The Ties That Bind

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Maybe he'd picked the wrong story to start with. Or maybe it was something she needed off her chest, a pain that had to be shared or it would drown her like a rising tide. He was a large step removed from the true force of it, of course, having never met her brother or any of the teens involved, never spoken to the corrupt policeman or visited the orphanage. He would never truly know the way she felt, having grown up surrounded by a support system that hadn't failed him, with family and pack to watch his back. But he couldn't deny the way it felt like he'd been gutted, just hearing what had happened to her.

The world was an unfair place, indeed.

As she spoke, as her words became more and more labored, his steps slowed until eventually they only stood together amongst the trees, words swallowed by the forest before they could drift far past. His grip was kept carefully from growing too tight, but for a moment he wondered if she could hear the way his jaw had clenched so hard he felt the strain in his teeth. And gradually, as he convinced himself to let go of fury of the past, the tension bled into only sorrow. To think, after going through such a terrible beginning to life, she had ended up in the clutches of someone as vile as Farkas. More than ever, he wanted to tear the man down with his own two hands.

"Disgusting." He hissed with a shake of his head, the corruption and injustice sitting like bile at the back of his throat. "They should have protected you. The only thing they cared about was covering their own ass."

He couldn't take it anymore, not hearing the pain in her voice, not seeing the strain in the set of her brow. When he turned to her and let go of her hand, he paused only once in starting to reach for her, gave her one brief moment to tell him no, and finally gave in to the urge to gather her into his arms. He held her too tight at first, squeezing her close with his arms around her shoulders, fingers tangling into her hair with the tenderest of touches and head tucked down to nuzzle into her temple, then slowly relaxed into a grip she could disengage if she needed to be free.

"I will never stop fighting for you," he promised, a faint tremor in his voice as he did his best to swallow the reality she had laid before him, to stand tall and hold strong for her to lean against. "I won't stand aside and watch you hurt, no matter what happens. If you can trust nothing else, trust in that."

He would never hurt her, and he would never stand down if there was a threat pointed her way, no matter what form it came in. Even if it cost his rank or his pay or his pain. Even if he had to drag himself to find her with broken bones all over again. He would do it over and over and over again, if it only meant she finally had something to believe in. For once in her life, she deserved to finally feel safe.
 
She still hadn't told him everything, but from the quick glance she'd gotten of his face, and the anger in his voice, she doubted he'd want to hear anymore. His words had her wondering if he meant the police or her guardians from the home should have protected her, it didn't much matter either way she supposed, the past was the past. It hurt, more than she could say, but there was nothing that could be done about it now. She was sort of surprised she'd told him as much as she had, but once she'd started, it was hard to stop. It was a painful subject, and not something she'd talked about in a long time, it was hard to talk about, but it was also oddly cathartic. "There's more... but it's just as bad, so if you..." She trailed off as he let go of her hand, turning to face him with a questioning look before he pulled her close.

At first, she was tense, a little surprised by his sudden embrace. His hold on her was tight enough to be uncomfortable, reminding her of how strong he truly was, he could probably crack a few of her ribs if he felt like it, but she didn't mind. Rather than making her feel restricted or trapped, the feeling of his arms around her, the reminder of his strength, it felt reassuring, knowing he was there for her to lean on. As he nuzzled into her temple, she sighed softly and relaxed against him, closing her eyes as she put her arms around him, returning his embrace.

His quiet promise was a little scary, and yet it also put a warm feeling in her chest. Despite how justifiably distrustful she'd grown after a lifetime of pain and betrayal from so many people, even those closest to her, she had no doubts about his sincerity. She had every reason not to believe his promise, but she did. After everything they'd been through together, everything he'd done, everything she'd seen and knew of him, she knew he was telling the truth. "I do trust that." She said softly, holding him a little tighter, her voice was unsteady, but there was no doubt in it. "I trust you."
 
