Redhawk Caldera Luck of an Unlucky Hippie [Rejoin]

Ashton's next words sealed his fate, though even Peregrine didn't fully yield to a decision yet. He continued staring hard at the Healer. Ashton was one of the most authentic wolves the Alpha had ever met, so it was very likely he was telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. His small, stupid oversight at the time had snowballed into two terrible losses for the caldera. It was hard to attribute it to an honest mistake but even Peregrine could see the facts of the matter staring him in the face.

He closed his eyes a moment, in the manner of a quietly frustrated man, then reopened them. "Ashton, she felt the same way about you. That's why she went after you." That was an assumption, of course, but it was a belief the entire pack shared. "Clearly, she never found you." He let those words hang heavily in the air. If Somnia hadn't caught up with Ashton, with the two of them running off to their happily ever after, where did that leave her? She was out there, somewhere, without Ashton or any of them.

"If I'm going to allow you back into our ranks, I need you to promise you'll stay with us for good this time. If you go anywhere outside of the caldera—even to take a dump—you have to let someone know. If you don't, I'll consider it a violation of my trust and you'll never be welcome back here again. Also, you'll be in our lowest rank for at least a month while you earn back our trust and respect. Do you accept these terms?"

While he waited for an answer, Peregrine glanced at Elwood, wondering if the Beta felt he was being fair and reasonable. There was always the chance he would relent later, like Fox had with him. For now, however, this was the Alpha male's judgment call.