This chapter is long, but there was no good place to break it up. All mistakes are mine.

Chapter 11

"Do you think Asil would be willing to fly down and we can travel back together?"

Bran smiled.

She was trying to obey his wishes on not travelling alone. She was trying to find a solution in her own mind of one person she could trust and Asil's name appeared to pop right up.

He reasoned that they would have two long days in a car together, just the two of them. If Asil's ears didn't fall off with her chatter, they might actually take the time to reveal their true feelings and finally acknowledge that they needed each other.

While Asil was an old wolf, he still had a few years in him and Sage would keep him young, or at least young at heart.

It sounded like a good idea. In fact, it sounded like a great idea.

He smiled as he spoke.

"I'm sure he can take a few days off from his greenhouse. After all, he keeps bragging that his watering system is the best of the best and he could step away for a while and nobody would even know he's gone."

He drummed his fingers on the table.

Sage sat there with her lower lip between her teeth. She didn't want to make it sound like she needed rescuing because he could become unglued at a moment's notice and charge in scaring everyone.

"You know Bran, I think that it might be better if you ask him. Then, if he doesn't want to, I'll know that whatever we had between us will continue to remain as friends only. If that happens, could Tag fly here?"

Bran thought about the request.

"I can contact him and someone will get back to you, but I do have a question."

He paused.

"Have you called him since you left?"

A tear made its way down her cheek and a soft 'No' came from her lips.

"I was hoping he would call me."

Bran shook his head.

He hung up and Sage gave the phone back to Nestor who was continuing to sit in his chair watching.

"I assume he'll get back to me very soon."

She looked at her watch.

"Well, it's almost lunch time. If you want, I can check out your kitchen and make something."

Nestor looked at her then shook his head.

"I have a restaurant that I like to go to just down the road. If you want to join me, we could take a drive down there for some authentic Mexican fare. You didn't seem to have trouble with the stew last night with all its' spices but if you'd rather stay here and make something…."

She smiled and standing up shook her head.

"I would love to get out. I haven't been to Santa Fe in a long time and I think it's probably changed a bit."

She headed to her room for her purse. Bran liked to arrange things very rapidly so that he could go on to other duties and she was expecting him to call, soon.

()()()()

Asil got a call in his head from Bran. Could he come and see him at his earliest convenience, which was Bran translation for 'move it'.

He turned off the tap. While the automatic watering system was working properly, he still liked to get his hands dirty and that included personally watering some of his little ones.

He opened and slid through the door, heading to his house for a coat, and footwear. He dismissed that there was at least two feet of snow on either side of the walk. He liked to work in the greenhouse barefoot reasoning that Sari had always worked in her garden barefoot and he had adopted her routine. He drove to the house and parked, walking up the stairs and opening the door. As usual, he didn't knock.

Taking off both his boots and his coat, he stepped to the door of the study.

Bran was working on his computer again and Asil waited for him to lift his head.

"You called?"

Bran nodded and waved him to a seat.

"I have a small problem," and Asil tensed up. "It seems that I was given a wrong impression of the pack that Sage was heading to and I have spoken to both her and the Alpha."

Asil was sitting up straight in his chair and he appeared ready to leap out of it.

Bran put his hand up and stopped him.

"No Asil. She's safe but it appears that when I spoke to Nestor of the Santa Fe Pack, and he said they were a traditional pack, I didn't fully understand what his interpretation of 'traditional' was."

Asil was almost vibrating with tension. If they had harmed even one hair on her, he wasn't sure how he was going to control his wolf in retribution.

Bran spoke again.

"Sage and he have come to a consensus that she not join his pack and she is asking if she can come back. Now, I still don't want to have her travelling alone," and he grimaced at the memory of worrying the whole time she had made the last leg, "and…," he hesitated.

Asil spoke.

"I am volunteering to fly down and drive back with her if you want me to, Bran. I can take a few days off and will ensure she arrives safely."

Bran appeared to be considering the offer. He was internally amused that this old wolf was so easily manipulated in his state of distraction but he kept his voice calm.

