* * *

The next day Sage had asked Remus to help her phrase the question correctly, and he helped her all the way up until they sat down at the breakfast table.

Either Alpha was stationed at the other end of the table, while the Lunas took the middle placemats. Remus didn't hold any embarrassment for reminding Sage of seating arrangements, but she did have a bit of trouble using the knife.

And while Sage felt her face pout at her mate cutting her food, she realized that Issac was doing the same for Mary. Even asking her what she wanted to eat from the spread before them.

There was a mountain of bacon, omelets, baked goods—the works.

"Goddess, could I at least try to cut it?" Mary said, looking over to her mate's side to the table. She did act like she could see, even if it was just slightly tilted off.

"I can't cut that good too," Sage said into her tea, and when Mary turned her attention straight ahead, she could hear Remus' cutlery moving much like her own mate's.

Issac still found Sage's size to be worrying, and while he offered his service to his friend in helping find her parents. Her hair and facial features didn't help.

Nor did her scent when it was so conjoined into Remus' already.

Jules had knocked at the door, handing off either her Alpha and Luna's folders for the day. However, Sage's eyes followed Jules until she left the room.

"I figured it out, Remmy." Remus was about to shovel a forkful of hash browns before he turned to his mate. "What did you figure out hun?"

"Intuition...With Jules." Worriment spiked in both Issac and Mary, the she-wolf mentioned was family to them. Issac's sister-in-law.

"Right...So this intuition with Jules, what does that mean exactly?" Remus didn't like his friend using the Alpha tone, and he should've warned him that Sage was hardly ever affected by it.

"Feels same way when Luke find his mate in Mystic Grimm...I know who Jules' mate is." Mary straightened her back at the prospect of this, she-wolves were all for the togetherness of mates.

"Well? Who is it?" Mary's patience couldn't be contained as she blurted out the first question on her mind, but it caused Sage to shrug. "I don't know...I know wolf is from Crescent Moon."

The table was silent for a few moments, and sure Mary had offered a smile—Issac chuckled. "Well that wasn't very helpful, was it?" He said while taking a sip of his coffee.

And the temperature in the room dropped tenfold.

Sage knew exactly what he said—just not in the sense of it being in a joke. That paired with her conflicting hormones had caused her to push up from her seat and leave the room.

Issac hadn't been the only one who was shocked, Remus was as well. And Mary pinched the brink of her nose as she turned to face her mate.

"Weren't you the one to remind me she had her heat last week?"
"So?"
"So? So?! The poor girl is a mess of her emotions, and you have to make fun of her for trying to get the words out?! It's bad enough Joe didn't say anything to her." Remus' brow peeked as he tightened his jaw.

"She took offense to that too..." Remus mentioned, and Mary sighed.
"And I need to be welcoming?" Mary growled, rising from the table far too quickly for her to comprehend her movement to the memorized map she has in her head—Leaving her to bump too quickly into the door.

"Mary—"
"Fuck off Issac!" Oh, Remus Moon knew all the stories of that Luna fired up.

Issac was highly afraid of what his friend was going to say, throw the table across the wall? He wouldn't put it past him, but Remus simply sighed as he looked off to Sage's plate.

"It's alright...I usually just give her an hour to cool off."
"What?" Issac breathed, and Remus felt his shoulders fall.

"She didn't want to tell me what was wrong last night, I had to explain to her Joe and Ian's relationship...She thought Joe didn't like her."
"That's not true. They offered to give her a tour."
"Sage just takes things very personally sometimes, maybe don't joke anymore when you apologies." Issac nodded and started brainstorming what he could do to make it up to Sage.

Because that was what would make Mary calm down as well.

"And a word to the wise, she a nice right hook," Remus smirked into his next bite and Issac stilled, remembering right away that that's how Sage had met her mate for the first time—After fighting for her title.

Sage on the other hand had managed to return back towards the garden, which didn't help Mary as following a scent was dangerous if she forgot where in the house she is.

Which left the task to Joe.

Though he knew the feeling of being overwhelmed and so he remained at a slight distance as she managed to settle down. Even going so far into fixing some more flowers like she had yesterday, clear disregard in her clothes getting dirty.

"Luna Sage?" His voice caused her to jump slightly, her wolf and been trying to soothe her and her racing mind. But she jumped back into her task and huffed.

"Please go away." A smile crept up on him as he looked up and away for a moment, his hands on his hips as he started shaking his head.

"Can't do that Luna, orders." It earned him another huff, nor did he earn a proper gaze. Or not until he sat a few feet away from her to keep her company.

