After Julius told the pair it was best they stayed in the apartment for a few days, it was obvious from the look on Alexander's face that he was thrilled.
Ayla wasn't as convinced.
Being stuck in one place like a sitting duck wasn't something she was used to.
Still, being trapped with Alexander, uninterrupted, might not be entirely bad.
However, Ayla was puzzled by what Julius meant when he said they'd be fine without leaving.
Why exactly shouldn't they?
She wanted to press for answers, but Julius clearly wasn't in the mood to explain.
Alexander figured that after such a long day, sleep was probably the better option, and Julius was relieved to hear it, sighing just slightly.
"We won't leave for now, but I still want answers," Alexander said, "Expect questions tomorrow."
He was speaking for Ayla as well, which earned him a look of disdain.
He hoped it would let her rest, but he might have been wrong.
Turning her by the shoulder and covering her mouth, he wished Julius goodnight, until she bit his hand.
"Don't cover my mouth. I'm a grown woman. If I want to speak, I will damnit" she snapped.
Julius couldn't hold back the muffled laugh that snuck out of him.
"Okay, sorry, fine. Never again... probably. Let's just go to bed now, please," he asked.
He was hoping he had done enough to keep her from confronting Julius any longer.
If anything, maybe he distracted her, and she wasn't focused on Julius anymore.
"Fine, let's go to bed. Tomorrow, I have questions. I don't like being told what to do.
Even more so, when I don't know WHY," she said, looking back and forth between Alexander and Julius.
Ayla, an orphan who had shuffled between countless orphanages and was often ignored, had grown into someone who refused to be silenced or ordered around.
Taking instructions, aside from simple chores, was foreign to her, and she didn't like it one bit.
If there was a good reason for it, then she would do it.
Blindly following directions was for fools, and a fool she was not.
Surviving as long as she had in her living conditions meant trusting her instincts, and in that moment, they told her Julius was hiding something.
Her instincts screamed at her to dig a little deeper, even though Alexander seemed oblivious in her eyes.
Living alone had made her fiercely independent, almost feral, impossible to manipulate or control.
A fact Alexander was discovering, much to Julius's amusement.
Her defiance in front of Julius made up slightly for leaving him behind to clean up the mess so they could just have sex.
He was doing his best to keep jealousy from rearing its ugly head.
Watching her bite Alexander's hand and scold him made him chuckle as he walked away, thinking how his best friend was always the clown, cheeky and playful, while Ayla was his opposite.
Even though it wasn't their fault he was left behind, Julius took some joy in watching their dynamic, knowing it would never work between them.
'Life's simple pleasures are everything,' he mused on his way to his room.
Meanwhile, in Alexander's room, Ayla began to wonder if her streak of luck had run out.
For her, the feeling of being cursed had returned tenfold.
There was a big difference this time.
It wasn't just affecting her.
The curse on her was reaching Alexander and possibly even Julius.
"Do you think I'm cursed?" she blurted.
"What"?
She clarified.
"Do you think that all of these men chasing me are because I'm cursed"?
"No. That's nonsense. Weren't you just saying you were a person with luck earlier? What changed?"
He was genuinely curious.
"Everything. I thought I was lucky because I found you. Then, I had a place to stay, and Julius came along. Suddenly, I didn't feel alone anymore. I felt safe. Now, I don't feel that".
He was still stuck on her saying that she felt lucky because she found him, but then he processed the rest.
Alexander looked concerned.
"You still have all of those things."
She knew she hadn't explained herself correctly.
"That's not what I meant. Clearly, I still have you and a place to stay, but nothing's changed. So many people are still after me. If I stay, they will find me, eventually".
He had a feeling he knew where her mind would take her if it wasn't there already.
Alexander rolled over to his side and held her tighter.
"You are not allowed to leave. Please, no matter what, don't run away. I can only protect you if you stay. If you run, they'll find you, and I won't be able to stop them."
Then he tried another approach.
"Right? If you run, it's almost guaranteed they will find you."
Ayla didn't like his question.
"Yeah... more than likely ".
He continued.
"There's only a fifty-fifty chance they'd find you here. Why take the higher chance of them finding you? Why would you willingly leave me with those odds? You know I would follow you."
She let his words resonate for a minute before agreeing.
How long she stayed depended on how bad things got.
He knew that.
After all, he really was a smart man and knew she was still a runner at heart.
The one thing she wouldn't allow was for something to happen to him or Julius because of her.
"So, I guess it's you and me in here for a few days," she said, rolling onto her side.
"Loosen up a bit and be the big spoon. You can hold me tighter so you know I can't go anywhere, just don't poke me too much," she said with a smile.
