With Julius, Goddess knows where, Dominic felt the fatherly pull that he hadn't felt since he had lost his baby all those years ago.
Once again, his baby boy had been taken from him, and this time, he was getting him back immediately.
Dominic was determined to get out of the door and into the woods to get his son.
He wasn't sure what happened to make him agree to leave, but he was getting him back.
The only thing standing in his way at the moment was Ayla.
What he couldn't understand was why she seemed to be against him instead of with him.
Ayla looked at him like he had lost his mind, too.
"I don't think so, Dominic. You can't just run off after him. Did you not hear Raphael earlier? You're supposed to be dead. You can't be seen. This time, the baton is being passed to us. You have to trust us, young wolves, to deliver on a mission. It's retirement for you, at least for this one".
Dominic was not impressed with her 'speech' as he went to move her aside and reach for the handle.
"What! No. If there is any better time to be a phoenix, it's the present".
Ayla put her hand on his shoulder in a gentle, caring, and understanding way.
"This wasn't my doing" she said, darting her eyes at Alexander before looking back at Dominic, "but I will get your son home to you, safe. Even if we find it's his own fault for leaving. He has helped me many times after I've done the same thing to him. I need you to be a part of the plan still, though".
Dominic didn't understand.
How was he supposed to sit this one out and still help at the same time?
"What does that mean? How am I supposed to help from here, in an apartment"?
Ayla looked at Alexander, nodded, and waited before continuing.
After he nodded back, she knew she was good to go.
"Someone has to keep an eye on things around here while we help him. Alexander will run you through everything. At the same time, the rest of us come up with the plan. You work on the businesses quietly from the shadows here like the ghost you are, with his phone and computer, that away we all save the day".
Phoenix thought that she hadn't thought of a bad plan, and it was so quick, too.
Plus, her plan was not half bad so far.
What else had she thought of?
As Ayla, Raphael, Phoenix, Stella, and Rhae sat and came up with a plan for their trip, Alexander went over the business needs and itinerary for Dominic, who seemed sad and overwhelmed at the same time.
"Don't worry. We won't be gone long, or hopefully we won't, knowing Ayla. You have followed her long enough to know she should be in and out. If you want anyone to go on this operation, it's her, and we both know it".
Now that things appeared to have eased in the tension department, Alexander's words were able to land how they needed to, and Dominic heard them.
He gave a slight nod as he went back to looking over the business information.
All he knew was that his son owed the club, Scarlett Fever, but he knew now that Julius and Alexander owned several more establishments.
Now, it seemed like everything was in place, except for Julius.
With a plan put together, they all thought it would be wise to get a little sleep before heading out on their first assignment together.
It would be a mission with three wolf pairs.
For one thing, it would be interesting.
They say vacations bring out the best or worst of a couple.
Ayla was embarking on her first real mission.
It was her first time venturing so far from the area she knew so well.
One that she was extremely good at hiding in.
Being abandoned in Scarlett Crest made her feel like she was never going to break free of it.
Like she was cursed to be stuck there, alone, forever.
After the week, give or take, she was starting to feel like maybe she was breaking the curse that held her captive.
Finally, Ayla was breaking free, and she was going on a mission with three men, of whom she only somewhat knew.
As much as it terrified her, it excited her.
She was still not one hundred percent sure she could trust everyone, which added an extra layer of excitement.
Was this a trap for her?
Had Julius actually walked into a trap himself, or set one for her?
Her mind was always trying to make sure she was safe, so it ran all the scenarios, eventually, and it finally found that one.
Who could she actually trust?
Alexander, she felt like she fully trusted Alexander, but is that because they were having sex?
He and Julius were best friends.
The other two men, she was beginning to know, so how could there be real trust?
As for the girls.
She had literally just met them.
What if it was a trap?
All of it.
Did they all know each other, because it felt like it?
They could have pretended to kidnap Julius, so that she only thought he had left.
It could all be an elaborate ruse to try to get her out of the town limits to snatch her again.
