A Lamb Among Wolves Ch:38

Story by WastedTimeEE on SoFurry

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#170 of Zootopia

Still playing catch up on commissions at the moment. So things have slowed on the writing end. but i just cleared the big ones off so hopefully I'll be able to rebound with the story. But I'll keep my intro short since this is a crucial chapter in the story. Sorry, no breather between the Yuri fight and the Dori show down. It's time...

And if you are at all interested in checking out my patreon, you can click the link below.https://www.patreon.com/wastedtimeee


Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Omega

Vernon rested a palm against the center of the oaken door to his father's office, taking a moment to brace himself for the argument that he knew lie ahead of him. The scuffle with Yuri, for all the trouble it had caused, had at the very least had managed to act as a release for most of the anger the wolf had been feeling toward Dorian. It had cleared the blinding red haze that had consumed his mind and allowed the wolf to think clearly now that the time had come to stand up to Dorian. To try to plan out what he was going to say, and to figure out a way to keep the discussion from exploding into a full on screaming match for as long as he possibly could. Despite what Dorian had said and done, there was at least some part of Vernon that hoped he could still get through to the stubborn wolf.

Aside from the fights he had with Dorian over his choice in career, Vernon had generally gotten along with his father. The wolf could be strict at times, but he had for the most part always been fair. It was yet another aspect of Dorian's personality that Vernon had chalked up to being honed through years of law enforcement work. That patience and the use of a firm paw only when necessary to guide him and his brothers through some of the more difficult parts of their lives.

Even during Vernon's more troubled years. The constant fights with other students, the acts of vandalism, the angry phone calls from teachers and other authority figures. Through all of it Dorian had been stoic yet caring, trying to be open to the wolf while at the same time not letting Vernon get away lightly for his crimes. Of course, at the time Vernon hadn't cared at all what his parents did. His dark take on the nature of Animalia left by being separated from his childhood friend had made him ignorant and unfeeling toward any olive branch his parents had extended toward him. His mother's sobs fell on deaf ears, and his father's attempts to reach out to him were brushed aside until the day Vernon's facade finally fell through. Even now, looking back on how he treated the pair made Vernon feel disgusted with himself. He could feel his chest tense as he relived the past actions of his younger self, the sharp and staggering pang of regret. He had wronged them so many times, and yet they had continued to tirelessly reach out to him, unwilling to give up on the wolf Vernon once was.

It was memories like that which made it harder to think of his father being so cold and distant. So stubborn and uncaring when it came to Dawn now after how hard they had refused to give up on Vernon during his own terrible lapse in judgment. But blood was a different story the wolf supposed, and even so, his father wasn't entirely clear of being thoughtless and uncaring towards Vernon's wants and desires.

How many times had they butted heads on Vernon's desire to be an architect rather than a policemammal? Vernon couldn't even begin to count. But it was certainly one of the rare times Vernon saw in him what Audrey described as Dorian's stubborn side, at least in any sort of long-term form. Dorian had remained unrelenting in his push to see Vernon join the North Meadowland Police Department, and in the end, it was Vernon who had to support himself with the help of Gus in order to have any chance at making his dream a reality. His father had washed his paws of the matter, and declared that he would be no help when it came to pursuing what the law wolf called a 'frivolous hobby'. And even with Audrey doing her best to mend the fences between the pair, Dorian remained unsupportive of Vernon's efforts throughout his years in Zootopia, so much so that Audrey had to keep any help she sent Vernon's way a secret in order to keep things quiet at home.

The whole affair had taught him a lesson about just how pig-headed his father could truly be when it came to what he believed was right. Even if it trampled the actual desires of his own kin. The wolf sat firm in his beliefs that he knew what was best for his sons, and Vernon imagined that with Dawn, Dorian's ruling wasn't any different. And so while Vernon wanted to give it his best when it came to talking some sense into the mammal, to keep the conversation calm and cool for as long as he possibly could. The wolf knew that one way or another it was going to end in shouting, and more likely than not Vernon would have to threaten to leave the pack.

The question that left the wolf with was a simple one. Would Dorian blink? Would he balk in the face of never talking to Vernon again? Or would the wolf simply allow Vernon to walk away from the family because of his unwillingness to meet the wolf in the middle?

With a sigh, Vernon removed his paw from the door, balling it into a fist before lightly rapping on the wood.

There was a long silence, so much so that for a moment Vernon thought that perhaps the wolf wasn't actually in his office. But after what felt like an eternity of standing in silence at the threshold to the wolf's den, a voice finally croaked out from behind the door.

"It's open." The voice was low and grumbly.

Vernon placed a wary paw on the doorknob, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat before turning it.

"It's now or never." Vernon thought, as he opened the door with quiet resignation.

The familiar room was dimly lit, something his father seemed to prefer when in his office. The low lighting causing shimmers of gold and green to reflect off the surface of the various trinkets and furnishings scattered throughout the room. Some of it had been collected by Dorian himself, but the bulk of the contents of the room had belonged to Vernon's grandfather, and several other Hunters throughout the generations. The room had come to represent the collective history of the Hunter lineage since the founding of Zootopia, and because of that it almost gave the room a feeling as if there were an audience now watching as Vernon entered. The eyes of hundreds of Hunter pack members from long ago looking down on them from every corner of the room. Every book on the shelf, every mural on the wall, every bauble or trinket on Dorian's desk loomed like a silent jury awaiting the judgment of the accused.

Vernon could already smell the brandy from the moment he opened the door, the fruity yet acrid alcoholic scent stinging the wolf's nostrils as he crossed the room. But now as he approached the desk, and the law wolf pulled himself away from his laptop, Vernon could see just how surprisingly haggard the old wolf looked. It was clear he had started drinking the moment he had gotten back home, and while he wasn't drunk, the smell of alcohol clung to him like a pungent blanket. The wolf held a half-finished glass of the amber liquid in a paw as he narrowed his glassy grey eyes on Vernon.

