Over the past few days, Ayla had no clue what she was doing anymore, and the rest of the group felt the same way.
Everything they'd known for so long was gone, and now they were carving out new paths, running purely on instinct, creating something entirely new and far more dangerous.
If what she'd just heard was true, there was only one thing she knew for sure.
They realized they had to leave much quicker than they'd planned after what she thought she just pieced together.
As much as she cared for him, Ayla had no intention of marrying Alexander.
From what she had gathered, it was clear that Orion intended for her and his brother to be together, but she had just broken things off with him.
Titan sensed Ayla's panic surging through their bite bond and realized he had to step in before she acted on it and made things worse.
The last thing either of them wanted was to give the pack leaders more information necessary in that moment.
Realizing that leaving abruptly would only stir trouble, he subtly took her hand beneath the table, his thumb tracing gentle circles unnoticed by those around them.
After a few moments, he managed to soothe Ayla enough for her to speak clearly, with her thoughts collected.
"I'll look into some potential leads and see what I can uncover for you. How about we eat some of this delicious food I feel you have coming?"
Luna Alina sensed there was more to the story, but decided not to press her too much.
"I always knew the cursed wolves were the right choice. You, my dear, don't seem like you'll disappoint," but there was something in her smile.
As the food began arriving at the table, Ayla quietly ate while the others chatted about trivial topics, continuing until every course had been served.
The entire time, Orion and his mother kept exchanging glances at the beautiful woman across from them, hoping she might slip and reveal something that would give them a reason to keep her.
As the food was served, Ayla couldn't help but wonder what the point of multiple courses was when it was all essentially raw meat.
Still, she sat and ate with them anyway, thankful they couldn't access her thoughts.
What she didn't realize was that they served a large number of courses, hoping to keep her there longer and give her time to slip up.
With the meal finally finished, they could head back to their assigned quarters, their comfortable prison.
Ayle knew that when she arrived, the first thing she wanted to do was chat with Alexander about the latest developments.
In other words, she definitely wasn't going to marry him if he really did turn out to be Orion's long-lost brother.
Not happening.
Marriage wasn't some binding contract of obligation, if that's even what they did.
On her way back to the lodge, it struck her that she had no idea what wolves did once they chose to be together forever.
All she knew was that she'd only go through with it if he were her fated mate, and he clearly wasn't.
Right?
Sure, they shared a special connection, an invisible string between them, but it wasn't how she pictured it would be with the love of her life, not that she'd ever imagined loving someone like that.
The mate call seemed absent, and after running into Titan and recalling how she felt when everything happened between her and Alexander, Ayla came to that realization.
When Titan and Ayla returned to the house, they discovered that Rhae and Stella had gone to explore the town with two guards, who had since been replaced by two new ones.
Two guards, personally assigned by Orion to watch the newcomers, made Ayla's chest tighten the moment she saw them.
Their voices murmured back and forth to each other, slipping into her ears and instantly sending panic flooding through her veins.
They didn't seem as friendly as the ones who had been there before, yet there was something familiar about them to Ayla as they greeted her, and Shaw turned to meet their gaze.
Ayla couldn't place it at first, why her wolf was on edge, but as she walked toward them, the familiar scent hit her.
She'd smelled it before, and now, with each step, she was racking her brain, trying to figure out who the other guard was.
Once inside, she turned to Titan and asked, "Was he in the woods at the camp last night with Shaw and the rest of us? His scent feels oddly familiar."
Titan furrowed his brows.
"I don't think so. I'm not familiar with everyone who was there, but he is usually at the pack house. It's very rare to see him leave the territory. You wouldn't know his scent unless..."
He brought his hands to his face, rubbing them up and down.
"I should have known. He's always like that when he thinks he's outsmarting someone. Fuck."
Ayla could tell he'd pieced something together, but the puzzled look on her face showed she hadn't quite caught up yet, her head tilting slightly to the side.
She shot a glance at Julius, who had just stepped out of her bedroom, then closed her eyes as they both instantly realized where she knew the scent from.
"Good thing you don't have a scent. They would've noticed right away and detained you immediately. I think that's why Orion stationed them here, and maybe why he was so cheerful at lunch."
Alexander cleared his throat as Julius watched them.
Titan said, "I'm pretty sure that Shaw and the guard stationed outside are from the dungeons this morning. I think Orion's trying to prove Ayla broke in and rescued… well," he gestured toward Julius, just in case someone was listening.
Julius nodded in understanding, figuring they were probably listening, after all, he knew he would be if it were him.
Ayla chose to switch to a topic she was even less eager to discuss, but first, she wanted to lead them to her room for a bit of soundproofing.
Her room.
Once inside, she spoke to the group, carefully avoiding eye contact with Alexander.
"So, here's the news. The Luna and Orion are searching for someone other than just me. The Luna's missing son. They do, however, want him to eventually marry me, mate with me, or whatever wolves do. Not happening, just to be clear. I have no idea how anyone could think I'd ever consider marrying anyone other than my fated mate. It's absurd."
