Stellan listened as his mate spoke, quiet, eyebrows knitted tightly together and crinkling the skin. Instinctively, he pulled Sig close when lean arms wrapped around his shoulders, tucking the smaller form against his torso. Dragging his fingers up and down the length of Sig's thigh, Stellan felt the cogs inside of his head strain with the pressure of heavy thought. He would have been happy to forget the conversation between the three of them, forget his role in the tentative plan. He had hoped talks about Lofgren seeking to control Sieger's territory had been nothing more than arrogant bluster. They had maintained a civil relationship, even after Alden's death, but perhaps the vicious disabling of Jamsen and unfortunate loss of Colten had weighed on Lofgren's mind, made him think he needed to take action before more of his wolves were out of commission. It was difficult for Stellan to definitively say what Lofgren was thinking without speaking to him.<br/><br/>"I think you're right," Stellan admitted, sighing. "Goin' back will be our best bet to figure out what the hell is goin' on and what we're gonna do next. Text didn't give me all that much information and I may have smashed the damned thing before I could find out more. Mistake on my part." He pressed a kiss against his lover's forehead before disentangling himself. Across the room sat a wooden bar cart housing glasses and bottles of various liquors, striking an appreciated balance between rustic and sophisticated, perfect for Eivind and Blue's big day. He thought about that now as he poured himself a glass of scotch. A rotting cherry to top of what had been a perfectly wonderful sundae.<br/><br/>"We should go before they wake up," he recommended, speaking of the newlyweds. "Let them enjoy their time together. Maybe we can find a way to hold Lof off or at the very least get more details before we go worryin' Blue. Maybe just leave the boys a note, tell 'em we booked a bit early? Can say we decided to take advantage of some personal time."<br/><br/>He poured a second glass, returning to bed and setting the drink aside for Sig should he want it. "Feels like every time I gotta go back I want to do it less and less," he said softly, situating himself on the edge of the bed. Reaching for his mate, Stellan's fingers settled on the sharp line of Sig's hip. "As much as I hate all of it, I'm glad I have you with me. We'll find a way to put an end to all this. Hopin' it won't need to involve Blue, but..." he stopped, unable to continue his sentence. He would never forgive himself if his actions led to Blue's early demise. And Eivind...<br/><br/>"I need another drink."<br/><br/><hr class="bbc-hr"/><br/>Stellan and Sig packed up what they could and left the comfort of their rented room before the break of dawn. Everything had been paid for with Eivind's company credit card weeks before, so disappearing was all too easy. The sound of Stellan's motorcycle revving up was only a momentary disturbance in the otherwise peaceful forest resort. It was loud and quick, but they were off within seconds, finding the highway and winding down, down, down from the secluded wedding venue, back toward pack territory.<br/><br/>Exhausted by the drive and lack of sleep, dark circles sat beneath Stellan's eyes. Once parked, he instructed Sig to strip and shift. It was always easier to find Lofgren on four legs instead of two. They wandered into some of Lofgren's favorite lounging spots, Stellan's nose close to the ground as he tried to pick up on the alpha's scent. A few wolves found them first, including Phelan, the young wolf Stellan wrestled with during Lofgren's annual celebration.<br/><br/>"What's goin' on?"<br/><br/>"Lof's been makin' all these plans, Stell," the young wolf explained, scraping at the dirt encrusted beneath his fingernails. "You brought him back," he said, pointing at Sig. "That's good. Lof was concerned you guys weren't serious. Mates are supposed to stick together, y'know."<br/><br/>"I think I know that a bit better than you do, Phelan. Where's Lof now?"<br/><br/>"I think he's down by the river. Go find him if you want. He'll probably be happy to see you."