A Wolf Among The Sheep

The whine was what caused Luana to pull herself from the haze of fury she had found herself so quickly lost within, the young mother so used to shoving aside her own emotions the moment such a noise sounded since it had so often been from Tala for the past two years. However, upon seeing Tate, a wolfish frown came to settle over her expression at her mate's demeanour, not understanding his worry and not realising that he was already blaming himself.

Her eyes never left his figure, even as he transitioned back, but finally did upon his questioning. It was then her turn to release a soft whine, not having meant to make her mate feel the way she accidentally had. It hadn't even occurred to her that he would have sensed her anger and immediately placed the onus of it onto himself. If she had known that, Luana would have done a much better job at hiding and withholding her true emotion. She didn't want to ruin what seemed like a lovely day and a great hunt, not for either of them but especially not for him, not with all the worries he already held within.

Immediately at the end of his questioning, the she-wolf stood to pad across the short space between them. She wanted to buy herself time, to both finally calm down but also now the anger was flooding away, the uncertainty began to seep in again to fill the gap. She was an alpha, and a grown woman, she should be able to handle the little swipes and sly attempts of intimidation that were thrown at her. But then she supposed her anger was more of a response to the idea of those acts of intimidation being put forward against Georgia. A young adolescent that had no idea about the workings of a pack and also held nothing but fear and hostility towards their kind anyway.

Huffing quietly, Luana stepped in close to him to press her head into his chest as an act of reassurance. She could shift back, but that time was needed. Not to mention, it gave that innate side of her a good excuse to begin getting her scent on his skin once more.

Eventually, she took a small step back to transition back herself, but didn't take long to slot back at his side now they were alone. She slowly slipped an arm through his and tilted her head to the side to rest her head on his shoulder, careful not to brush the small circle wounds on her own against him.

"It's not you. Please don't be worryin' about that, it weren't you." She assured him, closing her eyes as she drew in from the warmth of his body and took comfort in his presence, "You got... you got a lot goin' on, so if you were distracted, it'd be understandable. Besides, we got the buck, didn't we? So s'fine."

Luana then hesitated, battling with finally telling him or leaving it until she could name all four of her own attackers. However, she also knew her mate wouldn't let things lie, especially not now when she had no reason to react as negatively as she did at the end of the hunt.

"...Cassian an' Mirella... they... they were... involved. That night. They were there. I just... didn't realise they were in this huntin' group-- but I guess it makes sense. Able to sneak up without bein' heard an' all that." Her grip became firmer on him in case he tried to move, not wanting him to get up or leave to go after them. She just wanted to be with him, especially with what she was just confessing to, "They just made... today more difficult, tryin'ta put me off the hunt, an' all I could think about was... them toyin' with the poor girl in the same way. Or even Tala, or Teddy or Benji... an' I... I lost it. I'm sorry. I-- I couldn't be in the group, near them, in case I just... I didn't want to give you more of a mess to clean up."
 
Sitting on the woodland floor with Luana in his arms might have been a long overdue moment of affection and peace between them, but Tate wasn't naive to the fact that the timing was far from the best. With the possibly ever-nearing threat of encroachment of human hunters onto their territory, being absent from the pack he was desperate to protect was hardly something he wanted to be guilty of, especially if the only current cause of such an absence was this; holding Luana close and taking a few moments to have a heart-to-heart.

Yet, though the timing wasn't ideal when there were countless other matters he had to wrap his head around (that ought to be focused upon back at the camp), he would gladly spare his time if his mate needed him. He trusted Gio and the others to protect the pack in their absence, and though he would much prefer to actually be there himself, he wasn't prepared to postpone something as important as this; getting to the bottom of Luana's unsubtle and apparently deep-rooted anger.

There had been too many instances in their past of him simply brushing off her need to open up to him; of him prioritising the pack's needs over hers (and his own) because he was its leader and they needed him more. Though they needed him, that much was inarguable, he knew not to overwhelm his life with their needs and desires.

He had a family now that deserved to have him present in their lives; a mate who he wasn't going to lose again, especially over mistakes he could easily correct just by listening to her when she needed him to.

And when this was a discussion he had demanded to hear from her, revealing answers he had pressed for, he had an inclination to sit down, hold his tongue and hear her out - even if he hadn't quite expected the revelation to occur this soon on and under such circumstances.

As predicted by his mate, his body stiffened and muscles jumped as if in preparation to smoothly transition and storm after Cassian... but the grip on his arm and the feel of Luana's head on his shoulder prevented him from leaping into such violence. Instead, he carefully wrapped his arm around her waist and held her in close, his chin resting gently upon her head where a reassuring kiss was placed.

His mind was overrun with the urge to doubt her, unable to process the fact that Cassian, a man he had literally grown up beside and was close enough to to call a friend, had taken such actions. Being present at the lack as Luana was attacked made him and his mate guilty, but they could have easily claimed to regret such a decision; appeal for forgiveness on the basis that they had let their anger bubble over into action in the heat of the moment. On that one basis, Tate might have given them a second chance.

But it wasn't an isolated incident. They had continued their behaviour against Luana and, quite possibly, were also involved in the unforgivable attack (and almost murder) of a young adolescent pup. That was a pattern of behaviour and though he struggled to comprehend how Cassian and Mirella were involved in it, he knew Luana wouldn't risk revealing names if she wasn't certain.

"...Cassian an' Mirella... they... they were there when you got hurt? They didn't need to 'ave been the ones to hurt you for 'em to be guilty, alrigh'? An' they're guilty, that's... that's all there is to it. They're fuckin' guilty an'-- an' I need to calm down before I do somethin' I regret," he laughed under his breath, feeling his chest heave and heartbeat quicken as the disbelief within him quickly -and inevitably- transitioned into anger; a blinding rage that threatened to overwhelm him entirely if he didn't take a moment to breathe.

"I wish you told me sooner, Lu, I... I get why you didn't but the thought of them taunting 'ya--" He paused to get a handle on his rage, resting his head back down to rest against hers, taking comfort in the fact her scent now clung welcomingly to his skin. "...I wanna kill 'em, I ain't even gonna pretend that I don't. I can't let myself do that though, I ain't that kinda guy, I just... want 'em to hurt as badly as they let you get fuckin' hurt, Lu. To feel... unwelcome, y'know? 'Cos they ain't welcome anymore, fuck no. Old friends or not, they don't mess with my goddamn mate, that... ain't gonna happen."
 
It wasn't exactly the most ideal situation to be confessing all to her mate about that night. They had just finished a hunt, they were slightly messy from it and sat naked besides each other after transitioning back to their human forms with no clothes nearby. At the realisation, Luana's skin developed some goosebumps, but she didn't really pay them any attention. Instead closing her eyes and shifting her hold on Tate's arm.

She didn't want him to go storming off anywhere, not before he had had time to calm down, think rationally about his next decision and also not before he found the other two names. Plus they couldn't accuse them of having anything to do with Georgia until the adolescent pup had been moved from the village and into their settlement. And that would be a big change in itself. Luana doubted that the young girl would want to go straight into identifying the people that left her for dead.

