Dawnlark Plains the truth be told you need it more than you thought

he offered little more than a thank you, and at once she wanted to scream. she wanted to break something. no, she wanted to put everything back in its place, tape up all the edges and go along as they always had. sourness turned to acid as he turned away, and her face twisted suddenly and violently with all the shame and guilt she pent up and tamped down when moments like these stretched on. 

her maw opened and closed as he spoke, and suddenly there was panic in her chest and everywhere."I deserved it. I took us for granted. something certain." pause, breath, "I don't know how to be alone again." pause, breath, "I don't know how to stop - " admittance, raw and open. she didn't know how to stop loving him, burn the edges and start again. Shale had called her strong. she was not, not now. she knew how to pretend and how to be what the pack wanted her to be. but in this, she was feeble. her fault, her selfishness, and she was the one burning. he was her first and only, and while he had seen the end of things like theirs, she had not.