"Well, that would solve a lot of my problems if you would. By any chance, have you talked to her since she left?"

Asil grimaced a bit and shook his head.

He sighed and almost whispered.

"I was hoping she would call me."

Bran mentally shook his head at these two very stubborn people. He watched Asil walk out the door to make plans. He would contact Bran with the details and Bran would pass it on to both the Alpha and Sage.

Bran shook his head. He was too old to be bothering with affairs of the heart.

()()()()

She was just finishing her meal and she and Nestor had had a good conversation. Nestor was trying to pick her brain a bit about gradually changing the dynamics of his pack.

Sage sat with her face slightly wrinkled. She was careful as she spoke.

"Well, I think first you really need to have an information meeting with both your pack and their spouses or significant others. This will affect everyone and if they feel the need or the desire to stay the same, well you might not have anyone join unless they too have the same philosophy. At the same time, you have to make it clear that there will be no repercussions if they want change and you are not willing to accommodate that change. There always has to be some give and take although everyone will defer to you as Alpha."

She dropped her eyes and played with her food. This could be very dangerous territory to be advising an Alpha on anything, and especially from a woman but he had asked for her opinion.

She didn't want to dump on his parade but the simple fact that Alphas dictated how the pack was run sat squarely on his shoulders and he must be willing to accept some of the blame. Wolves took orders and if they had remained using old ways for this long it must point to the fact that Nestor liked it that way and had forced his pack to also conform to it.

Nestor too was playing with his fork in the Spanish rice before he spoke.

"While I'm sorry that you will be leaving, it might be the starting point that brought this to the forefront. I could see both consternation but also a bit of interest as you made your queries and your opposition to our plans known. It may well be time to take a look at our policies and make some changes."

Sage felt the sudden need to change the subject before it got too heavy and she spoke.

"I saw you come in with a briefcase and you were in a suit, so what is your professional occupation?"

Nestor smiled.

"I've been an investment broker for a long time. I sense trends and when I moved my pack to Santa Fe a number of years ago, I started up my own firm. A number of my wolves are employees and even with the downturn in the economy, we are fairly confident that we can weather the storm. "

He looked at her.

"If Charles wasn't in your proximity, I'd offer to handle anything you wanted to forward my way. Obviously due to our longevity, we need to move things around now and then and I have a number of older wolves who utilize my services."

Just then Sage's phone rang and she fished it out of her bag. She looked at Nestor as if asking if it was ok to answer it and he nodded his head. He would be able to hear any conversation anyway.

Sage flipped up her little phone and spoke.

"Sage here."

Nestor could hear Bran on the line.

"I spoke to Asil and I hope that he'll be contacting you. If he will not or cannot, I will forward on the information. He's making plans to fly there and travel back with you."

He stopped, then spoke softly.

"The ball's in your court, Sage. I can only do so much."

He hung up and Nestor's phone rang.

He picked it up and Bran spoke.

"I'm not sure if you're in the same room as Sage but I have one of our wolves flying down and will drive back with her. Thank you for your hospitality on looking after our girl. She's very special to both myself and my pack."

He hung up and Nestor put down his phone on the table.

"Well, I guess we better go so that you can get ready to leave our beautiful city."

He paid for the meal and they stepped out into the sunshine.

Nestor was thinking to himself that whoever came better move fairly quickly. There was a full moon in five days.

They had almost reached the house when Sage's phone rang.

She looked at the display before flipping open the lid.

"Hi Asil. "

She waited and Asil cleared his throat.

"Bran gave me a bit of a heads up that you are coming back and I volunteered to fly down and accompany you on the drive."

She nodded her head sadly. He sounded so very neutral.

"Well, after a good conversation with the Alpha, "and she hesitated, "I realized that I did not do my research on their pack dynamics. My fault really. I blame it on hiding too much in Aspen Creek."

Nestor shook his head at her taking the blame. A few days ago he wouldn't have been surprised but now he felt somewhat embarrassed that she was giving him an out. She really would have turned his pack on its' ear if she'd stayed and it might have been interesting in a dangerous sort of way to watch.

