Dark Moon

15

Sage's POV:

Running to another pack for a visit is usually fun, but right now we're all on edge and worried that we're going to be attacked by the Alphas who have hurt my mate for years. Even though he's been hurt by them, Ashton isn't cowering; he's being more possessive than normal and is growling at everything that he thinks is a threat. The wind blew too hard when we were starting the run and he snarled, shocking both Nolan and I.

Mom rarely sends me as an ambassador, but I understand her sending me now. It isn't about being an ambassador, as Nolan could do this on his own; it's more about making sure he isn't alone and getting Ashton used to this pack because we're going to be working with them soon enough. It's also for insight and getting my opinion on their strategy because, according to my mom, everything can be a training exercise.

However, usually the situation isn't this intense.

We get to the border of Alpha Bay's pack and we are immediately surrounded by warriors who growl at all of us.

I bite Ashton's ear when he growls back and get him to stop. Even though he's annoyed, he stops and sits down, copying Nolan and myself.

The warriors recognize Nolan, since he visits consistently, and lead us to the pack house. Once we get there, Alpha Bay is outside the front door and waves us inside.

He offers us a bag once we're inside the house, still in our wolf forms. "Go to the room you usually use and get changed, please," he says to Nolan and we follow our pack mate to the spare room in the pack house.

I've met Alpha bay a few times and I personally do not like him all that much, but I do respect how he takes care of his pack.

Alpha Bay's pack is the oldest pack that we've aligned with, and they offer lots of help and assistance. However, he was the first to jump down my mom's throat when she introduced me as the future Alpha when I turned seventeen. The decision had been made long before, but she said that she would wait to announce it to other packs until I was older.

Bay wasn't happy that she was allowing an Omega to be the Alpha of her pack, but my mom was firm and said that I had been trained and my biological status would not stop me from leading. She threatened to stop being allies if he wouldn't respect me as the next Alpha, so Bay sucked it up and forced himself to be less judgmental over my future position and allowed me in the meetings without giving me dirty looks.

When we shift back, Ashton immediately puts his arm around me. It's obvious that he's not a big fan of this pack already and that he's on edge, so I can understand his possessiveness. Hell, I'm feeling the same way; I don't want anyone looking at my Alpha the wrong way.

"Come on, we have a meeting," Nolan says, a bit bitter.

He's definitely jealous that Ashton and I get to be together and he had to leave Charlie back at home. Nolan would never put his mate in danger, and the trip here would be hard on a pregnant Omega, what with the anxiety that would stem from potential dangers lurking around, but he's still annoyed.

I feel bad for him because I'd hate to travel without having Ashton with me. Not only has my mate become an addiction, but I know he needs me just as much as I need him.

We go to Bay's office, and I shake his hand out of respect for him, and he nods to me with similar respect. He then shakes Ashton's hands and embraces Nolan because they're familiar with each other and they get along quite well.

"I heard you found your mate," Bay says, smiling at Nolan. "How is he?"

Nolan chuckles. "Pregnant and very bitter that I'm not home with him. It's still early in the day, so if we can figure out a strategy and end our discussion, I'd like to return home before nightfall."