You and I could make great things happen

DATE |  The end of april
TIME | around 9 pm
WEATHER | Drizzle rain, grey clouds that cloud the sky
PLACE | A small establishment in the forest.
ATTIRE | outfit

She leaned over the pool table, closing one of her eyes as she took in the laydown of the balls in the perfect triangle on the end.  “We don’t have all day!” the guy laughed as she looked back and leaned back “Alright, if you are so eager to lose” she said and gave him her best intimidating smile, before she turned around and hit the cue ball and made the balls scatter in all directions. At least four went into the hole, she licked her lips and took her bear and drowned it before waving down the waiter to get a refill. “Watch and learn boys” she said and winked before she started sinking down the whole-coloured pool balls one after the other. “And the eight ball goes down over there, we agree right?” the guy just stood there with his mouth open and started nodding “Ye-yes” he stammered and after the confirmation she did just that. “Well, it’s been a pleasure, I’ll take my money now” the guy just reached for his wallet and put a couple of bills in her hand. “Thank you” she mused and walked away from them to the bar counter.
With two fingers in the air, she got the attention of the bartender and order yet another beer and put down the bottle she had just finished. It was an empty feeling, and quite a poor attempt to forget everything that had happened over the last couple of days.
She was really getting in over her head, but she needed to work her ass off just to feel like she was keeping up. After discovering that Walter was in a million-pound debt with the mafia, and the Russian mafia none other. She had taken up the job as a bodyguard for a high standing criminal Archibald Barnes. Normally she would never stoop to such measures. But she needed the cash desperately, and it took things of her mind as she had no energy to think when she finally got home.
But in the mist of it all something was naggin her. Being a lone wolf, without her clan she could feel how the loneliness became stronger each passing day. No void could be filled with all the booze, women, or men. So, in the end there was a very good reason she was here today. Waiting for the new alpha of the Crimson Lycans. She had known the old Alpha, she had met him while she had still been in good with her father, before she har run off. Now, if she wanted a pack this would be the best bet. Just hoping that Rafael wasn’t another egotistical alpha.
Well, as long as he wasn’t like her father she couldn’t really care less. She just needed somewhere to belong.

The small dive bar was a place he visited often. He’d never been much for solitude, so he’d always gravitated towards social gatherings on nights where he'd otherwise be alone. However, today he’d headed towards it with the purpose to meet Selene Arianrhod. A pureblood who’d expressed an interest in joining his pack. Rafael knew well of the feeling of being without one. It was an empty feeling. Especially for an alpha who very much depended on it. He didn’t know much of the reason for why she’d left her previous pack, but whatever it was, he’d not wanted to pass up the chance of meeting the daughter of a notorious alpha. And he assumed that she had a good reason for abandoning it, at least he hoped that she did as he didn't want her to transfer any trouble over to his own pack.

He parked his motorcycle outside amongst a couple others and entered the small establishment. There already were quite a few people present. He raised his hand in a small gesture as he recognized a guy before his eyes landed on Selene by the bar. “Hey.” He stopped beside her, a subtle smile forming on his lips. He knew she was gorgeous from the pictures he'd seen of her, but standing so close only confirmed it trifold. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Rafael Silvera,” he introduced himself as he reached out to shake her hand before he turned his attention to the bartender. “I'll have one as well.” He nodded to the bottle of beer that was placed in front of her, the bartender giving him a brief nod before heading back to retrieve his drink. “So, I hear that you've met the previous alpha of our pack. Willow's talked about how the Nightwalkers used to be our allies. It's only a shame what's happened to them now,” he small-talked before the bartender returned with his beer. He raised it to his lips to take a sip. He'd probably tried to keep the alliance if it had been possible. His focus had always been to take down vampire clans and to expand his pack by other means. However, it hadn't been that long since another pack had decided to attack him, and he wasn't so sure that the Nightwalkers hadn't planned to do the same once they'd gotten closer to them. At least it wouldn't surprise him with the reputation her father had.

Everything about Selene screamed a woman that had confidence. The way she leaned over the bar, not caring if she was showing of her assets or if men or women alike was looking at her. Either with lust in their eyes or annoyance that she was so vocal in the way she was dressed. Not that she cared, she lived for both emotions that could be directed her way.
Just as she put the bottle to her lips, she felt the aura she knew very well entering the room. She didn’t look behind her, as the smell told her it was someone she didn’t know. This had to be Rafael, a smile formed on her lips as she felt how it came closer. She turned around, and oh boy she was in trouble. She didn’t even hide the fact that her eyes glided over his body taking it all in. She took a deep breath through her nose and finally looked up as he introduced himself and reached out to shake her hand.
“I would have been very disappointed, if you had not been him” she said and reached out and locked her hand with his. The electricity that he gave her, was enough that she almost didn’t want to take her hand back. But she did, she had to remember she wasn’t here to hook up with anyone. She was here to find a new family.
Even though, her eyes glided down his body again as he turned towards the bartender to order a beer. She closed her eyes and shook her head. He was making it all kinds of difficult looking like that.

