With so many things happening so quickly, Dominic lost track of his team.
"Damn it, Raphael and Phoenix... I don't remember seeing them," he thought, "I've never left my men behind."
Julius stayed silent, unsure how to make things better.
All he could see was desperation etched on Dominic's face.
Dominic was spiraling.
"What if something happened to them while that man distracted me?"
It was clear that Dominic held major disdain for Mason.
The thought gnawed at him that maybe Mason knew something; the tone in his voice, the matter-of-fact way he spoke, made it seem like he did.
Had he been played by the one man who could stand toe to toe with him?
More than that, Dominic had a weakness now, more than just his men.
Mason knew about his son.
How could Dominic keep his own son safe with so many things being in such disarray?
Panic, unfamiliar to the grizzled old general, was clawing its way back in as he rubbed his forehead harshly.
"I can help if you tell me what you need," Julius offered.
Dominic was quick to respond, his voice low and weary.
"You'll have to trust me for that. We need to wait for that to happen over time," he said, turning toward the crowded club.
Julius couldn't believe the words he'd just heard.
He was giving the old man the benefit of the doubt, yet he said no.
Did he really mean that much to Dominic?
If they were trying to use him, that would have been the prime time, right?
Maybe Ayla was wrong about him trying to trick or trap him; he could have done it right there.
Not sure what to do, Julius threw himself against the wall to hold him up, pressing his head into it.
Finding his father was something he never thought possible.
Now, his father was walking away from him.
This should have been a happy moment, a time for celebration and learning who they really were to each other.
He'd gone so long without knowing the details of his life.
Could he just let him go?
Was that what was for the best for him, for Ayla?
Why did he feel the need to put Ayla's well-being before his own, making her more important than him?
Then, it occurred to him that there was a reason Dominic walked away.
He was smart.
Standing with Julius put a target on all of them, including Julius's friends, in the long run.
Should he stay in the back, out of sight, to protect his friends, Dominic, Raphael, and Phoenix?
Julius realized Dominic was trying to shield them from the fit, and the thought made him feel cursed.
More like Ayla than he could have ever imagined.
Was that how Ayla was feeling the night before?
Suddenly, guilt crept in for how he'd made her feel.
It wasn't him that was cursed, and he knew it.
Ayla carried that burden.
Now, he understood her pain, the need to run, to protect others, and he felt genuine sympathy for her.
There were still too many unknowns, but one thing was clear: Dominic was right.
That sparked an idea in Julius.
His office wasn't far, and he had hidden camera monitors in his desk.
Invisible eyes could give him the edge he needed.
Determined to reduce the number of unknowns, he hurried down the hall to his office and moved to his desk.
With a press of his hand on its edge, a TV rose from the surface, revealing the monitors.
Suddenly, his eyes began to sweep the crowds, searching for the two men Mason had seen entering the club.
At first, it wasn't obvious who they were, but then he spotted Dominic and Mason back on their stools, as if nothing had happened.
He began to wonder if there was any real threat at all, or if it was a show to earn his trust, as Ayla had worried.
Zooming in, Julius focused on them until he noticed two other men nearby, similar in build to the ones at the bar but slightly smaller and younger.
Their clothing matched what Dominic's crew had worn the night before, which piqued Julius's interest.
He knew there were the ones in question when they started towards the others, smirking.
Julius focused in, listening more closely.
"What brings you two to a place like this?"
one of them sneered, with his military-style haircut framing very light brown hair that thickened slightly on the top.
He was modestly attractive with his strong jaw, manly features, and blue eyes fixed intently, a straight, narrow nose above full lips, all surrounded by stubble.
"I could ask you the same," Dominic fired back, "Clearly, we're dressed for two separate events."
The two men looked like they'd just stepped off a military base, but not in standard uniforms, tight black shirts showing off defined muscles, black cargo pants, and black boots.
It was obvious they were on a mission, just as Dominic had been the night before.
Now, seated at the bar, Dominic and Mason had opted to enjoy their time with a more relaxed look:
loose, casual button-down shirts, khaki shorts, and, of all things, flip flops.
"I wasn't aware your Alpha had approved vacation time," one of the men said sharply toward Mason.
"He didn't," Mason snapped, lacing his voice with sarcasm.
Then, deciding to push further, he added a little grin, "Sometimes, when you know the mission's a failure, you make choices for yourself."
Unseen, Julius listened through the hidden cameras, piecing together that Mason must be speaking some truth.
The conversation was itching a scratch on his brain that Julius needed it, something he couldn't ignore.
