* * *

Her father's words left an imprint in her mind, even when either dining table had been pulled out and connected with each other. The long table had enough room for the guests, and Sage had even left the door open for the rest of her pack to enjoy the time on the porch. However, the witches managed to create a shield to hide them from the harsh winter winds.

Sage sat with Remus and Andy on either side, though that didn't last that long as the twins didn't understand the method of a pup table to be with her parents. So the booster seats were placed just beside her, as it was close enough for them not to whimper in the other room and give Sage a heart attack.

The mere sound of her pups in distress was going to haunt her for the rest of her life. It was the thought of them with Remus and going unfed and unattended that made her sick to her stomach.

Sage needed to clarify with Remus that he would need to fix his relationship with the pups before she accepted his bond again, to make amends for a failed promise.

While she knew that the feelings that may or may not have sparked and lingered from Andrew were dimming by the hour, they still tingled a bit when Andy looked at her with such respect and authority.

Making her own wolf pace at the idea of these thoughts starting to fade away. Would it hurt?

For Remus, it was easy to fall back into sync, and with Sage back by his side—Remus wasn't at all that different in claiming the title from Eli. However, he wondered how that would play out...Or if Sage would just beat him into submission again.

Whenever it was even mentioned out of context, the visible anger that crossed over Sage's expression almost caused the room to lose its heat.

"Careful, sister, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I'm sure a few other packs will be happy to have you two back." Harlow warned, and Sage smiled and turned to look off toward Remus. "You take title back?"

"I'm sure you could run as Alpha now, Moonlight," Remus smirked, "but my beast wants it back."

"Have to fight for it, Alpha." She said with a smirk on her face, and Remus hummed, "How about I fight this one, and we'll call it what it is?"

Sage followed Remus' finger off towards Andrew and she huffed, not liking the plan all that much, but her brother had beaten her to it, "Get in line, Moon." Harlow joked, even though it earned him a nick from his Mate.

"Yeah, Rem, my ass is a hot commodity now. Don't worry, there's plenty for everyone." Andy said, winking at Sage's father.

Sage and Haylee had turned to look at each other in complete and utter fear before bursting out in laughter, with Jade and Elena following in pursuit.

"Oh, Goddess, Uncle Hayes, please beat his ass," Ellie said with tears nearly coming out of her eyes at the sight of how completely livid Hayden Mystic had turned in a mere instance. "I will eventually, but right now we need to beat someone else ass...Starting with River's and then ending with that bad vampire man that has my mate."

"I take care of Eli—After we help wolves and witches outside." She decided, taking another bite of her dinner and eyeing her father as though he was prepared to dismiss her next course of action.

"Besides that, we should call Issac and Chris that you've resurrected." Remus reminded, and Harlow sucked in a breath. "I don't know...It still feels like we're at war with the other packs. Who knows who else that vampire man was friends with."

Andrew leaned back in his seat. "Sage mentioned you cleared out the Silver Sanctum, I need to look through those documents. I'm sure I can be helpful there and explain things where I can."

Jack had been the first to question the title and Andrew simply explained that's what the facility in the mountains had been called. This explained more than enough, as the letters were addressed to S.S. It wasn't a name; it was the building as a whole.

Blake had looked down at his phone and excused himself from the table, "Guess who's coming lil Rue?"

"Bellbell?" He left the small pup with a grin and continued out of the room while Sage rose up from her feet to grab another few plates in case the witches from Ember Circle wanted to join.

Sure, it gave her a few comments of 'falling back to the way things were,' but Remus was more attentive to her third helping of the pasta salad.

Even now, seeing her fitting into her clothes much more accessible than before, he could even see that perhaps the shirt was a little...tight.

Not in a bad way. Hell, Remus wasn't sure he could have a bad thought when it came to Sage, but it made him feel relieved to see that she was surviving the way she had.

On top, he had plenty to go around, as he hadn't caught any wolves or witches struggling with food.

Perhaps he was too caught in his thought because Sage had seen his lingering eyes and twisted to flash him a smile. One he returned so easily.

"Well, look at this full house!" Raven cheered, which caused all the pups to squeal at the enthusiasm of another bumbling female with a pup in her arms.

Sage laughed at seeing Raven looking beyond beautiful. The years out of captivity with a Mate and pup truly gave her a glow.

