Running With Wolves

Do to the Mibba Crash I lost two chapters so I will attempt to rewrite a condensed version of them here on top of the original chapter of Gone. (so this is going to be really long)

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A snapping twig instantly made their lips disconnect although Sage still clutched his shirt and Lukas’s arms still remained around her waist. The two turned toward the sound perfectly still, their ears tuning in to where they had heard the sound. A long dragging sound against dead leaves made them completely separate then. They glanced at each other for only a moment, neither of them having much time to linger on the sense of emptiness that took both of them at their disentanglement. The two moved with an unnatural stealth to the hills’ edge to see a lone brown wolf struggling to drag a dead doe by its back legs up the hill.

“Mia.” Sage stated mystified, completely forgetting about their companion that had gone off in search of food.

Lukas moved quickly down the hill to aid their friend and when he had gotten within ten feet away from her, the wolf released the doe and stopped to pant for a moment. The minute Lukas’s hand reached for the deer Mia turned, no longer worrying about such useless things as self consciousness. She was muddy, and several superficial scraps blemished her legs and torso.

“The next time,” Mia panted trying to catch her breath. “You get Bambi.” She griped, rolling her tight shoulders. “I am not chasing that ungrateful bastard for a mile again.”

Lukas said nothing though a sort of apologetic smile took over his face as he slung the deer up and over his shoulder.

“Quit making it look easy.” She grunted as they made the short trek up the hill.

When they reached the top of the hill Sage had returned to her task of starting a fire. When the two caught her attention it was Mia’s haggard form she focused on. Her raven black hair was tangled mess, mud clumped against her body, and sharp twigs had left behind angrily red lines against her hands arms and ankles.

Mia pouted slightly, “no fire yet? What have you been doing this whole time?”

Lukas’s eyes focused solely on Sage who was not looking at him. His shoulder dropped and the deer fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

“It’s not as easy as it looks okay?” she huffed indignantly.

“Let me,” Lukas reached for the striking stone in Sage’s hands, their hands brushed and it gave her goose bumps.

Lukas struck the two stones against one another and sparks ignited, landing against the small pile of brush Sage had made.

“Really?” Sage whined. “I’ve been trying to do that this entire time.”

“It is all about technique.” Lukas murmured quietly. “and how you use said…technique.” He winked at her and it took every once of will power to remain unmoved.

Mia glanced between them, sensing something had happened here in her absence but she said nothing.

"I'll go get the deer ready." Lukas announced. "Just make sure those sparks don't go out."

"Uhuh," Mia nodded glancing between her two friends, a slight smile on her face.

When Lukas was out of earshot, Mia was beside Sage in an instant as she grabbed for her friend's arm.

"Spill." She demanded.

"Excuse me?"

"Don't play dumb with me. What happened between you and Lukas?"

Unintentionally Sage glanced over her shoulder at Lukas who was rummaging around in his knapsack for his knife.

"Oh that."

"Yeah--spill."

"We, uh," Sage found it hard to find her voice as she tried to make sense of it herself. “We kissed.”

Mia sensed Sage was still a little dazed by the whole thing. “Oh?” She questioned conversationally. “And how do we feel about that?”

Sage shook her head slowly. “I don’t know.” She replied honestly. “I mean, don’t get me wrong,” A lazy smile appeared on her face. “It was great.”

“But?” Mia questioned sensing it.

“I don’t know,” She sighed honestly. Her mind began drifting toward that little voice in her head telling her that this was not the time to be trying to test the waters with Lukas in this way.

“Stop it.”

Sage blinked. “What?”

“Could you just let yourself enjoy this one thing. Just focus on how you felt in that moment.” Mia advised. “How did it make you feel?”

Sage thought about it for a moment and it brought a smile to her lips. “Right, it felt right. I felt…like I didn’t have to be anything other than who I was…it was nice.”

“See,” Mia smiled triumphantly. “Just go with it. Don’t let that little voice tell you that it isn’t right.”

“That isn’t what my little voice says.” Sage frowned silently. Be careful with your heart, dearie, you know what happens to them..

“Hey, just enjoy this. You two love each other.”

“Besides I don’t know how much longer I watch this.”

“Watch what?”

Mia smiled fondly at Sage but there was an undercurrent of sadness in her eyes. “You two could give Romeo and Juliet a run for their money. The worst part is it isn’t even ruling families that keep you apart anymore but yourselves and that’s worst. Watching you guys fight against each other…its sad. It makes me sad for you. So just, please stop fighting this.”

