* * *

Sage and Andy were dreading the end of their journey for different reasons, so she firmly moved and positioned herself to look at him—Only to attempt a shift. While he tried to stop her, the better half of him knew this was definitely a conversation to have in skin than half and half.

Now, she sat on top of the covered mattress in her travel gear, and he made the silent notion of helping her out of her bear fur and folding it up. "Talk about what?"

"How we're going to call everyone's families and packs..." Andy began, "It will take some time, and we had to make it appealing to the Alpha. Even if you were a part of the pack, we didn't have much of a standing."
"My brothers will help, and then family in Mystic Grimm too." Andy had remained silent for a moment and sighed. He was not sure if he could trust just her words anymore.

"I don't know, hun. Alpha Harlow didn't sound too stoked about the idea. We need to be prepared on the off chance that they don't want to help." She swallowed thickly after that notion. She didn't doubt that even if Remus were no longer here, her friends would remain just as they were—friends—family, even.

Her stomach ached at the idea of his death, that he could've died thinking that he'd meet her again in the afterlife or whatever was after this place.

Andy spotted the turmoil and came down beside her. His soft eyes were a gentle awakening. A familiar glint that twinkled in them had enacted a wave of trust that she should listen to his concerns and make plans.

Even if he didn't know the whole truth.

Yet, as they spoke and conversed about planning for the inevitable, it still didn't change the fact that she wasn't feeling all that great about being so close yet so far from the arrival date.

"We'll figure it out. I like having a backup plan, I didn't mean to scare you like that."
"Not scared just...Very worried. I'm Luna of another pack...How does that look?" He nodded, guilt riddling his scared face soon after.

"Yeah, I'm not gonna lie, sweetheart. This doesn't look good on my end. Our bond. Our...Friendship. But you'll protect me from your Mate's brothers, right?" Sage blinked for a moment, the automatic response almost fell out and would've outted everything. 'Remus doesn't have any brothers,' how easily would things shift if Andy heard it?

But Sage managed to hold herself back, and thankfully, Torin had interrupted them by coming over with the first drop of firewood. "The pups are looking for food, witches claim there are no signs of life...It's strange. The Luna was right—This building is evil." Sage nodded to his words and gave a light smile to the Viking as she spotted his tattoos under his own thick coat.

"Evil man does bad things in this building. Mate calls it a graveyard." Sage claimed, and Andy allowed his head to bounce a few times in agreement. "It's fortunate we found this place when we did. The snow is already starting to settle. I'll need more able hands to gather enough wood." With that, the Alpha was prepared for some heavy labor to get his mind off his crushing demise.

It occasionally crossed his mind how utterly wrong his feelings for Sage were. Andy was planning to replace her mate, a male who'd faced the fact that the mother of his pups had died so far away from him, and left the family, stripping them of their connecting bond.

Something that Andy wasn't all too sure how it was possible to achieve such a damning thing.

The Moon Goddess will certainly punish him for his betrayal of messing with her divine plan for her sons and daughters. But he knew that he had more than just Sage's mate to answer to, and that started with getting to the bottom of why this place still felt eery and dark, even after being foreclosed for more than a decade.

It eased his mind knowing that Sage was downstairs with plenty of help fornicating the house and sleeping situation. He took the initiative to make sure that the Witch's theory about the building was completely true.

In passing by the many Wolves, he was thankful for finally having a chance to be alone with his thoughts. He didn't want Sage to pick up on the looming dread coursing through his veins.

Andy didn't want to lose her to her old pack.

In finding a secluded room, he bent down to one of the many statues of the goddess that lingered around and begged—Begged for forgiveness for past, present, and future mistakes.

Above all, he hoped that Sage would forgive him for what might come next.

The days trapped in the industrial metal factory were damning to everyone's mind, Sage explained what happened here and what was uncovered during the Alpha's ordered search.

Torin was the first to enter the tunnels below and collect the silver that had never been mined.

There was enough to make dozens of weapons if crafted correctly and perhaps mixed with another metal. However, the anxiety of living in the mountain was starting to wane further, even if Andy attempted to distract Sage with countless tasks for herself and the pack to partake in.

It did little to secure the distress at returning to Crescent Moon.

To finally know the truth about Remus.

But that wasn't the only issue, as Torin so easily reminded them on a daily basis—the discovery of the Draugr appearing across America and how to call upon them, in addition to Armond and all that they learned while imprisoned in Canada.

The projection of their stay had started out as one night, but then it followed into another and another. Sage was about to try and will the lack of snow, but thankfully, it had finally started to subside. And thank the goddess herself, for she had witnessed the sun being warm enough to melt the given layers of snow.

As the order had been placed for a few scouts to search ahead, the rest of the party had begun to pack up. Most were more than ready to leave, and the silver was starting to manage in terms of pain. Though Andy wouldn't let up on Sage's health, her collapsing was more than strange.
No matter how often he questioned her and how she felt from then to now. It was always the same answer.

Honestly, it was pure exhaustion, and the mask of motivation hid the need for water and a proper break. Andy felt guilty for not picking up on it before, but Severin had been the one to remind him that Sage could speak up and say she needed a break.

