She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling, completely at a loss for what to do.
Her instincts urged her to run, but her mark made it clear she wouldn't be able to get far.
Ayla stood there, running her fingers over her new mark, lingering in admiration a moment too long, her touch still gentle as the sensation washed over her, heightened by the sensitive skin beneath her fingertips.
"I can feel you touching it. It's beautiful, probably the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Titan thought through the bond to Ayla.
She wasn't sure how she felt about the bond, but having someone so deeply connected to her was both comforting but far more scary.
Could he tell what was on her mind?
Ayla exhaled heavily, walked back to the bed, and flopped onto it with her arms stretched out wide.
"It's beautiful. I've never seen anything like it," she responded to him.
That was true, since even the one on his neck didn't resemble hers; it was close, but hers was more intricate.
Her mark was truly beautiful, and she had to admit it.
Before she could do anything else, the door began to open.
Her arms moved like lightning as she yanked the covers and tossed them over herself.
Two women walked in, one carrying breakfast foods, the other holding what Ayla thought was the most gorgeous sundress she had ever seen.
It sparkled in the sunlight, instantly catching her eye, the thin shoulder straps, white blended with various shades of blue, woven through with what seemed to be real silver and gems that caught the light perfectly.
Still, she had no intention of leaving the comfort and shelter of her covers to greet the ladies.
She buried herself under the covers, trying to escape the wave of embarrassment washing over her.
"Good morning, miss. The Next Alpha Titan sent us to take care of you."
Ayla furrowed her brows, pulling the covers down just enough to keep an eye on the situation and catch the woman's scent, all while questioning what they had said.
When they met in the woods, he told her he was the son of a beta.
Yet, they had just addressed him as the next alpha.
"What do you mean, the next Alpha Titan? I thought he was the beta's son."
The ladies exchanged glances, unsure if they had said something out of line or if she was simply a bit confused.
Everyone knew Titan and the tale that followed him.
"Well, he was. After his father passed away, the Alpha and Luna took him in since they don't have any heirs, at least none the pack knows of. So, he's next in line. Now that there are rumors of a fated mating, we're hoping it's him. Then he can step up and become the Alpha."
Ayla's head began to spin with everything they were saying.
"What do you mean by the rumors of a fated mating?"
"The witches' torches were lit last night. They are spelled to only be lit when one thing happens: when a wolf has found his fated mate. The whole pack is talking about it."
Ayla was completely freaking out at that point, but doing her best to keep it hidden.
The whole pack knew that she and Titan were officially mated, but they didn't know it was her and Titan yet.
They would insist on seeing her, meeting her, and doing whatever packs normally do when they discovered it was her and their future Alpha.
"Why is that such a big deal, and what would make it light the witch's torch? And why would they even keep a torch after casting the curse on us?"
The ladies started to look worried about the young wolf Titan had brought into their home, still curled up under the covers.
Even though they were only slightly older than her, they couldn't figure out why she seemed so clueless.
"When a fated mating happens, the witches come to bless it. They've been rare since the curse, and we never do anything to make them fail. Whether they cursed us or not, it's still better to have their blessing. You know that, right?"
They looked at her like she might be a threat, a look she was more used to giving than receiving.
It was time for Ayla to blend in, before they started questioning her any more than they already had.
"Right. It's just been such a long time that I forgot. Thanks for the reminder. My pack doesn't talk about it since we had no pups left after the curse. It was like once they took all the babies, the pack just died, no more matings, matches, births. It was the beginning of the end."
The ladies nodded, casting her a curious glance before turning back to their duties.
If there was one thing Ayla had learned in life, it was that bringing up tough topics always seemed to end a conversation in an awkward way.
After they drew the bath and set the food on the table, they excused themself without saying another word to Ayla's relief.
Her curiosity took over, and she wandered to the window, scanning the surroundings in search of the torch the girls had mentioned.
There it was.
It took her only two seconds to spot it, where the two mountains met, stood a massive torch, blazing brighter than anything she had ever seen.
It was placed in a spot where the other two mountain packs and the nearby packs could see it as well.
A beacon of hope, clear as daylight, for every wolf to see.
Does that mean they would all travel to witness the witches' blessing?
What she was feeling went far beyond panic.
Just as she began to lose control, Titan burst through the door and headed straight toward her.
"What is it? Something has you terrified. What happened?"
"That Titan. Now I know what it really is, not just some pretty torch in the middle of the mountains. The damn witches and Goddess knows who else are coming to see if we're actually fated mates. All because you couldn't keep your fangs to yourself."
