* * *
The witches left more cheerful than anyone could've expected, Sage had shown them that Wolves weren't always hardheaded or beast drive savages, instead, they found themselves in for a surprise—As well as a future follow up on this Vampire scientist.
But it was now holiday break, and Remus was not fooling around this year.
Not only was it his first Christmas with Sage, but it was also her first Christmas at all!
The house had been decorated long before Sage had left for the Luna meeting. But she came to enjoy the little activities that came with Christmas.
Decorating gingerbread houses, which—In a room filled with pups was a handful. But the little pups relished in their Luna's company and adored that she wasn't afraid to play with them.
And their parents were all the more favorable that their Luna took attention to their pup than anything else, Crescent Moon was not ashamed of who their Luna is.
They rejoiced the idea. And frankly, those packs that had wronged Sage just weeks prior, Moon Valley, and others were still sending their apology along with gifts.
But Sage had been the one to point out that Moon Valley sent deli meats as their gift basket while Erika had been the one to call her a Pig.
Was it on purpose or an accident?
It didn't matter to Remus. Nothing could remedy the situation.
However, Sage could not understand the idea of gifts. She understood sharing food, sharing a hunted kill...But not wrapping up a present and sending it away for someone to enjoy.
So Remus helped her to figure out what the Elwood family would like, but she had figured it out rather quickly that one of her favorite pictures on her little tablet was of her and her family.
His wolf felt left out, but he bit back the growl and allowed his little mate to work on yet another painting.
Aurelia continued to check up on Sage, as they turned into 'typing friends' as Sage called them. But it was the easiest method of talking as the little Luna was much better with writing and typing than speaking.
Her letter to the surrounding packs proved that.
It wasn't that Sage didn't like crowds, she did...It was just when all the attention was on her that made her turned rather shy and reclusive.
The Luna of Cresent Moon was beginning to feel the effects that the festival was bringing, and she was attempting to learn how to tie a ribbon by rewatching videos to attempt it better.
"Hey, Sage! Alpha wanted this package to put under the tree, want me to open it?" She looked up in the hallway to see Luke with a large box and she scrambled in trying to hide the present.
"Close eyes, no look!...More presents?"
"Made a lot of friends, Sage. You making out okay?" She smiled up but didn't move her position. Which caused him to groan at her being difficult.
"Alright, are you excited for tomorrow?" That caused her to grin widely, but kept the object in question covered when he joined her on the floor.
"I could help you wrap them...Anyway, I think this is from Mystic Grimm." A slight giggle commenced as she slid the knife down the side and around the edges, after all the gifts and packages she was surely an expert.
Inside there were a few gift bags and wrapped presents, Luke himself didn't suspect that he would be given anything...But alas there was a tag for him and Liam.
"Says to call her, sounds like it's important. I'll put these under the tree at home. Remember, come at noon!"
"Snow tomorrow?"
"Hopefully!" He shouted over his shoulder, and so Sage went up towards the counter to grab her phone and call her friend just like the little tag said.
"Sage! Happy Christmas Eve sweetheart!" The she-wolf cheered, and there were the obvious signs of a baby gurgling in the background that caused Sage to show her teeth and smile. "I get package from you, say to call, everything okay?"
"Oh of course hun, I just wanted to explain your gift. Open it and I'll help, yeah?"
"Open gift? But not Christmas?"
"It's for you and Remus, but it's to wear during Christmas."
It didn't make all that much sense but Sage ripped the paper kindly just to allow the said clothes fall into her lap. And a confused look rallied on her face.
"New bra?"
"Alpha males love when we dress up for them, Sage, but it's a secret. How about you try the purple one on? The panties are adorable too." Sage had no idea what the idea of this was, but she decided to undress and figure the way the bra felt on her body.
"Oh! I love that, purple is defiantly your color. How does it feel? I put in a few different kinds there, hun. I personally like the bralette."
"Witches give me bralette. I like bralettes." This was indeed a girly she-wolf moment if there ever was one, but Jade never made Sage felt strange or out of place.
And it wouldn't start now that they were judging which lingerie would best suit for tomorrow. As well as how to hide said stuff from Remus.
"I always keep the new ones in my desk draw, I had to hide them from Harl—"
"Hide what?" It sounded like a tease, of course, but Jade had dropped the phone entirely and Sage hid her smile behind her hand.
"And what are we hiding from our mate?"
"Christmas presents, say hi to Sage!" She attempted to push off as a harmless conversation but the male growled in warning.
