CHAPTER 67: CHAPTER 66: WILL WISH THEY HADN’T BEEN BORN.

Eryx looked down at his open buttons, then grinned. "That’s the point. Why hide perfection?"

Theo gagged. "God, you sound like a walking Instagram caption."

Rhydric threw another dart, bullseye again and finally turned slightly toward them, voice low and dry. "Both of you talk too much."

Eryx grinned wider. "Aww, Daddy storm speaks now?"

Theo snorted his drink out through his nose. "Daddy storm...Bro, don’t ever say that again."

Ian coughed, trying not to laugh. "He’s gonna kill you for that."

But Rhydric didn’t move. Just stared Eryx down, expression blank, eyes like sharpened winter.

Eryx raised his hands in surrender, chuckling, forging nervousness. "Okay, okay, no need to look like you’re planning my funeral. Damn."

Theo, of course, couldn’t resist. "If he ever kills you, can I have your leather jacket? It’s probably cursed but looks expensive."

Eryx rolled his eyes. "You’re all just jealous because I’m the only one getting laid."

Theo looked at him, dead serious. "Bro, we choose peace. You? You chase chaos."

Ian sipped his drink, adding calmly, "And somehow, chaos keeps saying yes."

That made Theo burst out laughing, doubling over the counter. Even Rhydric’s lips twitched slightly, a ghost of amusement flickering before it vanished again like smoke.

Ian muttered dryly, turning towards Eryx "The council would hang you for disturbing peace."

Eryx leaned back, arms crossed, that teasing grin returning. "Man, this is why I like you guys. Nowhere else can I find a room full of gorgeous people with severe emotional issues."

Theo pointed at him. "You’re the biggest issue here."

"True," Ian said, raising his glass. "But at least he’s entertaining."

Theo snorted mid-laugh, tossing a dart that hit just shy of the bullseye. "You know who’d be good at this? Azrael. That bastard never misses. He’s probably sitting somewhere sharpening his knives or glaring at the moon or something."

Eryx, who was leaning on the counter grin. "I called him earlier. Told him to get his brooding ass down here. Said he needed his private moment." He mimicked Azrael’s deep tone with exaggerated seriousness, earning a groan from Theo. "I didn’t push it. You know how he gets when the moon’s close."

Theo chuckled, grabbing his drink. "Private moment? What, is he out there writing poetry to his wolf again? ’Oh moon, my only friend...’" He clutched his chest dramatically, and Ian nearly spit his drink.

Eryx laughed so hard the girl beside him rolled her eyes. "You’re an idiot," he wheezed, wiping tears from his face. "You wanna go say that to his face next time?"

"God, no," Theo said quickly, raising his hands in surrender. "Last time I joked about his ’lunar mood swings,’ I swear I almost lost my throat. I like my throat."

Rhydric, who had been silent through most of it, lined up his next dart, eyes fixed. The dart flew, hit dead center, bullseye. The room went quiet for a second. Then Theo leaned on the counter, smirking, like he didn’t find the dart game fun anymore.

"Speaking of mood swings..." Rhydric pointed at Eryx "You think he’s okay though? Azrael, I mean. He’s been off lately. More than usual."

Eryx tap a finger on the counter. "He’ll live," he muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Still..." Rhydric glanced up. "You think he’s okay?"

Ian swirled his drink lazily. "He’s probably just brooding because of the full moon," he said. "Like someone else I know." His eyes flicked toward Rhydric with a grin.

Theo barked a laugh. "Oh, right! The Full Moon Bros. Maybe I should get you both matching shirts, ’Warning: May Growl When Stressed.’"

"Make it a hoodie," Eryx said between laughs. "Something dark. Maybe blood red."

Ian grinned. "Add ’Do Not Disturb During Lunar Events’ at the back."

Theo raised his glass. "To emotionally unstable alphas and their full moon tantrums!"

Eryx clinked his drink against Theo’s grinning.

Rhydric shot him a glare so sharp it could cut steel, and Theo almost choked laughing. "Careful, Eryx," he said between wheezes. "You’re one glare away from being tonight’s dinner."

Eryx threw his hands up dramatically. "Worth it."

Rhydric sighed and turned back to the dartboard, ignoring their laughter. But still, something doesn’t feel right. His dart hung loosely in his hand, eyes locked on the board like his thoughts were miles away. Theo was still laughing about his "Full Moon Bros" joke when Rhydric suddenly talked again.

"Did Azrael mention anything about his dad?"

Theo blinked, caught off guard. "His dad?" He frowned, searching his memory. "No, why?"

