It was curious really, the way that inquiry of whether or not he wanted to be Alpha so struck him. In truth, Tetradore had never considered what he wanted. That position of Alpha simply was who he was. It had defined him for so long, persisting even throughout all that he had been subjected to within his youth. Somehow, that defiance, that dominance, that desire to protect and serve still held true within him and yet, in the wake of that seemingly innocent question, Tetradore was left wondering, for the first time, of what he actually desired. His gaze slowly swept over them before moving towards that presently empty ring. Did he really want any of this? Frankly, he was surprised when the answer came soon after -- no. The Ark herself had merely been a means to an end, his effort to provide them a home. The pack had also been crafted quite similarly, Raven accepted amongst their ranks only because of her budding relationship with Tobias. Regan accepted for her friendship with Raven and that similar need within him to care for others, even if he rarely spoke it out loud. It was funny really, that at the heart of the matter, the only thing he truly found himself wanting was but one individual alone - Tobias.

Tobias was the only reason that he had returned. Tobias was his family, his best friend, his partner in crime and yet their very relationship so often hinged upon those roles, with himself as Alpha and Tobias as his ever faithful Beta. It was the only way he knew how to work with the boy. His lips parted as those emerald eyes so met the chocolate ones of his friend, that truth falling from his lips for the deviant alone. "It's the only thing I know." He admitted, his friend was perhaps the only one in which he was willing to bare his soul to, that moment surely for them alone.

His own attention shifted slightly with his companion's simply watching as Tobias so acknowledged Alexis. In truth, he had been surprised to see the fox still present within the Ark. After all, had she been working with that man she'd once defended, he doubted Frost would have kept her here any further when that threat he had provided was gone. Still, in those months he'd spent so stalking the were-horse, he'd seen little indication that she was in anyway even a thought upon the spectrum of the equine's mind, those months so cementing that trust within him, enough for the man to bring back a sort of present even for her as well. A small simper tugged at the corners of his lips as Alexis so willingly confirmed that which, apparently, Tobias had so insistently informed them of. That he would come back. It was endearing really and yet, Tetradore found himself saying nothing in the wake of that simple assurance Tobias had so placed within him. Rather, it was the softly spoken words of Raven that drew her attention, the man content to simply watch her as she so fiddled with her own fingers, commenting instead of the trust she had placed within him. His eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly, simply listening to her words and watching as her hand moved towards her neck, her fingers lightly touching that place where he had so scarred her in an effort to bring her from that feral state. He remembered that day well. Just as he remembered the bruises he had sported for the few days after it.

His attention shifted briefly as Tobias suggested so licking his hand in the fashion the boy had done earlier, as if that gesture might cement to Raven the truth of his continued existence and yet, she simply shook her head ever so slightly. It was the presence of tears however, that caught Tetradore off guard, his eyebrows raising ever so slightly as he regarded her almost...peculiarly. Frankly, even Tetradore couldn't fathom why Raven was sobbing at his return, after all, it had been but a few months and he'd sincerely doubted he'd meant enough to the girl to warrant this sort of reaction. His gaze shifted abruptly from her, the man almost uncomfortable in the wake of those tears. He always had hated it when women cried. Always. Slowly, he cleared his throat in the wake of her softly uttered words, one hand reaching up to rub at the back of his neck. "I...really have no idea what you're talking about Raven. Unless you like....sold everything while I'm gone. You didn't do that....right?" He inquired, suddenly concerned for his assets. He had told Jackal to keep them in his name for a while, hadn't he? It was the only reason he could think of in which she might have failed him in any regard, much less for any reason she might have had to be sorry.

Thankfully, Regan herself seemed to notice his social failing, the girl shifting from her head upon his lap only to abandon his side altogether, padding towards the girl only to brush that ebony fur against Raven's leg. His emerald eyes briefly met those amethyst ones and yet, he found himself altogether inquisitive of that statement. Would Regan really make an effort to defend her against him? Not that it would ever come to that and yet, the peculiarity of this all was striking to him. For a moment, the usually confident man faltered, that display of emotions entirely out of his realm before he leaned forward, reaching into that bag at his side only to pluck a single postcard from it's depths. Abruptly, he handed it towards Raven. The postcard, in vibrant colors, depicted a forest in the forefront, a mountain rising prominently in the background as the words 'Yosemite National Park' was printed in the bottom corner in yellow. "I promised you another night with me sometime...I thought you might enjoy seeing the wolves." He uttered, so revealing his intentions for the girl's 'present'.

That inquiry so drew Tetradore's attention back towards his closest of companions, his head bobbing in the wake of that boy's question. It was perhaps only natural that the greatest of presents had been reserved for Tobias alone and yet, he somehow doubted the women would appreciate if he merely stole the boy away to show him the remained of his very belated Christmas gifts.