* * *

Sage had slept a decent four more hours before she peeked an eye open to see Remus snoring beside her. And like most mornings, she took the time to start rubbing her stomach. A small greeting to the little pup.

"I don't say good morning lil pup, I'm sorry, I forget...Thank you for not kicking so I can get some sleep, are you okay?" Remus twitched at the sound of his mate speaking, but didn't think anything of it since she's been talking in her sleep more frequently.

But the giggle caused him to hum in response, as Sage had always felt that way when she'd feel the pup move.

"Mama loves you, I can't wait to meet you...It's okay if you're not Rue, I just want to meet you soon." Remus hadn't expected to be woken up by Sage's little ritual, so he withheld his wolf and listened further.

"We're going to run and hunt...Your papa's excited. And Uncle Blakey will play with you too." She continued to talk about future plans, things she didn't really speak out loud to him about. But it was clear she had talked to Jade to see how to entertain a young pup who shifts on their own accord.

"Maybe you can sleep in here sometimes too. But only sometimes, I want some cuddles from Remmy." Now he surely couldn't stop himself from responding with that one.
"Have to share eventually, munchkin. But I have two arms, plenty of room." A small gasp escaped her as she looked unbelievably startled.

"You're awake!"
"Hmm. Goodmorning to you too." She pouted and huffed, wiggling a bit, and earned an annoyed snarl—Though it was more playful than anything.

"Listening?"
"Yep. And you are going to be the sweetest mama to our pup." He said, his hand finding its way to wrap over her hand before kissing her cheek.

"Not for you to hear." She grumbled as he started to remove the blanket to see the swell for himself. The idea that it would be less than a week wasn't agreeing with him. It felt like they just discovered her scent changing.

"I would've loved to hear you talking to our pup. Do you always say good morning?" She nodded and shifted a bit to get a comfortable position, and it was clear by the face that she made that she was getting too hot underneath the covers—So it left Remus to turn up the A.C for her.

"Ask or you don't get."
"We're getting up soon? Colder downstairs." He ticked his head to see that she did have a point, but bent down and tapped the side of her stomach.
"Are you hungry? How about some more tomatoes...?" She made a face instantly and nodded, mentioning that she wanted a chicken and tomato sandwich. And while she tried to get up, Remus said he'd bring it up in a bit so they could eat in the bedroom.

As the Alpha made his way downstairs, he wasn't prepared to see Blake sleeping on his couch.  But it did give him some comfort that the wolf did end up leaving the infirmary when he previously said he couldn't.

He made a plethora of sandwiches, and a specific bowl for Sage and her tomatoes. And while he had a tray to take upstairs, he did leave a ready-made sandwich on the coffee table for Blake to have when he manages to wake up.

"Thanks." Or now as it just so happens.
"Guess you took a peek at all the wolves?"
"Yeah, think my wolf is just on the fritz like you said. That smell lingers and burns." Remus nodded to the male, reminding him that there's plenty of food in the fridge if he wants anything more.

"Thanks, but I think I'm going to go and check on Levi."
"Guess everyone is liking this pup, huh?"
"Don't tell me you didn't like him hugging you, big bad Alpha." The former Rogue was the master at reading in between the lines and thus, called him out on it.

"I pressed play..."
"Figured. I don't say things for my benefit—Most of the time. What'd you see?"
"She looked like Levi's age...Fully-grown human males were attacking her." Blake remained silent, his hand running up to reach behind his neck.

"I hate to be the barrier of bad news, Alpha. But that was probably the easiest out of it all. Fighting humans? That's the fair fight right there."
"How in goddess name is that fair?!"
"Did they bind her muzzle? Did they numb an arm? Put her on a new altering drug? Nothing in the Underground is fair, Alpha, but you're placing the easiest as the worse. And that is exactly why I said not to press play." Remus huffed, which ended up irritating his already pent up anxiety.

"Next time I'll listen better, rest up, General." Blake leaned back down onto the couch and shook his head at the thought. He was nowhere near a general status, it was just an ongoing joke that Jack continued to bring up.

Remus returned back up to Sage, who managed to prop up the pillows well enough for them to lean against and watch half a movie, as Sage wanted to check on Levi before they truly called it a night—While Remus knew he'd have to return a few calls.

Hayes and Harlow specifically.

"Sage!" Levi shouted, and Remus hid a smirk off behind his mate as he departed back to the meeting room. Course Blake and Luke were the ones with her, better yet—Levi and Luke were making a rather quick friendship.

