A Wolf Among The Sheep

"Yous one... cousin?" Tala hesitantly began to duck out from behind Ronan's leg at Daisy's comment, looking up to her auntie before peering back at the stranger, "M-Mumma did-did say about a Teddy b-buh I thought she meant a-a teddy-teddy. I didn't finks that..."

Ronan couldn't take his eyes off the second, older child. They glistened slightly in the morning light that broke through the gap in the curtains, leaving him to quickly wipe at them while the two girls were conversing. He looked briefly to Daisy, hand lowering from his face to shove deep into his trouser pocket. 'Anders?' He mouthed, shaking his head briefly and then nodded his head towards the door. He was apprehensive, nervous almost, about his mate finding him with thei-- his daughter. The male didn't react well as it was, let alone if he found out what was going on.

Yet he couldn't just let this opportunity pass him by. This was... his daughter. His adopted daughter, and the one Anders now didn't want him to meet, but his nonetheless. He couldn't ignore the chance that fate had just offered him, as it had done two years ago in finding his mate.

So he smiled softly, and moved to sit just opposite the other little girl, but ensure to keep a healthy distance between them so all would feel comfortable. Tala followed suit, and perched in her Uncle's lap as her eyes remained on the second toddler in the room, as if sizing her up and trying to figure out whether she ought to like this new cousin or not.

"I-I dunno ah-about fishin'. I-I never done dat." Tala then confessed, hands playing with one of Ronan's as it rested on his knee. The toddler focused on the body part of her uncle, in that typical way a toddler would when uncertain of the person before them, shy all of a sudden. Ronan chuckled gently, ruffling Tala's hair, "C'mon little bear, don't tell me you gone all shy now." He teased, the fond nickname one picked up after it had been realised the two-year-old had picked up the same birthmark as her mother.

Tala's round cheeks flushed pink and she looked up with a frown at Ronan, lower lip jutting out in a pout, "Not shy! Do't say dat." She mumbled before looking away again, to her cousin. "Tate-- he my dada. M-Mumma say we-- we came all dis way to see him again. Dat's why he sayed my name. To tell you all I be here. With Mumma. Al'doe they-- they had a bad fight." She whispered the last part, as if it were a secret despite the two adults clearly able to hear.

Ronan's smile faltered, realising now how much that narrative suited him, Anders and Teddy. Clearing his throat, he turned his attention back to the other little girl, "S-So your Papa's goin' take you fishin', ey? That sounds excitin'." He commented, trying to divert the conversation. Although it did amuse him, the idea of Anders' fishing. It wasn't something he expected the other to enjoy doing, but then again... a lot could have changed in those two years. As they already had done.
 
"Nuh-uh, Teddy's my name," the older girl boasted proudly as both hands reached up to push back more blonde strands of hair behind her ears. Anders spent every morning doing her hair for her, having gone out of his way to learn how to braid his daughter's hair if ever she wanted that style so they didn't have to have someone else come in and disrupt their little morning routine together. He would have pulled her hair into neat bunches at either side of her head but the girl had taken it upon herself to rush to find her auntie before she got ready for the day, hence the messy, lopsided bunches and wild strands that she was struggling to keep from falling over her face.

"You-- Unc' Tate's your Papa? Not-- Not R-Ronan?" She murmured in sudden confusion, having no qualms in blurting out whatever was on her mind in the way young children tended to do - though Teddy more so than her peers. She had that tendency to just speak her mind regardless of the situation and chatter on without feelings of nervousness or shyness quietening her - she had a confidence that Anders genuinely didn't know how she had developed, given his more reserved, nervous personality contradicted it entirely.

As her aunt peered out the window to keep a look out and offer any warnings to spare Ronan another punch to the face, Teddy's brow furrowed in continued confusion over the two strangers before her. Their closeness and the affection between the two of them had pricked her curiosity, which eventually settled when she assumed they were father and daughter. She knew that Tala was her cousin, but she didn't quite understand what that meant at her young age; just that it was someone who was part of her family. Hence her belief that Ronan and Tala were relatives, harbouring a father-daughter bond, and to be told differently made her pout to herself in confusion.

"But... Unc' Tate... you closer to Ronan, not my Uncle. Ugh, it... it's all c-con... fusin'," she admitted with a helpless laugh, waiving the matter aside when she didn't want to spend too much time discussing something she considered boring compared to the mention of fishing, her eyes lighting up once more now they were on a topic she didn't need to think too much about, and which sparked that adventurous side of her.

"M-hm! He took me fishin' but only once. He's-- rubbish at fishin'. We caught a-a huge red f-fish, a salmon Papa said, and... an' I was gonna take it back s-so we could cook it up an' it was gonna be awesome but Papa started cryin' and sayin' that he couldn't hurt the fish so-- so I had t' let it go back into da water an'... an' that wasn't fun but... Papa's like that, he gets all upset over silly stuff. Y'know, he cried once 'cos he saw a real pretty butterfly?" The toddler huffed, rolling her eyes in a manner that made her seem older than her years. Other children might be squeamish at the prospect of killing a fish and cooking it up, but she had been desperate to make it happen; to be the adventurer hunting down and cooking up her own meal, but her father's sensitivities had put a stop to that.

"...He did cry over a butterfly, I remember that. You're like the adult, ain't 'ya, Teddy?" Snorted Daisy playfully from the window, briefly glancing across to Ronan in the hope that discussing the better times Anders had gone through in those two years would be more welcome news than the hardships he had endured. "He, uh... was sobbing about it, the butterfly I mean. It landed on his hand and then he got all sad when it flew away before he could show anyone. Teddy had to tell him to pull himself together."

"Yeah, 'cos he was cryin' so much. I never cried that much, not even as a teeny tiny baby. He's so silly~"
 
"N-no. Dis is my Unc Ronan." Tala looked up to the man in question, smiling broadly at the face that was familiar to her. Ronan smiled back encouragingly, nodding to his niece who looked back to Teddy, "I-I only met dada yes-ter-day, dat's-dat's why." It was difficult to explain to a three-year-old in two-year-old terms, as one could imagine. Especially when that two-year-old herself didn't really know much about what was going on.

Tala then giggled at Teddy's reaction to her own papa's behaviour, the toddler edging forward slightly out of Ronan's lap as she became a little more confident with the supposed family member in front of her. "Dat's silly. Really, really silly. Butt-der-flies are really pretty buh I've-I've never cried over one." She told her cousin, almost proudly, as if that would impress Teddy.

Ronan chuckled himself at the idea of Anders getting emotional over the different creatures he came across. He couldn't imagine his mate wanting to butcher and gut anything that was living, and therefore wasn't surprised to hear that the other male had saw to release the fish back where it belonged. Nor did it really surprise him to hear that he had gotten upset that he couldn't share such a beautiful moment with anyone else. The thought then had him make a drastic U-Turn in his feelings, realising then that over the past two years, there were probably lots of moments like that that his mate wanted to share. And specifically share with Ronan.