The way her body relaxed had something hesitant but warm unfurling in his chest, as if to have proof he could feel of her trust in him was enough to melt the tension gradually away. She was interested in staying, in being part of something, he knew, but if the desperation he'd felt that day in the hospital when he'd thought she would tell him no was any indication he was far from self-assured in that regard. He was no god for people to follow blindly. He was imperfect and though he'd gained a great many confidences through experience there were still times when even he felt small and helpless, yearning for connection. Perhaps that was what had drawn his pack to him each time he had found them, a willingness to ask desperately and yet still accept no for answer even if it would crush him. He was only grateful that they had all said yes, in some way or another.

When she put her arms around him, showing no signs of pulling away, he reaffirmed his grip enough to keep her close without squeezing and made a soft, muffled sound of protest into her hair. "I just need a minute. . ." He insisted, something plaintiff and troubled still in his voice at the idea of having the rest of her story withheld, eyes tightly shut as he took a moment to breathe her in. She was here, warm and alive in his arms. Even if the past could still hurt her and there was nothing he could do about it, he could keep her safe from new pains.

After a moment to gather himself, he gave her one last careful squeeze and slowly released her, the hand previously in her hair coming round to gently cup her cheek while the other rested gently on her arm. "I want to hear anything you want to tell me," he insisted gently, a lingering furrow in his brow and pain in his eyes but something adoring with it as well. "Even if it's frustrating. Even if it makes me want to tear my hair out."

There was a faint trace of humor in his voice, in the small, pained smile on his face, even when he realized he'd been stroking a thumb over her cheek as if she'd been crying and finally pulled his hands away with a startled twitch. "Ah, sorry." He said with a shake of his head, holding both hands briefly up as if in surrender, or to prove he would keep them to himself. "I did warn you, I suppose."

Overly familiar. He'd known even back in the hospital that day that he could be too forward, too free with physical touch, especially when overwhelmed with emotion that made him want to wrap her up like just his body was enough to shield her from the world. She was supposed to stop him when he went too far.
 
With how strong and capable he was, it was easy for her to forget that he could be vulnerable too. She'd seen it back in the hospital when he'd offered her a place in his pack, and she could see it now, in the gentle way but close way he held her, the soft melancholy in his voice, and the pained concern she could see in his eyes as he gently pulled back to look at her. As she gazed into his eyes, she wondered how she could have ever thought of him as just a stoic tough guy back when she'd first met him, he was incredibly empathetic.

So much so that she wasn't sure if it really was a good idea to tell him the rest, at least not now, she'd already told him a lot of painful stuff, and he'd had to tell her about Aethers, she didn't want to overwhelm him. Still, if he really wanted to hear it all, she'd tell him, though she wasn't sure what it would accomplish besides upsetting both of them. Then again, talking about it had helped a little, it was nice to have a sympathetic ear for a change, and she was dealing with it better than she thought she would have.

There was a ghost of a smile on her face at the faint humour in his words, so focused on them, she didn't fully register how he was touching her face until he suddenly pulled his hands away. "No... it's…""It's okay." She reassured softly, faint pink colour in her cheeks. His gentle touch wasn't unwelcome, it was sweet in fact, and she had gotten used to how open he and the other wolves could be with physical affection, especially when it came to comfort. Still, this felt a little different... it was an intimate enough gesture, that it left her feeling a bit shy and confused.
 
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From the faint dusting of pink across her cheeks, Maxim didn't think that it was really as okay as she claimed it was, but he hoped he hadn't done any harm by the gesture. It was a little too much when he wasn't sure how she would take it, if it would scare her further away, and the resulting flush on her face was a reminder of that. It put a little warmth in his chest, too, of a sort he wasn't sure how to analyze just then, or if he wanted to. He had never had to analyze so many of the things he did with the rest of the pack, even with his two she-wolves, and he was making himself think too hard about it all. That was the only way he could think of to explain it to himself just then, at least.

"I . . . still want to hear the rest," he said when he'd given her a moment, turning not quite shyly away to continue on their walk and looking back over his shoulder with a hand just slightly behind himself to see if she would take it. "If you still feel up to talking."

