Dark Moon

21

Sage's POV:

I keep asking Nolan if this is a good idea and he's very firm on his answer and if I wasn't the future Alpha, I'm sure he would've asked me to shut up by now. It's not just me; Ashton is really worried as well. Both of us think it's a risk to take Charlie with us on the two (probably three with our pregnant pack mate) hour trek with us, but Nolan is firm and Charlie is insistent.

They both insist that since we have backup this time by means of the Eastern Mountain warriors who came to escort us that were safer and Charlie can't stand to be away from Nolan.

Every time I tried to argue with my mom she insisted it would be okay and that many pregnant wolves travel while they're carrying. I won't disagree that it's healthy for them to move and run while they're pregnant. It's true that it's healthy for wolves to shift and run while carrying and that it won't hurt the babies unless it's a high risk pregnancy, but Charlie's is low risk.

It doesn't ease the fear I feel whenever I think about the ambush on our pack a few months ago. My nerves are at an all time high as we pack the bags that we will attach to ourselves before we shift so we can carry them with us and not have to use our mouths.

"We can protect him Sage," Ashton says, his hand over the mark I left on his neck, which he often does when he's anxious. "Besides, this way we can visit and make sure everything is in line before returning for Zach and Owen's mating ceremony."

I huff. "Nolan is confident but I just have a bad feeling."

"You're protective of your pack mates," Ashton says, pecking my cheek. "That's a good thing."

Despite his confidence, I know Ashton is nervous, too. He's grown quite fond of Nolan and Charlie, as he and Nolan have trained together under Ronaldo. He also has passed time with Charlie and Alder while my mom helps me with my training and patrol and I know he's fond of the sweet Omega.

I'm not jealous because I know it's platonic and that Ashton sees him as something of a little brother while he sees Charlie as a mentor of sorts. I think that he's moving on from Liam's death and has accepted new guides in his life being my dad and Nolan.

He still misses his best friend, but he's been recovering well.

I'm glad he finally has the closure he needed by means of the grave I put together for Liam.

"Are you two ready?" Nolan calls from behind the door. "Sage? Ashton?"

Ashton assures him we're almost ready and hugs me tight so we can take a moment to ourselves. "It's all going to be okay. We have so many warriors and we're all traveling in the middle of the day. Plus, my old pack doesn't even know that we're moving today."

I scowl. "Still," I mumble as we head down the stairs, both of us only in the robes we wear through the pack house so we can strip and shift quickly once we're outside.

"It's all going to be alright," Ashton repeats, smiling at me. "I love you, Sage."

"I love you, too."

We shift outside and I see Nolan sitting with Charlie, the Omega pawing at the ground. Our group is accompanied by Zach and Owen as well as the warriors.

Zach and Owen are tackling each other and playing as we try to leave, so I growl at them because I just want to get to the damn pack so that I know we're safe.

We're barely an hour outside of our pack when a wolf comes barreling toward us, panting and tipping.

I don't recognize them, so I leap forward and tackle them, snarling as I push my paw on the wolf's throat. I'm pushed off seconds later by one of the Easter Mountain warriors and the other wolf shifts back, still panting.