Ciara appeared almost as a queen before the mangled hybrid – he wasn't used to seeing her portray such dominance. It was...sexy, in a way. But Cerberus wasn't a wolf who enjoyed being controlled, so it was slightly off-putting as well. When Ciara fell back onto her haunches, Ceri breathed an inaudible sigh of relief and mimicked her movements, sitting as well. It was nice to feel as if he were on equal grounds with some of his pack mates despite his rank, and it was especially nice to see that Ciara still saw him as a good enough friend not to force him into submission.
As the wolfess mentioned how she was relieved to know that he hadn't lost his life as a result of the bear attack, Cerberus nearly huffed in agreement. Indeed, he'd been very lucky. He only wished his comrade had been just as fortunate. However, while the mention of the dark she-wolf’s name stung the hybrid to the very core, it was overshadowed by the look in Ciara's eyes when she mentioned another name: Augustus. Cerberus knew right away that this must have been the wolf whose scent he picked up on the fae as she emerged from her den. Though he wasn't aware they were mates, that look alone told him more than her words ever could. She was in love with this man, and that made Ceri's heart thrum with notes of rejection and disappointment. As a result, it took the boycoy quite a while to find his voice again, creating an odd sort of silence when it came time to answer the she-wolf's questions.
He'd nearly missed the bit about how she insisted Ceri not blame himself for Blind's untimely death, and while he didn't blame himself as much as he had days prior to their meeting, the taste of failure was still ripe in his mouth. This had made it rather difficult for him to fit in, as she inquired of, but not quite impossible. Images of an an afternoon spent with a playful alphess flashed through his mind, and suddenly he felt considerably more at peace. Then, clearing his throat, he finally answered, Things are fine, on all accounts. I'm learning the ways of the pack and adapting rather smoothly, I think. How about you? I assume you've found favorable company among the wolves of New Dawn? Ceri lifted his gaze to meet hers then, and he flashed his typical coy grin. This time, however, it did not quite reach his eyes.
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