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 door had a knock, and the food was being brought to the island.
Three different kinds of pizza 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 with orders for Garlic parmesan, a ranch dry rub, and mild wings.
Ayla felt like royalty as she sat among peers, eating for the first time.
If it wasn't the first time, it was the first she could remember.
She was happy, but it felt like a temporary thing.
There was a bubble of uncertainty around her, and the thought that if she stepped wrong, it would all come crashing down.
Her mind was so used to the trauma that was her life that it just didn't know how to let go.
That had to be what it was.
She was safe.
For some reason, she could sense that something was coming soon.
Something was on its way to disturb their peace.
Alexander and Julius said they would protect her, so she brushed it off.
Plus, there wasn't a soul alive that knew her, or that she was here, or knew that she was with them.
She was safe.
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.
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.
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.
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.
He knew she was finally asleep and deserved it. She worked hard for that.
As he relished 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.
Julius was happy for his friend, but worried too, "Since she is asleep, can you tell me her story now"?
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.
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.
His friend knew enough to know why she was there.
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.
They 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.
He decided to fall asleep right with Ayla on his chest.
It felt nice.
She felt right.
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.
In addition to that, they were looking at the merchandise that the shops offered, which seemed pointless to them.
One thing that they never understood was how everyone called their kind greedy and power-hungry, when every species had the same exact problem.
The shops they ventured through only proved that.
'Who needs to spend five thousand dollars 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'.
That was not fair. It wasn't right.
Not one child had been found or returned yet.
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 they were having power struggles and issues of their own.
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.
He was starting to shake off the horrible feelings and thoughts when a slight hint of scent wafted before him.
It was impossible.
Right there in the middle of the human city?
She wasn't anywhere to be seen, but he could pick up her 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.
How was he supposed to do that with all these people starting to crowd around him?
More than that. They didn't have any boundaries. Werewolves got a bad image for being horny little miscreants. They didn't hold a candle to what he could see all around him.
Where the hell was he?
The scent led him to a door that looked like it acted as a barrier for a lot of noise and more sex.
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 this much. How did we get labeled the horn dogs? I don't get it" he said, shaking his head in disbelief.
"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.
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.
He was standing all alone, facing a 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 this was heavy. He had to pinch himself.
The allure was almost hypnotic.
His body wanted to join, and his mind wanted to escape and join in with 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 first. When will I get this chance again? Plus...' he turned his head to and couldn't believe his eyes, '...and my helpers 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 pulling 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.
He knew what they were capable of, but 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, the scent was in his presence again. 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. 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.
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.