* * *

 "Sage...What are you doing on the floor sweetheart? I told Liam that your desk chair was uncomfortable." She chided herself for failing Sage on the attempt of making her comfortable in a new home, but she simply shook her head as she offered to show her what she managed to draw.

"That's lovely, sounds like you're liking winter so far." 

"No. It's cold." Camilla hummed as she walked through the threshold, it wasn't the first time she's caught Sage sitting in this lone room. There was little to nothing in here, simply things that Remus hadn't gotten into the boxes yet, or childhood memorabilia that he'd need to put in the basement if Sage favored this room instead.

With how content she looked, Camilla said that she brought some lunch and brownies over and left her daughter to her privacy. Though she made a point to leave the door open, and thus having Camilla call out her final goodbyes

Only to run into the Alpha.

"Goodmorning Alpha." 

"Mrs.Elwood, we've talked about this, please call me Remus." He wanted Sage's family to be comforatble, but also so Sage didn't think she was in the wrong for calling him by his first name, but she's favored calling him Rommy.

And he wouldn't complain in any regard.

"Right right, old habits...What's that empty room upstairs, with all the boxes and—" 

"Oh. I guess it'd be a guest room or our pups room in the future. Why...?" Camilla's shoulders fell as she looked back up the stairs with her heart slowly falling suit.

"Because Sage sits in that room every morning on the floor, and I think her wolf is struggling more than we realize." She whispered, and Remus could not believe it.

"What?" 

"She has her breakfast in there, or she's drawing right now...Alph—Remus, you have to tell her." Camilla urged further, and perhaps it was the wrong choice to tell his mother in law that Sage questioned why they were mates.

After her whole life being a wolf and staying within this pack, she barely understood the values of a mate.

"I've offended her wolf before, when I refused to—" 

"I don't have to lecture you about how to go about it Alpha, tell her the basics." He withheld a growl as the two went their separate ways, or for Remus...Up the steps and into his childhood room.

And right there and then was his mate, drawing on her large note pad off in the corner.

"Sage hun, how about you join me in the kitchen?" 

"I'm okay." After hearing her favorite character in their shared show say this phrase, she deemed to use it as her own.

"Can I join you?"

She looked up for a moment, her soft eyes turning to analyze his want. "Talk?" Was her question, and he smirked as the last time they had a get together things heated up a little too quickly.

"Yeah, how about we talk about why you're in here?" Her mouth opened for a moment but bounced back down into a pout as she let out a frustrated growl.

Having his own wolf growl in response to her calling.

"Careful munchkin, he's getting excited when you're talking like that." An adorable smile erupted, whenever he spoke about his wolf, her face brightened up significantly.

"Right, I want to talk to you about that too..." He said, squeezing his eyes closed as he hadn't realized how hard the talk really was to usher out. It was different to a parent to a child, or even the idea of joking around with his friends...But sharing what was going to happen with a mate?

His heart leaped as he opened his eyes again to see that she pushed aside her art supplies and climbed into his lap to hug him. "Thank you munchkin, but lets start why you're here." 

"No." 

"Ahh, what did we say about that word? We're building conversation, not shutting it down." She hummed and huffed, but still Remus didn't budge.

Even went as far as repeating the question for a third time.

"Safe here." Remus didn't know what he was expecting, but safety wasn't one of it. "You don't feel safe outside this room? Why?" His anxiety and anxiousness had his wolf's nails claw to the floor, sweet goddess did it feel like he failed.

"Small and closed. Safe." 

"I guess it's cozy in here, but let me get you a bean bag in here or something...It's too empty." 

"Empty is safe." He shook his head in denial.

"Would you want to move your room in here Sage? I don't mind, we could do it right now if—" 

"No. Pup's room, not mine." So Camilla was indeed right to explain this sooner rather than later, had he done so properly than put it off. He wouldn't be acting on so many impulses.

"Sage, do you remember how we get pups?"
"Mate."
"That's right, but how do we mate?" He asked it as a question as he wanted to know her idea of it.

"Mate?"
"Yes but how? What do we do?"
"Bite?" He couldn't help but smile as she understood at least one part of the process.

"That's the end of it hun, after we mate I'm going to bite you right...here." He cheered, touching the prepared spot he scoped out, he did have enough time in finding the perfect place to sink his caines into her beautiful skin.

"Kiss."
"That's with it too, do you remember our first night here? We were together in bed?" She nodded, blinking a few times to reminisce what she had felt as she surely felt different.

Even so much as remembering caused a sudden shift in the conversation as Remus couldn't help him, her arousal filled the room quickly.

"So er—The difference between a she-wolf and a male-wolf Sage, is that you carry pups. Right?" She nods, a soft smile carrying him through the conversation now. Though she couldn't rightly understand why his face was turning red.

