Silvertip Mountain Your face-saving promises, whispered like prayers

Steady kept his leg over Mason's shoulders, trying to provide comfort to the younger male. Steady didn't do this very often, but he cared enough about his nephew that he was doing his best to make him feel a little better. Mason admitted he knew his Dad loved him, but Steady felt there might have been more to that statement than he said. "I do, too, ya know... Love you," he said softly. Those were not words Steady uttered often, but he felt now was the time to tell Mason, instead of just let him wonder. Sometimes, saying it meant just as much as showing it.

His nephew asked if he had a mate, and Steady shook his head. "No... I thought I almost did at one point, but it didn't work out," he confided. "We were discussing things, and it came to light that her views were different than mine when it came to raising pups." She hadn't wanted them at all, and Steady had decided that was a deal breaker. Not having pups because he didn't have a mate was one thing, but he did want the opportunity to raise youngsters. Even helping raise Mason and June would have been something for Steady, but she didn't want any part of pups at all, even if they weren't her own.