’Why do you bother?...you know how this ends, how it always ends…’

Sage was silent for a moment but then she wrapped her arms around Mia. “You’re one of my best friends you know that?”

Mia caught that Sage didn’t responds to her request. She sighed, “Yeah I know.” She said hugging her friend, her sister, her Alpha.

By the time Lukas returned with the deer meat the fire was fully blazing and the group momentarily let themselves just be happy that they would be both warm tonight and have full bellies.

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With full bellies and tired eyes Lukas and Mia had retreated to their tents for the night. The fire had died and the stars had come out in its wake. They would be Sage’s company for the night as sleep seemed to allude her. She was sitting down against a large old pine tree, When she looked up at the familiar night sky, that no matter where she was never changed, she was surprised that in this particularly small clearing of trees that made the stars visible, The Pleiades were directly over head.

Sage counted the stars in her head, her eyes drifting toward the brightest one, the one she had decided long ago would be for Seneca.

She thought of Seneca then as she always seemed to in the dark quiet. She thought of how unfair it was for her life to have been cut so short. She wondered what Seneca would have done in her position. With kissing Lukas still in the back of her mind, Sage wondered in Seneca had even ever had the chance to know what love was like before she died. Her heart ached for her fallen sister. She swore she would not bury another sister.

Cheyenne was out there somewhere. The worst part was never knowing just how close or how far away they were from her. Sage swore on everything she held dear that she would get her sister back one way or the other. She would get Cheyenne back. Guilt plagued Sage, it had been so long since she had seen her youngest sister. The last time she had seen her Cheyenne had been playing hopscotch on the front walk of the house. If Sage had not left Blackwood, had not fled from confrontation and the fear of commitment she would have had more time with her—maybe even prevented this from happening in the first place.

What would her father say…

Why do you bother Dearie, you know how this ends? It always ends the same and yet you still let them suffer with you. How selfish of you .

Sage thought of Lukas. She couldn’t bring herself to make him be dragged through this with her. Sage wondered if there was something really wrong with her, to constantly have this urge to hold Lukas at arms length.

Sage heard the soft crunch of leaves beneath a boot and she knew instantly who it was. She did not move, did not show any acknowledgement to the person as her eyes remained fixed on the stars above.

“Hey what are you doing still up?”

“Can’t sleep,” She mumbled.

Lukas sat down beside her against the other side of the tree so that her left arm and his right were touching.

“Come to bed Sage,”

Sage closed her eyes, trying her damnedest to ignore the goose bumps that ignited her skin and the shiver that ran down her spine at his words.

“I’m not tired.”

Lukas sighed. “Why do you sit here amongst the stars Sage? You would rather confide in them than me wouldn’t you?”

“I don’t talk to the stars.” She replied quietly.

“No, but you do wish you were on them don’t you?” Lukas challenged his voice just as quiet. “You wish you were one of those stars, damned forever in the sky untouched by anyone but still amongst her sisters.”

When she didn’t reply Lukas closed his eyes and swallowed hard. What was he supposed to make of that? That Sage would sometimes rather be a million miles away, damned in the sky than exist on earth.

“I love you, you know that?”

Sage’s eyes fell from the stars to her hands in her lap. “Please don’t,” She mumbled weakly. “We kissed, okay? But please…please don’t try to pull me toward you okay? I’m not ready…”

“Not ready for what?” He questioned in frustration.

I don’t know.

“I cannot just jump into this Luke. I cannot just make you the sun and the moon of my life. I have duties, I have a pack, a missing sister.”

“Its fucking bullshit Sage and you hide behind all of it.” Lukas growled. “Us being together would not affect everything else.”

“It would.” Sage knew it to be true. Something about the two of them being together would change everything and scared the living hell out Sage.

They fell silent for along time and a part of Sage wanted to get up and walk away but the stubbornness in her told her that she had been there first. There was also a part of Sage that just wanted to curl up into Lukas’s lap and find that sanctuary that only he could offer her. But again, there was something in her telling her not to like a muted warning.

“Can I ask you something?”

“I can’t stop you,” She replied weakly.

“Why haven’t you looked at me all night?”