"Well..." Dorian muttered, closing the lid of his computer as he shifted his attention toward the wolf. "I'm surprised you didn't show up sooner."

Vernon simply nodded as Dorian swished his drink around in his glass. They remained locked in a silent stare for a few moments, neither wolf saying anything as the two appraised one another. Vernon couldn't be sure what Dorian was thinking, but surely the old wolf had to presume that Vernon's presence wasn't just to have a friendly father-son chat.

"You here to talk?" Dorian muttered, his eyes sharpening their gaze on Vernon as he spoke. There was another awkward silence before Vernon nodded again.

Dorian let out a tired sigh, placing his glass on the table before reaching into the shadows on his desk for the large decanter filled with more of his favorite brandy. Vernon's father wasn't a heavy drinker, that was something the wolf knew fairly well. Dorian had a tolerance sure, but he usually drank very lightly. The old law wolf's reasoning came from seeing first paw how many families were torn apart by alcohol abuse thanks to his profession. That said, his father tried to be understanding when it came to heavy drinkers, especially those on his force. When it came to law mammals, Dorian had a saying.

'There are two kinds of cops.' Vernon heard the wolf's voice in his mind. 'Those who never touch a drop, afraid of what it will do to them. And those who drown themselves in it to cope with what the job did to them.'

It was only once in a blue moon that Dorian drank to cope. A grisly murder, or horrifying crime that would push the wolf into one of those rare drinking fits. But there was no mistaking that by the stench and the look on his father's face he was well in the midst of one. Dorian began to fill his glass as he gestured a paw over the desk.

"Pull up a chair then..." Dorian muttered. "Let's get this over with..." The wolf grumbled as he topped his glass before slipping the decanter back into the dark.

Vernon glanced around for a moment before spotting a large green and gold armchair sat next to the book case. The wolf casually walked over to it, placing his paws gently on the back of the antique chair before shoving it toward the desk. Without wheels, it took a few moments for the large piece of furniture to slide across the thick rug covering the hardwood in front of the desk. But eventually, the wolf managed to get it close enough to be satisfied with the distance.

With a quiet groan, Vernon sat down in the plush green chair. The wolf squirmed slightly, taking a moment to get comfortable before finally turning his attention back to the older wolf. Vernon was quiet as he scanned the mammal. He was uncertain exactly where to start with his grievances. Whether it was his father's treatment of Dawn, his stance on the tithe, or his feeling towards Zach's injury. A variety of different phrasings and questions burned through the wolf's mind as he placed a paw to his head, each with a million different ways to approach the wolf in tone and attitude. But in the end one very simple phrase seemed to pervade every question, one that perfectly encapsulated how the wolf felt about everything. What he needed to know. Vernon let out a tired sigh, locking eyes with the law mammal as he gripped the armrests of the chair.

"Why?" Vernon asked quietly.

Dorian quirked an eyebrow.

"Why?" The older wolf repeated.

Vernon shook his head softly.

"Why did you talk to Dawn like that?" Vernon replied, squinting his eyes in an effort to hold back tears. "When she came to you, pouring out her heart and soul and begging for a chance to prove herself to you..." The wolf continued. "How could you just tear into her so mercilessly..?" The wolf clenched the armrests tighter as he strained to keep the tears in.

Dorian's gaze remained fixed on Vernon, his muzzle remaining expressionless as the wolf continued.

"To be so cruel as to not only ignore how hard she was trying to reach out to you..." Vernon whined. "But to basically spit in her face."

Vernon leaned up in his chair slightly as his gaze remained locked on Dorian's. He could make out the lines of broken blood vessels around the old wolf's steely grey irises.

"Why pa?" Vernon grit his teeth. " I want to know the reason."

Vernon furrowed his brow, his glare turning accusatory for a moment.

"The REAL reason." Vernon emphasized before leaning back into his chair.

An awkward silence lingered in the room, both wolves having fallen silent after Vernon's heart-wrenching statement. Vernon's chest was physically aching as he waited for the wolf's response, the pain of what Dawn had said she had experienced squeezing around his heart so tightly that it had taken everything in his power not to scream or cry while delivering his question. He needed to know, and he wanted it straight from the old wolf's muzzle. No more filters, no more 'Zach said', he wanted to hash it out face to face. And he wouldn't settle for anything less than the truth. After all, he'd be able to easily sniff it out otherwise.

Dorian's muzzle twisted into a sneer as he broke eye contact with his son.

"I told y'all not to go back to the fair." The wolf muttered. "But what did you do? You j-"

"Oh, so that's the reason?" Vernon cut him off, pounding a paw against the armrest as he tried to meet his father's gaze.

"I ask for a modicum of respect from any mammal my sons bring home." The wolf continued. "And what have you two done?" Dorian tapped his glass against the desk. "You've both gone a spited me at every turn!"

"When Dawn came to you..." Vernon growled. "We hadn't gone back to the fair yet, nor did we intend to." The wolf hissed. "And there ain't a damn rule on the books that says it's illegal to be a pred-prey couple in public!"

"There is about causin' a stir!" Dorian snapped back, taking a sip of his brandy. "Makin' a scene!"

"A scene we didn't start!" Vernon huffed. "A scene that it was your job to control!" The wolf continued. "Your job to protect the innocent!" Vernon had momentarily leaned out of his seat only to flop back into it lamely. "And instead you sided with the damn mob!"

"I told y'all not to go to the fair the first day didn't I!?" Dorian came back with, the wolf rising slightly out of his chair. "About how-"

"You didn't tell us anything!" Vernon snapped back. "You forced Zach to do it!"

Dorian let out a derisive snort.

"Regardless, you were told!" the wolf glowered at Vernon.