"They're your family an' I... didn't think I'd be stickin' around. I weren't about to lookin' for sympathy or ask you to make some tough decisions if I was only goin' to bugger off again not long after, y'know?" She sighed, even wincing slightly at how stupid she sounded. But it was true. When the attack happened, her and Tate were still on rocky ground. They couldn't barely go a conversation without some sort of sarcastic or pointed comment being made. She felt as though she had made things difficult enough for Tate, and throwing in a potential assault - where he may or may not have believed her anyway - was an occurrence that didn't need to be made public.

Not to mention she had been embarrassed. She should have defended herself but instead she had allowed them to get away with it. She didn't defend herself because who would have believed her over their own pack mates?

"...Besides, I didn't get that badly hurt, Tate. See? All healed up." Luana shifted, cautiously at first, as if worried her lack of grip on him would allow him the opportunity to stand and go stalking after the other two. She settled to kneel in front of him, keeping her eyes on his face both out of respect for her mate and also to watch his reaction, "We're... you're better than them, Tate. S'why I know you ain't goin'ta kill 'em like you say you want'ta or even hurt 'em. We... we ain't them."

Pausing to take a breath, Luana placed her hands on his drawn-up knees, thumbs softly massaging the insides of them before she continued, "They... they ain't my pack. They ain't my responsibility... so I'm goin'ta support you no matter what you decide to do with 'em. But... but just handle this carefully.... m'kay? I just... I just mean that you don't know... who else might secretly have sympathy with the four who... made their anger toward me known. I... I just don't want this to backfire on you-- s'why I didn't want to tell ya. I didn't want this to... y'know, cause a big fuss or make people question things... you... me... specifically. So long as... we come out of this okay.... together... "
 
"Just 'cos you're all healed physically don't mean you aren't still injured by what happened, Lu. You don't need to hide it from me, I know-- what it's like to... to hurt, emotionally. Mentally. I get it, darlin'. Don't pretend you're all better, 'cos I know you. I know those bastards hurt 'ya inside more than they ever could physically, a'ight? I... I get it," he whispered, his voice inadvertently breaking despite him making every effort to force back the emotion from rearing its head.

Though he had made an exception to have the heart-to-heart and open conversation with his mate, despite the less than ideal location (and general situation), he at least wanted to avoid postponing their return to the pack as much as he could - and inevitably, perpetuating the conversation if he were to get upset (either Luana would seek to comfort him or he would stubbornly profess he was 'fine') wouldn't help to achieve that.

But there was little chance of him remaining stoic in the face of Luana's words, knowing that while she protested that she was okay, she had probably blamed herself for what had happened and allowed guilt to not only seep in but to torment her from the moment the attack had occurred. The thought of her harbouring that guilt when she had absolutely no reason to only made his anger intensify, wanting nothing more than to stamp down his authority on those who had gone behind his back and harmed one of the most important people in his life.

But the likelihood of him stepping away with Cassian and Mirella alive if he did approach them in that fit of rage was slim - and he couldn't allow himself to commit such an atrocity.

As Luana remarked, he was better than to act in such an animalistically violent way. He was better than them... however tempting it was to just force them to endure a taste of their own medicine.

"What do you want me to do then, Lu? Just... go back to the pack an' act like those assholes ain't done anything wrong? Until that girl gets here and confirms who attacked her? I ain't sure I can do that. I... I'm not sure I'm as strong as you, living 'round 'em without reacting," he admitted as he let out another exhale, though his jaw unclenched and words weren't spat through gritted teeth - a sign he was at least calming down, even if he had to force himself to.

"I dunno what to do, how to handle this." Tate continued as he moved his hands to rest over hers, desperately seeking that physical contact to keep himself focused; centred. "...Do I keep quiet until... that girl comes an'... tells us who hurt her, so we can deal with everyone who wronged you both at once, yeah? Is-- Is that the plan? 'Cos I don't like the idea of you or our daughter being around Cassian or Mirella-- or the other two who attacked you. I'll need those names when you're ready too, darlin'. I... I don't care if they're good friends of mine or not; my loyalty's with you, Luanna. It always is and always will be."
 
Her gaze lowered as he mentioned the effect the attack would have had on her mentally, emotionally, as well as just physically. Luana knew that he had hit the nail on the head with his words, and she struggled with the words to quietly agree with him. Especially after hearing him confess to knowing what it was like, and her still harbouring that guilt, knowing why he understood that sort of pain.

"...I... ain't... strong, Tate," she breathed out her own exhale, gaze remaining on her one hand that continued to rest on his knee, "If I was... then maybe none of this would've happened, y'know? I... s'why I didn't really want to tell any of you in the first place. I... I felt like I deserved what'd happened. I... I wanted... I wanted someone to... hurt me after what I'd... after what I'd done to you."

Her hands quietly pulled back, leaving his knees to awkwardly pick at her nails, moving her attention to the jerky actions, "An'... an' if I really was... that strong then... then maybe I wouldn't've left in the first place. If I hadn't've left... they'd not hate me, you'd not be on the cusp of... angerin' your pack an'... an' I'd still be an alpha, in their eyes. You'd not be in this position... we'd not be in this situation... I just... I can't help but feel as though I... I deserve what happened. If it... if I could've gotten away with it... I probably wouldn't've said anythin' at all."

Luana swallowed thickly, frowning now down at her hands as she considered the situation. The only benefit of the day so far was him once more, finally, referring back to her as 'darlin''. The pet name which he had sarcastically provided when she was a newcomer, which became softer and morel loving in turn the longer time went on and as they eventually found out about their mate bond. Hearing him call her that filled her with a sense of warmth, especially after so long without the term of endearment and expecting to never hear it said in such a way akin to what it once was.

It wasn't long until she was crawling back to sit at his side, hand slipping under his arm again so hers could link with his.

"I can tell you everythin' now... no point keepin' back now you know two of the names... but until... until Georgia has... identified her attackers... well, y'know what? No. You're... you're the alpha. You do what you see fit. I ain't goin'ta get in the way or whatever. I don't... I don't wanna make this any more difficult for you-- which it might already with 'em knowin' we're back to seein' each other again. I don't want 'em thinkin' you're reactin' this way cause we're... together again. So-- so do what ou think's right. I'll be there to support but I... I can't help you decide anymore. Not right now."
 
Tate inhaled sharply at the reference to his attempt at his own life, naturally finding the memories of those actions and the feelings of hopelessness that had drawn him to them less than ideal to dwell on. He didn't want to have to bring himself back to that period of his life, where just waking up in the morning (if he got any sleep at all) felt like a chore that drained him of his energy. There was plenty within Luana's statements of confessed guilt to find fault with, Tate knowing deep down that his choices were his own and nobody ought to be blamed for them, but it also felt like a conversation that would just go around and around in circles, each person blaming themselves without willing to back down from such an assertion.