Sage did not ask him to elaborate. Ever since Mia had returned with the deer Sage had not met his gaze. She couldn’t bare it. Her head had been swimming with conflicting thoughts. Half of her was afraid of what would happen if she gave herself over to Lukas, a fear would strike her that she couldn’t process at the mere idea of it. So she was left with the miserable conclusion that she couldn’t. That something was broken in Sage that could not be fixed and for Lukas’s own happiness it would be better off this way if she just stayed away from him.

“I’m terrified Lukas.” She admitted.

Frustration was clearly evident in his tone when he spoke.
“Of what?”

“I don’t know.” Sage mumbled honestly. “I just…”

I feel like something bad will happen.

“I can’t do this,” She rushed finally acting on the urge to get up and leave. Lukas caught her hand and yanked her down though, refusing to let her leave as she collapsed in his lap.

“Look at me,” He begged placing a gentle finger under her chin and forcing their eyes to meet. “Please just talk to me.” He rested his forehead against hers and Sage wanted to cry. His arms around her, his forehead against hers, it was making her heart clench painfully.

“I can’t.” She replied her voice weak. I don’t know how to say what I feel.

Frustrated Lukas pulled his head back from hers and rested it against the tree trunk with a sigh. He remained like that for a long time but when he finally spoke again Sage wish he hadn’t.

“Fine.” He stated. “I can’t do this anymore.” He wasn’t looking at her when he spoke. “I wont do this anymore.”

“Won’t do what?” She whispered quietly her eyes wide.

“I won’t do this Sage.” He stated his voice hard with frustration. “You and me. I’m tired of fighting for this Sage. I am the only one fighting for this---fighting for you.” When he looked at her there was pain evident in his eyes. “You never fought for me.” He shrugged. “You just didn’t.” He swallowed hard. “So you know what? Forget it. Its clear you don’t want this or something about this idea of us threatens you so I can’t make you happy with us. So just forget it.” He pushed Sage gently off his lap. He wished he had never put her there in the first place, the pain written all over her face was killing him. “Who knows? Maybe when we get home I’ll call Calla---at least she never hid her feelings from me.”

The pain Sage felt from the comment was more painful than any physical blow could have inflicted; it left her breathless.

“I’ll tell Mia in the morning that traveling any father would be a waste of all of our time.”

And then he walked away and left Sage in the darkness with her stars.

Yet suddenly the once comforting darkness and the unchanging stars were suddenly leaving her feeling more alone than ever.

Below is the chapter Gone. Below this line the story continues unaffected of Mibba's crash
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________________________________________________________________________The next morning Mia found me in the place where Lukas had shoved me off him, but curled up in a ball utterly numb.

“Sage!” She exclaimed in surprise. “What are you doing out here?” she hesitated for a moment and then she dropped to my side, sensing something was wrong. Her hand touched my shoulder softly but I hardly felt it. “Sage?” She shook me harder. “Sage.” She grabbed my head in her hands, my eyes looking at her but not focusing. “Sage what the hell happened? Lukas!” She yelled. “Lukas there is something wrong with Sage!”

Distantly I heard boots crunch against the dried leaves, it triggered something within me and then I was gone.

Lukas had just glanced around a tree that gave him a clearer view
of Mia and Sage, yet as he approached what he saw was not Mia and Sage but Mia and the beautiful white Salvie.
Lukas paused for a moment and his breath caught, not entirely from surprised but also struck by how truly beautiful she was. Only Salvie’s beauty could match that of her human counterpart. Salvie’s eyes locked with Lukas and in them Lukas saw every emotion that Sage had locked deep within herself. He saw the severity of the pain he had inflicted upon Sage and it overwhelmed every other emotion. It drowned her love, killed her spirit, and even the spirit of the untamable Salvie was subdued to a quiet lethargic being.

Mia’s eyes were wide and fear had struck her. The last time she had seen Salvie she had tried her damnedest to make Lukas bleed-- Lukas who she loved more than anything. What would she do with someone like Mia so close to her jaws? But Salvie did nothing, her gaze broke from Lukas and when they flickered to Mia there was no ill intent in them and in that moment Mia doubted anyone had ever seen such a side to the wolf.

The She-wolf whined low in her throat, a sorrowful and pained sound before she darted away, taking off into the thicket of woods as quick as her paws would carry her. Distantly, Lukas doubted even Razvan could catch her with Salvie in such a state.

Mia’s eyes turned on Lukas than, murderous and judgmental.

