I think Garvey is a middleman – he’ll lead Tiergan to Torrin and conduct the introductions.

Faolan is not Top Wolf for nothing – he’ll be working to a plan. Tiergan’s hot temper will be the making – if not the breaking of him.

Looking forward to the next part.

A character in this story is real enough that I’m happy to speculate about their motives and pick on them for their missteps. That doesn’t mean I don’t know why they’re doing it, or that I think they’re poorly written

The writing is fine, including all the points you stated (most of which I inferred). Tiergan is the dope.

Possibility 1: Elish is observant. Faolan is erratic. Tiergan is justified.
Possibility 2: Elish is a busybody. Faolan is pulling many levers and turning many gears, but “hit on that wolf chick” is a distant 3rd, at best. Tiergan is emotional.

Ch. 7, T to F: “How did you think it was going to work?  We’re together for a year an a half and one day, out of the blue, I tell her I’m done with her?  And the next day you show up asking her parents for their daughter and an alliance?”

Everyone involved knows the score. That smells less like “diversion” and more like “overreaction”. I’m not convinced Brennan’s indignation is feigned.

As for motivations and thinking, I’m hoping that Tiergan is a complicated mess of conflicting wants and needs.  He’s angry, alright, but I don’t think for a second that he’s aware of all of the reasons why.  And stuff leaks out.

In that case . . . whines we still haven’t met Torrin!

Really good installment though.  And so long. :)  Tiergan really does have quite the pent up rage inside him.

One thing, though.  I may be remembering wrong, but didn’t Faolan outright tell Tiergan at one point that his intention was to ask Aiden for Keira’s hand in marriage?  So why the diversion, and why the surprise on Tiergan’s part?

And do bear in mind that Tiergan isn’t omniscient.  He’s reacting, here, for reasons he doesn’t really understand, and he’s making broad assumptions about other people’s motives and agendas as a result.  They may be right, they may not be.  In any case, I don’t consider him to be thinking particularly rationally, here.  I mean, he did just dump 6 shots of whiskey into his stomach two minutes before changing into a form that doesn’t metabolize alcohol very well. 

This from someone who’s shown massive disregard to Tiergan’s feelings in the first place? Here I was thinking he’d just waltz over and try to take what he wanted, whenever he damn well felt like it—screw the diversion.

Elish may not be nearly as smart as she thinks she is.

There are also good reasons for Faolan to visit Aiden . . . Tiergan didn’t discuss his business there (taking out Rian, which is going to be some serious shit), he only gained passage. It’s reasonable to think that Faolan is engaged in heavy diplomacy with a lot of people, and used Tiergan for Carrigan because it was convenient for any of several reasons.

Also recall from Ch 35: “Forget about my daughter, Tiergan.  She’s not for you.  Not until you are strong enough to take her from me.” I’m not saying he’d hold out for Tiergan if Faolan showed interest, but any other potential courtship (or sale, if you prefer) seems to be far from everyone’s radar.

Busting up his host’s home, having a mental breakdown, and roaming his territory in wolf form may have been very, VERY impetuous on Tiergan’s part . . .