"Did you sleep okay, pup?" Sage asked, especially after seeing all the pictures being drawn up. It looked like he was busy since she left the infirmary, and he nodded, thrusting his stuffie off towards her and she smiled.

Though the face she made towards Luke read a fluent 'I told you so,' to her brother.

"Levi's making thank you pictures for the Healers and Enforcers." Sage's wolf whined at how thoughtful the pup was being, and while they sat in a circle—bestowing years of much-needed positive energy, Luke shared all that he learned from his time here with the pup.

The theory that the future Master of Arms managed to conjure was that Levi was about four or five when he was captured with his mom. So he had established a knowledge of a few things, how to put on clothes and shoes for one.
Something that Sage had lacked.

He mentioned a few kiddish things as well, tv shows he could remember and nursery rhythms—Though it sounded like a she-wolf took care of him while imprisoned than what he learned from his mother.

While Sage couldn't cuddle up with Levi on the bed like she wanted to, the pup managed to walk to the large recliner and sit beside her. Though he was still hooked up to the monitor, which Blake reassured him twice over that it was helping him heal.

What scared Levi the most, however, was being left in the infirmary. But Sage thought of that prior, as she had cuddled with one of the many bears from before. It smelled so strongly of her that Levi didn't hesitate to hug it close and sniff it.

"Are you flirting with my mate, pup?" Remus called out, and an instant smile appeared on Levi's face as the nice-smelling male had finally returned again.

"Alpha." He greeted, though it sounded like the fellow was testing out the word more than actually direct it to him.

Adorable non the less.

"I promise I'll bring Sage back tomorrow, alright bud?"
"After sleep?" Remus nodded in confirmation that's when it'd happen, so Sage tucked the pup back into bed. Though it was a little challenging considering he was a wiggling mess.

"If you need a healer you press button, okay?"
"Kenzie comes?" Sage explained that Kenzie would be sleeping too, but another healer would come and take care of him just the same.

Course she managed to keep water by his bed and put on the night light that Camilla had brought earlier in the day. Though there was enough machinery that had little lights that he didn't necessarily need it.

"Goodnight Levi." Sage whispered, and the pup whined a small bit before saying 'goodnight' in return.

"He'll be okay hun, everyone needs some sleep." He knew for sure that Sage was about a minute or two from falling asleep herself. But just as they were about to leave, Remus' phone buzzed, and of course, he couldn't ignore it when he saw it was Harlow.

"It's your brother munchkin, let's go in Kenzie's office so you can sit down." She nodded in confirmation and followed after him, while Remus answered the call.

"Just missed it, the pup's sleeping."
"Goddess, Sage has the ability to put anyone to sleep it seems." Sage grinned to herself as she snuggled closer to her mate's arm until he opened up the office.

"I give pup teddy bear, it smells like me. I hope he can sleep okay." Harlow's laughs were light on the other end of the phone. But once the lawful aspects started to arise, Sage checked out.

She didn't realize how against the law this type of action had been, which left Hayes to try and rectify it in a proper way. They had killed a few humans in the wake of it, befriended a vampire, and teamed up with a coven without the authority of the council.

The only thing saving them from scrutiny was everything that was found, meaning the witches and wolves they saved, as well as the database.

The support Remus was getting on all sides was a blessing in disguise, his inbox was filled with countless emails and messages from Grey Hallow, Silvertail, and Sage's siblings.

"I be back, I want to see Raven." Remus leaned up for a kiss, something that she usually did and she smiled brightly at being on the opposite end of it.

But Remus was just thankful that she was leaving the room to get to the other part he wanted to talk to Harlow about.

Sage, on the other hand, started to waddle in the direction of the witch's section of the infirmary, and she was quick to run into Rebekah. "Raven awake?"
"Close...They all are. Auntie said we'll expel it from their bodies by tomorrow if they aren't making any improvements after tonight." Sage smiled, it was nice to hear that they had a plan to help the people.

But Rebekah was thankful that Sage offered to sit with Raven for a few minutes. It was explained to her that she was slightly awake, her eyes open—But it wasn't anything more than a delirious spell, she didn't make much sense to those she was speaking to.

"Hi Raven, I'm Sage. Do you remember me? I see you a long time ago...Next to my cage." The Luna's voice filled the room ever so softly, and while her presence wasn't as helpful to the wolves she visited. It was still the calming touch that didn't follow with harsh needles or pricks.

"She's healing well." Sage turned her head to see Birdie off behind her, course in another outfit similar to the last few—A belt that had a few vials that picked up on the Luna's curiosity but she remained silent.

