* * *

In some pack cultures, a male would always help the female eat, whether it is by plating their food, chewing through the tougher meat, or simply separating the bigger pieces from the animal carcass.
Today, however, Sage fought for her right in holding a spoon, and damnit she was getting pissed.

But she knew this catering was coming deeper within his beast, the primal urge to right the wrongs made. If Lucy had been a former friend, she could've understood.

The fact of the matter is, she wasn't.

She was a jealous bitch, and Sage was certain that nothing was going to be in her way from a corpse, no matter what her family tried to do.

And a part of Sage knew that there would be something else to rectify. That the fight wouldn't go as well as she's planned in her head, but she remained content as Andy didn't leave her side for the rest of the time spent in their room.

Even if she was desperate for a moment of privacy.

While she didn't want to be rude, he was starting to smell. So she had a grand idea, though fighting the urge to listen to his warning growl was tempting. "I thought we talked about you telling me if you need to get up, hun?"

"And I thought I told you I'm not listening?" She shot back, pointing off toward the bathroom as she clutched the lower end of her stomach. The small part still offered cramps when she applied too much pressure to her right side, and thankfully Andy took the bait.

"Where are we headed?"
"Bathroom, I think I smell bad." She grumbled, looking at her matted hair, and continued off in that direction. Granted, Andy hadn't thought twice about going to help her, but once she was down the hall and settled in, she looked up to Andy with a pointed look.

Funny enough, the male hadn't understood why she had stopped until his hand reached to itch the back of his neck. Uncomfortable that he'd been denied to help her with this task as he wanted to remain planted at her side, not daring to risk her getting hurt for a third time.

"I'll call on Elena."
"Okay...I'm sorry about your friend." Sage offered, filling in the gap as she wasn't trying to be a bitch, but Andy only chuckled, "Not much of a friend anymore, is she?"

"No. Not really, but she was a friend. And I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I should've clarified to her that I'm not interested in getting back together with her—Not that I was ever really with her, to begin with." Sage squinted her eyes for a moment and then smirked. "Girlfriend?"

"Well, I guess she wasn't really my girlfriend... just a girl I'd—Oh, forget it. The point is I can't stand the sight of her and won't forgive her for this." Sage nodded along, her eyes drooping with exhaustion. This is probably the longest she's stood up in days.

"You said this happened before?" He received another nod, "What happened? How did you know it was your Mate's ex?"
"I dunno, I was eating lunch with everyone and my Charge. He made a lot of food, and I remember being hungry because the pups were hungry. My tea did not taste good, but I needed to drink it because Healer said it would help. Not the right tea, but Blake didn't know...We got a lot of gifts from pack members because I was pregnant." A light smile erupted on Andy's face, remembering kindly the pack traditions for families to give expecting she-wolves gifts like that.

But then he realized that'd be the perfect and unsuspecting way to hide said poison among dozens of other gifts. "What happened after?"
"I don't really know. I remember going to the infirmary, and my Mate promised to make it better. I didn't want him to leave, so I followed, and he started yelling at the pack at the big meeting."
"Did she get in trouble?" She hummed in response. "I learned before about Crescent Moon's history, and I read about punishments. After we found out who it was, Alpha asked me what I wanted to do—He whipped them."

"What?!" Andy gasped, having been unprepared for something so brutal, but Sage shrugged. "Alpha was very mad...I almost died and lost pup. They got whipped and then stayed on the pole until we got a Council death ticket so they could die. That or they become Rogue, but Blake didn't like that." Andy still felt shocked that had been the outcome, granted he was all for it, but he thought Crescent Moon had changed...

"Alpha said that they didn't use whips for a long time. They're locked away, I think..." Sage didn't recall where Remus had uncovered a whip from his father's days as Alpha, nor did she care. Yet, seeing Andy thinking about the previous situation caused him to frown.

"So why is Julian being such a hard ass about it if Crescent Moon settled a punishment like that? What is he doing?"
"I was apart of pack and hurt by pack member. You said we are guests. I'm not in front of pack member because of title. We're on his ground and his rules. Lucy can't do anything, storm will weaken her, and I won't make a show of it. That's not fair for her family. Papa says sometimes there's honor in fighting."
"Not in this case, hun. I'm sure your dad means all well and nice. But sometimes, you have to make an example of them." Sage shook her head, her impatience was wearing thin, and Andy sighed. He turned the shower on and mumbled that he wouldn't look, but it was pointless waiting.

Sage had taken her time to undress and settle into the shower, allowing herself the chance to sit under the heated water and loving the feeling of her body's temperature slowly rising.

