His growl grew as the other wolf took a step back, but it wasn’t until the stranger began to shift that he bared his teeth in a more threatening warning that he was on shaky ground.  He respected the man’s refusal to show submission, but it was obvious as he struggled to remain standing after his shift that he wasn’t in any condition to defend himself or challenge Grayson it a bid for dominance.  While he continued to growl, the sound a low undercurrent that made his displeasure known, he also tilted his head slightly to the side in a sign that he was listening as the stranger spoke.<br/><br/>He studied the stranger, only half listening though he caught every word.  Instinct told him that the man was half starved, and likely thirsty as well.  If he had to guess he had refused to hunt, either in too much of a hurry or from an unwillingness to steal from the pack whose territory he had knowingly invaded.<br/><br/>Both the man and the beast studied the other man.  Instinct was in favor of killing him before he became a problem.  Letting another Alpha wolf onto pack lands without an understanding of dominance was a dangerous gamble, and without the ties of family that existed in the pack link there was no way to know his motives for sure.  Fortunately for the stranger Grayson maintained a reputation for being vicious and ruthless, but in truth there was enough humanity left in the Alpha to give him pause. He did not enjoy killing, even if he was exceptionally good at it.<br/><br/>His decision made he didn’t bother to shift and speak. Instead he gave one more warning growl before turning, a toss of his head telling the stranger that he should follow.  He didn’t go back the way he had come.  He had no intention of taking him back to his pack, but he would give him a warm meal, shelter and a moment to rest before he got to the bottom of the mystery.  He’d take him to the small cabin by the lake that was nestled in a valley between two of the towering, evergreen draped mountains.<br/>