All those firsts with Teddy: first steps, first words, first tooth. Everything they could have, and should have, done together. All those beautiful, life-changing moments that they should have been sharing together.

The smile slowly faded off his face and he removed his hand from Tala's waist as the toddler finally shuffled off his lap to scoot across to Teddy. The male stood and left the two young cousins to it, but still sat nearby. His eyes rose to Daisy as his fingers plucked at some loose thread from the hem of his shirt.

"I don't blame him for reactin' the way he did," he murmured, not wanting to interrupt the two chatting girls, "I-- should have come back for him, Dase. But I didn't an' now I got'ta live with the consequences. I-- I ain't goin' to force myself into their lives. I know Tate accepted things, but that's-- that's so much different. If he don't want me anywhere near either of them then... I ain't about to make his life miserable by forcin' myself into their lives. I-- I'll make it clear that I wanna chance but... but he's her dad an' I...I'm just a stranger."
 
Daisy knew her priority had to be keeping watch to give Ronan ample warning if someone did come charging down to the hut with unwelcome intentions, but she couldn't help but to peer over at her two nieces starting to interact with one another; become more comfortable with one another's presence and those tentative, timid babblings becoming more confident and familiar. The fact they had been out of one another's lives until now almost seemed irrelevant given how easy they were chatting amongst one another, but they were children: they didn't understand the intricacies or the detail behind the anger that resided between their parents and from the pack at large.

Though it wouldn't sour how Daisy observed them starting to get to know and become familiar with each other, a proud smile evident on the auntie's face as she watched Teddy press closer to her younger cousin, smile widening the more she babbled to her. It was upsetting that they had only now met, rather than have the chance to grow up together side-by-side, but things... could be different now. Tate had made it obvious that he wanted his daughter in his life, and if he was determined to stick with that promise and wouldn't suddenly change his mind, then Tala had a chance to become as much a part of their pack as she was with the one she had been raised in thus far.

She would get a chance to meet every one of her uncles and know both her aunties personally. She could build up the already burgeoning friendship with Teddy and feel that protective instinct Teddy herself felt when it came to their little cousin. This was how it should have been from the start, but rather than bemoan things that couldn't be changed, Daisy was more determined than ever to make sure things worked out the right way from this point on.

She doubted it would be easy when feelings towards Luana were still as tense and angry as ever... but in time, she had to cling to the tope that things could change.

Her attention drifted the moment Ronan began to talk to her, in hushed tones, her frown deepening the longer he spoke.

"You-- have a right to ask him where you stand with Teddy, Ronan, that ain't such an outrageous question to ask 'im. An' who knows, he might... let you in her life, 'cos I... I think you should be. I know I ain't got a say in it but the look on your face when she was talking to 'ya... I dunno. It was how Anders looks at her; you seem like you'd be a great Dad to her, tha's what I mean," she smiled quietly as she pulled herself up to the space beside the window to sit, leaning against the frame so she could keep an eye on movements beyond it, just in case.

"...You're doin' the right thing, talking to him about all this. At least then you know where you stand an' you're not stuck in this... uncertainty. An' if he doesn't give you the answer you want, I... I'm here if you want someone to talk to. He's my big brother an' I love him and I'll always support him, but-- you're a nice guy, Ronan. I'm here if you just... want someone to chat to. I ain't promising I give out good advice but I'm... a good listener, I've got that going for me."
 
"I-I wouldn't want to come to you with all this, Dase." Ronan answered softly before realising how horrid that probably sounded. He immediately went red, floundering as he quickly reached out to touch her arm, "N-Not like that, shit, no-- I just... I meant that I wouldn't want to... have to make you listen to me bitchin' an' whinin' about it all when-- when it's your brother, y'know? Besides, s'bad enough everythin's going on with Lu now too. You... you gotta leave some strength for yourself too, y'know, otherwise you'll burn yourself out." He smiled a little, retracting his arm, "S'what happened with Lu... trust me, it ain't pretty."

His head turned to look back at the two little girls, the smile broadening slightly and warming as it seemed like Teddy was showing off her ted's 'stitches' from the river accident to Tala, who sat there wide-eyed and in wonder, as if it had all happened to an actual person.

"I-- I almost came back, y'know." Ronan eventually admitted, a slight strain to his voice as his eyes lingered on his niece and supposed-to-be-adopted daughter. "I... got as far as the treeline. It was only a few days after Lu had given birth an'... an' I knew I should have been there with her. I knew I should have come to you guys an' told you what was goin' on."

Ronan bowed his head, shoulders hunching forward as his stomach twisted painfully as he made his confession. "But... Luana had been so worried an' I-- well... what reason would I have had for bein' there when people don't know about me an' Anders? H-He might've let me go without sayin' anythin', but I didn't exactly make a big announcement either, y'know?"

A small sigh escaped him and he leaned forward to rest elbows on knees. His head lowered into his hands to rub at his face, shaking his head as he did so, "Why's'it always when you think you're doin' the right thing that you end up hurtin' the ones you love the most?" He questioned, but it was vague, not truly directed at Daisy. He lifted his head, focusing onto Teddy, her bed hair causing the corner of his mouth to flicker. He could easily remedy that, since he had done Tala's own little pigtails so often himself. Yet he didn't dare touch the little girl, both out of respect for Anders' decision but also because he was still a stranger, and didn't want to make Teddy uncomfortable.

"Let's... let's stop talkin' about all this. We're just goin' go 'round an' 'round in circles of me tryin' not to get emotional an' that ain't fun for no one." He huffed, pushing himself to his feet and joining Daisy at the window, "Where we at with these announcements an' all? Tala's starvin' which means so am I. An'-- an' maybe you ought to take Teddy to Anders, if everythin's done out there an' he's lookin' for her, he's goin' be worried out of his head."
 
As far as Daisy was concerned, dwelling over the past actions wasn't going to help him feel any better about his present situation. He had chosen to stay at the time and that had very real consequences to the person he loved, but there was nothing he could do to change that set course of actions he had followed - they had happened and the ramifications had been set into action ever since. Tormenting himself with potentialities and possibilities didn't seem at all productive, but she wasn't prepared to jump in when he seemed set on getting it off his chest.

And she wanted to be someone he could offload inner thoughts and feelings onto, regardless of her family status with Anders. She could simultaneously support him and Ronan - she didn't have to take sides out of blind loyalty when such a thing in and of itself made no sense to her. She saw both sides of the situation, so why couldn't she be present to support both people who had been hurt by it as much as they were responsible for it?

