"What kind of place is this?" Reyna questioned as she glanced at Jason. He was focused on driving and did an impressive job of keeping his eyes on the road as Leo used his fingers to drum on his arm. Annabeth was sitting next to her and looking down at her phone. On Reyna's other side was Piper.
Things still felt awkward between her and Piper, but she wasn't being given death glares every two seconds. Piper looked away from the window and spoke, "It's a bar."
"I keep telling them it's sacrilege!" Leo complained again from the front seat. He stopped his drum solo to look at them. "We work at a bar, but they want to go to some stranger's bar. What would Chiron say?"
"Our bar is closed," Annabeth informed as she looked up. "How are we supposed to go to a place that's closed?"
"You should have thought about that before you decided to go here," Leo returned. He huffed and crossed his arms. Reyna wasn't even sure how she ended up here. She just heard the word food and agreed before the rest of the sentence was said.
"We should just be grateful that Annabeth is actually going out to drink with us," Piper commented as she studied Reyna. It was hard to read her expression. "How are you feeling, by the way?"
"I can hear you breathing from here," Leo said. He made a noise as Annabeth hit him. Followed by Jason. "Ow! Twice? It was just a joke!"
"Am I really breathing that loud?" Reyna asked as her hand moved to her injured side. A wince came to her face as she felt the broken bone. Hylla did play soccer as a kid. That bitch. "Shit. Sorry."
"You don't have anything to be sorry for," Annabeth said. "And it's not that loud. Leo just doesn't like anything that isn't the sound of his own voice."
"Wow," Leo breathed in awe.
"Oh my god, I think that is the most vicious thing I've heard you say," Piper said in shock. "Is this what happens when you go out. Does fun Annabeth come out?"
"Fun Annabeth will come out when I get drunk," Annabeth stated.
"She finished that huge essay," Jason realized. "And most of your tests, right?"
"And I'm going to get fucking wasted," Annabeth confirmed.
"And laid?" Piper asked. Annabeth reached across Reyna to slap Piper hard. "Ow! That was my boob!"
"I'll hit you again if you don't shut up," Annabeth promised. Reyna shrank back slightly, and Annabeth looked at her. "Sorry."
"I just don't want to be in the crossfire," Reyna said.
"That's enough children," Leo quelled as he looked back at them. "Who is going to be the designated driver then?"
"Percy offered to pick us up," Annabeth said.
"What about your car?" Piper asked Jason.
"Thalia needs to borrow it tonight," Jason answered, and Reyna instantly recognized the street they were on because it was where she had been taken after being arrested. Shit. "We're just going to pick her up and drive to the bar."
Reyna must have scowled because Annabeth nudged her and spoke softly, "You okay?"
Reyna nodded and remained silent as they pulled up outside of the Hunters' office. Leo spoke up, "Hey buddy, we have five seats in the car, and I don't think we can squeeze four people back there. What do you plan on doing?"
"Put you in the trunk," Piper muttered.
"Piper can sit on my lap," Annabeth said. Piper looked at her and gave her a suggestive look. Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Shut up and get over here."
Piper got out of the car and walked around it. She sat on Annabeth's lap with a wide grin that was quickly wiped off as Annabeth put her seatbelt over the two of them. Reyna glanced out the window and saw that Thalia was talking to one of her fellow Hunters. The scowl on her face deepened.
"Alright," Leo said as he unbuckled his seat belt. "Make room for Papa Leo."
Leo turned and started to climb into the backseat. Jason made a noise and started to complain about the upholstery. Leo shushed him and continued to climb into the back. Reyna did her best to make room for him, which pushed her against Annabeth and Piper.
"Just use the door next time!" Jason complained. "You didn't even have to move."
"Thalia wants shotgun. Don't lie to me," Leo said. He then looked away and rolled his eyes. Leo's next words were under his breath. "Thick-headed idiot."