"You didn't do it in person because you knew you were in the wrong!" Vernon fired back with.

Dorian ran a paw through the fur on his scalp before slamming his glass against the table, nearly causing some of the brandy to slosh out.

"Vernon! Can Y'all even begin to grasp any mammal's life outside yer own?!" Dorian spat. "About the strain and risk Y'all two put on this family's reputation among the Meadowlander's because you chose to flaunt yer relationship with th-"

Dorian paused, the wolf's eyes squinting as he seemed to try to rethink his phrasing, but Vernon had already caught it.

"Go on, say it!" Vernon snarled. "Tell me how you really feel about Dawn and not that 'reputation' bullshit!"

Dorian growled at his son, the old wolf's ears flattening tightly against his head.

"It was never about that. Not at all." Vernon continued. "You had it out for Dawn from the first moment she stepped into our house." The wolf leaned forward in his chair, trying to meet his father's gaze. But his eyes continued to dart away. "Before a single rule was broached or broken you were ready to dump on her!"

"Vernon..." The wolf growled quietly, standing slightly in his seat.

But despite his father's warning tone, Vernon slumped back into his chair, now comfortable in his assertions.

"What, you thought I'd forget about our first dinner here?" Vernon continued. "After the way you treated Dawn then?" Vernon let out a scoff. "Hell, if it hadn't been for ma we would have been havin' this chat that night!"

The wolf leaned up on his armrest, his eyes shining with ire as he glared back at his father. "So don't feed me this tripe about how the Meadowlander's were set to scorn the family over Dawn." Vernon continued. "Every male in this family is datin' outside their species, so if that hadn't done the damage then nothin' would." Vernon gestured a paw lazily. "Even with Dawn's history."

"You don't know the Meadowlander's like I do Vernon, I-!"

Vernon tapped his nose idly. "Hunter's smell bullshit."

Dorian's growl deepened, but despite it Vernon continued.

"I saw you. You know I did." Vernon said firmly. "Today at the fair."

Dorian eased back into his chair under the sudden accusation, the wolf's tensed muzzle softening slightly as his guilty eyes tried to stray away from meeting his sons.

"When that crowd of mammals bought out the food at the stand in record time?" Vernon continued. "And you were standin' there prayin' you were gonna get another excuse to tell us 'I told y'all so' only to find out that the crowd was there because they were on a food run." The wolf spat. "That if anythin' us bein' there ended up helpin' ma's business and the Hunter reputation you seemed to be so damn worried about!"

"That doesn't matter!" Dorian spat. " What matters is that after everythin' that happened yesterday you decided Y'all just knew better, and went and had another go at temptin' disaster!"

"Ma did." Vernon replied, crossing his arms.

"What?" Dorian replied.

"Ma made the call fer us going back to the fair." The wolf continued. "We weren't gonna go, but she insisted." Vernon ran a paw through his scalp fur. "I ain't tryin' to pass the buck. But ma was the one willin' to prove that point for us."

The older wolf slowly slunk back into his chair, taking a quiet moment to appraise his dwindling glass of brandy before scooping it up in a paw and taking a swig.

"Of course she did..." Dorian grumbled. "But my point still stands." The wolf continued blearily. "Everyone in this family seems to have an unrealistic expectation that things will always 'just work out', even yer ma." The wolf took another sip of his brandy. " None of y'all spend enough time really thinkin' the long-term consequences through 'cept fer me! None of y'all!" Dorian spat.

"Like Zach didn't?" Vernon replied.

Dorian's eyes widened, and the wolf slowly sat back up. With a trembling paw Dorian set his glass back on to the desk. Slowly the wolf reached into the dark, grasping his decanter out of the inky blackness beyond the warm glow of the desk lamp.

"Yer 'little ewe' tell you what I said?" Dorian muttered as he filled the glass.

Vernon grit his teeth slightly at the hateful way the word 'little ewe' had sounded coming from his father's lips. An almost mocking, spiteful lilt to his tone as he said it. Vernon gripped his armrests again, digging his claws into the upholstery.

"She told me everything..." Vernon muttered. "Of course I had already heard from Zach by then about what you told him that morning before the fair."

Dorian finished pouring his drink, sliding the decanter back into the darkness beyond his desk.

"And what a surprise yer brother doesn't take it seriously enough as it is." Dorian muttered, taking a swig of his brandy.

"At least it makes more sense than yer other bullshit reasoning." Vernon retorted. "Trying to play like you had it out fer Dawn only because we weren't listen' to yer unreasonable demands!" The wolf crossed his arms. "Although I still don't fully believe that's why you got it out fer my mate."

Dorian started at Vernon in wide-eyed disbelief. His expression one of dumbfounded shock as he stared at Vernon in silence. The dead, awkward air lingered within the darkened chamber for what seemed like an eternity before Dorian managed to speak again. But when his voice returned, it came with a roar.

"Don't fully beli-!" Dorian shook his head. "DON'T FULLY BELIEVE!?"

The icy white wolf slammed his glass against the counter hard enough to crack it, and brandy began to seep slowly from the pressure wounds. Vernon flinched slightly at the sudden sharp noise, but quickly regained his composure as the older wolf began to pull napkins from his desk drawer. Dorian quickly grabbed a second glass, pouring what remained of his brandy into it before mopping up the spill with a wad of napkins.

"YER BROTHER NEARLY DIED VERNON!" Dorian spat as he sopped up the spilled beverage.

"IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT LITTLE GIMMER OF YOURS WAS PLANNIN' TO ENSLAVE ALL THE PREDS IN ZOOTOPIA OR WORSE! BUT SHE NEARLY KILT YER BROTHER!" Dorian shouted.

Vernon rose in his seat as the fire within him started to burn.