That was why she thought, maybe, if he was just busy, or working, or something like that, she would give him time to come home.
Sleeping first would give him a chance to show up before she put herself, Alexander, Phoenix, or Raphael in danger.
Dominic didn't like the group waiting because he was letting his emotions get the best of him.
He wanted the pack in the woods and after Julius, and his anxiety was enough to make Ayla believe he, more than anyone, wasn't involved with anything.
Julius had to have been too far to sense for Dominic to be acting like that.
For that reason, it was probably a good reason that he was supposed to be dead and unable to join them this time.
Once they were in their room, and she was in Alexander's arms, she expressed all of her concerns to him.
He agreed with her for the most part.
Ayla had valid thoughts, or so he said.
The one she held back was the one involving him, for obvious reasons.
Whether it was because he was tired or not, he told her sleeping would give Julius time to return if the girls were lying, and that she did well on not jumping straight away on the intel.
Plus, they all needed sleep so they could think clearly while they traveled to this pack they had never been to.
It felt nice to be reassured about the thoughts that ran through her mind.
Somehow, it did more than Alexander realized.
There was no telling what they would run into along the way or who would be waiting for them as they ran.
He kissed her forehead before kissing her lips and told her she needed to take her own advice and get some sleep.
Even though sleep was suddenly the last thing on her mind, she knew he was right.
They had a long day ahead, and it would be there before they knew it.
He pulled her close and let his warmth soothe her like a blanket as she drifted to sleep.
Several floors down, the two other floors were doing similar things, as they calmed each other's nerves about the morning ahead.
Both girls were nervous not only about the journey but also about visiting the pack itself.
For Stella, she was technically going to the home she had been stolen from.
She didn't know if her parents were there or if she had any family left that was still looking for her.
All she knew was that her destination was the Moonlight Shifters, and she was excited.
For Rhae, she was going to her new accepted pack.
Her chosen pack.
They had temporarily allowed her to seek safe haven with them, but would they change their mind when they met her?
When she had wished to be a part of their pack, she heard a voice welcome her.
Soft, sweet, welcoming, but Rhae knew she was imagining it.
She had to have been.
Phoenix was having an easier time calming Stella to sleep than Raphael was with Rhae, but eventually, everyone in the building was at rest and building up their energy for the day to come.
Morning was typically categorized as when the sun started to make its appearance, but not that day.
The six-person team planned on making their departure just before the sun made its break in the sky.
Operation, Destination Moonlight Shifters, would be in full swing before they knew it.
Their hope was that leaving while it was still dark would help them not be seen as easily, and that it would hold the scent of the wolves that left the evening before in the morning dew slightly better.
First, Phoenix and Raphael woke up and started snuggling their ladies awake with kisses.
For a moment, the two women almost forgot two things.
How early it was, and why they were getting up that early.
"UUUUGGGGGHHHHH" could be heard from Stella out of one of the bedrooms.
"I KNOW" Rhae yelled back, "THIS IS ENTIRELY TOO EARLY. WORSE THAN THE ORPHANGE. TAKE ME BACK. HAHAHAHAHAHA".
It was clear that Raphael had begun to tickle her at her latest outburst toward her friend.
Rhae had one more thing to yell to her friend across the apartment.
"I LIED! I NEVER WANT TO LEAVE".
Things went quiet, other than the outburst of a moan every minute or so.
That was from both rooms.
It was clear that neither lady had any intention of going anywhere, at least not at that moment.
Up on the tenth floor, things happened a little differently when it was time to wake up.
As the time approached, for everyone to start waking up, Alexander started to stir and began moving his arm and then patting the bed and pillow beside him with his hand.
Instantly, he refused to open his eyes.
He didn't have to in order to be able to know what happened.
Ayla wasn't there beside him.
She had left their bed at some point in time while he was sleeping, and she was gone.
He should have known better by that point.
That's what she does.
The damn handcuffs, he should have used the damn handcuffs.