always

oh your hands can heal, your hands can bruise. I don't have a choice but I'd still choose you.

Slowly, as the seconds of silence passed, Alcide’s stature softened. The only tension that was evident in his posture was the rise of his tail, though even its stiffness had lessened slightly. But his eyes remained ever calculating, ever scrutinizing of Arlo. Each movement made by the auburn brute was noticed and assessed. His constant shows of respect were not overlooked, and so Alcide’s tail waved back and forth slightly in its erect position. So the kill was only the beginning of his offerings? The alpha was interested in what else this wolf had to say for himself. He could hardly turn and leave the brute groveling here now. And then it is given, the true reasoning for Arlo’s return to the borders of the pack for which he had once thought himself fit to rule. Now he wishes to serve the land instead of govern it. Alcide remained silent, tail stilled and simply staring down at the submitted form of the male. The still of the air pressed in around them, and Alcide considered his options here.

Arlo had certainly showed promise; an ability to fight that was only exceeded by Alcide’s experience. He could prove a valuable asset to the pack, though it would take time and a display of commitment from Arlo for Alcide to truly trust the individual within his pack lands. But before he is even able to voice these issues, Lavender boldly stepped forward and spoke out. Alcide’s ears folded back slightly as his gaze snapped to the young wolfess, nose wrinkling slightly at her interruption. But she was young and perhaps had not been fully taught the manners that a young wolf should display when in her alphen’s presence, especially during such an important meeting as this.

Even so, her words were wise for her age, and Alcide returned her nudge with one of his own. He pressed his nose against her forehead before turning back towards Arlo. “I can hardly be expected to take you at your word, Arlo, but I am not a cruel man. I will receive you into Spirane, but not without trial, as young Lavender is so perceptive to realize.” He offered a slight smirk then to the girl before continuing. “You shall hold the rank of Norma – one who remains until the pack’s scrutiny – for at least one year. During that time you must prove yourself to not only me, but the pack which you wish to call home. It is long duration of time, but perhaps not so long for a wolf young as yourself.” It was a trial of Arlo’s patience – was he willing to hold one of the lowest ranks in the pack until next winter? It would show his dedication to the pack. “There are many ways to show your loyalty to the pack – assist in hunts, bring forth prospective members to potentially join the pack, speak well of the pack to others, pup sit for those mothers that will trust you to do so. There is much you can do, and with time more and more of the pack will come to accept you. It will be then, and only then, that I too shall fully accept you into the pack.” The alphen knew this was a somewhat backwards way to go about recruitment into the pack. Typically the alpha had to show acceptance for the rest of the pack to follow suit. In this case, it would be the exact opposite. Only when the pack recognized him as one of their own would Alcide show the same. If Arlo truly felt repentant for the transgressions he had made against Spirane, he would work to find his place here.

alcide | seventeen | moonglow | polaris of spirane
sleekwing, swallowbane, orca, daenerys, ceal, taliesin | ♥