Glasshaven - Trade District - Storagehouse Forestshadow - Juli 29th 26 4:57 PM

Rhyven was standing near the entrance, arms crossed against his torso, and watching the warriors of his pack as they unpacked the truck. The sun was not even close to the horizon, and he could hear that the city was coming to life than it had been an hour ago. A few clouds passed in front of the sun, casting a small shadow across the storagehouse and sparing him for a second from the far too warm sunlight. As they arrived in Glasshaven, he had seen trucks from Nightfang, Ironfang, and Shadowclaw. It was a huge coincidence. Rhyven would never have expected three other deliveries.

"Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. A rare Rhyven sighting." A female voice came from his left, and a second later, long, wavy ginger hair appeared in his peripheral vision. "Did your Alpha loosen your leash, Rhyven?" she added, clearly joking.

"Dominique," he answered, turning his head in her direction. "Thought Kaidan had more important stuff to do than send his pretty Beta away from home. What are you doing here?" he asked, his eyes settling on the woman in front of him.

"Delivery," Dominique answered shortly, copying his pose and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Well, fuck, no shit, Sherlock," he answered, while an amused scoff escaped his throat. "Who would've thought of that?"

"Yeah, I know. That's something completely new to you. But I would've never thought that someone would need to explain to you what deliveries mean." Dominique teased him with a huge, innocent smile on her lips. "No, for real. We had some surplus goods we wanted to store. To sell them later at the markets and shops."

"Interesting. Have you already fulfilled your deliveries to the packs? That's quite impressive," he answered, lowering his arms and adopting a friendlier stance toward Ironfang's Beta.

"An unofficial Beta meeting in Glasshaven? Should we invite the others for tea?" someone said before coming around the corner. A man with muted lavender-colored hair appeared, grinning while his hands rested in his pockets.

"Oh, what an honor. Pretty boy Soren is gracing us with his presence," Rhyven started, which earned him a quiet giggle from Dominique. But before anyone else could say something, Zachary came around the corner.

For a moment, neither Rhyven nor Dominique could find the words. They just watched Zachary follow Soren. The huge man towered over Soren and came to a stop at his side. Rhyven's eyes narrowed as he studied the imposing man.

"Who the fuck invited you?" he asked.

"Me," Soren answered. "Or rather, it was my Alpha. Zach is..." he added, glancing at the man beside him, waiting for him to answer.

The pause made Rhyven furrow his brows, and before he, Dominique, or Soren could say anything more, Blake appeared with his usual charming grin on his lips. "So the rumors are true," the Beta of Shadowclaw said. His words made Dominique and Rhyven look in his direction.

"What rumors?" she asked, her gaze darting around.

"That's not..." Blake began.

"I fled Bloodmoon." Zachary's deep voice cut Blake off mid-sentence, making everyone's head snap in his direction and earning him a disbelieving scoff from Rhyven.

"Yeah, buddy. That's something I find hard to believe," Rhyven stated, watching the blond man to his left.

"For real, real?" Dominique asked.

"Yes, I had to. Lorcan found out about me and Lunara. He was going to kill us. I couldn't let that happen," Zachary started, shaking his head. "He sent us into the dungeons, and a friend released us. So we fled. Roderic managed to give us a new car, and I drove us to Nightfang," Zach explained after a short pause.

Rhyven frowned, his brows drawing closer together as he listened to the other Beta, waiting for more of an explanation, while Dominique's eyes narrowed, her earlier playful expression giving way to a more serious and suspicious one. "Wait, you aren't a Beta anymore?" she asked, sounding more concerned.

"Not anymore. Unless Nicholas decides to have two now," Zachary answered.

"Yeah, that's not going to happen. I'm not letting you take my place," Soren answered in a slightly unimpressed tone. "You've got sanctuary, and that's all that matters right now."

"Oh, shit..." Dominique murmured, her suspicion fading as she took a step toward Zachary. "I don't want to sound naive, but did you really think Lorcan was about to kill you and your mate? I mean, I'm not a huge fan of him, but even to me, that sounds way too brutal..." Dominique started.

Blake scoffed, shaking his head while his hair moved slightly from left to right. "Come on, Dominique. Lorcan is dangerous, and if one of the strongest Betas is running, then shit has already hit the fan," he said, breaking his long silence.