One of the mystery men looked concerned by his response.
The quieter one stepped forward, his light brown hair slightly longer on top, green eyes fixed on the generals.
His features were rugged, his presence a tough more intimidating to Julius, who watched silently from beside his partner, watching, listening.
He stood just a bit taller, a fraction broader, with muscles to match.
A deep, smooth voice broke the silence.
"What do you mean?"
Mason had no trouble explaining it to him.
"I mean, there's a question that's been eating away at me. Your answer is very important. What did Alpha Declan and Luna Cressida say about the mission and that girl?"
The two men exchanged uncertain glances.
"Not much," said the one with the longer hair who had stepped forward.
"I might know a little," the other added.
The man closest to the trio glanced back at the man with the shortest hair.
Neither man seemed eager to speak, and Julius leaned forward in anticipation.
The one in the front, more like the middle, finally spoke.
"We were just told to get her. My Alpha never spoke to us about any details. There are rumors, but..." he was stopped.
The other man spoke up.
"Orion, my Alpha, told me it was important not to let anyone know that she was his daughter. More importantly, Alpha Declan said we only had a few days to bring her home," he finished with his head down.
Orion stared at his partner, confused.
"Damnit, Shaw. Why didn't you say anything? Why would your Alpha hide things like that from me, and why would you? We're supposed to be a team," Orion said, giving Shaw's shoulder a light slap.
Shaw dropped his head in shame before responding to his partner.
"I wasn't allowed to. We only have permission to do the scouting together. Other than that, I can't tell you anything. I wish I could," Shaw said, a tone of sadness in his voice.
"What about our pack alliance, between the packs?"
Shaw's eyes grew larger, making Orion realize where they were.
Alliances were dangerous, and most steered clear they tended to not work out.
They were clearly younger than Dominic and Mason, something even more obvious after hearing them speak.
Were they the same age as Julius, Alexander, and Ayla?
No, there had to be at least a few years between them.
Still, something about their conversation that caught everyone's attention.
"You two only scout together," Dominic asked, pretending he didn't hear about the alliance.
The two men nodded in sync.
"Wait, does my Alpha know?" Orion questioned.
Shaw's expression tightened with concern.
"You can't tell your Alpha. None of you can. Please," he begged.
For a wolf, he didn't show the qualities that Julius had seen up to that point.
He appeared weak and spineless as he begged the others to shield his pack's secret.
Still curious about the two men before them, Dominic and Mason investigated further.
They lifted their noses, scents swirling in the air, hints of honey, a trace of orange blossom, and cedar.
More questions than answers entered their minds.
'Different packs! And they are scouting together.' They thought in unison.
This had to be because time was running out.
"Where are your generals?" Mason asked.
"There's a tip circulating that the girl was spotted a good two to three days from here. Closer to the Black Forest towns. Most generals, I assumed, went to follow that," Orion replied with a shrug.
Both Generals felt an unexpected lump in their throats, making it hard to swallow.
Orion suddenly had a question of his own.
"That being said, what are two Generals like you still doing here?" Orion asked with an eyebrow raised.
They'd known the question was coming.
"I was feeling a little under the weather and needed a day or two to recover," Dominic lied quickly.
Mason let out a little cough, "Must be contagious because I started feeling it too," he added.
The two young men didn't look amused.
"We were sent to see why you stopped here. If it's enough to make you visit, Alpha Seff, Alpha Ulfric, and Alpha Declan wanted to know why. Plus, we don't get sick. Come up with a better lie," Shaw scolded as he went to leave.
If Julius hadn't been petrified, he'd be laughing uncontrollably.
They knew that Dominic and Mason were lying, and they would probably stick around to find out why.
Unfortunately, Julius worried now more than ever about his friend's safety.
"BBUUUZZZZZ," he hit a buzzer on his desk.
A young bartender came walking in moments later.
"Ask these two gentlemen to come to my office. That one knows where it is," he pointed.
"Yes, sir," she said, leaving through the door just as swiftly as she'd entered.
As he waited, he just kept telling himself that the night was almost over.
'Just hand in a little longer.'
Sitting there and doing nothing wasn't an option, so he rewound the tape, searching for Phoenix and Raphael.
Julius needed to know what happened to them so he could rest a little easier.
Just as the two men walked through the door, he caught a glimpse of the "lost lambs" exiting the club.
He let out a desperate sigh of relief.
When did I become a freaking shepherd?
Phoenix and Raphael hadn't left alone, either.