"I know. I know, but... you did what you had to do. And Lu needed you. You helped her when she didn't have her mate at her side; you... both helped one another, yeah? Think about how she'd have managed without 'ya - not as well, right? You became an uncle to her kid, Ronan. I... don't think you should regret staying away. Maybe a message could have been passed along, but it ain't worthwhile thinking about the 'what ifs'. We just gotta move forward and... not make the same mistakes," she shrugged, resting her head back against the glass as she bit her lip, unsure whether her advice was any good or not but she couldn't let him talk without offering anything up to ease his concerns. She might not now him as well as Luana, but she could tell he was a good person--

And he was her brother's mate. They had a bond that identified them both as one another's soulmate. In her eyes, that made Ronan practically family, and he deserved to have her support for that alone.

"I... guess I should go an' see where things are going with breakfast. Leah's usually the one who takes charge but... she's probably overwhelmed, a lot's happened, so it's gonna be a bit slower than normal around here today," she admitted as she pushed herself from the window to reluctantly interrupt her nieces' chatter. As much as she wanted to let them continue interacting, she knew Ronan was right - the longer Teddy stayed, the more likely it became that Anders woke up and stormed into the hut to find her, and Tala had gone through enough; she didn't need to be terrified any more than she already had been.

She had just managed to convince a whining Teddy when the door to the hut was nudged open by Tate, the alpha doing his best to carry two bowls of oatmeal in his hands, balancing the other two in the crooks of his arms. His smile had been wide on his face when he entered (just glad to have everything out in the open with his pack and allow a basis for the future to blossom from) but it understandably faltered when seeing Luana had disappeared. He could claim he had no interest in even a friendship, but her absence from the hut caused a panic to rise in his chest, assuming that she wouldn't reappear and a repeat of the past had been kicked into motion.

"...Is... she coming back?" He murmured under his breath as he set the bowls onto the table, smiling awkwardly to his sister as she made her exit. He bit the inside of his cheek hard to stop himself from falling back into that fear and hurt that he had felt when Luana first left, forcing a smile onto his face again for Tala' sake as he took a seat at the table. "I mean, I... know she has to be coming back, but... why did she... leave the hut?"
 
Ronan had been too busy watching Daisy convince a reluctant Teddy to notice Tate's arrival at first, a small smile on his lips as she listened to the complaints and whines of wanting to stay with 'the adventurers' for a little longer. He wanted that too. He wanted to recount the tales he had sitting in his memory ready and waiting to be told. Yet he knew this was for the best, as he could remember what Anders was like back two years ago. He was a worrier then, and with a three-year-old now testing that anxiety, he could simply imagine the state his mate would be in once he realised Teddy was missing.

"Dada!" Tala exclaimed, bringing Ronan out of his thoughts. The male blinked a few times, dragging his gaze away from the final glimpse of blonde bedhead that he could see to focus onto Tate. "You bring break-fast?" The toddler inquired, pulling herself up off the pillow that she had dragged down off the bed during her conversation with Teddy.

She tottered over to him, oblivious to his reaction to Luana's lack of appearance, "Mm... smells good! S'warm?" She continued to pester, reaching out to hold onto Tate's leg as he tried his best to continue balancing the bowls.

Ronan was quick to move forward, scooping the pup up into his arms so Tate had one less thing to worry about. His eyes moved to the alpha as he placed Tala down in the second free seat at the table, watching Tate cautiously as he asked his question. After hearing what had happened from Daisy, it was difficult to want to make a sarcastic comment or ask a sharp question in response. It was easy to say that Ronan now looked at Tate from a different perspective, having thought the same as Luana after seeing how comfortable he was with Leah on his arm.

Both adults had assumed, wrongly of course, that Tate had made good on his words which had been uttered in the fight and hadn't even given Luana a second thought after she had left. Luana herself definitely thinking the worse of it, considering it had been her mate and the words had been spat at her. Not to mention the way he had simply turned his back on her and left before she did.

Now, however, things had shifted. And things were a lot different.

"Uh-- yeah, yeah she's comin' back. 'Course she is. She... always comes back to those she loves." Ronan cleared his throat awkwardly, reaching for a bowl and pulling it across the table for the toddler in question to reach. So hard he had tried to not make the pointed comment, but it was difficult. "Gotta wait first, darlin'. Still hot." He warned before pausing, once more again feeling awkward for taking directive on Tala's breakfast and the warning to wait. Did he let Tate do all this now? Or was it a gradual transition until he was no longer needed?

As for why Luana left the hut... how did he explain this? Ronan had never been good at lying. The fact that Daisy found out about him and Anders was proof of that. He was fucking lucky no one had asked before because at least in the mean time it was simply... withholding information. It wasn't a lie if no one asked about it.

"She-- uh-- she just needed to get some air. Stretch her legs." Ronan eventually offered as explanation, knowing at least that was partially the truth. He just didn't say why she needed to get some air.

Hearing your mate almost killed himself definitely constituted as a good reason to need air, and some space for that matter.

"Mumma went to be Wolfie." Tala piped up from her seat, spoon mashing into the oatmeal with big, sloppy, gloopy smacks. "I like Wolfie Mumma. She soft an' floofy, y'know?" She glanced to Tate, smiling broadly as the spoon stilled in the bowl, waiting for confirmation. Eventually she got bored and went back to mashing. "Dada? What your Wolfie like? Can I-- Can I see?"

Ronan reached out to quietly take the spoon and bowl from Tala, quickly giving it a stir to let some of the heat escape, "Maybe Dada can show you later, hm? You gotta eat first. Then I'm sure you can do whatever you want with Dada."
 
The awkward demeanour from Ronan caught his attention not too long after Luana's absence did, though Tate didn't assume that it was because the other knew about the dark period of his life that had culminated in the suicide attempt. He didn't think Daisy would have ever even hinted towards it, let alone explain the entire situation and what he had felt was his only choice at the time. The thought of Luana ever discovering what he had attempted to do would have made him feel cold to his core... but he didn't even contemplate that as the reason behind her absence and Ronan's awkwardness; it didn't even enter his mind that his sister could have informed them.

Instead, he chose to believe that the situation was overwhelming for Luana and she needed to go for a run, whereas Ronan was awkward because of the bitter words he had spat at the alpha in the heat of the moment during the night when Tate had been so fixed on remaining stubborn that he more or less made himself look like an asshole - a fact he now realised with genuine regret.

He didn't need to like Ronan for him to realise that the other was defending not just Luana last night, but Tala too - and now he had seen sense, he couldn't deny how commendable the man's actions were.

"You don't need to feel awkward around me, I'm not going to childishly lash out at you for how 'ya spoke to me. It was... I needed to hear it, I appreciate it. I know you didn't say it for my benefit but you-- were defendin' Tala an' I appreciate that more, so... we're okay, y'know. I ain't saying we're gonna be best buds anytime soon 'cos I still ain't happy about the fact you and Lu stayed away and put us through hell, but... I dunno, I'm not so pathetic that I'd let you feel awkward around me if there's no need to. I ain't gonna get back at 'ya for anything, you can relax," he reassured after a moment or two, stirring his spoon around his oatmeal as he tried to find the desire to tuck into it.