She opened her eyes as he talked to her, and a small, confused hum left her as she turned towards him again. “Well yes, when I was very young” she nodded and then gave a low almost growling laughter as he said it was a shame what was happening to the Nightwalkers right now. She shook her head and took a sip from her bear. “There is no lost blood between me and the Nightwalkers, my father was never a good alpha or leader. So, you should be glad that they weren’t your allies” she said and gave him a side glance. “I’ve only been back for a month, but I’ve already heard a lot about you, still figuring out if its good or bad” a side pulled smirk appeared on her lips as she looked into his eyes. “But as of right now, I’m impressed” she didn’t hide the fact how she looked at him this time. A flirtatious smile formed on her lips before she turned around again facing the bar.

His smile widened slightly at her comment. There was something very alluring about her and had they met under different circumstances he'd most likely wanted to get to know her. He had noticed how her gaze had lingered on his body, but to be fair, he had done the exact same thing when he'd walked across the room. The way she leaned over the counter would have made any man's gaze linger. And there was no denying that she was his type. But he also had to shut those thoughts out during their conversation, not wanting to hit on her. After all, choosing a pack shouldn’t be influenced by such means. And he didn’t know how much she’d already heard of the pack under his leadership. He nodded briefly as she said she’d been young when they’d met. Willow was in her forties now, so it made sense. He raised his brows, surprised by her blunt statement regarding the Nightwalkers, but he appreciated her honesty. It was one of the best ways to establish some beginning trust for him. He had never had an easy time trusting anyone, not since his experiences as a kid of people abandoning, deceiving, or mistreating him, only caring about themselves. Misusing whatever trust he'd once had for them. “I suppose I should be grateful in that case.” He knew there had to be more to the story for her to so openly admit that her own blood, her father, hadn’t been a good alpha or leader. And that Rafael shouldn’t have wished for them to be his allies.

He took another sip of his beer when she said that she’d heard a lot about him, and as he placed the bottle on the counter, he turned to face her. He could only assume that she’d heard that he’d murdered two alphas. That news had to have spread fast. He flashed her a smile as she said she was impressed as of now. “I'll make it my mission to let it stay that way then.” Of course, he'd want her to stay impressed of him, or at the very least, view him as a good leader. However, it also depended vastly on what she considered to be good and bad. There'd undoubtedly be packs out there who'd disagree with his ways regarding vampires, viewing him in a much more negative light. He lowered his head slightly as he looked at her, contemplating something. “I can’t say the same for you, however. I know that you left your pack, but there are many rumors circling the community as to what had happened, exactly. I was hoping you’d be able to clear that uncertainty for me?”

A slight smile formed on her lips as he let the words leave his mouth; suppose I should be grateful. He should, or maybe there would have been a third Alpha to his count of how many that he had killed. Or he would be dead, it depended on so many things and something her father had always been great at, had been turning things into his advantage or just plain cheating.
She could of course ask her mother what had happened, but since it wasn’t really the best relation between mother and daughter given Helene never wanted Selene in the first place. As he flashed her a smile, she couldn’t help herself and the corner of her lips started to slip towards a bigger smile than the former that had just given a slight hint of her being more than just a stoic woman with feelings that only shifted between being flirtatious and not really showing any emotions at all.  
“Don’t promise to much” she said with a small laugh, clearly not meaning it at all. Being promised something, and put first in some way? It felt good, all the small encounters she had had so far, hadn’t really been about her future. If at all it just felt like steppingstones that had kept Selene above the water that threatened to swallow her whole.
His own question didn’t really surprise her, but it resulted in her being quiet for a while, while drinking her bear. There was always a fine line, did you just tell him blatantly what had happened and why she once again was a lone wolf with no pack? Even as it was clear she had the aura around her that would tell the keen observer she was a born beta.
Selene drank the rest of the beer in her hand before nodding towards the bartender to get a new one before turning towards Rafael. “How about sitting a little more secluded and then I’ll tell you all of my darkest secrets” it was with a side loped grin and a small wink she said that grabbed her beer and started to walk towards a seating area made from two small sofas and a table in the middle. Cozy, private and further back so no curious ears might pick up on what their conversation was about.

