* * *

"What the hell is happening?!" Hayes bellowed from his tent, his palm absentmindedly rubbing the spot against his chest as he barreled forward. Growling in warning to the wolves who were surrounding the scene before him. Only to lay eyes on those closest to his daughter's figure, one who was struggling to get a proper breath.

"Goddess—Blake, get your witch on the phone."

"She's not picking up, it's the middle of the night—"

"I don't care if it's fucking noon on Christmas Day, we need something!" It was pointless, as the Rogue General already had his phone up to his ear in addition to Liam who shouting to his incoherent brother about what was happening.

Both Remus and Andrew were trying to get through to her, shouting her name and shaking her—But as Hayes moved to sit beside her, resting his head on her heart, he choked on the thought.

"She's going to have a damn heart attack if we don't figure out what the hell is happening!" He concluded. While Remus, who was trying to fight through the tears begging her to wake up, was instantly blindsided by a whispering movement that fluttered the air, one that smelled so real and foreign that it caused the better half of the group to stick their nose up in the air.

With a sense of calmness starting to regulate into Sage's system, her body was forced to relax under the scent. One that Hayes looked about in suspicion, or had until he caught the fiery red hair of the female Nymph that Sage had spoken to earlier in the week.

The one she freed from the greenhouses.
Were they being followed?

As Hayes rose to his feet and followed after the female, she simply stopped her getaway and extended her hand forward—Into the words and North, a different direction from where they started to where they are headed.

What could that possibly have meant?

Just as he was about to get his focus together and question her, the female had taken the liberty to use a crack in a tree's trunk and disappear. Leaving the smell of freshly cut grass and something more to linger fruitfully behind her.

"Sir?" A Crimson pack member questioned him, tilting his head in submission but also curious as he had spoken up. "It was a Nymph, she must've felt the pain." Hayes decided, turning back and reaching for his daughter. But Remus growled his displeasure for the movement, his eyes blackened as the deepest pits of the earth.

"She's my daughter, male. Calm yourself." His wolf needed the reminder, but it still did not sit well that so many hands were touching the Luna in desperation that things were alright—That she was okay.

But things were absolutely not okay, as Sage was left swimming in absolute darkness after experiencing flashes of an image. One that wasn't fully colored and blurred to her vision, of course, it was a dream, she knew that well enough.

That still didn't explain what it was she was looking at, only that it was large and the scent was close. One that demanded to see her, that continued to call out in agony as though it was as desperate as she was for an answer.

But as soon as she started to become aware of what it was she was gazing upon, it was abruptly ripped away at the prospect of lavender blossoming up and away—She screamed in frustration as the picture disappeared and blurred away into nothingness.

Forcing her back to solid ground and the familiar ache in her chest, as though things were back to normal—Only this time, with an image that was plaguing her every thought.

Begging to be deciphered.

With Sage's breaths starting to ease, and her heart at a much easier pace—it was the voices that started to filter through that piqued her interest. Only for a split moment as she realized it was yelling.

An argument between Andrew and Remus, blaming one over the other for not predicting that this would happen. And she had instantly started to choke on the rage she tasted, as well as the hot tea that another male was trying to feed her.

Blake.

"You back with us, hun? Because I don't know what to tell them anymore." He whispered, more so in the hope that she could hear, not that she would actually respond. But once her hand had gestured up to hold the cup over his own, it startled him to almost drop the steaming brew.

"Goddess, give me a warning—Please?"

"N-n-o—Warn-ing." She coughed, not because of the tea itself, but because her voice felt raw after straining herself to the point of exhaustion. As Blake moved the cup away, she began pressing her hand to her chest in aggravation.

"S-saw picture."

"Picture? What type of picture?" Blake tried to gauge Sage's motions, yet all he could focus on was the glaze that cover her tearful eyes as they danced around her. Which eventually landed on her choice of males, who were both just seconds away from getting their tails handed to them by her father.

"Dad?" She called out, and the male's shoulder's hitched up at her call for him. And the former Alpha did not hesitate to ditch either of the two males he was disciplining as he rejoined his daughter. Wrapping both his hands around her free one, taking it to his lips and kissing them.

"Bubbles, stop this. Please." She huffed, but let her head lull back and stare up to the stars above, happy to catch the fire's smoke trail to join in. "Sorry—Picture wants me to listen."

"What kind of picture?" He questioned, looking between her and Blake as though the Rogue would have the answer. But he shook his hands and explained that she hardly woke up in the last few minutes and didn't manage to make any leeway in terms of what happened.

"Shit, it's Raven...—H-hey hun, y-yeah everything is fine now. Well not fine fine, but—" Hayes grabbed the phone out of the male's hand and returned back to his daughter's side. "Mrs.Warren, Sage went through some type of stroke or seizure. Her heart rate was at its limit and was shaking. A nearby Nymph set off some type of scent to calm her down, what do you propose it is?"

Raven, who was trying to soothe Bellamy at the same time and listen to Alpha Hayes had sighed. "I'm not sure, sir. But if I had to take a guess, I would assume that the repentance of the soul swap are finally leaving her. It was half the reason why my Aunt and mother recommended that Sage did not go on that trip. At least we could treat her in Crescent Moon."

