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As the season grew colder, the tension really started to set in. Remus' mood would fluctuate between moody—Meaning unpleasant for Sage to deal with—To a love-smothering male that wouldn't settle in bed without mating.
Sage's wolf did not like this side of her mate, but it was the product of going to war.
The she-wolf soon realized how her siblings must've felt in having their parents concerned about a looming threat and waiting for the unknown, but Crescent Moon and the rest of Summit had decided to trust Darius' suggestion in the fact that the winter would pause the war. Most of Coldridge were not used to the eastern winters and it would be pointless to send them out in the cold.
There was a small light in the bleak winter, Julia had gone into labor in the early hours of November 14th. The future Beta for Crescent Moon, Elias Rivers—Named after Eli's great grandfather.
The little get-together had been a small affair with plenty of children, and sure enough, the bond between Ronan and Elias had started to shine within moments of meeting one another. Even if the Alpha pup could shift into fur, Elias wiggled and felt the need to try to do the same.
Besides the party, the biggest highlight following the holiday season was the pups finally starting to say a handful of words. To their parents, and nicknames for their favorite wolves.
So while mama and papa had their fun with being called out by the pups, Blake turned into 'ake'. Luke turned into 'Lu' and Jack turned into 'Jaja.'
But after the holiday season, the true cold had settled into the Moon household. Sage didn't know better to see her brooding male stress and starting to take his anger out in the only way he knew how—To either distance himself or express his anger in the form of yelling.
In Sage's guilt for starting all of this, she took it with a broken heart by the end of the night. She cared for the pups, worked with the rogues, and banded her females together. While also trying to work out a solution so that the Alpha and his males didn't have that much of a workload.
Yet it was no use.
If she did something wrong or caused a minor inconvenience—Sage was the first to hear about it, and in not so many words, blamed for it.
The Luna of Crescent Moon was tired, and no amount of running or playtime with the pups could take away the emptiness she felt.
She simply wanted her mate back.
And when she discussed it with Harlow and Haylee—Away from Remus and her father's hearing, they said that stress could ruin anyone's mind and that she needed to stand her ground.
Had she not been doing that?
She fought and she tried to work the way he wanted. Simply put, it always ended up the same. Sage hardly ever understood the word 'regret', she never regretted anything really.
Although she did regret not trusting her gut and drinking the poisoned tea, it wasn't as if she knew what the contents of it were or what they were able to do.
So as she was attempting to get dinner set on the table, she frowned at hearing the door open and close—The smell of her mate creeping into her nose.
While her wolf ran and took for cover, the witch part of her started to buzz. Angry for the disrespect, as if they hadn't been in this place of questioning before.
The father had been kind and greeted the pups with the funny faces he could muster up, Remus turned over to Sage and kissed her cheek. Knowing full well that the male wanted, as Haylee suggested that much.
"Did the pups eat yet?" She hummed, focusing her attention down on the cooking pasta before turning over to check the garlic bread. With Blake's help, it truly made her a decent chef and translated into understanding the art of potion-making.
Yet it was safe to say that Sage was not there as of yet.
"Good...Early night for them and an early night for us." Her nose twitched at the idea of mating, she hated when it was mentioned when she was mad and here she was all but holding back a seething huff.
"I'm tired too." She whispered, rubbing her eyes and whether Remus caught the lingering dark circles threatening to return to her face—His wolf pushed forward again. "How about a bath?"
"I'm okay...I just want some cuddles." Sage deemed, looking up to him for the first time since he came home.
Perhaps it was because it was the first time Sage openly denied to mate that caused him to growl, but Sage knew damn well what that meant and what was going on.
It wasn't that she was doing anything wrong, it was Remus wanting to be in control of every detail. So she turned off the stove's heat and glared up at him.
"Pups go to bed soon, I'm taking a run." She deemed, hurrying out the back door and shifting without a care about the temperature or the clothes she ripped in the process.
If Remus wanted a submissive she-wolf then he could've kept Kelly.
Recently, their intimacy lacked the love they shared, Remus was using it as an escape and it caused Sage to rip through the snow further.
Sage? Hun, where did you go?