"Don't...call...her...that..." Vernon growled, his voice low and trembling as he balled his fists. It was one thing to hear from Dawn that Dorian had used such a terrible slur, but it was entirely different to hear it directly from the older wolf's muzzle. Vernon had nearly lost himself right there, but somehow managed to keep the ire down enough to respond in a relatively calm manner.

"That's what yer concerned about?" Dorian said with an odd chuckle as he ran a paw through his head fur. "Yer brother NEARLY DIED!" Dorian spat, pounding a paw against his desk.

"Is that gettin' through that thick skull o' yers!?" The wolf continued. "Or are we gonna sit here discussin' my phrasin' all night instead?"

"That..." Vernon muttered, easing slowly back into his seat. "Wasn't Dawn's fault." Vernon looked his father square in his steely grey orbs. "You can't blame her for that."

"I CAN'T?" Dorian laughed again. "I can't blame her for that can I?"

"Dawn didn't put that gun in the wolf's paw." Vernon continued, gripping the armrests on his chair in an effort to maintain his composure. "She didn't push Zach in front of that little ewe."

"She might as well have!" Dorian hissed.

"But she didn't!" Vernon spat back.

Dorian rolled his eyes. "Well correct me if I'm wrong then, but didn't she try to frame all predators as savages in order to have an excuse to remove them from society and treat 'em as second class citizens!?"

Vernon grit his teeth. Under the circumstances, he didn't want to agree with the old mammal on anything, but Vernon was hard pressed to deny a cold, hard fact. The wolf gave a slow, reluctant affirmative nod.

"But she's done her time for it!" Vernon added. "And she's tryin' to make a clean break!"

"And the day she got caught, didn't it turn a bunch of preds on sheep-folk over the alleged conspiracy?" Dorian ignored Vernon, electing to continue his rant as if he hadn't spoken.

Vernon furrowed his brow. His father's logic was already flawed, but he knew the wolf would refuse to hear it at this point.

"But she didn't ma-"

"And yer brother was shot by one of them wolves wasn't he!?" Dorian snapped, leaning over the desk slightly as he eyed Vernon with shimmering, glossy eyes. "Shot tryin' to defend a little ewe who was bein' targeted because of what Bellwether did!?"

"But she still didn't force that to happen!" Vernon interjected. "She didn't choose to make things play out like that!"

Dorian chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose she would have preferred her plan went off without a hitch..." The wolf rolled his eyes. "But like I said, things don't always work out."

Vernon stood up, letting out a snarl as he glared at his father. despite the mild inebriation, the white wolf didn't flinch.

"She knows she was in the wrong, and she spends every day payin' penance for it!" Vernon snapped. "Even with all she's done, she's still poundin' her hooves to the pavement to try to make amends fer her actions!"

Vernon ran a trembling paw through his scalp fur.

"Teeth to tails! Doesn't it count fer anythin' that she saved the city from her pa's attempt to finish what she started!?"

At that Dorian seemed to wince, his ears flatting against his head as he slipped back into his chair. The wolf broke eye contact, now staring at his glass of brandy as he idly swished it in his paw. The amber liquid flittered with light as it swayed in the glass.

"Tell it to yer ma." Dorian muttered. "After what she and I had to endure when Zach nearly died."

"I did!" Vernon snapped, his eyes fixed on the dour wolf seated in front of him. "And like me, she thought connecting Dawn to that was a bridge to far!"

Dorian scoffed.

"Besides if any mammal is to blame for what happened to Zach, then by your own logic, it's your fault!"

Dorian squinted at the wolf, a glimmer of fire shining in his eyes as he met Vernon's gaze. The wolf's muzzle peeled back into a hateful sneer as he glared up at his son.

"What?" Dorian growled.

"You knew Dawn's mother didn't you?" Vernon continued, his tone trembling as he desperately tried to keep his cool. But despite it, the edge in his voice was starting to swell. "You were friends with her since you were kids..."

Dorian's eyes remained fixed on Vernon, the grey lenses scanning the wolf as he began to pace in front of the desk.

"Which is why you always tried to look out for her, even when she took up with Dawn's pa." Vernon continued. "And when he started abusing her you tried to get her to press charges, but she wouldn't."

Dorian furrowed his brow, his glare remaining leveled at the wolf as it appeared he was struggling to follow what Vernon was getting at.

"But when Dawn was born, and you knew from my interactions with her that she was being abused too, what did you do?" The wolf turned on his heels, stabbing an accusatory finger at the old wolf. "Did you call child protective services to have Dawn removed for her own safety?"

Dorian opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came. The wolf seemed to be mouthing wordlessly as he struggled to come up with something to retort with, but Vernon wasn't done.

"You knew it was going on!" Vernon continued. "Even before I was friends with Dawn!" Vernon huffed. "And while you couldn't get Clover to press charges against Aster, you damn well could have had Dawn removed from that house!"

"Y-you..." Dorian struggled, the icy white wolf seeming to try to pull himself to a standing position but failing as he nearly spilled his brandy again.

"And because of what you didn't do, Dawn remained in an abusive household!" Vernon stabbed his claw at the mammal again. "And it allowed Aster to turn her into what she grew up to be, and set her on the path to her gettin' involved in the night howler scandal!"

"THAT'S INSANE!" Dorian finally managed to spit, the wolf clambering to his feet and stabbing a shaking finger toward Vernon. "YO-!"

"It's no less insane than blamin' Dawn fer what happened to Zach! It's the same thing!" Vernon snapped back with.

"That's entirely different!" Dorian growled.

"How!?" Vernon retorted. "It's just as far removed!" Vernon placed his paws on his hips. "If you can blame her for Zach, why can't I blame you for messin' her up in the first place!" Vernon hissed. "All because you were too soft on her mother to do anythin'!"

"YOU BITE YER DAMN TONGUE BOY OR I'LL-!" Dorian was in Vernon's face now, the stench of alcohol so strong that Vernon's muzzle curled back in response to the sting. But despite the inadvertent recoil, Vernon met his father with equal fervor.