"Do you think the Nymph would do anything harmful?"

"No, Nymphs aren't cruel by nature unless instigated. Besides, Sage is both a Dowser and a Halliwell. They would be able to smell her blood for miles and recognize that she is no harm." Remus was at least thankful for the fact that whatever intention the Nymph had was in record of help and not deceit.

Perhaps helping the Nymphs before was a blessing, one that worked in their favor.

"What is her heart rate now?" After a dozen questions, and Sage confirming or denying what she was feeling, Raven said she would return with her mother on a connected line, but she was siding with her first prediction.

That it was the soul swap still being in her system, given that Willow had taken her body as a vessel and vice versa, there was an element of unknown forces that played.

As Sage watched Hayes and Blake conversing at the side, she looked up to Remus who didn't dare look away from her. And it wasn't as if she could, not when her head lay in his lap.

"Really had us worried there, Pumpkin. How are you feeling?" Andrew whispered, his hand coming to rub up the length of hers as he caught her shiver returning.

"Hey..." She said with a smile, happy that Andrew was somewhere nearby—And in combination with both Remus and him, the ache started to pass by to a much more dull tone.

Once she had confirmed that it had subsided enough that she could think properly, she pushed herself forward and more than instantly was pulled back into Remus' hold. "No." He warned, but Sage continued to fight against the restraint—Nearly to the point of falling back in exhaustion if he hadn't helped her sit up against him.

Andrew could see Remus struggling to keep himself and his wolf contained, and this was the last thing they needed to worry about in terms of going into enemy territory, so he tried his best to have Sage drink the offered tea and chew on a piece of jerky from dinner.

Even if it did bring the color back into her face, it didn't bring Remus anywhere near as relaxed as he needed to be.

Soon, Hayes and Blake came forward and started to speak with Sage about how she was feeling—And Raven didn't think it was any type of possession or anything that should be worried about, though when mentioning the image or picture that Sage caught, that flared up a bit of a controversy.

"What type of image was it?" Aurella questioned, and Sage huffed as she tried to close her eyes again. "It's outside and it smells nice. I don't know what picture it is, very blurry."

"Hm, I wouldn't act on this yet, Alphas. Let Sage get some rest and if she still feels anxious to go and find it then I recommend you do so." Hearing that Sweet Birdie was on her side in trying to find any hints to what she saw made Sage smile, but it didn't get the same reaction from the rest.

"We're really going to hunt for a stroke-induced vision?" Andrew questioned, and Blake shrugged his shoulders. "Last vision Sage got, we uncovered a whole truck full of Underground patients, and I found my mate. I don't have much of a reason not to trust her at this point." Blake claimed, turning towards Hayes, hoping that he wouldn't have to remind the elder male of the promise he had made after they found out Sage was captured.

"We regroup in the morning. Sage, don't you dare leave this camp without someone." He said with a pointed finger, and she soon huffed in determination to do just that as she struggled against Remus' body once again.

"No." He repeated, and Sage pouted once more and nodded. It wasn't as if Remus would let her get up, regardless of her need. Instead, Andrew took to stand and nodded off towards Hayes, clearly Sage was benefiting from having both of them beside her.

And as much as the father wanted to say something, he remained silent and ducked away. Trying to get the image of both males surrounding her out of his head, even if he was starting to like Andrew's character—Minus the cocky attitude—he could see why Sage felt safe and trusted him.

Even if that trust hadn't been in the form of her true name or his.

The Luna who was enjoying the sweet scent of her mate and Andrew had decided to close her eyes and relax. But there was no point in falling asleep, not while sitting up and not when the drawing ache was still there enough to listen to its calling.

It wanted the Luna to come and see, whatever it is.

"No," Remus repeated, and that caused Sage to frown, but it hadn't lasted that long as Andrew shifted and did not hesitate to tap both his front feet in a playful manner. Making Sage smile in delight at seeing Andy's wolf coming to comfort her, so she turned up to Remus—Her hand coming to cup his cheek. "Can I see wolfie?"

The Alpha had contemplated her request with a long inhale, only to nod towards Andrew who had laid down on his stomach, making the perfect place for Sage to sit against—And Drew didn't hesitate to place his large paw on her thigh, a warning for her not to move.

"I can't feel my legs, no running for me." She teased, and that did nothing to settle their worries about what might have happened to her body following that vision of hers.

However, in seeing Remus stand tall and strip to nothing before shifting to his wolf, Sage opened her arms as she settled deeper into Andrew's stomach, and Remus took the better position of laying himself on her. His head tucked in between her breasts and covering over the ache, the perfect distraction for her to finally close her eyes.

And within a matter of minutes, Sage had fallen asleep at the combination of both Remus and Andrew's breathing and heartbeats.

______

Date: 07/24/23

Time: 8:40

Words: 2233

Author's Note:

Would you look at that, I'm early! It's a miracle!
Thank goodness for the Nymph coming to save the day, seems like they're thankful for Sage's help.

Perhaps Sage wasn't healed up yet for this type of trip...Or perhaps something else is lurking about. 
That sounds like a side question to me!

Anywho, I hope you all have an amazing week and I'll see you for Friday's chapter!