((Sorry for the wall of text, defusing conversations can run a bit long sometimes.
))
Wolf and Tyr both stared at each other with contempt and hate while Natalya spoke. When she began to cry, Tyr was the first to break eye contact and hold her hand, but she ran off into the cave.
Wolf watched Natalya run off, and without looking back at the stranger, he said to him, "See what you did now?"
Tyr lost it, but he kept his voice low, "What I did? Of all the things I have done to win your trust, to save your lives-"
"Oh you did it all for her."
"Yes. Because I love her; but I also did it for you. I could’ve let that operative taken you. I could’ve let him take you and I could’ve saved her alone. I could’ve knocked you out with the fire stoker, and let him cart you off. I’d have my home, and she would’ve stayed with me for a time. Did I do that? No. I destroyed my home to save your lives; both of you. Yes there are parts of my past that I wish to remain there, just as you do; but do you hear me ranting at you every chance I get demanding you to tell me? No. See, Natalya was wrong about one thing. I don’t want to know your secrets; because I
respect the fact that you want to keep them as such. Oh yes, I have questions, loads of them, but I respect your decision to keep them. Like I’ve said, if you want to come to me like a mature adult and ask me nicely, I’d be happy to tell you my name; but I will not be interrogated. I do not deserve that kind of treatment. Not for what I’ve done for you and Natalya. I understand that you’re protective of her and that you want to protect her, and I want the same. I recognize how you feel towards her, I do too; but you have to accept that she doesn’t feel that way towards you. Stop treating her like a child who doesn’t know any better, or can’t defend herself. That’s the reason I’ve been treating you the way I have. Not because I don’t trust you, but because of the way you treat me and Natalya.”
Wolf took all that information in and just stood there, staring at the snow and sticks. He kicked at the leaves, trying to fill the void of silence between them. He had a look of exposed guilt that he hadn’t felt since he was a pup. He clenched his jaw and his eyes glazed as he looked into the man’s eyes. He immediately looked away and concentrated on a dead bush behind the stranger and spoke up, “Your right. I’m sorry. I’ve been treating Natalya as a child, and you like some kidnapper that was trying to take her away from me. I… I lost my wife, she was killed while I was being captured. I guess I found a sort of replacement in Natalya. I thought that if I could save her. If I could keep her safe… hhooo, maybe it would make up for the fact that I couldn’t save my wife. Then you came along and had to save us both. I… I took that as another failure on my part. What kind of male was I that I couldn’t save anyone, not even myself. I am a failure.”
Tyr looked around in understanding. He spoke with empathy in his voice, “You’re not a failure. Everyone needs help sometime. No male is an islan-“
“You are, you were living alone successfully for 5 years.”
“You think I built that place on my own? You think I set up that fail safe self destruct by myself? Of course not. I had help; and I didn’t save both of you by myself. You did half the work. You even kept me safe when I was unconscious.”
Wolf had an embarrassed look of pride, “Yeah, I guess.”
“Look, this is obviously tearing Natalya apart, our bickering. So… How about we start over, huh? New pack, new home, new beginning?”
Wolf nodded his head appreciatively, “Yeah, that sounds good.”
Tyr gave a nod and began to walk away, “Good, let’s go.”
Wolf stopped him, “Hey, uh”
“Yeah?”
“What is your name anyway?”
Tyr smiled and laughed, “It’s Tyr; and yours?”
Wolf smiled and replied, “I’m Adam.”
Tyr widened his smile and said, “Nice to meet you Adam,” and walked into the cave entrance.