She was quick to place her in the seat facing towards the entrance, she waited for him to sit down as she took a sip from the cold beer and breathed in. “Well, the thing you need to know about me, is I can’t die” she said with a voice that didn’t really give the power any justice. “Nine years back I was infected by a disease targeted towards werewolf’s that ended up with me in a hospital bed for more than I care to admit” she had had so much time to think about that death, and something didn’t seem right about the whole werewolf contracting an illness and dying from it. “So I died, but mind you, that was when I discovered that I couldn’t, I just respawned – just I don’t decide were I respawn, so I woke up in what I think was South America” how this must sound to people when she told her story “I don’t really respawn with any money or really any means to get back home, so fast forward nine years, I came home” she took another sip visibly not very happy of telling that part of the story “not really realizing nine years had went by, and home hadn’t been waiting for me, I used to be Walter Shaws Luna at the sunset prowlers, but there isn’t room for me there anymore, and now I’m here wanting to find a new pack to call my home” she looked up and found Rafael’s eyes, would be somewhat interesting to see how he took all that information in, and if he even believed her. Because at this point, she understood how it sounded and had been one of the reasons she didn’t really share. But honesty did seem to be something most people were fund of, even as the truth could hurt.

He took another sip of his beer as he anticipated her reply, briefly glancing to the bartender as she gestured for another drink, thinking that she had to feel quite a buzz by now. He then nodded to her request of sitting somewhere more secluded, laughing quietly as she added the comment of telling him her darkest secrets. He hoped she was telling the truth. After all, he didn’t want to have any regrets about taking her in. He followed her to the seating area and sat down next to her on the sofa. That way, minimizing the possibility of curious listeners tuning in. He downed another large sip before he placed the bottle on the table and leaned back, placing one arm on the backrest as he turned his chest to face her, granting her his full attention.

I can’t die.
He narrowed his eyes in confusion, wondering what she meant by it. Because everyone could die. Even the most powerful beings could die in some way or another. She then went on to explain what had happened those nine years ago. That she’d contracted a disease that had ended with her death. And that she’d respawned. It took him a moment to process what she'd just told him. Because she wasn’t an angel, which to his knowledge was the only species you could resurrect as, and even then, the whole idea of resurrection seemed incredibly surreal. The surprise and disbelief were evident in his expression, and how could it not be? He felt an urge to raise his hand, wanting to touch her, and make sure she was real. And not a ghost. But he refrained from doing so. By now, he knew that there was so much more out there than he'd grown up to believe. And this was yet another one of those things.

Once she was done telling her story, he breathed out. “I can't believe it,” he murmured, looking at the bottle on the table for a moment before he raised his gaze to her. He had never imagined her returning from the dead to be what had happened. “I really appreciate you telling me, Selene. And I’m sorry to hear that things didn’t go as you expected with your old pack, but sometimes starting over is a good thing.” At least it had been for him. If he hadn’t taken the risk and moved to Gaia, he’d never gotten this pack or met any of the people he now considered close family. And he truly hoped she’d feel that same sense of belonging within his pack. “There’s something you ought to know about me as well,” he said, knowing that she'd gotten his acceptance at this point. But before she made the decision to join, he needed to say some things. “When I was seven years old, I watched my whole family die. A vampire clan had decided to annihilate our pack and they burned everything... For the next couple of years, I lived purely to survive... But as I got a more steady living, I spend a lot of time researching vampires and their clans. I wanted answers. I wanted to find the monsters that killed my family. And then I found a lead to a vampire clan, a symbol that I remembered was drawn in blood on my house that night. I found it in some documents in an ancient archive, stating the origin to be in Gaia, which is the only reason I came here.” He'd told the story many times. People were always curious to know why he'd left Spain, and it spared the awkwardness of people asking about his family at a later point if they already knew that he didn't have any. He then leaned slightly forward. “I consider all vampires our enemy. So, before you make the decision to join, you should know that we're working to take down clans who have it in for our kind. I'd hate to see us fall to another mindless mass murder or werewolf-targeting disease. It has to stop. That's why I will do everything I can to fight those who wish us harm.” He looked at her with a burning passion in the depths of his eyes. It was a cause that was very dear to him. And although it was fueled by his desire to avenge his family, he was equally angered and frustrated by the harm done to others. Especially the thought of another kid having to go through what he had.

