Chapter 16

"Do you know where Sage is?"I made sure that I didn't use a demanding tone with the servant.

"I believe she is out, Sir. She carried her coat over her arm." The girl didn't raise her chin.

This time, I made sure that my tone was kind. "Thank you, Astrid." I knew the names of those who worked in our wing. I wasn't a total asshole.

This was my first opportunity to see Sage since the evening in the storage room. It was as if Anton was purposely working against me.

He surrounded himself with lackeys who bowed and agreed with his every whim. He called upon me only when things had gone to shit.

However, he had decided I should remind Travis Burke that we had not received payment.

The Burke Leader was much like Anton. He offered a multitude of excuses once I finally got to speak with him over the telephone.

I spent half a day gathering the contract and other paperwork before the call. Then after, I also had to visit the disagreeable Charles Burke. I learned that he had called his father to complain about his treatment under our roof.

That took another day to troubleshoot. We would not install satellite television for Charles's entertainment. The same went for the internet so that he could watch porn. Neither would we provide women or, in his words, whores for him to enjoy.

The male was a pig, and I refused to go to Sage after spending time in his presence.

I also avoided listening to Anton's many concerns about the preparations for the blasted ball.

After giving my report of my visit with Travis Burke, Anton slyly mentioned that he had issued three invitations to candidates he considered acceptable choices to become my Contracted Mate.

"It is far past time, Bredon. Your mating would solidify an alliance and gain the Redds more good fortune and power."

I took the opportunity to inform him that I'd found my True Mate.

Anton sputtered so intensely that beads of spittle gathered at the corners of his mouth, and his face turned red. "Where did you find her?"

"Here." I grinned. This would put an end to his using me to gain more power.

"Now?" His small eyes narrowed. "Who is she?"

"Sage Isaacs."

"That name means nothing to me. Who are her people? Which bloodline was she born to?"

"You would not know of them." I wanted to enjoy this moment. Watching Anton after I dropped a bomb was always entertaining but, unfortunately, sometimes concerning. "She is human."

"She is what?"

I wondered if Lycans could have a stroke or if their hearts exploded.

Anton's face was now an unhealthy shade of reddish-purple, and he held his body so stiffly that he began to shake. "How could you meet a human here?"

"I believe you accepted the payment from Talia, allowing her to bring an assistant to help with her work."

"But I was not told she was human," his voice still thundered.

"I reviewed the paperwork the same night that I met her. It was disclosed."

"I cannot believe this." He placed his fisted hands on his hips. "You claim that she is your True Mate." He shook his head. "Why do you deserve one and not me?"

"Only The Lady would know," I told him. I had asked the same question in the early morning hours after meeting Sage. When no answer had come readily, I'd stopped questioning and was grateful for this magnificent gift.

I proceeded to request permission to show her my true self.

He was trying to come up with a reason to refuse my request—even though the Lady had decided, and Her choice trumped his.

I wanted to move things along. I pointed out that the Pack would be disappointed in The Lady's choice for me. I had been given a weak human while The Lady had blessed his Contracted Mating to Dagmar.

As much as my news displeased him, he had no choice. "Tell her what you are, but even you cannot save her if she jeopardizes our safety."

I bent at the waist and then hastily made my exit. I stopped in my room for my jacket and gloves and headed outside. It was not difficult to locate Sage. My wolf led me directly to her.

She was not alone.

Nor did I like the male who was flirting with her. Viggo Larsson and his father had joined the Redds when I was a boy. Their Pack had been decimated in a battle over land. I'd never liked the male because he wanted much but did little.

"Sage," I called as I neared.

She turned in my direction. "Bredon." She then looked away as her mouth tightened.

I'd upset her.

"Second." Viggo met my gaze challengingly. He'd sensed my interest in Sage.

"He was educating me on the weather here," Sage explained with a fake smile.

It pleased my wolf that she was not impressed by the other male.

"I found her sitting alone…unattended," Viggo told me.

"Apparently, he believes I should have an escort to take my daily walk." Sage's eyes flashed with anger.

"It is unsafe for those like her to wander freely." Viggo studied her as he spoke. "You must agree, Bredon."

"I have not run with scissors since I arrived." She blinked her eyes quickly, multiple times.

"You are a distraction and, to some, a challenge," Viggo said, hoping to frighten her into complying with his mandate that she should not be left unattended on her walks. "Few are strong enough to ignore a treat such as her sitting alone."

"If I come across others enjoying the sunshine, I don't try to engage, and they leave me alone." She gave Viggo a vicious side-eye.

"I am sure that Sage will be fine." I took her hand and pulled her to her feet. "I know that your time is valuable." I smiled slightly, knowing she would approve that I respected her time and ability to navigate safely while enjoying her time outside.

"Why is that?" Viggo looked between Sage and me. "Why is she here?"

