by L M Lacee
Sage wished she was able to shed her own tears but her rage barely held in check burned hot in her soul. Her heart was heavy with sadness for what was to come. She straightened her shoulders as she forced her feelings deep within herself and held them there along with her screams of outrage at the senseless death of an innocent.
CHAPTER THREE:
T he opening of the back doors brought her attention back from her thoughts. As she watched the Alpha walk out onto his deck that surrounded the newly completed fifteen bedroom mansion he and his mate called home.
He looked over the throng of females who filled his backyard and out beyond to where his pack surrounded his property. He wiped the remainder of his meal from his lips as he moved to the edge of the deck. Then in his deep bass voice, he demanded of Sage. “Niece, what is the meaning of this?”
Sage took one step forward and swept her hand towards Mary and her burden. “You and yours broke the agreement Alpha Harris. We have come, so you can see what has become of one of the chosen you pledged the Goddess to protect.”
Robard Harris and two of his betas moved down the two sweeping steps. While his mate and her betas moved to take his place, and so they could see better. Robard was still a handsome man of sixty. Like all shifters he looked half his age and prided himself on staying fit and stronger than his men. He was a huge strongly, muscled male standing six foot-four with a thick chest and wide shoulders. He was blessed with long black hair that matched his dark eyes and a straight nose which led to a hard mouth and a small goatee. Which he often referred to as his only vanity.
He eyed the females in his yard and sighed, so many… there were so many females. He mentally snorted, that of course was the problem he and his Pearl had not foreseen, when they had made the deal with the Goddess.
The effect on his full-blood males was they no longer were restrained from taking human lovers or looking for a mate amongst the humans. And as he stood here now looking at these females in his yard, he once again saw the fruits of those unions. For some unknown reason the shifters were very prolific when mating with a human female. Sadly as well as disturbing was the fact only females were ever produced from these unions. He had finally been forced to issue a threat of banishment to the males to try to stem the birth rate.
Alarmingly it seemed that while the half-blood population grew, the full-blooded community was declining at a rate never seen before. Of course only he knew of this, he had designed a coded message system that kept the reports from the Alpha’s throughout the world secret. Therefore, insuring no one other than himself was able to decipher the contents. The claims of decreased full-blood births left him confused and disturbed. He could find no reason for it, or worse a solution. Fear of a challenge to his leadership kept him from sharing this knowledge with his mate or pack. He reasoned the Goddess had her own justifications for this, but it troubled him greatly.
Robard returned from his worries as he heard Pearl gasp and cover her mouth when she saw the body of the young girl in her sister’s arms. He demanded harshly. “What are you implying Sage? We, my people did not do this.” He looked at his men, who shook their heads. No one had talked about the death of a half-blood to them or reported such.
John his first beta said in a slightly scornful tone. “It looks like she tried to shift.” He shrugged his shoulders dismissively. “It happens Alpha.”
“Especially to the young. Half-bloods should not try to shift. Foolish bitch.” Dick, his second beta sneered as he looked over the females who were present. Taking note of those that should be working, not here moaning of a death no one cared about. Robard, Alpha of the Western Mountains Pack and overseer of the shifter nation, relaxed his tense shoulders and spine as he listened to his men. It was obvious what had happened, his niece was getting above herself. Maybe his Pearl was right, Sage needed to be mated. Again he mentally snorted, this time with disgust. There was no blame to be laid at his door. He and his people’s hands were clean of this incident. Still he couldn’t help the trickle of unease that gripped his soul as his eyes searched Sage’s calm face.
He had planned a quiet night with his mate and friends over two or three bottles of wine, not to be dealing with this bullshit. His days were hard enough this is what he employed Sage for after all, and here she was leading the rabble.
For eight years Sage had worked for her uncle as his secretary and unofficial liaison between the half-blood females and the members of the pack. She had been twenty years old when she found her way to her uncle’s home, after her mother had passed away. Her best quality as far as Robard was concerned was her calm assurance that all would be put right with time. As well as her vast patience and unwavering belief that if she just worked harder and tried harder, she would find solutions to any problem. He admired that about h as he had about her father…of course like his brother, she was wrong. But he never disabused her of the notion or the belief that if she worked hard then her life and everyone else’s would be better.
Sage’s attitude along with her sense of humor convinced most people to respond positively to her requests. At twenty-eight she was an amazing package of energy combined with a sharp intelligence and an abundance of untapped power. From her father she had received his fairness of mind and his innate sense of justice. Not however his fleet of foot or his sable hair coloring. From her mother she received an immense wealth of power, reinforced by her father’s wolf-blood as well as her mother’s sense of humor and compassion for others. She however did not receive her mother’s beauty or gracefully slender physique.
Unfortunately, Sage did not physically take after either of her beautiful parent. Where they had both been slim and tall she was short standing only five foot- five. In fact Sage often thought of herself as the typical average female. She often overlooked her blue eyes that were fringed with long dark lashes, making the color seem more other-worldly.