Sage made her way around the table and encased the witch in a hug, which caused Andrew to lean into Remus for an explanation. However, it was Harlow and Luke who didn't waste the moment to fill him in.

There was a lot of that already, but he was thankful that some things never changed when it came to the Elwoods.

"Mom's already contacting a few covens and our elders. No worries on that end." Raven could hardly speak through Bellamy's excitement in seeing both Sage and Rue. The hybrid could hardly manage in his mother's arms that Sage offered her help, leaving Raven to sigh in relief.

"He didn't sleep in the car ride. think he knew we were coming, " she explained, earning a kiss from her light that he hummed along to. "Those two are an inseparable pair. I can't wait to see what two hybrids are going to do later, huh?" Blake said with a smirk, and Hayes groaned into his hands.

The chaotic nature of these past few years had been rewarding but full of damnation, he was surprised that his hair wasn't grey yet.

"Eli gave up our cabin, we can make it comfortable down here," Blake reminded, and Remus claimed that there was still an extra bedroom with everyone staying here—Most of the rooms had been converted to bedrooms long before. And the Elwoods had offered their extension to house the extra wolves from Ember Circle.

"Oh, it's so good to see you! When Blake said you called, Mom almost threw a sleeping potion at him. We thought he was crazy!" Blake began to grumble that he wasn't acting that indifferent, and Raven just pinched his cheek.

It had been a whole event in Sage hugging and crying with her family, and ever so often, she'd go and check on the pack outside. But they always urged her to return back to her family, even though she'd return every half an hour or so.

When Jackson and Aurora left the Moon residence, and the pups started to fall asleep, the house and the campsite outside and in the basement started to head to bed.

Sage had fallen into her old pattern of going into her shared bedroom with Remus and getting a pair of pajamas. She smiled down to see that it was a little tight and opted for something else. Her wolf was rumbling at the idea of being healthy and happy, yet a noise had caused her to turn her head.

Remus was still downstairs speaking with her father, while Andy planned to use the bathroom here—or at least, whatever was left of the hot water.

"Living it up here in Crescent Moon, no wonder you wanted to come back—Besides the pups." He incited, holding the borrowed shirt he snagged from Remus' closest. Having been given full reigns of borrowing whatever he needed. However, it seemed he had caught Sage by surprise as she turned around and huffed.

The male was too ignorant to realize what he was doing, messing with scents and confusing herself and wolf. Him smelling like Remus truly made her do a double take, yet she did manage to gather just what he was getting at in terms of their return. That, and he gestured to the bathroom with a look of awe.

"Remus has nice home. Makes it nicer before we move in..." Sage started, but then went to sit down at the edge of the bed as she looked up to Andy, disappointment still wracking her body as she wondered if he would finally be honest with her, "...But you don't want to come back, why?"

"I didn't...I guess it was just easier to accept that I was dead than my ghost lived on. I did things I'm not proud of, and maybe I'll be able to tell you and Remus about them someday, but we have a lot of work to get through. Starting with regrouping those outside and figuring out our next plan against that vampire," Andy said, hating that it'd been such a mouthful, and while he had more to say, he simply sighed, "Tomorrow's the day we start all that..." Sage hummed and watched the male head into the bathroom with the door left open with a slight crack.

She wondered what in the world he was so guilt-ridden about that it kept him away for so long.

Her father and siblings had said a final goodnight. Perhaps that was just the younger child syndrome that Casey had always complained about, but she couldn't help but feel so warm after their last goodnight.

Better yet, her wolf started to grow tired. Thankful for the comfort and the scent of her Mate so easy to trace throughout the home. Even the steam from Andy's hot shower had caused her to huff and curl onto her Mate's side of the bed.

It felt odd to be so close to the door. Or to see a picture she was not at all familiar with. Curious had gotten the best of her as she reached for it and started admiring how she looked beside Remus.

Perhaps she couldn't remember the day right off her head, but the feeling that cast throughout her body had settled so quickly into a smile. One that mimicked the same one she flashed the camera in the photo.

As time passed, Sage had counted how many changes there were in the room, and what she remembered from downstairs.

Truly, it seemed bare in terms of anything new or exciting. If anything, it was the plethora of pictures. Even in the bedroom, there were some on the walls, the dresser, and both nightstands.