She did the same even now, looking back at the tall mountain as though it was just the one thorn on her side. Remus would be so angry that she stayed in the mountains for almost five days.

She would've come earlier if it hadn't been for the storm.

She just hoped that the day hadn't changed in terms of a bigger picture.

Even now, as they neared the mountain base and the outskirts of what was known as Crescent Moon, the pack's morale was higher than normal.

There was plenty of yipping and even a prance here and there, until Torin said his peace and maintained order, which Andy approved of. He never did find the need to have a Master of Arms back in Half Crescent, but now he was starting to see its benefits.

Even if Torin was here for a different reason, and if anything—Most, if not the whole pack, had remained as one with Sage's presence.

Something about the she-wolf had drawn in a loyal crowd.

Speaking of Sage, at the first sign of her pausing to take a drink, the pack didn't hesitate. And with the help of the witches and other wolves, they managed to aid the Luna's growth.

"I don't want to slow down the pack," she said as she connected her lips to her leather sack, which caused him to chuckle outright. She could have easily caught up. 

"They're worried about you—A pack takes care of its hurt or sick members." Andy reminded her, and she looked up to argue about being sick, but his instant hand caressing her shoulder cleared up what he was trying to say. 

After being scratched and bitten by the Dragur, Andy was very cautious about all the pack members who had been treated.

"A Luna, Rogue or not, make the pack very protective of you. That's why they crowd around you. They don't mean to...It's just instinct." She nodded and took another long drink before letting her back feel the solid ground. Sure, it was cold, but there was no snow, ultimately their biggest blessing.

"Just a few more miles, then we'll have crossed Crescent Moon territory." Torin offered as he walked through the given group of sitting pack members. "We'll need to be careful. Wearing what we are isn't a good look. We'll need to be cautious."

"More than that, I'm surprised we managed this far. But that's probably because the only way towards this way is through that god-forsaken mountain. Nobody would be crazy enough to do it." Grey's voice caught everyone's attention, even Luna, as she leaned up and laughed.

"We're the good kind of crazy." Sage smiled, which surely earned a few agreeing yelps, especially when the pups came over and laid down with their first Alpha. While also earning a smile from their current one.

These breaks happened throughout the day since they left the safety of the mountain, and thankfully, the temperature was much easier to manage down here. However, the stillness of Torin caused the rest of the group to follow suit.

The howl erupted in everyone's thoughts, and Sage almost toppled over upon hearing the warning call. Her wolf felt offended that they hadn't smelled her amongst the crowd, that their Luna had finally returned.

There were no soft greetings. Instead, the four patrols had done exactly what they were trained to do by the Elwoods—stand their ground while the runner tries to make a stealthy getaway.

Usually, it was the youngest in the group.
Or the fastest.

However, with the magnified of said pack standing at all angels of them, their fear outweighed the cons and thus they all darted. Sage's first response had been to shift.

"Ut habeatis illos!" [Hold them] With that in mind, the witches had been called upon within seconds. Better yet, both Leah and Holly had managed to take over and topple either—Leaving Holly to use her ability to wave them back into the hands of Half Crescent.

It didn't take long for the male of the group to shift. "Take me, they're just pups—Please..." Sage's eyes burned into Max Dixon's head, and the thought of little Mikey sprang forth, and that's when the familiar coat of a brown wolf popped up.

The pup she helped all those months ago had been one of the first to greet her.

They're apart of your pack, what do you want to do?

"Argenti..." [Silver] She breathed, and the witches had all appeared from their forms and acted accordingly.

Hun, that's pretty smart. Will stop the linking for them to not slaughter us on sight.

Grey said through the higher-tier link; however, Torin was the first wolf among Half Crescent to shift alongside Luna.

"How do you want to go about this?" The Crescent Moon pack members were too busy attempting to stop the madness, or in the pup's case, pleading and whining. But it was quite simple to keep them as wolves.

"Don't hurt them. We'll bring them back." She demanded, all in English, as her order had passed through. Yet that didn't settle or hinder the scent of fear sparking in her nostrils, causing her wolf to cry out in annoyance.

She would not dare let those surrounding her hurt them.

"We'll camp here and then go in an hour," she said before rising to her feet just as Andy had shifted to skin. It was the best approach, to hold leverage so they wouldn't be taken out without explanation.

Or...They would just for the formality that they didn't care for the four members, but the moment that Andy had caught Sage throwing up right beside a tree caused him to scramble to her side.

"What is it?" Andy asked, but Sage looked away in shame, realizing what was happening, "I know them."
"Of course you do...That's your pack, hun."
"No...The pup," Sage whispered, "I helped him shift at the pup ceremony. I don't want them hurt." Andy knew she was serious about the order, and then he nodded just the same.

"You know...I kinda like you speaking in Latin." He claimed, a hand reaching out to take hers in a bit of comfort. Something that she accepted with a slight chuckle, though it was soon intercepted by his urge to pass her his water bottle. His compliment did little to distract her at a moment like this.

