Chapter 13: Paid in Full

The Pit always comes alive at night. By 8 PM, Roman’s bar is packed. Music shakes the old ceiling pipes, mixing with the thud of darts hitting cork and billiard balls clacking on faded green felt.

It’s normal here. And in this place, “normal” means a fight is about to break out.

I was wiping the counter when Roman’s cousin, Mason, slid a basket of fries through the kitchen gap.

“Table six,” he shouted.

“I know where table six is, Mase.”

“You forgot it twice yesterday.”

“I was distracted.”

Mason smirked. “Distracted by that tall blonde?”

I grabbed the fries and elbowed him hard. “Keep talking, and I’ll tell Roman you burnt the onion rings.”

“I did burn them,” he grinned.

“I know.”

At the bar’s end, Roman dried a glass with an ancient rag. His thick beard masked his expression, but his eyes narrowed at the door.

The mood in the room shifted. Conversations stopped. A billiard ball rolled slowly across a table, untouched.

The front door opened. Six men in black suits walked in. Every head turned.

The whispers started: “Lycans? What are they doing here?” “That’s Beckett Nexus Security.” “Damn…”

Nobody reached for a weapon. No one wanted to be the one to start a war.

Then, Xavier Beckett walked in.

He looked like a wolf in a church. In his tailored grey suit and silver watch, he towered over The Pit, his expensive shoes contrasting sharply with the dusty floor.

Roman draped his towel over his shoulder. “Do you know him?” he asked quietly.

I didn’t look up. “Unfortunately, yes.”

“Want me to kick him out?”

I thought about it. “Only if he breaks something.”

Roman snorted. “I could throw him out anytime.”

“I know.”

Xavier ignored everyone. His eyes went straight to me.

I finished pouring a beer and walked over. “What can I get you?”

He looked at my faded band t-shirt and black jeans under my apron. “Do you have another job?”

“I have bills to pay.”

“I didn’t imagine you here.”

“And I didn’t imagine you near cheap beer.”

Behind him, people were whispering: “Is that really Beckett?”

“Why is he talking to Raven?”

“Don’t Purebloods hate this place?”

A waiter nudged me. “Raven, table four wants another pitcher.”

“I’ve got it.”

I didn’t even wait for Xavier to answer before I walked off. He just stood there watching me do my thing—taking orders, joking around with a regular who’s always moody, and bickering with Roman over who had to clean the beer taps. I wasn’t pretending. This was just my actual life.

“You smile here,” Xavier said. He was still sitting exactly where I had left him.

“What?”

“You’re smiling.”

“So what?”

“I’ve never seen you smile.”

“Maybe you weren’t looking closely enough.”

That hit home. His expression shifted slightly, as if I’d said something he couldn’t argue with.

Before he could respond, a large rogue named Finn wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “Here she is! My favorite bartender!”

I pushed him off. “You still owe me thirty dollars.”

“I almost died last week!”

“You almost die every week, Finn.”

The bar erupted in laughter. Xavier didn’t laugh. He just watched Finn’s hand leave my shoulder.

“You deserve better than this.”

Everything went quiet. I just looked at him and smiled—not because he was being nice, but because he’d just totally messed up.

I hopped up onto the foot rail behind the bar and grabbed a beer bottle.

“Listen up, everyone!” I yelled.

The music was still going, but the chatting stopped. I pointed the bottle right at Xavier.

“This Lycan guy just told me,” I paused for a second, “that I’m too good for all of you.”

Finn slammed his hands on the table. “Oi! Does that include the thirty bucks you owe me, Raven?”

“It definitely does!” someone shouted. Even Roman started laughing.

I leaned back against the counter. “You heard him. Apparently, I’m way too fancy for this place.”

The regulars loved it. Some old rogue stood up with his beer. “After everything we’ve been through?!”

Another person gasped, “I thought we were family!”

Everyone started laughing. Someone yelled at Xavier to buy me a mansion, and another guy joked that I’d still be back for happy hour.

Xavier just stood there while everyone mocked him. His bodyguards looked like they wanted to just drag him out of there.

I jumped back behind the counter. “Sorry,” I said, acting sweet. “The Pit votes. Democracy, right?”

For the first time all night, Xavier actually had nothing to say. Then he gave a little smile.

“You’ve become dangerous,” he said.

I started polishing a glass. “Nope.”

He looked at me for one last second. “I’ll see you again, Ravenna.”

“Don’t count on it.”

He smirked. “We’ll see.”

Then he turned and walked out. His six bodyguards followed him, and the heavy door swung shut.

The bar slowly went back to normal. Someone cursed because they missed a pool shot. Glasses clinked. The jukebox filled the silence like nothing had even happened.

Brie walked over, shaking her head. “…That guy gives me the creeps.”

“Join the club.”

My phone buzzed on the counter. I barely glanced at the notification.

Payment Confirmed.

I opened the receipt. There was no sender, no company, no note. Just one line at the bottom: Paid anonymously.

My smile disappeared. This didn’t feel like a gift—it felt like a debt I never signed up for.