When it came to werewolves, neutral ground could be a very nebulous concept. Even if a visiting wolf was on good terms with a pack and welcomed to their lands, it was still smart to be aware—and wary. Becky certainly had been on edge since arriving back in America, and Seth could see the same tension in Drew's broad shoulders as well. Almost a week had passed since Finn recommended Canada as an option to Becky, and Drew had arrived late the next day, hasty permissions in hand. Arranging a meeting with Hunter was proving somewhat more difficult, because he wanted that fabled neutral ground. Becky had no intentions of returning to the Performance Center, not even if she was flanked by Seth, Drew, and Roman all at once. She had almost accepted an invitation to run on local wolf-friendly lands, but Drew quickly vetoed that, saying he was uncomfortable with how much land there was to cover.
In the end—and possibly because Roman didn't like having a werewolf of Drew's stature in his house for long—Roman suggested Hunter come over for dinner. "Galina can take the kids out for the night," he had explained, "so we'd have the place to ourselves if we want to run. I know every inch of this place and Seth basically does too. Becks, you've been here long enough that you're comfortable. Drew...." Roman's explanation came to a screeching halt when he turned to the massive Scotsman.
"I don't need to know my way around every speck of dirt," Drew had replied simply. "As long as I know where Becks is, that's all I need." Then he cracked his knuckles for emphasis, watching Roman intently as he called Hunter and started the delicate process of negotiation and planning.
On the day of Hunter's visit, though, Roman's estate didn't feel neutral at all, at least not to Seth. He'd spent much of the night before keeping Becky distracted—which he didn't mind in the least—but now that they'd eaten breakfast and Galina had taken the kids out for the day, Becky was starting to fidget. "We can still cancel," he told her as he sat beside her on the lounge chair by the pool. Roman was taking Drew around the property yet again, pointing out all the potential points of entry: Hunter had promised that he was coming alone, but they all wanted to be vigilant. "Or it doesn't have to be a run...."
Becky shook her head as she leaned against him. "Don't forget: you and Roman have both had a run recently. I haven't had a proper one since we got here, and Drew hasn't had one here either. I know it's not the full moon," she added, "but it might help keep tensions down."
"Or it might have people literally at each other's throats." Seth hadn't meant to say it out loud, but he knew it would have occurred to Becky at some point.
Lifting her head, Becky pressed a kiss to Seth's neck. "You don't complain when I'm at your throat."
Seth laughed. "Very different circumstances." He stretched out on the lounge chair and pulled Becky down with him. His warmth and solidity usually settled her, but he could still feel the tension thrumming in her fingers. "I know Hunter is a lot of things, and a lot of those aren't necessarily good, but he's also damn smart. He'll be open to talking."
"Hunter will," Becky agreed slowly. "But the final say will still be Vince's." She sat up abruptly and Seth turned to follow her gaze. Roman and Drew were heading back, purpose in their step. "Everything okay?" she called out.
Roman held his phone up in one hand. "Hunter's at the gate. Drew and I are going to meet him."
Seth scooted off the lounge chair and kissed Becky quickly before straightening up. "Hunter knows the way," he said. "He's been here before." There was no point in whispering, since Becky would be able to hear him, and she would suspect something if Seth went over to the other men, so he tried to mouth his questions very blatantly so Roman could read his lips: Something wrong? Someone with him?
Roman shook his head so subtly that Seth almost missed it; since he was mostly blocking Becky's view of Roman, he knew she wouldn't have seen the motion. "I'd feel better if I can check his vehicle before he brings it here, that's all," Roman replied. "Make sure he's not bringing any magic shit with him, that sort of thing...."
When Roman met his gaze, Seth nodded. Hunter might have promised to come alone, but Charlotte could be persuasive, and they didn't want a repeat of the drama from the Performance Center. "Okay. Are we still meeting out here?" Werewolves were less inclined to lie after a run—due to the differences between wolf brains and human ones, perhaps, or just because they were too tired to scheme—so they thought a group run could serve two purposes: all of them—especially Becky and Drew—would have a chance to change form, and it would hopefully put everyone at ease. It was usually a lot harder to hate a wolf once you had run side by side with them.
"Yeah. We won't be long." Roman gestured to Drew and, to Seth's surprise, the big Scot followed without protest—though Seth noticed that Drew walked beside Roman, not behind him.
Once they were gone, Seth turned his attention back to Becky. "You sure you want this to be a run?" he asked again.
Becky raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "If you're worried about Hunter seeing me naked, don't be. We ran together a few times before... I left. Completely platonic, of course. For all his other failings, as a wolf he behaves himself."