"Asking a question doesn't make me naive," Dominique stated, her cheeks puffing out slightly. "I mean, did you really, and answer honestly, think that Lorcan would go as far as killing fated mates?" she asked, looking directly at Blake.

"He's a monster," Blake answered immediately.

"That's not an answer to my question," Dominique groaned.

"It is true," Zachary stated, and again, all heads turned in his direction. "Lorcan is a monster, and he was going to kill me and my mate. You have to decide whether you believe me or not. I can't force you," he added, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "I can't prove it. Not really. All I have is my word. It's up to you whether you believe me or not."

Rhyven, who had been silent since the debate started, waited another moment before taking a few steps in Zachary's direction. He closed the distance quickly, coming to a stop directly within Zachary's personal space. "I can't say that I believe you or that your story is wrong. Those are serious accusations against an Alpha," he started, while he could feel Soren's gaze lingering on him. "But to be fucking real right now? That's some fucked-up shit. Killing mates? Invoking the wrath of the Goddess..." he added, stopping himself from speaking.

Everybody could see that he was struggling to find the right words. "No one can be that stupid. The last time someone thought he could work against the Goddess..." Rhyven started.

"...we had a war," Soren finished. "That doesn't mean we're looking for one, or that another war is approaching somewhere on the horizon..." He paused, looking at the others and shaking his head before his gaze settled on Blake, holding it for a second.

"We should be careful. Whatever reason Lorcan has for provoking our deity, there has to be more to it," Blake continued, while Dominique's gaze darted between the men every time one of them spoke. "We can't just make accusations against an Alpha without any proof. And even if every single one of us Betas decides to believe Zachary, that's not a reason to go against an entire pack or violate every fucking peace treaty," he added, making the others nod.

"That's way too much heavy shit for such a beautiful day. And you guys are ruining my mood. That's not funny at all," Dominique groaned, letting the fingers of her right hand slip through her wavy hair.

Rhyven raised his hand, placing it on Zachary's shoulder and giving it a supportive squeeze. Not hard enough to bruise him; he would never do that. "I want to believe you, Zach. And I have to say that Dominique is right. That shit is heavy, and I'm sorry you had to go through it. But that's also not something we can talk about freely without talking to our Alphas about it." He gave Zachary's shoulder another pat before releasing it. "I say we stop here. Keep our eyes and ears open, and let the Alphas sort that out. How about we meet later at The Zenith Lounge? Let the mood lighten up a bit before returning home. The first drink is on me."

Zachary just nodded, while Soren visibly considered what the Forestshadow Beta had proposed before nodding as well. "I'll call Nicholas. Let him know we're staying for the night. Let's meet at 8:00 PM." Then he and Zachary left the Forestshadow warehouse, while Rhyven's attention turned toward Dominique and Blake.

"I'll pass on staying for the night. Can't leave Kaidan alone for that long, but I'll be there for a drink," she said, glancing between the two remaining men. She gave them a casual salute before turning away.

Rhyven's gaze wandered to Blake, who had watched Zachary and Soren disappear. "I'll see you later, Rhyv. I need to call Tharvek," he said, turning around and already pulling out his phone. Rhyven turned around and moved inside the warehouse, joining his men and helping them unload the last of the materials.

---

Glasshaven – Entertainment District – The Zenith Lounge – July 29th, 2026, 8:48 PM

The Zenith Lounge was bustling with life on this warm July evening. The last traces of the sunset lingered along the horizon, painting the summer sky in soft shades of violet, pink, and deep blue, while the city's illuminated skyscrapers gradually took over the skyline. Golden lights cast a welcoming glow across the elegant rooftop terrace, reflecting off polished tables and the glasses resting upon them.

Rhyven wasn't a huge fan of the city, but the view was always breathtaking. A gentle evening breeze offered some relief from the day's lingering heat, carrying the distant sounds of the city below. Soft music mingled with lively conversations, occasional laughter, and the clinking of glasses as humans and werewolves enjoyed their evening together. Rhyven entered the building, his eyes darting around, looking for familiar faces. Some of his pack members were currently on police duty, but he didn't see anyone. Not even the Betas.

