Burning Desire

Dakota

The heavy tension in the room had luckily boiled down to only a mild discomfort now. Emotions were certainly still high, but it didn’t feel as though a full out brawl was going to break loose in the small appartement. Red continued to be difficult, Oliver was more or less indifferent at this point, and Zachary... Glancing over to the vampire pressed snuggly into his side, Dakota nearly rose a brow at how silent the guy was being. Normally his rival would’ve spat out several snarky comebacks by now, but instead he was quiet, sitting there obediently with his eyes downcast. Perhaps he was holding his tongue to keep the peace, if that’s even what they could call the awkward atmosphere in the room. About to open his mouth and speak for the both of them, the brunette’s words caught in his throat the moment his pointed ears picked up on the soft apology his mate had given. Wait... What? All eyes were now on Zachary, and all of them surprisingly sported the same look; astonishment. The room settled into a different sort of silence now, everyone’s mind on something different as they tried to decipher who should speak next and what they should say after an unexpected confession like the vampire’s. With a genuine smile and softened eyes, Dakota was the first to convey his thoughts. Cupping his mate’s cheek with his free hand and gently forcing the other male to look up at him, it took all of the wolf’s willpower not to devour the guy in a deep kiss - his gut told him his subordinates probably wouldn’t appreciate that so soon after breaking the news. “Don’t be.” He responded firmly, pressing their foreheads together and rubbing his thumb idly along Zachary’s strong cheekbone. “I don’t regret a damn thing.” He confirmed with a guilty smirk, keeping his gaze steady on his partner’s face before eventually dropping his hand and leaning back to redirect his attention towards his packmates. “It doesn’t matter how it happened, it just... Did. The issue here is what happens next, not just for Zach and I, but for you two as well.” Dakota began, getting the ball rolling in hopes their conversation would now take a more civilized turn. “If you continue to stand by me, I can’t guarantee you two won’t receive the same treatment I will, whatever that may turn out to be. I trust the both of you with my life, but I won’t forcibly endanger either one of you. If you decide you can no longer follow me, I will respect your decision and you can leave here knowing my opinions of you and gratitude for your loyalty all these years will not have changed.”Silence again, from both parties. Oliver looked as though he were about to burst into tears or spontaneously combust from how heavy the topic was, while Red looked conflicted and deep in her own thoughts. Chewing furiously on her bottom lip, the female eventually got up from her chair and stalked over to the two on the couch. Her overall aura still screamed uncertainty and distaste for the whole situation, but her eyes were firm and unwavering, a silent signal that she’d made up her mind. “This is stupid, and I don’t like it.” The redhead spat, her honesty never failing to leave her no matter the circumstances - one of the many traits Dakota actually preferred from the beta. “But I’m no coward, and I sure as shit won’t leave my brother’s side just to tuck my tail between my legs and turn a blind eye.” Untangling himself from Zachary, Dakota rose to his feet and faced the fiery female with a crooked smile. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He mused gratefully, extending his hand and earning an immediate response from his subordinate who grasped his forearm tightly. “Someone has to watch your back.” She responded as if it were the most obvious in the world. “Cause he sure won’t.” She added with a smirk, nodding in the direction of a now very offended Oliver. “My combat skills are just fine, thank you. I’m not going anywhere, either.” He huffed, crossing his arms and glaring at the redhead who had released her hold on Koda and moved her attention to Zachary. “Yeah, yeah. Shut up and stick to your books.” She teased further, addressing her packmate but looking directly at the vampire still on the couch. Slowly, with a still somewhat untrusting expression on her face, Red extended her arm for Zach to grab. The gesture didn’t necessarily mean she had fully accepted the immortal yet, but it was a step in the right direction. It was acknowledgment, a sign among werewolves that meant whomever they were reaching out to was someone they considered to be of equal or greater significance than themselves.