It hurt, yes, and he wouldn't deny that if asked, but he could take it. If he was going to know her thoroughly enough to be able to care for her properly, he had to know, even if it felt like suffering each time he learned more. She was the one who had actually gone through such horrible things, so it was up to her if they kept going.
 
She nodded a little, stepping forward to take his hand without hesitation. It was a way to reassure him that she wasn't upset by his gesture, and that she appreciated his physical comfort, it helped more than he might realise, but also simply because she wanted to hold it. Why exactly his touch earlier had left her feeling confused and a little shy wasn't something she was worrying about right now, it had been nice, and in truth, she wasn't exactly ignorant of the reason. Later perhaps she'd have to examine it more closely, for now though, she had other things to worry about.

"After Flynn died, I was... well, a wreck to put it simply." She said softly once they'd started walking again, her gaze focused on the path ahead of them. "I forced myself to go to school, to work, I did all my chores, everyone else's chores, all the stuff I had to do, but... I wasn't really there." She said with a soft frown, remembering how disconnected she'd felt back then, how incredibly numb. "I felt like I was on autopilot, like I was just... empty." "Nothing mattered, I didn't push anybody away, but I kept to myself, I didn't talk more than I had too, I didn't eat, I didn't sleep, I didn't even think much, I just... existed." It had honestly scared her, and she knew it had scared those around her, but she hadn't been able to pull herself out of it. Honestly, she hadn't really wanted too, feeling nothing was better than feeling the pain and grief from the loss of her brother.

"I went on like that for quite a while, but eventually I just couldn't go on like that any more." She'd been far too thin, and incredibly exhausted, her body simply couldn't take the stress. "One day, everything just sort of hit me at once and i just... broke down." She was quiet for a moment, remembering how awful that had been, feeling the crushing weight of everything collapse on her at once. "It was awful, but afterwards, I felt a bit more like myself again at least."

"But I still wasn't thinking as clearly as I usually did, and I made a mistake." She continued after a moment's pause, "I was always so careful, I had to be after what happened with father, I kept it a secret for all those years, but I was exhausted, upset, and I missed that I wasn't alone." "Someone saw me shift, a friend, or at least I thought they were my friend." There was hurt in her voice as she explained, that feeling of betrayal still there. All the sorrow, grief, anger, hurt, every painful thing she'd felt back then was still there, she'd done her best to bury it, but the graves were shallow. "They told everyone, and then... everyone turned on me."
 
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It was a bitter end to an already awful series of events, but Maxim couldn't say it was completely unexpected. Left on her own, perhaps a little reckless after suffering a crippling loss, it wasn't surprising that her sense of caution had slipped. And humans, already seeing her as a problem, scared of something so strange and 'unnatural', couldn't be counted on to stop being afraid. After she'd been exposed, he was sure it hadn't been long before she'd been forced to run off.

"I'm sorry. . ." He said gently, focused on the warmth of her hand in his and the road ahead as he tried to let the boiling rage and pain cool to a simmer. It made him want to scream in the face of everyone who had ever hurt her, even if the thought made no rational sense. "After that . . . I can understand why you would cling to any sort of support. Finding shifters like yourself, it must have been hard to see anything else."

After struggling so long, feeling alone, having someone that was like her around would have felt like a godsend. That thought in itself had him picturing what it might feel like to have Alex's throat under his boot, and there was a shameful part of him that realized there was a problem if he didn't correct himself and insist that it was wrong. The wolf in him wanted to protect. It didn't have to turn him into a mindless killer.

"If you somehow ever come across anyone you knew back then," he said, looking back at her with his jaw set and gaze steady, "you should tell me immediately. Understand? I need you to tell me you will."

It was, perhaps, the first time he had ever given her such a commanding tone, even as gently as it was delivered, but he wouldn't take back the instruction. Even if it was only so he could stand at her side so she wasn't alone, he couldn't allow her to face any vestige of her past on her own. There was too much danger in it, to her heart as much as her physical wellbeing.
 