"And when the pups are hungry?"
"Feed them." She padded a flat hand just above her breast, it was from Jade and Camilla's attempt as showing how important they were and that only a mate and child would see them.

But now she didn't understand, how could she get a pup? Could she actually get a pup now?

"So, when you get excited like that munchkin...My body makes half the pup and gives you—A present, yeah...Like how flowers grow, a seed." 

"Present." She whispered, and nodding in understanding though it was hardly what she needed to understanding.

So she growled once again and leveled to his feet with Sage still in his arms.

"You feel that munchkin? My warmth near you?" He attempted to send the blissful feeling of how his cock felt even a quarter-inch into her thighs, and whimpered as she relished in his excitement and compared it to hers.

From Luke and Liam stated, it sounded as though Sage was off-limits sexually. But the guard she managed to slaughter was one of the biggest assholes to ever walk the earth as he taunted her endlessly.

"I'll go right in here, and give you my present. It might hurt a little, but it'll feel nice when we're past that part of it."
"Little hurt?"
"Maybe, but pups are hard Munchkin, like Jade and Harlow said. They've waited a long time for their chance." He would save the other mention of when a she-wolf could even get heat, as he didn't know how she would take it.

All this talk about pups and sex caused him to remember what her brothers had told him, that some scientists pumped someone's inadequate sperms in his mate to force a pup.

Maybe that's why Sage was so focused on a child?
Because she felt her body want to change, but without heat she couldn't produce?

Without a mark on her neck, it wouldn't enact it.

Remus sighed as he would have to calm himself now, but he decided to drop her off into her room as he said that the pup room should stay empty for the pup.

And although she pouted she agreed never the less.

"Sex?" She questioned, and Remus attempted to keep his breathing contained, how could she possibly be so damn alluring when she was asking.

"Sage I want you to be ready—"
"I'm ready!" He shook his head and sat them both down on the bed.

"No Sage, I want you to be your own wolf before being mated. It wasn't fair that you lived like you did without help, I want you to be free before we go further." She unbent her legs and pulled them up to hug.

"No sex."
"That's right, but when we do...This lil place right is going to be mine." He leaned down to lock his lips and nip his teeth playfully to give her the sensation of what it will be like.

"Soon." He whispered just below her ear, and curled up into his form, and fell fitfully asleep. She and Jack had run a marathon today and yesterday, it wasn't a surprise that she finally crashed now. But he still felt proud of himself for explaining the mating process and being trustworthy enough for her to fall asleep into.

He feared that Sage would never trust him, but living together built their relationship.

Yes...He would commit to marking and mating before the season is over. All he had to do was bond with her a little bit more, and his wolf agreed.

But there was only so much he could take.

*

Sage knew that something was wrong, the last time she felt this awful was when she was facing the pup cold. But this couldn't be at all cured by a bath or Advil as Camilla offer, so Kenzie suggested a tea. Although it aided her a bit, it didn't take the awful feeling away.

Even walking to the Pack house now did she feel hot, far too hot to even wear a sweater. Though she simply took it off when she arrived inside, not wanting anyone to give her a lecture as that was what she attempted to avoid as of late.

Her tutor noted that she was drinking a lot of water throughout their meeting, and in worry of her Luna feeling ill. She suggested that they take a break for early lunch, but the she-wolf wasn't hungry.

She hadn't been hungry for a while.

"Maybe I should walk you home today Sage, in school, if you're sick you can miss a few days."
"No. I want to learn."
"I know, but if you're sick it's going to be harder to concentrate. I think you have the pup flu." Sage pouted again, and it took everything in Evelyn's power to deny her Luna homework.

So she simply decided to settle in between and assigned her to read chapters in a book. It wasn't a myth that pups would get sick in the winter, so perhaps since it was her first winter this was why she feeling indifferent.

Evie offered to walk her home, but Sage said she was just going to go home and head for a nap. Though she failed to do so after Ally offered to hang out at her house for a little bit, though it washard for Sage to enjoy herself when she just felt immensely tired.

She sat on Izzy's bed and closed her eyes as the girls started braiding her hair.

Remmy?

Hey Sage, did you just get home?

No. At Ally's house.

Ah alright, don't forget to eat something and stay warm alright?

She opened her eyes but felt damning light-headed as she held her hand out to catch her head.

"Sage? Are you okay?"
"Head hurt." Ally had looked off to Izzy, perhaps it was best if they got her home so she could rest it off. Instead the two gals had started the trek off towards the Alpha and Luna's home. Not that it was far away, but with the snow build-up, it had taken longer than normal.

"Is she alright?" A voice called out, but Sage only caressed her temple yet again.

