Her words were bouncing around in their mind, but they tried not to seem worried.
'Don't you have any questions? You trust him? You want to take me out there'?
What exactly did Ayla mean when she said those words exactly?
Julius was wondering just what exactly he had signed himself up for so quickly, but his friend would never put him in danger, would he?
What was so back about taking her out on the town?
They both shrugged their shoulders and looked back at Ayla, "Yeah" they said in unison.
Without a second thought, they moved on to ordering dinner.
It didn't take them long to decide that they all basically wanted to eat the same thing.
Pizza and wings.
Before they could get comfortable, the buzzer was sounding, and Julius was off to the first floor to grab the order.
Being on the tenth floor of the building had its perks and drawbacks.
"There is no way I'm letting you go for food. Last time you disappeared for over a day and came back with another roommate" he jested.
Smells filled the room once Julius returned, and the food was being brought to the island.
Three different kinds of pizza were lined up because they couldn't decide.
Meat lovers, Hawaiian, and buffalo chicken found themselves lying deliciously, waiting to be consumed.
The wings were a little easier, but they still chose three with orders for Garlic parmesan, a ranch dry rub, and mild wings.
That was the most food she had ever seen in one sitting, lying before her, ever.
She did okay for herself, but not like that.
Ayla felt like royalty as she sat among peers, eating for the first time with companions.
If it wasn't the first time, it was the first time that she could remember.
Alexander seemed pleased with himself as he looked over to her, seeing the smile easily sitting on her face as she ate and enjoyed the simple conversation.
She was happy, but it felt like a temporary thing.
Dark clouds followed her too closely for things like that to last.
There was a bubble of uncertainty around her, a curse, and the thought that if she stepped wrong, it would all come crashing down stayed present in her mind.
Ayla was so used to the trauma that was her life that she just didn't know how to let it go.
Her mind and thoughts refused to let it go, for fear that something would happen and she would be unprepared.
That had to be what it was.
She was safe, though, right?
For some reason, she could sense that something was coming soon.
Something was on its way to disturb their peace.
She could feel it in her bones.
Alexander and Julius said they would protect her, so she brushed it off.
Plus, there wasn't a soul alive who knew her, let alone that she was there.
If they didn't know that, then they didn't know that she was with them.
She was safe.
All she had to do was keep repeating that to herself.
Alexander knew that she was in her head.
He hoped that as the food soaked into her system, she would start to be able to relax a bit.
As much as he didn't know about her, he also didn't know her eating habits.
When was her last meal?
How often did she actually get to eat?
He was certain about one thing: the two of them had certainly not eaten in at least a day, because she had been with him, and he hadn't eaten since they met at the edge of town.
Alexander was also aware of how much the last thirty-six hours had taken a toll on her.
There was no telling how the evening was going to progress.
Honestly, he didn't really care how it went as long as she got what she needed.
While the three of them lay on the couch talking and eating, the guys were blissfully unaware of one glaring fact.
The third member of the group had fallen asleep a good bit ago on Alexander's chest while they were talking.
Slowly, throughout the pointless conversation that he couldn't even remember, she had gotten closer and closer, leaning more into him without him realizing it.
Once her head was comfortably on his chest, she was out like a light, and he was none the wiser, as his arm fell to rest down her back and over her stomach, next to her arm.
It wasn't until he realized she hadn't chimed in on the conversation in way too long that he looked at her chest to see it rise and fall in even rhythms.
She looked so peaceful, curled up with her knees drawn in toward him, sleeping.
Ayla was cocky, strong, and spirited, but not in that moment.
While she lay sleeping on his chest, curled into him, she was quiet, calm, vulnerable.
He knew she was finally asleep, and she deserved it.
She worked hard for that.
As he thought back and remembered the time spent at the cave, a smile appeared on his face.
"That good, huh" Julius probed.
All the content man could do was smile at his friend while holding the delicate woman in his arms.
Nothing else could be done or said.
Julius was happy for his friend, but worried too.
"Since she is asleep, can you tell me her story now? She looks familiar, but I can't place her".
After Julius said Ayla looked familiar, it made Alexander think about it, and he had seen her face before, but he couldn't remember where.
For now, it would be a mystery, but maybe eventually, it would come to him.
That didn't matter at the moment.
What did matter was telling Julius what he could and what would help.
Alexander didn't know how much she would be comfortable with telling, so he gave a short general synopsis that left a lot of details out.