She ignored him, her usual run had started with the path by their house that eventually connected with the one she used to take from Elwoods.
However, it didn't end up mattering when she found herself stopping and hearing a song.
"My heart is pierced by Cupid;
I disdain all glittering gold.
There is nothing that can console me...
But my jolly sailor bold."
It was alluring, to say the least, and when Sage found her way through the trees—She spotted the source of the voice. A lone mermaid sitting upon a rock with a brush in hand.
Taking the moment or two to make some noise and alert the woman, a beautiful chuckle escaped the blonde woman. "You must be the Luna...My Queen is very fond of you." Sage shifted on the cleared rock and decided to sit beside the mermaid, enjoying the company and breathing in the air of the water.
"My name is Aloe, my mother is Queen Asssyria's advisor." Sage nodded and sighed, though the small prickle in her eyes was only a brief warning before the tears began to fall.
Sage?... Sweetheart, can we talk?
"I DON'T WANT TO TALK!" She screamed, her fists going straight to her eyes as she tried to push the male out of her head. Though that only prompted others to invade her head, both Blake and Jack sounded desperate in knowing where she was—Yet the arm over her shoulder and the pull into a warm embrace was all she really wanted.
"It's alright, Hybrid. Males are the same no matter what species they come from. I can only hope that they're better than humans, though." Aloe joked, and Sage let out a small laugh as she nodded.
"Humans aren't nice."
"Hmm, that's why we lure them to their deaths...Did you hear my song? It's what our sister tribes use in the sea, male cannot help themselves. That's why I'm up here." Sage narrowed her brows and thought for a moment. Assyria had been strict on her people not being on land for anything more than mating.
"Why?"
"Same as you I'm guessing, my male is foolish." Sage nodded her head as she let out a smile.
"Mine too."
"What has the Alpha done to you, sweet Luna?" The mermaid had taken in the wolf beside her, and something surely was not right about the way her heart was beating.
"A broken heart..." It was clear by the way Sage carried herself, and it certainly was taking a toll on her confidence and concentration. "I doubt the way I handle mine is different than what wolves do...But do you want to hear it?" Sage nodded, her knees pulled up in response to the bustling through to the bay.
"I hide. It makes him very angry at times. But he soon understands why I don't want to see him." It took a moment for Sage to think of a way for her to interrogate that into her own life.
"Hideaway? No yelling?" Aloe giggled and nodded. "My mate certainly has heard me say a few things that won't translate above land, but usually they cannot see it for what it is. You have to show them." For the first time since she had the conversation with her siblings, she realized that communication was always hard.
But now she had the words to do what she wanted to do.
"Thank you, Aloe...You're very nice."
"And you're a very friendly wolfie, maybe during the spring I can watch you practice." Sage nodded, realizing that the only part of her body that was safe from the cold had been her feet dipped into the water. Otherwise, the chill was going straight to her bones.
Departing from the lakeside, Sage was on route home when she almost collided with an oncoming male—Only to find out that it was certainly done on purpose with the way Remus had remained standing.
Sage, where the hell were you?!
By the water, I took a run.
It's almost eight o'clock.
So? I can't go running?
The phase in their conversation left no room for him to rally up a good reasoning behind why she couldn't, thus she huffed and continued off back to the house.
Sage...What's wrong?
That certainly caused her to stop, her head peering over her shoulder as her wolf was now the prime candidate to lose her own shit.
What's wrong?... You're not Remmy, that's what's wrong.
Sage—
No, my Remmy isn't mean. My Remmy helps me when I can't understand pack things but you just yell and scream and I feel dumb when I come home. You're only nice when you want to mate, I don't want to mate with mean Remus. I want old Remus back."
It was certainly a mouthful, and the small stomp that his wolf enacted caused her to end her speech early. She had more to say than just being downgraded to being 'dumb,' but he truly never meant for her to feel like he was only looking for sex.
His wolf hated that.
Sage, I never meant for you to feel dumb or in any way like that. I just—This war is—
I know. But I don't want to get yelled at anymore, leave me alone.
With that, Sage took to returning to the house with Remus close behind, he couldn't get it through his thick skull that his actions were making her feel useless and at fault.
