Would you love me less?

As Resin spoke Tamsyn listened to each word carefully, stowing them away in her memories. She didn't know how many more times she'd get to hear her mate's voice and she never wanted to forget, especially with Resin telling her how she would have to be strong and represent their family and be strong for their children. That thought felt so entirely impossible, but she knew Resin was right. It didn't seem possible, but there wasn't a choice. She had to do it. She didn't know much about upholding a family name, but she had learned plenty about being a mother and she loved her children more than anything in her life - even more than Resin. If they had to become the reason she stayed alive until she found her way back to a new normal then she could do that. There's nothing else that you can do.

She blinked her eyes open reluctantly and found Resin's gaze again, drawing in a shuddering breath as she tried to push away the ever present tears. Be strong. Make her proud. Take care of their children. That's all she could think about. She just kept repeating those things to herself, hoping that if she thought them enough it would manifest itself into a shred of confidence. She didn't want to accept any of it. She didn't want to believe that there was no hope, but she didn't see another option. She could only take Resin at her word and for all of their time together that had been more than enough so she wasn't sure why that would change now. Resin stepped closer to the bars and a desperate pang of longing gripped at her chest. She nodded quietly about becoming the pillar of strength for their children. Impossible, but she would try. She would try for Resin and for their pups, their sweet children that just couldn't understand - not that she was doing much better.

She sat there in silence for a moment, memorizing every line and scar on Resin's face, swallowing back more tears. The fear and the sorrow was slowly starting to wear away, burned out like a candle burned from both ends. It would most assuredly be back, but for now it was just being replaced by longing for things she would no longer get to have. The threat of all the nights alone to come loomed in the back of her mind and she tried to push them away. She released the bar she was gripping in her right paw, hesitantly trying to reach past the bars. She wouldn't touch Resin without permission, not knowing if that would be too much, but she wanted to so badly. She didn't want the last thing she ever felt from her mate to be her teeth.

"Tamsyn" | "Blue"