Asil also shook his head.

"How can you find out that without actually being there? I think you're being too hard on yourself, but I'm just phoning letting you know that I've booked a flight out of Missoula tomorrow and will be there late tomorrow night."

Sage looked at Nestor before speaking. He had nodded his head at the possibility of one more guest in his house.

She smiled at his understanding.

"I'm actually with the Alpha right now and he's agreeing that someone will meet you at the airport and you can stay overnight at his house. Unfortunately we will have to leave pretty soon since the full moon is almost upon us and I don't want to get caught away from home."

Asil nodded his head. He could feel her on his face as he had walked outside last evening.

"I'll text you with my travel arrangements and please thank the Alpha for his kindness."

She hung up as the line went dead. She looked at Nestor and spoke.

"Thank you for allowing Asil to stay the night. I would like to leave fairly early to get home in time. I, for one, don't want to be stuck in some strange town when I feel the need to change."

Nestor blanched finally putting two and two together. Asil, as in Asil the Moor was coming?

Cars were pulling into the yard and Sage looked out her bedroom window. It looked like there were even more of the pack this evening.

A number of men were carrying covered platters and they headed around the side of the house where she guessed they would enter the kitchen.

She looked at herself in the mirror and then walked out the door, preparing to walk down the stairs. She could hear voices and then silence.

She walked into the dining room and the room was almost full of wolves talking. She waited for permission to move further in and spied Nestor in the corner speaking and gesturing.

She could hear plainly the conversation.

"No, Sage will be leaving tomorrow. She and I both realized that our pack dynamics and her idea of pack structure would not compliment each other. No, as you well know, I'm not known for forcing someone to stay if they don't feel comfortable. Yes, we will be addressing some things in the near future that we may want to change. No, there is not a shake-up or a revolt going to happen, at least on my watch!"

Austin came up to her and tried to take her hand once again. She put her hand behind her and stepped back and Nestor was by her side almost immediately with his hand up to grab him by the throat. All conversation stopped and Austin lowered his head in submission.

"You will apologize to the lady, Austin", came a growl.

Austin glanced to his side at Sage and spoke softly.

"Sorry, but you are so beautiful and I couldn't help myself."

Sages' eyes narrowed slightly. She was beginning to have a very bad feeling about him and over the years she had learned to trust her feelings.

Keeping away from him kept her busy all evening as other members of the wolf pack either introduced themselves or reacquainted themselves. When they heard that Asil was arriving tomorrow, most of them literally stood back. Asil, as in Asil the Moor?

There were stories and folklore about him and he was visiting their pack? There was a sense of morbid curiosity about meeting this man among men and most were hoping to have the pleasure of being in the same room as the legend. No wolf in the room had ever met a wolf as old as he.

This time, Sage met some of the wives when they arrived after the meal to clean and tidy up. She helped in the kitchen and chatted with them, putting them at ease. A few of them had been worried that a female wolf in the pack would make their husbands 'look around'. After all, Sage was a beautiful woman who carried herself with grace and confidence. After literally assuring them that she would have had no designs on their men they relaxed and the atmosphere grew less serious.

One of the women asked if Austin had been a bother and Sage just nodded her head. They pursed their lips in annoyance.

Deacon's wife who was the pack second spoke.

"He's always coming on to us and we are always careful to never be alone with him. Someday he's gonna go too far. Unfortunately he's Nestor's cousin and he thinks it's a game. It's only fun until someone loses an eye, as they say."

She gathered up her now clean platters and headed for the side door to leave with the other ladies following.

Sage walked back into the main house and headed upstairs. It had been a long night and since she wasn't pack she was not allowed in the meeting going on in the living room.

She prepared to get ready for bed, had her shower and was standing at the mirror applying her night face cream when she heard a sound outside her bedroom door.

She straightened up and was walking toward the door when the bathroom doorway was blocked with Austin standing there. She remembered that she had forgotten to put the chair under the doorknob and she cursed herself for her carelessness.

Austin looked at her in her night apparel and smiled. He came in and closed the door, locking her in the bathroom with him.