Before they knew it, they were asleep, just like everyone else in Scarlett Crest.
Morning arrived before any of them realized it, and none of them welcomed it.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, dancing across their skin and into their eyes.
More than a few wished for thicker curtains.
That being said, Alexander was pleased, nevertheless, to wake up with such a beautiful woman in his arms, let alone in his bed.
As soon as he stirred, he pressed his soft lips to the nape of her neck to let her know the sun had done its job and woken him.
Sweet kisses could change anyone's mood to happy, even if they once refused to want to be.
"Good morning," she muscled out between a stretch and a yawn.
"Good morning, beautiful," he replied between kisses, "Want some breakfast, or some of me?"
"Breakfast, one hundred percent," she answered.
Ayla immediately jumped out of bed, stretching fully.
He felt a little sting of betrayal.
There was no doubt in his mind that she would choose him, but she didn't.
"So…I don't get it," he said.
Ayla shook her head, suppressing laughter.
"Oh, really? You think I want to pounce on you every chance I get, like some horny teenager? I'm starving. Just because you offer me your body, doesn't mean I'm going to take it," she said with a shrug and walked off.
His head fell back on the pillow.
"Uuuggghhhh," he let out, hoping his morning arousal would disappear quickly.
'This is going to be a long few days, ' he thought.
Then he heard the door open and close.
She was serious!
He didn't think she was actually serious.
Ayla had no intention of doing anything sexual with him before breakfast.
If this was how things were going to be, the days ahead would feel long.
Was she planning to toy with him the whole time, or was it just revenge for the night before?
Alexander decided to take some time to recover mentally in his bed while Ayla started breakfast without him.
Ayla, on the other hand, felt like she was walking on clouds as she made her way to the kitchen.
There was no time like the present to start getting ready for the day, so she got up and headed to eat by herself.
"Good morning, Sunshine," she heard, then realized Julius was smirking at her.
"Sure is!"
She was radiating as she made her way to the seat in front of Julius with a plate of food.
"Time for that talk," she said as she stared him in the eyes.
"Only if you're honest with me," he raised an eyebrow as he responded.
The two went on to discuss her past and things that might have led up to the previous night in hushed voices to not disturb Alexander.
When Alexander finally decided there was no time like the present, he got up to get something to eat.
Stepping out of his room, he realized Ayla wasn't alone.
Julius was already awake, and they were already talking.
He couldn't hear what they were saying in their hushed voices, as they leaned into each other, completely engrossed in the conversation, and it bothered him.
As he entered, Julius pulled his hand back from hers and they stopped talking.
"Secrets and friends don't mix, but you know that," Alexander spouted to his roommate.
"What are you talking about, Alexander? We were just talking while we were waiting for you. If there is anything you want to know, all you have to do is ask. You told me to play nice," Julius said defensively.
It was obvious Alexander felt jealous of the bond the two were forming.
"Why couldn't you wait for me? We are supposed to be in this together."
"Jealousy doesn't look good on you, friend," Julius chuckled.
Alexander began to wonder if Julius might be someone to worry about.
"Right. Well, I'm here now, so what is it? What's the latest?" he said.
In no time, he sat with a plate of fruit that he stacked while the two were talking.
He had no intention of wasting time making anything else.
As he listened, he realized that the talk had now shifted to how the club had different themes they used around random holidays.
Her eyes lit up as Julius shared some embarrassing scenarios about Alexander that made her laugh.
Suddenly, he wanted to know what they were talking about before he came out.
Julius looked to Alexander as if to give him a heads-up, and Ayla caught it.
"So, it's time then. We are ready to talk about last night".
"Well, I... yeah," Julius said.
Ayla pursed her lips.
"I'm a grown woman, you know. You don't have to clear anything with Alexander, I'm right here. Just speak."
She was making it clear that she was her own person, and his roommate didn't own her.
He was nervous now, but he knew it was now or never, so he went for it.
Thinking it wiser to start with something easier, he led with a lighter topic.
"After talking this morning, I think I know why we both think you look so familiar. One of the reasons we seem to trust each other."
Ayla looked at him from the corners of her eyes as they pulled into a squint.
"Continue."
"The orphanages. We had to have been in one that you were sent to. It's the only thing that makes sense."
Alexander's eyes suddenly came alive.
"You're right. She was at ours for maybe a week. How did I not remember that?"
Pride swam across Julius's face as the others seemed to relish in the fact that they shared a core memory.
That gave him his opening to talk about what really mattered.
"Now that we have that figured out, I wanted to know how willing the two of you are to trust Dominic and his two men".
Julius knew it was a hard sell, but he wanted to start casting wide and reel it in.
Ayla looked at him as if she knew this day would come; she didn't expect it quite yet, though.
