Swiftcurrent Creek May all that has been reduced to noise in you, become music again.

"Good," Durnehviir's mate responded to her claim, a certain blunt edge to his tone, and she continued to search for something in the heat of his gaze. She took note of the tightening of muscle in his jaw and the furrow of his brow, clear sign of his frustration with her blatant disregard of Aria, and the russet Frostfur found herself holding her breath.

She loved Constantine. Right at her core, with every fibre of her being, she knew that she loved him. While neither had shared the sentiment verbally, Durnehviir had felt it in her bones since before their mateship became official - perhaps before they'd conceived their litter. He was hers, as she was his. Their life together had been both challenging but beautiful, and the dragoness could not shake the feeling that Aria might see fit to rob her of the world she'd built. Constantine had assured her, many months ago that his pale dove had not shared his past feelings - but would he choose her, if the opportunity arose?

It occurred to Durnehviir then that, while she loved her mate wholly and fiercely, she might not trust him as well as she thought she did. She let silence linger, tense and uncomfortable, as she glanced over at her children and considered how best to deal with her most recent realisation.