When she returned to the house, dinner hadn't been touched. And while she did feel guilty after bringing her dirty feel into the house, lightly stomped to the guest bathroom downstairs. She quickly made do and dressed in a bathrobe before cuddling into bed.
Food wouldn't satisfy her anger against her mate.
However, it was a strange pairing to see Remus trying to come in quietly with a plate filled high with the food he finished cooking. Being beckoned by her sleep from the noise and the smell caused her to moan into her pillow.
"Sage, we made a promise that no matter how mad we are, we always eat something...Right?" She begrudgingly sat up and rubbed her eyes, and whether it was because of the bedside light that truly shined on Sage's face, he looked at her with a fresh set of eyes.
Placing down the plate of food, his hands began to feel for both her cheeks and arms. "Sweetheart...Are you eating?" Her eyes darted back and forth, clearly not used to this straightforward and sweet talk of Remus being concerned or noticing.
But she broke down within the second, saying that she wanted to help him all this time but whenever he came home and yelled she usually never ate—Or would just pick at her plate once and a while.
The run she took just an hour ago had been the first she had in days, and Remus stood in awe at how easily he made his female fall apart. She knew something was wrong, every fiber in her body suggested that there was more to Remus' mood.
Hayes had been right in Sage being able to pick it up, but before he spoke the truth he kneed down, showing his vulnerability to both her and her wolf.
"Sage I...I never want you to feel like that. I know I haven't been around that much, and if I am I'm tired and not that fun to be with, but I—I just want you safe, Munchkin." The word felt foreign on his lips, and it certainly caught her attention.
"You don't call me munchkin anymore, mating is different. I don't like it." That surely sent a shot towards his wolf and ego, but that was the point. She had tried to remain silent, her finally snapping meant she had enough, and Remus agreed—While Hayes suggested that she could be told later...It was a decision a mate should be able to make, not their father.
"Sage. I know I promised to be honest and tell you everything, but I've been working so much because—Coldridge made a move." She repeated the last few words, not being able to grasp them correctly.
"They didn't attack but they're being loud...They want you, Sage. They want you and the pups and I couldn't—I can't lose you, Sage. I can't. I'm a selfish asshole but I rather die than see you—" Sage tackled him within the instant, and while she lost a bit of weight she certainly didn't miss the forgetful force that came with being a hybrid.
"I don't want you to die." She whispered, and no matter how awful she thought of him prior to this conversation the strong part of her still held strong that just maybe the old Remus is in there.
"And I can't stomach even thinking about you dying, Sage. I told you, I'd walk to the moon for you, I tend to keep to that promise." It had been a blessed saying, 'walking to the moon,' it's a phrase one says when a loved one passes away.
And while Sage took it literally, Remus rather her take it that way than any other.
Sage had been so close to death in her life that she was numb to it, the body of Aria Clark still haunted Remus—Same with Andrew's involvement.
It was solely the fact that Coldridge was out to do the same as what Randal did to Hayes, that truly startled him. Remus didn't leave his seat on the bed until Sage finished her entire plate, and then she shyly asked for another.
He couldn't complain, his wolf needed to see that she was getting better. While there was a legitimate threat outside their pack reigning in, she didn't need to deal with the psychological one he and his wolf were spreading into the house.
With her stomach stuffed with food, she shined a little brighter. And while Remus snuck a few bites here and there, he was eager to do just what Sage wanted—to cuddle in bed.
But this would certainly be different.
Sage caught the door opening just a tad, and while she peeked her head to see if it was Remus—Up popped his wolf from the floor to the center of the bed. "Hey Fluffy...I'm still mad at you." The male remained silent both at the name and the honesty that shined through the way she spoke.
He let his arms stretch forward, touching her waist all before he plopped down and settled his head on her stomach. As much as Sage wanted him to stay, a large part of her wanted to take the strives to make sure her male didn't revert back to yelling.
"You sleep upstairs, Remus. I stay here—I can't sleep." She deemed, and out of respect for her decision, he rose back up and shifted just as he jumped back down to the ground. "Are you sure you ate enough?" He questioned and she nodded into her pillow.