"Don't ruin your Christmas gift Harlow or else that's the last one you'll be getting!" Sage gasped, and Harlow turned less suspicious as he saw the she-wolf on video call...Though he narrowed his eyes to the beginning bits of lace.
"Jade...What did you get, Sage?"
"You mean what did I get Sage and Remus?" Sage remained silent as the two mates bickered, but her wolf rather liked what she was wearing.
Her wolf knew what Jade was trying to tell her, that this would seduce the Alpha in a means of temptation. But how does one act seductively?
And that only caused her wolf to groan in the back of her mind.
"I don't know..."
"What'd you make the poor girl do, Jade?"
"Nothing! She looks hot!" A threatening growl cut across the phone's audio, but it caused Sage to ultimately roll her eyes.
Something she picked up recently from Jack and Liam.
"I look...Hot? I not warm." Harlow had taken a long exhale, pinching the brink of his nose as this is not how he planned to spend his Christmas Eve—His first with his son.
"Jade teach me what Remus likes."
"Hm and how would you know, darling? What her Alpha would like?"
"It's not that hard to guess babe, all Alphas have the weak spot. Or all wolves for that matter." He couldn't deny that logic, but of course the Alpha in question had come at a reasonably wrong time which caused Sage to scramble yet again.
"I wrap presents!"
"Okay, okay, I won't look. Are you on the phone, munchkin?"
"Hey Remus! Yeah, Sage just needed help with the tape and didn't want to bother you." Sage had let out a visible sigh of relief as her mate took the bait and called out that he was heating up their dinner in the oven.
"I'll let you go lightning bug. You're coming soon to meet the pup. We'll celebrate all together!"
"And Haylee come too?"
"I have such a Luna day planned for us! Not to worry."
"And Hayes?" Jade claimed that they all wanted to see the pup, and this was one of the only times of the year that it was an option to leave the pack.
But Sage and Remus would only be leaving for less than a week, and it was their supposed holiday before the pack was going to be making some big changes.
After seeing his faults and recognizing that keeping his pack unsociable with the rest of the community did not seem as friendly as he would've liked.
Sure he never saw himself willingly go to Mystic Grimm, but it was all having to do with his beautiful mate. Who he heard coming down the steps just now, a smile on her face.
"Hot coco?"
"After dinner, I picked up some munchkins—Well, I guess we'll have to call them Donut holes." He caught her confused look as he was tempted to show her the treat.
His tired smile shone wildly, it wasn't that he was exhausted and didn't want to participate. He and his wolf were just looking forward to not having everything being thrown at once.
And bite mate.
Yes, that too, but tomorrow. After the celebration.
A growl ruptured and it caused Sage to perk her head up and tilt it in question. Nothing involving his wolf could get by her.
"Wolf sounds happy." She was indeed very good at taking anything said and making it into words. He hadn't even thought that his own wolf was speaking in an uplifted mood.
To him, it sounded impatient.
"Yeah, hun, he is... He knows it's your first pack dinner, too. Besides your ceremony." This was indeed a much more secure holiday, and the bustling at the packhouse was insane that Remus was feeling slightly worried at the idea of a sit-down dinner with everyone.
"Ugly sweater?"
"It's not ugly when you wear it, munchkin." Her face turned sour as she detected the flirty comment, and he grinned at knowing that she understood him and his motives.
"Remmy?" He turned over his shoulder for a moment to see that she was just at the table, and he smiled—He adored the nickname she gave him.
"What's up, hun?"
"Jack and Eli say Alpha meeting soon. You go too?" She sounded too quiet and mumbled that he walked the given steps through their connected dining room and smiled right down to her.
Her wolf huffed at the taunting eyes, knowing full well it was due to her skin size, but she bared her teeth in proof that she wouldn't be afraid to tussle and prove that size didn't matter.
His wolf responded with a nick of showing his neck, he didn't want her to prove herself. She already had, and that was enough for her wolf to sit back in Sage's mind, but that didn't help Sage herself as she was confused at the whole situation.
"You go, I stay here?"
"I think it'd be good if you're here, Munchkin. That way I can take Jackson with me and leave Eli here...Or I take you and leave both of them here. Think you're your brothers would want to come again."
"I don't like airplane." Both he and his wolf sensed their mate's discomfort, but he came over to enclose the space between them and smothered himself into her scent.
Which always caused her to giggle.
"I don't like them either, but the flight to Mystic Grimm isn't that long. Did you finish wrapping the presents?" He didn't expect to get anything from Sage as she didn't know the concept of buying, and there wouldn't be a way for her to go shopping.