"OR YOU'LL WHAT!?" Vernon spat, a thrumming steady growl rising in his throat. "SEND ME TO MY ROOM BECAUSE I'M IN THE RIGHT?"

Dorian continued to glare in silence as Vernon continued, the wolf's shining white teeth bared as if he were ready to attack.

"FACE IT!" Vernon spat. "IF YER WILLIN' TO BLAME DAWN FOR ZACH, THEN I CAN JUST AS EASILY BLAME YOU FER HURTIN' DAWN!" The wolf growled. "FOR RUINING MY BEST FRIEND'S LIFE! FOR KILLING HER CHILDHOOD THROUGH YOUR OWN INABILITY TO ACT!" Vernon snarled. "SHE'S ONLY THE MONSTER YOU HELPED MAKE HER!"

"VERNON!" Dorian snapped his teeth, his steely grey stare remaining leveled on his son. The white wolf placed his glass on the desk before covering his eyes with his paw. The wolf held his paw there for a moment before sweeping it over his scalp.

"Why are you goin' to bat fer a CRIMINAL!?" Dorian spat. "Actually arguin' fer her over YER OWN FLESH AND BLOOD!?"

Vernon's eyes went wide, his nostrils flaring as the rising heat within him reached its boiling point. His father was clearly trying to circle the wagons, switching back to something to blame Dawn for that he felt was an unquestionable truth now that Vernon had framed his other arguments as hypocritical. But the wolf wasn't having it.

Vernon snarled, slamming his fists on his father's desk hard enough to make his glass of brandy jump. "THAT EWE IS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!"

Despite Vernon's powerful declaration, Dorian appeared unmoved. His muzzle remaining curled in a sneer as he stared back at his son.

"AND SHE'S DOIN' HER DAMNDEST TO MAKE IT RIGHT!" Vernon continued, the wolf clenching his teeth between each angry bark. "TO MEND WHAT SHE DONE WRONG!"

Vernon huffed and panted as he stared deep into his father's unflinching grey eyes. The wolf was still tired from his scuffle with Yuri, and the energy it was taking to yell at the older wolf only served to tire him further.

"SHE JU!-" Vernon's voice broke, his tone quavering as he struggled to find his words. "ALL SHE W-!" Dorian remained silent as he watched the wolf. Vernon gesturing at nothing as his frustration managed to get the better of him.

Vernon let out a long sigh before slumping back into the antique armchair lamely, the wolf lolling his head back against the cushion as he placed a paw over his eyes.

"All she wants..." Vernon mumbled. "All we want..." The wolf corrected himself. "Is to be given a chance."

The wolf leaned up slightly, parting his fingers to allow one of his eyes to fall on his father. The law wolf had picked up his glass of brandy again, but his eyes were still fixed on Vernon.

"Is that too much to ask pa?" Vernon whined. "Doesn't she deserve at least that?"

Dorian swirled the last bit of brandy in his cup around idly before drinking it down in one full swig and tapping it against the table. For a moment the wolf turned his head, his muzzle scrunching up as he clearly was having a hard time processing the gulp of the potent spirits. Dorian cleared his throat, letting out a few stray coughs before finally letting out a long, tired sigh.

"I stand by my reasons..." The wolf muttered. "All of 'em."

Vernon stared back at the wolf in disbelief.

"And I ain't to be swayed on it." Dorian continued. "That ewe made her bed, and she's gonna have to lie in it!" The wolf grunted.

Vernon was out of his chair in a flash, his paws on the table as he glared at his father with renewed rage.

"HOW CAN YOU BE THAT WAY!?" Vernon cried.

Dorian was nearly as quick to his feet as Vernon was, the white wolf's face now inches away from Vernon's own as he glared into his eyes.

"TELL ME SHE AIN'T ACCOUNTABLE FER HER ACTIONS VERNON!" Dorian snapped back. "TELL ME SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE CHANCE TO STOP BEFORE SHE WENT TO FAR!?"

The white wolf slumped back into his chair sharply, seemingly winded by his own outburst. Perhaps the brandy was starting to overpower the older wolf. But despite it, Dorian reached back into the dark for his decanter, and began to fill his empty glass once again. As the amber liquid flittered in the dim lighting, slowly filling the crystal glass, Dorian pointed one of his fingers that was wrapped around the bottle toward Vernon.

"Time..." Dorian muttered.

"What?" Vernon replied.

"You asked me what difference there was between me needin' to protect that ewe when she was little versus how yer brother got shot." The wolf continued. "And the answer is time."

Vernon frowned.

"At a certain point we all become accountable fer own actions." Dorian continued. The wolf topped off his glass before sliding the decanter back into the dark. "And no amount of excuses about yer past and yer troubles is valid when it comes to what you choose to do." The wolf grabbed the shining glass of amber liquid, idly swishing it in his paw as he watched the brandy shimmer in the dim light.

"It doesn't matter that I didn't step in, what matters is that when the time came she acted of her own accord." Dorian sighed. "She chose to do what she did, and she's payin' the price for it."

Vernon grit his teeth, the growl in his throat growing louder and louder as he seethed. While one could argue that some degree of what his father was saying was true, it once again was a senseless misdirection that only furthered to undermine the wolf's blatant hypocrisy.

"So now yer judge and jury too? The courts y'all uphold don't know when someone is punished enough, but you do?" Vernon hissed.

The older wolf remained silent, seemingly finding Vernon's question one not worthy of dignifying with a response. But the wolf was fine with that, after all he had a much better question for him.

Dorian scoffed, turning his head from Vernon and staring at the darkened window across from the desk. The sun was setting now, and the fading orange lighting was slipping further and further up the side of the nearby mountains as dusk was setting in.

