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"Paul says he's sorry," Sam said as he sat beside her two nights later.
Sage turned from where she was staring at the moon to look over at him. The night was clear, and Sam grinned at her sheepishly, his arms bulging out of the long sleeved shirt he was wearing. Sage averted her eyes quickly, clearing her throat as her entire body lit up with fire at the close proximity.
"That is quite alright," Sage said, biting her lip. "He was angry at me for attacking him. I would have been irate myself had my pride been hurt."
"Didn't give him the right to treat you or Seth the way that he did," Sam muttered, clenching his fist together. Against her side, he was as warm as the sun, burning against her skin like she had just been electrocuted.
"Did Leah get her revenge?" Sage asked to distract herself from the ache in her that begged to grasp at his hand that was dangling between them, empty.
Sam snorted. "Yes, she did. As soon as I heard the howl, I knew he was in for it."
"I'm glad," Sage said. "She was really upset that he was teasing Seth."
"He has. . . He's got a temper," Sam said slowly, testing out the words. "He's never been great with change, either, so it was a shock to him when a vampire bested him since he's supposed to be the best combatant in the pack."
"I did have the upper hand."
"It was a miscommunication, though. He should have known that you meant no harm after you surrendered," Sam said darkly. "I told him to keep his anger in check. He just hasn't been listening."
"Why do you think that?"
"Because none of the pack really listens. Not anymore. After Jacob left, Embry and Quil soon followed him. They left my pack, and since then. . ." Same sighed, rubbing his hand through his hair with a pinched expression. "No one seems to want to listen to me. Especially Paul. The impri--nothing seems to matter to him anymore."
Sage stared at the wrinkled spot between his eyebrows, heart clenching with sympathy. She wanted for Paul to submit to him--wanted to bring these Embry and Quil characters back to the wolf beside her. No wonder he had been so brutish and standoffish when she arrived--he had been dealing with his pack. . .
She paused, eyes widening.
He said "my pack."
That meant--
"You're the black wolf."
Sam stilled, pausing to give Sage a stricken gaze. Sage's own body was as rigid as a tree standing in the forest. Not even the strongest wind could have moved her.
She stared at him, feeling something unfurl. It was like a volcano erupted in her at the realisation--at his surprised expression; magma flowed through her veins, making her feel like her entire body was about to combust into ash soon. Sage didn't know if it was from relief or disappointment. She wasn't too sure what the burning feeling in her body was. But to know that he was the wolf that stayed with her for all those weeks. . .