"Maybe tomorrow we cuddle, but not tonight." He lingered in the doorway, almost battling out his wolf from acting like a puppy to win her back. But no amount of slobbering kisses would help him right now, so he nodded once more.
"Good night, Sage," He whispered, unable to go much loud in fear of his voice cracking. "Call me if you want those cuddles." She repeated his quick 'good night,' before turning back into her pillow.
The lack of her mate's smell in the room prompted her to feel like she could breathe.
For the past few weeks, it felt like every time he came into a room something was wrong and automatically it had become her fault. His mood affected her more than she wanted to admit.
She was rougher with her reformed and short-tempered when the pups wouldn't listen.
Although she didn't lash out at the pups, it was easy to be open to defeat when nothing felt like it was going the right way. She couldn't go to her Betas since they were enjoying lil baby Elias.
The same with Blake, as Raven was still heavily pregnant and probably would be giving birth in the next couple of weeks.
One constant, however, had started to be Ellie as they worked on the reform and sometimes the younger pups if Luke was too swamped with other training sessions.
The following morning when Sage had woken up in the guest room, she was met with a lovely smell just as she emerged into the den and up the two steps. "You made breakfast?" She questioned, and he sighed—Obviously wanting her to enjoy the surprise in bed but of course, a she-wolf would always know when their pups are awake.
"Mama, Jaja! Ake!" Rue called out with food coating her face and Sage came over to place a small kiss on her daughter's head—Mindful of Remus' attempt at tying the lil pup's hair to control it and keep it away from the splash zone.
"They're coming after breakfast, Rue. You have to finish your plate first." He said with a slightly firm tilt of his head, and the little pup palmed another sliced banana partially into her mouth while the rest mushed to the side.
Sage wandered in closer to Remus, not used to him being home this late in the morning but nevertheless, beaming at his attempt to be a better mate. She certainly heard stories from Haylee about Drake being an 'ass,' it was a trait all Luna's found their Alpha's turn into eventually.
This wasn't an entire excuse, but it surely made her feel less alone in the matter of dominant males being needy and not knowing how to ask.
"I got it here hun, what kind of tea do you want?" She perked her lips and took a look through the pantry and frowned. Sage wasn't feeling that hungry, but didn't have the heart to tell Remus that when he was cooking up a feast.
Having held a small tea bag in hand he just so easily added it to the kettle before kissing her temple. "Go sit down munchkin, two minutes." Being pampered was sorely needed, especially when the pups had divided their attention between themselves and their parents.
It made it easy, and perhaps it was the calmness of a morning that brought a different light for Remus and his wolf as the tension ceased. But it was Sage's wolf not having her tail tucked away in wait for his to snap, that trust could easily be broken if the male wasn't careful.
The firm hand on her thigh really was starting to drive her up the railings though, especially when it was making her feel some type of way. So when he had instinctively reached underneath the robe itself, Sage gripped his hand to stop it.
"Later, Remmy, if you're nice. Not nice Remmy sleeps alone." A whine escaped him, a wolfie apology. It was the words that he couldn't formulate himself and she responded with the same higher octave. That she was sorry too.
Sorry for letting it get this far.
They had far too many wolves that were relying on them in addition to the rest of Summit. So while Remus remained at home at a new record, he found himself in the midst of debating on how to go about the plan that Hayes formulated.
When he arrived at the packhouse, he strove in his office with his in-law at the waiting.
"You're right, I can't let the same thing that happened with Willow or my mom. What do we have to do?" He said with an equally grim face as Hayes had given.
______
Date: 04/16/2022
Time: 12:50
Words: 3618
Author's Note:
Major trouble in paradise, but Aloe came up with the perfect solution.
Remember, this war between Summit and Coldridge is reverting many wolves to life in the previous war. Meaning bad memories popping up for Remus and the rest of the pack.
A little spat to push Remus in the right direction, no harm done!
But we have entered the final phase of this story, which leaves five chapters left!
Ending on Monday 2nd,
*Cough* *Cough* Cliffhanger *Cough* *Cough*
So I'll see you Monday for the next chapter, hopefully the two will get things sorted out properly! And Remus better not be up to anything 👀
Have a great weekend!!