“What the fuck did you do Lukas!” Mia demanded her fists clenched at her side and her eyes blazing as she awaited his response. But Mia knew if anyone, and there was only one, that could put Sage or even Salvie in such a state it was Lukas Canis.

“I-“ For a moment Lukas couldn’t find his voice but then he reflected on his words to Sage and in that moment he had never hated himself more than in that moment. His eyes found Mia. “I told her I wouldn’t fight for her anymore because she never fought for me. I threw Calla in her face.”

Mia’s eyes widened and she was silent for a moment before her hand drew back and smacked Lukas so hard across the face his eyes teared.

“At least you have the grace to not look surprised by that.” Mia snarled at him. “You’re a stupid son of a bitch you know that? For someone who claims to know her so well you sure don’t know her very well.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means you better back a few steps up before I contemplate closing my fit the next time I swing at you Canis.” She snapped, her eyes were livid and her jaw was locked. “Go get our knapsacks.” Mia was thankful she and Lukas had packed away the tents before she had gone looking for Sage, there would have been little time for that now.

“We have to go, if we move quick I can track her.”

Salvie ran as far as her legs would carry her. She ran until she felt like her heart would burst, her lungs stung, and the pads of her feet were raw, yet still she pushed on.

’You have died a hundred deaths and still you do not see?’

‘Being a Soulmate is no blessing, Salvie it is a curse, one that traps you life after life.’

Salvie felt that her heart might burst and most of her wished it would.

Her voice was as beautiful as a song but her words were as harmful as poison. ‘Why do you bother, Salvina? You know how this ends, how it always ends. But shall I remind you? You go against the crown, flee the kingdom, fall madly in love, and…how did that end again?’

‘Stop it!’

‘oh yes, I suppose you are right, that one you must remember quite clear. Okay, how about this one then: you were already married to another when you met him the next time…what was his name then? Trevan, was it? You ran off as the two of you seem to repeatedly do, and once you were caught I believe your punishment for your disloyalty to your husband was left up to him. What was it that he did again?’

her voice was very small, her eyes empty as she stared ahead into a world the other woman could not see. ‘he poisoned me.’

‘Right, right.’ The other woman nodded. ‘and because your life had been tragically cut short and Trevan had been locked up for assaulting your husband, he lived for many years after that. It was four life cycles later that you two found each other again. Although that time Razvan was murdered on your honeymoon.’ The woman’s lips pressed into a thin line as she wagged her finger in front of Savlie’s face tsking. ‘you disregarded your duty in that life. Perhaps you should have truly seen that one coming.’

‘Stop it,’ Salvie begged weakly, looking years older than her porcelain skin claimed. ‘please…’

‘Why should I?’ she snarled. ‘everything that has happened since you went against the crown is your fault. You and you’re precious Razvan. You do not see the bigger picture. It is not your love that makes you Soulmates but the duty you run from.’

‘What do you want?’

She pressed the gun to Salvie’s head, ‘Next time get it right.’ Then she pulled the trigger.

When the She-wolf finally came to a stop she swayed on her feet that threatened to give out beneath her. She had not stopped at her own free will however but was unable to run any farther, what with the impenetrable line of Were’s standing in her path.

Salvie’s head lowered as she eyed the canines from the top of her head, her tail swishing in agitation. She could take them, Salvie knew as much. They were simpleton Weres; young in life no matter their age, they had only lived one life cycle, but Salvie…Salvie was old. Salvie had fought a hundred different lives of a hundred different consequences. Razvan always said she was the fiercest Were he had ever met and after all of these years she knew his words to be true.

A large oak bark colored Were loomed over her, his amber eyes watchful as he growled a warning. It was however unnecessary, even if Salvie knew she could take this Were she would not. She would not try to fight him because even though her heart still raced, something in her very soul settled when she came across these Weres.

Here was where she would find answers.

She could feel their pull on her conscious.

Sage? they seemed to ask but Salvie bared her teeth at him, Sage was not here.

The wolves nearby shifted their weight uneasily. The old one had said the white wolf was Sage, the old one had claimed it was the white She-wolf they must return with.

The Weres converged around her and Salvie growled low in her throat, warning them not to venture any closer. The pack seemed unwilling to venture any closer to her jaws than necessary and so they stayed a lengthy ways away from the She-Wolf as they led her deeper into the woods.