It was easier to just let that particular remark go, however intensely he wanted to once again argue and protest; to shake some sense into her and alleviate her of her guilt. Ultimately, he knew it was a waste of his time - she would either protest vocally or acquiesce whilst inwardly harbouring the guilt.

But he couldn't sit back an allow herself to take further digs and jabs at herself and her strength; not when she was easily one of the strongest people he had known. His features hardened in that sheer disagreement and disgruntlement at her lack of belief in herself, doing all he could not to sharply correct her. Such an approach would hardly be fair on her to endure - and beyond that, a raised voice against the quiet, peaceful backdrop of the forest would only echo amongst the trees.

And when he was eager to evade the humans discovering him and his pack, it was best not to offer them any helping hands along the way.

"Lu, don't go sayin' that; you know you're stronger than that. Like, sure-- we both made mistakes back then, right? But you've shown how strong you are when you raised our kid for two years. I love Tala, I do, but it ain't easy looking after a toddler an' I've only had a few days experience. You were there from the start; you gave birth an' did that whole thing an'... to me, that makes 'ya strong. Even if you deny it, you're always gonna be tough as ol' nails to me, darlin'," he praised, the fondness behind his words only interjected by a little teasing; a little playfulness to help counter the growing emotions that seemed to have dominated the discourse. He understood that that was inevitable when they were sat down and having such an open conversation with one another, but that didn't mean he wanted to see Luana grow upset or doubt her own character, especially when such judgements were fundamentally inaccurate and only did herself a disservice.

One he would never sit back and allow her to say without countering it passionately.

"If you ain't gon' tell me what to do on this, then I want 'em gone as soon as fuckin' possible. I... I know they won't go quietly, I know that it'll create unsettlement in the pack, but there ain't no way I'm letting 'em stay an' fight alongside us against the humans if it comes to that, like... like they're somehow united against the threat. They are the threat, Lu, an' they-- they 'ave to go before we start planning anything. They aren't part of the future this pack has, nuh-uh. When we get back, you point out the others responsible an' I'll get 'em to leave. Sooner the poison's been removed, the better."
 
Luana felt tears begin to prick her eyes at his words of reassurance, unable to help but grow emotional at the determination he possessed to convince her against what she believed. But also because she didn't truly expect for them to get back on track to the point they were having such open, truthful and pure discussions. After walking into the clearing and receiving the response she did, Luana had thought the worse. She had expected, at best, a civil relationship for the sake of Tala and that was it.

Sniffing quietly, she hastily wiped at her eyes before any tears could fall. The tip of her nose had started to go red, and pink spots stained her cheeks, leading her to rest her head on his shoulder again, not wanting him to see and assume she was upset for the wrong reasons.

The fondness, the teasing, the warmth... during a conversation where she had confessed just how vulnerable and weak she actually felt despite the intensive training she had put herself through and the bettering she had attempted to undergo for his benefit... it meant a lot. It simply made her heart surge with emotion, and all Luana wanted was more time alone with Tate. She didn't want them to have to leave any time soon to face those who had hurt her - and potentially left Georgina for dead. She didn't want to have to return to the pack because there were potentially human hunters out in the woods planning an attack.

However, they had to do all those things and more, but for now, Luana made herself content with sitting by her mate's side and holding on to him.

At his decision on what to do about Cassian, Mirella and the others, she nodded quietly. She didn't enjoy the idea of the four being banished from the pack and left to face the threat of the human hunters alone. But then all she had to do was think about Georgina, and what they had possibly done to the young pup, and Luana steeled herself once more.

"Whatever you think is best on this occasion... I'll support you, you know that. I ain't about to back down now, I promise." She murmured, sinking deeper to his side and ducking under his arm so it laid either over her shoulders or around her waist depending on what he wanted. The added heat from his body caused her skin to break out in goosebumps, but a soft and brief sigh of content escaped her before she could stop it. Then she focused on giving him the other two names, shuffling on the spot and straightening her spine.

"The other two... the other two were Jasper and Uriel. I-- I can't remember what roles they played when I was last here or what they do now for the pack. But... but it... it wouldn't surprise me if they were hunters or somethin' like that too. They were all so quiet... sneaky... I didn't hear any of them until they were behind me." She told him, setting her eyes on the trees in front of them. She wasn't about to tell him which had landed the punch between the other two men. Luana knew she could spare them that added punishment. If they were all being banished... that snippet of information wasn't necessary. To her, Tate knew one of them had gotten physical, and that was enough.
 
As Luana came to sit back beside him, manoeuvring her body to situate herself beneath his arm, Tate wasn't capable of dismissing the moment of affection; not when it had been so lacking across the few days since her return. The love he held for her had never diminished nor retreated in their two years of absence - in fact, it had burst back to the forefront of his mind the moment he set eyes back on her again. Yet, naturally, not much affection had been shared between them since then, not even after they reunited - it was hard to find the time and the privacy to enjoy something as natural as the presence of his mate when the pack's (or even just a few members within it) backlash to it was inevitable.

And with the problems that dealing with human hunters and the four pack members that had targeted Luana (an quite possibly, the young child Anders' had been caring for) only causing Tate's time to be divided up even further, finding peaceful moments like this were rare. Even with all the anger and stress he had to deal with (not to mention genuine fear and concern for the pack's livelihoods and existence), he would be remiss not to take advantage of holding Luana to his side; to make the most of the opportunity to cradle her close and kiss her without consequence.

He was determined not to care what anyone back at the settlement thought, but finding the time to dedicate to Luana like this would, inevitably, be difficult. He would try, of course - but with his problems and responsibilities to the cause only seeming to multiply, he didn't know when the next time he could sit down and hold her like this would be.

Hence his reluctance to disrupt their close proximity, having no desire to even adjust his position when wrapping an arm around her waist and resting his head down upon hers was the sort of affectionate moment he had longed for.

Even if it was interspliced with difficult conversations that only caused his anger to spike, evidenced by a low rumble of a growl rising from the base of his throat.

"Uriel an' Jasper? They're-- hunters, yeah. Good ones. Real fuckin' good ones. Uriel's a kid, basically, an' I trusted 'im to make the step up an'-- he does this? I... I need to calm down before I go back, Lu, or I'm really gonna lose it," he admitted with a controlled laugh, more out of disbelief and astonishment than genuine amusement. There was, after all, nothing amusing about the fact that four members of his pack who he trusted and liked had gone behind his back to hurt and torment his own mate.

And though there was no proof as of yet that they had anything to do with Georgia and the attack the young teenager had sustained, Tate was willing to bet that some of the four were involved in that too. He couldn't fathom the idea of someone else in the pack displaying such a cruel streak; that would only compound the problems further.