"I don't know what mates are—Were...Not until I meet Remmy." Sage started, which caused her to look toward Joe. "Mates are mates, moon goddess chose other half...I never meet two male mates, but I think it's sweet." She said with a smile as she fixed the flower after settling the roots better and watering it with a nearby can.

"Guess I judged you a little too hard."
"It's okay. Not everyone is going to like me, I make enemies with Lunas at the Luna meeting. But I know I'm not a pig or retarded mutt. I should not care about what they say. I'm happy." She looked up again and was greeted by a smile on Joe's face.

And one bloomed instantly to hers.

"I'm sorry little Luna, for not taking the crown."
"Remmy doesn't like wearing them. He always takes it off when Jack comes." A smirk graced his lips, the idea of Remus Moon—One of the scariest Alpha's in America was embarrassed about a flower crown his mate made.

"Can I ask a question?"
"Yeah sure, you don't have to ask."
"No, Remmy says I have to ask. Sometimes I ask too many questions...I don't want to be annoying."
"You're adorable, adorable can't be annoying." He earned himself a silly grin, and she turned further in attention. Sitting with her knees risen.

"How big is the pack...Packhouse is far from the plane?"
"Yeah, we keep everything a ways away. We get a lot of snow, this winter was worst I think." Sage nodded in agreement.

"I don't know what snow is before the winter, me and my wolf don't like it. It's cold and sticks." He nodded as she spoke, and every time she did he seemed to have a new revealing as to what her life was like.

And while he pinned her to be the judgmental type, he had fallen under the strict category he was trying to separate himself from.

"Can I ask another question?"
"Sure."
"A private one?"
"Go for it." She perked her lips and blinked at how she wanted to phrase it. She and Remus had practiced before, but now she was starting to have second thoughts.

"Do you want a pup?" Joe's body stilled, Sage could see how his wolf was whining and urging for that life. His wolf wanted to be a father—It was clear when she arrived that the Beta's and Alpha's were older than the parallels in Crescent Moon.

Not by much, but it was noticeable.

"W-why do you say that?"
"Because I learn that males can't have pups, they need a female mate...I work with Rogues who are being reformed..." He nodded his head carefully, and she smiled brightly. "The council has a small pup, Arabella. She's four and lost her mom and dad...She's a Rogue and has no home." Sage saw the hope in his eyes start to grow and so she pulled out her phone and found the picture.

"She needs you." She whispered, and Joe cracked. He nodded as he started to fall in love with the picture of the little girl in pigtails braids smiling at the camera.

"Arabella."
"I call council and say I find a home...But Remmy says you need to talk to Ian." Wiping his eyes he nodded, and asked if he could send himself the picture before walking the Luna back to the packhouse.

"Sage?...Sage, sweetheart?" Mary had been a mess of worry ever since Sage left the table, and while she recruited Ian's help—It was clear that didn't really help her in the sense of wanting to look as well.

"Hi." Mary's attention darted directly towards Sage and hurried directly to where the voice came from. "Stop." And while she was confused as to why Sage had said that, she complied.

Just as her shin kicked another chair.

"Ugh. Goddess, that's the fifth one today." She pouted, bending down to rub the area in question. Which left Sage to come forward slowly.

"I'm sorry I leave breakfest, Remmy says I should not leave room when people are talking to me."
"Sweetheart, that's alright. Issac was being a dumbass anyway." The little Luna made a face as she didn't like the use of that swear—any swear really.

It could be blamed on Luke's affirmative glare whenever he caught her, not that she ever said much, but she hated disappointing him.

"Besides, I'm sure Remus settled it...Why don't we have a proper breakfast?" Sage was silent for a moment before she said a small 'okay,' she didn't want to cause any more problems.

Sage assumed that Mary had called upon the cooking staff because they were all prepared and ready to meet them at the place they were headed to, a beautiful gazebo on the opposite ends of the garden.

"Please eat sweetheart, I know you didn't get to eat much this morning." It seemed that her stomach betrayed her as it roared in agreement with Mary, which led to Sage begrudgingly taking a scoop of bacon.

"There's bacon, waffles, fruit?"
"Oh, could you fill a bowl up with some fruit?" Sage had done just that, allowing the two she-wolves to relish in the silence. They weren't the ones having a meeting, and thus—they had no business talking about work.

"I think this is my favorite Alpha visit yet, by now the Luna's would start bragging about this way and that."
"I brag about my bear hunt, I get carried away."
"But that's alright, I asked you about it. And besides, a bear hunt is a lot more interesting than picking out carpet types." Sage's face contorted instantly, but before the she-wolf could respond, a sudden break in silence caused their conversation to pause.