Online or otherwise. But she still managed something.
Though he suspected a painting.
"Almost...I send Birdie's present yesterday." He managed to withhold an eye roll. Aurelia had been kind enough to keep in contact with his mate and send a few things for the holiday.
Even if they themselves didn't celebrate it.
"Party tomorrow?"
"Hmm, we're going to have lunch with the Elwoods too. And then after a nap, we'll have the party. It's about celebrating and having a lot of food. It's almost the new year." Sage could sense the excitement in his voice and smile brightly at the idea. She would never pass up the idea of lots of food.
Her inner wolf was whining already to get ahold of it.
"Hungry?" She nodded eagerly, and with that, the two silently went about setting the table and readying the meal and some sides.
It had turned into a comfortable silence, where Sage was relaxed and didn't have anything bothering her. And that was all he could hope for after what's happened in the last year.
He thought about the previous Christmas' that she endured, in one of the many reports that Luke and Liam wrote up. There was a schedule of testing, training, and what he considered to just be basic torture.
But Sundays were apparently the break of the week.
Did the scientists celebrate?
Did her wolf know that there was an odd period of two weeks that the scientists were away?
These questions weren't concerning, and he didn't want to backtrack with her. Especially when Aurelia had worked hard on brewing a forgetful potion.
"Big breakfast?"
"I was thinking a lot of pancakes and omelets with bacon." She grinned at the idea, coming up near him to nuzzle into his chest for a moment before placing down the last of what needed to be on the table.
"Someone's cuddly today, huh? How's Jade?"
"Jade's good. Pup healthy, and getting big." Her sentences were gaining everyday, and the Alpha couldn't resist the urge to kiss her in the temple.
The large meal would be settled with some cocoa by the fire, though Sage hadn't made it through half her mug before she fell asleep on his shoulder. It was at times like this he realized that she could only allow herself to submit to this type of exhaustion when she was at complete peace and trusted her company.
Settling both mugs down to pick up his slumbering mate, he decided that he was going to join her, even if it was fairly early in the night.
The next morning, however, he was surprised that he woke up first. But the last few days, it seemed that Sage slept long into the morning if someone didn't wake her up. The school schedule surely pushed for her to wake up to the alarm, which left weekends to stay up later and sleep in longer.
But it's Christmas, and if he had to act like a damn puppy to get her excited, he was surely going to do it. After wishing his Beta, Delta, and Gamma all a Merry Christmas and a quick lineup of who's patrolling, he cut everyone off from his mind and turned to his mate.
Mate tonight.
His wolf reminded him, and so he turned and pretended to pounce down on her and playfully nipped at her neck. She peeked one eye open and looked highly unamused at her mate towering over her.
And her ultimate mistake was made.
She shifted herself to lay on her stomach, and his wolf was having a damn frenzy at the idea of—
He couldn't hold back his teeth, his canine's sunk from his jaw, and he tried to shake off the thoughts of what would happen in the following hours.
Hours. Almost there.
He whispered to his wolf, and begged his inner beats not to take advantage of this perfect angle he found himself in. Instead, he inhaled in calming scent and kissed the back of her neck before trailing her spine.
"Sleeeep." She groaned, and he frowned. Was she not sleeping enough? She was always cracky in the morning and—
Her wolf is mad. Bond is growing stronger.
"Merry Christmas, munchkin." Her head popped up, and looked behind her, and a gentle smile was sent his way as she attempted to wake herself up.
Mate like this position.
And he surely was going to like it too, but tonight. He needed to repeat this over and over again if he planned on surviving until tonight. He's managed with her and her beautiful heated scent since the summer, so he knew he could survive the account hours left.
"How about we start working on our breakfast, and then we can see what Santa left under the tree?"
"Santa not real. Pup story. Presents from friends and family." He rose a brow, she was surely assertive this morning, and he wasn't about to take that for granted.
"We can stay in our pajamas?" Now that caught her attention, and she moved to sit up and giggled. "No dress?"
"I'd personally prefer if we didn't have any clothes on, but for today it's a pajama household until we go to your brother's. Then it's ugly sweater time." She was excited on that end, but Remus found himself idolizing this moment as a whole.
Last year he was bonding with Kelly as he hadn't been able to find his mate, it wasn't odd that he didn't find her. But the progression of keeping his pack afloat, he opted for Kelly, thinking that is what he and the pack needed.
Sure there were still bitter feelings about the situation as he did have mutual respect for the she-wolf. But all of that was flown out the window when he saw Sage, this skinny little she-wolf beside her tall brothers.
