“You ever feel as if you might be just running in place?” Derek asked Richard.

The quiet werewolf looked up from the worktable he stood before, blinking slowly at Derek. His large fingers were holding a delicate looking piece of technology. Derek thought the device was some sort of phone, but he was well aware of his own ignorance when it came to technology. For all he knew, it could be a new type of microwave. Richard seemed to know what he was doing though, and the werewolf seemed faintly irritated at having been interrupted from his work.

Derek shrugged. “I apologize, am I bothering you?”

Richard sighed, turning his attention back to the device. “I can work and listen.”

“But not talk?” Derek asked with a smile.

Richard nodded. “Now you’re getting it.”

Derek frowned at the screen on the table in front of him. The last he’d known anything about computers, they were devices that were small enough to fold together, called a laptop. Now they had apparently evolved to the point that you simply needed only the screen, operating at the touch of the user to navigate it. Among learning what he could about Sean’s territory, he had also spent time trying to learn how to operate modern devices. The device before him, referred to as a “tablet,” had puzzled him at first, but he’d begun to quickly learn the ins and outs of it after a couple of days of experimentation.

“Humans really do know how to create, don’t they?” Derek asked as he slid a finger across the screen.

Richard grunted. “They do.”

“I grew up being taught that humans were nothing more than horrible, selfish creatures, intent on making Gaia in their own image. That they greedily gobbled up land and resources to fuel their own insatiable need to dominate and control everything around them. My father always said humanity was the worst thing to happen to this world, and that they had nothing to offer us,” Derek explained.

Richard fussed with the device in his hands for a moment before speaking. “And you?”

Derek sighed. “That’s the question, isn’t it? I’ve only been here a couple of weeks, and I’m already questioning one of the key lessons of my childhood. I look at these advances humanity has made, I explore the vast valleys of the internet the humans have created, and I find myself wondering. Of course, many of the things humans do are harmful to the world, and are a threat to the continuity of existence down the road, yet I can clearly see that they are aware of it and slowly attempting to change that inevitable slide towards destruction. Meanwhile, they have created technology that could save the world and the creatures within it as well. Medicine by itself is a wonder, let alone the vast libraries of information and the means of passing on that information to others. I have yet to even see a human, to really know one, and I am already wondering how much my father told me is correct.”

“Is that your rut?” Richard asked.

“My rut? Hm, I suppose that’s a good way of putting it, though each side of the rut has its danger. I don’t know if I should continue going forward, or retreat to what I know. I never thought to really question what I was taught growing up, but being here has forced me to do so. Now that the questioning has begun, I can’t look back on what I once believed without wondering how much of it is fact,” Derek admitted.

Richard set the device down, turning to face Derek. “I think they call that ‘expanding your horizons.’ That’s normal.”

“I don’t think my horizons were meant to be expanded this much. My father was against having me come here, and I know he’s anxious to have me return to the fold soon. I was meant to come here and learn how awful the city was, how terrible humanity was, but I seem to be fulfilling his worst fears and instead I’m beginning to wonder if perhaps he was wrong all along,” Derek said.

Richard crossed his arms over his chest. “That mean you’re going to do what you’re supposed to do? You going to shut out everything you’ve started learning here?”

Derek shook his head. “I don’t know what the best choice is. I know what I’m supposed to do, but I’m not sure if I can do that now I’m faced with the possibility of a genuine truth.”

“Look, there’s the truth, and then there’s the truth that you know is the truth,” Richard told him.

“What’s the difference?” Derek asked.

“The truth is something you’re taught, something everyone tells you is the truth. We were all taught that you Wild Wolves are stuck-up snobs, and wouldn’t know a smart phone from a calculator. That’s the truth most of us here in the city are raised with. But the truth that I know is the truth is that not everyone is gonna be like that just because they didn’t grow up in the city. Like you said, you’ve been here for two weeks, and you were polite and open from the beginning. You’re even learning how to work with shit around here, and the only person you’ve been a dick to is Sean, and he deserves it. So, you’re learning what you know is the truth, there’s nothing wrong with that, and I don’t think you’re going to stop doing it either,” Richard told him.

Derek blinked, lost for words at the lengthy explanation from the normally quiet werewolf. He wasn’t sure if he was more dumbfounded by hearing Richard speak more than he had ever spoken before, or at the content of his speech. He was simultaneously touched by the werewolf’s positive view of Derek, and unnerved by how easily Richard had driven straight to the heart of the matter. When it came down to it, Derek would have to make a choice for himself; stick to the truths that he had been raised upon, or continue his personal search for a truth that made sense to him.

“I have to be honest, I have no idea how to do that,” Derek said.

“Eh, nobody does, you just figure out as you go. You go with what feels right and see where it takes you. You don’t have to do it alone though, that’s what you got a pack for,” Richard told him.

“I don’t think my pack would be overly thrilled at the idea of their expected next in line for leadership having second thoughts about what they taught,” Derek snorted.

“I meant this pack,” Richard said, turning back to his work.

“This isn’t my pack,” Derek replied.

Richard shrugged. “Could be, if you wanted it to be.”

That comment made Derek think of his conversation with his uncle. Trent had obviously been hoping Derek’s time in the city would change his mind about leaving. Derek hadn’t seen his uncle since that conversation, but he knew the man was more than likely keeping an eye on what was happening. Derek hadn’t agreed with staying here when he’d spoken to his uncle, and he didn’t want to agree to it now. His place was always supposed to be back home, with his pack.

“It’s just not possible,” Derek said quietly.

“You figured out a way to get Sean to stop being a total ass to you, and you got Stephan and his pup liking you a lot. I hear even Luca took a brief shine to you, which is pretty impressive for a first meeting. I wouldn’t argue with you being around a bit longer either,” Richard said.