"I'm not the only one," he said, tugging the collar of his shirt down to reveal a nearly identical mark.
"It's hard to fight instinct when fate is leading your wolf. Even without your scent, you're impossible to resist. It's not entirely my fault. You bit me several times before I lost control."
"The first time was entirely your fault, if you remember. It's probably what started all of this," Ayla said, leaning in close to his face.
Titan smiled and said, "That was great. I wouldn't change a thing."
At that moment, he came up from behind her, grabbed hold of her arms, and slid his hands down to her wrists, holding them firmly in his grasp.
"I know just what will take your mind off of all of this."
With a massive amount of force, he guided her over to the bed and shoved her stomach down onto the soft furs that she had just been hiding under.
Not once did his grip loosen on her wrists.
Once he had her in the right position, legs spread just enough for him to reach his desired area, he switched to restraining her wrists with one of his massive hands and used the other to slip his fingers between her folds to make sure they started to get wet and ready for him.
When they were starting to get to his liking, he began to tease her just a bit by inserting one finger inside of her, pushing it in and out at a slow, even pace, just enough to make her mad.
Turning it in circles, playing with her, then pressing his thumb against her clit and adding just enough pressure to get her going.
Then, when she started to push back toward him, showing her desire for more, he added another finger before going straight to her sweet spot deep inside her.
Going at a pace that was easy at first, then faster and harder, as her insides started tightening in a familiar dance around his fingers.
He didn't need her to moan like she was to know that she was about to orgasm and open the flood gates all over his hand.
Just as the floodgates were about to open, he paused and pulled his hands away completely.
Ayla was on the verge of growling in frustration.
She tried to pull her hands free to push herself off the bed, but he tightened his hold on them.
"Bad girl," he said, and he smacked her on her ass, "I didn't tell you to move. You aren't allowed up yet."
She let out a low growl at him, unable to turn her head enough to look at him.
He smacked her ass again and then bit where his hand had just made contact with her supple skin.
Ayla almost leapt forward, and she probably would have if he hadn't been holding her down, but her glistening folds that faced Titan, pulsating as he looked down at them, told him she more than enjoyed how he was handling her.
"You'll learn."
"Like hell I will."
Titan flashed a boyish grin, ready to take on the challenge.
He had no plans for her to change a single thing.
What he loved most about her was Ayla's feisty spirit.
He was ready to have his way with her, and he knew she was too.
In seconds, he used his free hand to tug his pants loose, and they were down to his ankles.
Now that she was like a slip and slide, he guided himself in with ease, only having to use his hand to line up the tip, as he thrust himself inside of her with one deep, powerful motion, and didn't stop.
No pause, no second to adjust to him putting himself inside of her, nothing.
Just nonstop thrusting from the second the tip of his penis touched the inside of her warm, moist, pulsating folds.
Ayla couldn't contain the sounds that escaped her as he was relentless with how he handled her that session, showing her no mercy.
He was making it clear to her that she belonged to him completely, mind, body, and soul.
She enjoyed every single moment of it, too.
As he took his free hand to grab her hips and lift them to the exact height he wanted her, he continued to pound deep into her, using his hand after to grab her shoulder, pulling her into him, making it feel as if he was going even deeper.
Finally, with a forceful series of thrusts, he came to a finish, continuing to pump inside her as she felt every bit of his penis pulsate to a finish inside of her while she finished along with him.
When they were done, they were stuck together yet again, and Titan didn't care that they were.
He preferred it that way.
If they ended up stuck together in his bed, Ayla wouldn't have a chance to slip away from him.
As they lay there, tangled together under the covers, the door burst open once more.
This time, it wasn't the help, and it wasn't anyone from the group.
It was the Luna.
Ayla had never dived under the covers so quickly in her life, while Titan pulled her close, holding her tightly against him in their condition.
All he could do was think to himself that he was never so happy that Ayla didn't have a scent.
"Mom. I didn't expect you to come to my room. Is everything okay?"
She beamed, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
"Haven't you heard? There's been a real fated mating! Oh, Titan, it's been ages. I can't wait to find out who it is. By the way, your father and I are wondering why you didn't tell us you were finally home."
Ayla felt him shift slightly, still knotted inside her, and realized the whole situation was making him uneasy.
She didn't need the bond to tell her that.
"Mother, we have matches all the time. Why make such a big deal over one small match? You knew I'd come see you after I got some rest. I can never resist hugging your neck. Give me a little time to recover, I've been gone a while."
His mother sensed something was wrong, but Ayla realized he was just trying to clear the room for her benefit.