He didn't want a repeat of the behaviour that had led to him attempting to take his life, when he would go days without eating until Leah would have to force him to get something into him. If he didn't eat breakfast, even if he genuinely didn't have an appetite that morning, he knew his pack would be on his back about it, assuming that he was reverting to old, dangerous habits because of the pain brought up from Luana's return. He would never attempt something similar to what he had done before, not now he had Tala and wanted to be a part of her life - she was something he could focus on in bad times to get him through them; a spark that would help see him through any potential periods of darkness.

But his pack wouldn't see that, and the thought of them fearing a relapse in him was all he needed to quietly start to eat the breakfast prepared for him.

"She's gone out in that form, huh? I-- guess I can show you my, uh... wolfie sometime, sure. But after breakfast, okay? An' make sure you eat it all up for me and your Uncle, so you can be big and strong," he encouraged fondly, having no qualms in allowing Ronan to continue taking a hands-on role with Tala. It was clear his daughter doted on the man, whereas he had just met the girl a day prior - he wasn't about to force himself to take over and dominate proceedings when there was no real need for it.

If Tala was happy, so was he.

"We're gonna have to ask your Mumma first, though. She don't want you going out in the pack without her so... we can talk about doin' stuff when your Mumma gets back."
 
It was about another half hour before Luana returned from her necessary time away, fur dirtied and wet from where she had run and run and run without any acknowledgement to the environment around her. She had shifted back briefly into her human form while away to take a dip in one of the nearby waterfalls, the chill harsh against her skin and causing her to lose her breath momentarily. But it was needed, it was necessary for her to do that so she had something else to focus on rather than the despair and self-disgust she now felt at what she had driven her mate to do.

The news would be yet another thing Luana would have to learn to deal with, another pot of emotions she would have to slam the lid on and bur y down deep when she was with Tala and now if she had to interact with the pack. Yet the strength she felt when she first arrived, all of that confidence (which was fragile nonetheless) she had worked on over the past two years had been shattered the moment she had realised how hated she was. With that wall now broken and crumbling, it only made things worse for her to deal with. Luana felt like she was back to where she had started: questioning everything, but knowing now that she truly wasn't cut out to be an alpha, or perhaps even member of any pack. Not when she hurt those that she was supposed to help and love.

Her time in the water had involved her going under water and just screaming. As loud and as hard and as long as she could until she had to come up, gasping and choking for breath.

Arriving back she was still clearly lost in her thoughts, head hanging low with ears pressed flat against the back of her head. She nudged the door open carefully with her snout and tentatively clambered inside. Her paws were filthy, muddy and covered in brambles and wet grass and even small sticks that had fallen from trees during the storm had become tangled in the fur. Her tail was almost tucked between her back legs and her fur was damp from the water droplets and dew from the foliage and grass in which she had run through.

She only looked up as Tala cried her name, scrambling from the bed that she sat on to race across to her. Luckily Ronan caught her before the toddler had a chance to wrap her arms around the muddied wolf, and Luana looked up to him with grateful eyes.

"Mumma, where been? Breakfast cold now. We ate all ours. Dada said I had to to be all big an' strong-- like you!" Tala exclaimed, squirming in Ronan's hold, "Unc' Ro-- put down! Wanna hug Mumma!" She demanded next, whining.

However at the mention of Tate, Luana sharply looked around for her former partner and allowed her eyes to settle on him. She became still in place, body physically tensing as Daisy's words came back to her. Her head ducked even lower and she hastily averted her gaze, plodding over to where towels had been kindly left at some point during her run.

"Mumma just needs to clean up, kiddo." Ronan explained, "See how dirty she is? Do you want to get all icky?" He questioned, soon tickling her, "Cause if you do, that means bath time!"

Tala squealed, legs kicking out as Ronan turned and walked back to the bed with his niece, still tickling all the way. "Noooo! Unc' Ro! Stop-- stop ticklin'! Not--not fair!"

Luana made use of the distraction by pulling one of the towels from the bed with her teeth, eyes avoiding the other three bodies in the room as she made her exit outside again. There, once the door had closed, did she shift back and wrap the towel around herself. The mud carried over to her human form, caked under her nails and drying on her fingers. Staining and knotting her hair and streaks of it painted over her skin. Tear tracks, marked out thanks to the dirt and mud that had dried on her face, where the only betrayal as to her emotions. She lingered in front of the back door, knowing she had to go back inside, but unable to bring herself to look upon Tate again in that moment, knowing what she knew.

Daisy argued that he hadn't been an angel either... but at least his actions didn't push Luana to try and commit suicide. Hurt herself, push herself, punish herself in more ways than one, yes... but never try to take her own life. Granted she wondered if that would have been the case if Tala hadn't been born... but that would always be one thing she would never know. Tate taking deadly nightshade... that was a certified fact. And she had been the cause.

What kind of a mate was she.
 
For half an hour, Tate had been enjoying the easy atmosphere in the hut. Granted, he was more or less ignoring Ronan given he had absolutely no desire to speak to him unless he absolutely had to (he might find his care of Tala commendable but that was as far as the positivity towards him went) but any awkwardness that arose from that was easily overshadowed by the enjoyment of spending some quality time with his daughter.

Just sharing thirty short minutes with her over breakfast meant the world to him. He hadn't known she had existed so he hadn't spent two years missing her, but he did mourn the lost time now she was in his life; regretted with every inch of his being how things had worked out. The hatred for Luana had no option but to intensify as a result, blaming her entirely for not even sending a message along regarding the birth of his daughter - no matter her fear of the consequences or repercussions of such a decision, he, as the father, had a right to know.

But in Tala's presence, he refused to dwell on that hurt, anger or guilt. He didn't need her smartly picking up on those emotions raging within him when he wanted to be a father she could... trust. He hadn't had the best of starts with her, and while he was almost sure that he would have to make decisions in the future that meant he couldn't devote all his time to his child (that fear had been the reason he was so reluctant to have children in the first place, assuming they would grow to resent how little time he spent with them), the times he did have with Tala were times he wanted to make the absolute most of.

And filling that precious time with negativity or discomfort wasn't something he was seeking to ever do.

Luana's reappearance did jerk him from his happy mood, as it inevitably would. He wanted to pretend that he was fine with her presence for Tala's sake, but when her back turned to focus on her Mumma entering the hut, he couldn't help but let the forced smile drop. Time healed wounds, that was what he had always been told, but it was hard to see that ever happening in his case with Luana.

Not when he found that seed of bitterness he felt towards her blossoming as the days went by, to the point that he could quite honestly claim he didn't hate someone as much as he hated her.

Of course, with that hatred was two years of pain, hurt, confusion and grief; it wasn't as simple as a pure anger when all those other emotions proceeded to complicate matters. It was just easier to focus on anger and ignore the other emotions to the best of his ability.