Derek blinked in surprise. “Really? Forgive me, but you never struck me as one of the people around here who was a particular fan of mine.”

“I don’t talk so much most days, I just don’t wanna. It’s why Sean sent me to get you, wanted you uncomfortable. I guess I should have tried better, but it is what it is I guess. If Stephan says you’re good people, then I know my first impression of you was good. You ain’t a shit, you’re good people, and it sucks that all of that is just going to go to waste up in the mountains,” Richard admitted without looking up.

Derek fell into a thoughtful silence at that, letting the other werewolf resume his work in peace. It was more than just realizing the City Wolves were nothing like he’d been taught. He was beginning to really enjoy his time with the city pack. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about Sean, since those emotions were about as conflicted as the winds in the middle of a storm, but the rest of his time living here had grown on him.

He wouldn’t have said it before, but his conversation with Richard had left him far more fond of the werewolf than he’d been previously. The man had never been outright rude to him, and looking back, Derek could see that Richard never showed any support to Sean’s initial treatment of Derek. He’d always remained quietly in the background when Derek spent time with Stephan, Rico, or any of the others in the pack Derek was slowly getting to know.

“You’ve been watching me the whole time, haven’t you?” Derek finally asked.

“It’s what I’m good at. People don’t tend to look twice at me, so they forget about me. People tend to be themselves when they don’t think anyone is paying attention,” Richard said.

“So, when you said Stephan thought I was good people, you were really just voicing your own personal observations of me,” Derek said slowly.

Richard chuckled almost inaudibly. “Alright, you got me. But it don’t mean Stephan don’t like you too, because he does. Not going to lie to you, it’s been nice seeing him be a little more social than usual.”

“He always seemed perfectly friendly to me,” Derek said.

“Yep, he’s always been like that. But there’s a difference between being friendly, and being sociable. He’s kinda just shrunk into himself ever since Alicia died. Not like he shuts everyone out, he just don’t…include everyone either. It’s just been him and Rico mostly, while the rest of us try to help them when we can. It’s just been nice to see him getting out and actually doing something with someone. You might have been totally wrong about us to begin with, but your heart was in the right place and I guess Stephan saw it. He likes you, and I know his boy does too,” Richard said as he fiddled with some wiring.

Derek laughed softly. “You make him sound as if he’s off to propose any minute now.”

Richard grunted. “Didn’t know you had a sense of humor, guess we really are rubbing off on you. My friend could use another friend is what I’m saying. Make him drag ya around the place a bit, see some more things.”

Derek scoffed. “I thought I just said I didn’t know if I really wanted to ‘expand my horizons’ anymore than I already have.”

“You will and you know it. You trust Stephan for something like that, don’t you?” Richard asked.

Derek nodded, knowing that he did. “I do, what’s your point?”

“Then let him do it, I’m sure it’ll be fun for him. He likes to wander off on his own into the city sometimes. Dunno what he gets up to out there, but it’s always done him some good. Drives Sean crazy, because Stephan goes alone and won’t tell anyone what he’s up to, but I bet he’d let you in on a few of his secrets,” Richard said.

“And I’m just…supposed to walk up and ask him to do this for me, despite the fact that he’s kept it a secret from everyone up to now?” Derek asked doubtfully.

Richard gave an annoyed grunt, jerking upward to call out loudly. “Oi! Stephan!”

Derek stiffened. “What are you doing?”

“What you won’t,” Richard said as he waited with an expectant expression.

Derek waved his hands. “That’s really not necessary.”

“Apparently it is,” Richard said.

Stephan poked his head through the doorway from the living quarters. “What in all the hell are you yelling about?”

“Come here a sec,” Richard called to him.

Derek sighed, realizing there was no way for him to recover the situation. Richard wasn’t much of a one for words most of the time, but apparently when he had a thought in mind, he was the type to follow through on it. All he could do was wince apologetically at Stephan as the werewolf approached with confusion written all over his features.

Richard didn’t bother turning to Stephan as he spoke. “You know how sometimes you like to go wandering off without telling anyone where you’re going?”

Stephan blinked. “Yeah, but you didn’t strike me as the type to suddenly get nosy about what I might or might not be up to.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, I don’t need to know who you’re up to out there,” Richard snorted.

Derek raised a hand. “Don’t you mean ‘what he’s up to out there’?”

“No, he didn’t,” Stephan answered with a sigh.

“Our guest is having a crisis of conscience, and I think you’d be good to help him with that,” Richard told him.

“You’re having a what now?” Stephan asked Derek.

Derek shook his head. “Richard is exaggerating a little.”

“He can explain it to you, but he needs some help getting out a little. Why don’t you take him to one of your secret places and show him what’s what in the human world?” Richard said, ignoring Derek.

Stephan raised a brow. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to find a way to know what I’m getting up to.”

“I just want him to get some help, and to stop bothering me while I’m trying to work here,” Richard said, jerking his chin toward the workbench.

“How…generous of you. Derek, is this something you want?” Stephan asked him.

Derek hesitated, not sure how he wanted to answer. It was true he was having doubts, and his curiosity about what else the sept and his father might have been wrong about had grown considerably. Despite Richard’s insistence however, Derek wasn’t sure if he was really prepared to face those doubts and see where his curiosity would take him. He would have liked a little time to think things over further. To quietly plot his course. Whether to risk further disobedience, or to follow the laws of his pack and father.

His pause made Richard roll his eyes and turn back to the table before him. Stephan frowned, looking a little concerned as he waited to see what Derek would say. The man who was quickly becoming a good friend to him was being patient and allowing Derek time to think. It wasn’t obvious if he knew this was somehow a serious choice on Derek’s part, or if he was just being his normal understanding self.

Derek mustered a smile finally. “That sounds great.”