She backed away from him until she was almost wedged against the shower stall.

"Get out of my bathroom and go home, Austin. If I scream Nestor will be up immediately if you take even one step closer to me."

Austin smiled.

"They took off for a quick run on the property. It's just you and me and I'd like to get to know you a bit better."

He smiled lecherously and she could smell his excitement. She, on the other hand, could feel her fear creeping out.

He reached for her and she prepared to defend herself. The room was too small to evade him forever and he had her trapped. He moved closer, wedging her even more into the corner. His body was literally vibrating with excitement and her fear ramped up. She suddenly reached out, taking him by surprise and clawed his face with her nails. He roared in anger and struck her on the face. She let fly with her fist but the strike was without much power since she was wedged in the corner and didn't have much leverage. He grabbed her and she was fighting but he was stronger than she was and she was momentarily wrapped in his arms. She kicked and struck him on the inside of his knee, generating a howl of pain. He released her as he bent over and she kicked him in the head, sending him crashing back against the shower door. He released his hold on her and as she opened the bathroom door to escape he grabbed her again from the back pulling her back.

Her elbow slammed it into his solar plexus making him inhale sharply and he let her go. Now being in a larger room she could square off and face him. His face was mottled and his anger made him rush his charge.

She was now ready for any attack and vowed to defend herself. She had had lots of training to defend herself over the years and the teachings came back. Let him charge and take him off balance. Channel yourself and don't let fear guide your moves. Pick a spot and hurt it. Make him do a stupid move and wait for an opportunity to take him down. Scream, howl or swear.

Austin attacked again and she was ready. Kicks, teeth and nails were all weapons and even in human form they were deadly. She was now empowered and tried to finish it off but he was very strong and she was starting to panic. She was trying to protect herself but the room was too small and she was constantly on the defensive fending off his attack.

She could faintly hear noises in the house and jumped as the bedroom door exploded and a tan and gray wolf charged in. He joined the fray and she watched as it literally tore into Austin. She stood back shaking as another wolf entered the room. He immediately took a defensive position in front of her.

She watched as the wolf took one more swipe at the body and stepped back. He was covered in blood and pieces of clothing.

She had by now lost any power in her legs and slid down the far wall onto the floor hugging her legs to her and tears were streaming down her face. She must have been in a mental state of lockdown for a while as when she looked up Nestor was standing in front of her naked and covered in blood.

He spoke.

"We were out having a run when I noticed that Austin hadn't joined us. Deacon and I raced back and could hear the scuffling as we approached the house."

He took a shuddering breath as he looked behind him at the remains of his cousin.

"I let his behaviour go on too long. The pack mates have told me on more than one occasion that they felt uncomfortable near him but I thought it was harmless and he was just trying to be a playboy. It appears that I was very wrong in my reasoning."

He sighed and spoke again.

"His mate approached me. She wanted to leave him because of his wandering eyes, but unfortunately I tried to convince her that he loved only her and was only pretending."

Deacon came into the room dressed in a pair of sweats and a t shirt and tossed similar clothing to his Alpha.

"Deacon will escort you to another room while we arrange to clean up this mess. If you will excuse me, I need to call Bran and let him know."

He gulped.

"I wouldn't be surprised if I get a visit from Charles. This is inexcusable and I must take responsibility for this whole unfortunate incident."

Nestor left the room after looking at Deacon and it was almost as if there was some form of communication going on. He nodded and walked over to her, putting out his hand and gently assisting her to her feet. They walked toward the door with Deacon at her side trying to block the view of the carnage.

He almost put his hand on the small of her back, but she flinched as she saw his hand lift and he put it down again, but pointed to the living room downstairs.

She settled on the couch and literally began to shake. Deacon stood up and taking a throw from the back of a chair, he carefully tucked it around her.

She nodded at his thoughtfullness and lifted her feet up under the blanket.

Nestor walked into the room and his face was pale and his lips were pursed together.

"Sage, Bran wants to talk to you."

She reached out and took the phone, putting it to her ear and spoke.

"Bran…"