"...We should get back. You go straight to Tala an'... keep her in the hut. If things kick off, if Cassian an' the others want to fight my decision, I want Tala nowhere near that. If I gotta force 'em out, I will, but I don't need my kid seein' me that... angry, y'know? I won't hurt 'em, Lu. But they aren't gonna go down without a fight, are they? So just-- you stay in the hut with Sasha an' the kids. I'll-- handle this. Gio an' I will. Hopefully some of the pack will realise who's in the wrong and come to my aid, huh? Once they hear about this, p'raps they'll sympathise with 'ya an'... things can start healing around 'ere."
 
By the time Tate's growl came to ripple from his chest, Luana had partially turned her body into his, her arms wrapping around his bare abdomen and back to link her fingers together and hold against his side. Her chin balanced on his shoulder but she had closed her eyes, breathing out quietly with her arms tightening around him at the growl. There was that deep, innate side of her that felt warm at the prospect of her mate's protection and willingness to defend her. He was willing to, still, after all she had put him through.

Not to mention, more inappropriately, the knowledge that her mate was about to go back and fight her corner, to protect her and their pup, also made Luana's desire for him grow tenfold.

However, the young woman was aware that she couldn't allow such love and lust to cloud her vision, not with what was awaiting them and also needing their attention. She needed a clear mind. Her hormones and their bond could wait, as it had so often done before her abrupt departure. Luana knew they would have their time together eventually, but there and then was not the right time.

At his request for her to go straight to Tala and hide in the hut with Sasha when they returned, Luana lifted her chin from his shoulder and opened her eyes. A furrowed brow turned up to him, her hands unlocking and sliding across his upper abdomen to pause in the centre just below his chest. It was hard to not focus on his tone physique, to understand how much work he had put into potentially distracting himself during her absence and just how hard he had pushed himself to breaking point. Just as she had done back at her parent's pack, but for different reasons. He may have been training harder to distract himself from the empty void she had left behind, while she had trained to become a better mate for him.

"If you think, for one second, that I'd be lettin' you face them... them bastards by yourself-- alrigh' with Gio-- then you don't know me at all." She answered stubbornly, "I ain't... I ain't about to run from a fight that was started 'cause of me, Tate. I ain't-- I ain't about to do that. I ain't about to go off into the hut with Tala and Sasha like some scared li'l damsel. I ain't that, not any more."

Luana was determined to not let her mate face the group that awaited them alone. She was also determined to face up to those who had made their feelings known. She had stopped herself from retaliating before, but this time she wouldn't offer them the same leniency.

"They touch either of us... I'll show 'em what could've happened to 'em that night. We're... we're in this together... yeah?"
 
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Immediately, Tate was opposed to the idea of confronting the offending group with Luana at his side. She had a right to do so but it was almost unfathomable to him to see her facing each and every one of them after all they had put her through. The injury she had sustained was a result of unjust violence that had no place amongst the pack, but it was the emotional consequences of the incident that Tate was most concerned about.

How could he, in good faith, allow his mate to face her attackers when it was obvious (and perfectly understandable) that she had yet to recover from the doubt and guilt they had unfairly caused her to feel?

But he wasn't prepared to even begin to protest when it was obvious she had reached a decision; that she was determined to stand at his side and take on the guilty party. He might not be necessarily comfortable with her facing the people that had put her through something he, on the outside, saw as being traumatic... but he also understood her reasoning. He would want to be at her side if the situations were reversed, and prove to himself that he wasn't going to let them get the best of him again; that instead, he was going to face up to his attackers and show them that they had failed to bring him down.

He might not be entirely happy about subjecting his mate to that potential trauma... but he completely understood her reasoning, and her determination behind it. As such, he sighed and nodded in reluctant agreement, knowing he had no other option other than accepting her dedication to fighting (if it came to that) at his side. Hell, if anything, that desire only made him smile to himself - not once since their reuniting did he doubt her love for him, but this at least consolidated just how strong her feelings were.

"We're in it together, course we are," he confirmed as he pushed himself up to his feet, again with some reluctance. As nice as it was, he couldn't devote anymore time to lounging back on the forest floor with his mate in his arms. There were duties and responsibilities to turn his attention to, with the most pressing priority being to expel the quartet from his pack.

He wasn't sure how he was going to do so without major push-back, with an outbreak of violence seeming likely, but Tate knew he had to get them out regardless how hard he had to fight to do so. Violence wasn't ideal, however, and as he headed back to the settlement, he did his best to force back any anger that could bubble over into action against the perpetrators - it was best if they left without him having to resort to that sort of behaviour, if only because he didn't want to risk himself or anyone that came to his side getting hurt, especially with the threat of the humans an ever-present in their lives. They needed their full strength to deal with them; not four unruly wolves who, if they had any sense, would leave the moment they were demanded to.

Tate's eyes graced the pack undergoing their daily duties once returning to the edge of the clearing, though remained incapable of feeling any pride in the smooth process when the outliers sat amongst them, sitting so casually at the fireside despite everything they had done. The sight of Cassian and Mirella laughing amongst one another made it hard to disguise the rage, his fists clenching hard at his side which itself lent to the crackling of tension that rendered the rest of the pack initially confused but eventually wary. With no idea what was causing the alpha's struggle to control himself, they had no option but to watch on silently, afraid to so much as whisper in case it drew Tate's growing intensity onto them.

"...I'm gonna need 'ya both to get the fuck up an'... and' get your stuff. You ain't stayin' here. I'm trying to make this as civil as I can, I don't wanna cause a fuckin' fight or nothin', so don't push me to that place, alright? We know what this is about, we don't need no conversation about it. Just get your shit and... and leave. Let's not make a scene," he muttered sharply upon reaching the couple, only averting his gaze to glance across at Luana, both to reassure her and to seek his own comfort. "Jasper's goin' to. An' Uriel, wherever the fuck he is. You're all gone."
 
Luana was uncertain about confronting the four, but she knew she couldn't allow that to show. She was still extremely anxious about the pack believing her to be a liar, that the four would claim she made it up and then the whole group would turn on her and Tate. She didn't want to be the reason why his position as alpha was jeopardised. She also wouldn't forgive herself if anything did happen to him as a result. The added issue for her was that they had literally just gotten back together. How would this look, to the pack, when Tate had days ago ended things with Leah and made it known his intentions to try again with her?

However, Luana knew that it had to be made known. If these people hurt her, then surely they were the same ones that attacked the poor young girl and left her for dead. Like Tate had said, they couldn't afford to have these sorts of people within their ranks.

Swallowing thickly, she shove back her worries and walked alongside her mate. Not behind. Besides. If there was still an issue about equality, like there had been before she left, they could talk about it later. For now... they needed to look like a team. But even she struggled to remain beside him with the tension that was rolling from him, and she was sure she even heard one of his knuckles crack.

Cassian and Mirella looked up to their alpha, the same time as everyone else. A hint of displeasure flickered across Mirella's expression at the sight of Luana, while Cassian's one eyebrow flickered, suggesting a suppressed eyebrow raise. Both their expressions morphed into one of shock at Tate's words, however, with them both rising to their feet as he continued to talk.

"Nah, nah-- what-- what the fuck, Tate?" Cassian demanded to know, "We don't know what this is about, so why don't you fuckin' tell us?"

