Thanks for reading. All mistakes are mine.

Chapter 7

Sage tossed and turned. The bed was strange and the sounds from the highway outside bothered her ears. She had forgotten to turn on the clock radio beside her bedside and she could hear every squeak of the chair Michael sat on outside as he shifted his weight.

Morning finally came and she dragged herself out of bed, taking a quick shower and packing up her belongings to check out. She planned on having breakfast then returning to her room, knowing that Michael would have followed her down. Well, she would pay for his breakfast to thank him for losing a night's sleep and let him assist as she signed out.

She made a mental note to check with the desk about packing up Tristan's belongings too. There was no sense in paying for a room that he wasn't going to be spending time in.

Breakfast was hot and plentiful and as they ate, she asked what it was like in Sandy as a resort town.

Michael smiled.

"I love it here. I love to ski and snowboard and am on the local Search and Rescue force. As a matter of fact," he smiled," most of the force are werewolves and our rescue efforts have saved many an injured or lost visitor. When we came out, it was really hard to prove that we are not just fang and claw, but citizens living in town doing good work."

He elaborated that some of the werewolves had lost jobs when their employers had realized who they were but it was slowly settling down. They had been good workers before and would be good workers again. He shrugged in resignation.

"Carl is a really good Alpha. He talked to us before we came out and warned us this might happen. We are in a small community and people in small towns don't like change. But, some of the businesses are re-hiring."

He helped by bringing down the bag and Sage carried her rose, cushioning it from the cold inside her jacket close to her body.

Since this was his town, Sage handed over her keys and settled in the passenger seat as Michael drove.

He stopped at a pretty house on a large parcel of land, parking in the driveway.

Sage noticed that the window coverings upstairs moved and less than a minute later, the front door opened. Standing there was a middle aged woman who looked like she was just heading to the gym.

Michael grabbed her bag from the back seat and walking ahead of Sage, made for the front door. Sage followed a bit hesitantly, not sure how she was going to be feeling staying at a home with only a few hours' notice given to the owners.

Monica had a welcoming smile on her face and gestured for them to come on in.

Michael put the bag on the mat by the door and stepped out, walking down the driveway to a truck with oversized tires that had just driven down the street. He hopped in and waved as they pulled away.

Sage stood in the entranceway.

Monica was not a werewolf but her demeanor was calm. She walked toward Sage and her arms opened, enveloping her in a motherly hug.

"Peter's just out on an errand and will be back shortly," she said. "He's third in the pack and knows what's going on. He's also a lawyer by profession and will be representing your young man later this morning. I'm Monica by the way and welcome to our home."

Sage tried to relax but she could feel her muscles still bunching with tension.

"Would it be possible to be at the bail hearing when Tristan is brought in front of the judge?"

Monica paused to consider the request.

"Well, I think that Peter would be the better person to ask on that and I can hear him just now pulling onto the driveway."

They waited and before long there were footsteps coming up the walk and stamping on the front step. The door opened and a very tall, and muscular man stepped through the door. He was at least six feet tall with blond hair, but it was the Nordic features that Sage noticed the most. He looked like he could wield an axe taking a tree down in short order, or pull on the oars like the Vikings of long ago.

Monica stepped forward and gave a kiss to his cheek in greeting and smiled as she was enveloped in a one-armed hug in return.

"Peter, this is Sage…..," and she stopped. "I don't believe I know your last name."

Sage smiled. "Pleased to meet you both. My name is Sage Carhardt."

She shook hands with Peter as Monica was already striding down the hallway.

"I'm making coffee but if you don't like that, I have tea or hot chocolate too."

Sage hesitated and Monica stopped.

"I hate to bother you but I would prefer tea or just plain water if it's too much trouble."

Monica shushed her.

"I have a brew station and it's absolutely no problem. I have plain tea, peppermint tea or jasmine."

Sage nodded her head. "Peppermint would be wonderful."

Peter motioned Sage to follow him to his office. He had a folder in his hand and signaled for her to seat herself in a soft chair in front of his desk while he moved around to sit facing her.

"I've just seen your young man. It seems that he has a number of charges that will be read to him later. My Alpha has been in contact with the Marrock, and I can safely say that if I were him, I'd be very happy that he's as far away as he is. That being said, I will do what I can but I don't think that he will be continuing on your journey to Santa Fe and that's where I have been asked for your input."