She looked Alexander square in the eyes.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I didn't do anything. I'd never make you do something you don't want to do."
Ayla raised an eyebrow at him and kept going with her stream of information.
"Glad you think so. Funny thing. When they began describing the missing boy, he started to sound familiar. They said he looks like Orion, only younger, and, well, like you. He's your age and, strangely enough, his name is Alexander."
Alexander laughed like they were joking, but then remembered who he was talking to, and his laughter quickly faded.
Julius glanced at his best friend, the brother he had chosen, concern etched on his face.
"It can't be. You could easily outrank me, brother, and that would be pretty awesome. But wait... can I still call you that if you have an actual brother? You'd really have one!"
Alexander shoved him.
"Of course you can. There's no way I'm the one they're after. Besides, I'd never want to be part of that pack. They're more like snakes than wolves. And as for being part of that family, I've made my own way. I'm an Alpha in my own right, not just an Alpha's brother-in-waiting."
Ayla took a deep breath before speaking, remembering how things had gone for Julius when the bond between him and Dominic had opened.
It must have been part of the curse, cutting off any connection between the pup and the parent.
"Just remember, you promised not to give in to their demands. I refuse to be caged, ever."
Alexander paused to think for a moment, and the hesitation made Ayla uneasy.
"I'm fine with letting fate decide for us. I won't push you into anything. Besides, if they don't know it's me, they can't make you do anything. We could just leave now, and they'd never find out."
Titan spoke up before he had a chance to scheme any more mutinies.
"Ayla's in a bit of a bind with them. As long as she goes along with what they want, she should be fine, but they'll try to trap her to get their way. If you meet with them to see if you're their missing Alexander, it shows she's making an effort. If not, they'll just keep hunting her down and trying to trap her. This could mean one less pack chasing her."
Ayla glanced at him with a mix of feelings, uncertain how to process what he had just said.
She wasn't used to someone standing up for her instead of challenging her choices, and at the same time, Ayla still wasn't certain he wasn't part of the trap.
But he was right.
He voiced everything she had on her mind and in her heart.
Alexander had to go meet them to save her, but he didn't need to stick around, and Ayla made sure to remind him of that.
All he needed to do was meet them to confirm if he was truly their son and brother.
After a moment's thought, he agreed to meet them, at the very least.
There was just one catch: Phoenix had to come too.
He wanted their best tracker there in case anything went wrong, and a link to Julius in case he needed to tell him to run or hide.
With the conditions in place and Titan having reached out, the four of them headed to the packhouse to meet Luna Alina and Orion.
That left Raphael to watch over Julius in case anyone came snooping while the house looked empty.
They had only just gotten Julius back, and the last thing anyone, especially Alexander, wanted was to lose him again.
Once again, Titan guided them to the pack house for their meeting with Orion and his mother.
Phoenix was thoroughly impressed by how they had arranged their homes and the variety of offerings for their members, taking it all in as he went along, it was clearly more than the Silver Moon pack.
As soon as they stepped through the front door of the grand pack house of the Moonlight Shifters, the meaning of the name began to make sense.
Spots had been carved into the mountain, each filled with glass portraying various shapes of the moon in different cycles.
And definitely not in small pieces.
During the day, bright sunlight streamed in, illuminating the entire space and casting various impressions of the moon throughout.
Ayla could only imagine how breathtaking it must be at night, with moonlight casting a shimmering glow over everything.
The wooden furniture featured intricate details with moon etchings adorning each piece.
Large cushions to keep them comfortable.
Candles scattered everywhere, giving the place an old-fashioned vibe.
She was captivated, and she wasn't alone in feeling that way.
Alexander was awestruck as they made their way through the grand hall and ascended into the mountain, arriving at the room where the Luna and the future Alpha awaited.
His nerves crawled through him like ants fleeing a mound.
Could he be on the verge of meeting his long-lost family?
For the longest time, he believed they had left him behind and wanted nothing to do with him.
If those were his mother and brother, then this was the exact opposite.
They were willing to go as far as kidnapping people just to get information about him.
Finally, they stood before the door that made his heart race and his stomach churn.
Ayla stepped to his side and took his hand.
"It's going to be okay. You're not alone. Phoenix is here, and so am I. I get that you don't trust Titan, and I respect that, but he won't let anything happen to you either. Let me handle the talking for now. When I give you a nod, that's your cue to tell them your name."
Alexander gave a nod and turned the doorknob to welcome the group inside.
Inside stood a medium-sized round wooden table, crafted with the elegance fit for royalty.
Not overly fancy, yet definitely not for the average person.
On the far side sat a woman whom Alexander found truly beautiful.
If he and Orion were brothers, they probably looked a lot like their father, but they both had their mother's eyes.
Beside her was Orion.
He didn't feel strongly about him right now, after all that had happened, but would that change?
The others hung back, waiting for Alexander to sit before taking their own seats.
Once he walked in, the group followed, letting him take the seat closest to the Luna before settling into the chairs as they came across them.