Seth wanted to ask more about those days—who she had considered pack then, how much the other Four Horsewomen knew—but she stood and stretched and before he knew it, Roman was back in the yard, followed by Hunter and Drew. "I came alone," Hunter said, spreading his arms wide before dipping into a mock bow worthy of his first WWE persona, "as promised." From one hand dangled a large brown envelope; Seth imagined it held his contract—and possibly something to entice Becky.
"Not a whiff of Charlotte," Roman confirmed as he stopped by Becky and Seth. Drew lingered closer to Hunter, ready to make a move if necessary.
Hunter dipped his head in a small nod. "It's good to see you again, Becky." After a pause, he added, "Or are you back to using Rebecca again?"
Becky gave a small shrug. "Becky's fine." She seemed to feel she had to say something more, because she added, "The Performance Center looks great. You've been building it up well."
When Hunter started to reply, Roman held up a hand. "Hold on. Are we discussing business before our run or after?"
"After, of course." Hunter's reply was quick but unhurried. He was dressed in jeans and a simple t-shirt, but he still managed to radiate a regal sort of power. "We're all civilized wolves here, Roman, even if we're from different packs."
Roman just rolled his eyes. "Everyone else cool with that?"
In response, Drew pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it to the ground. "Aye. We're having a swim after, right?" he asked, pointing at the large stack of towels beside the pool.
"Unless you want to line up for a shower in the house," Roman replied with a chuckle.
Seth knew Roman's house had more than enough bathrooms for all of them, but that wasn't the point. The sense of community after a run was the main reason many werewolf decisions were made peacefully. "And I vaguely remember someone saying something about barbecue...."
"Don't push your luck." Roman started undressing too, though he was only wearing swim shorts and flip-flops so it didn't take long. Whether it was paranoia or some sort of propriety, Hunter waited until Roman and Drew were naked to set down his envelope and start undressing as well.
Becky lingered a bit off to the side, but she wasn't shy about disrobing. Once all her clothes were off, she opened the door to the guest house and tossed them inside; she had already left a bikini out by the pool for later, in case she didn't feel like lounging naked with the others. "Behave yourself," she warned Seth softly, pressing the words to his cheek as she rose to kiss him.
"I always do," Seth grinned in reply. He would have loved to have given her a proper kiss—the kind that stole her breath and made her fingers twitch—but he doubted she would appreciate having Hunter as an audience.
Once they were all naked, there was an awkward pause, as if no one wanted to transform first, since the shifting process would leave them vulnerable. With a huff, Roman crouched down—almost in his Superman punch stance—and rolled his shoulders. "We should be safe anywhere on the property," he said while his mouth was still human, "but keep the hi-jinks to the backyard as much as possible."
Seth expected Roman to give him a pointed glare, but his Shield brother simply tossed his hair over his shoulders and started his shift. He reached for Becky's hand and stroked the inside of her wrist with his thumb. "Do you want to go first? I can wait."
Becky's eyebrows twitched. "I'm going to remember that for later. But I'm fine. This is about you too, don't forget." As she gently pulled away from him, finding a spot to crouch for her transformation, she grinned. "That's your contract in the envelope, not mine."
Not really, Seth thought. There was too much to watch at once. Roman was in his full wolf form, running around the pool shed to stretch his legs. Becky and Hunter were both beginning their transformations, but Drew must have felt as cautious as Seth did, because he was watching closely too. That contract's as much about her as it is about me. Becky's name might not be mentioned once in those papers, but Seth would be seeing her between every line.
After Hunter finished shifting and had started to lope around the middle of the backyard, Drew wandered over, ruffling Becky's fur as she finished shifting. "Get out of here, you mutt," he laughed, feigning a kick at her side. In reply, Becky let her mouth close around Drew's hand just enough that her teeth grazed his skin. Then she let out a huff and ran over towards Roman. Once she was further away, Drew lowered his voice and leaned closer to Seth. "I noticed she's not wearing a ring yet."
Seth snorted out a breath. With everything that was on his plate right now, he really didn't need Drew's overprotective big brother routine heaped on top. "We haven't even known each other for a year," he pointed out, "and she has a lot on her mind with pack business and—"
Drew slapped his back so hard, it drove the breath from his lungs. "Good. You need to mean it. Now shift already before she comes back around and nips me in the ass." He started his transformation while still standing and already had two paws before he crouched down.
It felt strange to be the last one in human form, but Seth still didn't rush his shift; he had spent too long hiding his nature, always being cautious, and now that he was finally amongst other werewolves, he wanted to appreciate it. Once he was in wolf form, Roman and Becky were back by the pool and Hunter was loping over as well. Before Seth could go to Becky, though, Roman dashed over and lightly bit his ear. It could mean anything from You're welcome to We need to talk, but when Roman jerked his muzzle in Becky's direction, Seth took it to mean Thank me later. There were no signs of strain or stress in her muscles, so the quick chase with Roman had clearly helped calm her.