And now she was here in his remodeled childhood home celebrating her first christmas, and it was a perfect time to reflect on everything. So he settled with making her a steaming cup of tea beside his mandatory dose of coffee.
"Thinking too hard."
"Are you peeking into my head again, munchkin?" She had done it by accident, with no training whatsoever, she had managed to get into the Alpha's mind, and yet...Her mind was on lockdown.
Not even his best smile could let him in if she didn't want him in.
"No. Bite teeth. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, hun, I'm alright. I'm just thinking about what I'm thankful for this year." It was as though her ears perked up and into his direct, and she thought for a moment.
"I than—I'm thankful for..." She fixed her sentence and then bit her lip, he knew she was thankful for it all. To discover that life wasn't just a cage and a gym.
"I thankful for my mate, and brothers and friends...And running, and to hunt. And for big bear hunt." He chuckled at the last one. It'd seem there were a lot of wolves excited for this tradition to be coming back.
He and Sage were scheduled for their patrol just after their meal at the packhouse before they returned home for the night. Thinking it'd be best to persuade her wolf to come out more than normal before bed.
"We have to do a lot more training before then, munchkin."
"Not munchkin after." She firmly stated, and Remus took his hand to his chest and acted as though it hurt him.
And that sent her into a panic.
"Oh no, hun..." She tackled him with a hug and planted herself in his chest. "I don't want mate mad."
"And I can never be mad at you, Sage. It's just a nickname...I can find another—"
"No. I'll be munchkin." He ran his hands through her hair and decided to just let her be with the entire ordeal, today was about a celebration. So he and his little mate cooked up a beautiful breakfast that he helped her manage.
He wouldn't be surprised if, by next year, that Sage took up cooking. She liked the idea of baking...Or so says her Youtube search history.
Mate watch pup videos.
Quiet.
She did like her pup videos, but maybe he should set her up with Gigi to learn how to bake. That would tie in well with her trying to learn how to function by herself.
But he wouldn't let her use the oven on her own just yet, he couldn't even calm his wolf if by the off chance she started a fire.
"Big breakfast, hungry?"
"It has to hold us until lunch. We'll take a nap before we go to the Elwoods." She grinned at the plan, and they set the table in the living room, deciding to watch a Christmas movie that usually made it onto the television in Remus' house: A Christmas story.
Sage was in awe at the story, the idea of writing a paper of what she wanted. "I write about hunting a bear."
"Later, there's no homework on Christmas, munchkin. That's a rule." She gasped, snuggling back into his hold, and continued watching the movie without another mention of homework-related devices. Though she did like the movie, even though it was a tad old school for her to understand the references, she mentioned that the voice narrating sounded like Hayes.
And Remus had to agree on that.
"Do you want to open presents now?" She narrowed her eyes down to the collection of presents, and Remus knew that most of it was from surrounding packs and for her.
Sure, there were some for them both, but the pack joined together to make sure that the house looked festive and filled under the tree.
Sage was not a materialistic person. She liked her socks and her hair ties. And most importantly, her paints. Goddess, if he touched her paints, she would growl and huff until the next day.
"I don't like presents..."
"Sage, it's a day of giving. And the whole pack has left us gifts. It would make them really happy if they see you using or wearing some of this stuff."
It wasn't often that Sage shared memories with him, but she leaned on the back of her legs and held her hand to his cheek before closing her eyes—Causing him to accept the memory.
It wasn't blurry like most of the scenes he's witnessed through his pack members' minds, but then again, Aurelia had mentioned that her memories were in pristine condition.
He felt the vision move, so he assumed that Sage was walking to her brothers. Both of them looked pale and skinny, but it was Liam who cheered loudly that caught Sage's attention, causing her to turn rigid and on the defensive as she looked at both Luke and Liam.
Liam offered up the stuffed animal towards her, and she tilted her head in response. She had been so confused at the stuffed look-alike that she didn't know how to respond to being handed such a thing.
The memory soon ended, and he was met with the same wondering eyes that he's come to love. "We can open some now and then take a nap. We have to head to see Liam and Luke after." She peered back at the presents, and she reluctantly grabbed the first one that had her title and name.
But then she saw the same wrapping paper with her mate's title and name. Meaning that this must be a pack member's gift.
"Open with me." He chuckled. Next year he would have to put a ban on giving them presents if she was so uncomfortable with it. She carefully ripped the paper and removed the box, she smiled at seeing the note that had been from her witch friends.