"Are you trying to get rid of me? It feels like you are. Anyway, why wouldn't I make a big deal about a true fated mating? The witches will be here soon to verify it, arriving by the Crescent Moon. I thought that was touching."
Titan struggled to hide the worry etched across his face, and he could feel Ayla's anxiety starting to rise.
"What's the matter, son? This is great news. In just a few days, there will be a blessing. We'll be one of the first packs in almost two decades to receive a genuine blessing from the witches. After that terrible curse, it's exactly what we need. You should be glad."
Ayla stiffened beneath the covers, and Titan realized he had to get his mother out before she gave herself away.
"It's a good thing for our pack, Luna Aruna, Mother. We can discuss it more once I've had a chance to rest a bit. I've just been running a lot, and I'm not quite myself yet. See you at lunch," he said with a smile, hoping to win her over.
Though suspicious of his behavior, she chose to let it go for now.
"It'd be nice if you brought along the friends you slipped into my packhouse. I'd enjoy meeting the wolves you consider honorable enough to stay here. That is something you've never done. If you trust them enough to bring them into my territory and my home, I would love to see just who they are."
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, then down at the oversized form that was meant to be his body.
"If it's not too much trouble, clothing would be preferable. The gold dress was a great touch. You chose well."
Luna Aruna gave a slight bow and quietly excused herself.
That didn't mean she had left the floor where the group was staying.
The first place she went was to the staff who were taking care of them.
She had questions and was set on finding her answers.
The girls spoke more freely than anyone you'd expect at their station in the pack.
When it came to who was asking the questions, it was better to spill every bean in the can than risk making it seem like they were hiding something from her.
If Luna Aruna believed they were defying her, she might have their canines yanked or their claws torn out.
Those were among the most brutal punishments under the pack laws.
Nope, when Luna came asking, they just started smacking their lips, mostly out of genuine respect for her, seeing her as one of the kindest, most caring, and protective wolves they had ever had the pleasure of living under.
Within minutes, the Titans' mother knew it all.
She had tenants in four rooms, but in reality, only three beds had been used, and the guards had caught some spies.
Before returning to the Alpha, her first stop would be the dungeons.
She was ready to see exactly what her son had gotten himself mixed up in.
Deep down, she always knew Orion and Shaw would drag him into some kind of trouble he wouldn't be able to escape, but she was curious to see exactly what kind of mess they'd landed him in with the Moonlight Shifters this time.
Ayla wasn't thrilled as she pulled the covers off her head after his mother had left the room.
"I can't do this, Titan. The witches will figure out who I am. I've already had one close call, and that was enough for me. If I keep pushing my luck, fate's bound to catch up with me."
They were no longer pressed together, and she pulled back to look at him.
She gestured to her mark and then to his, saying, "This is a perfect example of that."
Titan took hold of her hands.
"Everything's going to be fine. The witches won't harm you, not with me by your side and my pack at my back. Just give me a little time to figure out a plan."
Ayla began nodding her head repeatedly.
"About that, you left out a few details. Who's the next Alpha Titan?"
He furrowed his brows and bit his upper lip.
"I didn't lie to you. If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that. I would never lie to you. I was born the son of the beta."
"Oh, I know. The ladies already told me the story. Some of it anyway. You just left out the reason you can't leave, or so you claim you can't. Doesn't mean I can't. Titan, the witches are after me. I can't stay here."
He could feel the deep fear churning inside her and knew it was the only reason she resisted staying with him.
"They won't find you, I promise. We've got a plan, remember? Your fake name. You're Raya now. Even if they figure out we're fated mates, we don't have to reveal who you really are. You mentioned you had a run-in before. Did they ever find out your name?"
Ayla remembered the first day of the mission to save Julius.
About the unlucky ambush they encountered with the witches in the clearing.
She shook her head, thinking, 'Phoenix and that big mouth of his.'
"I'm not sure. They ambushed us, so they've seen my face, but I don't know if they know exactly who I am. I think they've at least figured out that I'm a cursed wolf."
Titan lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her fingers before replying.
"We've got this. There are still a few days before they get here, so we've got plenty of time."
Ayla nodded, realizing it was time to come up with a plan of her own.
She just had to keep her emotions in check, making sure Titan had no clue about what she was up to.
For the first time, she was grateful Alexander had stayed behind at Moonlight Shifters, because he knew her well enough to spot when she was up to something, and Titan hadn't yet had the chance to figure that out.
Maybe every curse carries a hint of a blessing.
At the same time, Luna Aruna arrived to check on the prisoners who were strictly ordered to remain isolated from everyone else.