Reyna gave Leo a grateful look, and he gave her a wink. Her gaze moved to the ground as Thalia got into the car. Everyone else greeted her. Well, everyone except Reyna. She just kept her gaze focused on her lap and debated pulling her phone out of her pocket to look distracted, but what was she going to do? She didn't have anyone to text. Well, there was Clarisse.
There was also the whole English barrier. Clarisse would make fun of her for whatever nonsense would come out the other end. Reyna's eyes flicked up as she heard Thalia speak, but the woman was just singing along to the radio. Leo and Piper joined in not long after.
Reyna didn't relax until they made it outside of the bar. Thankfully, everyone was so focused on talking to Thalia or holding their own conversations that they didn't try to drag her into any of it. When Jason pulled into the parking lot, he turned towards Thalia and started to lecture her about driving the car and being safe with it.
Leo got out, and Reyna almost hopped out herself. Instead, she got out as quick as she could and looked at the others. A frown came to her face, "Isn't Piper underage?"
"Look at the bouncer trying to keep me out of the club," Piper chuckled. She flashed her ID. "Not anymore, bitch."
Piper instantly frowned, "Sorry. That was just a joke."
"The ID looked pretty fake to me," Reyna retorted. Piper smiled at her. Reyna returned a small one. "I guess that means happy birthday."
"We're gonna sing it," Leo proclaimed with a cheeky smile, and he took a deep breath. The air was torn out of him as Piper elbowed him hard.
"Don't even think about it," Piper threatened. She took off towards the bar and flashed her ID at the bouncer. Reyna trailed slightly behind the others. She was the last one to show her ID, and she was the last one to make it inside.
Reyna looked around the bar and saw that it was only partially full. There were a few people on the dance floor, A few others were at the bar, and she was very happy to see that there was a couple at a table eating. Reyna could definitely go for some food.
"Food and drinks first," Jason suggested.
"You're always thinking about food," Piper teased. "But, I could definitely go for my very first drink."
"Watch you be a lightweight," Leo said. Piper shoved him gently. A waiter walked up to them.
"Can I get you all a table or are you going to the bar?" the waiter asked as he smiled at them.
"A table please," Annabeth replied. The waiter nodded and led them towards a booth. As they all sat down, the waiter handed them menus.
"I can take your food and drink order, but if you can also order directly from the bar. I'll give you guys a few minutes to look over everything," the waiter said. He flashed them another smile and walked away.
"That's weird," Reyna said.
"What is?" Jason questioned. Reyna looked at him.
"That guy is a better waiter than you," Reyna pointed out. Leo busted out laughing and started to slap his hand on the table. Piper chuckled as well, and Annabeth smirked. Jason stared at Reyna and looked offended.
Reyna smiled slightly as she felt herself loosening up. Her gaze moved down to the menu, and she frowned at the English. Her eyes narrowed slightly. Annabeth glanced over at her. They were sitting side by side.
"Need help?" Annabeth offered quietly.
"No," Reyna replied after a moment. She had actually been trying to teach herself how to read and write English over the last two weeks. Mostly by having subtitles on when she was watching the television after work. It was a very slow work in progress.
Reyna gave it a good try to look through the menu, and between the pictures and some of the words looking just a little familiar, she was able to find something that looked good. It was coincidentally the item with the longest description.
When the waiter came back to take their orders, Reyna pointed out the item on the menu and tried to keep her cheeks from turning red as her ear tips burned. She ordered a beer to make it easy and settled back as the rest ordered and had a small argument about the appetizers.
After they finished ordering, Leo stood, "Come on, Piper. Dance with me while we wait for food."
"Are you going to twerk on me, Leo?" Piper interrogated. Leo shrugged. "If you do, I'm leaving."
"I won't," Leo promised as he held his hands up. Piper stood from the booth and walked away. Leo turned towards them. "I'm totally going to."
Leo followed after Piper. Annabeth smiled slightly as she glanced at her phone. Jason turned towards Reyna and smiled at her. Reyna nodded to him.
"Hey Reyna, could I ask you some questions?" Jason began as he sat forward. Reyna raised an eyebrow. "About, well, being a werewolf. I totally get if you don't want to talk about it. I just don't really know any other werewolves other than someone like three times my age."
