“He has moments of clarity where I think maybe he’s coming back to himself, but I just don’t know. He’s getting better, but it’s slow progress,” he heard Bennett say.
Sage knew he shouldn’t have been spying, but he couldn’t stop, knowing they were talking about Garridan.
“He does seem to be protective of me, though. He’s remembering a little bit more all the time and sees me as the child I was, instead of the man I am. He doesn’t see me as the enemy anymore. He doesn’t see Lucas as the enemy anymore either, actually. Still, I think he needs Sage. Sage is the one he’s focusing on,” Bennett said.
“What does Lucas say?” Ramsey said.
“That it’s not going to get better overnight. That he wished Sage would get his shit together so that Garridan could focus on his own problems a bit more.”
Sage hung his head and set the can down on the counter. God, he was fucking things up royally.
“That’s not what I mean, Brother. Did Lucas read Garridan? Can he help him?”
“He read him. He doesn’t remember that much, but he is able to make sense out of what he does remember when he gets enough to piece it together. He’ll talk to me about it sometimes. It’s mostly stuff about my dad.
“He’s a strong shifter. My dragon wants to obey him. We need him to help us get the towns’ people prepared. He knows how to fight. Trains for it every day. I’ve never seen anyone do what he can do and he makes me train with him. I’m learning things from him no one has ever taught me.”
“We have time. You can’t rush him. Let him heal on his own. And pushing Sage at him isn’t going to help anything. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Sage’s eyes don’t even change around Garridan. He’s not well, Bennett.”
“I know he’s not. I don’t mean to push either of them, but we need Garridan. We’re running out of time. It won’t be long beforethe enemy tries to take Lucas again. I need him to help me protect my mate. Let’s be realistic here. Neither one of us is prepared to lead in this war that’s knocking on our door. This town isn’t ready either.”
“We can get ready. He can help train right now.”
“We need him to lead, Ramsey. You need his counsel.”
“I have yours.”
“No. You and I both know I’d make a better enforcer. I don’t know the things that Garridan seems to. No offense, but he could be Alpha.”
“Yeah, I know. I can feel it every time I’m over at your house. I’ll give him the Alpha position if he wants it.” If Garridan became Alpha, he would lead in more of a traditional sense. Even if he didn’t become Alpha, Sage could see him demanding a division in leadership that just wasn’t there with the way Ramsey and Bennett led. Ramsey and Bennett were equal and everyone in the clan knew it, even if no one was brave enough to say anything.
Still, Ramsey’s a good Alpha because he listens to the clan members. He cares about their lives. Sage understood what Bennett was trying to tell Ramsey. They needed Garridan in the right frame of mind.
“But that’s just my point, Ramsey. Garridan’s focus isn’t on anything else but Sage. He doesn’t give a shit about taking a leading role in the clan.”
Sage was failing his mate. It sounded like the whole town needed Sage to get his head out of his ass and start being a good partner to his mate.
He wiped the back of his hand across his cheeks, drying his tears.
“I put the challenge off because of Lucas and Sage getting kidnapped. Now that we have them back, I’ll reschedule it. Whether he gives a shit or not, it needs to happen. We need leadership firmly set in place, because we need to prepare the clan for the vampires’ attack.Having this challenge will be the first step in making the preparations,” Ramsey said.
“If you have that challenge before Garridan’s ready to take a leadership position, we’ll lose this war,” Bennett said with such dramatic finality, Sage sucked in a breath.
“I don’t have a choice. It’ll be scheduled with or without Garridan.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
Sage walked out of the kitchen, not needing to hear anymore. He needed to try to get better, for his mate’s sake. The question was how.
“I’m going to work,” Sage said to Mother Estelle as he walked through the kitchen a little while later. Estelle was standing at the stove, stirring something with a wooden spoon. Sage walked over to her, sniffing the air as he went. He made a face and shook his head the closer he got, plugging his nose.
Estelle turned her head sharply. “That’s great, Sage. Do you want someone to drive you?”
“No, that’s okay. I’m okay.” Maybe if he said that last part enough times, it would come true.
“What is that?” He peered into the pot. The stuff was dark green and smelled as if someone had taken a giant shit in a compost pile.
“It’s part of a banishing spell. It will keep anyone who isn’t a clan member off the property,” Mother Estelle said.