"...You took your time," he murmured simply as she made her entrance, in human form, from the bathroom, averting his gaze to keep himself as calm as it was possible for him to remain - for Tala's sake. The state Luana had arrived back in inevitably piqued his curiosity, unsure just what had motivated her to go running off irrespective of the harsh surroundings, but he didn't feel that burning desire to question her to reassure himself that she was alright.

In fact, as curious as he might have been, the idea that his questions could be misconstrued as genuine care for her made him force back such interest. He could just about accept being her life as parents for Tala, but like hell did he want to ever give the impression that things could lead back to the romance that had once ran passionately between them.

After everything that had happened, he couldn't even fathom being friends with her, let alone anything beyond that.

"Ronan said you went to clear your mind; I'm sure you managed that. Nothin' like a good run to achieve that," he continued with a shrug, daring to glance across at her with his expression kept neutral, almost deadpanned - but compared to seething hatred, it was probably the cheeriest look she was going to get from him.
 
Fresh from bathing now after ducking into the bathroom once she worked up the courage to enter the hut again, Luana's mouth opened to correct him that actually, no, the run didn't clear her mind at all. No matter how hard she pushed herself, how much her lungs burned both during the run and under water, it didn't help her whatsoever. Instead she was still filled with the new self-loathing, self-disgust that had filled her the moment Daisy had revealed all to her. And she wanted to tell him that, so he at least could finally smile at something and enjoy the fact that she was in pain about what she knew. She was sure he wanted that.

When it all went down yesterday, all Luana wanted someone to do was to take their anger out on her. She could see it in their eyes, how they wanted to cause her the same grief and hurt that they had all felt emotionally and psychologically over the last two years.

After what she had been told, she wanted nothing more than to receive that punishment. She was wondering if Tate's change of heart regarding Tala had actually been the right thing, because at least before she could have left and never returned just as it was so clearly wanted by all. She could have had a chance to even potentially move on as Tate had done. But how could she now, knowing what damage she had caused to the last person she loved? She wouldn't even have dared to have another family, if it weren't for Tala and Ronan.

Even now she was considering whether or not to simply leave Tala with Tate and Leah. How soon would it be before she hurt her daughter as badly as she hurt her mate? At least then Tala could grow up happy, secure, safe. Without the worry of her parents ripping each other's throats out every birthday.

The former-alpha bit hard on the inside of her cheek and swallowed back hard against the lump that had formed in her throat. She didn't bother answering Tate, instead forcing a smile to her lips as Tala once more race toward her. "Hey, little bear." She whispered, bending down to scoop her pup up in her arms, "Sorry for disappearin' on ya. I bet you still had fun with Uncle Ronan an' Auntie Days, right?"

Tala furiously nodded, grinning broadly, "It okay. Mumma good now, though?"

Luana pressed a kiss to her child's forehead, humming a soft note of agreement, "Yes, Mumma's good." She assured the toddler, who was rather easy to convince against Ronan who looked on sceptically. Luana shot him a quick look, brow furrowed, which caused the male to clear his throat and glance away, laying back on the bed.

"Dada said we had to wait. 'Cause I wanna see his wolfie buh he-he said we had to wait for you ta'see what you wanted to do." Tala informed her as Luana moved to sit on the edge of one of the beds, sitting Tala on her lap and the toddler's legs swinging in the air, "I wanna go do stuff, Mumma. With you, with Dada. I wanna go!"
 
All Tate wanted to do was take his daughter's hand and show her around the pack; her pack, by birth right. It would one day by hers to lead if she saw the opportunity as one she wished to take up, and having already missed two years getting accustomed to the space that had been sacred to Tate's family for generations, he wanted her to start become acquainted with the pack's energy and the settlement itself. It was as much her home as it was Tate's, even if she wouldn't spend every day of her life in it.

She would share her time between the two packs, between her two parents (if the details of such an agreement could be agreed upon, at least), but this was her home and he was determined to make it feel like such for her as soon as possible. He didn't want her to continue to see the place as strange and unwelcoming, nor did he wish for her to consider the pack (a pack she would one day lead if she chose to do so) as intimidating beings who resented her presence.

Because it wasn't true. They resented Luana, that much wasn't going to change anytime soon, but they would come to accept Tala without hesitation. She wasn't just an innocent child mixed up into the mess; she was their alpha's daughter and they would put their dislike of Luana aside in order to make their alpha's child feel as comfortable as she really should be in a place that ought to be sacred to her because of the blood she shared with Tate and their ancestors.

He wanted to walk her through to the sacred area where each and every werewolf in the pack had their first transition; a place where they could connect spiritually to the woodlands and feel that power run through them as they became one with what they were. His father had taken Tate to such a place when he was a boy, knowing the importance such a place held for an alpha specifically, and he wanted to repeat that action with Tala.

Hell, he just wanted a chance to have a little fun with her, at the very least; take her up to the river and let her play with him in his wolf form, as she desired.

But he couldn't envision forming any happy memories with her whilst Luana was present, and he doubted she would let him take their daughter without her presence. Especially not out into the pack that had, just yesterday, inadvertently terrified the poor girl.

"I... don't think your Mumma an' I can play with 'ya together, sweetheart. We both-- we love you lots and lots and we can do lots of cool stuff, but we can't both do that together with 'ya," he explained as gently as was possible, even if turning the girl down and ruining the chance to have the fun he had promised her made his grimace grow in frustration.

But wasn't it better to say no to something that would turn into a disaster? Or, if he did keep his cool, give his daughter a memory of him sullen and moody in Luana's presence? Neither were preferable, even if the alternative was turning her down.

"I wanna do fun stuff with 'ya but," he paused to take a glance up at Luana, biting back the urge to frown, "...but I'm sure your Mumma wants to chat with 'ya about-- Teddy; you should tell her about your cousin an' how you guys are gonna go on all those adventures together when you're older, hm? She prob'ly wants to hear all about it."
 
"But why not?" Tala demanded to know, causing Luana to wince with a sharp hiss being inhaled as the little girl flung her legs downwards in their swing, inadvertently kicking her mother in the side of her lower leg. "Why can't you! Why can't you just-- just be nice!" Tala continued, the last three words punctuated with three more hard, backwards swings.

"Tala, that's enough--" Luana began to discipline, brow furrowing as she fought the urge to rub the spot in which her daughter had kicked. "No! It-- It not fair! All'da others play with their Mummas an' Pas together, so-so why can't I?" She flung her hands downwards so palms slapped against thighs.

Luana didn't dare look at Tate, knowing he would be blaming her and undoubtedly wishing to say something to verbally lay such accountability at her feet.