Mirella reached out for her mate's arm, holding it in a tender but firm grasp to keep him from going toe-to-toe with their alpha. She then too glanced to Tate, brow furrowed, "This is bullshit, Tate. We ain't done nothin'." She told him, tone sharp.

"I think we all know that's a lie, Mirella." Luana replied, folding her arms across her chest, feeling the strength to speak up after Tate's glance across to her.

The other she-wolf turned her attention to her, nose wrinkling, "Who fuckin' says so? We say we don't know what you two are harpin' on about, how can you prove otherwise?"

Luana couldn't help the soft growl that rumbled through her chest, "Says the fuckin' scar by my eye. Caused by you two, Jasper and Uriel. You're all a bunch of cowards." She retorted, earning herself a warning growl from Cassian who stepped forward in an intimidating fashion.
 
The confrontational, aggressive responses were expected (and perhaps even understandable when they were being asked to abandon the only home they had ever known) but it wasn't ideal, especially when Tate wanted them to leave as peacefully as possible. They didn't deserve to leave under such peaceful circumstances after what they had done to Luana (and possibly to a child too) but however intense his desire was to dish them out a taste of their own medicine, he wanted to avoid chaos breaking out in the pack.

He doubted anyone would take kindly to such an eruption of violence, and it would only make it even more difficult for Luana to fit back in. The fewer reasons everyone had to blame her for anything, the better - so if he had to bite his lip and push back the fiery anger within him, he would.

"You better tone the fuck down or we're really gonna have an issue. I ought'a drag you all outta the pack an' not give you a chance to leave with some dignity, so be fuckin' grateful I'm speaking to 'ya quietly like this. Appreciate the fact I could be approaching this issue with some aggression of my own," warned Tate, his jaw clenching in response to the angered body language on display. He would never have deemed the two a potential danger, never once witnessing them react in anger with violence, but clearly he hadn't known them as well as he always believed he did.

He exhaled slowly in an attempt to relax himself, allowing his gaze to momentarily shift from the pair to take in the sight of Jasper approaching, warily but with a pretence of confidence. The other wolf didn't need to be told what the conversation was about, Tate and Luana's defiance and Cassian and Mirella's astonishment telling him all he needed to know.

"We ain't goin' anywhere, we ain't done anything wrong," he began as smoothly as he could, refusing to let his nerves affect the tone of his words. He folded his arms to help with his presentation of confidence, standing a little straighter and more solidly in defence of their actions. "You can't throw us out, we-- we belong here. We got families an' loved ones an'--"

"An' you shoulda thought of that before you went attacking my mate. I have no sympathy for 'ya. Just run along an' fin somewhere else 'cos you sure as hell ain't staying here." Tate snapped in retort, albeit not as fiercely as he would be expected to be. He was determined not to lose his cool, to instead remain in control of his emotions and conclude the matter as swiftly as he could. The trio in front of him could stand boldly and aggressively but he wasn't prepared to lower himself to their level and react to it; not when an outburst would only be to his -and Luana's- detriment in the pack's opinion of them.

Though there was little to no chance of him ever maintaining control of his emotions when Uriel finally came into view.

Oblivious to the discussion taking place in the centre of the settlement, the youngest of the wolves that had been present during Luana's attack had spent his time with Daisy, building upon a spark that had suddenly burst into existence between them. The two had known one another since they were babies, growing up alongside each other, though it only now seemed that that pre-existing friendship had drifted into more intimate, romantic territory.

Uriel wasn't like the other werewolves, in that he wasn't particularly rugged or toughened by hard-work and difficult weather conditions; he was more delicate in the face, possessing an obvious beauty that his peers didn't. He was undoubtedly strong, but didn't harbour the muscular physique that many of his kind tended to display. Instead, he was astonishingly pale, emphasised by the brightness of his platinum locks, and his build lean and wiry, unaided by his well above average height. He wasn't particularly known for his sparkling conversationalist skills, never having been in possession of a particularly extroverted, joyful personality - rather, he was deemed 'strange' when silently observing the pack's behaviours and 'sarcastic' when he actually opened his mouth to them.

Yet, from Daisy's close position to the young man and the dazzling, engaged smile on her face, she saw something in his personality that others didn't. Their closeness might have been heading towards a kiss, with Uriel's hand having been encouraged to rest on Daisy's hip, though an interruption arrived at the inevitable interjection from a seething Tate. The stinging of his fist after it made contact with Uriel's cheek meant nothing to him, the pain barely registering through the intensity of his ire.

"You stay the fuck away from her, you get that you little shit? You don't touch her, you don't speak to her. You get your shit an' you get the fuck outta the pack, don't make me force you--"

"What the h-hell are you doing?! God, you're-- you're so-- you're such a b-bastard, Tate! He wasn't doing anything, h-he was-- we were talking!" Daisy protested as she immediately leant to the forest floor to tend to a groaning Uriel, who pushed himself up with a hand pressed to the wound across his cheek, the crimson blood clashing brutally against the paleness of his complexion.

"You're fuckin' insane," he managed to mumble, turning his head to spit out a mixture of saliva and blood, the latter arriving from the lip he had inadvertently sunk his teeth into upon his fall. "Actually fuckin' insane-- your sister's 18, y'know. The big brother act is laughable."
 
"Fuck."

The swear slipped past Luana's lips before she could stop it and she left the other two behind to rush after her mate. She was quick to grab his arm, pulling him back before he could do any further damage. The she-wolf even stepped between the two, a hand pressing against Tate's abdomen and gently grasping the material of his shirt.

"This ain't about you two, but if I'd known how close you fuckin' were to her I would have said somethin' sooner." Luana answered, voice terse as she looked down at the younger werewolf. She didn't like the sight before her, but it was done, and she just had to ensure her mate didn't give anyone else a matching bruise. She had also meant what she had said. If she had known that Daisy was cosying up to one of those who had attacked her so cowardly that night, plus was involved with the brutal attempt on the human girl, then she would have forced herself to say something earlier.

However for now she allowed Daisy to tend to the younger male, glancing back to Tate in an effort to calm him down. She halted, though, at the sight of Cassian, Jasper and Mirella approaching, not to mention the rest of the pack looking on.

"Said what sooner? C'mon now, Clarissa-- or issit Luana now? I can't fuckin' keep up." Cassian retorted, "What issit that you would have spoken up about then, ey?"

She swallowed hard, throat immediately closing up on her at the request for her to say the accusation out loud, in front of everyone. She knew what had happened, had seen their faces, registered their scent, heard their voices. It had replayed over and over in her dreams too as a result. Yet the words got stuck in her throat, her tongue feeling thick and heavy in her mouth. Her hand tightened further, bunching up the material of Tate's shirt into a fist as she fought to find the words.

