Sunbeam Lair you reduce my name to a signal fire

The answer Asterr gives him isn’t exactly a surprise but it makes him wonder. Things here aren’t the same as they were in his birth pack, nor the maplewood. They have a different way of life than Ukko is used to and every turn he makes, he’s met with something new. Asterr raising children inside her would strength the pack, no matter how small, and he’s faced with watching all these changes. [i]His[i] children are inside her, possibly, and he isn’t entirely sure how ready he is or how involved she may allow him. She may be his mate but things are always as they seem.

Her question causes his gaze to shift, slightly, to look at her middle. There is no indication now, being far too soon, but he can’t help but imagine what might be growing there. Is he even ready to be a father? His life has been nothing but littered with failure in his wake and the chances of it happening against unfortunately but the odds against his favor as he tries to come up with something to say. It should be easy, shouldn’t it? 

“Yes,” he finally says, eyes searching back for her face. A confession lingers on the tip of his tongue as he battles whether or not to speak. Anxiety hangs over his head that he isn’t able to shake and doubts will go away any time soon but their future will layout before them and he isn’t sure what to do about it. “My father is a terrible man,” he adds and sucks in a breath, uncertain how she may take that information, how she may interpret it through him and his actions, but he shifts his weight awkwardly beneath her gaze.