"Making example is not true. What example? And to who? Our pack follows us. They're loyal. I don't want Oak Wood scared of us. We stay here for a few more days." It was true, their plane was scheduled for Friday, but besides that, there wasn't much else to do other than wait.

"I don't know why she wants to challenge you, and it's obvious you're an Alpha female...I really didn't think she'd stoop this low or hurt you because of me. To hurt so many of her own pack mates..." She shrugged her shoulders and returned to looking directly up towards the shower head, enjoying the last few minutes of hot water.

"Witches are saying I need Healers at home to ensure I'm okay..." Sage whispered, her hands coming to wrap around her stomach, unsure as to how things would turn.

"You'll be just fine, Sage. The Witches are doing everything they can, and if I need to give you more blood, I will." Andy said with pure conviction in his voice, but Sage still held a bit of doubt.

"I wanted more pups..." She admitted, though her honesty had caused Andy stilled—His heart missed a beat, and his hands turned instantly into fists as he hadn't taken into consideration.

Or had he?

"Don't say things like that. My wolf can't handle hearing it. Otherwise, I'll take care of Lucy myself." Sage turned to the side, not surprised to meet his gaze, as she shook her head.

"It's my fight, Andy."
"It is, but anything could look like an accident." Given what Andy had told Alanna during her previous visit, it was forthcoming.

His worries about Sage's forgiveness regarding the death of her mate by his own hands were going to be a disaster.

Once Sage had dried off, Andy was prepared to leave, but that would not do. Instead, she took to sitting on the toilet and glaring at him again.

"Fine, I can take a hint, Luna." She hummed, turning to the side and taking the time to dry her hair with the towel. In the previous days, she felt more achy. Now, it was less.

To the point where she felt confident in being able to fight at nearly her full capability.

She stood by the idea that relaxing and recharging would allow her to get back to her proper strength, and it was entirely fitting that Lucy was being punished in the storm. But Sage didn't feel all that comfortable with Julian's leniency.

Perhaps it was her initiative to be moving and active that made Andy hover a little less, but it helped her with one crucial task she wanted to complete.

And that was taking the risk and calling Crescent Moon.

Now, Sage couldn't say why she felt the urge to call, at least not in the intuition sense—Nothing was bugging her, like an itch that she couldn't scratch.

As of now, and from what she's seen of the Oak Wood pack, there seemed to be only a few landlines throughout.
Yet the one that Sage had set her sights on is the one in Julian's office.

What was the penalty for being in an Alpha's office without being allowed?
Who knows, but Sage was nearing her limits.

She hated staying here for much longer, and Friday seemed much too far away. While it had offered a safe haven (for some) of the Half Crescent members, Sage felt a sort of animosity when she lingered in the hall for too long, all to see Julian's issued guards stationed by her bedroom.

It was all sort of...Off.

So, perhaps this call would act as a placeholder. If she could get the word out to someone, Sage would feel better before leaving for a remote area back in the States.

There was no telling what could happen or the next time she had a phone near her.

Upon nearing the kitchen, she automatically shifted against the wall, slowing her breath and easing her rushed heartbeat.

Being caught outside her bedroom and on this half of the pack house made for a suspicious story. And if Sage was being honest, she wasn't sure if Julian believed that she hadn't poisoned the breakfast table that faithful morning.

Though, that was just her theory.

Finally, as she neared the Alpha's office, she leaned her ear against the small crack between the large wooden door and the doorway.

She had heard Julian say goodnight earlier, but there were times Remus would do that and continue to work in his office at home.
Wouldn't that be the same if they lived in the pack house?

Without any more reason to stall, Sage twisted the knob and pulled herself inside. Utterly thankful that the door was too heavy and hadn't made a sound.

Well, except for the click that assured her that it closed correctly.

When she finally reached the office, she let out a thankful sigh. Not only because she could vaguely see the outline of the furniture, but also because she caught the moonlight beaming just over Julian's desk.

"I need to call Remus..." She whispered, trying to remind herself of the objective as she undocked the landline from the home.

"Please input the three-digit code to place a call..."

"What?" Sage breathed, looking at the damned thing in complete disbelief. A password? Sage didn't know of any—

123

"Emergency password accepted..." The annoying ring of the dial tone that had sounded in Sage's ear had caused a smile to encase her lips. It was instantly recalling that she needed an international dial exit code.

It was something that Andy had made sure was correct before they arrived at the small town near Half Crescent.

That had been an utter failure.
Today would show better results. It needed to.

