Ayla had done an amazing job at controlling the conversation, so far, until Alexander looked at her dress.
She made them feel all kinds of guilt for leaving her behind and going on a hunt, and was enjoying herself while doing it, too, until she remembered that she wasn't innocent.
Ayla wasn't about to let it show, though.
Alexander hadn't known her that long, and he wasn't sure of her whole wardrobe, but none of them had been that shade before.
It was too bright and stood out too much.
The dress made her stand out more than usual.
"What if it is? Does it matter? I wanted something different. If my life is expanding in friends and activities, my wardrobe should expand too".
Alexander couldn't argue with that, but Ayla was gone longer than to get a simple dress, and how did she get it?
The question was whether she would tell him the truth about her day or not.
"You were gone longer than that. We watched the tapes and saw when you left. How could you leave Dominic like that when you were supposed to be taking care of him"?
Dominic was sitting on the bed with his hands raised when Ayla looked at him.
He was making it clear he didn't say a word.
She looked back at Alexander.
"You just assume because I'm a female that I'm a caretaker and that's my job"?
All the other men lost their eyebrows as they now met their hairline, eyes and ears glued, waiting for his response.
"Not at all. You jumped into doing it so quickly when we got here and essentially shooed us away. I assumed you were going to stay with him, safe".
"Well. I guess you 'assumed' wrong. You know what they say about assuming, don't you"?
Alexander looked defeated, "Yeah".
She was ready to end the conversation while she was still ahead.
"You didn't tell me where you went, so I didn't say anything to you. I still don't know what you really did. Maybe we should keep it that way".
Ayla went to grab the dishes in an effort to clean up Dominic's nightstand, but both Alexander and Julius knew that her words and current actions meant she had done something dangerous.
Raphael and Phoenix were watching, very curious just what was going on, and what they signed up for.
Alexander looked at Julius, and they nodded at each other in confirmation before Julius spoke.
"We chased the wolf that attacked Dominic back to his territory, that's it, now spill. Where were you? Every detail".
She had a devilish grin, "I told you; I'm expanding my network. Socializing if you will".
Alexander knew this was just the tip of it.
"How? Who did you meet with"?
Ayla loved that he was starting to understand her so well, but at the same time, she wasn't able to get away with much.
"Shaw and Orion".
Simultaneously, all the men in the room could be heard, Dominic included.
"WHAT"!
"Calm down. It wasn't really a meeting. You went hunting in the woods. I went hunting in town. It appears I might be a better hunter because I caught my prey and got what I wanted. They aren't aware of it either".
Phoenix was confused.
"What does that mean"?
Alexander spoke up.
"It means she stalked them, listened from a distance to them, and got what she needed without them knowing she was there".
He was shaking his head, and then she laughed.
"You're half right. I did that at first. Then, when I realized something was up, I hopped down and joined their private meeting".
She continued and told them how it went and how she ended it.
It was nice to think back on how much she enjoyed playing mind games on the two men until they realized who she was.
Men always thought they were smarter than her, without ever meeting her, and it irritated her.
The one thing that stood out to her was that they would have pursued her, but they chose not to for one simple, sad fact.
Hell, he would have pursued her, but they thought she was meant for their lost son that they mourned.
Alexander was in shock.
"What were you thinking. After what Mason just did, you put yourself right in front of another person from that pack"?
His possessive wolf side was starting to grow inside.
Being around such a strong, unmated female was getting to him, to all of them, but they hadn't noticed the minuscule changes yet.
Ayla rolled her eyes.
"Weren't you listening? He isn't really a part of the Deep Fang Pack anymore. Orion accepted him into his pack before I made my presence known. Something isn't right with all of it. I get that. What I do know is that Shaw left his pack".
Phoenix looked to Dominic, who was back to just listening, then looked back to Ayla.
"So, since you did all that. What is it that you have planned? Obviously, you didn't confirm whether Mason was alive or dead. You didn't tell them you have help of any kind. All they know now is that you are smart, capable, and know about them".
Ayla looked to him, pleased that he was asking her for once what she thought.
That was the first time any of them had respected her enough to actually ask her how she wanted to move forward.
"I plan on watching them to see what they do now. I am supposed to work for the next three evenings in the boutique to pay this dress off. By then, it will be clear what Orion's intentions are".
Julius was standing and walking toward her when he saw his roommate.
Alexander started shaking his head.
"I'm sorry, what? Any other completely unsafe ideas, actions, or plans you want to share with the class while we are all here"?
Ayla didn't know what he was talking about.
"Alexander, what part of what I said is so outlandish"?
Julius spoke up though.
"With everything going on, you think it's okay to just go and work for three evenings. We are just supposed to stand around you and not draw attention or leave you defenseless. Did you think that through at all"?
As Julius finished speaking, Alexander looked down to see the bag that her old dress was in.
Seeing the name, he looked up at her, "I'll be back".
