Under the light of a 1000 colors

Though her question may have been rhetorical, Dante answered it all the same.  "No.  I don't think I would."  He had never been bothered enough by loneliness to even think about doing as she had done, and because of that he couldn't relate.  He didn't think he wanted to be able to relate.

Holding off on any sort of introspection for a later time, he did what he did best... he compartmentalized.  Right now, he was alpha, and she was one of his members who was now in a sticky situation.  He knew he shouldn't, in good faith, let her lack of gaining his permission to breed go unchecked and unpunished, but what could he do to her that was worse than what she was going through now?  She wasn't like Junior... demotion would not cause her pause, and instead would only make her pups even less legitimate.  He couldn't do that to them.

No, her self-inflicted consequences were enough.  If any thought him lenient for believing so, let them.

"You can take my den for a while, if you like.  I remember yours went south."  He didn't know if she'd take him up on it, but he wished to offer it.  So long ago he'd been unable to, but now... now the offer came easily.  Something he wouldn't think much on until later.  "I can sleep elsewhere."  He was used to outside and, once it warmed a bit, he honestly preferred it.  He hadn't even slept in the den most nights in the winter, for the walls made him feel trapped, enclosed.  He wasn't really one for being backed into corners... literally or figuratively.