Red Is for Traitor

"What's going on?" Sindri asked walking into his brother's room. Hardly startled at the intrusion that did not come with a knock, Corbin turned from where he stood before his messy desk.
Slightly baffled because what wasn't going on he replied, "We are in the middle of a war with hunters?" Sindri lightly glared at his brother. He may have been in terrible shape (He still was in all honesty) and imprisoned for over four months but he still knew they were fighting. Relenting, Corbin sighed, "Please be more specific. Many things are going on."
"Macha and Zane. They hardly look, talk, or spend time together. What did I miss?" It was bothering him how much had changed between us. Sindri never thought anything could have caused a rift between me and his pup.
"Ah." Corbin nodded finally on the same page. Sindri watched as his brother's eyes sobered and saddened. "You may want to ask them."
"I tried but Zane runs away and Macha looks devastated whenever I bring it up. What the hell happened between the two?"
Without replying right away the Alpha watched his little brother look lost. He really had missed a lot and Corbin did not want to be the one to crush him more, but if Sindri wanted to know then he would tell some of it. He too was tired of my relationship with Zane being as it was. "Sit, it's gunna take a little while to explain. I can't tell you everything, but I can tell you some. Things Macha has told me and what I have witnessed." While Sindri took a seat on the Alpha's bed, Corbin leaned a hip on the desk.
"As you have probably guessed Zane was devastated that you were taken; everyone was. That hurt and sadness became anger and hatred. One day the village was attacked by hunters and from what Macha has told me she stopped Zane from killing a hunter." Sindri's eyes flashed as his nose flared. "Enraged by being stopped he transferred his anger to Macha. To make matters worse she made the hunter a prisoner. After that day Zane would not listen to her and they fought often." Corbin ran fingers through his ever growing hair as memories came and went through his mind. As the times he physically felt the anger and sadness coming from me and my adopted pup. "Most times Macha handled it, using her position as an adult, a higher ranking pack member to stop him. She hated it and having to do so caused the rift to become greater. Other times I had to step in and stop him. More than once I had to command him because he was going to far in words. They never physically fought, but you know as well as I do words can be just as hurtful if not more so."
By now Sindri's head was in his hands, face hidden from his brother. "What kind of words?" He whispered.
"All different kinds. Anything to hurt her for hurting him. He felt that he deserved to kill that hunter since you were taken, however he was also ashamed for how he was acting which perpetuated the anger and hurt. The viscous cycle would gain momentum until I finally had Zane spend more time with Mia and Ivy than Macha..." Corbin looked away. He hated that he had to separate the two, he knew it only caused more problems in the end. "I had to..."
"She talked to you a lot while I was missing."
A fact Corbin noted, not an accusation. "Yes and I her. We kept each other sane I suppose."
"Thank you."
Moving to his brother, the Alpha sat and hugged his silently crying Beta. "She is my sister and brother's mate, of course I would protect her anyway I could." The two remained silent as Sindri cried over everything that had happened. For the hurt his mate felt and the pain he caused his son. For the devastation his pack felt at his capture. After some time, Corbin asked, "What are you going to do now?"
Sitting up with determination in his eyes, Sindri replied, "I am going to find my pup, spend time with him, and talk to him about what happened."
"Is that a smart idea? He may feel threatened."
"We need to, what he did was wrong. Moreover I want to hear his side before I talk with Macha."
"You also want to talk to her alone which would be quite hard with Shen glued to your mate's side." Corbin smirked.
"That too, but I think I should talk to Zane first. Macha'll know I'm not automatically siding with Zane if I talk to him first, Zane may feel threatened."
"You're a good father, Sin." Standing, Corbin stretched. "Now get out, I want some alone time before I have to spend the next two hours in a meeting."
"The woes of an Alpha." Sindri chuckled, "Thanks again Cor."
"Anytime, little brother." Corbin watched as Sindri left. He was doing better but he was still a long ways from being okay. You could still see some of Sindri's bones, he tired faster than even the oldest of wolves, and the purple bags under his eyes told of nights with interrupted sleep or none at all. Shaking his head, Corbin turned back to the letters on the desk. When would this war end?

While Corbin went back to reading reports and letters from allied packs, Sindri sought out his son. Like all other times all he had to do was follow his instincts and there his son was. Before approaching him, Sindri watched Zane practice archery. Unlike before Zane's arrows hardly hit the target but rather everywhere else. He could see the pup's frustration cross over his face with each failed attempt at hitting the red circle in the middle of the training dummy. His once happy, fun loving son was now full of frustration, pain, and anger.
Letting Zane shoot his last arrow, Sindri stepped forward informing his pup that someone was nearby. Turning his head quickly, Zane's eyes went from narrow and on alert to glowing with happiness. Unstringing his bow and placing his quiver against the closest tree, Zane ran to his father. "Poppa!" He nuzzled his father's neck still unable to believe that he was there.
"Hey pup." Sindri rumbled back happily. "How do you feel about spending the rest of the day together?"
Zane pulled back in wonder, "Just me and you?" Lately spending time meant that the pup Sindri saved also joined.
"Just me and you. Shanendowa is spending the day with Macha and Dr. Pent." There it was the guilt whenever my name was brought up around Zane. "Come on, let's go to the river." Zane nodded eagerly and took his father's hand. They spend the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon tracking, hunting, and playing. Late into the afternoon when dinner was around the corner Sindri called Zane to him. The pup curled into his father's side happily. Sindri did not want to ruin the good mood, but knew it was better to get this conversation over with than let things continue as they were.
"Zane, I have a question for you." Zane hummed rubbing his cheek against Sindri's chest. "Pup, what's going on with you and Macha?" Predictably, Zane froze and tensed. Pulling him closer, Sindri rested his cheek on his son's head, "I'm not mad or anything. I want to understand why you and her don't spend time together anymore."
