Keeping a solid poker face was a good skill to have as a werewolf. Though maintaining a stoic visage wouldn't hide the pervasive stench of fear that infected one's sweat, it did give one's rivals the impression that although trepidation was present, it wasn't the dominating force. Stellan had a natural predisposition for neutrality, rarely giving his true emotions away. It's what allowed him to avoid most of Lofgren's punishments when things didn't go to the alpha's liking and still keep in the large wolf's good graces. As Colten began to explain just where he had attained this human, however, a subtle twitch of distress could be perceived at the edges of Stellan's mouth. The young wolf was talking about the human as if he were piece of meat Lof had hunted down and gifted to the pack, a show of how generous an alpha he was. There was a disturbing trend among some wolves to look down upon humans as inferior beings due to their lacking physical qualities, but as far as Stellan was concerned they were and had always been wolves' equals. What humans lacked in strength and ferocity they made up for with intelligence and technical capability. Humans were always innovating, always upgrading their technology and capacity for violence and destruction while werewolves, for the most part, stuck to their teeth and claws. Treating a human like a toy was a<i>very</i>bad idea, and a disgusting one. Stellan was shocked that even Lofgren could be so callous, though he realized almost instantly he shouldn't have been.<br/><br/>Colten wasn't shy with spilling the details of what had gone down with the pack while Stellan was gone, though the older wolf could sense a small bit of hesitancy each time Garlan opened his mouth. Stellan considered Garlan to be a sniveling, irritable thing. A wiry, ugly wolf always getting himself into fights he couldn't finish. He and Alden had never gotten along, even as pups, mostly because Garlan had a habit of always wanting what he couldn't have and Alden liked to show off. It didn't surprise him that when given the opportunity to drag around a pretty human boy like a pet that Alden would deny Garlan the opportunity of indulging.<br/><br/>"Garlan... " Stellan warned, a small snarl curling his lip. The grumpy wolf instantly pressed his lips together, growling beneath his breath. Shutting Garlan up had never been an issue for Stellan. Garlan might have been an annoying grouch, but he gave respect to those stronger than him where it was due. For the most part.<br/><br/>Stellan nodded quietly when Colten requested to go off, and the two shifted and ran, Stellan leading Colten to an empty stretch of forest where none of the other wolves followed. Stellan transformed back quickly, eager to hear what Colten didn't want to say in front of Garlan and the others.<br/><br/>"Colt... " Stellan sighed, bringing up a hand to stroke his beard. He closed his eyes, unsure of what to say. Colten had done something deplorable, but Stellan couldn't stop seeing the soft pup he had watched grow up. "What you did, what everyone did to that boy... it wasn't right. What have I always told you? Good wolves<i>do not</i>look down on humans. We do not hurt humans, Colten, not when they don't hurt us first."<br/><br/>Stellan didn't want to say the word, but he couldn't stop thinking it. His pack was a collection of<i>rapists. </i>"You don't need to overpower someone to mate. You know that, Colt." Easy for him to say. Stellan could mount any wolf in the pack he liked, male or female, and few would refuse him. If one of the females couldn't get impregnated by Lofgren, having Stellan's pups would have been an acceptable substitute. Small or young male wolves like Colten didn't get the chance to mate often and were often used as stud practice for wolves like Stellan. It wasn't fair, but it also didn't give Colten the right to take advantage of someone else, especially a terrified human boy.<br/><br/>He had forgotten all about asking Colten why Eivind had attempted to run him down until Sieger's name was brought up. "Wait, Jamsen told Sieger? So Lofgren didn't... ?" No, why would he have? From the way Colten told things, it sounded like Lofgren genuinely enjoyed having the boy around. It didn't make any sense to kill him. Realization dawned on Stellan's face. He turned away from Colten, leaning against the trunk of a tree with his arms crossed over his broad, inked chest. Knowledge that Lofgren had kidnapped a human wouldn't have gone down well with the other alphas, especially Sieger, who wasn't bashful in voicing his distrust of humans. Sieger would have brought a handful of wolves with him to confront Lofgren and demand he give up the boy. And who better to have by your side when shit goes down than the son of Ivar?<br/><br/>"Colt, why don't you take me to Jamsen," Stellan muttered, turning back and clapping his wide hand on the boy's naked shoulder. "While we walk, tell me about this boy. You remember what he looked like?"