"Finding covens okay?"
"We are, if they're of age they'll have tattoos. Otherwise we need to wait for their name...But we'll learn so much from this, as I'm sure your wolves cracked into their computers by now." Sage nodded and began fiddling with her thumbs.

"Remmy looked at video."
"Did you see the video?" Sage shook her head, her eyes growing glossy at the thought of her mate hurting over her past.

"Our mates are the same, perhaps not as overprotective or as instinctive to their other half. But my light feels my pain just like I feel his. It's a union, Sage, and he's learning first hand what your life was like. Give him time." Her eyes burned further as she let her head fall, trying to let a calming breath escape her.
Which only earned her a comforting hand to her shoulder.

"Let me get you some tea, sweetheart. You shouldn't be on your feet so much." With the amount of witches in the area, it didn't take long to secure a cup of tea.
And Sage shared it in the company of Birdie.

It was a slowing down significantly from the events that happened prior to her falling pregnant, course she had many questions about the heritage of Mystic Grimm.

But Sage didn't know much, other than her mother's name being Willow Mystic. Perhaps it was a good idea to ask her brother or sister the next chance she gets.

It took Remus a lot longer than she first realized to take a joint call with Harlow and Hayes, there were only a handful of wolves he trusted with this information. And it was rather difficult when Hayes himself was a council member, yet it worked well as in their favor.

He knew the thin lines to work through.

However, the loud clatter that sounded at the end of the hall wasn't as daunting as he first thought—It was the pain that spiked his body that really set him off to storm in that direction.

And goddess he didn't know what to make of the scene, Aurelia was standing right before Sage's fallen body, which was slumped against the wall across the bed while Blake was pinning Raven's slashing form from hurting anyone else.

"Raven! You have to calm down!" Aurelia's voice tried to break through the witch, but it was no use. And instead, one of the many machines that rested against the wall had been issued to start crashing this way and that.

Making as much destruction as she could and Remus was just thankful for Aurelia's small string of magic managed to withhold anything from actually hurting anyone else.

Leaving Remus to come and kneel down to Sage, she hadn't lost consciousness from being thrown against the wall. But it did leave her arm and back sore, as she had locked her arms over her stomach rather than protecting anything else.

"Raven...Sweetheart, it's me...Auntie—You need to relax." The soothing sound from the young witch's aunt had only inflicted the entire infirmary to flicker with lights, and judging by the situation, Remus assumed that was a bad sign.

Yet when Aurelia had came too close, it earned her a growl from Blake, a defensive one that caused Sage to gasp. "Blake finds her..." Sage whispered, and before Remus could formulate a question, it had been answered by one word.

One word that was deemed a law among the wolves.

"Mate." And it instantly caused Aurelia to retract her hand, as Witches held their lights in the same instinct as other species.

The very word seemed to awaken something in Raven, and it was just the reaction that Blake needed before wrapping a hand underneath her and pulling her close. Her thin body had wrapped around him, shivering in fear and damnation as she hadn't a clue as to where she was or why.

But the faces of her aunt and three wolves was not something one would usually see when waking up from an induced sleep like hers. Yet the commotion was over and Raven wasn't a threat any longer.

Though Aurelia wasn't entirely convinced that her niece wouldn't have another outburst, so she rose her hands to symbolize a white flag.
Causing Blake to growl in defense once again.

"I'm just checking on my niece, son. She used up energy she didn't have." Blake's swirling black eyes didn't deviate from glaring at the women, but once he calmed himself and his wolf, he managed to give her some space to check on the little witch.

Who's teary-eyed face turned up a glossy white color to pose a look to her aunt. Witches didn't operate the same as wolves, and so when she offered out her hand—Aurelia griped it instantly and breathed out.

As coven leader, it was rejuvenating to feel a lost member return. It was as if she was re-entering the group and thus, gave her the energy and sense of clarity that she had been lacking since her capture.

The Latin fell out of her mouth in quick tongues, and even Aurelia was having trouble putting two and two together. So she gripped the young witch's face and whispered their motto, though to the wolves it sounded no different than before.

Until the happy tears rushed down the women's cheeks and she cuddled further into Blake's hold, earning her a pleased rumbled that made her flinch.

"Better get used to that, you found a wonderful light—Or I should say 'mate'?" Raven hardly had a grasp as to what Aurelia was speaking to her about, all she could feel was this rapid warmth refilling her—The combination of both her coven and the bond between mate and light starting to fester.

"W-where am I?" Aurelia turned to look at Sage, who was holding her head at the rush that this entire outburst had caused. "On wolf territory, Crescent Moon Pack." And it started to dawn on Raven that her aunt would never agree to work with wolves, nor would her light be a different species.

However that exact impossibility caused her to believe that this wasn't a lie, this wasn't a test.

This is real.

"Crescent Moon...? Is that near Ember circle?" Aurelia nodded, sharing the nearest town and the first smile that Blake had witnessed on his mate's face had blossomed.

"Can you stand, munchkin?" Remus whispered, his hand trailing the likes of her back to only caused her to flinch.
"Maybe trouble is my friend..." She grumbled, the true exhaustion weighing heavily on her body as she turned to look at Blake and Raven properly.
The wolf locking his mate in his hold.

But she looked all too peaceful wrapped away in his firm arms for comfort.

It took a bit of coaxing and the help of Aurelia to help Sage to her feet, and she leaned much farther into Remus' embrace than she wanted to—Though she needed it.

"I want a healer to check on you before we head back home."
"I'm fine. Birdie stop my fall." It was true, Aurelia had cushioned the fall for the most part, but it still didn't mean that it saved her entirely.

"For you and the pup, hun." She hummed and followed towards the entrance before looking back to see Blake and Raven.

"See...I say soon." She claimed, and Blake's nose twitched—Goddess, Remus doubted he ever saw the male acting so wild.
But he supposed it came with being a former Rogue.

Since a Rogue rarely ever finds their mate, no part of him really cared that she's a witch.
Blake was thankful and accepted it no matter what.

Sage sat on the examination chair with ease—close to eleven at night, and in a patient gown.
"Kenzie's on break, so Healer Mark is going to check on the pup, alright munchkin? Then we can go home." Sage rightly didn't care who checked the pup, it was more Remus talking through it.

He felt fine when a female touched his mate, but a male—Sweet goddess he needed to restrain his inner beast.

"Alpha, Luna...Before we begin, sir, I need to be sure that you are alright with me touching the Luna?" Remus sucked in a breath and nodded.

"Luna...I always tell my patients that if there is nothing too strange for me to hear, and not to hide any pain. I heard what happened and I want to see if you're alright before checking on the pup." The Alpha didn't feel as awful as he thought he would, but Sage's bareback only held a small spotted bruise that would heal by tomorrow.

"Alright, now I want to feel for the pup, this involves feeling Sage's stomach." She was the first to nod, and Remus was just thankful that she still had her panties on and held the fabric to hide her breasts.

"Is there any pain, Luna?" She shook her head and before twitched. Making Remus growl in response, though Sage stopped him. "Hands cold."
"My apologies, Luna. I do feel the pup shifted a bit, and from Kenzie's notes from the previous appointment—I do suspect this pup will be here earlier than expected." Sage's eyes popped open wider, her hands feeling her belly in fear that she had done something wrong.

"It's nothing to be concerned about, the pup feels ready and in position. It's up to them when they want to leave." Remus could feel Sage's anxiety spike up at the prospect of the pup coming earlier, and while she was excited to meet the pup—Remus had to admit that the idea of birth scared him as well.

Alpha females—Or females birthing an Alpha's pup weren't at risk, however, the fear on Remus' end was the idea of the mutation or unknown blood that puts her in harm's way.

Perhaps that is something that he needs to ask the witches.

"Did Kenzie explain how the last few days will look like?" Sage shook her head, and the male explained that Sage's wolf will know when she'll need to go to the den.

Which sounded strange, as Sage's wolf was relatively quiet for the most part. But she listened as best she could, though there was a lot that went over her head.

Thankfully Mark was very good at reading the Luna and explaining it in a different set of words.

______

Date: 09/29/2021

Time: 11:00 (I did it!)

Words: 3814

Author's Note:

Sage is never wrong when she says soon!

Did anyone see that coming? It felt so right to pair them together. 

Blake is going to be such the perfect mate, I'm kinda jealous.

T-minus one chapter, and it can only get crazier from here!
 Also, I fixed it up from my original plan since I don't think I can post the third story in the series as early as I wanted. 

This will story will not end in a cliff hang, though I can't promise that for the future👀

QUESTIONS:

Would any of you be interested in a -What if- story line or short stories about some of the characters?
I'm thinking about Raven, Rabehka, and Blake to start, but let me know what you think!

What is the council going to do when they find out Crescent Moon acted without notifying them?

With no cliffhanger, what do think could happen?
Any guesses?

See you for one final Friday🥺