Chapter 18

I needed to run.I was short with my people and felt like a rubber band stretched too far and ready to snap. With the decision made, I tossed the report onto my desk.

"What?" Sig asked. He was sitting in the oversized chair against the far wall.

"I need to run." I stood and pushed my hips forward, arching my back in a stretch.

"Let's go." He followed me from my office.

Sig didn't like me taking a solo run. We had too many enemies. Not that they were stronger than us, but history tells of many who momentarily let down their guard and paid dearly for the misstep.

He followed me outside and changed forms.

I didn't need to check. I could feel him behind me as we covered the snow-covered miles. While I ran, I could turn my brain off. I had no worries, only the fresh snow under my paws, warm sun, and cool breeze.

We came upon a small shack. After changing into our human forms, we entered the building. The movies and books were wrong. The Lady's magic allowed us to picture in our minds the clothing we wished to wear when we changed to our human forms.

Sig started to stack the wood in the fireplace while I paced around the room's perimeter.

"What troubles you most?" he asked as he struck the match.

I paused and shot him a disgruntled look. We'd used this shack many times to discuss options and plans. "Anton."

"You refuse to kill him." Sig stood and went to one of the old chairs near the fireplace.

"With him dead, I would be expected to take over." I pulled the other chair closer to the fire.

"I assume that you have not changed your mind about becoming Packleader."

"I do not want the responsibility. I've known this since I was a pre-teen."

"And yet…here we are." Sig looked resigned, and I noticed, tired.

"The Lady can strike any time, yet people are coming for this ridiculous ball." I shook my head at their idiocy.

"Perhaps some are hoping for that to happen." Sig lifted and dropped his right shoulder. "We can become bored. Perhaps witnessing or taking part in a mass extermination has appeal to some."

I pursed my lips as I considered what I wanted to say next.

"You've carried concerns for years about the Pack's end. Something new has happened." He studied me closely.

"Sage."

"Ah." He nodded slowly. "She has an interesting energy."

I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Talia brought her here. The human works and keeps to herself. She doesn't seem interested in what is happening here."

"But she notices." She was too intelligent not to.

"She does," he agreed. "She must have a strong survival instinct and is playing ambivalent. It is the safe choice."

"I want…everything with her," I blurted.

I rarely saw surprise register on Sig's face. He quickly covered up the initial shock.

"She is my mate," I announced quietly.

Sig opened his mouth and then closed it as he blinked quickly.

"She doesn't know," I said quietly.

"Have you informed Anton?"

"Yesterday."

"I take it he was not pleased." Sig's lips tightened, but he said nothing more. He knew Anton.

"It is because she is human."

"Plus, he has always wanted to use you as bait to join with a Council family."

"The Redds do not have enough assets or respect to lure a powerful family into a Contracted Mating."

"You are respected even with your unfortunate affiliation with Anton," Sig said. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." I stared at the flames. "If I keep her, I could be signing her death warrant, tying her to the Redds."

"The Lady might not act for years, Bredon."

"Is it fair to bring her into our world? This life?" My voice was getting louder as I shared my fears. "Can she live amongst us happily? She'd be giving up so much."

"She will be gaining the other half of her soul."

I'd never thought of Sig as a romantic. "She is…frustrated with me."

"Is she?" He looked as if he was fighting a smile.

"I have so much to tell her before I can make her mine. It would only be fair."

"She spends so much time in that blasted storage room. Otherwise, she might have seen someone change. Then that issue would have been solved." Sig was really complaining that he was seeing less of Talia.

"I don't know what to do," I shared.

"If you have her once, you will never give her up." Sig shared my belief. "You must tell her everything first. Allow her time to absorb it all and wait for her answer."

"My wolf doesn't want to give her up."

"The longer she is here, the greater the chance you will have her."

"I can't send her away. Talia's been given an important opportunity."

Sig frowned. "You never could say no to Talia."

"She survived because of her talent. I cannot deny her dreams and success."

"You are playing a dangerous game, my friend." Sig let out a loud breath. "You've found your mate. That is cause for celebration. I don't care that she is human. I also don't care that one day, you will need to leave the Redds to keep her safe."

I started to disagree, but he continued talking.

"The Lady has plans for you both. I believe you should cooperate with our Goddess."

"No matter what I do, I will be dishonoring somebody's wishes," I said, frowning.

"You have kept your word for years. You have served the Pack. When and if Sage's safety is at risk, you will do anything and everything to keep her safe."

"Anton would not dare to move against me through her." The moment the words left my lips, I knew I was wrong.

Anton would try. He would believe Sage to be weak.

"I have faith that you will make the right decision when the time comes." Sig continued staring at the fire. "Talia and I will follow."

I could only hope that he was right.