As Robard looked into the eyes of his niece he could swear a light shone from their depths. Tempering his anger as another less patient sigh escaped he looked over the faces of the females present. While he tried to keep the exasperation and scorn from his voice. “You heard what my betas have said.” He shrugged as he reasserted. “It looks like the young girl tried to shift. I am sorry that it happened, but it is a higher probability that a half-blood will die as a result of trying to shift than a full-blood.”
Robard meant pure-blood, but he tried not to use that term. The half-bloods and Sage seemed to get upset by it. As no one made a sound or moved. He couldn’t help the irritation that entered his tone from showing as he stated.
“It is sad I know. Nature will have her way, there is nothing to be done. You should return to your homes and prepare her for burial.”
He pulled on the tuft of chin hair as the tension of the females finally communicated itself to him. “It is the way of the young half-bloods to push boundaries. Mine and I will not be held responsible for some young girl’s foolish mistake.”
A hard female voice called out from the back of the pack. “So what you are saying then Alpha, is little Flora and us half-bloods are not yours?”
Robard felt a line of sweat snake down his spine something else was going on here. He quickly stepped back from his earlier statement and allowed a little of what made him the Alpha to enter his voice. He had found it was usually enough to quell any argument. “Do not be ridiculous! That is not what I said. Young full-bloods as well as half-bloods will push the limits of their endurance. They always have. This is what I mean. The young girl pushed past her limitations and suffered for it. We of the pack are saddened and will grieve for her passing, but once again I say. We did not cause this tragic accident.”
Sage stepped back beside Mary and her burden, her eyes remained on both the Alphas and their betas as she gently turned the young girl Flora’s chin. “And the knife wound in her neck, the one that ended her life. That is of no consequence?”
Robard Harris drew in his breath and closed his eyes. His wolf snarling wit
h disbelief as his mind screamed. No...No! Dear Goddess No! This cannot be happening?
Opening his eyes, he looked again at all the females and saw what he had missed before, beyond the grief and anger. Distrust and hatred filled their eyes and hardened their faces. How had he missed this, how had his people close to him missed this? He held his hands out imploringly.
“Sage! Ladies! Please believe me. Neither I nor any of mine did this terrible deed. I will find out who did, I swear.”
The eyes that stared back at him from the face of his niece belonged to a stranger as did the voice that spoke from her lips. Alpha Robard Harris and Alpha Pearl Harris. I placed in yours and the Western Mountain pack’s hands, the safe keeping of those of my blood. Now I find one of mine dead. What say you?
Robard felt sweat dampen his body as his mind scrambled to comprehend what was happening. “Goddess! I will find out what happened here today.”
What happened is one of yours took the life from this sweet child. For their own pleasure!
Robard drew himself to his full height, fear and outrage battling for supremacy in his mind as his voice filled with the growl of his wolf. “Goddess! If this is so? Allow me to find the one and punish them.”
He heard his mate’s sharply indrawn breath along with the gasps of her betas. But before he could question the reason for hers or their concern. A pain the like of which he had never felt before attacked his body. He felt his wolf succumb to the agony he was feeling and howl from the depths of his soul, joined by all the wolves from his pack.
Then as quickly as it came, it was gone and he found himself on his knees breathing heavily. Raising his eyes from the ground, he looked up into the eyes of his Goddess, who had grown and now filled the sky with her presence. Her voice thundered out over the world, shaking the ground he kneeled upon. “YOU THINK I LIE ALPHA?”
Barely able to speak he gasped out. “No Goddess, please forgive my words.”
She stared down at him and as she did he realized every full-blood shifter were on their knees. Unlike the half-blood females who remained standing. Fear coated the back of his throat and tongue as once again the Goddess’s voice filled with anger and betrayal, thundered through his mind and body.
“You think Alpha, that I do not know who killed my chosen?”
“No Goddess.” Robard managed through dry lips as he closed his eyes and tried to take a full breath. When he returned his eyes to hers, she had returned Sage’s body to her normal size and her voice was quieter. I trusted you Alpha, to keep the ones I sent to you safe. You have failed to uphold your side of the bargain we made. My chosen live in squalor while you and yours do not. My chosen are barely able to feed and clothe the young your males visit upon them. You and yours do not. My chosen work until they almost die of exhaustion for barely any return. You and yours enjoy the profits from their labor. All Alphas and all full-blood shifters have failed my chosen!
She shook her head as her eyes wept tears that scorched the grass surrounding her. Therefore, I have no option but to rescind our agreement. The contract is void.
She looked at him, tears in her voice as she said softly. I am so disappointed. I had great hopes for you Robard Harris. Sadly your brother was right. You and your mate were never capable of upholding the agreement. I should have listened to him.
The Goddess released Sage’s body back to her as sorrow swept the world. With one sorrowful look at her uncle, Sage turned and walked to the back of the yard. Only then did Robard climb to his feet and step up onto the deck and helped his mate to her feet. At the same time realizing that Sage was the only female left on his property. It took him two tries but finally he managed to say hoarsely.
“Wait, Goddess... Please! This can be fixed... I can fix this! Just tell me who did this, and I will make it right.”
She turned and looked at him. He found he could not read the expression on her face. “She is gone uncle. She is very sad and angry.”