Mary thought it could be someone crying, but the scent wasn't close enough for it to be from Sage. "NO, JOEY LET ME TALK TO HER, LET ME GO!" It startled Sage instantly as she caught Ian crying, and while she rose up to her feet—She had been pushed into the table at how hard the fellow tackled her in a hug.

Mary remained seated and in a mess of confusion, course it wasn't the first time that there was a commotion around her and she was left unaware.

"Are you okay?" Sage said, giving Ian a small rub on his shoulder. Course Joe was just a few steps ahead, but she could easily recognize that he was crying as well.

"Good cry?"
"Bless you, you beautiful she-wolf!" Ian said hugging her tightly, leaving Joe to have to pry his mate of the Luna.

"Would one of you tell me what the hell is going on before I rip my eyes out with this fork?" Sage gasped, taking the fork away from the Luna instantly.

"I thought the Alpha said it's PG weekend for you, Luna." Ian teased, and Mary rose a hand in the air.
"That was PG, and I would've said gauge my eye out with a spoon and then feed it to one of you—"
"No!" Sage gasped, her shoulders shivering which left Ian to hold her steady by her shoulders.

"Luna!" Mary rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry Sage, I didn't mean it."
"That was a scary joke." She nodded her head, but then continued to eat her fruits with her fingers.

"So why are you two blubbering like children?"
"Sage said there's a Rogue pup staying with the council that we could adopt!" Ian shouted, and Sage smiled at seeing Joe close his eyes with his head hanging low, he was certainly feeling the affects of the mate bond towards his male.

"You're very loud," Sage whispered, which caused a bit of laughter to grace around her. "Goddess, you're adorable."
"Joe calls me adorable too." Sage grinned towards Mary at the compliment, but then she turned to Ian and Joe.

"I don't call yet."
"That's okay, do you have any more pictures?" Sage looked through her phone and sent them to both Joe and Ian, and sent a mental image off towards Mary—Causing the Luna to squeal.

"I'm going to be an auntie!" The group continued to talk about the pup, and Sage knew quite a bit considering her 'mom' wanted to adopt the little pup as well. But decided not to, as the mother she-wolf had already mothered five sons and an adopted daughter.

Besides, it gave Ian and Joe had the perfect opportunity to have their own pup.

"Arabella can come to Crescent Moon when mom comes back from council, and you can come and pick her up?... I'll call mom tonight." The male couple was shaking with anticipation, and to distract them Mary offered that they go on a run.

Or a walk as Joe reminded.

The Lunas asked their males if they wanted to join, and they were on their way as Sage was playing with an already shifted Ian. The Alpha's brother was surely energetic, but nobody could compare to Sage.

"Hey munchkin," Remus called out to her, and she stopped playing to lean up to kiss him.
"Hey Remmy." He let out a breathless sigh, it wasn't often that Sage held a grudge. But she seemed to be doing alright in terms of hanging out with Mary and the Beta's.

"Shift behind me, hun." She nodded and started to get dressed, while the two Beta's made a sort of wall around their Luna as Issac attempted to undress his mate.

"You're not out of the dog house yet buster! You still owe Sage an apology!" Remus heard the giggling behind him and turned around.
"Mary's really funny." She said before shifting into her wolf, her paws falling forward as she shook her fur out.

Enjoying the free feeling.

"Hey beautiful."

Hi.

She cooed back as he started to scratch under snoot and Sage could live in that position forever.

Sage didn't waste any time to tackle her mate—Though it was quickly overturned as she was on her back within seconds. But part of Remus wondered if her wolf wanted to be bottom.

Is that what you two are into?

Mary called out, and Sage's head turned to look off towards Mary. Her wolf's eyes weren't entirely white.

Can you see?

A bit lil Luna, better than what I can see in skin.

You have a pretty wolf.

Sage wiggled out from underneath her mate and rose to her feet, coming to greet the Luna of the land and licked under her chin. And Mary licked the girl's cheek, accepting the hello.

Goddess Sage is the skinniest she-wolf I've ever met, but gets the biggest wolf? Joey, what do you make of that?

Sage turned off towards Ian and tilted her head, and a paw rose up in invitation.

Ian was wildly excited as he hurried off towards the Luna, and it was a mess of playful yips and yaps before Issac growled for them to get their act together.

One of which that Remus snapped at him for ordering his mate around.

Careful. I'll make contact next time.

Issac turned from Remus back towards Sage, and the Alpha had found it in himself to issue a sneeze before his head lowered and he bounced his head up and down before he licked her opposite cheek.

A wolf apology.

No wonder you slayed that bear Sage, your wolf is beautiful.