"That you attacked me-- a night I went to bathe, alone, by the river. You four crept up on me and... and tried to intimidate me enough to have me leave. One of you even punched me, and the other stole my towel. You... left me naked and injured. Having to hide my wound from my pup, and lie to her about how I got it. I had to lie to her about her safety in this pack." The words were strong, without doubt, but there were one or two stumbles that had her cursing herself for.

Towards the end, however, at the mention of Tala, a fire built in her stomach and she took a step forward towards the three. There was something inside her that took pleasure in the flicker of doubt and uncertainty that flared in their eyes at her sudden aggression. But she kept it reined in, not needing to give the pack any further excuses to hate her.

Mirella was the one to pipe up first, shaking herself off, "W-Well we don't know what you're on about. You're makin' all this up, just to get sympathy an' attention. It ain't goin'ta work, Clarissa. It's our word against yours, an' you ain't exactly got a stellar reputation anymore, 'ave you?" The she-wolf sneered back, only to quickly step closer to her mate at Luana's growl.

"I ain't goin'ta let you bully me into sayin' anythin' other than the truth. You stole my towel. Jasper spat at my feet. An' Cassian..." She turned her attention onto the male, a muscle in her jaw jumping as she stared him down, "Cassian is the one that landed the punch."
 
Was the violent outburst regretful? Of course, and in a few hours once everything calmed down, Tate would criticise himself for losing control in such a visible manner... but right now, he couldn't find it in him to even care about the potential repercussions of lashing out against someone who deserved a fist to the face and more.

Like hell was he going to allow someone who had taken part in the intimidation of his mate to bond with Daisy - and nor was he ever going to let him believe he stood a chance at developing that friendship into something more romantic in nature. An outburst wasn't ideal but he didn't regret the course of action he had found himself following under the guidance of the red haze of anger that had fallen over him; not when it really was rather minuscule in comparison to the sort of punishment Uriel and the others deserved.

He allowed Luana to take control of the conversation for a moment as he nursed his fist, the pain finally exploding across his -no doubt- bruising knuckles, though he didn't devote himself entirely to the duty when Luana needed his support. She had stood supportively at his side as he began the conversation; he owed it to her to be next to her as she continued it, although he did dare a glance away at the nearby pack members. Even if the pack found the action uncomfortable and lost faith in him because of his outburst, he felt he could live with that - though he hoped beyond anything that they listened in and discovered just what the quartet had been found guilty of; that their dislike of Luana didn't blind them to the abhorrent behaviour of intimidation and unjustified violence she had endured.

Even if they didn't respect her as their alpha's mate, he hoped they could at least take into account that she was a mother to a young pup and that feeling fearful of that child's safety was never something she ought to be inundated with.

Uriel watched quietly from the ground, any upset he might have felt at Daisy's horrified realisation being momentarily overshadowed by the tense conversation occurring in front of him. He had been present during the attack, been instrumental in plotting it and happy to tag along and take part in the intimidation, having sneered in amusement at Luana's misfortune... but her failing to openly name his specific wrongdoings offered him a glimmer of hope - even if he had to turn his back on the other three to clutch at it.

"...They were the ones who fuckin' planned this, Luana. I tagged along, yeah, but they practically coerced me into it. Cassian hit 'ya, yeah? Jasper was a bastard and spat at 'ya, and Mirella took your towel. What did I do? I stood back and smirked, that's-- that's fuckin' it. I ain't getting expelled from my home with these fuckers over a-- a mistake. A mistake I was fuckin' forced into in the first place."

Jasper's sharp intake of breath was indicative of his rising anger, his eyes darkening in his anger at Uriel's clear decision to look out for himself and not align himself to the group a second further. "You're a backstabbing little bastard, ain't 'ya? Just-- what d'ya want, Lu? For us to be torn from our lives over a-- a prank? 'Cos that's all it was. A prank. Cassian got carried away, but you've done fuckin' far worse to emotionally fuck everyone here over. This should make us equal. You hurt us; we hurt you. That's-- the end of it."
 
Eyes flashing amber, Luana turned her attention back to Jasper after having looked at Uriel during his attempted disassociation with the group. The idea the four were going to try and pass it off as a prank infuriated her, shoving down the guilt and fear she had of confronting them. She took a step forward, causing the three stood in front of her to take a step closer together, as if there was safety in numbers. Her gaze ran over them, taking each of them in in turn, even casting a glance back over her shoulder to look at Uriel so he knew he was included still, that his words had meant nothing.

It was another invisible wound to add to her collection as Jasper called it out as payback; labelling it as the punishment they believed Luana deserved, and even she agreed with that. However, it was because of her mate's reaction, and the response of his family and Ronan, that had her struggling to remain strong as she called them out on it. Not to mention the idea of them harming the young girl, Georgia.

"Was it a prank when you attacked that human pup a few weeks ago?" She asked, voice soft but loud enough to carry through the clearing, "A young, human pup. Alone, unarmed, defenceless. You, you four, hurt her as well, didn't you?"

Immediately Mirella's face dropped and Luana could smell the fear leaking from her skin. Cassian's expression became more pinched and he opened his mouth, ready to retort. However Luana held up her hand to stop him, "Careful now... you've already confessed to hurting me after lyin' about it in the first place. You sure you wanna make that same mistake twice?"

A low growl escaped the broad-shouldered male as he glared at Luana, eye remaining on her until he looked to Tate. Only to hesitate, his chest deflating somewhat as he tried to appeal to the man that was still instinctively his alpha.

"She was close to our boarders-- we didn't know she was unarmed until it was too late." He explained, averting his gaze, his voice a mumble. Mirella continued for him: "All we could smell were the human hunters on her skin. How-how could we 'ave known she weren't carryin' a weapon like the rest of them do?"

Luana snarled at the pathetic excuses, her motherly instincts firing up as they spoke of what happened, "Because you fuckin' check! You do your job an' fuckin' make sure you get all the information you need before carryin' out a hunt. She wasn't a threat to you, to any of us." Her nostrils flared as she breathed in and out heavily, forcing herself to get a grip on her anger.

"Don't fuckin' tell me how to do my job when you're clearly incapable of doin' yours-- runnin' away, leavin' us all. You're a fuckin' hypocrite to make out I'm doin' shit at my role when you were too weak to even be in yours." Cassian sneered back, sharply looking across to Luana with a glare.
 
Though he could have intervened at several points during the back-and-for, there was a distinct likelihood that Tate would lose every remaining ounce of his composure if he did. No matter what the four did or said, he was determined to remove them from the pack and banish them entirely from the settlement - but the fact not one of them uttered an apology or attempted to verbally repent for the physically and emotionally vicious nature of their crimes struck him as extraordinarily cruel.

He knew they were cruel simply from the behaviour they had chosen to embark upon, but only now did it truly strike him that they had no sympathy for the horrors they had inflicted on Luana. That realisation made him breathe in sharply through gritted teeth, the urge to just transition and forcibly drag them from the clearing being strong but wisely, he stood back and chose to remain quiet; to collect and compose himself so he could actually be of benefit to Luana, not a hindrance.

