Unforgivable

In less than two months the situation within the pack had clearly improved. Admittedly, it was still far from being at the level it had been in its glory years, but things were moving in the right direction. Nevertheless, Mara was aware that the threat was not far away and that soon the attacks would start again. Julian was to return to reinforce his spells around the territory, but soon it would not be enough.

Luna Vanessa and Gamma Liam were becoming more and more involved in the hospital and Alpha Sloan was now very much involved in the training of the members, even if he let his children get away with it too easily and didn’t attend the training regularly. In fact, Sam and Sophia were still giving Mara a hard time. Sam loved to provoke her and disrespect her and Sophia didn’t really badmouth her anymore but the disdain in her eyes was always there. Mara and Orion were therefore wary of her, she was too quiet not to hide something.

Mara and Orion were cooking their dinner when the two of them came into the kitchen and as soon as he saw Mara, Sam started to tease her as he usually did and it was really starting to get on Orion’s nerves. He didn’t have Mara’s cool and never had and Sam’s disrespect was going to make him lose his temper.

“You should shut your mouth, pup!” He growled at another of Sam’s remarks.

“Or what? Is Mara going to cry or is she going to shift and attack me? Oh, wait! She’s incapable of feeling anything and she lost her wolf!” Sam mocked.

“She never did anything to you! What do you have over her?” Orion hissed.

“She didn’t do anything to me...” Sam echoed with a dry laugh.

“I had the perfect family... Great parents, an older brother I looked up to and a little sister to tease. And then overnight because of you, it all fell apart. Because of you, my parents were wracked with guilt and my brother was plunged into darkness. Because of you, instead of having a normal adolescence, I had to watch helplessly as my pack declined. Because of you, my loving parents left Sophia and me to fend for ourselves. You destroyed everything I had!” He added pointing to Mara.

“I’m sorry you suffered because of my father’s actions.” Mara told him.

“I don’t believe you are. You are too cold. If only you hadn’t jumped up and just done what was expected of you! You won’t ever be the mate Sage deserves and he was happy with Heather. I had almost lost him a few weeks before he met her without understanding why when again it was your fault. You should have kept your mouth shut and kept spreading your legs like the good daddy’s little girl you were meant to be.” Sam added.

Before Orion could react, Sage lunged at his brother and began to beat him. At first he felt bad for his brother and blamed himself but his last words were unacceptable. How dare he blame her for this! Before he had time to really smash his brother’s face in, Orion and Aaron (who had run in hearing the commotion in the kitchen) grabbed him. Mara tried to help Sam who refused before leaving the kitchen followed closely by Sophia.

“Go run Sage, you need it.” Aaron advised his best friend.

Unable to answer, he nodded and left the kitchen.

“You should go too Orion.” Mara added.

“I can’t leave you alone. Not after that altercation. Your safety first, Mara. Always.” Orion replied.

“I promise you that I won’t let her out of my sight and nothing will happen to her.” Aaron swore, well aware that Orion needed to release some pressure as well.

“Go ahead. I’m in two good hands.” Mara finished convincing him.

“Are you okay?” Orion asked Mara, once they were alone.

“Of course I’m, Why I would not?” Mara replied.

“Sam had hard words about you..”

“It’s his pain that spoke for him. Moreover it’s easier to blame those who stay than those who died. I need his family to become a real one again. They all need that inclued Sage.”

Sage would never be complete without her. He needed more then just his family back. So Aaron wasn’t sure it would be possible...

What a mess! Sage had been running for over 3 hours and still couldn’t accept what his brother had told Mara. How could he? He was sitting, still in his wolf form, on the edge of the cliff where Mara had jumped. He felt Orion’s presence at his back and heard him change back into his human form.

“Are you going to jump too?” Orion asked him sarcastically.

Sage shook his wolf head. He had no desire to shift back or speak. Damn he didn't want to speak to anyone this is why he cut his mindlink and here was Orion...

“His anger spoke for him. You know his words went beyond his thoughts. You’re implusive in the family, aren’t you?” Orion added coming to sit beside him.

Sage was well aware of this, he was worse than his brother... But he was still too angry to think about it.

“My little brother is the same age as yours and I love him but he’s such a pain in the ass sometimes! And what gets me about him is realizing that we’re the same and yet he’s so annoying and stupid from time to time when I’m not!” Orion said, trying to lighten the mood.

Sage decided to shift back to his human form. Oviously, Orion wouldn't give up, he could feel it. He didn’t care about being naked in front of Orion.

“Yeah, I know what you mean... Imagine having a little sister too!” He joked.

“What a drag, man! I don’t know how you did it.” Orion replied, smiling.

“Thanks for saving her that night. Thanks for opening my eyes too.” Sage declared to him.

“I should have done it differently. I never should have let you see the images. They still haunt me so much, I can’t even imagine you.” Orion confessed.

“Don’t be. That’s the price I pay for being blind. That’s the burden I have to carry for failing my mate.” Sage explained.

“You didn’t fail...”

“We both know I did. You, on the other hand, are a damn good Gamma Orion, I’m impressed. I would have been proud to have you as my Gamma.”

“Her jump woke up my Gamma instinct and as she was not able to tell me herself what was wrong our bond did it for her. I’m her protector, it’s my job to keep her safe. Why me rather than you? Because dreaming about what she suffered would’ve drive your wolf crazy and you will have lost it. Moreover as I just said it’s my job to protect her, yours is to love her wholeheartedly.”

“Still all the sign was there. I shift earlier, found her earlier... I should’ve know! Instead I just failed and lost her. Speaking about a strong Alpha...”

“Don’t give up, please. She’s worth it. Don’t give up on her.” Orion begged.

“But I’m not worth it.” Sage argued.

“If you give up now, you will have really failed her.” Orion retorted.

Suddenly his eyes became cloudy, someone was talking to him through the mindlink.

“Fuck!” He muttered to himself, before standing up abruptly.

“You share a mindlink with Mara! How is that possible.?” Sage asked in amazement.

“She’s my Luna.” Orion shrugged.

Was their bond so strong that they were able to mindlink without belonging to a pack? Sage knew better. Sharing a mindlink without a pack was unheard.

“We have to go, your brother has left the pack’s territory. Your parents are worried sick and everyone’s looking for him.” Orion explained.

Fuck, like Sam hadn’t done enough for tonight.

“Let’s go.” Sage agreed.

“Thanks Orion.” He then added before shifting back and heading towards the pack house.