Actually, he pretty much left out everything except the story relating to the men after her.
In general, the main thing was that he needed Julius to know that bad people were after her so that he could be on alert.
The last thing that Alexander wanted was for his best friend to get hurt because of him or Ayla.
His friend knew enough to know why she was there and to protect himself.
Her existence would be a secret, and he would help keep it.
He also agreed to help keep an eye out for anything that was odd.
She could tell him the rest when she was ready.
For now, Julius agreed to help him keep the bad men and bounty hunters from kidnapping her.
That worked for Alexander.
The three of them had planned for a night on the town, but with Ayla sleeping.
Alexander didn't feel like leaving her behind, much less waking her up by moving.
Staying in sounded like a much better option.
She wasn't the only one who was exhausted.
He decided to fall asleep right there on there on the couch, with Ayla on his chest.
It felt nice.
She felt right.
The riveting nightlife could wait another night.
Julius wasn't about to spend the rest of the night watching the new love birds sleep, cuddling on the couch, or cooped up in his room.
Since it was only him, he felt like it was pointless to do much, so he would head into the club where they worked and scope the scene to see what was going on.
If anything, maybe they needed an extra pair of hands for the night.
Not far from them, the guards were walking around the town, sightseeing.
Of all things for big bad werewolves to do, they were taking in the sights.
They had stopped into a few stores and sampled meats, cheeses, and candies that they rather enjoyed to their surprise.
In addition to that, they were looking at the merchandise that the shops offered, which seemed pointless to them.
Why people needed so much useless stuff baffled them.
One thing that they never understood was how everyone called their kind greedy and power-hungry, when every species had the exact same problem.
The shops they ventured through only proved that.
Useless clothes, shoes, knick-knacks, glass figurines, and decorative cups galore.
After every store, they had a new item of interest to mock the humans about.
Raphael came out of one of the last stores on the street laughing.
"Did you see the line of useless cups? Why do you need twelve different cups with stupid pictures and sayings for a moonstone? That is just insane. A simple white or clear cup to drink from for a few rubies is fine for me" he chuckled.
Dominic looked at him, shaking his head, "We are simple men, I doubt we understand any of that".
Then, they continued forward.
The mocking was turning to anger slowly under his sarcasm as they progressed.
That was, until it started to reach its brewing point in the General.
'Who needs to spend twenty-plus moonstones on a tiny ring or a small necklace? What was the point? Was it to mark a person's status as wealthier or higher than others? Greed, visible greed' Dominic thought to himself.
Dominic just shook his head as the thoughts rumbled around.
He was having a hard time staying out of his thoughts as they continued.
'They stole our children from us. In the name of OUR KIND being power-hungry and greedy, our children were stolen. Yet, why were no one else's children stolen? They are just like us, if not worse'.
To him, it was not fair.
In his mind, it just wasn't right.
Not one child had been found or returned yet.
It was assumed that Ayla was the first one that they had found so far.
As of now, there was no proof of that, no way to be certain.
How could they all be gone, just like that?
Why were the werewolves the only ones punished?
Could the ones who took them not be punished for the same offense?
They greedily stole the children of the werewolves in order to stop the greed of another species.
In that aspect, their greed rose, and so did their power.
Now the witches were having power struggles and issues of their own afterward.
How was that any different?
Just as his anger was beginning to peak, his eyes were beginning to glow amber.
"Dominic, whatever has your mind trapped in thought right now needs to be released. You will blow everything we are trying to do right now if you don't" Phoenix pleaded with him.
Phoenix knew it took a lot for Domonic to lose control, so whatever took over, it was serious.
Dominic was starting to shake off the horrible feelings and thoughts when a slight hint of a specific scent wafted before him.
A citric pine, the ever-mysterious white pine that they never got to smell, was present.
It was impossible.
Right there in the middle of the human city?
No way.
She wasn't anywhere to be seen, and he didn't see any other wolves that he recognized, but he could pick up the scent, just the slightest.
Dominic started to follow the shallow trail the scent left behind.
There was no clue as to where it was coming from, but he knew if he followed it, there might be a way to figure it out.
The place was slowly covered with more and more people as he attempted to get closer to the scent that he needed to follow.
What was once streets lined with shops and disappearing patrons quickly turned into streets with dimly lit lights, and too many people that only seemed to have one mission in mind.