"Because Mumma an' your Da are-- are still unhappy with one another." She tried to explain, moving to set the little girl on the bed as she continued with her tantrum. "Then stop bein' unhappy! You tell me to-to say sorry. You do 'dat too, now!" Tala looked between them both, lower lip jutting out with brow furrowing and arms folding across her chest. Any other time, Luana would have found this amusing, but instead it was just painful.

Exhaling heavily, Luana glanced up to Tate with a slight heaviness beginning to weigh at her shoulders. "Can-- can I talk to you? Outside?" She murmured, pushing herself to her feet.

"Where goin' now!" Tala yelled, scrambling to her knees and holding onto the end of the bed as she watched her mother head to the back door. "I need to speak to your Da. Now be a good girl for Uncle Ronan an'... an' you might get a treat out of it." Luana commented, a stern look to her face as she held her daughter's gaze. There seemed to be a momentary battle of wills, but eventually Tala conceded, albeit with a small grumbled that sounded similar to something Tate would do.

With an almost inaudible sigh of relief, Luana glanced back to Tate before continuing her way out to the back of the hut. Once there, she shut the door behind him and faced him. She folded her arms tightly across her chest, biting once on the inside of her lower lip as she kept her eyes lowered from him.

"I... I ain't comfortable with what I'm about to say," she started hesitantly, her weight shifting anxiously from foot to foot, "But I-- I know that even though thin's started off rocky with your reaction to Tala, I-- I know an'... trust that you'll keep her safe." She swallowed hard, lifting a hand to run through her shorter hair. It made its way through damp locks to then rest on the back of her neck, which she rubbed.

"I know that... me bein' around while you try an'... integrate her into the pack ain't goin' to help make her comfortable cause she's going to see everyone hatin' me an' think it's cause of her. I also know that me bein' around when you're spendin'... time with her is goin' sour everythin' you do with her. So Imma... Imma stay here, in or around the hut. I ain't about to... ruin anythin' else for you... or for her." Luana glanced to the door of the hut, chewing at her lower lip as she considered what else to say, "Unless I hear her callin' for me, or if she wants me... I'll keep out of your way. I don't-- want her pickin' up vibes that are directed at me."

Exhaling harshly, Luana still refused to meet his gaze, unable to bring herself to after finding out what she had caused him to do. "S-so if you wanna take her to the river, or to the... transitionin' point or... or fuck knows where else then-- then go for it. She-- she already seems so comfortable with you," a small smile pulled at the corners of her lips but she hastily bowed her head to hide the expression, hand lowering from the back of her neck to begin lightly scratching, as nervous habit called, at the inside of her lower left arm, "I doubt she'd miss me too much once she sees your... ah... your wolf."
 
Tala's furious protestations would have made Tate smile to himself at how adorable she was if he wasn't at fault for making her upset. He knew that his rejection of the plans he had proposed and promised to her had created this upset - though it was perfectly justified. She was just a child, after all; one who didn't understand why she couldn't play with both her parents like other children could. It was a valid point that Tate struggled to really counter, unsure if him explaining that he was still on bad terms with her Mumma would go down well - with both her and Luana.

So he let his ex take the lead, keeping back and observing quietly as she managed to calm their daughter's tantrum with expertise, clearly knowing what to say and finding that perfect balance between strict discipline and gentle coaxing from a place of understanding. She seemed to have it sussed out because Tala calmed down enough to relent from stamping her feet and slamming her hands down against her sides, the small grunt that escaped her in annoyance at the situation finally bringing a smile to the alpha's face.

After all, how couldn't he smile at his daughter's actions when they so closely resembled the faint grunts he made when he was annoyed at something?

He didn't have any doubts that she was his, but even if he did, that small grunt alone would convince him that she was his daughter, through and through.

With a ruffle of her hair in reassurance, he took a deep breath to compose himself before he made the move out of the hut to speak with Luana. As much as he wanted to avoid being alone with her like this (it was the first time he was left alone with her since she had returned, after all), he was willign to put his personal comfort aside for the sake of sorting things out for Tala.

"Wait. Hold up a fuckin' second. You're alright with me takin' her out into the pack an'... spending time with her without 'ya? That's-- That's a big fuckin' change of heart from this mornin', ain't it? You got damn angry at me when you thought I'd suggested that, an' know you're alright with it?" He suddenly questioned after she had finished speaking. He ought to be thrilled at the prospect of spending that quality time with Tala without having the moment soured by Luana's presence; he ought to just nod along and scoop Tala up, head straight to the river to make the most of their time together.

But he couldn't yet, not when Luana's change of mind seemed so... abrupt. Combined with her refusal to even meet his eyes, he had the hunch that something had changed in the time he had disappeared from the hut that morning to inform the pack of the situation - because when he returned, she had rushed out to clear her mind, a fact he hadn't thought too much about until now.

"Right, what the fuck's goin' on? This ain't-- nah, you wouldn't let me just take her like this. What's changed your mind?" He demanded sternly as he folded his arms across his chest, brow arched as that curiosity in her demeanour piqued once again. "...You didn't want her goin' out at all this mornin'. Not that much time has passed since then so what's suddenly got you being this-- accommodatin' with me, huh? I wanna know, Clar-- Luana. I'm lettin' you stay despite it being the last thing I want so at least do me a favour an' be honest with me."
 
Luana sharply looked up at him at his last comments, finally meeting his gaze as she tried to process his words. A coldness had filled her as he demanded to know what was going on, both because she didn't want to drop Daisy in the shit by revealing that his sister had told her everything... but also because she knew how much it could hurt him again to have to relive it. Or know that she knew.

But then him saying he was letting her stay. That he was practically ordering her to be honest with him after apparently all he had done for her.

"D-don't you fuckin' dare act like you're lettin' me stay for me. You're lettin' me stay because of her, so y-you have no right to demand anythin' of me, not anymore." Luana swallowed hard, shaking her head at him. "Don't go actin' like all of this is for me when we both know the last thing you want is me to be around."

For a moment longer her eyes stayed on him, studying his features for the first time properly since everything happened. Her expression remained neutral but she was quick to fold her arms across her chest as her fingers twitched with the urge to reach out to him. Obviously, so painfully and blatantly obviously, that would not go down well. She averted her gaze once more, exhaling heavily as she bowed her head, closing her eyes to begin composing herself again.

"I ain't sayin' take her straight into a big group of them. I'm sayin' that... that you should go slow with her. Take her to places you know alone, bond with her..." Luana sighed softly, raising her head but keeping her eyes focused elsewhere, "Introduce her to small groups first, get Daisy involved... she likes Dase too."

She didn't want to leave him any time to push her again for an answer to his question. Things were already diabolical between them, and Luana wasn't stupid enough to believe that this would make them closer than before. Continuing to talk about Tala and what he could potentially do for their day out together would hopefully work as a distraction. Besides, he hadn't wanted to hear the truth before, how could she know he would be so willing to listen and believe that she meant what she said this time.

