Disclaimer - the characters belong to Patricia Briggs who I would love to meet some day and talk predators. I make no money from this labor of love and all mistakes are mine.

Chapter 1

"He's an ass, but I love him", were the words whispered as soft as a gentle wind.

Sage sat down on the back step looking out at the woods behind Charles and Anna's house. Anna handed Sage a cup of green tea and sipped her hot chocolate nodding her head sadly.

Sage sighed as she sipped her tea. She had just left after a trip to Asil's greenhouse and he was in a foul mood today, growling and eyes flashing with annoyance.

Word on the street was that he'd snapped at the agricultural delivery man, the road crew clearing the street in front of his house, and the repair shop that had changed the oil on his car.

Word around town mentioned that unless you didn't value your life, in whatever form, you were cautioned to stay away until whatever was bugging The Moor was resolved.

()()()()

Sage had been away on her shopping trip to Missoula with Anna and they came back to a town on edge.

Anna and she were planning a shower for a soon-to-be bride and they drove into town in the Expedition that Bran had lent them.

As was the usual case when someone headed to Missoula, there would be requests to pick up this and that, a package being held, or some piece of furniture held for pick up. Some of the townspeople didn't like to head to the bigger center, not confident of their wolf's control around a lot of strangers.

Hence the extended trip. They had stayed at the pack-owned condo and shopped. They had sampled a new restaurant and found it acceptable. They had made a small dent in Costco's extensive inventory.

Dropping off the various packages around town, Sage had felt the unease as she visited more and more people. She had turned down tea after the first three houses, expressing the need to get home and unpack herself.

The common theme in each conversation had been that while she was away the tension in town had ratcheted up and finally was pointing straight at Asil. More than one had wondered if his attitude and the girls being away might be the cause.

Sage had dropped Anna and her packages off at the house and Charles had been at the door as they drove up. He had almost raced down the steps and enveloped his bride in his arms as she stepped out. Obviously their mating bond was alive and well and she had given him the heads up she was near.

Sage was happy that her 'Charlie' had found someone after all these years. Anna and Charles appeared to be so good for each other and while she had been friends with Charles over the years, there had never been even a spark of interest from either of them past friendship.

Sage headed to her little house nestled in the woods. She hopped out and unloaded her own purchases and then hopped back in to drive the vehicle back to Bran's house, and then would walk home. She loved to walk and her wolf approved of the exercise.

While striding along, she mulled over the remarks from the townspeople. She would go home and make something and drop it off tomorrow at Asil's house, and the excuse would be that she wanted to pick his brain on the flowers for the upcoming wedding. While he only grew roses, he had a very good grasp of which flowers would be appropriate for such an occasion.

Sage helped out any who asked for assistance as sort of a volunteer wedding planner. Not that living in a town the size of Aspen Creek needed planning and taking hours and hours of work, but it was something she liked to do as a hobby.

()()()()

After a good night's sleep in her own bed, Sage hummed as she packed her basket. She had made a stew that reminded her of her home so long ago. The spices that had been waiting to be picked up were fresh, but the seeds to plant in her garden in the spring were even more appreciated. She had added in a cherry cobbler that he had never turned down, and the package of tea he had ordered from his homeland of oh so long ago was also in the basket.

She dropped over to chat and immerse herself in his flowers in his beloved greenhouse. Her wolf was on edge today and she wanted the usually calming atmosphere that the greenhouse and it's tiny residents gave her. It wasn't time for the full moon as yet but she couldn't get over how restless she was. Normally she was more in control.

Unfortunately, Asil was appearing to be having another bad day himself and nothing he was attempting was to his satisfaction. The soil mix felt wrong for his little ones; the heater wasn't working to his exact requirements; and just generally, the air in the greenhouse was off. Off, not like cool or hot, but just off.

Asil had banned her to the far end of the greenhouse away from him and ordered her to deadhead flowers if she wanted to make herself useful, or better yet, leave.

She had mentioned that she had brought a picnic basket of food. That too had set him off and he had then openly growled at her and ordered her to leave, and preferably, never return.

She had walked with as much dignity as she could past him, simply raising an eyebrow in his direction as she headed out the door. She closed the door softly, even then remembering the first tirade she had heard from Asil about not scaring the precious plants as they continued their journey through life. That too was off. Usually Asil was the one to state attitude in his greenhouse would hurt his little ones and to leave it outside.

By the time she had made it safely into the car and driving down the driveway, the strong front she had portrayed deflated and her tears started to roll unchecked down her cheeks. She hoped that the sound of a heart literally breaking from grief wasn't audible to werewolf ears and he couldn't hear that he was essentially driving her away. He had been forcing more and more distance between them lately but the animosity was new and it turned out it was more than she could take.

She had sought refuge as she drove past Charles and Anna's house, happy to see the SUV that Charles had purchased for Anna's exclusive use sitting in its' parking space. The steering wheel of her car seemed to turn on its own to begin the drive to the front step.

Anna heard the car stop and was beside the driver's door, not asking questions but opening her arms to comfort her friend.

She and Sage had bonded as women and friends the first time they met. Each had their own horror stories of life with a former pack and while they had never exactly exchanged notes, acknowledged that they both had had a pretty bad time. Sure, there were rumors and tidbits of information had leaked out, but all the real and total tales had never been confirmed.

()()()()

Sage sat on the cedar step looking out.

"I'm thinking of asking Bran to allow me to leave."

Female werewolves were not allowed to run as lone wolves and it was the law, however outdated that they must be a member of a pack. Bran, the Marrock was very, very firm on that.

Twenty years she had been here and felt healed, at least on the outside. Maybe Bran could pave the way for her to find somewhere new to live. Maybe she could go back home. Her old wolf pack had been resurrected was now being led by a new Alpha and by all reports he sounded fair and hopefully wise beyond his years.

If she thought about it, she missed home. She missed the weather, and the air, and the scenery, and the unique attitude from the Southwest. She missed the spices in the foods, not that werewolves needed spices, but it was nice to take the time sometimes and not just throw a hunk of red meat on the table and dig in.

Anna stood up as Sage rose to her feet. She could sense that her friend had made a decision and she could see that her mind was at peace.

She would ask Bran tomorrow if he would consider her request.