Odina managed to restrain her initial comments to a silent eyeroll. He was still more stubborn than a Pukwudgie and using his size as a shield. But any survivor knew that shields could have weaknesses. When she saw his hands clench and caught his spit words, her fangs came out. "What a strange choice of words, considering you were taking up most of the bed that night, you ass." She was on her feet in the instant, fire at the forefront. "And how dare you criticize my decisions. My "story" protects my son from the idiotic rules your people impose. Your disgusting customs that would cage me and my son to a man and his whims." The venom flowed free, the barely-there leash Odina usually had on her loathing of all things English invaders snapped. "That wasn't going to be my life and it won't be my boy's."
She half expected the standoff to end in him taking the portkey and storming out. Hell, she would have preferred that option, but then he dropped into the offered chair, looking about as comfortable as she'd felt since stumbling into him in August. She remained standing for a moment if only to hold the high ground for a moment before taking her own seat. She needed it when she heard the sentence she most feared from her friend-turned-threat.
Odina's hands clenched in her skirts, every instinct wanting her to accept her defeat and live to fight another day. She wanted her son and his soft hair just like hers, she wanted to hold him tight even though he barely fit her arms any longer. She wanted him safe, and she had to brave hell to get there. "He is my son, but he is also your child." In a move far more Bear than her practiced facade, she let her glass drop to the floor before reaching for the remaining bottle and sucking down an unhealthy amount. "And before you ask: yes, I'm certain. But that is the end of it. You have a wife and a baby coming. You have a life. That life will not include ruining my baby's future."
She half expected the standoff to end in him taking the portkey and storming out. Hell, she would have preferred that option, but then he dropped into the offered chair, looking about as comfortable as she'd felt since stumbling into him in August. She remained standing for a moment if only to hold the high ground for a moment before taking her own seat. She needed it when she heard the sentence she most feared from her friend-turned-threat.
Odina's hands clenched in her skirts, every instinct wanting her to accept her defeat and live to fight another day. She wanted her son and his soft hair just like hers, she wanted to hold him tight even though he barely fit her arms any longer. She wanted him safe, and she had to brave hell to get there. "He is my son, but he is also your child." In a move far more Bear than her practiced facade, she let her glass drop to the floor before reaching for the remaining bottle and sucking down an unhealthy amount. "And before you ask: yes, I'm certain. But that is the end of it. You have a wife and a baby coming. You have a life. That life will not include ruining my baby's future."