Without hesitation, he said, "I heard you're looking for a son. If Ayla's right, his name is Alexander."
For once, he was straying from the script, and Ayla shot him a look, wondering if he'd heard a single word she'd said before stepping into the room.
Luna gave a nod and said, "You heard right."
He spoke up again, "Have you ever dealt with the curse, or do you know someone who's managed to break it?"
Orion stepped in, "There's one person we know of who broke the curse and reunited with his family, but we can't find him right at the moment to learn exactly how he did it."
He glanced at Ayla as he finished speaking, his eyes holding a knowing glare.
"Pity. Who could that be? I thought there was a prisoner on the loose? You just seem to be losing people left and right."
A low growl rumbled in his throat.
Luna shot her son a sharp look.
"This isn't the moment for a battle of wills. Don't challenge her now, she's doing exactly what you wanted, isn't she?"
Orion shot Ayla a glare sharp enough to cut, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he said, "Yes, mother."
Luna Alina turned back to Alexander and asked, "Do you know how he managed to break the curse and how it actually worked?"
Alexander gave a nod that meant yes, yet somehow also no.
"It's not an exact science. I know what happened, and I'm willing to see if it works the same way again, to test a theory a very smart man once had."
As Alexander spoke, Ayla's gaze met his, and a smile tugged at her lips.
Ayla was relieved he didn't slip up and was glad he spoke so highly of Dominic.
He was also maintaining the illusion that Dominic was dead.
She felt proud of him, and that feeling flowed from her all the way to Titan.
Even though he could sense it, Titan wasn't sure why Ayla was so proud of him. There was something there, and he wanted to understand it, until the Luna spoke, and he felt a mix of relief and pain from her.
The Luna nodded.
"I've heard the rumors about Dominic. I didn't realize you knew him. Sorry for your loss. I'd still like to hear what he discovered, though."
"Thank you. He helped me figure out who I am. You mentioned you were searching for a boy of a certain age and description, and there is one who matches perfectly. An orphan from Scarlet Crest. Left as a baby, with no information about him. I have one last thing to tell you. Look at me while I say it. My name is Alexander."
It was as if a spark suddenly lit up in both the Lunas' and Orion's eyes.
It was the first time they'd seen Alexander since he entered their territory.
"Looks like Dominic was right," Ayla said, a proud smile playing on her lips.
The curse keeps the family of wolves from recognizing one another until they hear their names spoken.
Until the family discovered them, no one would know their true identity, and the young wolves wouldn't feel any loyalty toward them.
True lone wolves, rogues.
Whatever had been blocking his scent was completely gone now, and he officially smelled just like the rest of the pack.
Ayla covered her nose.
"Dude, you smell now. I mean, not in a bad way, but I could definitely track you down if I needed to."
The two strangers in the room seemed to have completely forgotten she was there until then.
"Thank you, thank you so much," they said one after another.
Orion added a bit more, though.
"I knew the rumors had to be true. I was sure you'd find the missing wolves and bring them back to us."
Ayla's eyes widened as she reached under the table to grab Titan's hand and gave it a firm squeeze.
She saw it coming and said, "Please, if you're really grateful, don't spread that rumor. He was just a friend traveling with me. I hardly know any wolves. If you start it, I'll be hunted for the rest of my life."
Luna Alina paused and said, "Dear Ayla, I'm so sorry. This isn't just a rumor. It's part of the curse. You're the special one who can save them all. For some reason, they chose you. How many wolves do you think are really around you at any given time?" She ended with a playful wink.
She gave it some thought.
The orphans.
There were hundreds of orphans, though not all of them were wolves.
But how many were there, really?
Ayla had always stayed in the background, quietly observing everyone.
Was that the part she played?
To keep them safe and make sure they get home.
Were Alexander and Julius just the beginning of it?
She was completely panicking inside, and Titan could feel it.
"If you guys don't mind, the two of us will let you catch up. Phoenix can stay if you need him, but we're going to check out more of the town. Show her how wolves really live."
Titan called out to Phoenix, hoping he could hear him.
"We've got to go. They know she's the one now, and she's in more danger here than ever. If you can hear me, get up and make an excuse to leave."
Speaking in human form was never easy, especially between different packs, and it demanded so much focus and strength that Titan began to sweat, his face turning slightly pale.
Being a beta gave Titan a boost in his abilities, but he still wasn't sure if he had succeeded.
Alexander would be safe since he was family, but the others needed to leave right away.
If he couldn't reach him, he'd figure out another way.
He still had a few loyal friends within the pack.
After a brief pause, Phoenix stood up and asked Alexander if he should stay or if it was fine for him to go check in with Raphael.
Relief flooded Titan's system, and Ayla knew that he had asked him to leave with them.
"You really don't like being away from him," he chuckled softly.
"You're fine, though, go check if the girls are back from exploring. I'll fill you in later."
After their interaction, she realized that one of them already had a plan or was putting one together, and they'd be leaving soon.
Very soon.
The only thing she wasn't sure about was whether that would include Alexander.
Moreover, will the girls be coming along with them?