The pair spent some time embraced with Zane tense and Sindri hugging him with a hand running soothingly up and down his son's spine. Eventually Zane slowly started speaking, "You were taken." Sindri did not expect him to start there but continued running his hand over his son's back. "It hurted. It hurted and I got mad. Mad at the hunters. Mak.... Hunters attacked village and forest. One step in trap... I founded him and got mad. He tooked you... Hunter tooked you and was hurting you. I didn't want you die. I didn't know if you okay." He began crying with tears and snot running down his face. "I wanted him pay for you hurt... Mak stop me. Told me I couldn't. I gotted mad at her, she stopping me from hurting hunter that hurt you and pack. I didn't want to, but she... Mak commanded me to. I had to stop. I gotted more mad and-" He pulled away suddenly and looked at Sindri. Waved of guilt rolled off him, nearly choking Sindri with his raw emotions. "I was mean to her!" Zane began to sob. "I said mean things. I fought with her. I felt betray by Mak. I wanted her yell at me, but she didn't. Uncle had to stop me, made me mad at myself. I didn' mean to, but it happen. I... I was mean to Mak... She hate me." If it was possible, Zane probably would have been burrowed in his father's chest; ribs his shield against the world.
Sindri didn't say anything at first, instead let his son calm down. He held Zane protectively, letting him cry out everything he had been feeling for the past couple of months. In all honesty he could not blame his son for acting the way he had, he himself could remember those feelings well. Back when the pack was decimated he felt the same way. A ball of anger had settled in him and at times it was like a monster had taken over his body causing him to snap cruelly at anyone who tried to talk to him. His only saving grace was Zane. The paternal instinct to take care of his son overshadowed some of the black all consuming hatred he felt for the world, hunters, and humans. As much as a part of him was mad at his pup for hurting his mate, a majority of him understood the pup's reaction. This war needed to end and soon.
"Zane." Sindri whispered once his pup was only making small whimpering noises. "Zane, I don't think Macha is mad at you. She is hurt, but I don't think she hates you." He pulled Zane away from his body a little. "Do you want to make up with her?"
Zane nodded, "But she has Shen, she no need me."
"That's not how it works, pup." Sindri chuckled a little. "Shanendowa may be part of the pack now, but you are still important to Macha."
"You no know that."
"I do too."
"How?" Zane pouted.
"Because I was mean to her too and look at us now. Remember, Macha and I weren't on the best of terms when she returned."
"I guess..."
"Do you want to talk to her about what happened?"
"Yes... But I scared."
"I know, but I'm here with you. I promise."
"But Mak you mate. You be on her side."
"I shouldn't be on yours?" Sindri raised a brow. Zane shrugged looking down. "I'm on your side as much as her's. I want both of you to make up, however," Zane looked up with wide eyes. "How you acted was not appropriate. No matter how mad you are, you can't treat someone how you did. Uncle Corbin told me he had to use his Alpha command a few times." Zane's face lit up red. "That is definitely not okay. After you talk to Macha, I want you to apologize to Uncle Corbin for giving him trouble. He doesn't like forcing you to do things against your will as much as you don't like having it done."
"Yes, Poppa." He looked down before looking up through his eyelashes, "What is my punishment?"
Sindri let out a breath to think. He probably should punish Zane, what the pup did was far from okay; it was downright cruel. However, the way Zane was internally beating himself up over treating Macha so poorly adding another stress to his life might make things worse. "I want you to apologize to both Macha and Corbin if not today tomorrow and no dessert until I say so. I think all the guilt you're feeling is punishment enough." He ran his fingers through Zane's hair. "However, if this happens again there will be severe consequences, okay?" Zane nodded his head as fresh tears dripped down his face. "Let's clean up in the river before we head back." He picked Zane up and walked over to the water. After cleaning up, the pair walked slowly back to the village.
At the edge of the forest Zane tugged on Sindri's shirt, "Poppa, I wanna talk to Mak now."
"Before dinner?"
"Yes." He looked down embarrassed. "Can you... Can you get her?"
"Where do you want to talk to her?"
"Here, not with wolves around."
"Okay, but we are going to get as close to where she is before I'm leaving you." Again Zane nodded and they walked in silence until both heard the familiar beat of my heart. "Wait here, I'll go get her. Don't run off or you'll scare me okay?"
"Yes, Poppa."
Before leaving, Sindri bent down and hugged his son. "You can do this Zane. Macha doesn't hate you. I'll be right back with her." He kissed his pup's head before standing and walking to me. He found me talking with Corbin and Rami while Shanendowa stood by my side. Feeling the familiar tug, I turned to see him walking towards us with a small smile.
"Sindri." Corbin greeted while the rest of us followed in greeting.
"Hey." He bent down and hugged Shanendowa before scenting me with a hum. "Corbin, would you mind spending time with Shanendowa while I steal Macha." I raised a brow as Corbin chuckled and nodded. "I won't be long Shanendowa." The young girl stared with a bit of a pout before nodding. "We'll be back." Taking my hand he lead me towards the woods.
"What is going on?" I asked knowing something was up.
He leaned towards me and kissed my temple, "Zane wants to talk with you." I tensed and looked down at the ground. Feeling how uncomfortable I was, he paused and wrapped his arms around me. "It's going to be okay." He whispered. Aside from Corbin, he knew better than anyone how much it hurt me that Zane was so spiteful towards me. "Go, he's waiting for you." I squeezed him once before pulling away and walking in the direction he instructed me. Sindri listened as I walked to where Zane paced, froze, and then started to cry as he ran at me. Knowing that we were not going to kill or run away from each other, he turned to return to the village.