With the music pulsing through her, Ayla finally felt alive, her heart beating in perfect sync with the rhythm.
Alexander didn't even think about resisting as he was pulled into the middle of the bustling crowd.
Not when it was his alluring vixen leading the way.
She was irresistibly sexy, captivating, and unlike anything he had ever seen in her before.
Wild and carefree, she moved constantly, owning the center of the dance floor.
It was hard for the rest of the team, especially Alexander, to keep their eyes off Ayla.
"Maybe that was her plan," Phoenix shrugged, calling over to Raphael as he tried to sneak another glance at her.
Even if someone was watching her, it wouldn't be hard to keep pace until she decided to vanish.
The crowd kept growing around her, captivated by the alluring woman dancing.
Men and women alike longed for even the smallest glimpse of her attention.
On top of her knack for vanishing at the drop of a hat, tracking her by scent was hopeless, and Dominic made sure she knew it.
She couldn't have cared less about any looming danger, as she soaked up the energy of those around her.
Ayla was simply enjoying her night, perhaps for the first time, and it was all with Alexander.
She jumped, bobbed, and danced to the techno-pop beats without a care for how she might look.
For a moment, she pulled Alexander off the dance floor to join her for a drink, though mainly because she wanted to sample a few herself.
Julius had been right.
Phoenix and Raphael knew how to make a great drink.
Each of them chose a different person to create a drink for.
Imagining what the other would enjoy, they concocted a blend straight from their imagination.
Ayla was delighted by Raphael's sweet, purple, candy-flavored creation.
She had no idea what he had put in it, but she felt as if nothing that incredible had ever graced her lips or tickled her taste buds.
"Hmm," she murmured with delight, "this is incredible! I don't care what it is... just keep them coming all night."
Raphael was happy that she was pleased, but Alexander had a ping of jealousy in his eyes as he looked at the bartender due to the sound that 'his woman' had produced.
"Caribbean Storm," Raphael almost had to shout over the deafening noise and the bar separating them.
She looked at him, confused.
"What"?
Raphael smiled, knowing he needed to explain.
"The purple drink, it's called a Caribbean Storm!"
She smiled and nodded.
With Phoenix and Alexander, things were simpler, but the result was the same.
Phoenix guessed a Disaronno sour would suit his boss's taste perfectly, and luckily, he was spot on.
Alexander nodded in satisfaction.
"Julius was right about you two. A big part of bartending is knowing what the customer wants. I think you'll do just fine. So, what did you make for Julius down there?"
Raphael's smile widened, if that was even possible. "Black Russian!"
Alexander nodded in approval. "Good choice. I wouldn't have thought of any of those."
"That's why Phoenix and I are behind the bar," he said with a smirk.
Ayla promptly took his hand and pulled him away.
She didn't come to listen to him discuss business.
Ayla was there to enjoy herself.
She'd never had the chance to experience that before, and she was set on having at least one full night of fun before everything went downhill.
She knew it wouldn't last.
Everything in her life had always been fleeting.
Deep down, she sensed things were reaching a boiling point, much like Julius's gut feeling that the whole plan was doomed from the start.
She knew it would all come crashing down sooner or later, so she just wanted one night to let loose with Alexander and the team, making the most of it while she could.
The night became a hazy loop of dancefloor spins and bar runs, but Ayla's smile never faded, her infectious energy lighting up every moment of her wild adventures.
Her energy was contagious, radiating to everyone around her, not just her own friends.
The smile on her face told Alexander she was genuinely happy, finally getting to experience the club she had missed for so long and the fun that had eluded her for far too much time.
As they returned to the dance floor again, they didn't notice that some unwelcome guests had arrived, something that seemed to be happening more and more often.
Raphael and Phoenix's wolves instantly went on high alert.
In a way, the two had been positioned perfectly as the first line of defense, and it seemed to be paying off.
They weren't the only ones to be on alert almost right away.
Dominic and Mason suddenly made their presence known to Julius, lingering in the shadows but revealing themselves just enough for him to notice.
That was all he needed to know something was going on.
If he made any move to alert Ayla and Alexander, it would reveal not just their presence but also their identities.
Luckily, her identity still didn't seem to be widely recognized, which was a small blessing.
Julius instantly regretted letting the two of them leave the apartment and ignoring his instincts.
He couldn't figure out how he'd let her talk him into coming in the first place.
That's when he noticed they were heading his way.
His eyes widened for a moment.
Unsure what to do, he hoped one of these newcomers on the team might have an answer.
He took a deep breath, trying to get a handle on the situation.
That's when the scent hit him.
For the first time, he noticed a scent that stood out.
Julius glanced toward the front door and spotted two men walking in.
He knew them, well, he knew one of them.
He wasn't sure who was with the man they called Shaw.
The guy had black hair, a slim build, and nothing particularly remarkable about him.
His eyes were so dark they seemed almost black.
That was the one they called Shaw, wasn't it?
Or was it the other one, Orion?
Didn't matter.
All he knew was that Ayla stood in the middle of the club, and a couple of threats had just walked in.
How could he alert the couple that they were heading straight into danger?
Just as panic began to rise, Mason grabbed Alexander's arm.
In that instant, Ayla glanced directly at Julius and knew something was wrong.
It was clear she'd had a bit of liquid courage, and it showed.
"They can come and get me!" she shouted.
Alexander swiftly clamped his hand over her mouth, and without missing a beat, she sank her teeth into him.
Deja vu.
It took him a moment to realize the music might have been loud enough to drown out her words.