He wasn't prepared to be mixed with such a crowd so quickly, and it was only getting more crowded as the three of them followed the faint scent.
Were his men ready?
Had they realized he had left and gone with him as he followed the path before him?
Dominic turned back briefly to see if Phoenix and Rahael were still with him, following closely.
A sigh of relief left his nostrils as his chest deflated a bit when he saw them nearly standing on his heels.
He suddenly had a great appreciation for their need to stay attached to him like glue.
Being in such new surroundings had started messing with him.
His mind started working in overdrive as he started doubting himself.
How was he supposed to follow the scent trail that was fading with all these people starting to crowd around him?
More than that.
They didn't have any boundaries at all, these humans, and they stunk like artificial scents.
Worse than that, they were blocking his way, more and more with drunken rendezvous.
Werewolves got a bad image for being horny little miscreants, but these people had no shame.
His people didn't hold a candle to what he could see all around him.
"UGH, get off of me" Dominic growled as a couple, clueless to their surroundings, backed into him.
The pair had vigorously begun kissing each other in a drunken haze and lost touch with their surroundings.
It was too much for him when the female's back found Dominic's front and hands.
Where the hell was he?
Able to muddle through, repulsed but the people littering the sitting areas all around, he was able to follow the smell a bit further.
It led him to a door that looked like it acted as a barrier for a lot of noise and more sex.
For once, he was nervous, and the other two were excited.
Dominic was unsure of what to do.
"Raph, what should we do? For some reason, I'm really uncomfortable. I really didn't think humans idolized sex that much. How did we get labeled the horn dogs? I don't get it" he said, shaking his head in disbelief.
Raphael was smiling ear to ear.
"I like the name, it's interesting, Scarlett Fever. HA"!
Dominic knew there was some kind of smart-ass answer coming his way when he looked at Phoenix.
"Don't you get it? Every culture has lore, talk, and stigma about creatures that are mysterious to them. Now that I know more, I have a few ideas for myself and potential plans for this evening" he said with dancing eyebrows.
He forgot who was answering.
Raphael was an angel compared to Phoenix.
Dominic was at a loss as his friend and mission partner left his side to enter through the doors ahead of them.
Shortly behind Raphael, Phoenix bolted.
That didn't surprise Dominic at all.
He was standing all alone, facing the choice of following his comrades or turning back and losing the scent.
Finally, his choice was made, but not without a little huffing and puffing.
Walking through the doors was like opening his eyes for the first time.
The lights, the dancing, the people, the bars full of alcohol.
For a second, he almost thought that he was in heaven.
He had to pinch himself, and he understood the name, because inside was contagious, like a fever.
The allure was almost hypnotic.
His body wanted to join, and his mind wanted to escape his troubles.
All he wanted to do was join in on all the fun.
Why was he so dead set on anything other than letting go and enjoying himself?
The music moved through his body as if it were possessing him, and he liked it.
Shaking his head, he reminded himself he was on a mission.
'Honestly, do I have to find her first? It wouldn't hurt to have a little fun, then finding her. When will I get this chance again? Plus...' he turned his head and couldn't believe his eyes, '...and my men are on the bar dancing' he thought to himself as his face landed in his palm.
'Seriously, this is how they act when we are supposed to be blending in'?
Before he could realize what was happening, security was attempting to pull his team off the bar, and he knew it was about to get ugly.
Dashing as fast as he could, he was desperate to make it to his men before things got worse.
Dominic knew what they were capable of, but these simple humans were about to be in danger.
The staff inside the club had no clue what these men they were tugging on could do to them.
Upon arrival at the now large group of muscular men, the scent was in his presence again, just barely, like he was right on top of it.
It was almost different, though.
He knew it was close, but he couldn't see who it was.
His eyes started darting around, but there wasn't a face that looked familiar.
Thinking back to what it was that could be doing it, the answer finally hit him.
The uniform.
He had seen it before.
One of the uniforms had her scent.
Now, Dominic, a stern and long-time General, was at a loss.
He had no clue which of these men could have been the one holding the scent, and he didn't have to look through them all then.
What if it's the man from last night?
There was no chance of recognizing the man's face, because he only ever saw the back of his head at the waterfall.
His plan to switch tactics and come to the human town was not fruitless, but it was problematic at best.
Thinking fast was his only option.
First, he had to manage to get his men off the bar without a major incident.
Second, he had to figure out which of these men was in the woods the night before.