“Sage baby, don’t go. You know what will happen if you go. Stay! Make them all come back and stay. I can fix this, please!” When she made no move to comply, he yelled. “Sage!”
With her face now devoid of all expression, she spread her hands wide saying. “I could not make that happen even if I wanted too. You and your pure-bloods, angered the Goddess and she does not forgive easily and neither do I.”
Anger finally whipped between them as she yelled, causing the ground to tremble. “You uncle had one chance, and you squandered it!” Her eyes swept the others and landed once again on his mate and her betas.
Sage always knew of her aunt’s resentment at the perceived threat she had represented to her leadership. Due mainly to the fact Sage had immense influence on the females of the Western Mountain pack, who had sought her guidance more often than Pearl or her betas. Sadly the Alpha pair had produced no offspring adding to Pearl’s resentment of Sage who was a child from the true Alpha of the pack. Pearl hated Sage for being her father’s daughter and for the secret she held within her own heart, her love for Sage’s father. As far as Pearl was concerned, Sage was a constant reminder of her own failure to have the male she wanted. Not the male her wolf had decided on for a mate.
She nodded her head at them. “She sealed your fate uncle. They are responsible, as are you for turning a blind eye to what was happening. I begged you uncle to change the way you viewed the ones your males conceived but you denied the problem. So you will now reap what you have sown.”
Dick stepped down off the porch as anger poured from him mixed with a healthy dose of fear. “That’s bullshit! She’s fucking lying! We did nothing wrong. If the half-bloods are fucked up, it is their own fault. We did nothing wrong!”
Sage stared from Dick to her uncle as she said. “Right there is one of your reasons and your answer for what has happened.” Her eyes traveled once more over each person who stood with Robard. “I wish I could say I was sorry, but I will not lie.”
Robard thought of a hundred things he wanted to say, instead he pleaded with her. “Sage… niece. Tell me who did this?”
She turned from him pushing him to the edge of his temper as he took a step forward and barked out. “Sage!”
Without turning around she answered. “Your mate and her betas. Who else?” Driving the air from his lungs as he staggered back away from her and her words and his mate who looked at him out of cold black eyes. With supreme effort he remained standing, refusing to allow his legs to buckle dropping him to his knees again.
Then he watched Sage step into the glowing sphere that had appeared in front of her. The most powerful Alpha of the world watched as his small niece, the daughter of his late brother enter the sphere. That slowly faded away, the last he saw of her was her back as she walked from his world.
CHAPTER FOUR:
R obard Harris stood knees locked while he watched the residual glow fade slowly into blackness. All the while the words from his niece seeped into his brain and took up residence. He moved down the steps to stand beside his two betas as shock held him silent. While the males and females from his pack in and out of wolf form. Walked slowly into his backyard filling up the space that just a few short minutes ago, held hundreds of angry grief stricken females.
Robard, Alpha for the great nation of shifters, turned and stared at his mate. A beautiful pure-blood wolf. Pearl had long sable hair and grey eyes in a narrow face with skin that glowed with good health and vitality. She was tall slim and everything he had ever wanted in a mate. But he lived constantly with the knowledge that even though their wolves were mates, there was something missing from their union. Pearl did not share the same deep love for him that he held for her which he believed resulted in Pearls inability to get pregnant. Therefore, he had tolerated and turned a blind eye to Pearl’s quirks and abrasive nature. As well as her superior attitude to any who were not of pure-blood. No one had ever complained to him directly or indirectly. When on occasion he questioned the females, they never told him or showed signs of fear or abus
e. He assumed, incorrectly it seemed that Pearl stayed within the guide lines of how the half-bloods must be treated.
Sage had been telling him for years that all was not right within his pack and that the females were unhappy but he had not listened. He realized now he had relied too much on his betas and his mate’s reports on the health and morale of the pack. He now saw the rare times he did speak to a female it was not to learn anything, it had solely been to appease Sage.
He shook his head as he thought back on the excuses he had given himself and her. The times he had proclaimed it was her job to oversee the half-bloods, which was why he had employed her. He now understood that was just a way of brushing the problems away. He closed his eyes and tried to think of what to do, how to make this right and realized there was nothing! She had been killed in his territory by his mate, they as a pack had failed her. He had failed her and failed all half-bloods, failed his pack and his Goddess. They were supposed to be the protectors. He and his mate had agreed to safeguard all of the chosen. Now she, his beloved, his Pearl, had not only betrayed their Goddess and their pack, but she had betrayed him. Her mate!
He hung his head as he thought about what she had done. She had taken a young innocent girls life and then sat down to dinner with him as though nothing had happened. What did that say about him as a mate? As an Alpha… He looked out over the pack that surrounded him as they waited for him to explain. Waiting for him to heal the shock and pain they all felt coming from him. Sadness invaded his heart as his people waited silently, not understanding it was all gone. The Goddess would have no choice now. They had broken her trust in so many ways. He saw what Sage had been trying to tell him. What she had pleaded for him to do. “Look!” She had said on so many occasions, when just the two of them had walked the streets of the town late at night surrounding his estates. “Just look around uncle and see what is happening!”
