and if there's life after that, i'll love you then

Shadow told her the blunt, honest truth. He regretted promoting her when apparently the pack did not trust her; he admitted that he had been unable to rely on her judgement as an Alphess; he announced that he'd been wrong. But she had been wrong too, for leading him along as she clung to the belief that they were compatible. Looking at him then, she felt her throat tighten as the proud silver outrider poured out his broken heart, promising to be a better example for their children.

His dark humour calmed her frustration, and Paar even managed to express a fleeting, subtle smile for him. Despite his arrogance and brutality of the previous weeks, Shadow had always been able to attract her with his collected way to melt her irritation away. Following this came an apology that Paar did not really acknowledge, for she did not feel it necessary considering the many "sorries" he'd already delivered, and pricked her ears at the mention of a white Creek wolf.

Immediately she thought of the pale Kappa who'd intimidated her only the day following her arrival, and who'd lurked around her den site in the days following. He was suspicious of her, and rightly so, but it did strike her as rather frightening. Unwilling to discuss her new pack-mates with her former mate, Paarthurnax let the matter drop, and Shadow pressed onto other concerns.

"I would not be able to find it in me to hate you, even if I wanted to," she told the ashen brute gently, allowing him to step closer as he made to advance her way. Paarthurnax stood her ground, blinking up at him with solemn copper eyes, "I have said all along that I wanted our pups to know where they came from. Us being apart doesn't change that; you'll be their father, no matter what. We will find a way to make this work." She wanted to reach out to him then, to assure him with the touch of her muzzle to his, but she was afraid that it would bring her to tears. Paarthurnax still loved Shadow fiercely, despite their differences, and although she would discuss the matter with Scimitar, she feared that her former mate may have already burned his bridges. "Your wound," she pointed out, "it needs tending to."