Dipping his muzzle in thanks, Seth bumped his head against Roman's before going over to Becky. Drew was already at her side, but he looked more relaxed too; when he glanced over at Hunter, it was with more curiosity than calculation.
Before the good mood could evaporate, Roman let out a short howl, signalling the start of the run. Drew gave Becky's tail a quick nip before leaping into motion and Seth followed; out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hunter join the pack. Soon all five of them were a blur of fur and motion, chasing and playing with each other without their human strife getting in the way. Hunter was a bit hesitant at first, but Drew gradually nudged him into the fray. Watching Roman tussle with Hunter and Drew, Seth's human brain—mostly quiet in the shadows, but starting to stir as the run came to an end—marvelled at what an incredible match those three men could have.
Still could, he thought as he loped over to the pool and started to change back, hauling himself up onto a lounge chair when he was done. If Becky had a pack in Canada and if Drew joined, the big Scot might reconsider another shot at WWE.
A sharp yelp made Seth sit up just in time to see Drew toss a barely human Becky into the pool. "Finn's gonna ask her to report back on me," Drew said with a shrug and a wide grin, "so might as well give her something to report about, right?" Then he cannonballed into the pool, causing an even bigger splash. When he bobbed up and tried to toss his hair back dramatically, though, Becky reared up, grabbed his shoulders, and dragged him back under the water.
"Their pack is a lot more fun than ours," Roman said to Hunter as they both approached, giving the pool a wide berth. Becky and Drew might have been goofing around in the water, but Seth didn't doubt they would take the first opportunity to drag someone else in and double-team them.
Seth expected Hunter to say something dour, like Packs are about protection, not parties, but the Authority leader watched the playful scuffle almost wistfully. "I can see that," he said dryly, grabbing a towel and rubbing his head.
Do you? Seth wasn't so sure. Becky and Drew's antics might have looked like simple play, but he knew that ease was deeply rooted in trust and respect; each one knew the other's limits and would honour them without question. He eased into the other end of the pool, ducking his head under the water to wet his hair before swimming to one end and back.
By the time Seth resurfaced, Becky and Drew were both leaning against the pool's edge, laughing and sipping on beers Roman had pulled from a cooler under the patio table. "So... everyone feeling better?" Roman asked, tossing a beer over to Seth.
Seth nearly fumbled the can into the pool, but managed to catch it in time. It felt weird not to be lounging with Becky alone after changing back, resting just long enough before having a post-run fuck, but there would plenty of other chances for that. He didn't even try to join Becky and Drew's huddle on the other side of the pool; for the contract discussions, he and Becky had both thought it would be best if they focussed on their own issues rather than trying to present a unified front. "Always do. It'll be a bit hard to read a contract with wet hands, though," Seth admitted. It was difficult getting the can open with slippery fingers, so he sat on the edge of the pool and dried his hands quickly before trying again.
Drew chuckled softly. "Amateur." He was grinning, though, and since Seth could see both dimples, he figured it was mostly amicable.
Becky started to reply, but caught herself and quickly brought her can to her mouth. From the colour in her cheeks, though, Seth could guess what she'd been about to say. "I want to be very clear, Hunter," she began, tapping her nails on her can. "Anything I say here—any offer or promise or anything else—is only about me. I'm not here as Finn's proxy, and I'm not speaking on behalf of anyone who might join my pack. Whatever I agree to—or decline—can't have any effect on anyone else." She met Seth's gaze and smiled.
He saw the slight shakiness in her expression and held Becky's gaze until he was sure she was steady. Maybe she didn't see herself as a leader, but he could, and he knew Drew did too; as far as Seth could tell, Drew treated her with just as much respect and deference as he did Finn—except with a bit more light-heartedness, which wasn't a bad thing. "And whatever terms I come to with WWE," Seth added, "I don't want those affecting Becky either."
Hunter rolled his eyes a bit as he took a beer from the cooler and sat beside Roman. "Understood. So which negotiation are we doing first: Seth or Becky?"
Seth glanced over at Becky. He hoped she would volunteer, because for as much as they claimed they would be making their decisions independently, he knew his next steps with WWE would somewhat hinge on whatever Becky chose. "Becky," Seth stated, hoping he sounded sufficiently casual about it. "Hers will be more complicated. Mine shouldn't be that bad."
Roman raised an eyebrow and lifted his beer can in a mock salute. "You just didn't want to say Ladies first, did you?"