Alexander cut in before she could say what she really wanted to.
"That depends on what you have, and your opinion is first."
He knew she would be beyond furious that he was speaking for her, but he wanted to hear what his friend had to say.
Ayla stayed silent, lost in thought.
She had plenty to say, especially that she was right about him hiding something, but he never gave her the chance to say any of it.
What was he hiding from them?
What really happened?
Julius couldn't make eye contact, as he started squeezing his hands together and tried again.
"There's no one-size-fits-all answer. I trust him, but at the same time, I don't want him around Ayla yet".
They all agreed that sounded fair and continued.
"If you don't want them around me, then why ask us if we are willing to trust them?" Ayla asked, confused.
Alexander agreed.
"How can we trust men who have chased her for so long?"
"I have strong reason to believe they are done with that. I don't think they want to go after you anymore," Julius said, pointing at Ayla.
"What do you mean? Only something major would cause that…" Ayla stopped, studying Julius.
She was now trying to piece everything together.
"Something did happen!"
Ayla and Alexander exchanged a glance, then looked at him for more.
"I want to dig around some more, but he seems to trust me".
Ayla interrupted.
"Why would he trust you? What if that's his plan? He could be trying to get your trust to get to me".
Julius felt his hope slipping away, but he had one shot left.
"The only reason I'm asking first is that I don't want secrets between us. To me, we are friends, family. I don't want to upset you two by interacting with him. There's more to this, and I think I can find out. Plus, I think I flipped him into helping us instead of hunting Ayla".
Ayla didn't know what to make of his words.
Clearly, she was missing something, until it clicked!
For years, that man had been relentless in chasing her.
There was no way he had given up or switched sides.
"It's a trap, or you are keeping a secret," she said flatly, "There's no other explanation that makes sense".
She'd hoped her accusation would make him open up, but he didn't
Disappointment settled over her as she stood and walked back to the room.
Julius knew that she could hear him as she walked away.
"I don't think it is. Those men who showed up last night said they would be here for a few days. They're around, hide here with Alexander. Let me figure out what's going on. Please," he pleaded.
Alexander was unsure of what to do.
Ayla was still upset about the secret Julius was keeping, but he wanted to support his best friend while also being there for her.
Before opening his mouth, Alexander thought for a second.
"Why should we stay hidden in the apartment"?
"Those guys will be gone in a few days. I was assured of it. If you keep her company well enough, she'll stay in with you. Trust me," he murmured, hoping Ayla hadn't overheard him.
He was really hoping that Ayla didn't hear how he was planning to manipulate her into staying in.
"Honestly, I'll do my best. That woman has fire in her veins, and she cannot be controlled. If she wants to leave, ultimately, I won't be able to stop her."
Out of nowhere, Ayla's voice could be heard.
"Glad you finally understand that," she said, nearly causing Alexander to jump out of his seat.
"You knew she was walking up, didn't you?" Alexander said, raising his voice at Julius.
All Julius could do was laugh as he hit his friend on the shoulder.
"Of course, I did. The look she was giving me told me not to say a word or else. I'm a smart man".
Alexander was shaking his head.
"What about not keeping secrets?" he scolded his best friend.
"Oops," he said as he got up and headed to his room.
Julius knew he still had secrets and information about Dominic that he hadn't shared with the rest of the class.
He was also aware that it wasn't the time to share.
Ayla was a flight risk, and he was pushing her limit already.
Julius told them he would observe and report over the next few days.
Ultimately, that gave him time to come up with a way to tell them the biggest secret in the best way possible.
That wasn't the issue at the moment.
Julius chose to keep the details light because of what he saw while they were talking.
He recognized the look Ayla was giving straight down to her focused, glowing eyes.
It was like she was slowly making her way for the kill, waiting for Alexander to say the wrong thing after listening to Julius's statement.
Her eyes looked like his did in the water the night before, but different.
If she were like him, so many more things made sense about what was going on, but he didn't know what to do.
There was a sliver of trust with Dominic, but Ayla was out of bounds between the two of them.
She was the brass ring, or white whale, so to speak, when it came to other men and Dominic.
Then, when it came to Alexander, he had no clue how to ask him anything related to any of this.
Could he talk to Alexander about it?
He had to be able to.
That was his best friend.
The two of them never had secrets, but could he handle this?
Not sure of what to do, he decided to text Alexander.
'Hey. Can you come talk to me?'
Alexander didn't understand the message.
'Why? We just talked.'
'I feel weird talking with Ayla there because it's about a girl from last night. Just come to my room.'
He still didn't understand why Julius was being so weird.
A girl, the night before, started to plug in a lot of holes.