"She-- she can't swim yet neither s-so if you're near open water, keep an eye on her. If you go in, keep a good hold on her. S-she's a good girl, knows what she can an' can't do but she... might try to show off in front of you. She acts tougher than she is sometimes so just... don't fall for it. Swimmin' does use up a lot of her energy though so if you-- you take her swimmin' then she'll be fast asleep within half hour of gettin' out, so prepare for that crash too."
 
"I mean, that's true. I want you nowhere near me but I gotta deal with 'ya, don't I? 'Cos I'm not gonna be petty and-- and make you leave, Luana. Would it be easier for me? Sure. But I... I feel kinda strongly about this... fatherhood thing, an' I get that I have to be in your life. Like it or not, you're always gonna be around so I have to deal with it. But yeah, you're right - it's all for her, not you," he confirmed clearly even if it needed no confirming, the look behind his eyes saying all that needed to be said - but it didn't hurt to reaffirm that dislike; ensure it was emphasised to avoid his feelings being misconstrued later down the line.

...Even if he was almost entirely certain that a part of him remained favourable towards Luana; that a part of him yearned to just draw a line under the horrible circumstances of the last two years and just... work everything out. It was a part of him he was denying, refusing to admit its very existence, but Luana was his mate - he couldn't just ignore the fact that she was the mate fate had determined for him and some feelings would always be present for that fact alone.

And if he really examined everything, he would undeniably find that the reason for the intensity of his anger and hatred was solely down to the fact he had loved her so deeply - feeling betrayed and abandoned by her had hurt more because of the depth of his feelings. He recognised that, it was nothing new, but examining it all over again would probably ignite the spark of those feelings again, make him understand that Luana was... special, and always would be.

Even if he preferred to focus on despising her, unable to fathom even giving her a chance to work things out so they could interact as friends because she didn't deserve that, not in his eyes. He could manage co-parenting, but anything friendlier than that after the two years he had endured in confusion and hurt... it didn't feel likely.

He averted his gaze as she spoke, finding it easier to handle her presence if he wasn't looking at her. He knew her well enough to know she was holding back and withholding information from him but he had no right to demand it from her, not now. However curious he was, he figured he ought to let her have her secrets now he had no right to them - he wouldn't like her demanding information from him, so it had to go both ways.

"She acts tougher than she is, huh? She's definitely my daughter then, ain't she? That sounds like me," he murmured as a smile broke on his face, not for Luana's benefit but automatically lighting at the realisation of the similarities his daughter shared with him. He had no doubt that she resembled characteristics from her mother too, and even if he disliked Luana he would appreciate them, but Tala mirroring his own behaviour was always going to please Tate - as the wide smile suddenly appearing on his expression served to prove.

"She'll, ah-- she'll be alright, I'll keep an eye on her. I took Teddy up by the river last week, she had a whale of a time - but she's easy to please. All 'ya gotta do is tell her it's an adventure and she'll be entertained," he continued, the conversational approach not being a conscious decision as he found himself drifting into it without realising what he was doing. He didn't want to discuss anything with Luana that wasn't necessary, especially when it had to do with his family, but the details slipped from his lips regardless.

"...I mean... I'll be fine with 'er, I've got experience lookin' after Teddy, so... she'll be fine. I'll 'ave her back in the hut by dinner."
 
It was impossible to smother the flinch that came in reaction to his confirmation of having to put up with her presence and basic hatred towards her. Luana already knew all of this, and didn't need his words of agreement, but it simply cemented things into place for her. Her feelings for him could linger and hope for change all they wanted... But it was never going to happen. The idea she had lost her mate's love, the one person who was destined to love her despite everything, broke her.

"Gotta put up with me," she quietly whispered, repeating his words with a small emotionless smile that was directed towards the ground, "That's all you ever did wasn't it? 'Specially towards the end? You just... put up with my bullshit." She chose the words he had spat at her just before she left, the same words that had haunted her and plagued her during her months away. Luana took in a shaking, deep breath through her nose and bit hard in the inside of her cheek to focus on the pain and keep any tears from appearing. She wouldn't win sympathy from him. Nor did she want it.

Her gaze lifted briefly to him as he began to speak of Teddy and the lake, but she could barely focus on the words he was providing her. Besides, she doubted this conversational tone he was providing was genuine, and would be revoked the moment he realised what he was doing. He couldn't even look at her. He couldn't even bring himself to glance in her direction, and that was when Luana knew she had to get out of this interaction. The crushing sensation of being such an object of disgust towards someone she still desperately loved and had hurt was too much to continue going through.

"You ain't got anythin' to worry about. If it's just you an' her... She'll love it. She'll love bein' out there doin' somethin' with you..." Her nails bit into the skin of her upper arms as they were folded tightly across her chest, a part of her desperate to transition and go running again to clear her head like that morning. But Luana knew that she could only go running so many times. It wasn't as if she was able to run away from her problems.

Clearing her throat in an attempt to dislodge the lump in her throat, Luana turned away from him to head back towards the back door of the hut, "She-- she's had breakfast, yeah? Alright, well, might as well start your day out now. Just-- wait a while before swimmin', full tummy and all that. But also you won't get much out of her after, like I said, she falls asleep once she's done." She mumbled.

Her arms unfolded to lower to her sides again, but they were brought close together as she began to scratch at the inside of her left forearm. "I’m not sure what she said to you, while you were both chattin' away when I was sleepin' but... she knows you as dad. Not Tate. Anythin' I told her about you was told to her as dad. An'-- an' she knows the names of your siblin's, she just... she just can't pronounce them properly yet." She smiled faintly, thinking about the nicknames with a fondness, but then it faded and a tension was brought back into her body, shoulders hunching slightly and muscles bunching together. "I... I suppose you'll be... you'll be wantin' to introduce her to... to Leah too." She kept her back to him, knowing she wouldn't be able to hide the pain she felt even at the thought of this conversation. The attention to her arm intensified somewhat, nails pinching the area hard to keep herself focused.
 
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The sight of her flinching at his remark did bring forth the one emotion he really didn't want to feel - guilt. He didn't think he ought to feel guilty for anything when in comparison to what Luana had put him through, and yet here the emotion now was, coursing through him uncomfortably as he averted his gaze once more to try and fight it off.

Even with how permanent the feeling seemed to be, he wanted to eradicate it from himself as soon as he could because the longer it remained, the angrier he became. He didn't want to feel guilty for anything when she was the one who left without a word for two entire years; she was the one who had a child and kept it a secret for the duration of that time, leaving him as the father in the dark about it and causing him to miss out on the treasurable moments of Tala as a baby that he would never get to experience.

He had a justifiable right to be angry and remain angry with her, so the presence of guilt only served to make him groan inwardly to himself as if its awakening in him was ridiculous and unnecessary.

