama need some dinner." Eli said, placing some distance between mother and daughter.
And instantly both made the same face to pout.
"I can't do this...Alpha?" Remus came over and threw his mate over his shoulder which caused her to wiggle and yell out her versions of profanities.
While Remus and his wolf loved it, especially when he had the chance to squeeze her thighs. Hoping to send a hint of what was in store tonight.
Once setting her down right beside the bag he packed and the large cooler, Sage grinned. "Picnic is for dinner? I thought it's lunch..."
"Nah munchkin, it could be both—picnic just means it's out and about. We're going! Don't corrupt my pups, Rivers!" The faint laughter called out and Sage's ear twitched in trying to depict where they were.
"No promises, Moon!" And Julia huffed with a very hungry pup in her arms. "Go before the real party starts with Levi and Casey—Apparently Luke's parents are taking the opportunity for date night too." Remus caught the perked look Sage got at her house being filled with pups.
Which caused Remus to groan. "We can have one last pool party later munchkin, tonight's for just us." She huffed in conformation and he called out a final goodbye while taking both bags and cooler, refusing to let her lift a thing.
"You carried those pups for three months and spent another month without me, sweetheart. The least I can do is carry them to the car."
"We're taking a drive? Where?"
"To a picnic spot, I meant to show you it this summer—It's nicer in the summer. But the sunset looks amazing." The excitement easily caused her to get into the car, though the grace of the Luna left the training grounds as she never did learn how to get into a car properly.
"Foot on the step then get in hun, take your time." He said, which caused her to start over and do it properly. It had been a while since the last time they used the truck and it always excited her.
"Maybe next time you can drive us, yeah?" Her eyes grew wide and she instantly shook her head in fear of her abilities, but Remus simply threw up the center consul and pulled her closer.
"Remmy I need a seatbelt."
"Nope, we're not even going on the road. It's a little past the Sanctuary." Her eyes sparkled at the mention of the sanctuary, and a fond memory washed over her as Remus tried to run through the basics of trying to operate the truck—Yet it was wasted words as she had more on her mind than driving a vehicle.
When the car stopped she looked on and around in confusion. "I doubt you've been here hun, it's on the edge of the sanctuary grounds. It's private."
"It's okay we're here?"
"I think the Alpha of the pack would be alright with it." He said with a wink earning him a quick scoff.
As if that'd get past her as anything more than a tease.
However this time she grabbed a bag and glared in wait for Remus to say something about it, he knew a lost battle when he saw one and decided to just take the rest.
The walk wasn't that bad, much more grown in with the thickets since the last time he remembered but otherwise, the small plot of land right beside the beach of a lake caused her to gasp. "Wow...You hide this?"
"Yeah, just cause this water connects to the human word. The last thing I want is boats going too far out, besides they have the community beach—Better than a pool in my opinion. Chlorine is too much for our noses."
"Chlor-ine...What's that?"
"It's a strong plastic smell to keep the water clean." She nodded before setting down the bag and pulling out the large blanket and pillows that were in her bag, and her nose twitched in seeing she grabbed the wrong bag between the two.
"I asked Gigi to surprise us, think she went a lil overboard." He explained as he kneed down onto the blanket to lay out all the snacks and goodies. Course Sage's eyes instantly locked onto the cracker and meat platter, it smelled so heavenly that she wiggled—A tactic that the pups certainly caught on from their mom outright.
Remus picked up a small slice of meat and cheese to feed her, and Sage hardly needed any convincing on her end as she quickly opened her mouth to be fed.
No longer was she complaining about it, instead, she let her shoulders sigh in relief. "This was a good idea." She mumbled with a full mouth that she laughed at herself.
"You're hair's getting so long...Might need a little trim hun." He whispered as he ran his hand through, but his strategy was to tilt her head back and goddess Sage was open to doing just that.
"Witches don't cut hair, Remmy. That's wrong." The male hadn't realized that it was almost a sin in a witch's culture to get anything more than a normal trim. So he switched the topic and quickly.
"Want to eat first or play?" He said, his wolf just inches from the surface that it reflected in his voice in such a husk twist. And as much as Sage wanted to simply say yes and skip the rest of their meal, her body had other plans that ruined the mood.
Her belly grumbled just below them that Sage couldn't handle it other than letting out a laugh.