Sage sat up a little straighter.

"As I said, my Alpha has been in contact with Bran. Unfortunately we don't have anyone who can take time off to escort you to your destination. We are in the middle of a winter festival and all our members are fully booked. He has grudgingly given permission for you to travel the rest of the way unescorted, but with conditions. You will call him every two hours and at the first hint of trouble you are to pull into the first town and rent a room until someone comes.

I gathered from conversation with Carl that Bran is not a happy camper right now and blames himself for sending you with someone who was so obviously not ready to be tasked with this deed."

Sage smiled in spite of herself and relaxed. Bran was giving her the permission she had asked for in the first place. She knew how to stay safe.

Sage relaxed into her chair but she had a question.

"I'll call him later and thank him for placing his confidence in me. That being said, have you any idea when I can continue on to Santa Fe? My new pack want to do the ceremony and have scheduled something special in the way of a hunt."

Peter looked at the file and pursed his lips.

"I will petition the Judge that you are an innocent travelling companion in this and hope he will agree to let you leave town. I really don't see a problem, especially since Bran arranged for payment of the hotel rooms, and the damage to the bar."

Just then Monica stepped into the room with a tray holding two cups and some cream and sugar containers with some dainty spoons laid perfectly on a napkin.

"I'll just leave this for you two since you probably have some business to discuss. Lunch will be whenever you are finished in court."

Sage thanked her and picked up her cup. She could smell the peppermint tea and sat back with her cup in her hand and inhaled the smell, feeling herself relax.

Peter took his own cup and added a spoonful of sugar and some milk and proceeded to stir it with one of the spoons.

His phone rang and Peter put down the cup.

"Peter Magnusson," came the strong greeting.

Sage could hear the conversation that Tristan was to be arraigned in a little over an hour. Peter signed off and finished his coffee.

"We should go so that we can get there in time. It's across town and we need to get there to find a parking spot. I swear they forgot that people need to park and not just comment on the lovely building," he grumbled.

Monica was standing in the hallway as they put on their coats and boots.

"Knock 'em dead," she smiled as she ushered them out the door.

()()()()

Bran put down his pen and closed his lap top. He had enough time to grimace as he looked up to see Asil framing the doorway. His face was a shade of cinnamon hearts and his breathing was slightly elevated as if he had run all the way from his house.

He could already guess how Asil had found out the information. That bloody delivery boy had ears that picked up everything and he was quick to start passing any information around hoping for a reaction. He vowed to speak to his mother later.

Asil snarled.

"What's this about Sage having trouble? I thought by now she would have been safely situated with her new pack. I hear that Tristan was arrested for causing a disturbance and appeared in front of a judge. I told you that youngster was way too young to be tasked with the job of going with Sage. Then, I find out that her trip was delayed by vehicle trouble? And now I hear that she's having to travel the last day alone?"

His nostrils had flared as he spoke and his hands were clenched by his side.

Bran spoke softly trying to diffuse the situation before anyone said something they might regret later.

"I gave Sage permission to travel the last part of her journey alone, but, I did put on conditions."

He watched Asil as he continued.

"She's to call me, not text, every two hours and at the first sign of trouble is to get to the nearest town and sign herself into a hotel and wait for backup."

Bran opened his laptop and turned it around so that Asil could see the map. He noted that Bran was pinpointing her trip with computer dots. She obviously was making good time and it looked like she would get to Santa Fe before nightfall.

"How did she sound? Stressed, concerned, what?"

Bran began to softly growl. Asil was beginning to step on toes with his questions and Bran was ready to put him back in his place.

"She's fine and I'm handling it. I suggest you go home and try to relax. I'll let you know when she gets there, but until that time, you need to get a grip on your emotions. She is more than capable of travelling on her own and short of some mishap, will be at her destination soon. As a matter of fact, I am also expecting her new Alpha to contact me as soon as she reaches town."

Asil began to speak but Bran had had enough and his power flared.

Asil closed his mouth and turned his head baring his throat.

Bran turned the computer around and began to work, signifying that the conversation was now over and Asil grudgingly spun on his heel and headed back out the door.

Bran looked up as the front door closed. He was getting too old to be dealing with this shit.