Alexander was quick to pin the blame on Julius for acting solo, but he was just as much at fault.
Julius knew he had to spell it out for Alexander, who was struggling to understand how his own actions had led their business to the club, just as Julius's had.
"When you brought her here to live with us, you didn't ask me or even give me a heads-up. She just arrived with you, and suddenly she was living here under our protection. It made our home feel unsafe, like danger had been invited in. Those men started sniffing around our club... trouble we didn't need. You brought that into the club, and then you took her there, too."
He glanced at Ayla. "It's not that I mind you going to the club, and I don't care that you live here. Honestly, a lot of good has come from you being around. This isn't about you, so please don't take it personally. I just need him to realize he's done exactly what I did, only with less information than I had."
It was hard not to take it personally, but she nodded so he could continue.
He went back to addressing Alexander.
"You took her there knowing exactly what was going on, bringing that drama into our club. You were making your own decisions about the apartment, the club, and our future. You didn't tell me anything... in fact, you often did the opposite of what I asked. I've kept you informed every step of the way, whether we discussed it or not. So, who's really trying harder to stick to our pact?"
Alexander felt about as big as an ant.
"Sorry about that. I know I haven't been pulling my weight lately, but I'll make it right."
He knew that Julius was right.
It wasn't often that the two of them disagreed or got into an argument.
In truth, it never actually happened, but Julius was obviously letting him off the hook for several things because of Ayla.
Not only that, his friend had been covering for him.
Lately, he hadn't been pulling his weight in their business or friendship, and neither of them had said a thing.
His best friend was being a best friend and pushing forward and being a true boss, not just at the Club, but with everything.
Julius was barely aware of anything else, his mind consumed entirely by thoughts of Ayla.
"So, what's next?" Alexander asked.
"Keep moving forward. The men will meet me at Scarlet Fever soon for their trial shift, and one of us needs to be there," Julius replied.
Ayla hadn't expected to hear that from either of them.
With the tension in the air and the anger brewing, a fight between the two seemed inevitable.
She was certain she'd be thrown out, or they'd part ways for good.
Yet, she couldn't stop herself from speaking.
"I'm sorry, but what?"
Both men stared at her, expecting her to continue.
The room was quiet.
When it became obvious they were all waiting on her, she spoke again.
"That can't be all. You're both upset with each other, and neither of you acted in the other's best interest. Can you really just let it slide after putting each other at risk? Just move on as if nothing happened? What's done is done?"
A knowing grin spread across Alexander's face.
He understood why she was struggling to make sense of it.
"That's not what you're picking up on. We didn't clash or hurt each other—we just forgot to communicate. It's not that we have an issue with what the other person did. Honestly, his plan is pretty brilliant, I…"
Suddenly, he was cut off.
Julius's voice rang out, "Aww, thanks, buddy. Glad you're on board."
Alexander rolled his eyes.
"No problem. I would've said something sooner, but I was just annoyed I wasn't involved in making it. Planning's always my favorite part, so I felt a bit left out. Still, it's better than feeling like you two are teaming up on me," he finished, raising an eyebrow at Ayla.
"Don't look at me. That was your own fault. Handcuffs, really," she said.
Having been on the receiving end of Ayla's lessons before, Julius spoke up.
"I have to agree, when she teamed up with you against me, I wanted to crawl under a rock. It felt just like mom and dad grounding me for missing curfew, definitely not an experience I want to repeat."
Ayla and Alexander exchanged a glance before turning to him, their faces puzzled.
He simply shook his head.
"When I didn't come home from the club that night in a 'timely' manner, the one I went running in wolf form with Dominic on."
"Oooh," they exclaimed together, bursting into laughter.
Now that she had a better grasp of what was going on between the two, she felt more at ease.
"Speaking of the club and Dominic, what roles did you decide they'd take on again?" she asked, as if she had any clue.
Alexander was all ears.
"Actually, I'm curious too".
"Short and to the point, I tested Phoenix and Raphael—they're young and decent-looking, and I think they'll make good bartenders. The other two can use their muscles, stealth, and ability to spot danger to help the bouncers. As I mentioned earlier, tonight is meant to be their trial run, as long as you're on board."
Alexander gave him a questioning look.
"Would it make a difference if I didn't? Seems like the plan's already in motion. Not that I'm against it, anyway."
It was as if Alexander knew what was coming as he looked at Julius and shook his head.
By then, he was starting to believe he might be psychic.
His glare made it clear to Julius that he saw what was coming.
"So, does that mean I can go to the club now?"
Both men stared at her as if she had completely lost it.
"Are you out of your mind?" Julius blurted before he could stop himself. "We've got a fortress here for you, and you just want to stroll into danger like it's no big deal. Why are we even bothering?"
Suddenly, he realized what his friend had been going through.
She seemed oblivious to everything happening around her, almost as if she went looking for trouble.
Alexander stifled a laugh, covering his mouth with his hand to hide it.