Heart racing, Alexander guided Ayla to the back and decided to hang out in the office for a bit, though not without some resistance.
The drinks coursed through her, and she was ready to confront the men pursuing her.
"They can come face me, I'm ready for them!" she shouted, straining to be heard over the blaring music.
Alexander kept a firm hold on her, not saying a word, using his arms to securely restrain her, as he carried her quietly down the hall.
He had his back turned to the men the whole time, who had just entered the building, moving as inconspicuously as possible.
Mason chose to join them to ensure they weren't being followed and to help Alexander manage the spirited Ayla.
Meanwhile, at the front of the club, Julius was once again confronting danger alongside Dominic and his team.
He was glad he wasn't alone this time; it really made a difference knowing he had a team fighting with him.
Dominic decided to keep a low profile for now, waiting to see how things unfolded.
He understood it meant leaving his men to handle things on their own for a short while, but it was a good test to see what they were capable of.
Luckily, they wouldn't have to wait long before something came their way.
Whoever the guy from the other night was, whether Shaw or Orion, he was heading to the bar with his new friend.
Raphael was up next, so to speak.
"What can I get you two?"
He didn't want to risk a guess and let them down, but he also couldn't afford to reveal himself.
Raphael did his best to blend in, playing the part of an ordinary bartender who belonged right there behind the bar.
Some drinks were pack or werewolf specialties, he knew, but he wasn't sure which.
The safest bet was to whip up something mediocre and hope they didn't stick around.
"I don't know, Shaw. What do you think?"
Shaw glanced around with a hint of suspicion, leaving Raphael uneasy, unsure if he was talking about what to drink or something entirely different.
"Just water for now; get whatever you'd like, Ralph."
Julius listened closely, noting that Ralph was a name he hadn't heard before.
He couldn't help but wonder why he switched Ralph for Orion.
Where did Orion go?
There was no time to dwell on it; he had to stay focused on the present.
He knew Ayla and Alexander were doing the same back in the office, watching everything through the monitors.
While the two men engaged with Raphael, Julius, Phoenix, and Dominic kept a close eye on the situation.
Without any notice, Shaw started talking to without looking.
"I know you're there. I can sense you and even catch your scent. Why not come over and join us? I'm sure Ralph would love to hear your thoughts. He was quite intrigued when I mentioned what you said the other night."
Raphael tried his best to stay emotionless, pretending he hadn't caught the low whispers that had just slipped from the man's lips, but he knew one of them was in trouble.
Phoenix kept his gaze down, calling out simple drink orders, nearly biting his lip to keep his words from slipping out.
Julius wasn't sure what to do, but he knew exactly which man the words were meant for.
He gave Dominic a nod, hoping none of the other men, himself included, would draw any attention.
"So, the bartender's in on it too, just like you suspected," Ralph said.
Julius froze, his eyes fixed on the men across the room before shifting to the group beside them, his ears just as sharp as his gaze.
He knew it was smarter to pretend he hadn't heard a word, so he casually touched his ear and nodded again, as if responding to an imaginary message.
Phoenix looked into the crowd and acted like he was talking to another staff member through his earpiece, then Shaw noticed a handful of men doing the same, scattered around, Julius now included, as his eyes landed on him again.
Shaw looked uncertain, but an idea crossed his mind.
"Maybe not. We'll see. This place reeks of Silver Moon; the smell is everywhere. There's more than one, that I'm sure of."
"GGGGRRRRRR," Phoenix couldn't help himself.
"There you are," Shaw said.
"That makes one. Where's Dominic? I know he's around. There's got to be more than just the two of you. Where's his right-hand man? He'd definitely have more control than you," he said with a condescending tone.
Julius didn't know much, but he was certain this new dynamic was bad news and reeked of trouble.
Phoenix, however, refused to give away a single piece of information.
Dominic had been more of a father to him than his own ever was.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just a simple bartender," he growled in response.
Dominic walked up, determined not to let Phoenix take the bait from the obvious attempt to rile him up.
He knew how quick-tempered Phoenix could be and didn't want to risk it with all the humans nearby.
"What do you want?"
Ralph gave Shaw a creepy smile.
"Looks like you reported accurately. He's here. The mighty General seems to be taking some personal time, which is odd since he's in uniform. Trouble is, that's not his usual uniform."
It was now obvious to everyone on the team that Shaw was being used as bait to draw out Dominic, and Phoenix had fallen for it, his anger steadily rising.
Shaw glanced over and noticed the man next to him was right for the first time.
"Tell me, Dominic, is this vacation permanent now? Do you like the humans more than us?" he laughed, not taking his eyes off the silent bartender.
Dominic didn't find it funny.
"What does my life and what I'm doing have to do with you?"
Ralph turned to him with a serious expression.
"Everything changed when my General went missing right after being seen with you. Then, out of nowhere, came that tip at the exact same time. His men left, but he stayed behind. My father's pretty suspicious that you had something to do with it. So, did you?"
Dominic was listening, and one word hit him hard.
"What do you mean? You think I had something to do with your General going missing?"
"Yes."
They both realized neither of them was saying much, and the conversation was going nowhere.
"I have no idea who your General is. Honestly, I don't even know you or your father. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing more for us to talk about. As you can see, I'm busy."
Dominic felt a flicker of worry, but kept it hidden.
Shaw let out a laugh.
"I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss this meeting if I were you. That little bartender pup over there could be in trouble if you do. And if not him, maybe the one right here helping us, both seem like they'd be easy to take down."
Amber flashed in Dominic's eyes.