Redhawk Caldera Peel off her face and frantically chew her eyes [m]

It surprised him when Fox moved nearer and began to wash his wounds. He ceased his own attempts and re-positioned himself to make it easier for her. He did not speak, nor dare hope that this was the same sort of intimacy they had shared for close to a year now. She was just doing her civic duty, so to speak. She was keeping him alive so their children wouldn't lose their father and turn out like Junior.

While she did that, Peregrine's mind drifted. Fox might have really lit into him, yet her words were nowhere near as bad as his opinion of himself right now. He was supposed to be a mate, father and leader. He was supposed to exercise good judgment and protect his family. He had really failed on all fronts today. And he had failed Junior and her sisters and brother, which was why this had happened in the first place.

Basically, he had botched two attempts at a happy family. He ruined everything he touched. It was difficult dealing with that realization and the very real suicidal ideation that came with it. But Peregrine just kept reminding himself that he would sacrifice everything, especially now, to make sure Nightjar, Wildfire and Raven grew up with a father, a father who would do everything in his power to learn from this mistake and never, ever repeat it.