They could have said something, anything, before they disappeared.
Still, they'd slipped away early enough to avoid being noticed by Shaw and Orion.
"Your men are safe," Julius said as the two men entered his office, his voice carrying enough confidence for Dominic to understand.
Dominic gave a reassuring nod as a way to thank him.
With that, Julius knew he'd done well, and some of the weight lifted from both their shoulders.
"Is that why you called us here?" Mason asked.
Julius raised an eyebrow and replied without hesitation.
"No".
Mason waited for him to continue.
"I was watching and listening to your conversation. I have one question."
Eyebrows were raised toward him because neither man could sense his presence.
"Is she safe?"
Mason smirked, a curl of arrogance in his expression.
"No. Quite simply, she won't be, not as long as wolves keep popping up. She doesn't know who she is, and that's her biggest weakness. Truth is, everyone wants her before she figures it out."
"What does that mean?" Julius pressed.
Mason cleared his throat, as if ready to share something important.
"She doesn't know anything about herself, boy. That means she has no idea she's a wolf. She's vulnerable. Once she finds out she's one of us, she'll be impossible to catch or control. Plus, her mate will be able to find her more easily."
Julius stifled a laugh threatening to escape.
"You clearly don't know anything about her if you think she is ever vulnerable. For entertainment purposes, let's say she does know she is a wolf. Does that stop people from wanting to kidnap her? Is that one less unknown we have to worry about?"
Mason didn't pause before replying.
"Probably not. I wouldn't know the details. It would just make it harder to get her. Wait, does she...If you do, then...are you...?"
The wheels in Mason's head started turning.
He actually thought that Julius was her fated mate.
Mason hadn't heard any whispers of a fated mating, though, so something wasn't adding up.
A knowing smirk landed on Julius's face as he clasped his hands together and crossed his legs behind his desk.
He liked the idea of pulling the wool over the eyes of the old wolf.
"Again, does any of it matter?"
In his mind, it didn't matter if it was himself or Alexander paired with Ayla, as long as it took the threat away from her.
To him, the answer would be the same.
The longer he could keep his friend's role a secret, the better, especially while gathering information.
Mason realized he was right not to follow the orders of his Alpha and stay behind.
His voice carried a defeated tone as he answered.
"I don't know. I gave up on my mission. That doesn't mean others will."
Mason turned to leave the office, but not without one more piece of advice.
"Good luck keeping her safe. You're going to need it."
With that, the old man left the office, head held high.
Julius watched him on the camera as he strolled through the club and out the front door.
Mason had no intention of moving against Dominic, and he had a feeling going after Ayla now meant doing just that.
Dominic had always been his equal and a formidable opponent, so there was no point in going against him head-on.
It wasn't just about Dominic anymore; there was a whole damn chain.
It was like Ayla had an actual wall built around her.
Going against her meant going against Julius, which meant going against Dominic, Raphael, Phoenix, and only the Moon Goddess knew who else.
That was just too much to take on.
"He's still an unknown," Dominic said after the door closed.
"So are his men," Julius added.
"Am I a fool for trying to keep this girl safe?"
Dominic's eyes grew sad as he looked at Julius.
"Probably. His men may or may not come back, but is she worth it?" Dominic asked, as any father would.
Julius didn't know what to say.
"We...The thing is..."
"You aren't mates," Dominic cut in.
Julius's absent look confirmed his suspicions as Dominic continued.
"I know. You weren't the one who jumped off the waterfall with her. Do you think I'm that stupid or just senile?"
Julius's ears dropped, and he started to speak in his defense.
"No... I would never," he began, but Dominic just laughed.
Julius blinked.
"You knew... the whole time?"
"Not the whole time," he said, once he calmed down his laughter, "At first, I wasn't sure. Why did you ask if it mattered if she knew about being a wolf? Did something happen?"
Julius was starting to wonder just how much he had in common with his father.
"That I'm aware of, no. Knowing Alexander and his knack for trouble, especially with Ayla, probably."
Dominic pinched his lips to the side, narrowing his eyes before speaking.
"What do you mean? Wait! So, I was right! There are more of you. Who is Alexander?"
Julius didn't know how much he could say.
Truth be told, Ayla scared him more than Dominic ever could.
Still, this was his father, and trust had to start somewhere, now or never.
It was his turn to take a leap of faith.
"Long story short, the guy who jumped off the waterfall. Also, the one hiding behind the bar with Ayla the other night, when she shouldn't have been in here. That girl's a magnet for trouble, cursed, if you ask me. I honestly don't know how she managed to avoid you for so long. Anyway, he's got the same exact story as Ayla and me."
