Steven glared out of the window as the bus moved through the countryside. He liked these little rides, coming home alone, time to think, time to ponder. He had slipped the bus driver a lot of extra cash to continue his route past where everyone had already gotten off, to take Steven back to his pack, out in the outskirts of the forest. Shifting to a wolf, he would enjoy that pleasure soon enough, but this right here was what he needed at the moment. College was hectic and being an enforcer was demanding, this was like an island of peace in between. It was sure his best friend did not understand, but they had always been different. Steven valued discipline and order and expected no less of himself, when he was around others he had to be in enforcer mode all the time. Any time spent of moody reflection, letting your guard down, that was weakness that could not be afforded. It’s different when you've had everything handed too you from childbirth, you can afford to be happy and relaxed. Everything Steven has he’s had to earn, through pain and anger and blood and sweat. He had built himself into someone to be respected and feared, and he wouldn’t let that go for anything.<br/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/T7ZbBAD.jpg)</div><br/><br/>By the time they had arrived Steven was feeling about as relaxed as he was going to feel in a long time. It was time he took charge of his enforcer duties again with full authority. He had no idea how things had lapsed since had been gone. He stepped out with his bag slung over his shoulder, and gave a nod to the bus driver on the way out. What he wanted was to go back to work immediately. What he had to do was go pay his respects to the Alpha and participate in whatever social function he was devising. At least, it would be a chance to meet up with his best friend, Sam, the Alpha’s son, who had decided to come home a separate way. On the other hand he was going to endure whatever social niceties that the Alpha, Luke, had concocted for the day.<br/><br/>Luke had been the one to elevate Steven to enforcer status, to mark him out as worthwhile. He had been the first to look past his bastard status and to see his worth. Luke had been his hero and mentor. He had been a focused and disciplined leader. But lately, a change had come over him, one that Steven did not like. Ever seen he had taken up with some stray he had found, he had starting acting soft, losing sight of whatever his duties were. Steven was not sure if the relationship he had with the girl was fatherly or something more, but whatever it is the dark and focused mentor he had known was gone, replaced by a cheerful man who at times he had trouble recognizing. Not that he would ever stop loving the man who had given him so much, just that he missed the old Luke. In his past visits home he and Luke and immediately sat down to start dealing with the troublesome elements of the pack. Now Luke was far too relaxed to talk business as soon as he arrived.<br/><br/>What was worse was this girl he had taken up with, Hannah. Steven was angry at himself for even thinking about her, something he swore he would try not to do. Who was she; could she even be trusted, what guiles and schemes lay behind those beautiful eyes and auburn fur? Whenever he thought about her he needed to know more, to understand who or what she was. There was something about her; Steven almost couldn’t blame Luke for falling into the seductresses trap. Steven wasn’t sure if he would have been able to avoid it. Steven would study her closely, for the safety of the pack. Or at least, that’s what he kept telling himself.<br/><br/>Steven made his way through the small town his pack called home. He noted the respectful glances of the people he passed, some of whom had kicked and bit him when he was a pup. He nodded to a tall black haired woman, one of his secondary enforcers, who gave him a signal that everything was going ok in his absence. It had been hard keeping tabs on everything from college but thankfully he had good support here. He approached Luke’s house, and found the door already open for him. He quickly adjusted his clothes, he had worn a white dress shirt and rolled up the sleeves, along with a pair of black jeans, he knew little of how to dress while in human form and didn’t care much but he knew Luke noticed details. Inside Steven found Luke along with Mark and Lauren waiting in the living room for him.  He couldn’t help but to notice that Hannah was not there, and wondered where she was.<br/>“Well” he said, setting his bag on the floor, “I’m back.”