I felt her hand tighten in mine.

She would hate that he now addressed his questions about her to me.

"Sage is a renowned art curator. She is cataloging Talia's work."

"Can't one of the servants do that?" Viggo proposed rudely.

"I'm sure they could, but that is not all that I do," Sage took over. She spoke slowly as if he was a dolt, "I've studied all over the world and worked for the Tate and several well-respected galleries. My job involves much more than packing photos in boxes."

"Is your family poor?" he asked.

She didn't hide her outrage and confusion.

Viggo felt he needed to expound, "The only females who work are from families that are poor."

"Okay." She shook her head. "My family is no concern of yours." She turned to me. "Bredon, was there something you needed?"

"I had a few questions about what we discussed the other night."

"Do you mean a week ago?" Ice entered her tone.

"I can explain."

"You know what? I think I've had enough of men explaining things to me today." Sage walked quickly toward the door to our wing.

"I will have to thank Talia." Viggo's slimy grin made me want to punch him. "She will be a delightful interlude. Taming those with fire is always enjoyable."

My wolf wanted to rip his head from his shoulders. "It would be best if you do not approach her again." I fought to keep the growl from my voice.

He threw his head back and laughed. "You want to break her." He dipped his chin. "I will yield this time to you, Second."

I stared at him until he walked in the opposite direction of my mate.

I waited until dinner to approach Sage again. I needed to be smart when dealing with her. She was a modern woman who did not understand our ways.

Would she accept them?

Could I ask that of her?

Talia entered the dining room. "Hello, stranger. I was giving you three more nights, and then I was going to drag you from your office."

"In the future, don't wait that long." I tugged on a lock of her hair teasingly.

I heard her rushing footsteps before I saw Sage enter. "I thought I was going to be late." She paused, noticing that I was in attendance, rolled back her shoulders, and then walked to her chair.

"I say we don't wait for Sig," Talia announced.

"Are you trying to eat my share?" Sig joined us as he grinned at Talia.

"Now, my night is spoiled," Talia grumbled.

"Good evening, Sig," Sage told him softly.

"Miss." He nodded as he took his seat.

We made small talk during dinner. Tonight, Sig and Talia only did some minor sniping at one another.

When we finished, I followed Sage into the hallway. "A moment, please." I took hold of her wrist so that she couldn't escape.

Her green eyes flashed angrily. She did walk with me without having to be pulled along.

Once inside my suite of rooms, I paused to close the door.

She pulled her hand from mine. "Why now, Bredon? You asked for a few days to do whatever you felt you needed to do. Those days passed, and I heard nothing. More days passed, and I didn't see you. Now…now you drop back into my life and act thrilled to see me." She placed her hands on her hips. "I don't get it."

My wolf and I liked her fire.

She tilted her head to the left. "What's your deal?"

I pushed off the door, where I'd been resting my hip. "My deal..." I slowly made my way to her.

She backed away from me. However, her gaze never left mine.

"I will explain."

She stopped, and again, her hands went to her hips. "I can't wait."

"Sit with me." I looked toward the sofa and then back at her.

"This better be good." She might have stomped a little as she chose her place at the far end of the large sofa.

I sat beside her, but not too close. "I apologize, Sage. I see now that I should have sent you a note explaining my absence."

"Bredon, you walk past my room every night or morning. You could've knocked and had a five-minute conversation."

"I…I didn't want to intrude on your rest."

"From now on, you have my permission to intrude."

I found myself smiling. She was adorable.

"Talia managed to work into a few conversations that you'd been called upon by your brother and were busy."

"Half-brother," I corrected automatically. "Anton was a bit testy."

"He sounds like a bully."

"Don't say things like that," I cautioned her sharply.

"I call as I see ‘em." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Anton can be…difficult. He is petty and holds grudges."

"You don't like him. Why do you work for him?"

"The answer is complicated, and I should have been smarter in review."

"Isn't that always the way? Looking back, you wish you'd done things differently." Her body language told me that she was softening. She was still angry with me but was open to listening.

"What would you do differently?" I was curious.

"Many things." She pulled her leg under her other's thigh and turned toward me. "I was working for a gallery in New York. The politics were insane. My job was to catalog the work that was coming in. I wasn't careful about sharing my opinions. I regret not realizing the director and owners didn't care what I thought. If I had been savvier, I wouldn't have been fired."

"I am sure that you are not the first in your line of work to be let go," I defended her.

"Everybody gets fired in my field. The personalities are too big, and grudges are held onto for years." She smirked. "I was sure that I was wronged. It took a few years for me to learn from my mistakes."

"I spend much of my time anticipating Anton's moves and preparing for the fallout."

"I guess I shouldn't be mad since I don't understand what you do."

I was ready to tell her. My concern was how she would react.