So she dug into her pocket and placed down the larger stone she carved the twins into. While not the same picture, it still felt right to have a set place for them finally, and when she got the chance, she would do the same with the rest.

Even in the midst of her admiring the memories laid here, Andy had finally emerged from the bathroom and tapped her thigh as he sat down at the edge of the bed. "Remind me that I'm going to nag at Remus for spending so much to fix this place up."

"Why nag?" Sage asked, her brows narrowing at his comment.

"Cause he didn't cut any corners. That shower was beautiful."

"That's good, the house for me and him." Andrew continued to laugh, knowing full well that was one of the few reasons Remus had torn down all the walls and almost stripped the surface.

A small knock caused both of them to peek their attention up and Remus instantly shot a smile from his mate. "House was unlivable, besides I had enough funds to do it. Besides, Sage likes to read the bank statements." She nodded in confirmation but looked to her spot in comfort before her gaze turned to Remus' cane.

"Alright...you rest up, see you in the morning...I'm just in the office." Sage nodded towards Andy as he followed Remus silently down the hall, though she couldn't help but sigh.

Her worries now taking over in where she and Remus go from here. To restart or to start back where they were last. This was getting too complicated, and as she groaned once more, Remus' once easy shuffle had returned with ease as he nearly barreled through the door. "Sage? You okay?"

"Yeah, just tired...Coming to bed soon?" The question was innocent. Remus knew that she hadn't meant it in any other way, but goodness have mercy, he lived for hearing something as simple as that.

Even better when Sage had moved aside and pulled up the covers for him to join in. "Dad says your limp hurts."

"Your dad is just saying that, it's not too bad." Sage hadn't trusted that as his entire answer. As even Luke said he had gotten to live through the day with his own injury.

"You alright to...to sleep together?" Remus gulped, eyeing his Mate carefully. "Yes, why?...Do you—"

"No, I do. I just wanted to make sure. Incase you're...You're angry with me about what's happened."

Sage blinked, knowing that he was indeed correct about one thing. That she was angry, that she hasn't forgotten about what happened with the twins. How he forgot to live without her here.

"I am angry." Sage corrected, and Remus' shoulders quickly deflated as he nodded. Going so far as to pull away, but alas, Sage gripped her wrist to stop him. "I am angry. But you know what you did wrong. You didn't listen to me when I needed you to. You didn't stay strong for the pups...And you let Eli take control."

Remus nodded once more. Not trusting his voice to speak up, but Sage was not finished, "But I am only sad...Because I wasn't here to—"

"Moonlight, no. You couldn't control any of it. And you're back now. We can be a family again."

"I thought of—" Sage had started to speak a little too freely of how much she thought of Remus during their time apart. But wasn't honesty better when things were still returning to normal?

"You thought of...?"

"You. When I got my Heat. I thought you were with me."

"I'm so sorry, Sage. I'm—I know you were afraid of that before you left and I promised to make it a priority when it would've came." Her eyes closed with ease, comfortable to just hearing his voice again that she nodded along.

Perhaps he had caught that exhaustion had finally caught up to her, but once he shut the lights and settled into the bed, he embraced Sage as tightly as she could.

Favoring her weight casting over his body, setting as a reminder that she was here—And that she wasn't just a dream. "Maybe we can have pups come too soon."

The airy laugh had escaped Remus, even when he looked down to see Sage's cheek pressed against his arm, all while smiling to herself.

It wasn't a bad idea, but with a full house, he would make the easier promises given that her father was already scheduling a fight.

It didn't take long for Sage to fall asleep in the familiar home and bed, even with Remus' scent it was a sure reason to lose her defense. And when she finally had drifted off, Remus was able to properly relish in the fact that things were starting to become right in the world.

Remus felt his eyes starting to betray him as he was able to smell two people—Two of his favorite people in the world who had come back from the dead. His family.

And for once, he didn't feel like he was missing a piece of his soul.

______

Date: 12/31/24

Time: 8:13

Words: 2764

Author's Note:

Happy New Years Eve!

A little late, but I decided to start on my new years goal a little earlier and pick up on a few extra shifts at work, and thus, completely forgot to post.

2024 has been so exciting, and I cannot wait to dive into 2025!

And perhaps an extra chapter this week, just to kick off the near year?

Best wishing to you all, and I'll see you in the next chapter!