i am not your autumn moon

Atticus abruptly stared at her, shocked. "Damn. Seriously?" It wasn't her comment that it could've just as easily been him that startled him -- though he did notice that, and filed it away in his memory for later consideration -- but rather that a mateship and promotion could actually be established in the span of mere minutes. He just couldn't see how such a momentous thing could happen so quickly.

"That…changes things," he said, sitting back and furrowing his brow in thought. Damn. If this were the case, then he was the asshole here, not Peregrine. His mind flashed back to that heated moment between himself, Peregrine, and Crete, after the meeting, when Peregrine had submitted on the ground before both of his brothers and Atticus had turned away and left. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Thanks for telling me that, Hawkeye." He looked at her then, pale blue eyes full of gratitude and fondness.