“Well, neither did I” she said with a soft smile and a slight sigh as the words left her lips. It had been such a hazzle, if she had just stayed dead none of this would have happen. She wouldn’t have come back to finding out that her choice of not letting Elisabeth tell Walter that she was still alive, meant that he had found another, and the very fact that she didn’t even have a family to come back to. Well at least good things had come out of too, she had gotten to beautiful kids she could call herself aunt to, even though they weren’t blood related.
“You’re right, then I wouldn’t have been here talking to you, and that would really have been ashame” her eyes again made a statement of looking down his sitting body. He really was a fine work to look at.

Her eyes returned to his as he told her that there was something she needed to know about him as well. She made it clear that she was listing with a small nod with her head, and then took a sip from her bottled bear, waiting for him to start his story.
And a tragic one it was. But just at her story had given her purpose in the end, this had given him something to work against something that made him stronger. Even as thoughts about the happiness that could have happened could be a paralyzing thought. She nodded slowly as he then went on to tell her that he considered all vampires their enemy, she didn’t really have any long-lost love between the blood suckers, so for her it didn’t seem all that crazy for him to have chosen that as one of his roles. The fire in his eyes about this cause was enough to lure her in and a small smile formed on her lips. “I’m always here to help against creatures thinking they can just take without there being consequences, so for that course of yours you have my full support” she said and took another sip from her beer “I need to ask you something else, when I pledge my loyalty to someone they have it without question, but I need to have a little faith put in me, and with that I mean that I would like to keep my allies that I have in other packs, that being my old pack and the golden summit pack” Diego and Elisabeth being one of the closest thing to a family to her, and even as she knew that this pack, joining Rafael’s pack would give her a new family, she wasn’t about to give up those to. She didn’t know how Rafael felt about ‘fraternizing’ with people outside the pack, but it felt better just to put all the cards down on the table right now, rather than him finding out and believing she had hidden it from him.

He couldn’t agree with her more. Because from what he’d seen and heard, he’d only benefit from her being on his team. But more so, he knew that she’d never end up in the same position again. If she disappeared for whatever reason, he’d track her. And perhaps her old pack would have done the same had they known of her ability; however, he still couldn’t help but think that they hadn’t put much effort into it.
He was happy to know that she wasn’t opposed to his ambitions against the vampires, a small smirk forming on his lips as he looked into her eyes. Her full support was exactly what he’d hoped for. However, the smile quickly diminished as she talked about her loyalty to wolves in foreign packs. It wasn’t something he approved of, mostly because he wasn’t allied with either pack and had no indication of where they stood in terms of him. “Hm,” he reached forward to grab the bottle of beer, emptying it as he leaned back and contemplated what to say. Clearly not a fan of the request. “I haven’t talked about an alliance with either of those packs. But if they’re willing to set up such a meeting, I’ll consider it.” He turned his eyes from the bar to her. Most packs didn’t approve of their members to meddle unless they had an alliance, so he wasn’t happy to know that she intended to do exactly that. If anything, he preferred for her to put those relations behind her. But he also understood why it wasn’t easily done. And why she felt like those individuals were important to her. For that reason, he was willing to compromise. “If they won’t agree, I can’t allow you to see them. You see, for all I know they could be planning to take me down, just as the Royal Crescents did.” He placed the bottle near the end of the table, making him lean closer to her. He could only hope that she'd understand his point of view. After all, the Royal Crescents had tried to take everything from him. But he was also prepared to meet the packs she'd mentioned since his real issues lied with the vampires. And if he could get other werewolf packs on his side, it'd surely only help him achieve those goals.

She took in a deep breath as he put down the law, a smile formed on her lips, she understood the law and she knew that it was a lot to ask for. Normally she would put her relations behind her, she had even agreed to never contact her mother when she had joined Walters pack. But Diego and Elisabeth, she took in a deep breath and licked her lips and tested the beer that was on it.
“I’ll hear them out, and set a meeting up, I understand that especially after what happened to the Royal Crescents” but she couldn’t just put her life behind, this wasn’t just a simple change of pack, this was people that she had been through so many things with. Maybe it would be easier to understand why she wanted just these people to stay in her life, if she told him who it was “it’s my sister and brother” there weren’t family by blood, but that wasn’t what made family in her book. She took in a deep breath “And a nephew, so I hope we can get to an understanding” she said with a smile and then leaned back taking a sip from the beer. They had to find an understanding.