Alexander reluctantly left the couch to go to his friend's room.
"What man. I was trying to snuggle and get used to the idea of solitude".
Julius looked at him in the eyes, not amused.
"This is serious."
"Did you get the crabs?" Alexander laughed.
Julius looked offended.
"What, no?"
Alexander started laughing.
"Then this can't be that serious."
Julius was starting to lose his patience.
"I needed to get you alone to talk to you. Can you be completely honest with me?"
He continued to lower his voice as he kept talking.
If he could hear extremely well, she probably could too.
Alexander felt the tone in the room and realized his friend wasn't joking.
"Have you noticed anything different about Ayla"?
Julius was almost whispering at that point.
His friend's eyebrows softened as he swallowed hard, "What do you mean"?
Julius explained.
"Her eyes. I've seen them change to the most beautiful, I mean interesting eyes. Have you noticed? It's hard to miss".
Just as he finished speaking, Alexanders did the same thing.
Julius's eyes danced with excitement as he jumped and clapped his hands together.
"You too! This is freaking awesome".
Suddenly, Alexander was flooded with emotions.
Unsure between the conversation and his friend's sudden reaction, which one he was supposed to be feeling?
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Julius's words again.
"Wait a minute, I thought we didn't have secrets. You kept that from me," Julius said, sounding slightly jealous.
Alexander threw his hands up, level with his head.
"We don't have secrets. I don't anyway. The two of us noticed last night, swear. It was in the dark that we saw it".
Julius seemed to be pacified by the answer he was given.
"Do you know anything about what it means?" Alexander asked him.
Julius was nearly foaming at the mouth to tell him.
"Well, I do. You really wouldn't believe me if I just told you, trust me!"
His mind went back to thinking about his experience the night before.
There was a slight pause in the conversation before Alexander's voice could be heard.
"What do you mean by that"?
"More or less, it's something you have to see, feel, and experience. It might be different for you because you trust me, but..." he was interrupted.
"Try me. Do anything you can think of," Alexander pleaded.
Julius sat for a minute and thought about it before wishing he could show his friend his eyes, and suddenly, his wolf eyes were present.
Alexander was looking at him, wondering how he was able to do it on command.
"I thought about it, really wanted to be able to show you my eyes, my real eyes, and here they are," he explained.
There was no way it was that simple, Alexander thought, as he tried it himself.
Instantly, his eyes were reflecting the amber and crimson that he was unable to control before.
Julius noticed that both he and Ayla had the same crimson flecks, but he didn't think anything about it.
Alexander was curious, though.
How did Julius suddenly know something he didn't know because they knew everything about each other?
They were best friends and absolutely had no secrets.
Secrets and friends didn't mix.
That was what they always told each other.
"When did this happen? How did you learn this?" he asked.
Julius was nervous to answer.
"Last night, I learned a lot of stuff last night. The only problem is you won't like the source or the answers, I'm afraid".
Alexander raised an eyebrow at his friend.
"We haven't had secrets in eighteen years. No need to start now. No matter what it is, I trust you".
Julius walked him through the whole story, start to finish, as quickly as possible until they reached the end about the werewolves.
"You found your dad," he said in shock, "But... So that... A lot of things are starting to fall into place".
Julius wasn't done.
"There's more."
"More than all of that," Alexander said in disbelief.
"Well, it goes with the eyes. It's one of the ways he knew for sure I was his son."
Since his friend didn't say anything, he kept going.
"The thing is, we can use all our senses ten times better than most people, agreed,"he asked.
Alexander nodded.
"There is a reason for that. Just like there is a reason you couldn't find a trace of your parents either."
His friends' interests seemed piqued.
"The stories are real, but so wrong. Werewolves are real because we werewolves."
Julius didn't even get to finish talking.
"BHAHAHAHA, be serious, Julius".
"I am," he said.
Julius decided that his father had it right with showing vs. telling.
Within seconds, he was leaping in the air toward his bed, shifting as he made the jump, and a wolf landed dead center on his mattress.
The young wolf hopped off the bed, with his smooth dark mane, and trotted over to his friend to rub his head on Alexander's leg.
He was hoping for a few head rubs for his effort.
Alexander was speechless.
"What? How did? You were being serious. Please, teach me how to do that. Wait, that means Ayla is a wolf too. Oh, I am not going to be the one who tells her," he said.
He started shaking his hands back and forth.
Julius knew it was probably time to change back so his friend would quit talking to himself, even if it was fun to watch and listen to.
This would be the second time shifting back, and he really didn't want to make a fool of himself.
'Here goes nothing,' he thought to himself as he jumped for his bed, wishing his human body changed and landed lying in an easily concealable position.
You can't always get what you wish for, though.