* * *

The scent had been the first thing that abruptly assaulted Sage's nose, and when she peeked open one eye she had to fight to scan the room. All considering her body was aching with every twist and crack, allowing her to have a satisfying groan leave her before she realized it. Yet this time, it was met with the same tempting octave as an arm snaked behind her, leaving her to feel the entirety of a male's nude body to rub up against her.

Snuggling further into the pillow, she smelled someone else, Severin? Elena? Chase?

Andy's smile spiked up just at the base edge of her tattoo as he kissed it gently. "How're you feeling, pumpkin?" She hummed and turned to look at him with a thankful huff to settle the question. Again, he let out a laugh at her positive attitude in the morning.

"I guess that answers that. Nothing hurts?"
"No. I feel good...How long?"
"How long was your heat? Two days, two and a half. But you've been sleeping for a day. Are you hungry?" At the mention of food, her stomach made its own warrants of protest, and he silently left with another kiss on her shoulder before throwing on the nearest pair of shorts to go and feed his female.

At the prospect of being alone, Sage managed to rise up and take in the state of the room. Scattered furniture, random blankets, and pillows managed to cover the floor, and with the slight soreness in her bottom half, she didn't dare try to venture to the bathroom.

Even if her bladder was screaming to be released.

Thankfully, Andy had come in with a large tray of goddess knows what. But he placed it right on his side of the bed as he sat back down, the smile never faltering. It concerned her, as she wanted to know what exactly was making him happy.

"Kitchen cooked up big for everyone, got potatoes and eggs." She hummed, but her eyes moved towards the bathroom once more and tried to figure out if it was worth it.

"You know, I could carry you to the bathroom. Right, hun?"
"Cocky male." She seemed and he threw his head back and laughed.
"I think I have a right to be a cocky male. Do you know how many times you woke me up to mate. Right?" She perked her lips for a moment, then held up her hands, and it had been an honest guess, but he had to add a few more.

"No..."
"Hmm, so the least I can do is carry you to the bathroom and get you cleaned up."
"I smell like you? I don't smell like heat anymore?"
"Nah, but we had a few guests over. Sev's excited." She nodded eagerly as she reached her hands up, and he carried her straight to the shower. It was fairly easy to keep her propped up and lavish her with soap, granted he didn't leave room for her heat to really fester.

Not when the ego of an Alpha played in against the Beta and those around him, he too needed a gentle awakening of the cold water to soothe his aching muscles.

Though he couldn't picture any other way to mate with an Alpha-Female.

After washing her hair and wrapping her into a towel, he sat her on the tub's side and made sure that she didn't have any bruises or scratches that needed to be checked over. All that painted her skin were love marks and blotches that she smiled at seeing across the wall in the mirror.

Andy then spent the time drying her hair and brushing through it, knowing full well she liked it when the witches managed. Leaving him to attempt a braid, one that she wiggled in receiving.

Even if she tried to rise to her feet by herself, he picked her up and thanked the goddess that the she-wolves managed to clear up the room in time because he didn't know how territorial a Luna would be after a heat.

This was where he wished he would have some teaching, and in his mind, it wasn't like Sage knew what being mated to an Alpha meant. So after he made sure she ate and allowed the room to be rescented with candles, he kissed her stomach and let a small prayer escape him.

"I eat too much..." She grumbled, though it was necessary, considering the heat lasted for long without interruption. "I think it looks perfect. This lil sweet pea can swell up as much as they want." Sage's eyes popped open as she caught him eyeing her stomach, and it dawned on her.

All the small lessons on Heat meant that she could indeed have a pup, and while she herself didn't know what type of 'protection' could be used, she knew it existed. She doubted it was used, not when she couldn't recall the past twenty minutes.

"You think goddess give us pup?" Sage questioned, and Andy's face had looked up so hopeful as he nodded. "I do, I really do...You know what happens when an Alpha and Luna have a pup?"
"When they have a pup?"
"Yeah, the Luna shifts to fur and gives birth?" Sage quickly nodded and mentioned that Luna Jade of Mystic Grimm had a pup and went through it, which the male instantly sighed with a breath of relief.

"You probably know more than me. I've only seen one Alpha couple, and that didn't do too well."
"Old pack?"
"Yeah, my father died when I was really young." Sage pouted, not liking that Andy had grown up without a father.

However, she giggled in remembering how everyone had been up here to mate. "What's so funny, pumpkin?"
"My friend Rogues, Blake, and he tells me that sometimes wolves get mate crazy." For Andy, it usually took a second or two to decipher that Sage's definition of mate either meant her pup's father or sex.

He didn't know if she even knew the term.

"Ah, Blake the Rogue...He's the one with the witch?"
"Yes, they have pup name Bellamy."
"Huh, bet he's in for it. A wolf and superpowers? That's—" He realized right then and there that if Sage is pregnant and expecting a pup, then that'd mean their pup would be part witch.

"Rue only makes lights go fuzzy and breaks lamps. Stronger in females."
"Good thing I only want sons."
"Cocky male!" She laughed, though this time they had playfully rolled around in the bed. Laugh marks stretched on his face in a mix match of directions, and it always worried Sage as to if his burn still hurt.

"Hurts?"
"Not for a long time, Pumpkin...When I first got it, it's all I could think about." It caused her to perk her lips, and it was as if karma and reality caught up with her as she spotted her backpack to the corner.

"What if mate alive?... And I have your pup?" Panic erupted as her eyes darted this way and that to try and find an answer. But he simply locked his hands to cup her cheeks to engulf her to see him and only him.

"I don't think the goddess will make you pick like that, if he's alive...There won't be a pup. But if there is, we'll figure it out when we get there."
"And travel? Can't travel if I have pup here."
"We'll see how far we get with the preparations and decide then. Alright? No worries—Hey, no worries right now. " She inhaled, followed by a long exhale to settle her heart, and thankfully it worked, after pairing it with closed eyes and focusing on his scent.

It comforted her during the nightmares and occasional heartaches during the night, so of course, it'd help now.

"Brother calls pups sweet-pea too." She whispered, a sad smile starting to build on her face, and he smirked. "This the brother in Mystic or the Elwoods?"
"Elwood, Mystic brother calls them rug-rats. Mate calls him old."
"Your brother can't be that much older, what? Thirty-one?"
"I think. My mate is Thirty now." She whispered, feeling misplaced at the idea that she had sex with another male.

Even if her wolf reminded her that Remus had others before her, before Kelly even, it didn't aid the guilt. And Andy saw to it right away, feeding into her nerves and diminishing them instantly.

His claims of not suffering were true, she suffered already. And if a pup came out of this relationship, then they would have to worry about it later on. The only troubling part is that a pup would only become recognizable in a few weeks.

Winter was coming soon, she needed to be smart.

What she really needed, was a miracle.

______

Date: 09/16/2022

Time: 9:55

Words: The counter isn't working again :(

Author's Note:

I'm sorry if this is short/unedited, I have a killer headache and the screen is making my eyes burn. It's been a long week.

Mistakes were made, and ever bigger mistakes await--But I promise things will turn out for the better!

We just have a few hurtles to cross, and besides, are we really ready to find out what happened to Remus?

Alrighty, I will see you on Monday with a new chapter!