"No. Head hurt." Laura frowned and looked behind her and nodded off to the group she was with. She aided the two she-wolves in attempting to get their Luna back home.

"I'm going to call Kenzie, she said that her tutor let her go early today because she wasn't feeling well." The four wolves were met by the concerned gaze of Camilla, and the mother rushed over to her dear daughter and held her hand to her forehead.

"Oh goddess, Ally please call Kenzie, you two get her into bed...I'll get her some water, I'll be in a bit sweetheart." The plan was in motion, but Sage's body began to ache in an uncomfortable manner as she whined out.

Laura looked off to Izzy and shook her head. "I...I don't think this is a pup cold."

"I don't think so either, but she's also not a pup. So maybe—" Camilla shooed the two girls away and forced her daughter to drink half the cup of tea before Kenzie appeared in the door.

"Hello Sage, how are you feeling?" The she wolf peeked her eyes open for a moment and shook her head.
"Hot." The Pack doctor kneed down and put her hand against her forehead, and she was indeed burning up.

Taking a thermometer did she begin to check through the normal procedure, but the second she saw her tempter she stilled.

"Camilla...You and I need to leave immediately." She whispered, and it caused the younger she-wolves to look off in confusion.

"What why? What is wrong with—" Kenzie decided that perhaps they should go downstairs and discuss this properly, but the doc was indeed in a panic.

"She's in heat."
"WHAT?!" Camilla screeched, knowing full well what it meant to be in the presence of a Luna in heat.

"You three, I am asking that you stay here and help her. I can't do anything or else it'll spread to me. We need to tell the Alpha."
"But she's not mated, they haven't—"
"Then we truly need to warn the Alpha, because he won't be able to handle her scent." The two mated females hurried out of the house, leaving the three girls to stand in awe at the truth.

"Any unmated male in the area is going to come sniffing around," Laura growled and ordered her patrol team that any mated males come to circulate a perimeter to secure their Luna.

They remained silent on the secret, the heavy privacy steamed from how Remus and Sage were viewed on the pack. And within minutes did Laura see the male wolves planted a good distance away.

"Um, when our dad was off with the Alpha in another state and mom had her heat. We put her in an ice bath? Do you think that would help?" They were on strange territory, a she-wolf getting her heat without mating or having a mark?

It was strange.

And downright terrifying.

"I think I heard that before. We'll use snow, fill the tub up a little with cold water...Maybe we could find some buckets?" The three girls split up around the house, Laura returning to see that her Luna was fast asleep. And for now, it would be best that she wasn't conscious during the beginning parts, as it would only get worse from there.

On the other side of the pack, both Camilla and Kenzie just arrived at the Pack House once again. Rushing up to the Alpha's office only to find him in a meeting.

"Is everything—"
"Sage is in heat." Kenzie blurted out, and all the males in the room stilled suddenly.

Complete understanding washed over Eli, he heard Remus worry about Sage being sick. And they just pushed that his wolf was antsy about their mate, but it was the beginning signs of heat.

Sage is actually in heat.

"Remus...Alpha, you have to make a choice. You can go to her and we'll handle everything, or you have to stay away..." Eli offered, while Jack squeezed his eyes shut.

"How long were you two with Sage?" The Delta asked, having the Gamma look curiously to the three unmated males.
"Shit...Ladies, you need to leave. We need to alert the pack on the Luna's state, the unmated wolves will—" Remus gripped the neckline of Jack's shirt and threw him across the room. The table that was caught in the direct line toppled with the large wolf.

"She's mine." He issued, and the Alpha sent out a widespread alert.

Alpha, I already have mated males surrounding the house. Sage is sleeping and we're preparing an ice bath.

Laura's voice filled the Alpha's head and he wanted to sigh in relief, but all his body wanted to do was go to his mate. To be with his mate.To be inside his mate.

"Alpha, the mated females want access to the house." Eli was indeed thankful that the Gamma had taken the liberty in airing out the damn room. If both he and Jack were feeling the effects, he couldn't imagine how Remus was feeling in smelling his mate's scent.

"I can't go...I need to stay away." The three look to one another and decided that the best course of action would be to get him as far away as possible.

"Staying with the humans might cause trouble—"
"The roads are still unplowed, I'll send a few men now with the snow trucks. Alpha you cannot stay here if she's in heat." The idea of his mate in heat was causing his wolf to feel his own pressing hormone to enact his own response to her heat.

"Ready those plows." He said through gritted teeth, and then he looked off to another one of his men.
"The she-wolves can't all go at once, Kenzie will handle daily switches...Jack, make sure nothing happens to her." The trust he has in an unmated male wolf was sending sirens for all his instincts, but he truly could not hold himself accountable to be within the pack.