"I was still wary at first, it took a while for me to let Doc in." She replied softly, eternally grateful that she had, otherwise, she'd be long gone by now. "But yeah, finding people who were like me, that I didn't have to worry about keeping that secret any more... it was hard to say no too." Alex had offered her a job yes, but more importantly, companionship. At first, before she found out the truth, she had even thought there might be a chance for more. He'd told her he came from a big family of shifters like them, and a part of her had seen the chance to live like she'd always wanted, with others like her. She missed all the other children from the home, her brother, that sense of family, and with Doc and then Alex and his family, she thought she could get something like it again. Her desperate need and want for that blinded her to her instincts that something was wrong, until it was too late.

She blinked a little in surprise at his commanding tone, it was not something she'd really heard since he'd arrested her. "That… that's not something you have to worry about." "I wouldn't know where any of my foster siblings are, and even if I did, I doubt they'd want anything to do with me." It was possible some might care, not all of them had outright hated her when they'd found out the truth, the younger ones especially had just been afraid or confused, going along with what the others had said. Still, it had been a long time ago, and she was sure most would barely remember her or that part of their lives, they probably wouldn't want too.

Then there were those that she wanted nothing to do with, the so-called friend that had betrayed her, the other friends who'd given her no chance to explain, just shunned her. "After everybody froze me out, they sent me back to be with my father." She said softly, "well... Miss Miriam didn't want to, I know that... but she didn't have much choice, Miss Hazel though, I think she was glad to be rid of me, to be rid of the problem." "After everything I did for them, I was a kid, but I helped keep that place together, and they just shipped me back to him." The anger was back in her voice, but it was still quiet and soft. "So rest assured, I don't want anything to do with them, should they ever come looking, which I doubt." She supposed it was possible her father might pop back up in her life, after all, he had tried to find her when she'd first run away. He hadn't found her, and it had been years since then, but she supposed it was possible.
 
It made sense, in a way, that Doc had softened her up to the idea of shifters existing in the world at large, before Alex had swooped in to lure her with more of what had once felt impossible. He could understand what it felt like to be desperate for something to connect to, despite their circumstances being wildly different. After he'd left home to join the military, he'd gone a long time without a pack around him, bereft after having had the sensation of belonging for long enough to miss it. It had taken even longer for him to form one of his own after being stationed in the city, and he wasn't sure what he would do if he found himself suddenly without them. Something equally rash as she had, he was sure.

Telling him not to worry wasn't a promise, but it was going to have to be enough for now, and after a small nod as if to seal the agreement he turned forward once more with an almost embarrassed twist to the set of his lips. "Sorry," he said with a shake of his head, something more like actual apology rather than continued empathy in his voice. "I meant it, but I didn't mean for it to come out so sharp. . . I just don't want any of them to hurt you again."

If she happened upon them on the street one day, or in passing inside a store, he wanted to be notified immediately so that he might come to her rescue. It was overbearing, probably, but he had warned her about that, too. If anything was the matter with the others in his pack, he would drop everything to go and be with them, too. Marina was under oath to speak up if she ever had a run-in with her old gang, and Oscar his ex-wife or any of her family, not that any of them traveled in the same social circles anymore. Maxim didn't control his pack with an iron fist, but there were still some things he had to insist upon to fulfill his role as leader and protector.

"Your father . . ." He began, brow furrowing at the idea of how horrible the man must have been to not only have his children taken away but for such anger and disgust to come from his daughter at only the retelling of having to be with him. He wanted to ask, wanted to promise to tear the man to pieces if they ever met, but he had already caused her to relive enough pain for one day and finally just heaved a sigh as they walked. "Perhaps some other time. Unless you would like to get it all out at once, I don't want you to push too hard."

Their trip to the campgrounds and the woods was meant to be one of relaxation, of freedom, and pack bonding. It was probably best he let her calm down and enjoy their walk for a while before they went back to the cabin.
 
