Free Sage's Mystery by Lynn Hagen

howled when he saw a were-creature standing before him.
    Sage swung his arm out, raking the air as his claws missed the wolf by a hair’s breadth. He snarled again, circling the other werewolf.
    Recognition filtered into his mind as he stared down the other wolf.
    It was Jeremiah.
    That didn’t matter to Sage. Best friend or not, Jeremiah was too close to William. He would fight his best friend to the death in order to protect the human. William was his, and Sage wasn’t sharing.
    Sage lunged, this time his claws making contact with Jeremiah’s chest as blood spread out across his best friend’s chest. Jeremiah howled and lunged, both werewolves engaging in battle as they crashed into the wall, knocking over supplies.
    Flipping his body at the last minute, Sage pinned Jeremiah beneath him. The large werewolf was a worthy opponent, but Sage was playing for keeps. Jeremiah growled and kicked out, but Sage Sage’s Mystery
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    didn’t budge. He pressed his knees into the other wolf’s abdomen, his teeth mere inches from the other man’s neck.
    At the last second, right before Sage ripped his throat out, Jeremiah tilted his head, showing Sage that he was submitting. Sage growled and gnashed his teeth together, nipping Jeremiah before backing away.
    The other werewolf climbed to his feet, backing away. Sage howled his victory and then turned, heading up the steps. He stopped halfway up and growled at his best friend, warning him not to follow.
    Jeremiah dipped his head in acknowledgement as Sage finished taking the stairs two at a time. His toenails clicked over the floorboards as he walked down the hallway. When he reached the bedroom that he had slept in with William, Sage reached out and turned the knob, seeing that it was locked. He howled, twisting the knob in his hand, bending it, breaking it. Sage pushed the door open slowly to see William huddled in a corner, shaking badly, Terror tucked behind him.
    Terror ran out from behind William as she growled and barked, but William quickly grabbed her and shoved her back behind him.
    Sage wanted to grin at the way William was protecting the Chihuahua. It was truly a sight.
    “D–Don’t hurt her. She is only trying to protect me,” William said with a bravery Sage couldn’t see in the human’s gorgeous green eyes.
    He knew he should back away and leave William be, but once again his heart overruled his common sense.
    Sage stepped into the room slowly, making sure his movements were slow and measured. He wanted to inhale William’s scent, not scare him to death. Well, he knew he was scaring him, and that wasn’t his intention, but Sage couldn’t help himself. He needed to be close to the small human.
    William pushed his back into the wall, almost smashing Terror behind him as his eyes grew rounder than the moon.

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    Lynn Hagen
    Sage bent low, sniffing at William, scenting him. Small puffs of air made William’s hair span out, gently taking flight as Sage inhaled his aroma. His tongue snaked out, the tip running up William’s neck, making the small man shiver as he stayed very still.
    Sage’s arm reached out before him, his claws grazing William’s skin with the gentlest of caresses. The small man broke out in goose bumps as the tip of Sage’s nail ran the length of William’s cheek. He wasn’t sure if the reaction was fear or desire, but Sage didn’t stop to ask.
    “Please don’t kill me,” William whispered under his breath.
    Sage placed one claw under William’s chin, tilting the human’s head back, making the small man look him in his eyes, but the human smashed his own eyes closed. Sage gave a light jerk to William’s head, making him open his eyes.
    William’s bright green eyes locked onto Sage’s for a moment, and then William inhaled sharply, slow recognition dawning in them. He didn’t want William to fear him. Sage wanted the man to know that he was safe.
    “S–Sage?”
    “Do you fear me, William?” His voice was rough and gravelly,