Sage
We are all lost without Jonah. Andrei has been on the phone with Kat, and everybody he can think of that may be able to help. Yet the day is slipping by, and I am already missing his voice.
This deep-rooted need to ensure he is okay has settled over me. My entire routine has been solely based around Jonah, and without him, I am lost. We try to call him a few times but get no answer each time. Sitting outside, I try the phone number again. The phone rings out, and it is nearly 4:30 PM.
Jonah should be getting ready for his dinner and a bath right about now. Why isn’t he answering? I sit on the log next to the fire pit when I see Andrei come out of the house and head towards me. He looks exhausted and stressed, just like the rest of us.
Andrei walks over to me and stops in front of me. As I look up at him, he sighs. “Still no answer?” He asks, and I shake my head, feeling sick at not being able to see him or speak to him.
“We can try again later. If he’s headed to the city, he could still be on the road,” Andrei says, running his fingers through his shoulder-length hair. He sits on the log beside me, grabs my hand, and brings it to his lips, kissing each knuckle.
“Come on, we should head inside and have a shower. You have been in Kat’s clothes since the Alpha meeting,” he reminds me, and I look down at the outfit, completely forgetting I had been in it for two days now.
I sniff myself, but I smell fine, besides the scent of tears and the lingering smell of Jonah. I look at Andrei, and he is out of his clothes. When did he remember to shower? With everything on my mind, showering is the last thing I could think about.
Andrei tugs me to my feet just as Zane calls out to him. “Alpha, Nora.”
Andrei freezes and turns to speak to Zane. “Argh, fuck, I forgot.”
“Sorry, I didn’t want to bother you with everything going on, but she is getting worse. I think she will go into heat tonight.” Zane blurts out.
“Yep, I will do it now. Casen, come here,” Andrei calls out and waves him over. Casen jogs over to Malik and us too.
“What’s up, Alpha?” Casen asks before looking at Zane.
He tosses his head back and groans. “Already, fuck, what timing!” He whines, and Malik scrubs a hand down his face before rubbing his temples as he nods.
“I will come too. Let’s head out now,” Malik says, and Andrei nods to them before nodding to Zane.
“Sorry guys,” Zane tells them.
“It’s fine. We’re just not used to having girls here for so long. I forgot about the heats when no one here obviously has them,” Casen says before looking at me.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”
“It’s fine, Casen. I am not offended. Not your fault I am useless in that department,” I tell him with a slight twinge of guilt.
I am useless. I can’t even provide an heir for Andrei, can’t give us a family. And now, the only hope we had of having a child was just taken away from us, too. I watch them go, heading for the forest edge. They slip amongst the trees, disappearing and I turn, and glance at Andrei.
“Night lock berries?” I ask Andrei, and he nods his head.
“Dad!” Andrei calls out.
I like that he is now calling Derrick dad. I can also tell Derrick enjoys hearing it because his eyes light up every time his son says it. Derrick rushes over to us from where he was sitting on a chair under the willow, reading some mail.
Derrick jogs over, slowing as he approaches us. “Do you remember how to make the night lock jam?” He asks.
“Bit rusty, is Nora going into heat already?” He asks, and Zane nods.
“Probably be in full-blown heat tonight sometime. I can smell her scent changing,” Zane admits.
Derrick looks around and points to the fire pit. “Okay, let’s get this fire started, and I need a spoon and pot,” Derrick says.
“Call out if you need me to make it. I just want to take Sage to shower and then try to ring Jonah again. Malik and Casen already left to collect the berries,” Andrei tells him. Derrick nods and follows Zane to help collect kindling to get the fire pit going.
“Can’t believe I forgot about her heat,” I tell Andrei as he leads me inside and up the stairs.
“Yes, but don’t feel bad. It slipped my mind too. The boys will be extra grumpy tonight, not sure if you have seen rogues on night lock before?”
“Yeah, once, in the camp we spotted a female omega in heat when I was a kid. They also used night lock to suppress the unmated wolves, but they made it into a soup, not a jam.” I recall some of the memories.
“Yeah, we always made jam or paste from it, more concentrated that way and not so watery,” Andrei says, and it makes sense.
However, when some go rogue, there aren’t many options in the camps. You couldn’t lock the woman down like those in packs and warn people away when there was nowhere to go. You also didn’t have shutters or descanters for the women to keep the unmated wolves at bay, so good old poison was used to knock out their wolves. I have heard it makes them incredibly itchy and uncomfortable in their own skin.
We head into the shower, but just before I strip down and hop in, the phone rings and Andrei grabs it.
“It’s Jonah,” he says, and my heart pounds in my chest. He quickly answers, putting the phone on the loudspeaker.
“Jonah?” Andrei says.
“I didn’t hear the phone,” Jonah says, and relief floods me the moment I hear his angelic little voice. Andrei sits on the end of the bed, pulling me on his lap.
“But you’re okay. Are you okay, Jonah? Where are you?” Andrei asks.
“Yes, I am okay, but I want to come home. When can I come home? I want to be with you and Sage.” Jonah pleads. He sounds as close to crying and breaking down as I am.
“Who are you on the phone with?” I suddenly hear Clive’s voice snapping at Jonah, and Andrei growls.
“Leave the boy alone,” Dominic’s voice snaps back at Clive in the background.
My brows furrow at hearing Dominic. “Dominic is still with you?” I ask Jonah.
“Yes, he put us in this room,” Jonah says.
“Hand the phone over for a second, Jonah. You can speak to your father in a minute,” Dominic says.