But the emotion only intensified when she brought up Leah, turning his gaze to her to then acknowledge the harsh scratching and pinching against her inner arm, the pain he imagined such motions were making causing him to grimace in genuine discomfort. He had been put through two years of pain, some of it physical given the actions he had chosen to take at some point during that period, but he couldn't be satisfied in Luana feeling that same pain.

He knew from his experiences how horrible and lonely it was to be in that place of hurt, and no amount of hatred for Luana could make him smug over her current state. He was disgusted and hurt by her, but he wasn't heartlessly going to turn a blind eye to the difficulties she was currently going through.

"...You, uh... should stop doin' that, Lu. It ain't gonna help; it's a detriment, yeah? You're just hurting yourself," he pointed out under his breath, unsure whether bringing attention to her actions would help but he couldn't just ignore it; not when she would just continue to hurt herself in front of him if he did. For all his proclamations of hatred, the sight of his mate hurting herself caused a flutter of pain and panic within him, his only motivation in that moment being to stop her as soon as he could.

"I-- I don't want you doin' this, this ain't-- I'm pissed off with 'ya but I don't want you hurt or... upset, I guess. I dunno. Just... there are other ways of dealing with... situations. I've had to learn a few 'cos I've been stuck in bad places. Running helps. Swimming, too. I-- and don't fuckin' laugh because it's not somethin' I'd ever have done before, but meditation and-- yoga's been great, helps me focus," he shrugged as he folded his arms across his chest, the urge to reach out and grab Luana's hands to prevent her hurting herself any further being strong - but he restricted himself in realising it would make things awkward and contradict all the mutterings of hatred he had shot at her since her arrival.

"I don't want you hurtin' yourself, Lu. I, uh... I admit it doesn't feel great being around 'ya right now 'cos of everything that's gone on but I'm-- fucking stubborn, you know that. I need to let go of that for Tala's sake, so-- come up to the river with us. She'll love it, havin' us both there. An'-- I'm here if you... want to try out some meditation, if you're... in a bad place. I'm not gonna turn you away if you're hurtin', 'cos I've been there and it-- it fucking sucks, don't it? I can't say I forgive 'ya yet but I can... try. And best way for that is to spend time with you, rather than... avoid 'ya like the plague, I guess."
 
Her eyes darted down to her arm at his uneasy comment regarding her actions, and her hand slowly pulled away from the skin. She cleared her throat again harshly, the hand moving back to cover the angry red marks that had formed in an attempt to hide the worst of it. "S'just a habit. Don't worry about it." She answered in response, keeping her back to him. She pulled her arm into herself, frustrated that her subconscious habit had reared its head again.

At first she had done it to keep herself focused, pinching the inside of her arm to get herself focusing back on her training or to push past her anxieties and the whispers in her head that she wasn't good enough. But then it got worse as it stopped working, with blood sometimes having been drawn and then eventually the scratching motion coming into play. From there it stopped being a tool to help her past her anxieties, and began something she did during her thoughts of anxiety which no longer helped her focus past them. Tala being born had been a great distraction, and had kept her from that form of hurting herself. She didn't want her pup seeing her like that, or questioning the few scars she already had from where her nails had cut too deep on accident.

But being back, knowing Tate hated her and that he felt nothing but anger and disgust each time he had to deal with her brought back all those fears that she had had before she left and while she was away.

Luana struggled with his suggestion to go with him and their daughter to the river. She wanted to, so badly. She wanted so desperately for him to at least try to forgive her. It hurt how much she wanted things to be how she envisioned, with them being the family she dreamed of. She could even picture it, all of them laughing and having fun together. But hearing him just admit he had been in bad places, knowing that she had been the cause and remembering what Daisy had told her earlier that morning... how could she accept what he was offering?

She was forced to focus back in, realising that, while once more lost in thought, the scratching had started again. Luana abruptly stopped and forced her hands into her trouser pockets, a shuddering exhale following soon after. "Why would I laugh when I know I'm the reason you had to find those methods, Tate? I ain't heartless, alrigh', no matter how much you and the pack wanna believe that."

"Runnin'... I can't keep runnin'. Besides, s'not like it helped this mornin'." She shook her head before partially turning back to face him, hand reaching out for the door handle, "I... don't know. I-- you just go with her. I don't deserve... whatever it is you're offerin' me right now. I ain't about to be stupid an' think for one minute that it's sympathy or somethin', so don't you worry. But whatever it is... I don't deserve it." Her gaze dropped again, the toe of her shoe scuffing at the ground. "Besides, s'not like I want you to regret makin' the offer an' then it ruins your time with her today so-- you both go. Have fun. Just... be safe... both of you."
 
Having the offer accepted would have put his patience to the test and affected the first moment he would get to spend with his daughter, but Tate still felt a little hurt at having the offer rejected in the way it was. He knew that it was probably for the best that he spent the moment with Tala alone, form some memories of just the two of them - and it was also wise for him not to throw himself into spending time with Luana when things were as tense and fraught at they were.

He knew he would have to spend time with her and he wanted to give it his best shot to be able to converse with her without so much animosity and hut being involved, but rushing through that might not be the best way to go about things. He knew he could take his time with it, build up tolerance for Luana and try and put to bed the hurt he had suffered and endured because of her, but that didn't stop him feeling hurt at the rejection, however wise Luana's decision had been.

He quickly shrugged it off as if it hadn't affected him, though undeniably, it had. This was still his mate and while he refused to acknowledge that basic fact, the hurt he felt at seeing her habit in full flow and the rejection of spending time with him wasn't subtle in the slightest. He didn't want to feel that way towards Luana when it complicated everything massively, but with all the hurt and anger he felt towards her, there was also that undeniable part of him that would always love her and wanted nothing more than to have her in his presence, where he could look after her and protect her and the little family they had created together.

But stubbornness and the reminder of the pain she had caused him prevented him from admitting as such, hence his decision to visibly harden his expression and act as though he didn't even mean the invitation he had offered towards her.

"Fine. That's... fine. Don't say I didn't try," he muttered under his breath as he shook off the remainder of the vulnerability he had shown to her. With an intake of breath to relax himself, he waited for the door to the hut to open before putting a smile on his face for Tala's benefit, wasting little time in heading across to her.

"You ready to come an' spend the day with me, Tala? I was thinking we could take a look around the camp an' I can show you all the cool places around here, yeah? And then we can go up by the river an' I'll take you for a swim-- I can show you my Wolfie then, you can use my fur like a big towel an' dry off," he grinned playfully as he leaned down to get on her level, unable to hide the genuine excitement that came to him at the idea of spending the day with his daughter. It wasn't something he could ever have imagined himself experiencing given his fundamental dislike of children - but such a dislike was evidently in the past now, with Tate's mind having altered the moment he accepted how fulfilled he felt at having a child; a visible, physical part of him.

"Only if you wanna spend the day with me, anyway. Your Mumma's gonna be here with your Uncle, they'll be here whenever you wanna come and see 'em, alright?"