He shrugged as he finished, expecting Dominic to be shocked, maybe even surprised, but instead, Dominic just looked curious.
"Elaborate," was all he said.
So, Julius did.
"Alexander doesn't know anything about his past. That's why we bonded so well at a young age. Orphans together. We co-own this club and a few other places. Live together..."
He paused, rubbing his forehead.
"Probably shouldn't have said that."
Dominic shook his head.
"It's fine. I don't need to know where you live. If it keeps Ayla safer, don't tell me."
Julius nodded.
"When I was home, I can't remember what happened exactly, but I noticed her eyes."
Dominic frowned, not understanding.
"You noticed Ayla's eyes. What does that have to do with Alexander?"
"Give me a minute," Julius said, growing impatient.
"I pulled him aside and asked him about it. He hesitated, so I showed him mine, realized he was like us, shifted, and boom, so did he."
He rushed the words, afraid of being cut off again, but also because he wasn't sure if he should be sharing about his roommates.
Dominic was sitting in his chair, trying to process the whirlwind of information.
"That girl has two werewolves protecting her, currently," he said, rubbing his forehead again, "and she doesn't even know she is a wolf yet."
Julius reminded Dominic of what he said earlier.
"Speaking of unknowns, I would keep her knowing she's a wolf as one. I said I'm not sure she doesn't know. Alexander can be an impatient guy. He doesn't like secrets, and he gets really excited. He knows what she is, and he'll want to tell her, if he hasn't already."
Dominic smiled.
"I look forward to meeting Alexander just as much as Ayla. As you said, she bested me for years. Shaking the hand of the only person to ever best me will be the highlight of my life. Tonight, too many people think you might be connected to her. I'll help make sure you're not followed home. You need to do your part, though."
He desperately wanted to tell his son everything he knew, about the curse, Ayla, all the kids, the witches, but he was terrified it would be too much for him this soon.
For now, he would wait.
Unknown to them, those weren't the only issues brewing in the wind.
The run the night before had kicked up dust that Dominic wasn't expecting.
As the men in the club were discussing the infamous Ayla, Alexander, and dangers, she was sleeping, blissfully unaware due to the exhaustion from the day's events.
Running out of fear was one thing, but running for pleasure was amazing, and equally exhausting.
She and Alexander had finally made it back inside and were nestled away in their bed, sleeping soundly.
Dominic felt like a father again for the first time in eighteen years.
He felt the sensation as he followed Julius in the shadows, from a safe distance, ensuring he was truly alone.
Nothing seemed out of place or worrisome, so Dominic would sleep easily that night.
Just across town from them, in the suite with Phoenix and Raphael, there was no sleeping going on.
The two young men had found the same two women from before and couldn't be happier.
They were taking a few trips to their favorite place as they stayed segregated in their own rooms, completely oblivious to the world around them.
Phoenix was infatuated with the redhead, with plump breasts that smelled of a warm, sweet scent that was almost like almonds or vanilla, that floated freely through his nostrils as he kissed her with nothing but lust pouring onto her lips, and every inch of her skin.
Her lotion made her skin soft and like butter to his touch.
At that point, he never wanted to leave the human town they stumbled into.
That man was willing to do whatever she asked, without a second thought.
Across the hall, Raphael was enjoying the opposite approach.
He enjoyed taking the lead, as he showed his dark-haired beauty just who was in control.
His woman, reminding him of home, with a mix of the ocean and a hint of fir trees, somehow lifted from her skin, making her smell delectable.
Raphael had no problem acting on his instincts, as he did what came naturally and ate her up.
The suite smelled strongly of sex and desire, mixed fragrances, and neither of the four people in the rooms could care less.
Dominic had finished following Julius home, opening the suite door, as the bomb of aromas was about to come crashing into him.
High spirits resided within him as he opened the door of the suite.
Suddenly, he felt like he couldn't breathe, like he was hit with an air freshener that had been supercharged with too many fragrances.
The only problem was that it wasn't a smell that you would buy.
He refused to open his nostrils, only wanting to get to his room for shelter.
Squeezing his nose, he made a beeline for his room.
"SLAM".
'Maybe it was a mistake to come to this human town.'
'All I'm doing is torturing myself, digging my hole deeper, and there's,' he sighed as he stepped onto the balcony.
The biggest unknown they had was what their future held now, with Alpha Theo, and who else knew about Julius?