Issac issued, and it caused Sage and her wolf to feel elated. It wasn't every day she got compliments, though she did like being called adorable.

The build-up of positive comments was washing away her life in confinement.

She could be from any pack, Rem. Black and white tips aren't that distinct. If she had a red coat then maybe.

What about her paws?

With Remus' suggestion, Sage pulled up her paw in an attempt to look at it. Did hers look different than other wolves?

Nope, her wolf is normal—And very happy, look at that tail!

This time it was Ian, which earned him another yap. She was bound to make another friend, but here the two were almost inseparable.

Hey Sage?
Mary called out, but it was separate from everyone else. Something she informed her just after she responded to her.

I have a bet going on with Issac, I need your help.

Okay? What's a bet?

A bet is when you put money on something being right or wrong, and Issac and I are wondering if you and Remus ever fucked in fur?

Fucked? What does 'fucked' mean?

Sex.

What?

Mating.

Oh...You can mate if fur? Really?

It seemed like Joe had won the bet, in the end, Mary was pushing on the fact that Sage was much more in tune with her beast than skin. But didn't account for the fact that her innocence was reigning higher than instinct.

Hey Remmy?

What's up Munchkin? Did you smell the deers?

Yeah, but I have big breakfast. We save them for other wolves...Can I ask a question?

What kinda question?

A mating question.

Remus felt his wolf huff, both in anticipation and excitement. It was his skin that was starting to sweat.

Alright hun, what kinda question about mating?

We can mate in fur?

Remus halted his pace beside Issac as he turned off towards Sage, but her wolf was entirely curious if that was how things worked. Issac had been left in the dark right beside the other males, but it was Mary was sensed the party stopping as the scent failed to move forward anymore.

Who the fuck is corrupting my mate?

Remus growled, though it was directed straight towards Issac. And it earned him a similar response that Sage issued him a moment ago, a head tilt.

Hey, I was with you the entire time, and I apologized!

And then Remus' eyes turned to other three, and Mary looked rather proud of herself.

What the hell are you getting all huffy about?

I happen to like Sage's innocence, thank you.

Sage sat down on her rump before laying down with her head in between her paws, which left Joe to nudge her with his nose.

What's wrong lil Luna?

I'm waiting for them to stop talking about me like I'm not here.

The smile that Mary conjured on her wolf almost made Remus snap—Not at the blind wolf, but her mate.

Mary, stop antagonizing Remus. Remus, be more informative to your mate. Mary, stop corrupting Sage...And Sage? Ignore both of them.

With that, Sage rose up to her feet and continued off the path with the help of either Joe and Ian. Which they had fun with nipping and teasing her to no end.

Did you give her the 'talk'?

Of course I gave her the talk. But she didn't talk much back then or understood as much as she does now. It was bad enough she learned a few things from a book she was reading.

Mary nudged the guest as she shared her thoughts, and it was all in the pureness of Sage and Remus enjoying this honeymoon year. Yet something in Remus believed that they were going to surpass the single year in a honeymoon phase.

When the time came to call Camilia, the two she-wolves gushed over making the plans. So much so that the council sent over adoption papers that Mary and Julia helped her print out.

She showed it to Remus and Issac before going off to present it to the soon-to-be fathers.

It was hard not to smile when the three she-wolves were a mess of excitement. Especially Sage, as she led Mary on one arm as Julia took the other, all on the quest to the Beta's shared office.

Perhaps the two males were in the stigma of human gay couples having a difficult time adapting in the human world, or even going through the council was a turn-off. But Camilla and Sage's combined efforts were a rather deadly pairing, and after all the work either of them has been doing from the council—They couldn't say no.

"I need a sig-n-ture." Sage pronounced, though a bit strangled she rushed through the pronunciation. Joe assumed it was from the Alpha's and their treaty being renewed.

Instead his eyes bulged, especially when Arabella's name was stationed right at the top.

"She's ours?!" Sage nod bounced up and down as she threw her arms open and hugged Joe before Ian wiggled his way in between.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou! A million thank yous! Oh my god! I'll get her room ready!" Ian was about to run out of the room, but Julia managed to grab him by the back of his shirt and motion to the paper that Joe was already signing.

"Arabella Hallow!" It was an exciting affair that Mary said she was going to get the wine, which confused Sage as to the drink being such an oddly shaped glass and popped upon opening.

What was wine?

She was just sitting on the couch and enjoyed eating the cookie in her hands, she smiled here and there as Ian and Joe continued to brainstorm the life that their little Bella would have with them.

That they'd need a house, not to live in the packhouse anymore.

"Here, mom texts me," Sage said, handing off her phone to the males and they started writing down what Arabella favored.

"Sage will you be her godmother?" It caused the she-wolf to blink towards them, 'godmother'? What does that mean?

"It's like being an aunt, you're going to be her family too."
"That sounds nice." Was all she said, though they couldn't really say much as Sage hadn't a clue what that title meant.

But once she did learn it, she would happily fulfill the title properly.

Luckily the she-wolves returned with a bunch of glasses and a hand full of bottles, and while it didn't smell like Remus' usually drink, it did taste very good.

And made her feel light and fuzzy.

Remus and Issac were in agreement to finish the treaty as soon as they could, and they had finished and were drinking a celebratory glass of wolf-whiskey.

Similar to his own pack's brew, but every pack had its own distinct flavor.

"A secured friendship, an adoption, and acceptance to the Rogue program? Crescent Moon isn't the same."
"No. It's not, it's better." Remus boasted, clinking his glass once again and the two took a generous sip of their glass.

But their celebration was short-lived as Julia ran into the room. "Alpha Remus!" Having been yelled at he almost choked on his next sip as he turned over to Julia.

"Is everything—"
"Sage is drunk!" Remus facepalmed as he rose to his feet, letting the rest of his drink fall back.

"I leave her alone for not even two hours and you all get her drunk?!" He yelled as he entered the room, and sweet goddess if he's seen her a pouting mess—She was a sobbing one here on the floor.

"It was the only way we could calm her down," Julia whispered, and Remus kneed down to his mate on the floor, seems like they found her weakness in puppy videos too.

"Munchkin, what happened?" An adorable hiccup escaped her, but it caused his wolf to howl in seeing the tears in her eyes. "Whaddaya meannn...? Nothin's wrrong." Remus turned to glare at the others in the room, none of them showing signs of being drunk.

So when he leaned forward to grab the wine bottle he sniffled it.

It was just normal human wine.

"Someone's a lightweight huh?" Issac smirked, and Remus tried to silence his friend with a growl as he scooped his mate in his arms.

"Would drinking that hurt a pup?" Remus questioned, more for the she-wolves in the room but Ian was the one to respond.
"Nah, it's usually okay to drink wine the first week. Why?... Is she—" Remus explained that they were hoping, all before issuing a steady goodnight.

A thousand things were rushing through his head, how did Sage get drunk off of wine? They said she only had half the bottle, usually a wolf could manage a full one or even two depending on how much they drank.

Was it because she had no sense of tolerance to it?

Whatever it was he called Kenzie, informing her what happened and she suggested that it could be a trait from the 'unknown' blood in her system or the mutation.

She asked questions in the manner of what Sage ate that day, how much, and so on. "Make sure she drinks a lot of water, and some nausea tea for tomorrow." Remus agreed and thanked her for the information, it was one of the first things that came to his mind.

Sage's unknown blood not having a perfect wolf tolerance as he did.

"Ammgonna be 'kay?"
"Yeah hun, wine just isn't your drink." She nodded and tried to maneuver her limbs to get dressed into shorts and one of Remus' shirts. But another sniffle came out as she started to cry in the bed.

"Hey...I'll come back in a sec." He just wanted to get a glass of water ready for tomorrow, and maybe set a rag for the headache she was going to endure tomorrow.

When he returned into bed, Remus realized that she was still crying. "Munchkin? Hey, it's alright, close your eyes for me. You're going to have a nice night's sleep with that wine."
"But you dontwanna mate in fur with me." She said, her pout having such a major effect on him—Anything would in mentioning that.

"Wh—Of course I would. I'd love to."
"But you never tell me."
"Well...I've never done it." He honestly admitted, and Sage stared at him in confusion.

"You matein' skin before...not furrr?"
"No hun, Alpha's have urges—But my wolf hated every she-wolf I was with. Almost ripped Kelly's head off a few times." A devious grin blossomed onto her flushed face, it made her feel better instantly.

While Remus thrived in knowing he was the only one to have Sage, a part of him had always waited for her.

"When we go home, I wanna try." Remus removed his shirt and pants as quickly as he could, his wolf was scratching at the surface in demand. His wolf's paws plopped onto the bed beside Sage and squealed at his presence.

"I said when we get homeee...Mary says I'm drunk."

Mate wants to mate with me.

"Tired now, can't shift...And we go outside." Remus and his wolf relished in her words—Her promise. She stayed awake for a few more minutes, if he thought she was blunt without a filter before.
Sage drunk is even worse.

______

Date: 07-14-2021

Time: 11:30

Words: 4791

I think it's safe to say that Sage's future friendship with Mary is going to corrupt her in more ways than one👀😂💕