It was a herbal bath set, and she didn't hesitate to sniff all the soaps, salts, and bath bombs. Perhaps it took one gift for her to be excited, but she was very cautious about the paper.
Making him confused on that end as well. Little did he know that Sage hated, to the bottom of her heart, paper cuts.
From the witch group, he had received the same enchanted necklace that Sage had been gifted that will have him keep his clothes intact when he shifts.
He thought it was a damn good gift, but he soon moved over to hand her another one that seemed to be from the same family.
Sage still didn't feel comfortable being given things, especially when it didn't happen in front of her. But Remus made the point to tell her the family and who they were in hopes of her getting familiar with who.
She knew a few families, neighbors, and people from patrolling. Otherwise, there were a lot of members she did not know of.
Her favorite was the large cuddly stuffed bear Remus had given her, claiming that this was a nice bear and should hold her over until they got her bear hide.
"Papa Leo say that he make carpet or blanket with bearskin."
"Have to get a pretty big bear with that, but I think a blanket would be nice on our bed...Or a carpet in here." Her wolf generally liked that idea, especially when she hummed in the back of his mind, calling to his wolf.
Remus' wolf was slightly on edge, pacing back and forth at the idea of tonight. But he needed to be patient just a while longer.
The pack had done a very good job in putting a smile on Sage's face. Her girl-friends had given her all types of socks, and he couldn't contain himself as she threw them on, even if they didn't match for the life of her. She would still wear it.
Amelia Warren, Raven's mother, had given her an identical ring to the one that was retrieved from her stomach. And even if Sage weren't a fan of rings, it would look pretty on her desk. Besides that, the other witches had given a surplus of clothes that they'd made. Skirts and low-cut shirts.
Remus bit back so many growls at the idea of his pack members seeing his mate so bare, but it would perfectly showcase her neck mark. Letting everyone know she's his.
Ours.
Shut up!
He was on the verge of losing his patience, but Sage decided she had enough of the gifts. They hadn't made much of a dent as she leaned onto the large bear, having it fall down.
"I feel replaced." He grumbled, especially seeing her on top of the fallen bear all curled up into his giant stomach. "He's fluffy and soft."
"He?" His wolf did not like that.
"I need to name bear." She decided, and searching her limited vocabulary, she decided first and foremost on "Honey." Which calmed his wolf tremendously. That was as childish as it could get.
Remus crumbled up the discarded wrapping paper and grumbled his distaste for the affection she was giving the bear. His wolf agreed that they'd rub his scent on the bear when she was at class one day.
Just to remind her.
When he returned, his mate was fitfully asleep. He shook his head at seeing the humor in it. A good and heavy meal always put her to sleep, and today there would be feasts upon feasts. He had no doubt that Camilla knew how to celebrate for her family, especially with five boys.
He decided that he could get comfortable right beside her and lean against the damn bear. Remus didn't miss the small smile that graced her face as she sniffed her mate's scent, nuzzling to fit into her neck and shoulder to get his full scent.
The two rested for a bit before Remus decided he needed to wake her up again, she was much easier to reign in. Only a few huffs this time and no sexual innuendos from his wolf, though he suspected that he could have a made a few if he wanted to.
But he finally took the order of being quiet.
Sage claimed that she was going to get dressed and grab the presents from upstairs. He grinned as she was acting like a child again. This is what he was expecting this morning. But anyone could see that she enjoyed giving instead of receiving.
So she ran upstairs and hurried to find the bra and panties that she hid in her desk draw, remembering all that Jade said the previous night as she undressed and hid it all under the ugly Christmas sweater of Rudolf and warm leggings.
Remus thought she looked absolutely adorable, and he settled a Santa hat onto her head, causing her to turn and look at the strange ball at the end of the hat. "We wear hats?"
"In this family we wear hats for Christmas." Family. That word had meant a lot for Sage, and so she leaned in and kissed his lips, too lightly for his taste as he growled as he pulled her closer.
"Wolf excited."
"We're both getting excited, but we have somewhere to be." His voice was husk, and so she squirmed out of his hold and went to grab the said gifts that were for the Elwoods. It was quite a few, and beside the given paintings, Remus had to figure out what they liked in general.
Remus assumed that Leo wanted a vacation for him and his mate, so he bought tickets for them. Otherwise, it was pointless teenager crap like video games. Sage understood it as Cameron tried to teach her back when she still lived with the Elwoods.
But she just found herself interested in watching instead of playing it herself.
______
Date: 12-26-2020
Time: 10:43
Words: 4846