"You're doing this because you care about me. And you're building a team to protect me, not keep me prisoner. But is it really fair to lock me up? There are six of you watching me, and they were all the ones chasing me before... so if you're all here, who's left to chase me now? Thanks for that, by the way. If I have to run again, I will," she said, crossing her arms like a stubborn child.
For someone who claimed she didn't want to be a princess, she was certainly acting like one in that moment.
Alexander glanced at his friend, waiting for a reply.
"So, this is what you've been dealing with while I've been cleaning up the chaos outside?"
Alexander gave a nod. "Yep."
Without thinking, Julius blurted out, "Man, I knew she was good, but wow."
Alexander wasn't about to admit it wasn't always like that, not when the sympathy was rolling in.
Meanwhile, Ayla's patience was wearing thin.
"Hey, I'm right here," she said, giving Alexander's shoulder a light swat.
"And no, I'm not always like this. Most of the time, he actually enjoys my company," she added with a knowing smirk.
Alexander took a deep breath, steadying himself before speaking up for Ayla.
"Whatever the case, Ayla's right. It's not fair to keep her locked away just because someone might cause trouble."
Julius stared at him in disbelief.
He chuckled and said, "Look at you, completely whipped. All she has to do is say she wants something, and it happens. Do you realize the last time she talked you into taking her to the club, it turned into a disaster?"
Alexander paused, considering the events of her last outing.
"Was it? I remember us being fine. And look, you found your dad, your wolf, and now you've got a team backing you. None of that would've happened if she hadn't talked me into taking her to the club."
Ayla narrowed her eyes at him, and he knew exactly why.
Those ideas were hers, and he'd taken them.
He kissed her forehead in thanks but had no plans to let his friend know she'd played a part.
His kiss seemed to soothe her gaze, quieting the thoughts that had been on the verge of tumbling from her lips.
Still, Julius couldn't do much else but agree.
"Fine. But whatever happens is on you for agreeing to this madness."
Julius knew arguing was pointless.
And, in fairness, Alexander had a point.
Nothing bad actually happened, at least not that time.
Ayla recognized the look of defeat instantly; she'd seen it plenty of times before.
Suddenly, she leapt off the couch, excitement bubbling over, and let out a squeal.
"YAY, this is the best day ever!"
She couldn't hide her excitement as she dashed over and wrapped her arms around Julius's neck, grateful for his permission to go to the club.
It wasn't that she needed it; she just liked having it.
He relished the warm embrace that always came with her hugs, and this time was no exception.
Still, she was absolutely determined to hit the club.
At least this time, he knew she was leaving the apartment and where she was headed.
His agreement made everything feel just right.
Ayla didn't think going would upset Alexander or Julius.
She even felt like part of the team as they discussed whether it was okay for her to join.
Sure, she didn't really say much during the conversation, but she was there.
She started to feel at home.
Safe.
It was time to head to the club and watch the team in action.
As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for.
Ayla felt a mix of excitement and nerves.
Would they have a smooth night, or would it turn into yet another disaster?
This time, with several trained people on her side, it had to go better, right?
With Ayla and all the guys ready, they headed down the street together.
Alexander, Julius, Dominic, Mason, Phoenix, and Raphael were all dressed alike in fitted black shirts, dark blue jeans, and black boots.
It wasn't unusual for the four newcomers to wear a uniform, but this one felt a bit different to them.
They weren't sure if they liked it yet, or if they even knew how to move comfortably in the new pants, but they figured they'd get the hang of it.
Whether they were ready or not, they followed the leader, who currently appeared to be the young Ayla in a dark knee-length, summer dress and white shoes.
Her dress was slightly nicer than usual, yet still true to her signature style.
Her hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, exposing her neck and making her collarbones stand out in an effortlessly alluring way.
The strangest thing was that she had no idea about any of it.
She looked stunning, the outfit flattering her figure perfectly, and Phoenix, Raphael, and Julius tried their hardest not to stare.
They all trailed behind her, eyes fixed on the sway of her ponytail as she strolled along with a cheerful air, trying to catch her scent.
Unmated and undeniably fierce, she stirred something primal in their wolves, making them act, well, like wolves.
At that moment, none of them could catch her or Alexander's scent, and they had no idea why.
Before long, they arrived at the club, where all the young wolves, except Julius, were grinning.
Julius had a gut feeling, as his instincts screamed to him that the whole night was a bad idea, but he kept it to himself.
He just wanted to see Ayla happy.
And she was, absolutely.
Pure joy radiated from her as she stepped through the front doors, letting the music wash over her.
How had she let so much slip away while just getting by?
From that moment on, she vowed to truly live, no matter what.
She took Alexander's hand and pulled him straight to the center of the dance floor.
In no time at all, she had him dancing like they didn't have a care in the world, and all their worries seemed to vanish with the beats pulsing through them.
Ayla didn't care who was around or watching, though maybe she should have.