"I'm okay."
"No, hun, you're not. And the last thing I need for you is to freeze. So we're going to go out there and make sure that nothing is wrong with those Crescent Mooners and get everything in order." Sage nodded and allowed Andy to help her back to her feet. Grey soon came to her side and escorted her over to the pups before taking the creeping steps towards the four captives.

"Shift." She ordered, and thus they had done just that, only to tilt her head and see that Mikey was not the same scronny pup she had left him.

"Elena, find extra clothes. It's too cold." She ordered, and the beta female did the task alongside the witches. While Sage hid under the protection of the bear head, she wore on top of her head.

"L-look, we can make a deal. We take in Rogues like all of you. My Alpha would be happy to make the accommodations." Max said, yet Sage could only turn away. It was too hard for her to look at them. Sure, she was hiding, but did she smell all that different?

"That's enough talking. We just need an audience with your Alpha," Andy said, taking the lead in dealing with the captives. Sure enough, the howls of the mixed patrols had taken note that they hadn't returned for shift change, and thus...The commotion began.

The combined howls off in a few different directions might've made the captive pups smile, but Mathew knew better as he met the eyes of those around him. Whatever hold Holly had on them was still working; the invisible binds around their wrists were working beautifully.

Torin praised her on the method as well.

"What's the plan?" Grey questioned, and all eyes turned to the one in the female with the bear on her head.

"We let one go. Tell them we want to meet the Alpha," Sage ordered, and perhaps it was the scare tactic that was ingrained in Severin's head. But he leaned down to the one that Andy said Sage favored and allowed him out of the circle while Holly released his binds.

"Better run fast, pup. We Rogues like the taste of pack members." Severin laughed, which gave an extra jump in Mickey's sprint back through the trees. The order was clear: a trade for the audience of the Alpha—It would be better than just prancing across the border, after all.

"Severin, that was mean." Sage scolded, and the male grinned.
"Sorry, Luna, was too easy. He had a little puff in his chest, had to tone it down a little." She nudged her elbow into his stomach as she wasn't taller than this tank.

And Torin was much bigger than the Beta.

"You think this'll work? We haven't seen any Draugr off this way...Perhaps—" It was clear that while the Crescent Mooners were bound, they were listening in. "They need to know about the Draugr. It's why we're here, Torin." She issued, and that instantly caught the lack of attention Sage's former pack members had given her.

They think I'm dead. It's okay.

"No, it's not. Something's wrong if they can't—" 

Grey tried to appeal, but Andy spoke over him. "It's probably the smell. Rogues have their own, and well, she's not wrong." They were talking in half sentences, and Sage huffed to the both of them.

They freak out when they hear it or think Matthew is crazy. We wait until we meet everyone.

With that in mind, the pack had started to make the go-ahead to move closer to the pack borders, and sure enough—The greeting party was more than waiting.

They have guns, be careful. Witches and wolves intertwine.

Torin chuckled off to look behind him where the Luna had been placed, similar to how Elena stood behind Severin.

"They waste their money on bullets?" Sage tilted her head, not understanding why bullets wouldn't work the same as a sword, especially for those who might need extra protection. But seeing Crescent Moon already having them out worried her.

So she nicked her head for her pack to move forward, though Andy remained by her side in fur. They agreed in the mountains that she'd have full reigns in greeting her former pack.

Yet Mikey did his best and considered the numbers surrounding them, and it certainly didn't do their image any good to come dressed in armor and swords.

"My name is Severin. We'd like to have a word with whoever is in charge!" The Beta called out, and Sage hummed at seeing a familiar face finally appear. But at all friendly as she remembered him to be... And it took all Sage's strength to remain standing when she couldn't catch a single whiff of Remus throughout them.

"A word?! You kidnap my patrol groups and pretend to act friendly?!" The male shouted, but Severin snorted, shaking his head. Perhaps he had given too much credit to the manners of those in a real pack.
"I don't think I heard your name in that reply, sir, and from our stance, we still have them in our hands. I urge you to think before you speak." Severin's call-out certainly earned a tick on the opponent's neck.

"I am Alpha Eli. Give back my pack members, and I won't send the kill order." That's when the laughter soon started among Half Crescent's higher-ups. Yet Sage had remained still and silent, staring wide-eyed as the thought started to creep in.

"You, are no Alpha—Eli. Where is the real Alpha?" Severin said, while Sage had gripped Torin's wrist as her head bowed into his back. Those in front were not grasping the understanding of their Luna's breakdown...

But Sage knew very well what that meant for Eli to take over as Alpha, and it took all her strength combined to not let the anguish filter out of her in a roar of pain, even if it was just itching to leave from her fingertips.

______

Date: 09/09/24

Time: 6:40 PM

Words: 3267

Author's Note:

There is only one chapter remaining!

Then, we are taking a small hiatus to fine-tune a few chapters of Moon Ridge.

Then we're back to it!

I also just realized that this journey has taken a year to complete. Around this time last year, I made the decision to switch gears and start rewriting. 

At the same time, I shifted careers as well, switching from part-time to full-time. 

This is partially why I haven't been able to get things moving as quickly as I would have hoped.

Anywho, I'll be making an announcement next week to finalize the last chapter, as I know a lot of readers like binge-reading!

See you in the next update