Dirk wasn’t sure what he expected her to say to his offhand comment about her uncanny ability to see through his shields and directly to the source of his pain, but he certainly wasn’t prepared for the suspicion. Blinking, the larger male tilted his head and watched her. Perhaps not suspicion? Maybe the lass was only confused? Either way he saw no reason not to answer, despite the faint discomfort her astuteness caused. ”Ye can see what a mon tries to hide, lass. Pain…weakness.” The last was softly spoken and sounded little more than a rumble in his chest.

Frowning and a bit pensive, Dirk recalled his rather rigorous training as a pup. He’d been taught quite thoroughly never to show or admit to a weakness. Pain, like any other emotion was to be channeled into fighting. He was to keep his emotions under control and only unleash them when they would benefit him in battle. Perhaps that was why he was having such a hard time coming to terms with the death of his newborn children and his mate? But in truth, Dirk wasn’t particularly insightful when it came to his own emotions; he didn’t have the practice. So instead of focusing on his neglected emotions he focused on the lass beside him; Siren.

A soft chuckle escaped him at her reasoning behind her name but then something in her shifted. His ears flicked back briefly before standing erect once more as Siren snarled and snapped, eyes closed, at nothing. Pulling his head back, ears flat once more and brow furrowed as his eyes narrowed, Dirk watched the gel rake a paw over her face insist that she hadn’t been whiney. Unsure of what to say to make the situation better and deciding that if he said nothing he couldn’t make it worse, Dirk remained still and silent and simply listened, coming to a disturbing conclusion.

Lillith...och, wait. Lillith is the lass’s mum? And...the one who killed her lad Roamin?”

With that connection made in his head Dirk had to bite back a guttural growl at the thought that the individual responsible for the poor wee shadow’s undoing might have been her own mother. Nay, a mother was meant to nurture and comfort her pups, not torment and drive them mad? He wasn’t sure that he understood exactly what was going on or how much of it was in the gel’s mind, but the mere possibility...Dirk shook his head as well and snorted, tamping down on his anger and indignation. Without his own consent or even being aware, his determination to see wee Siren safe had solidified. His tarnished honor would not allow him to leave her to her own devices. If her own family could not look after her properly, then he would do it for them...to the best of his ability.

”I am called Dirk. They said that my teeth were like wee daggers when I was a pup.” It was true enough. His own mother had never ceased teasing him about his needle sharp teeth and how he’d caused her no end of discomfort. It had always embarrassed him but now it left him feeling a bit melancholy. He would likely never see his mother or siblings again. Would never be teased about his teeth or his large size. He would not be welcomed home after failing in his duty to his mate.

Pulled from his musings by her wee paw on his leg, Dirk looked down at it and considered her words. Given the state of the lass and all that she’d said of this soul bonding, Dirk wasn’t sure that he was at all interested in it. It was bad enough to lose a mate that he cared very little for and live with that guilt. But to lose a lass who owned a piece of his soul...Heaving a sigh, Dirk met her gaze for several long seconds, not even sure that she was seeing him, then lowered his head and after a brief hesitation to remind himself that he was far too large and rough for such gestures of comfort, he dragged his tongue across the lass’s cheek, smoothing the reddish marks that showed in the sun. ”I dinnae think my soul is any good fer a lass anyway, wee shadow. Nae need t’ fash yerself over something that might nae ever happen.”