"Mates males and unmated females are surrounding the Alpha's house and defending the intruders, there's sightings of Rogues in sector—"
"Rogues." Remus' wolf growled so darkly that Eli charged after his Alpha and tried to restrain him.

Kenzi we need darts. The Alpha is in a panic.

Sage isn't doing well, maybe we should just let them—

"No! I can't be near her! I'll hurt her!" Remus cried, completely ignoring the fact that they were going to tame his wolf. The Alpha was struggling on the mere lingering scent that Kenzie and Camilla had on their clothes, getting as far away as he could would give him a clearer mind.

"We need to warn the entire pack."
"Yeah, to stay the hell away from my mate." He growled, and Jack rose his hands up in defense.

"The unmated males should remain at the far end of the territory, it's not ideal. But I don't want to risk fights breaking out when the Rogues are nearing the—" Remus roared, taking hold of his shirt. He couldn't hold a shift any longer, and instead morphed into his beast with the high intent of murdering as many damn Rogue as he possibly could.

The unmated males were all in route to defend the pack at it's weakest. While Jackson had remained with Eli stood beside him, watching as Shawn would be the only one to stay with the Alpha if he gets wind of Sage's scent.

Hopefully the wind will be in their favor, but the cool draft coming into the room...It was unlikely that this would be an easy few days.

"How long does heat last?" Eli looked to Jack, the wolf was wreaking with worry. But now it was a rush to the phone to call an alley, hoping that they—

"Thought our meeting was in half-hour?" Harlow beckoned with a laugh, and Eli just switched the call to speaker. "Sir, we have a problem."
"A problem? Who am I speaking to? Where is Alpha Remus?"

"It's Beta Eli and Delta Jackson sir, is Luna Jade around? We really need a she-wolf's knowledge right now." The Mystic Grimm Alpha agreed and called for him mate, who appeared within a moment's notice as she was simply making sure the pup was alseep.

"Is everything alright?"
"No ma'am, Luna Sage is in heat."
"Heat? I thought Remus and her haven't...They haven't and she still received it?" The silence on the other line caused Jade to sigh as she thought for a moment, looking to her mate in worry.

"It sounds like the moon goddess wants to speed up the process, where is Remus?"
"Stopping a Rogue attack from happening, the she-wolves are ecstatic and Sage has her friends with her now helping her. But we had to set up a perimeter around her home." Jade claimed that it was a good call, when she herself was in heat Harlow secluded them into a small cabin and allowed she wolves the smallest area in hope of receiving the same blessing as their Luna.

"My first heat I think lasted a week, then the second it lasted—Oh shush Harlow. Sage is in pain and you know Remus isn't going to go near her...I'm just worried that—" Jade abruptly ended her sentence as she sighed.

"Usually heat starts at the worst of times, Harlow was patrolling uncharted territory hours away and it's an emotional time for she-wolves. If Remus already offended her wolf before, this'll leave an imprint on their relationship." Eli looked up to see Jack already staring at him in agony.

"Sage's heart is going to break."

"It's going to be the same as a rejection, it's going to hurt both of them because he'll feel her pain and regret," Jade concluded just before her own mate jumped in. "And since he hasn't rejected her in his heart, he's going to fall. Beta Eli, I urge you to prepare for the next few days. Remus will turn more wolf than man if he's fighting the urges." Jade soon offered their pack's methods in aiding she-wolves whose mates were a great distance away. And although the snow in the tub was the consensus.

Silver would work as well.

"It won't work, Sage is immune to Silver."
"Then we have to dig deeper, any chance your pack doctor can make wolfsbane?" Jack flew in a rage.

"You want to poison her?!"
"That is that last thing I want to do to your little Luna, but in small enough dosages it will numb her wolf. Think boy, what else will work?" The pair soon found themselves calling Kenzie to return, as well as send out a faction of mated wolves or females of any sort to track down their alpha.

Kenzie did indeed have Wolfsbane, as it was used in certain darts to force a shift from their target. Camilla was unsure about this idea, purposefully giving Sage this substance was dangerous.

But it was the only way to stop her wolf from calling to Remus, because there will be a time it's too much for her.

The lucky she-wolf that was to deliver it to the house was greeted with a beautiful aroma that she attempted to suck through her lungs the entire minute she was allowed entry. Otherwise she was meant to stay with the rest of the circle.

But she had been so enlightened that she started a small seance, a beautiful hum to give Sage a blessing.

Yet a blessing would not aid Sage in this time of agony, instead she withered in the bed. Bouts of chills only confused the beats of sweat that came from her forehead, her emotions were all over the place.

______

Date: 12-05-2020

Time: 10:23

Words: 4020