"She'll hit you if she hears you saying that," Annabeth commented. Her gaze moved to Reyna. "I can step away if you want."
"No. It's fine," Reyna said after a few moments. She settled back in the booth and was grateful when drinks were brought to them. Reyna took a long gulp of hers. "What do you want to know?"
"Well, did you know your pack?" Jason began. Reyna hesitated. She finally sighed.
"Kind of," Reyna said. "I, um, was a kid back then. I didn't actually grow up with my pack. It wasn't until what happened with my father that I ran from home and into them."
Reyna fell silent for a few moments. Then, she sighed and continued, "I know some packs let their members go out into the world and experience it. Mine didn't. They hated outsiders. For my mother to sleep with a human not once, but twice, and have two children was an insult. No, it was more than that. It was a sin."
"My pack leader didn't take that sin lightly. When they found me, the leader wanted me to fight with her to the death," Reyna explained. Jason stared at her. Reyna glanced at Annabeth and saw the woman was watching her with wide eyes.
Leo crashed into the booth a moment later and grabbed his drink, "Piper's mad at me. Don't let her hit me."
"Quiet," Jason shushed Leo, and even as Piper stormed over angrily, Jason held up a hand. "Guys, stop. We're talking about something important."
"Which is?" Leo questioned as he leaned forward. Piper sat down as well. Reyna shifted at her new audience, and Jason gave her a look of apology. "Or, is it like a secret?"
"It's fine," Reyna said after a few moments, and she really hated the extra eyes that focused on her. "I was telling Jason and Annabeth that I didn't exactly know my pack. I never met them until I had to run from home and happened to find them. My pack was one of the old strict ones. They hated that my mother had me and my sister, and when I found them, the pack leader wanted me to fight her to the death."
"You killed your pack leader?" Leo asked in shock. Reyna chuckled.
"No. I was just a ten year old kid," Reyna said with a shake of her head.
"Ten?" Piper repeated, and a look of shock came to her face. "What the fuck? Were they just trying to prove a point then?"
"No," Reyna answered. "My pack leader did try to kill me. She tore her claws through my side which ended any chance I had of fighting. Then the hunters, Exterminata, found their way to the pack because they had been tracking me. And, I just ran.
"Been running ever since," Reyna finished. She cleared her throat and finished off her alcohol. Annabeth wordlessly got up and got her more.
"I shouldn't have asked," Jason said. Reyna shrugged. "Do you know the name of your pack leader? I've heard about some of them."
Reyna frowned and tried to think. She tapped her fingers on the table, "Lupa. That was her name."
"Holy shit," Jason said as he sat forward. "I've heard a lot about her pack. They're one of the old school ones. They don't accept outsiders. Anyone from another pack who walked into their territory was an invader whether it was true or not."
"I remember them too. We did a lesson on them," Leo added. "Lupa's name was dropped, and I thought she was a badass. Turns out she was just a bitch. Not that I knew her personally, of course. Just trying to kill a kid? Who the hell does that?"
"Lupa," Reyna answered with a shrug. "It's in the past, though. She never sent another after me, and I'm sure they consider me dead."
"How do you handle the full moon?" Jason questioned.
"I never had much of a routine," Reyna carefully answered. "Let's just say I had a lot of activities that usually kept me exhausted. The full moon wasn't an issue much of the time. Now, I exercise with Clarisse, and..."
"What about transforming?" Leo said before things could get awkward. "I know Jason has to strain, and he gets this dumb look on his face."
"Transforming isn't that much an issue. I just have to focus for about five seconds before I can do it," Reyna explained. "I was going to transform when Ma Gasket had Chiron cornered in that alley, but she attacked me and ruined those plans."
"Do you think you could help me transform sometime?" Jason began. Reyna nodded instantly, and a relieved look came to Jason's face.
"Alright, enough of that heavy shit," Leo decided. "Let's get drunk!"