Redhawk Caldera Fire and brimstone

It's because he's a sexy silver fox now, isn't it? *offers tissue*

Only now did Peregrine realize he might have misunderstood Fox's original verbal lashing. Perhaps she had never intended to break the bond of their mate-ship. It was a relief, though it didn't mean he was any readier to resume the mantle beside her. By the look of it, the queen was large and in charge. He felt a thread of disquiet when he remembered who'd caused those cuts and bruises. Why had Saena fought back against a defensive Alpha female on her own border? Did she know about Junior? Had her sister told her about it beforehand? There were so many unanswerable questions.

But, much as it made him a callous and deadbeat dad once and for all, Peregrine realized it was time to let go of that litter. They were adults now and they didn't need him. And even though he had been the one to leave the plateau, they had also chosen not to follow him. He had not deigned to make anyone's choice for them that day and they had exercised their freedom of will. Peregrine had eventually shouldered the blame for that and he knew he could have handled it better. But when it came down to it, they hadn't needed him then and they certainly didn't need him now. They weren't his family anymore, by mutual choice now. They were outsiders, non-pack, never to be trusted again. It was a hard, cruel fact of life.

"But guess what," Peregrine whispered to himself, watching as Fox curled up around her little lookalike, "we are fucking wolves."