He stiffened some at the embrace, he being a creature of little sentimentalities such as it; most of his embraces were reserved for his mate and child, and he could not think of a single other that he'd gone out of his way to... "hug" before. She was a little thing, he realized, as she drew close and latched onto his scarred and horrid frame. A small, lithe, innocent thing, as compared to he, the monster, and the likewise Sawtooth monster that had ravaged her. She'd never deserved it; she'd never stood a chance against him.
Jefferson was her guardian, like he was all the rest. Like most of the Valley, he towered over her effortlessly, a scarred and monstrous titan in a land of innocent dreamers. He served as their leader, an ironic leader, but the one responsible for them... and he had failed her, as he had failed so many times before.
A sigh escaping his lips, the scarred man reached his arm and held her close. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you," he said gently, the harshness of his usual tone suddenly smoothed into something... humble. "It happened under my command, and I failed as your leader. I'm sorry."
A moment's peace, then he released her and looked her in the eye. "I want you to stay with someone at all times, like I said. I just can't risk this happening again. Not until I taste his blood for myself." Another pause. "I'll walk you back to your den."
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