"I hear you loud and clear." He said, pulling out two bundles of aluminum foil, and being slight impatient Sage reached forward—Only to be stopped with a growl.
"Want to pamper you hun, just relax...We're not in a rush to be anywhere or do anything." She took a moment to think about what Remus had said as he continued to unwrap and open the sandwich.
"You right—You're right. But sandwich smells good." He chuckled and held it out for her to take and she grinned in seeing that Gigi made her favorite cold cut sandwich with cheese and extra chicken. But she waited for Remus to open his own before offering it out.
"Luke always cheers with a sandwich." Which prompted the Alpha to do just that, though the laughter was soon filled with moans—This relaxing moment of peace was so foreign for the both of them, and Remus caught Sage a few times looking to the side for the pups.
"What's wrong hun?"
"Rue linked." Remus shook his head, however in the hell a little pup like Rue managed to figure out how to get into her mother's head was beyond him.
"Yeah? What's she saying?"
"She's laughing a lot and calling everyone mama, I think it's funny," Sage mumbled, mostly to herself but also to answer Remus' question.
There was a beautiful silence as the two enjoyed each other embrace, scarfing down the meal and snacks that they picked through. Better yet, Sage felt a wave of content wash over her as she watched the sunset, the scattering of colors.
"I think that'll end up on our wall soon, yeah?" The warmth spread through her body and straight into his. But she nodded into his side as she could hardly tear her eyes from it.
Better yet it gave her an idea.
"I got pup finger paints, maybe pups can help me." She claimed, her voice lofty and full of calmness that Remus couldn't help himself but lean forward—Tracing his nose up from her chin to her temple to place a kiss.
"Goddess, I love you." It was then that her eyes met his, they were glossy and so filled with happiness that Remus almost choked. Sage wasn't one to wear her emotions on her sleeve, nor leave her mind so open over the bond.
But here she was in full glory.
"...The first time I see the moon feels like nothing to when I first see you." It was a pointless battle as Remus closed his eyes from her, not wanting to ruin the moment with his own troubling thoughts.
And yet when he rose his attention back up she smiled, seeing what her words had done. But there was another reason for her elated happiness stemmed from the fact that she said it right, vocally sharing her feelings for her mate.
It was more than an I love you.
While Remus' wolf was howling in response, declaring his own feelings for her to the moon creeping about—He pushed his forehead to hers, their wolves overtaking in a moment's notice.
"I would walk to the moon for you." The rush of excitement rallied into Sage's heart as their eyes opened at the same, the delay of their hunger had been satisfied but only for a moment. As it came in the form that their wolves abided by the nature they knew and followed. Sage had moved forward a bit and crawled to sit in her mate's lap while locking her arms around his neck trapping him to hold her in place.
Their clothes had vanished without much notice other than a few rips, and goddess the reunion hardly allowed Sage to breathe a collective thought. She never felt so good—She never thought it could be this euphoric, and Remus' tactic of taking it slow and steady had lasted all of a minute before he pinned her down to the blanket.
His feral grunts matched with her gasps, the build-up and the lack of sex went into hyperdrive as Sage felt every place his hands had traveled, each strain of hair that tugged up for him to get better access. Something he's hinted at countless times over the last week.
Each thrust.
Each kiss.
Each breath.
Their bond sparked and soared, but it was a moment of utter bliss to see Sage's eyes have either color of her heritage. Black and white.
It was ultimately his undoing, that when his member swelled to the brink of his mate's lips he couldn't help himself from teeth sunk in the same spot as his first mark. Only this time when he pulled away, he said a prayer.
"Goddess watch over us..." He whispered, while Sage attempted to control her breathing she nodded.
"Goddess protect us." She softly added to the prayer, and Remus placed one final kiss on her swollen lips.
Crescent Moon had never been more powerful than it was at this very moment.
______
Date: 03/01/2022
Time: 11:31
Words: 2923
Author's Note:
My Beta-reader and I just finished reading this chapter together again over facetime and she loved it! Called it 'playful and sexy at the same time!' and I have to agree.
I'd love to know your thoughts about this chapter, with all the information dumping from the last phase, I think this is the peaceful slope we needed before shit goes down.
That, and it's been a while since Sage and Remus had a minute to themselves😉
Working on a certain Rogue General's backstory, but it's slowly coming together. As is editing the next story!
Hope everyone has a great weekend and I'll see you Monday for more🤗✨