Even if that became all the more harder at the confessions. Them being responsible for Georgia's attack was the answer he was hoping for (if they weren't, it just meant he had more people in his pack capable of such unfathomable cruelty) but he still found himself hoping, desperately, that they were innocent of that crime. Cassian and Mirella... these were werewolves he had been close friends with since he was a child and grown up right alongside. He didn't want to believe that they could ever lash out against a defenceless teenager - but once more, he had thought too highly of them.

"Even when you realised your mistake, you didn't bring her here to help 'er. You left 'er there - she coulda fucking died if it weren't for Anders who's spent months lookin' after her 'cos she can't go back to her family now, can she? They'd kill her 'cos you turned her into one of us. You bastards have ruined her life an' you can't even apologise for it," he finally snapped, unable to bite his tongue a moment further; not when they seemed intent on deflecting from their crime by verbally attacking Luana. He moved to take her hand -both to keep himself as calm as possible under the circumstances and to consolidate the fact he was at her side- and exhaled, slowly and carefully, before continuing: "You need to leave. That's all there is to it. I ain't interested in what you gotta say. You get your shit together an' leave; I doubt anyone wants to bid you assholes a goodbye so sooner you fuck off, the better for us all it is."

"...I don't 'ave to go, do I? I didn't-- I actually didn't hurt Luana, nor did I lay a hand on that girl. I had nothing to do with that. I wasn't even there." Uriel attempted, the sneering grin he was often known for disappearing in a flash upon realising the seriousness of the statement. His eyes, wide and fearful, peered across at his mother's hut, the thought of leaving it making his stomach churn. "I-- I need to stay for my Ma, you can't make me go. She needs me. She-- She only has me, you can't fuckin' make me go just 'cos I laughed at what happened to Luana. I didn't touch her, I didn't say anythin', I just laughed. That ain't a goddamn crime!"
 
Cassian's words had cut Luana deeper than she cared to confess. It made bile rise in her throat, forcing her to swallow it back down despite the churning in her stomach that warned more was to come. Her hands started to tremble slightly, but not in the anger she wanted to feel first and foremost, but in the pain of the thought that he was right. Just as her mind was starting to spiral, it stopped at the warmth that suddenly enveloped her hand. She tore her eyes away from the three in front of her, peering up to Tate as he responded. While they remained, his presence and his continued defence of her, caused her anxieties to fade for now. She focused on his hand, so firm and warm and reassuring around hers. A promise he wasn't going anywhere.

Reluctantly, Luana looked to Uriel at his stuttering words of disbelief and desperation. She listened to him, willing the anger from earlier to rear up again, but instead, all she could feel was disappointment. As Tate had rightfully called out: none of them had apologised, not a single one. They had all thought they had done the right thing, or at least had no remorse for doing the wrong thing. Perhaps Uriel's punishment was a little extreme, considering his claims to have not even been there the day Georgia was attacked, and that's what had Luana hesitating. The other three had all but confessed.

"Just because you laughed, Uriel, doesn't make what you did okay. You still stood there. You were still present. You could have stopped it... but you were still involved, an' you let it happen." She finally spoke up, voice quiet but strong, her hand moving so she could entwine her fingers with Tate's.

"T-this is bullshit!" Mirella announced, shaking her head, "I'm sorry-- but it is! We defended our pack from an unknown danger--"

"A danger that wasn't even a fuckin' danger." Luana interrupted, earning herself a harsh growl in response.

"-- An'-an' why the fuck is anyone givin' a shit about what even happened to Clarissa? I mean, fuckin' hell, are we forgettin' what she did before she left? Lettin' that alpha go? Allowin' them back onto our territory? Leavin' us all alone an' leavin' you alone, Tate?" Mirella continued, directing her glare up onto her alpha.

Cassian snorted softly, "Nah, can't you see? Our alpha's forgotten about all that. He dumped Leah so quick it made her 'ead spin just so he could get his cock wet with his traitor mat--"
 
Frankly, Tate couldn't care less about Uriel's desperate attempts to save his own skin. Even if he genuinely had nothing to do with Georgia's attack and the subsequent abandonment of the poor girl out in the woods, he was still guilty of the plotting and intimidation of Luana. That alone was enough for Tate to want him expelled from the pack alongside the more vocal members of their little, vicious group.

He wasn't heartless, of course. Uriel was the youngest of the four, the same age as Daisy who Tate still saw as a kid even if, technically, she was now a young woman. Uriel was also the only family his mother had left, with the woman's failing health meaning that her son felt responsible to take on the duty of care for her - even though he was entirely glad to do so. The thought of having to let the woman know about her son's unruly behaviour and the consequences his actions had didn't make Tate feel at all happy; he couldn't find any enjoyment in separating an ill mother from the son that doted on her and tended to her every need.

...But he couldn't just turn a blind eye to the cruelty that Uriel had shown. He might not have taken the towel, landed the punch or spat out at Luana's feet, but he had cruelly taunted her; laughed and smirked at her misfortune. That took a serious lack of empathy and frankly? Tate wasn't comfortable having someone like that around his pack; around Daisy.

And if he was willing to be that harsh to Uriel, then the others really stood no chance of convincing him that their reasons were just.

Especially when the conversation -though it was far from a civil one- seemed to direct towards him. He welcomed that, of course, happy to take the heat off Luana who didn't deserve to be subjected to the full force of anger from people who had already done enough to hurt her... though he wasn't quite expecting the level of disrespect that was shown to him. He could understand their anger (even if he didn't particularly feel bad about provoking that emotion in them) and they hadn't respected him when they chose to target and intimidate his own mate but, naively, he still thought he was entitled to it; to that acknowledgement of the status he held in the pack. A status that ought to be respected regardless of personal opinion.

Mirella's comments caused his jaw to clench again, an anger he was desperate to contain starting to simmer once more, though there was no chance of doing so when Cassian chimed in, the blunt rudeness of his remarks immediately tipping the alpha into that blinding outrage. One that made him act without comprehension of his movements, the red mist descending before he could even acknowledge what the plan of action was. All he knew was that his patience had been pushed to its very limit and trying to argue, to use his words to meet his aim, wasn't working.

Action had to be taken and somewhere deep within him, he knew the best chance of succeeding was to transition, regardless of the fight that could break out as a result. It was, ultimately, a risk he would take and deal with.

The sight of his alpha expertly and seamlessly transitioning in order to leap forward and pin Cassian down with heavy paws (accompanied unnervingly by rumbles of threatening growls) caused Uriel to shuffle back desperately, naturally concerned that he would be a victim to Tate's anger if he remained in his eyeline. The nervous energy Uriel felt was shared amongst the pack; intensified, even, by the depths of Tate's fury - there was no saying just how badly the next few minutes could go, after all.
 
As soon as his hand ripped out from hers, Luana knew what was going to happen. Watching her mate shift without a single thought or hitch in physical motion had Luana closing her eyes and releasing a breath. She knew that Cassian's comment, with all its crassness, would have given Tate that little nudge he needed to fall over the edge into whatever pit that awaited him. Mirella's questioning retort also wouldn't have helped matter. But there was nothing Luana could have done to halt her mate's transition.

