"It's bullshit," Nancy said when Steve asked about their relationship prompting him to push his way out of the bathroom and out the front.

He knew he should've stayed and made sure a very drunk Nancy made her way home safely but he was too angry to think rationally.

Heading to his car he saw someone who made his blood boil, even more, Billy Hargrove, standing smugly on the other side of the street staring at him.

Not feeling up to dealing with the jackass right then Steve looked down and unlocked his car door and when he looked up again Billy was gone.

Glad that ended with ease Steve opened his car door and started to get in when all of a sudden someone gripped his arm tightly and after hitting his head on the top of the car Steve passed out.

When he woke up he was on a soft bed. The room was dimly lit. Rubbing the back of his head he tried to sit up but got dizzy almost immediately.

"That's a nasty bruise on your forehead Harrington I wouldn't move too fast," a familiar voice said mockingly.

Fuming Steve replied, "this is kidnapping Hargrove, that's a federal crime".

Billy laughed and said "I saved your worthless ass, Harrington. Someone didn't seem to like the fact you hurt Nancy and left her alone even though you knew she was wasted. Oh yeah and the fact you didn't even notice she was still hurting from losing her friend, what was her name, Barb"

This pissed Steve off more but he stayed where he was and said "were you spying on us, Billy? Who the fuck tried to kill me since you know so much huh"?

Suddenly Billy was sitting at the edge of his bed looking at him.

"It was a werewolf. I'm guessing someone in her family because they were beyond pissed and weren't going to spare you. I mean after they knocked you out the dragged you out and started scratching at your stomach trying to disembowel you.

I couldn't let them do that's so I went over and kicked its ass. If you look at your chest you'll see the bandages as well as this nice parting gift he left me on my eye" Billy said.

Steve looked at Billy's face and sure enough, there was a scratch over his left eye. He also felt pain in his chest and stomach area.

"Why did you save me?" Steve asked curiously.

Billy smiled and Steve's blood ran cold as he saw Billy's teeth. He had fangs. Fangs that were dripping a bit of blood.

Billy closed his mouth and said softly "don't worry Stevie that blood belongs to the were that tried to kill you. I wouldn't dream of biting you until you want me too".

This was all too much for Steve at the moment and he fell back asleep.

Billy smiled and covered him up.

A small tiger came bounding in. It had white fur with red decorating the bottom of it's ears and feet.

Leaping into the air the little tiger became a 13 yr old girl with red hair and she landed right onto Billy's lap.

"Dad, is he going to be ok. That were got him good" the girl asked, staring up at her dad with deep blue eyes.

Billy placed a hand on her head and said "he's a strong guy Max, he will be fine. Now you go and get you're homework done and tomorrow I will take you to the arcade to hang out with your new friends".

After placing a kiss on her forehead, Max headed out and to her own room. She was obsessed with keeping her high score on dig dug and he liked her having real friends finally.

The clan they came from was no place for any child to be raised and as soon as he was financially stable enough he got the hell out.

The first thing he did was enroll himself and her in school.

He looked younger than he actually was and passed as her brother.

That's where he met Steve. The man caught his eye the moment he saw him. His brown hair and beautiful and loving eyes just drew him in.

He hadn't let himself love since Max's mother abandoned them when Max was born.

She had known Billy was a shifter and a vampire but she was convinced it wouldn't pass to Max so the moment when Max was born a small pup her mother was gone.

Thinking about it made Billy growl. When he heard Steve moving he chastised himself for being too loud.

Billy stood up and suddenly there was a full-sized white male tiger in his place. He laid down beside Steve's bed and kept watch all night.