End of the line

Ulric sat quietly while Emile threw accusations and anger at him, questioning if he actually wanted to help, saying how it hurt to be around them. After all of the attempts to reach out to him, after all the attempts to include him in the gatherings he wanted to hold for their family, after trying to just give him space, after everything he had done... All of this felt like a slap in the face - especially when he questioned how he was supposed to know what he wanted from him. As much as it stung and hurt to have his son speak to him like this, he forced himself to be the calm one in this situation, absorbing all of this anger that Emile was throwing at him. He didn't understand the resentment he saw in his son's eyes, but he supposed it wasn't his place to understand. He could understand Emile still hurting, but he couldn't understand this response to it.

"I did," he responded simply. "It's great that you checked on her. I'm not saying that it's not. But I believe I've made myself very clear in the fact that I expect every single wolf in this pack to contribute in whatever way suits them best and one check up doesn't balance out all of the hunting others have done to feed you or the patrols the warriors do to keep you safe. Doesn't that make sense? I've never once pressured you to try and be the lead healer or forced you into training to fight or anything like that. I've only ever tried to let you be yourself and do what you like. But how was I supposed to tell you what I wanted from you if you wouldn't talk to me, Emile? You've avoided me like the plague, refused to come to any of our family meetings, wouldn't let me give you your birthday gift... You didn't even come to the pack meeting. You were the only one that didn't come. Even if you don't want to be a part of our family then at the very least I expect you to follow through on the minimum requirements to be a member of this pack."

He paused, letting out a sigh as his ears flicked. He hadn't felt this at a loss of what to do since Ezra lashed out and bit him. "It's been almost a year since she's been gone, Emile," he said softly, a frown pulling at his lips. He tried not to think about Azariah that often. He had to force himself to move on so that he could be here for his children instead of scouring the globe for her and so he could keep up with the commitment he made to The Hallows, but that didn't mean her disappearance hadn't hurt him. It had hurt all of them. "I miss her too. I think we all do. But are you just going to spend the rest of your life holding yourself back because she left?" He hesitated, his brow pulling together with obvious hurt as he added, "Do you want to leave? Is that what would make you happy?"

Ulric Adravendi