When trying out Crescent Moon's Pack House phone, she stared at it, confirming that the numbers were correct, and pulled the phone to her ear.

The ring had commenced, which seemed more promising than before, but it continued to ring.

And ring.

And ring.
No mention of a voice message. Nothing.

It hurt Sage to end the call, but she soon did the same for her home phone—something she wasn't all too sure was correct. So after the fourth ring, she didn't give up and went straight for her next attempt.

The Mystic Grimm pack house.

And how did she know it was correct?
Well, Julian had it listed as a number from one of the many in the Conclave and thus, Sage felt confident in dialing through to this number.

Even if—

"You've reached Mystic Grimm, this is Beta Josh...The hell are you doing calling at this time, Julian?"

Sage had been left unable to speak, until a sharp laugh had left her lips. "Beta Josh, I need to speak with Harlow."
"Er, who am I speaking with?"
"I can't tell you that. I need to speak with Alpha Harlow." As of now, Sage was just a voice in the wind, and she knew that Beta Josh was adamant about who was calling and why.

Even worse, it was fairly close to morning that she assumed that he must have been woken up from the noise of the phone.

"I'm sorry, Alpha Harlow is on family leave. I can't bother him right now. I can take a message...If you'd like? O-or call you back."
"Alpha Julian does not know I'm on the phone." Being honest had worked before, but this looked suspicious, and Sage had to make a double-take to ensure that Josh was still on the line.
"Are you in trouble, ma'am?"
"I need—I need to get a message to Crescent Moon." That would work, wouldn't it?
"A message to Crescent Moon? I'm sorry, Ma'am, this is Mystic—"
"I know. But Crescent Moon is not answering, I need to speak to Alpha Remus, but I can't—" Sage sucked in a worried breath, unsure if the steps were coming to greet her or not.

Instead, she leaned down to the ground and found herself easily sheltered by the large desk. "Alpha Remus? You're sure you don't mean—Okay. I'll take a message. I'll send it over now, what is the message—"

"Sage is—" It had been pointless, not when the voices had picked up so close that Sage didn't know what she said in following her message.

However, in her position, she couldn't dock the phone, and no part of her wanted to play with the features of the damned thing to lower the volume. Instead, she pressed it very close to her chest and hoped it was muffled enough.

"Ma'am, ma'am! Are you in trouble?! What do you know about Luna Sage?! Ma'am?!" She swallowed, managing to say one final word before rushing to dock the damned thing.

Alive.

Sage is alive. And it felt so damn good to say it.

Yet it was a blessing that she had cut the ties to the phone as she rushed into the bathroom, remembering at the last moment that there was a separate exit out into the hall.

Wouldn't that be a good lie if anyone asked?
That the bathroom downstairs was in use, and this was the next one she remembered?

It was a good use of her time to pretend with the motions, even going so far as to flush and wash her hands—The second she turned on the faucet, she caught the Alpha's door unlock.

Hearing the footsteps just through the thin wall had made her cup her mouth. Scared that her breathing would give her away.

There had been a small bit of murmurs, but it was too muffled to really get the better of the conversation. And Sage truly didn't think that Josh would call back after it was clear that she needed to get that message out.

It was urgent. Even if it didn't give a proper explanation, there hadn't been the time.
And yet, Sage was still worried about asking for a call.

If she stood with Julian or Alana just at her side as she spoke with Remus or Harlow, she truly didn't know if they'd be on the right side of history.

Andy hadn't said anything about making a phone call, and goddess—There was only so much patience she could muster before it became too much.

As Sage took to leaving the bathroom and rushing to back to her room, it was at that moment that the phone had rung and docked within the same motion.

Yet the she-wolf did not hesitate to bolt down the hall and slip into the bathroom. Her heart was beating too erratically.

It would alert Andy, which was the last thing she needed from the overprotective beast.

And yet, Andy was not in their bedroom, as he had followed after Sage. Waiting for his moment to see what she was up to, and after seeing the return call from Mystic Grimm, Andy could only assume that word was out.

He would need to alter his plan after all, but in the meantime, he would make the most of the time he has left with Sage.

______

Date: 07/12/24 (Happy birthday to me!!)

Time: 3:30 PM

Words: 2885

Author's Note:

There is a birthday update to enjoy!!

This scene was long overdue, as one of the biggest issues with the original story is that Sage never tried to contact Crescent Moon or now, in this case, Mystic Grimm.

Anywhooo, I'm very excited to announce some up and coming news that I'm counting down the days until I'm able to...Any guesses as to what that could be👀👀

9 chapters are left until a small hiatus, and then off to Moon Ridge we'll go!