I'm just the homewrecker now

Rhyme felt a prickling at his neck, an itch he couldn't quite scratch. Something was making him antsy. The last time he'd had this feeling he'd found Epitaph at the edge of the territory. He'd been napping with Shaye and their two tiny girls when he finally decided to go check on Tana and their other three. He had not expected to find Vail there.

As he descended into the den a low growl met his ears as his vision adjusted to the lower light. Instead of the tiny earthen colored she wolf Vail sat curled with Verse and Theory. Surprised, he took a step back with confusion obvious on his features. Vail growled again.

"She's not here, asshole." the pale woman hissed. He knew she hadn't been very happy with him recently but he wasn't exactly sure why. "She knows about Shaye and she took Noir. Not that you deserve to know but she's probably leaving." Rhyme's ears fell to his skull as panic took him. Vail growled again, but settled over the babies and ignored him.

Rhyme grit his teeth and turned, fleeing the den under the maple tree and he started racing to find Tana. The snow was going to make his task difficult, and already his heart raced in his chest. He had meant to tell her about what was going on, but there was no point that felt right. If Vail had been the one to say something.. He growled to himself.

Solitude had seen his master take off and he had a hunch what he was searching for. The white bird was difficult to see in the whipping snow but he called out as his gaze reached the border. Rhyme knew he'd spotted Tana. The slate alpha doubled his efforts, his legs slowing as he pushed through the high drifts of snow. He'd finally catch sight of her himself, her red cloak blazing against the white of the snow.

"Tana!" He called out, unwilling to watch her leave. "Tana, please." His voice rang out over the quiet, muffled by the falling flakes. He slowed as he tried to approach her, unsure what to say now that he'd found her. "Don't go you'll starve." "I'm so sorry." "It's not you it's me." His breath came in gasps as he stood behind her in Abaven lands.