Larksong Grotto A cheap sunset on a television set can upset her, but he never could

As Tavi began to clean at his mangled ear, Reek felt a strange mixture of both comfort and pain. Mere contact sent a sharp, stabbing sensation through the entire left side of Reek's face as her tongue traced what felt to Reek to be an exposed nerve. He struggled not to flinch away, but his eyes shut tightly and a whine escaped his lips. Of course, he knew cleaning was a necissary thing: he had done the same for Tavi after she had been chased from the maplewood, but now the shoe was on the other foot. Her tongue did not continue it's motion for long, and when she was done, the bulk of the pain abated. 

She eventually settled down nearby and Reek scooted in to lean against her side. He exhaled -- a tear fell down his cheek, yet he stifled the sob that begged to follow. Deep down, he knew she was right. The wolves of the maplewood (apart from maybe Desna) were no longer Reek's family. It was time to make a choice: the wolves he led, or the wolves he had left behind. The answer was, of course, obvious.

"You're right Tavi..." he whipsered. Having tried too hard to have the best of both worlds, reality had come to bite Reek in the ass. "They're not my family anymore. They can't be." The admittance was painful, perhaps even worse than the physical wounds inflicted upon him by Luke. The wolf before him, however, his co-alpha, she was his family wether Reek admitted it or not. In fact, he felt it about time he did, "but, you are." After all, what was the saying? Love the one you're with?