Despite his earlier bravado, Cassian now laid pinned beneath his alpha, face white but hands balling into fists. Luana remained stood a few steps back, merely watching the scene and listening to the rippling growls that were being expelled from her mate. She ignored Uriel, who seemed more than eager to keep out of Tate's eyeline, and finally took those steps towards her mate and the man he pinned.

At Mirella's threatening, albeit weak, snarl in warning, Luana sent a stronger curl of the lip which had the other she-wolf reluctantly averting her gaze. She continued her movement forward and eventually bent over to murmur into Tate's ear.

"He's not worth the effort, darlin'. Remember what we said about bein' prepared? That means keepin' your strength. Don't waste an ounce of it on him." She allowed her fingers to run through his fur, taking pleasure and comfort in that action. A motion she hadn't be able to complete in over two years. She had missed it too, having enjoyed taking comfort in his wolf form. Perhaps that was were Tala got it from.

"T-Tell 'im to get off. He's made his point, we get it. T-There ain't no-- there ain't no need to be pinnin' 'im down like that." Mirella eventually piped up, which had Luana straightening from her position besides Tate to face the other she-wolf.

She raised an eyebrow, "Like you'd made your point? Like Cassian thought he'd drive home that punch just to make sure I got the message?" She challenged, keeping her eyes on the other.

Mirella's gaze darted back and forth between Luana's and the floor, "He went to far-- alrigh'? You happy? S'that what you want to hear?" She blurted, leaving Luana to stare on for a moment before snorting and shaking her head. She turned around to give Tate her attention again, knowing she needed to calm her mate down so they could finish what they needed to do.

"Y-You're a fuckin' bitch." Mirella's insult was whispered, slipping out on a shaking voice as if she wasn't even sure she wanted to say it. Luana paused, eyes on Cassian who had stopped in his brief moment of squirming to stare on in disbelief at his mate. Luana could see it in his gaze that he was beginning Mirella to stop talking, but the other woman wasn't looking at him.

"H-Honestly. You waltz back in 'ere, thinkin' we're all goin'ta welcome you back with open arms. That we were all goin'ta rejoice the day our alpha's mate returned. But you 'ave no fuckin' clue what you did to us. All of us. Betrayin' us, leavin' us, makin' your mate feel so shit--"

"Mirella." Cassian's voice was strained, warning his mate beneath the paws of his alpha. Mirella looked to him, hesitating, before looking back to Luana who slowly turned to face her.

"S'cause of that kid. That kid is the only reason why you've wormed back, Clarissa. No man can deny 'is flesh an' blood. Feelin's get confused an' eventually he'll figure out you're more fuckin' hassle than you're worth. I promise you, cause I know. I know. I was there when they found you cowerin' in that hut like a disgustin', weak li'l human. You ain't nothin'. You cer'ainly ain't an alpha."

Luana stared the woman down, briefly admiring her strength to remain fighting despite her mate being pinned, but also allowing her words to cut her open. They were everything she had ever said to herself, but to hear them from another person, someone who she knew hated her and hadn't seen how hard she had worked for the past two years to be the leader they deserved...

"Prove it then," she finally murmured, spreading her arms wide, "You think you're stronger, tougher, more capable... let's go. All of you, all of you," she glanced around to the pack who were watching, "Have been questioning me, doubting me, talking about me since I got 'ere. So c'mon, let's go. I can show you everythin' I learned. I can show you just how fuckin' hard I trained. For you. To be somethin' you deserved. An' yet I get fuckin' ripped apart for it. So let's go. You're a hunter. You can fight. Fuckin' fight me."
 
He would never actually admit to it, but if Luana hadn't rested her hand within his fur and gently reassured him with words coated with comfort and support, there was ever likelihood that Cassian would have been ripped apart. Admittedly, that was all that the alpha wanted to do - and have every intention of doing. No matter how present such a display of violent brutality would have been, regardless of the inevitable consequences he would face from a pack (who might not approve of Cassian's behaviour but would also fail to see the benefit in acting so monstrously), all Tate felt like doing was tearing the other werewolf apart and sparing him and Luana the trouble of hearing any of his crass, cruel, taunting words ever again.

Tate was no stranger to moments of unbridled violence, the entire massacre of an overwhelmingly innocent human settlement serving as proof of that, but he had shown regret for those actions, particularly when his own mate had found a home and a family within that village. He hadn't verbally apologised for it (he might have matured, but he was still annoyingly stubborn when he wanted to be) but the way he clammed up when it was brought up, the way he almost shamefully avoided eye contact... all of it indicated regret that he had acted so brashly without truly considering the innocents that were caught up in a war that didn't need to be enacted in the first place.

Though Cassian didn't deserve any sympathy for what he had done, Tate hadn't considered the effects the murder would have on those present to witness it; the trauma they would be forced to reckon with for the rest of their lives. Fortunately, Luana's intervention prevented anyone having to live with those consequences, and spared Tate from acting in ways he had hoped to leave in his past unless truly necessary. As deeply as he despised Cassian, now just wasn't one of those times. He could fight him - but murder? That was a step in a direction he was keen not to venture down anymore.

It took every fibre of strength within his being to retreat back from Cassian, the man's fear and the fact he had no more cruel taunts to utter meaning Tate's point had at least registered; that he could be angry with him, but disrespect and vile remarks weren't going to be tolerated. Yet, apparently, it wasn't a realisation the other's mate shared, a rumbled growl arriving as a threat upon Mirella's decision to continue with her outrage, despite the obvious pressure she was inviting onto herself.

And though he undoubtedly preferred Luana not to respond to that taunting with violence, who was he to warn her against it when it would be one of the more hypocritical things he had done? He knew her strength and believed in her capabilities - why shouldn't she dish Mirella out a taste of her own medicine?

The sight of Tate seemingly backing off and allowing Luana to handle the moment as she wished (even though he inevitably remained close as back-up should she require his help) wasn't one that sat well for an observing Anders. Like everyone else who had been in their huts, he had ventured out the moment the sound of the arguing kicked off, and while he wanted to run up to the scene of the violence, he didn't want to overcomplicate matters; not when Luana was getting what she needed to get off her chest.

It was only at the prospect of that turning into something physical that he felt the need to intervene, uncomfortable with the idea of Luana returning to her hut and having to explain her cuts and bruises to her young daughter.

"Nah, you-- you aren't fighting, Lu, don't do that," he began cautiously, the crackling intensity causing him to frown in discomfort - though he refused to back down when he felt as strongly as he did. He shot a glance at Mirella to ensure she didn't pull an underhand tactic and attack when Luana was distracted, shaking his head in momentary disgust before turning back to his best friend. "Seriously, just leave 'em, this-- it can't go too far, there are kids around an'-- I don't want Tala gettin' all upset 'cos her Mumma's come back all bruised up, y'know?"
 
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