The silence was deafening as it spread between them, cutting out everything else around him. All he could hear was the pounding of his blood in his ears, his breaths coming out in ragged gasps. It was unreal how much this woman had ruled his world, even after all this time she still had a tight grip around him. He was frustrated, angry, and so many other things. It was hard to pick just one, everything tumbling around his mind in quick succession. Before he could grasp one of them he felt defeated, his face twisting into a stone cold expression. He wouldn't allow her to see his torment, to feel some sort of sick pride that she had dug her teeth in deep. After everything, he still cared to damn much to shake her, to get something out of her. Anything was better than this. Bass' jaws worried together as he grit his teeth, seeing her move out of the corner of his eye. Slowly he turned his nose a few degrees closer to her, although he still did not meet her eyes. Here he was, risking freezing to death to come see her dumb ass and she was walking away from him? A surge of anger licked up from his gut, his lips raising into a snarl. No noise left him, but he watched from his peripherals as she made her way off the sand and towards the line of foliage. She sat there and looked at her paws, causing the man to snort. Of course, she was going off to pout. Why would he think that she had changed? It was nothing out of the ordinary for her to act like a child. In the past she had thrown herself at his paws, sobbing and begging his forgiveness. And now? She was in the tree line, hiding. She kept her head down cast, a single word tumbling from her lips.
It was just enough to spur him into action, a growl finally rumbling in his throat. "Why??" he spat, his voice cracking as it boomed across the shore. He took a step towards her, his legs quivering with the amount of red hot anger that consumed him. His nose tipped upwards as he spun to face her, his eyes molten gold as they bore down on her. "Because for some god forsaking reason I still fucking love you!" He was screaming now, planting his front legs in the sand an equal distance apart. He was nearly panting, his pale form shaking as his sides heaved. Sucking in a deep breath, his ears slicked back against his skull as he finally allowed himself a good look at her. She looked just the same, perhaps a bit skinnier but they all were in this harsh season. But her fur was thick and luscious, a gleam to her coat that said that she had taken care of herself while she had been away. Again. Without a word... again. "Even though you've left me and your children time and time again, there is still one fucked up, twisted part of me that will always love you Wren. And then you go and pull this shit, tempting me with your howls and your scent and letting me hope that for once I will get some fucking answers! But no, I had to risk freezing to find you sitting here like nothing ever happened. Did you ever care about us, Wren? Did you ever truly love me and our children? Because it doesn't fucking feel like it! How can you just walk away from us, again and again, over and over, like some fucking ghost? Do you know what you have done to us? All the pain and suffering that you have caused? And for what, some time alone? Fuck you."
Bass had finally let her say her name, had finally let himself say everything that had been simmering in the back of his mind. How it could have all been a lie, that she had been playing him the whole time. But it didn't feel like it. He was there too, he was in those moments with her. They had been so real, and yet like a dream at the same time. Glaring at her for a moment, he tore his gaze away and watched the water suck at the sands, wishing he had just left her alone. It would be better than... this. What would his kids say if they saw him here like this, screaming at Wren like that. Swearing his head off, something that wasn't usual for the aging man. But he couldn't help it. Since the last time she had left he had been stewing over everything, trying to find some answers but only ending up with more questions. And then she just wandered in like nothing had ever happened, expecting a normal, happy life. No, he wouldn't allow that. He wouldn't let her just walk off Scott free while he stayed behind and suffered. Wren would never be able to lead a normal life, not here. She'd need to stay wherever she kept going off too, because as long as she was here there was a chance that she would run into him and their pups. They were all getting older now, too old for games like this. But here he was, making the same moves in this familiar dance. It was her turn now though, he needed something. Anything, really. If she refused to speak, then he would just walk away. If he could, that was.
"Speech"
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