Chuckling, Becky finished her beer and tossed the empty can to Roman, who set it on the table. "He knows better."
Turning his salute to Becky, Roman laughed. "He's normally a much slower learner than that. Whatever you did, good job."
Hunter looked like he wanted something a lot stronger than beer. "So... Becky. No sense in playing around, right? So we don't have to do the dance of desks and paperwork and all that bullshit?"
Becky nodded, shoulders lifting in a shameless shrug. "That's why we're here, isn't it? But first I want to know how much you can actually do. If this is all talk and I'm going to have to deal with Vince—"
"I've already discussed things with Vince, and he's pretty clear on what he'll allow. I might have to run one or two things past him, but it shouldn't be a problem. So, that being said...." Hunter cleared his throat. "Is there anything WWE could do to get you to come back full-time?"
Full-time? Seth caught the qualifier, and he was sure Becky did too. When he and Roman had been sent over to England for Rhea, it seemed like an all or nothing scenario. If WWE was willing to compromise, then maybe there was some hope—if Becky was willing to make concessions as well.
Glancing over at Becky, though, Seth felt that wild hope plummet. Maybe she was simply trying to give nothing away, but she didn't look very receptive at all. "I don't think there's anything WWE could offer," she said with simple honesty, though Seth thought he heard a note of wistfulness in her tone. "WWE's fucked up too many things for too many people, and I don't think that's changing any time soon. Maybe things are getting better and for the women who are there, I hope I'm wrong. But I'm not willing to take that chance again."
Hunter flinched a bit at her answer, nodding slowly. "I... can understand your hesitance. What about part-time, then? Guaranteed booking for an agreed-upon amount of time and then the rest of the year would be yours. You could wrestling with other promotions or whatever you wanted when you weren't with us—with no consequences. Unless there were legal issues to consider, of course," Hunter added.
Becky glanced up at Drew, who leaned down and whispered something into her ear. It was loud enough for the other three men to hear, but since none of them understood the language, it didn't matter. Emotions passed over Becky's face in waves: exasperation, confusion, even a ray of hope before she quickly schooled her expression into neutrality. Drew raised an eyebrow like a question mark and she sighed, turning to face Hunter. "How does Canada figure in WWE's plans?" she asked.
Whatever response Hunter was expecting, that clearly wasn't it. "It's not high on our list of priorities, to be honest. We usually hit Toronto and Montreal once a year, maybe Vancouver. House shoes are getting rarer because we don't pull in the numbers anymore. There was talk a few years ago about starting an NXT branch there, but nothing ever came of it." He paused while reaching for a second beer. "Why?"
"So no territory rights there?" Becky continued.
The keen look in her eyes made Seth's pulse race a bit. Maybe they wouldn't be in the same company, which he had always known would be unlikely, but at least they wouldn't have an ocean between them. And maybe if her pack does well there, he thought, those NXT Canada plans could be revived and...? So many people considered him Hunter's natural heir. What better way to prove himself than to take the helm of a new branch of NXT and leave his own mark on the company?
The glint in Hunter's eyes was more satisfied than sly. "No, WWE has no official stakes there. Is that where you're looking to base your pack?"
Seth worried that Hunter would make some sort of jab about Finn, but he was patiently waiting for Becky's response instead. "It's on the list," Becky said simply. "Commonwealth country, so Australians would have an easier time getting work permissions." She thumped Drew's chest hard enough that he coughed. "The Scots too. And lots of land, so less likelihood of problems with local werewolves."
Hunter nodded appreciatively. "That's a sound plan. But most of the wrestling promotions in Canada... well, even calling them indie is kind, Becky. You know that. If you're looking to pull in some good fighters—hey, hey, calm down, big man." He set his beer down when Drew moved towards him, creating a small wave in his wake. "Just being honest."
"There are enough wrestling promotions that we could make do," Becky replied, "and it's not like most of us don't have other skills. You mentioned being with WWE part-time, though. Give me an idea of what would that look like."
Seth wasn't sure how much more of this back and forth his heart could take. He didn't want to swim between Hunter and Becky, so he walked around the pool to sit beside Roman, who had subtly moved away from Hunter to give him some space. ''What do you think?" he asked quietly, watching Becky and Hunter intently. When Charlotte's name was mentioned, he and Drew both tensed, but Hunter shook his head emphatically and that seemed to be good enough for Becky, so Seth relaxed—or at least tried to. Back when this all felt impossible, it was almost easier to deal with; now that actual facts and figures were being discussed and it could actually be real, he was worried it would all fall apart.
The corner of Roman's mouth twitched up and he bumped his shoulder against Seth's. "I think you better get used to visiting Canada."