i am not your autumn moon

A sinking sense of horror and shame crept through him like poison as his Alphess, his queen and his friend, took the blame for the brothers' quarrel upon herself. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't about her. It never had been. Sure, there were some hard feelings where her relationship with Peregrine was concerned. It could just as easily have been him, as she'd said, and it sucked to lose her to his brother. But even that wasn't her fault. The timing hadn't been right for them, whereas it had been for her and Perry.

She seemed to slump a bit, wilting like a great black flower where she stood before him, as though the guilt of it all pressed down upon her shoulders. Atticus had restrained himself previously, avoiding his desire to rush to her, to touch her. His will crumbled, though, when he saw her sadness. Stepping forward, he gently placed his nose beneath her chin; the sweet scent of her throat tickled his senses as he tenderly lifted her head, as if to physically say, chin up! "Shhh," he rumbled softly in his deep, calming voice. "None of this is because of you. You were just caught in the middle. You couldn't have known that all of this would happen. It's just a bunch of stupid family drama." He stepped back from her then, connecting gazes with her for a brief moment. Warmth for her shone in his arctic eyes. "I'll talk with Perry and get all this shit straightened out. I promise." He flashed her a silly smile, hoping to lift her spirits a bit.