So he made his way toward the bar, located indoors in a room spacious enough to accommodate around thirty to thirty-five people. He smiled at the bartender. She was pretty, with a soft, round face, long black hair tied into a ponytail, and a well-fitted work uniform. "Hey, can I have a beer?" he asked, earning himself a sweet smile from the bartender. "Here, sweetie," she said as she placed the bottle in front of him. Rhyven answered with a nod, while his eyes moved up and down her figure once. He took the bottle, turned around, and leaned with his back against the wooden bar, resting some of his weight on his right elbow.

His gaze wandered around, not particularly looking for anything, just watching the people who were sitting there. Talking. Chatting. Laughing. His chest tightened slightly, making him frown. It was a strange feeling, one that made him shake his head before taking a sip of his beer. Then the door opened, and some people wandered in, among them Blake. He had one woman on each arm, talking to them before letting them go. Blake moved toward him, but Rhyven's gaze lingered near the entrance as though he were searching for something or someone.

"Hey, no need to look for me, Rhyv. I'm already here," Blake said, standing to his right. "Or are you looking for those pretty women I came in with?" he teased.

"Oh, fuck off. I'm not looking for a hookup tonight," Rhyven answered, the grin on his face widening before he took another sip of his beer.

"I'm sure you don't..." Blake answered, ordering himself a beer and remaining at the bar with his back toward the room.

Rhyven could tell that Blake wasn't really paying attention to what was happening around him, and before Rhyven could fully turn around to give Blake his complete attention, his chest tightened again. A pull from deep within his chest, stronger this time, stopped him in the middle of his movement. His gaze wandered back to the entrance, where someone carrying an empty tray had just entered, and he found himself holding his breath. Blake's voice faded so far into the background that it became nothing more than a dull noise. It wasn't until Blake lightly tapped his shoulder with his fist that Rhyven's gaze snapped back to the other Beta.

"What?" he asked.

"Okay, now I know you weren't listening. Cat got your tongue? What were you looking at?" Blake teased him, trying to find out what had caught Rhyven's attention. Then his eyes found {{user}}. "Ah, I see," he added, his smile growing brighter. "So that's what caught your attention."

"No, I'm not. I was..." Rhyven started, shaking his head as his gaze drifted back to her. "...just looking," he added far too quickly. A reaction that made Blake start laughing before his brows furrowed.

"No way..." Blake murmured, his gaze shifting between Rhyven and {{user}} before a broad grin spread across his face. "Yeah... you're fucked," he added teasingly.

"Shut up..." Rhyven murmured, taking another sip of his beer before his gaze turned back to {{user}} and how she was making her way to the bar. He wasn't sure whether she was human or wolf, or whether she worked here, but he was certain that she was the most breathtaking creature he had ever seen. He swallowed, and the usually self-assured Beta suddenly had no idea how to approach her, while his wolf was sending him the clearest message he'd received in all his years. Much to Blake's amusement.

"Absolutely doomed... Was nice having you around..." Blake teased, refusing to let up or give Rhyven even a moment to collect his thoughts. "You know, as soon as another man touches her, your wolf is gonna lose his shit." But for Rhyven, Blake's words started to fade again. His eyes were stuck on her. On the way she moved through the crowd and finally arrived at the bar.

A man approached from the other side of {{user}}, leaning toward her and whispering something that made her laugh, and Rhyven didn't like it. But even though his wolf was urging him to go over there and get rid of the man, Rhyven had no intention of making a scene or letting her first impression of him be that he was a complete dick. So he put his beer down and moved through the crowd.

"Come on, it's just a drink. It couldn't hurt, could it?" Rhyven heard the man say as he approached. His blond hair was slicked back with far too much gel. Rhyven scoffed, his gaze settling on the man.

"Hey, buddy, if she said no, leave her alone. Don't start begging. It makes you look small," Rhyven said, watching the man. The man's posture turned defensive, but he decided it wasn't worth the fight. Muttering something along the lines of "Fuck off" and "It isn't worth it," he left {{user}} and Rhyven alone.

"I apologize on behalf of every man on Earth for all the dumb pickup lines you've probably had to hear. Men can be... I don't know, weird," Rhyven said, letting his eyes drift over her face, her magnificent eyes, and her lips. He could feel himself getting drawn in just by her appearance, and he managed a weird-looking smile. He wasn't aware of what she had just said.

"Um... sorry... really... but I was... um, well... you know... I'm Rhyven. Who are you?" he managed to stammer while his eyes settled on hers. "Glad to meet you... I guess..."

And somewhere behind him, he was so sure he could hear Blake laughing his ass off.