Ayla actually hadn't thought about it.
She had just seen the dress and didn't know how else to get it.
Without funds, her options were limited.
Looking to the others, she was truly upset.
"I wasn't thinking. It wasn't my intent to put any of you in harm's way, I just...".
Raphael was walking over to hug her, the big teddy bear that he really was, as tears were starting to build in her eyes.
"It's okay. I personally know that you have been alone for nearly nineteen years now. If anyone thinks they know more about you, they are willing to try to battle me. It will take time for everyone to adjust. Don't worry about it. The kinks will work themselves out. Isn't that right, Dominic".
He was now fully aware that the injured man was capable of speaking.
"That's right, growing pains expected as we are expanding. That's all they are, growing pains".
Ayla didn't feel any better at all, but she was able to stop the tears that had begun rolling down her face.
She hugged Raphael and told the three men it was their shift to keep an eye on Dominic as she went to walk out of the apartment.
Julius and Phoenix stopped her by standing in front of her and giving her an intimidating stare.
"I just want to go and lie down. I'm exhausted. Watch me on the monitors if you need to, I really don't care", pushing between them as she finished.
She was embarrassed more than anything and wanted to curl into a ball and fall asleep.
Ayla desperately wished this had all been one massive nightmare, and when she woke up, none of it would have happened.
The night was long, and the day even longer.
Feeling emotional and drained, she headed to her bed for a nap.
As she slept, answers seemed to fill her dreams.
Ayla knew what she wanted to do.
At the same time, Julius ended up watching over Dominic alone.
The same two women from, now multiple occasions before, were visiting Phoenix and Raphael.
Raphael was the first to say something smart.
"You know, if you ladies are going to keep coming, especially to our new apartments, we should at least know your names. Beautiful, gorgeous, love, and pet names only go but so far. Just like handsome and babe".
The one with red hair looked at him, surprised.
"We exchanged names the first night, didn't we"?
Phoenix looked worried.
"I don't remember if we did, but just in case I'm Phoenix".
She looked relieved.
"Oh, thank the goddess, I couldn't remember either. I'm Stella, Stella Lycaon. Boy, am I so happy I met you" she said, giggling.
The one with Raphael chimed in to join.
"Well, since they were so drunk they don't remember, I don't feel so bad. My name is Rhae, Rhae Moon. Pleasure is all mine, I assure you".
"Raphael" he said, visibly pleased with himself.
Stella was the first to speak up after that.
"So, are you two like best friends"?
Raphael answered her.
"You could say that. We are more like brothers than best friends, just without the blood link".
Rhae seemed happy with that answer as she replied.
"That makes things so much easier for us then, because we are the same. Neither of us goes anywhere without the other. We are essentially inseparable. It's like we can feel when we need each other".
Raphael and Phoenix looked at each other but didn't say anything for a moment.
'Something is off about these two. I have a weird feeling' Raphael thought and wished for Phoenix to hear it.
'Yeah, I feel like something is off myself. I agree, do it' Phoenix thought.
"Do you want to meet someone" Raphael asked.
Rhae was suddenly concerned.
"What do you mean? Who"?
Realizing the girls were uncomfortable, they wanted to make things seem normal, in case it was nothing.
Raphael made an attempt to calm them down.
"Our dad. It's my dad, but he took him under his wing when he was four, so it's like his dad too".
The girls weren't sure why the men wanted them to meet their dad so soon, or all of a sudden, but they didn't feel right saying no.
Stella spoke up.
"I guess we can do that".
Phoenix jumped in.
"Don't be so worried. We are all really close. Living wise too. He was the one who showed you girls to us in the first place. He lives just a floor away. Come on"!
Stella was quick to reply.
"Wait, what made you guys decide to live here. When we first met you, the two of you were in the hotel. You both said that it was temporary. What changed"?
Phoenix chuckled.
"Everything. Everything changed. Our group started expanding, which includes you ladies. How could we ever leave you two behind"?
Stella rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, right. Most of that may be true, but you didn't say for us".
Phoenix looked like she had just stolen candy right from his mouth.
"How dare you accuse me of lying about not wanting to leave the precious goddess of a woman that only visits nearly every night".
He was holding her tight against him as he finished speaking.
She lifted an eyebrow at him.
"Maybe. But we weren't the reason the two of you moved here. It wasn't even in your thoughts at the moment you decided. Not the main reasons anyway".
He knew she wasn't wrong.
"Shall we go and meet the man of the hour now"?
They nodded in agreement.
Both men knew something was different about them, but they weren't sure what it was.
The group of four was headed down the hall of the first floor, the two men, each holding the hand of a woman they felt was a prize.
Even their wolves liked the company of these women.
Hell, they both have had to already retract their fangs while orgasming at least once.
They had it bad.
Pride swelled in both of their chests as they approached Dominic's door.
"KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK"