I had honestly avoided her since that rather… well I will say heated day. I barely could stomach what I did. I did… mate things with her, but it felt so right at the time I hadn’t second thought it. I don’t know why I did the things but I did. I had graciously accepted my new role within Iromar as its Stygian but I still wanted to train and learn more. I noticed as I spotted Avery now and then that her sides had grown. My stomach turned in on itself, not sure if she wanted anything to do with me. She hadn’t approached me, I figured she would if she wanted me right? I had wanted to approach her, my honor damn near compels me to ask her to be my mate now but I worry she will outright reject me. She is a strong woman, I don’t really see any male ever being her mate, I wasn’t sure I liked her like that, but as spring came and she only grew I knew I at least had an obligation to the pups she carried that were mine.

I had no idea she had been with others, namely Malum. I had thought it was just me that had done the deed and she carried my children within. Her having been around hadn’t occurred to me in the slightest I figured there was some, I wasn’t sure how to put it, loyalty to me though obviously there was no sign that there should have been, especially as everything escalated as it had. Today though it felt… different, call it instinct, a feeling, something it told me I needed to see her, talk to her about all of this. I looked for her when the sun started to go down, and not seeing her around the areas of Iromar I figured perhaps she must be at her den.

What I was about to stumble upon I hardly knew. I never been to her den, but her scent thickly covered the area that and something else. Bloody, pungent, smells with quiet whines within. My heart stops for a moment. Bright blue eyes staring at the entrance blankly feeling frozen in place for an eternity as I listen to each squeak before time seems to move and my heart instead races, pounding like these were its last moments and feeling like it was wanting to burst from my chest. I was simultaneously terrified and thrilled at the same time. I didn’t know really what I was feeling, my body just started moving forward pausing just before the entrance.

”Avery… it’s me. I am coming in. I say nervously wishing to duck my head in and enter without her approval, but I wait for some response. Once she gives an answer I move in slowly the scent growing thicker within the dusky den. I can barely see anything but I do see two little white forms rolling at her stomach and some black ball as well. Perhaps I am soft… perhaps I am more like my grandfather than I always thought, but when I saw them it was like love at first sight. I loved them, they were mind I was sure. I had no idea the boy wasn’t, not yet at least, but I far as I was concerned at the moment they were all beautiful and if she would have me, I wanted to be their father, not just someone they saw walking around Iromar as a shadow.

I seat myself across from her at the den’s entrance, almost guarding it of sorts. I think my instincts are telling me to protect her and them though like hell did I think I needed it, not with the scars she bore into me that day and some wounds still not yet healed completely, simply concealed. I wasn’t sure how to bring about this very awkward conversation of me asking if I can be their father when I was their father.

”You all look good, do you feel well enough to talk? Should I just watch over you all? Do you need a healer?” I say a bit firmly, not sure what she needs if she wants me around at all. I won’t let her send me away if she needs help though, I need to talk to her about this, now I wasn’t sure was the right time, but it might be the only time I could get her to hold still and listen too. So here I am, staring a deadly beast who is now a mother in the eye, and hoping I won’t get my throat ripped out for it.