And my heart became swiss cheese

His fox cubs sat quietly beside him, something that was unusual for them to do but they knew now wasn't the time for their antics. He sat still, breathing heavy as he glared daggers at the rocks in front of him. And then..."Ace?" Of course...he didn't doubt once in his mind that she would try to track him down. Likely to try to save some face and give him an explanation for what she did. He made no sound nor did he move as he heard Shaye calling for him. He had half a mind to sneak away and leave her without a word, but she managed to find him before he could. He pinned his ears back when he heard the tones in her voice, his lip lifting slightly to bare a single fang. His back was to her, and he couldn't help but feel that she was faking it all.

She spoke. Alot. And throughout her speech, he couldn't help but roll his eyes. But when she finished off with her last few words. Asking why he abused his rank. Acted on impulse. He abruptly stood up and turned on her. Anger was clear in his eyes, lips pulled back in a snarl as he stepped towards her. "Abuse my power!? Acted on impulse? Is that what you think I did!?" He snapped, stopping just a few short feet from her. "Innocents get caught up in war all the god damn time! His tail lashed, fur rising as he felt the anger rise. "And who are you to claim who's innocent and who's not? You know nothing about that pack! You know nothing about it's members! Leera was someone I had met before on more than one occasion, not that it's any of your fucking business!"

His gaze bore into her, "But of course, you like to be in everyone's business, don't you? You sit here and claim I would be soiling Abaven's reputation when really I think you're worried about your reputation being soiled. How can you sit there and tell me Rhyme and I were in the wrong when you had no problem with me claiming Vlad? Did you think that you sending him off to another pack to be a slave there would keep your conscience clear? Hm? I at least had no intention of enslaving Leera or anyone else. I was doing it for a fucking reason because I. Know. Tyranis!"

His emotions were all pent up. He showed nothing but anger towards her at this very moment, evident by the way he looked at her and with his body language. His fox kits stood a few feet behind him, watching with apprehension as he continued. "I told you that day what I intended to do. With or without you and Abaven. You want it to be a place for the weak and helpless, then that's all Abaven will be. Your apprentices and the rest of the pack from what I've witnessed so far are incredibly sheltered and don't appear to be interested in fighting. So how do you expect me to trust your word, hm? How do you expect me to believe a goddamn word you fucking say? What, you'll march a pawful of wolves to go to war? Or perhaps just Rhyme and Odysseus? Or were you counting on whatever allies you have to go along?" He didn't know what she was thinking. He didn't particularly care. He was angry. He was hurt. But he refused to allow anything but his anger show.

"And if you want to talk about shame, perhaps you should take a good long look at yourself. You shamed and embarrassed both me and Rhyme, your supposed alpha partner. You've no idea all the shit that was said about him after you left...or maybe he deserves it, hm? Perhaps he should feel all the shame so you don't have to." He scoffed and turned away from her, "Either you think your pack is stupid, or you don't trust us, or both if you thought nobody would figure it out, Shaye." He shook his head as he looked at again, "If you couldn't be honest about that, then I can't trust your word. I sure as hell can't trust it when you claim you'd march with me in my time of need. You may be the alpha, but unless you force your wolves to march into war, then your word is meaningless."