Otatso Wetlands I get a little bit Genghis Khan

Luke's brand of reassurance was tough to swallow at first, but a little voice in the back of Saena's mind agreed. He was right, of course. The last thing she needed was another wolf to throw her aside and leave her behind and that was exactly what Reek had done when he chose to cheat on her. She'd had enough of that all her life. Still, it was a daunting task to rebuild her confidence after having it so thoroughly smashed and presently she didn't feel up to the task at all. Wallowing in her despair was somehow easier.

She managed to sniffle and fix Luke with a sad, watery smile before he pulled away from her. Whining sharply, the alpha female found her paws, but she didn't make to follow after him. There was a reason she wanted to birth her pups in the maple wood, after all. Previously she had thought of Reek and what he deserved, but now she thought only of the safety of her cubs. Either way, the outcome of the decision was the same: they had to be born there, and without a parent besides her to look after them, she was also bound.

Feeling tethered and defeated and resentful of the wolf who had put her in such a position without ever realizing how thoroughly he had destroyed her, Saena glanced at the ground, awaiting Luke's decision to leave as well. He wanted to leave the wilds, and she couldn't. His choice now seemed obvious.