Eryx leaned away from the counter, his grin faltering. "Nah. He didn’t."

Rhydric turned then, slow and deliberate, his silver eyes sharper than they’d been all night. "When you called him," he said, his tone calm but heavy, "what did he sound like?"

Eryx froze for a second. The question felt strange. He opened his mouth, then shut it again, not knowing what to say.

Theo and Ian exchanged looks, the music from the dance floor suddenly feeling distant.

Eryx cleared his throat, rubbing his jaw. "Cold. As usual," he said, shrugging it off with a laugh that didn’t land. "You know Azrael. Ice and fire in one body. Why?"

Rhydric didn’t answer immediately. He just stared at him, long enough for the silence to start pressing on their nerves. Then he turned to Ian. "Call him."

Ian blinked. "Now?"

Rhydric’s gaze didn’t waver. "Now."

Ian sighed, grabbed his phone, and dialed Azrael’s number while Theo and Eryx traded glances.

The phone rang once. Twice. Three times.

No answer.

Ian frowned, held it to his ear again. "He’s not..."

"Try again," Rhydric said.

The music in the club carried on, but to them, it felt like the room was holding its breath. Ian redialed. The line rang longer this time. Still nothing.

Theo leaned forward, tone quieter now. "Maybe he’s sleeping. Or... doing his ’private thing.’ You know how..."

"Try again," Rhydric said, sharper this time.

Ian did. He waited. And when it went straight to voicemail, he slowly lowered the phone, his expression dark. "He’s not picking up."

No one said anything. For the first time that night, even Eryx’s grin faded completely.

Theo shifted, rubbing the back of his neck. "You think something’s wrong?"

Rhydric grabbed his jacket from the chair. "We’re going."

"Wait...now?" Ian asked, standing too.

Rhydric didn’t answer. He was already heading for the door, the look on his face saying everything.

Eryx cursed softly, finishing his drink in one swallow. "Shit. This better not be what I think it is."

Theo jumped up, following them out. "If it is, I swear I’m burning that private moment journal he keeps."

"Shut up, Theo," Eryx muttered, already moving fast.

The club lights flashed red as the four of them stormed through the exit. Outside, the night air was sharp, the city alive and loud, but the way they moved made it look like predators breaking formation.

Rhydric’s car roared to life, headlights slicing through the dark. Theo slid into the passenger seat, Ian and Eryx in the back.

Nobody spoke at first. Not a single word. The sound of the engine filled the silence as they sped through the streets, fast enough to make the city blur around them.

Theo finally muttered under his breath, half to himself, "If something’s happened to him..."

Rhydric’s knuckles tightened around the steering wheel. "Then whoever touched him," he said, voice like ice breaking, "will wish they hadn’t been born."

Theo’s usual grin was gone. He stared out the window, foot tapping against the floor, eyes following the blur of passing cars.

Eryx leaned forward between the seats, his voice low, uneasy. "He’s not the type to ignore calls. Not all of ours, not three in a row."

Ian’s phone sat on his lap, the screen still glowing with Azrael’s name. Missed calls. He tried again. Straight to voicemail.

He cursed under his breath. "Still not picking."

Rhydric’s jaw tightened, muscles ticking. The air in the car grew heavier, pressing against their chests. "Still not picking?" he repeated quietly.

Ian nodded once. "Yes Alpha."

Theo looked, voice breaking the silence like glass. "You think it’s his father?"

No one answered.

But the silence that followed said enough.

Rhydric’s grip on the steering wheel tightened until the leather groaned. His knuckles were white, veins rising along his forearm.

The full moon hung low above the skyline, huge.

"His house isn’t far anymore," Rhydric muttered, more to himself. "If he’s fine, we’ll know."

Eryx exhaled sharply, trying to force a grin that never quite reached his eyes. "Yeah. He’s probably just, brooding. You know Azrael. Maybe he’s meditating under moonlight, shirtless, looking all tragic and divine."

Theo snorted softly but didn’t smile. "If he’s fine, I’m hitting him for scaring us."

"Get in line," Ian murmured.

They finally got to Azrael’s apartment and they all got out of the car and went straight inside.

"Azrael," Theo called, voice echoing into the dark. No answer.

Eryx tried to laugh but it came out tight. "He’s probably inside, ignoring us like the dramatic bastard he is."

But even as he said it, his tone lacked conviction.

Rhydric’s gaze swept across the living room. His gut twisted deeper.

"He’s not fine," he said quietly. "Something’s off."

And for the first time that night, none of them had a joke left to give.