Redhawk Caldera If heaven is as heaven does then this is hell for sure

He couldn’t bring up Towhee’s lost children, not without her explicit permission, so he didn’t. It hurt to hear his two best friends at odds, even moreso when they were both hurting apart without the support of one another. Towhee hadn’t said a single bad thing about Niamh, at least not that he could remember, and that made it harder. Perhaps this was a long time coming, as they were both hot headed. He had hoped that, with age and their children to look after together, things might get better. Grudges would slide away. They could be the three musketeers again.

And now she made him choose.

It was an impossible choice for the Redhawk. He had left Towhee once before and regretted it with all his being. Niamh was the mother of his children, both present and future.

An ultimatum.

Phox’s gut twisted into a knot, and for the first time in months, he felt the beginnings of a migraine coming on. Apparently, stress was a contributing factor. He felt himself being split in half.

He wondered if Towhee leaving would be any better, but it sure didn’t feel that way. And where would Niamh go? Where would he go? Would Towhee even be able to keep the pack together if he left? And wouldn’t they end up in the same place anyway if that happened.

A stab of pain shot through his head, and he wavered on his legs, trying to ground himself.

I don’t know what to do, he said finally, frowning. I left Towhee before, and I hated myself for it. You’re the mother of my children; my mate, and I’d hate myself not going with you, too.

There was no right answer. None he could give that would satisfy anybody involved. He wanted to split. Run away like he had all those years ago during the war. Instead, he stood there, his head and heart pounding.