Even as she knew that it might be a problem with Elisabeth because of her role to Walter, but if any could keep that idiot of a werewolf in check it was his own sister. Diego, she didn’t really see why that should be a problem, even as he was a proud werewolf, he was also very old and knew that building alliances was the way that these packs would become stronger.
As he leaned closer to her, she pushed herself away from the leather seat and placed her elbows on the table a smirk formed on her lips “Besides, a pack is strong on its own with the right alfa, but no pack can go without its allies, and if you want to take care of the vampires you need to be prepared to take on a hell of a lot more than that” she licked her lips and didn’t even hide that her eyes fell down to his “We have problems with demons in the forest, we have problems with witches, and I can assure you vampires is just the tip of the iceberg with hunters coming in as well” she shook her head and brought the beer to her lips still not breaking eye contact as she leaned in a little closer, now only with one of her elbows on the table so she could turn her body more towards him.

He lowered his gaze to her lips as she licked them, but quickly returned them to her eyes to avert the distractive thoughts that occurred. He couldn’t allow that when the topic of conversation was this serious. Rafael didn’t necessarily think both packs would agree to such a meeting, but if she could arrange it, he would be willing to talk with them. Still, he couldn’t promise anything. He didn't have much luck with alphas in the past. But if they'd view him as a valuable ally instead of a threat, he deemed it to be better for his pack. He nodded in acknowledgment as she explained them to be her sister, brother, and nephew. Once someone was viewed as family in his eyes, he’d be forever loyal to them as well, but under certain circumstances, that could change. And if she wanted to be with his pack, she had to realize that she might have to give up on that part of her past. It was either that or bringing those wolves along with her. “If you’ll do that, I’m sure we can find some sort of middle ground, 'cause you’re right. The more wolves I can get on my side as allies rather than enemies, the better.” If he wanted to take down the bigger vampire clans, he’d need more people. And it wouldn’t only be better for the Lycans, but for every werewolf out there. Because the hostility between their species had no likelihood of diminishing anytime soon.

She was also right about the demons, witches, and hunters. There’d been abductions and strange killings in the forest as of late. Some of which weren’t caused by vampires. And naturally, he’d wanted to deal with them. However, his resources were limited. He leaned slightly closer to her when she did, liking the way she was thinking. “I think you’d do well as my beta, Selene.” He looked into her eyes for a few seconds before he retreated and locked eyes with the waiter taking his empty bottle. “I’ll have another round.” The waiter nodded before leaving and Rafael turned his gaze back to Selene. He liked her drive and her wish to take down those threats. It was exactly what he wanted as well. And with her relations in two foreign packs, he felt that the pack could gain the amount of power he’d hoped to gain. “Have you ever conducted interrogations?” he asked, wondering if she had any prior experience with it. He knew of her security position, which surely would benefit the pack as well, but it wasn't a guarantee to her being  well-suited to interrogate vampires.

She had taken her flask and while occupied by pealing of the label and taken another sip as she felt the Alpha leaning ever so slightly towards her. Her brown eyes glided towards his face. Took in the many lines of the man, clearly one that had lived a long life in a short period of time. She could. If one. Relate.
Not that it meant that he was any less gorgeous to look at. Quite the contrary. He was making it quite hard for her to stay focused at the task at hand. She crocked an eyebrow up as his dark and low voice told her, that she would do well as her beta. She had of course been born as one. She had the aura and strength of a beta. But never risen to that potential as she had been a Luna of her former pack. A Luna to a man she had loved, and even despite everything still was quite in love with. She licked her lips while pressing the thoughts out of her head. He had decided to let her go, and she had made it her mission to turn that love into hate instead. Mostly because that would be much easier for her to handle, than a feeling she couldn’t put into anything other than heartache. Something she didn’t do.

She raised her brows and nodded; the waiter quickly understood she wanted a new round as well. She still hadn’t responded on his proposal, mostly because it was a lot of responsibility. But also, a promise of power, which she had always longed for.
A soft smile formed on her lips, that quickly turned into something dangerous as he asked if she had ever conducted interrogations before. She had a side job being Archibald Barnes little watchdog. She needed the money, and she would have to be entitled to keep some secrets, even as she was asking to be part of Rafael’s family, didn’t mean that she could fully trust him jet.
“It depends” she started and then took the new cold beer that was placed in front of her, placing it to her lips taking a sip before she continued. “What kind of interrogations, there are so many different approaches you can take, depending on what kind of answers you would like to know from the person” she had fought of hunters and the men that had been sent after Irina. Whereas Diego had just killed them, Selene had kept it cool and gotten information they could use before killing them. She leaned back, placing her arm on the backrest from the small seating sofa they were sitting in. Angling her body so she could better look at him. Keeping eye contact while taking yet another sip from the beer.