"So at what point..." Vernon growled. "Did that wolf trying to shoot that little lamb become 'his own actions' huh?" Vernon hissed. "At what point did Zach's _'choice'_to jump in the way of the shot become his ow-!"

"DAMNIT VERNON!" Dorian snarled, slamming his glass on the desk. But Vernon ignored it, shoving his face back into his father's and glaring at him with hateful eyes.

"DAMNIT WHAT!?" Vernon snarled. "IT'S NOT MY FAULT YOU KEEP MAKING POOR ARGUMENTS TO JUSTIFY YOUR TREATMENT OF MY MATE!" The wolf continued to growl, his unblinking eyes fixed on Dorian's own. "I CAME IN HERE ASKIN' FER THE TRUTH BUT YOU JUST KEEP AVOIDIN' IT!"

"I AIN'T AVOIDIN' NOTHIN'!" Dorian spat. "YER DAWN IS A CRIMINAL!"

Vernon turned away from the wolf, the seething rage within burning so hot it was getting hard for the wolf to see straight. Vernon's forehead was pounding now, most likely from a mixture of the pain from the wounds by Yuri and his growing annoyance in dealing with his father. Vernon placed a paw on his muzzle, pinching the bridge of it as he tried to calm himself with slow, methodical breaths.

As the wolf calmed himself, a deafening silence had shrouded the room in the absence of the shouting. Vernon wasn't sure what his father was doing with his back turned to the mammal, but it was clear he had nothing to add to his declaration as the silence lingered. With the flame inside quieted for the moment, Vernon let out a final shuddering sigh before turning back to face the wolf.

"What happened to you..?" Vernon whined softly.

Dorian just stared blankly back at him, the wolf's head swaying ever so slightly as Vernon assumed was the fault of the buzz of the brandy.

"You believed in rehabilitating criminals." Vernon continued. "In giving any mammal who was actually trying a chance to better themselves!"

Dorian broke his line of sight with Vernon, looking off into one of the dark corners of his study.

"You can see Dawn is trying! You know it!" Vernon whimpered. "I can see it in your eyes!"

For a moment the white wolf seemed to frown, his eyes continuing to evade Vernon's as he looked increasingly uncomfortable.

"So why?!" Vernon protested, leaning his paws on his father's desk once again. "Why won't you just give her that chance!?" Vernon whined. "To give us that chance!"

Dorian eyed the drink in his paw, swishing it lamely in his grip as he remained silent. The wolf seemed to be lost in thought, at least to some degree, his eyes following the strands of light as they shimmered through the liquid in the glass for what seemed like minutes before he seemed to muster the energy to reply.

"The mammal who believed in those sorts of things..." Dorian muttered. "Died the day yer brother almost did."

Despite what sounded like strong conviction in the tone of his statement, he was still avoiding Vernon's gaze. It was another lie, or at the very least a half-truth, and Vernon could smell it a mile away.

"THAT'S BULL!" Vernon snapped, his muzzle twisting into a snarl as glared down at the white wolf.

Slowly Dorian raised his head, his muzzle twisted into a sneer of its own as he glared back at the wolf.

"How...DARE YOU!" Dorian spat.

"How DARE I!?" Vernon chuckled in disbelief. "Did you give up believing in Hunter's intuition too!?" Vernon hissed. "At the very least if you are going to try to bullshit your way through a conversation you could start by LOOKING ME IN THE EYE WHEN YOU TRY TO LIE TO ME!"

Dorian pounded a paw on the desk, causing the assorted ornaments scattered about to jump as the wolf bared his teeth at Vernon.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IN NOTHIN' NO MORE! I DON'T TRUST NO ONE NO MORE!" Dorian snarled. "AND I AIN'T ABOUT TO BUDGE ON LETTIN' YOU MAKE ANOTHER LIFE RUININ' DECISION WHILE I'M STILL ALIVE!"

Vernon's ears sagged as he glared back at his father in a mixture of disgust and disbelief. His father had always been fairly straightforward with his feelings towards Vernon's attempts at becoming an architect. But it never made hearing it straight from the wolf's muzzle any easier to stomach.

"She's just another bad decision Vernon." Dorian lowered his voice as he eased back into his chair. "I tried and failed to fight you on that frivolous career of yours, but I can't let somethin' as major as yer choice in mate get muddied up!" Dorian shook his head dismissively. "Don't you understand? I'm lookin' out fer your best interests here!"

"Is it in my best interest to leave the mammal I love just because you say so!?" Vernon replied with a derisive snort.

"Vernon."

"Why are you so quick to write her off!?" Vernon snapped back. "To just ignore your principles and turn your back on her!? On us!?"

Dorian furrowed his brow. "You don't know what's best fer you. What bein' attached to that gal is going to do to your life! To this family!" Dorian took a swig of his brandy. "However you think she's feelin' for you is nothin' but a ruse! It's-"

Vernon slammed a paw on the table so hard several items spilled off of Dorian's desk. For the first time, throughout the entire argument, the white-furred wolf flinched at the impact, his ears bowing against his head as he looked up at his son. The room had fallen deathly silent as Vernon glared down at the mammal before him, a mixture of rage and disgust burning in his eyes as he struggled to contain himself.

"Don't..." Vernon said coldly. "Don't you dare..."

But despite Vernon's cold plea, the wolf continued.

"It's a mistake Vernon. It's-"

"Then it is my mistake to make." Vernon muttered. "I trust that ewe with my life, and nothing you have to say is going to sway me otherwise."

The room fell silent as the two wolves simply stared at one another, their eyes locked in a wordless showdown of emotional response. They were both searching, looking for the mammal who was going to flinch first as the quiet grew more deafening with each passing minute.

Vernon was trying his hardest to keep the tears he could feel rising inside from making their way to the surface, but he could feel himself starting to slip.

"You said..." Vernon muttered, balling his fists tightly as he spoke. "That at a certain point we all become accountable for our own actions."

