Of course that's fine. A bit of him was nervous to speak with the black Betess, though Shandom knew he'd been in the right in their recent interactions. Still, leadership was leadership - Gyek was the prime example of an Alpha doing whatever the hell he wanted. It wasn't to say his stepfather had been a bad leader - the pack loved him in the interim where Shandom grew into himself, for the most part. But he'd been harsh and set in his rather old fashioned ways, the ways that had rubbed off on Shandom. It was because of Gyek that the white man was so stringent about the Omega rank - the dark wolf had always encouraged the future Etient leader to embrace the traditional hierarchy of things. While he knew it was sometimes the responsibility of the Omega to act as a jester, a sort of light harded comic, he also had been raised in an environment where that particular rank was used mostly for punishment. Certainly it had been for Helene and, later, Aylienne.
He padded after her quietly, careful to not disturb any of their sleeping packmates. It was natural for him to be quiet in the morning, and so Shandom made no overt sounds; he was a ghost passing through night, and he liked it that way. Soran began to speak, her older voice quiet and apologetic in the morning air. A soft smile curved across the subordinate's dark lips, and he dipped his head in recognition of her apology and ensuing explanation. Of course, Soran, Shandom said, dipping his head in acceptance and recognition of the humility it took to apologize to one's inferiors. He is your step-son, and I understand it must be difficult for you to see him in such a low and embarrassing status. I admit I was taken aback and, to some extent, humiliated by your words - Ciara flew in the face of Zalen's orders, and I thought it best that she not continue to defy him as such, especially in such an .... important situation. But I was also harsh, as can unfortunately be my nature, and I should have approached the situation with a more gentle tone. Speaking of Noah as he is your family, I apologize for treating him that way. But as the Omega of our pack, and for the reasoning behind it, I cannot apologize for my treatment of him. I hope you understand. A bashful and somewhat embarrassed grin was on the handsome wolf's scarred visage; he knew his words could be offensive, but he thought honesty to be the best approach in this situation.
Shandom assumed the conversation would end there, until she asked him the fatal question - Do you have any children? The male noticeably withdrew with those words, his dark eyes clouded over by sudden memories, and shame. Ears flicked back against his skull and tail curled tighter around his legs; Shandom had not spoken of his children in many moons. Three, he murmured, voice almost quiet enough to be lost in the morning air. Two sons, Halaki and Twensu, and a daughter, Zeneca. The man knew he had long ago lost any right to claim those children as his own; the night he abandoned them, he was sure Keliyya told them horrible things, as she had ever right to. But that did not change the fact that the three puppies - though they were well into their adulthood now - were his children, and Shandom loved them. He remembered tussling with their little furry bodies and telling them stories under the stars as he marveled at what an easy life they had for a family of loners. It had always been too dangerous for Shandom to join a pack. I have not seen them in many years, though, Soran, he whispered, eyes lost in memory. But I love them very much.
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