Danger seemed to follow Ayla wherever she went.
This time was no different.
She was always on the run and always being chased.
The only difference this time was that she had help.
Guilt crept in as she looked over to her companions, wondering if they knew just what they signed up for when they agreed to join her on the trip.
The words that Titan had whispered in her ear ran through her head, "Bite me."
What could that possibly do to help her, or him?
There had to be something to it that made him want her to do it when danger came for them.
He was panicking; she could sense it.
Titan was desperate for her to bite him, but she wasn't sure why, or what it might do.
One thing she wasn't used to doing was letting fear dictate her decisions, but this time, maybe he knew what he was doing.
She looked around as her fangs dropped down for the first time since she found her wolf.
It was a sensation that made her feel alive, and she quickly dropped them onto his shoulder.
The feeling that soared through her heightened her senses, allowing her wolf to be in its full strength.
Biting Titan wasn't a one-sided benefit, though.
What Ayla didn't know was that it gave him a connection to her, so be able to feel her and find her.
It would only be temporary without a full mating bite from both of them, but Titan hoped that it would get them through whatever was coming their way.
High off the bite, Ayla looked over to the ladies of the group.
Rhae and Stella didn't look scared, but they were on high alert.
Raphael and Phoenix seemed to trap the ladies behind their backs together in a sort of cage as they looked around to find whoever was stalking them.
Alexander, on the other hand, knew exactly what he was facing.
He wasted no time getting to Ayla and placed himself strategically on the other side of her to make the same barrier with Titan to protect the prized wolf.
She felt she would never be free of her curse as she looked deep into the trees with the others in her group, trying to decipher just how many wolves were closing in on them.
Titan was able to feel the unease seeping through her mind.
How she felt the whole thing was her fault, but he couldn't do anything in that moment without letting the others know what he had done.
Tipping her human nose in the air, sniffing, trying to get any kind of clue to help them, she finally did it.
With her senses magnified, she could smell everything.
Something in her brain clicked as she could just the right stream of air as it went across her nostrils.
"I know one of them, I think," she whispered.
Alexander and Titan both looked at her with a confused look.
There was no way in hell Ayla could know any of the Moonlight Shifter pack.
She had only ever been in Scarlet Crest as far as they both knew.
"How do you know one of the wolves from this pack?"
Alexander was quick to let his jealousy out to play yet again.
Titan failed to hide the smirk that found his face.
"Now is not the time for that. Who is it that you recognize, Ayla?"
Ayla was searching the woods with her eyes towards the area from which the scent came.
"Well, the Alpha's son. ORION," she yelled, "COME AND TALK TO ME FACE TO FACE."
The whole group looked at her in shock.
Raphael, the voice of reason, was the first to speak, "Ayla, what the hell are you doing?"
"If he already knows we are here, and he is out here, why not have him come talk to us. I don't plan on letting him stalk us all night. Do you?"
She had a point.
Ayla wasn't one to sit and wait for things to happen to her.
If something was going to go down, she was going to make sure she turned it in her favor.
Get the upper hand in any way she could.
This put it in her court, so to speak, so it wasn't a bad plan.
They couldn't run, because from the smell of it, they were surrounded.
Their best bet was to see what they wanted and how many wolves had come to greet them.
After a few moments of silence, the sound of a branch snapping could be heard from where Ayla was looking.
Both Titan and Alexander stepped in front of Ayla.
"Isn't this a surprise. Not that you're here. Obviously, I knew it wouldn't take you long. The surprise is having him by your side," Orion said as he pointed toward Titan.
"You expected me to come?" Ayla asked.
"Of course I did. I knew once Julius decided to come with us that you all would be here shortly after. So gullible that one. Came so easily."
Alexander was stepping forward after that, "What did you do to get him to come with you? Where is he? Is he safe?"
"He's fine. He's in town. My mom is with him. I can take you all to him tomorrow."
Ayla didn't like that answer, "Why not tonight. Why do we have to wait until tomorrow?"
"Were you not going to wait until tomorrow to come to town anyway? I think it's perfectly reasonable to wait until tomorrow and not wake people up. That being said, you are more than welcome to come into the territory town and sleep in beds. Get clothes. Food."
Ayla looked to the others for answers, because for once she didn't know what to do.
She couldn't tell if it was a trap, if they were being played, or if he was being sincere.
"Titan, guys, girls, what do you say? Do you go with them?"
Phoenix looked around at the wolves now visibly surrounding them, "I don't think we have much of a choice."
"You have a choice," Orion said smugly.
Phoenix chimed back, "A real choice. I think it will be nicer if we go willingly."
"Mom, or Luna to you, told me that you were coming, but that you were also bringing a lost member and a new member home. Willingness is always nice. I would hate to frighten the ladies. We still have to judge your true intentions. We do have a pack to protect."
Titan gave Orion a knowing look before walking forward with the group.
He was a surprise factor that Orion hadn't been counting on, and the next Alpha in waiting wasn't sure just how that would play out.
This was the first time four of them would ever step foot in pack territory, and they were excited in a way.
Stella and Rhae were almost giddy to see where Stella was born, and to see if her parents might be there somewhere.
How would it feel to find them?
Orion knew tracing her lineage was part of their mission and did his best to keep their attention on that as they walked toward their housing for their stay.
"We will work as quickly as possible to find your parents, Ms. Stella, if that's what you want. I'm sure they would love to have you back or at least know you are alive and well."
Stella's face lit up with the fires from the torches they were passing.
The one thing the cursed wolves noticed as they walked through the town was that it didn't seem to have electricity, which made sense because it kept them off human radars.
Wolves and the packs seemed to be self-sufficient off the land and what they could produce from nature.
It seemed to appeal to all of them as they approached the building, where they would be staying.
A large wooden house that held several rooms.
"Does Julius not stay in this house too?" Alexander asked.
Orion raised an eyebrow, "No. Unfortunately, the house he is in is full. This one is large enough for the lot of you. Tomorrow. You will see him tomorrow. There has been food put on the kitchen table for you. Candles have been lit in the kitchen, hallways, and bedroom. If you need more, just call to me."
Ayla didn't trust him or his answer.
"Tomorrow."
With that, they were led into the house, and the door closed behind them.
Ayla placed an ear to the door and listened with everything she had.
It was clear that nothing was said verbally, but there were at least two wolves stationed outside the door to watch over them.
They had willingly walked into a glorified prison, essentially.
It was for Julius, though.
As long as they got Julius in the end, it would all be worth it.
Now, they were close to him.
All they had to do was lay eyes on him, and they could save him.
With nothing left to do that night, they chose to eat the food left for them, then try to get some sleep.
They would be able to get through whatever they face in the morning if they were fed and rested.
The next question was, where was everyone sleeping?
There were five beds, so that helped.
Alexander, who took the room closest to the front door, Ayla, then Titan, who took the room closest to the back door.
That left two rooms between Alexander and Ayla's rooms.
Raphael and Rhae went to one room, the Stella and Phoenix.
Since Alexander was the first, he stood in the doorway to watch as the others made their way to their rooms for the night.
He didn't trust Titan, and he trusted him even less sleeping in the same house as her with a pack that he seemed to be close with.
It didn't escape his ears that Orion seemed to point out that it was surprising that Titan was with them.
Why did it surprise him?
How did Orion know Titan?
The Crescent Moon pack members never leave their territory, so he shouldn't be known by anyone.
Alexander just needed to keep quiet and watch.
Eventually, he would slip and give him what he needed.
Hopefully, it would be before Titan got what he wanted.
Once everyone was in their rooms, Alexander finally went into his and called it a night, blowing out the candle that lit up his room.
Stella and Rhae were two amped up about being within the pack boundaries to even attempt to give the guys what they really wanted that night, while they chatted their ears off about every little thing they thought they saw about the town.
The structures, the nature, the size, everything.
Neither of them could wait to see it in the daylight, with the members walking about, enjoying the ins and outs of living in such a wonderful place.
Ayla, on the other hand, had other things on her mind.
One thing in particular.
She was raging with sensations that she was having a hard time controlling.
Every bit of lust that Titan was feeling was soaring through her veins.
There wasn't an inch of her skin that didn't feel amazing as she lay in bed, tracing it with the tips of her fingers, letting the feeling take her over.
Unaware that he could feel what she was feeling as his lust took her over, she became a mess of heat, slipping out of her clothes effortlessly.
Ayla began to throb between her legs, as moisture began to build, as one hand continued to caress her skin, and another started massaging her breasts.
Her skin never felt better to her than it had in that moment, as her nipples hardened from her touch.
The hand that was caressing her skin began to move its way to find the warmth that was building in her core.
She was so deep in the sensation of her own feelings and body that she didn't hear the door when Titan entered, but she felt his presence in the room.
He could feel her through the connection of the bite, and he couldn't stop himself from at least going and looking.
The site before his eyes was one of pure ecstasy.
Ayla was sprawled out on the bed, one hand on her breast, one hand half disappeared between her legs, as a moan slipped from her lips.
If she wouldn't let him have her yet, this was the next best thing.
Her hand slipped up her lower stomach slightly, glistening as it did, before she used the tip of her middle finger to rub her clit, then her hand disappeared again as she let out another moan.
Ayla turned her head slightly, and she opened her eyes to look at Titan.
She sensed him standing there, full of desire to make her his, but she didn't care.
It felt so good to touch herself that she didn't want to stop.
Just then, she started moving her hand faster and harder as she stared at him, circling the sweet spot just inside as liquid began to pour out.
The sound that came with it made it clear that she had more than pleased herself, but he already knew that through the connection.
With one final moan, she began to fully relax and pulled her hand up, using her index finger to call Titan over to her.
When he got close enough, she used the hand that was on her breast and opened his mouth.
Then, without hesitation, she placed the two wet fingers into his mouth and pushed his mouth closed.
"Suck them clean."
He did as she asked, releasing them with a small popping sound when he was finished.
"You taste so good."
Ayla smirked, "You can go now. I think I'm ready to go to bed."
"That's not what you want. I can feel what you want. You want to be pleased. Let me please you."
"No. Just because you can feel how much I want to fuck you right now, doesn't mean I'm willing to. I'm going to bed. You should too. I have a friend to save tomorrow."
Titan shook his head, "One day you'll give in to your desires. On that day, I'll be here. I'm going to tell you, though, I don't think tomorrow is going to be as easy as you think. They want you. Probably more than me...Nah, I definitely want you more," he laughed and walked out of the room.
Before he disappeared, he looked back at her one more time to look her up and down, smirked, then closed the door behind him.
He left Ayla with words that swirled through her mind, and they only made her furious.