She tensed a little when he asked about her father, of course she'd been waiting for it, but she wasn't exactly eager to talk about the man. "I can tell you now if you want me too." She said with a soft shrug, thinking it might be best to get it all over and done with now. It was painful to talk about, but she'd meant it when she'd decided to be open and honest with him. Plus, surprisingly, it had been a little easier than she thought it would be, he was easy to talk too. However, she'd already dredged up a lot of painful memories today, more than she had in a long time, and she was feeling a little drained. Though she was sure she'd already guaranteed herself a night of restless sleep, she'd rather not make it worse. "But... I'd rather leave that alone for now, if you don't mind?"

"And it's alright." She reassured softly, though his commanding tone wasn't exactly pleasant. The more time she spent with him, the less she wanted to think of him as the authority figure he'd been when they'd first met. Of course, she knew he still sort of was, just... in a different way. She knew his insistence had come from a place of concern, not control. Still, she appreciated his apology. "I really don't think that there's anything to worry about, but it's sweet that you care so much." There was a soft smile on her face as she squeezed his hand gently, "you big softy." She teased lightly, perhaps trying to lighten the mood a little after such a difficult conversation.
 
Even if she insisted, Maxim didn't think it was a good time to venture into more painful topics. It was best he let her rest. Maybe it was best to let himself rest, too. There was only so much he could take before he started to feel the urge to wrap his limbs around her like an octopus and refuse to let go. It was a silly enough image it helped dispel a bit of the discomfort, at least.

"Of course," He agreed immediately. "Only when you're ready." There was no need to keep pushing when it was hard to talk about it. That was only a way to ensure she would clam up in the future instead of feeling like she could speak with him freely.

He was still a little dubious about her reassurance, but her tone and the way she squeezed his hand did help, pulling a little smile and a good natured but exasperated little huff from him. "That wasn't soft," he said with a rueful shake of his head. "What's soft is what I'll add to it. The others call it 'alpha voice', and yes, it's all right to laugh at that - it happens sometimes, but don't let it cow you. It may not seem like it in the moment, but I promise I won't be angry with you for fighting."

Telling others to defy him wasn't generally seen as a wise move, as far as leadership went, but defiance wasn't something he thought should be squashed with violence or shouting, even if every wolf was different. He had a feeling Madeline would end up a bit like Bella - any attempt to hold too tightly would only see her slipping through his fingers. If it wasn't strictly for safety, or for legal reasons, there was really no reason for him to be throwing his weight around too firmly, it was just that occasionally there were moments when his own protective nature had the no nonsense voice bubbling up in his throat. Once he'd had a moment to think about it, there were more times that he apologized and took it back than not.
 
"That?" "Make me stop fighting?" She asked with a raised eyebrow and incredulous expression, "it's going to take a lot more than that, I mean... you have met me, right?" The amused smile on her face made it clear she was only teasing him, though she was being playful, it wasn't far off the truth, she could be incredibly stubborn and fiercely independent. Still, the closer she grew to him and to the others, the more progress she made, as she opened up more and more, compared to when they'd first met, the difference was huge. She grew a little more serious, wanting him to know she was listening and taking his words, and his promise, to heart. "I'll keep it in mind."

A companionable silence fell between them as she just took a moment to enjoy their walk, the gentle breeze rustling the surrounding trees, the warmth of the sunlight on her skin, the comforting feeling of her hand in his, it all just felt… nice, relaxing, and oddly... right. "Hey Maxim...?" She spoke up, her voice soft and a little shy. "I just want to say thank you for listening." It had been a hard thing to talk about, but he'd made it a little easier, it was nice to feel like she had someone she could trust to confide in again. "I really appreciate it."

"Oh, and thank you for trusting me enough to tell me Aethers story." She added softly, "and for convincing him he could trust me too I guess." She doubted her fully trusted her, more likely he just trusted Maxim's judgement, but if he'd agreed to let Maxim share his story with her, then he must at least be willing to give her a chance, or so she hoped anyway.
 
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It was a relief to find a laugh after being so somber for so long. Maxim couldn't help a chuckle at Madeline's argument, shaking his head at her and not bothering to try fighting down a smile. "Ah, you're right, you're right. I don't know what I was thinking."

It felt like such a delicate thing, wanting to keep her close but not wanting to trample on her freedom. It was a relief to have her in at least some good humor still, and to have her trying to reassure him that he hadn't offended her. The softness of her voice afterwards, as well, was a soothing sort of balm on the parts of him that still wanted to riot at knowing she was in pain and being unable to do anything about it.

"Of course," he said gently, and when he looked at her as they walked his expression was warm and affectionate, his hand giving hers a little squeeze. "I'll listen to anything you want to tell me." Perhaps he wouldn't give her the 'tell me anything and I won't be angry' speech he had given some of his wolves when they were a bit younger, just as his parents had given him once upon a time, but he would still listen whenever she felt like talking things through.

"Aether is . . . wary of the things that might follow you," he explained, reassuring still but sympathetic as well. "But he understands what it is to feel alone, or trapped. Underneath the grumpy attitude, he isn't without sympathy. If he didn't think you were worth something, he would never have fought at your side." He gave her a little smile, trying to cheer her up a bit though he knew it could be a sour subject. "He spotted them before they approached you at the park that day, you know. He didn't just conveniently have to pee at the same time as you. I was irritated with him for not telling me right away, but he said he wasn't sure until it was too late."

The younger wolf had been wary of Madeline, at the time, but it had led to him spotting her attacker's odd behavior. Maxim supposed with some knowledge of his history it wouldn't come as much of a surprise that he couldn't stand for bullies or abusers. Still, Maxim wished he had spoken up instead of being hesitant about it. If he had been there, Aether wouldn't have fought so viciously, and wouldn't have felt so terrible about it afterwards.
 
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"I understand that." She said softly, seriously, "and I don't blame him." He had good reason to be wary, he hadn't received much warning before a perfect stranger, a criminal no less, albeit an unwilling one, was brought into his home. Since then, she'd disrupted their lives, he had gotten hurt and so had Maxim, because of her. "Honestly, I expected it." "That first night, I expected a lot more hostility, from everyone really." She admitted with a faint, amused smile. "Aether's reaction was the only one that made sense to me, the rest of you were all too nice, I was a bit confused." Though there was humour in her tone, as she too tried to keep the mood light, she was telling the truth.

She wasn't sure if she'd even questioned till now how Aether had conveniently managed to be there, perhaps she had, she couldn't really remember. Given the chaos of that day, and that fact that she'd, understandably so, been focused on more pressing issues, it made sense that she hadn't bothered to ponder the details. It was something she was grateful for though, even if it had come about because of his suspicions of her. "I still feel awful that he got hurt." Not just physically, she thought to herself sadly, remembering how much he'd shut down in the hospital. She hadn't exactly been doing well herself, but it was always easier to ignore your own problems if you had someone else to worry over, and so she'd done her best to help. She didn't know if her soft ramblings had actually done anything to distract or help him, but she hoped they had a little, not out of any desire to soothe her guilt, simply because she wanted to ease his suffering in any way that she could. "But I'm grateful he was there."

"Speaking of, I wanted to ask, if you might be able to help me learn sign language sometime?" "Only if you had the time to spare of course, I didn't want to bug anybody, so I've been trying to pick it up myself." "I think I'm getting the gist, but without the net, I can only get so far, you know?" If she thought he'd be open to it, she would have asked Aether, no better person to learn it from after all, but she wasn't sure if he'd be receptive to the idea. He finally seemed to getting used to her presence, she wasn't sure she wanted to push her luck. She didn't expect him to want to talk to her much, but if he did, she didn't want him to have to bother with writing things down.
 
"They're a compassionate bunch," Maxim said with a shrug, as if that explained it all, but when he gave her a little smile there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Besides, when I told them you were coming to stay with us, I made you sound very pathetic."

She had still been angry with him for how he'd gotten her in trouble with Farkas' gang, and how the HED had her on a leash held in his hand, but he had felt in his gut that she was worth it. He had made very clear to the others that she was someone down on her luck and in need of some help. Hitting rock bottom was the only way to get back up sometimes, after all, and neither he nor Oscar would have tolerated any truly antagonizing behavior from the others. If they had truly hated the idea of helping someone so truly in need, as some of them had been in the past, he would have eventually found somewhere else to send Madeline to be kept safe, but he was proud of them for showing her kindness to varying degrees.

"He's a strong young man," he reassured at her worry, though it was nice of her to feel such compassion. He had seen it in her eyes the day it had happened. "You leave worrying about him to me, hm?" Aether would be all right. There were setbacks and there were bad days still, but there likely would be for years to come regardless of what happened. She didn't have to worry over him so much.

When she asked about signing, he looked at her with a bit of surprise at first, his smile gone soft and pleased only a moment later. "Of course. I might be getting busier now that my bones have knitted, but I'm sure we could make time for a few each night. I'm sure Simon would be happy to help supplement as well. . . I could show you a couple before we go back, if you'd like."

If nothing else, he could show her how to tell Aether everything was okay, if that was what she wanted to do. She could say it out loud if she felt like it, obviously, but it would be a nice gesture to sign it, too.
 
"Well... I'm thankful, I suppose." "Terribly incensed by your lack of manners and social graces, but yes, thankful." She replied in a dry, unamused, offended, lady of the manor voice. Her acting was good, but the amusement in her gaze, and the slight twitch at the corner of her lips that threatened to grow into a smile as she struggled to remain serious, were a bit of a giveaway. Granted she wasn't thrilled to be thought of that way, but it did unfortunately describe the situation she was stuck in at the time, still stuck in really. Besides, she knew he was just joking around, or so she hoped anyway...

"I know, but that doesn't stop me from worrying." She answered with a soft smile, it didn't really matter how strong he was, she still felt guilty for inadvertently dragging him into the whole mess. Though she would still care and worry even if it hadn't been her fault, she was empathetic by nature, often to her detriment, so caring for and worrying over people was automatic really. Especially with those she cared about, although, after all the people she'd lost throughout her life, perhaps it was understandable that she'd be a little bit more, or even overly, concerned for the wellbeing of her friends and loved ones. Knowing that he'd suffered like she had, didn't make it any easier.

She smiled and nodded a little, "sure, that would be great." "And yeah, only if you have the time too." She knew he had a lot to do, especially after he'd been laid up healing for so longer, but she'd appreciate any free time he was willing to spare, and she was Simon would be a good teacher as well, assuming he was willing. "I'm not really sure what to say though." She said thoughtfully, she didn't want Aether to think she thought any less of him, that she was disgusted by what he'd done, or that she was judging him for it, it was the exact opposite really. She wasn't sure how to say that without just… saying it directly, which she could do, but she wasn't sure if he'd prefer to not talk about it.
 
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Maxim gave her a sheepish smile, just chuckling a little at her theatrics. There were a great many things to worry about, and many he knew she would worry over whether he told her to or not. It was nice to know she would worry about Aether's feelings and mental health, when usually his attitude kept anyone from caring initially. Like the others in his pack, Madeline was a compassionate sort - or at least, because she had suffered so much she found it easier to see and empathize with that suffering in others.

"I'm sure we can find some time, here and there," he assured, and gave her another little squeeze of the hand when she felt at a loss for what to say. "You can tell him anything you'd like, or nothing at all. . . I'll show you something simple, at least, just -" he held his free hand open in front of himself, thumb pointed towards his chest, and tapped it gently against his chest a couple of times. "This gesture, here. It isn't a completely strict translation, but simply enough can just mean 'it's okay'. Or," he let go of her hand briefly to hold one palm up in front of him, setting the other on it perpendicular to the other and gesturing upwards, "another for 'it's all right'." He shrugged, taking her hand once more if she would let him, and slowed their pace just slightly in thinking it was almost time they turn back. "Some signs have double meaning, so expressions are important, as well. Even just a sympathetic smile is enough."

If Aether only looked at her from afar, those ways would be fine, but if he let her approach without looking as if he wanted to run she could simply tell him with audible words. Any sort of reassurance would do well enough.
 
That didn't help her much, she was worried about saying the wrong thing and upsetting him, but she supposed she was just going to have to wing it and hope for the best. She'd never say anything intentionally upsetting of course, but he was a bit hard for her to read, and she knew from experience how easy it was to accidentally say the wrong thing with a sensitive subject like this. She'd had a few people, well-meaning people, for the most part anyway, try to say the right thing or offer advice when she was at her lowest, and it was either upsetting, hurtful, or just plain useless.

Her gaze was drawn to his hands as he demonstrated the simple signs, she seemed solely focused, attentively studying each little movement. She knew how similar certain signs could be, and that a slight change in movement could drastically change an intended meaning, so she was determined to get it right and not screw it up. For the most part it was so she didn't accidentally say the wrong thing and offend Aether, she wanted to be able to communicate clearly. However, when she was learning a new skill, an important one or simply a hobby it didn't matter, she was determined to get it right, she had to get it right.

She didn't expect to master any skills right away, but each mistake did inevitably fill her with a small feeling of disquiet. Of course she knew that wasn't exactly healthy, and she knew exactly where it came from, her father had left her with a number of scars, and unfortunately they ran deep. She was getting better at ignoring that little voice in her head, that one that whispered her fathers poison into her ear, but it was still hard sometimes. "Alright, got it." She said with a soft nod, smiling a little as he took her hand again, offering no resistance.
 
Madeline paid close attention, but she seemed uncertain still. Maxim supposed he really hadn't answered her question. While he did his best to guide and to make sure everyone got along, it wasn't his business to put words in their mouths. He wanted to help her, and wanted to help Aether, but whatever interaction they had would be between them. He couldn't tell her to give Aether her life story like she'd given it to him, and couldn't tell her to tell Aether that what he'd done was morally right, or even ambiguous. All he could do was advise that it was best she say things between the two of them were all right, which he was sure they were. Anything beyond that was between them.

"He isn't looking for absolution," Maxim said softly as they continued on, warmed by how freely she let him have her hand again, and offered a small, almost apologetic smile. "He just doesn't want you to think he's a monster now that you know. I'm confident you don't, so everything else is negligible."

Any reassurance that the young wolf wasn't rotten inside would come from Maxim, as alpha and somewhat of a surrogate father despite the relatively small age gap between them. Madeline didnt have to worry about taking care of him and soothing his hurts when that was Maxim's job. If she wanted to try, he wouldn't stop her, of course, but he also wasn't going to put Aether's mental wellbeing on her shoulders. If she didn't want to say anything else, he would reassure the boy himself.
 
"Well, you're right I don't, the opposite in fact." She confirmed with a soft nod, "so I guess it should be fine then." She was under no delusions that he'd want or need any kind of absolution from her, that was something he'd surely only want from the others, or Maxim and Simon in particular. Though she doubted they'd be able to give it to him, it was something he could only truly give himself. Still, she'd do as Maxim suggested and let him know she didn't think any less of him for what he'd done. She'd tell him more, that she thought he'd done the right thing, the selfless thing, she'd offer him an understanding, empathic ear if he ever wanted to talk about his father, but only if he seemed to want to listen.

If he preferred for her to just say things were fine and then drop it, she would respect that. Though she'd like to be friends, or at least friendly with the others, she understood they probably wouldn't want to be, and she wasn't going to hold it against any of them. Especially not Aether, as she could more than understand his wish for distance from her. Still, she hoped he'd be open to at least hearing her reassurances, she wanted to help if she could, even in some small way.

"So... what's the plan for the rest of the day?" She asked with a soft smile as they walked, trying to lighten the mood a little bit.
 
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