Dorian simply watched Vernon in silence, the wolf's eyes squinting slightly as he kept his focus on the wolf.

"And you were done being accountable fer my actions twelve plus years ago." Vernon continued. "When I became recognized as an adult by Zootopian and North Mammalian law." Vernon sniffled slightly as the hot tears began to stream quietly from his eyes. "You didn't stop me from bein' what I wanted to be, and you ain't gonna stop me from bein' with who I want to be with."

Dorian grimaced sharply, the wolfs ears flattening against his head.

"I'm going to tithe Dawn." Vernon continued. "With or without yer approval."

The white wolf's ears suddenly stood to attention, Dorian's expression a mixture of shock and disbelief, but only for a moment. Soon enough the wolf started chuckling, slapping his knee with a paw as he laughed to himself.

"That's a good one boy..." Dorian snickered. "But Y'all know that's not how tithe's work."

Dorian stabbed a thumb into his chest, flashing the wolf a bemused smirk.

"You know the tradition Vernon." The white wolf shook his head. "Y'all need my approval to be able to go through with the ceremony. To agree to countin' that gal as one of our own."

"That only applies to Hunters..." Vernon replied coldly.

Dorian's quiet chuckling stopped almost as soon as the word's left Vernon's muzzle. His steely grey eyes now searching the wolf for what Vernon assumed was some hint of a tell, something to sooth Dorian's growing fear that Vernon's hinting statement was in fact, a serious one. But as his scanning lingered, Vernon could see his ears drooping slower and slower until they had flattened against his head.

"What?" Dorian asked, the wolf letting out a chuckle in clear disbelief. "What did you say?"

"The only mammal who can call the shots in my life is me pa." Vernon spoke, his tone firm despite the tears still forming at the corners of his eyes. "You didn't get to call it fer my job, and you ain't gonna call it fer who I get to choose fer my mate."

Vernon took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as the white wolf watched him in stunned silence.

"So if you ain't going to let me tithe Dawn the way she deserves..." The wolf continued. "If you won't allow her to take the family name...then..." Vernon paused for a moment as the tension in his chest tightened. He knew the words would be difficult to even say, but the old mam' had left him no other choice.

"Then holdin' on to that name ain't worth it." Vernon continued. "And I refuse to keep it."

Dorian opened his muzzle to speak, but no words came. His maw hung open dumbly for a few moments before the wolf closed it again. Dorian fell quiet for what seemed like minutes, the wolf staring at the brandy in his glass as he twiddled the container between his paws. His other paw was clasped against his chin, tugging slightly at his muzzle as he apparently was mulling over Vernon's statement.

"You...you can't." The wolf finally croaked. His voice was almost inaudible as he continued to stare at his glass. "W-We ain't native wolves, you can't just-!"

"We have native blood in our veins." Vernon continued. "Never much needed to rely on it before, but now's the perfect time to start invokin' some of those traditions." Vernon shook his head dismissively. "Or did you forget what great-great grandma did? How she ended up becomin' a Hunter in the first place?"

"But you can't just-!" Dorian stood up, shock and dismay lacing his features as he stared back at the grey wolf. "I mean it ai-!" The wolf stammered, running a paw through his head fur. "She left because-!"

"She didn't see eye to eye with her pack." Vernon concluded the law wolf's statement. "So she threw away her name." Vernon grit his teeth as the tears continued to pour. "She chose to become an Omega in their eyes rather than submit to whatever unjust demands they asked of her!" The wolf roughly swabbed a paw at his eyes in an effort to stop the stream of tears, but to no avail.

"And I'm doing the same." The wolf said.

Dorian stared at him in silent disbelief, and Vernon could swear he could see tears starting to form in the old wolf's eyes. But as quickly as he had seen them, they were swept away as the wolf's features twisted into a snarl. Dorian bared his teeth, letting out an almost roaring growl as he threw the glass he was holding against the nearest wall. Out of the corner of Vernon's eye, he could briefly see the shards of glass glimmering like stars against the dim lighting as they fell before disappearing into the darkness.

"YER GONNA JUST SPIT IN YER FAMILIES FACE LIKE THAT!?" Dorian snarled. "AFTER EVERYTHIN' ME AND YER MOMMA DID!? YER JUST GONNA TOSS OUR NAME OUT FER SOME LITTLE CRIMINAL GIMMER!"

"SHUT YER DAMN MOUTH!" Vernon snapped back, clasping his muzzle almost as soon as he said it in surprise of his own outburst. But it was only for a moment, the involuntary reflex the result of the fleeting last gasps of the mammal that gave a damn about how he spoke to his father.

"SO WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO BOY!? HUH!?" Dorian hissed, slamming his paws on the desk sharply. "JUST WALK OUT OF HERE AND WHAT!? MAKE UP A NEW NAME FER YERSELF!?"

"I'll be tithing as a Bellwether." Vernon replied coldly.

Vernon could swear he saw the wolf's eye twitching, the flesh below his fur grew increasingly crimson as the wolf tried to choke out a response.

"I-! YO-Y-!" Dorian sputtered, the wolf was clearly grasping now. With another sharp pound against his desk, the wolf managed to force out some semblance of an argument.

"Y-YOU TALK ABOUT HONOR!" Dorian spat. "AND YER GONNA TAKE THE NAME OF THE FAMILY THAT IS MOST KNOWN FER TRYIN' TO KILL ZOOTOPIA!" The wolf sneered.

"I'll wear it with pride." Vernon was shuddering now, trying his damndest to keep from screaming back at the wolf. " I'd rather live under whatever shame bein' a Bellwether may carry than live under a name that doesn't stand fer anything anymore."

Dorian sat down slowly, moving in an almost mechanical fashion. The wolf was simply staring at his desk as he slumped back into his seat as the room once again fell into a deafening silence. The only thing Vernon could hear now was his breathing, the air still pumping in and out of his lungs as he prepared for the worst. The silence went on for what felt like eons as Vernon waited to hear something, anything from the old wolf. He wasn't sure what to expect now that he had laid it all out there, but the odds looked grim.

"Get out..." Vernon heard the wolf mumble.

It stung to hear it, but the wolf knew the risks. He knew that his father might not budge no matter how hard he threatened to leave the family. That the wolf's stubborn nature might force Vernon's paw into making good on his threat. But still, now that he was standing there, actually facing what he feared his father might do, it still cut just as deeply as he imagined it would.

Vernon tried to move, to step away from the desk. But his legs seemed to be locked to the floor. A part of his mind was still struggling to come to terms with his father's choice.

The white wolf slowly raised his head, his eyes shimmering despite his muzzle being twisted into a painful looking grimace. Vernon was certain he could see tears now.

"GET OUT!" Dorian snarled. "GET OFF THIS RANCH AND RUN BACK TO THAT CITY OF YERS!"

Vernon was emotionally torn. He could see his father clearly didn't want to do what he was doing, the tears were proof enough. But Vernon wasn't going to budge either. He was going to stand for his mate, for what the Hunter families beliefs stood for even if his father no longer believed in them.

"I'LL BE OUT FIRST THING TOMORROW MORNING!" Vernon snapped back, a fresh wave of tears forming in his eyes. "THEN YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO SEE ME AGAIN!"

Vernon spun on his heels, turning back to the door from which he entered the office. The wolf began to rapidly storm out of the room, trying desperately to choke back the tears as he trudged out.

"AND Y'ALL CAN KEEP YER PRECIOUS REPUTATION INTACT!" Vernon spat.

"GOOD!" He heard Dorian retort. " US HUNTERS DON'T NEED ANYMORE TROUBLE FROM AN...OMEGA LIKE YOU!"

Vernon stopped at the door, turning to glance back at the white wolf seated at the desk. The wolf sat there, his paws gripped to his muzzle despite the look of rage etched into his muzzle. It was clear that much like Vernon, the wolf had reflexively tried to stop himself, knowing he had gone too far.

"I'll be glad just to never have to see you again." Vernon muttered through his teeth.

And with that Vernon left the wolf's office, slamming the oak door sharply behind him. There was a mixture of emotions now at war within the wolf. Pain, anguish, rage, sorrow, all clamoring to be expressed at once as the wolf clutched his head in pain. But that only managed to upset the wolf further as he managed to skim one of his numerous bruises with a paw, adding a fresh sting of pain on top of his already agonizing headache. Everything felt as though it was weighing down on the wolf all at once, his emotions creating a sort of phantom pressure all around him. Squeezing at his heart, pressing down on his lungs and stealing his breath. The walls of the hallway seemed to be inching closer and closer in his minds eye. Slowly enclosing around the wolf and adding a layer of building claustrophobia to the myriad of other sensations plaguing his troubled mind. It all felt so stifling, so unbearable. He needed to get away, to out of the house, to get some fresh air into his lungs as they struggled to function around the well of pain that pulsing in his chest.

The wolf had barely finished slamming the door before continuing his trudge down the hall, running a paw down the wall to steady himself as he stormed toward the porch. Coming up to the screen door that separated the two rooms, the wolf nearly wrenched the screen free of its frame before remembering through the painful haze of thoughts swirling around his mind at once that the door needed to be pushed rather than pulled.

Vernon let out an angry, almost feral roar as he slammed the door open and stomped out onto the lonely enclosed porch.

The cold, crisp air hit the wolf in a sharp blast as he passed from the lingering warmth of the house's heating, only adding to the sting of the hot tears that rolled down his cheeks. Vernon took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the piercing cold autumn breeze as he ran a paw through his head fur. Leaning back, he could barely make out the orange tinted moon that sat partially obscured by the edging of the porch frame.

Silence. Pure, blissful, non-judgmental silence was all that surrounded the wolf now. The caress of the autumn wind and the welcoming glow of the harvest moon leering down at the wolf on the tiny porch below. It was sobering to say the least, and as the wolf managed to drag himself over to the nearby porch swing to get a better view of the orb that hung in the increasingly darkening sky Vernon could feel the painful emotions that swirled within him begin to relent.

He wasn't happy with what happened, that was for sure. In all honesty, he didn't want to have to turn his back on the rest of his family. To never be able to visit the place where he grew up again for the rest of his days. But he could live with it. He could get by without visiting the ranch, without seeing his father again. Because the alternative was non-negotiable. He had already lost Dawn once, and nearly lost her again during 'Zootopia's Last Night'. And he would be damned if he was going to let anyone take her away from him again.

As the wolf watched the now fully visible moon, for the first time since that cold, terrible night in tundra town he felt a strange yet familiar urge. The need to partake in something he rarely, if ever did. But if there was ever a time it felt more appropriate, more necessary. It was now.

The wolf closed his eyes, turning his muzzle skyward before letting out a long, mournful howl. He forced every bit of his anguish, his frustration, his sorrow, everything he had into the long, drawn-out call as it carried across the winds. In the distance, he could hear a few other wolves pick up the call. Answering with quiet, mournful howls of their own as they shared in Vernon's pain. Some were recognizable as members of his own family, probably still assembled at the picnic grounds. Their quiet howls of anguish were all too telling that they understood exactly what had happened, and even those of his brothers who were not the kind to be drawn into an involuntary howl could be heard among the calls.

But most of the call had come from strangers, the calls of wolves he'd probably never meet. But in that moment, his pain was shared with those strangers in the dark. And the feeling of solidarity was enough to put the wolf at ease as he drew his howl to a close.

A slow, quiet creak broke the wolf out of the comforting trance the howl had left him in.

"Vernon?"