Blacktail Deer Plateau Hold on loosely

Dante looked up sharply when she spoke of him taking lead, his stomach dropping. Him, Alpha? Oh no. Oh no no no. Bad idea, very bad idea. He had no clue how to lead a pack... not correctly, at least. All his training had been focused on leading through fear, and while he had been Beta here for a while, Alpha was a totally different animal.

Then again, who else? He did not want to force Blue into the position, for he knew she was already stressed with everything she had been dealing with of late. To make her assume responsibility for the entire pack would be a terrible thing for him to do, especially when she expressly stated she didn't feel up to it. None of the other members had shown much inclination towards such a rise either, and time was short. He couldn't throw someone into the rank or they would be in an even worse position than he was. At least he had some semblance of authority previous.

Deep down, he'd known going into this talk that this outcome was likely. And he'd known, despite what he had told Peregrine that day so long ago, that he would step up. Because that day, he hadn't felt what he felt now. He still hadn't accepted this as home.

"If that is how you really feel, then I will take the position. Though I hope you aren't going anywhere anytime soon, for I will need your help in this. I haven't the faintest clue how to run a pack, not really." He looked at her, silently questioning. Had any part of her wished to follow Peregrine? Or was her heart, as was his, tied to the Plateau?