As Ayla ran, the second Luna Aruna announced the ceremony was complete, the fire settling into the same steady burn it had when they first arrived at the hidden peak they'd journeyed to.
She knelt beside the weakened Rhae, leaning over the exhausted, sweat-drenched Raphael to gently wipe their faces, then turned to Phoenix to tend to him in the same way.
"I had no idea this was what she planned to do. If I had known, I never would have let you go through with it," she said, her voice heavy with guilt.
Raphael shook his head, needing a moment to muster the strength to speak.
"Phoenix and I knew. I told Rhae, so she knew too. You can't really understand how painful it is until you've gone through it yourself, though. Don't blame yourself. We knew exactly what we were doing."
Ayla shifted her gaze to Luna and asked, "What did you do to them?"
Luna kept her calm, expressionless demeanor as she replied.
"Just like you wanted, I made them your scapegoats. You can keep out of sight of the witches. They're true members of my pack, bound in blood and soul, and they can pass themselves off to the witches as the fated mates who lit the torches."
"No. You did more than that. Tell me."
"I did what you asked. You wanted them in my pack, and there's only one way I bring in outsiders. Through the brand. Wolves have a reputation for being spies, and we can't risk betrayal. With the brand, they can't turn on me. The brand kills them if they try. Every wolf knows what it means to join a new pack. It's no secret."
"That's not true," Ayla said. "Rhae never went through that with the Moonlight Shifters."
The Luna smirked slightly.
"You mean during the Wolf Moon, with the Moon Goddess's blessing? That's one of the rare exceptions. Who do you think put the brand on them? It wasn't me. I just spoke the words."
Ayla's face slipped free of all expression as the words rolled around her mind.
"Take your friends to their rooms so they can get some rest. They need it. We'll talk about your questions tomorrow. The town will be bustling with final preparations for the blessing."
Ayla gave a simple nod, motioning for the rest of the team to come over and help the new members get on their feet.
After they got Phoenix, Raphael, and Rhae to their beds, they found a place for all the newcomers to sleep for their stay.
They moved Deva to Julius's room so that Julius could be close to Dominic, who they moved to the floor below, with Lucas, Rollo, Volk, and Mesic.
Now that they had everyone settled, it was time for Ayla and Titan to head to their room, but the last thing they were doing was getting some rest.
"Did you know that's what your mother had planned?" Ayla asked, pulling her into bed with him, "To trap my friends here with her forever."
Titan glanced at Ayla, now wearing a confused expression.
"It's not a trap. They chose to join my pack, fully aware of what it meant. Why are you so upset? It doesn't mean they can't leave for any reason. They're just genuine members. It was all to protect you."
"I had no idea what they were getting into, what they would have to endure. If I'd known, I never would've let them go through with that awful ritual. Seriously, why would anyone do something like that?"
"Ayla," he murmured, drawing her into a warm embrace, "They did it out of loyalty to you and because they want to keep you safe, just like I do. Stop dwelling on the past. It's over now. Let me enjoy being with you, please?"
As soon as the last word left his lips, he unzipped the back of her dress, causing the dress to give way, revealing the mark she had kept hidden all day, and softly pressed his lips to the light blue crescent moon overshadowing the mountains on her skin, sending a familiar sensation through her whole body.
"I've missed seeing this since you put on that dress," he said, pressing another kiss to her mark with a little more pressure than the first time he kissed it before making his way up her neck, toward her lips, until they were locked in a passionate kiss.
Once he had her lost in the deep desire, he pulled her on top of him, as she straddled him on instinct, slowly starting to roll her hips as she continued to kiss him.
Rolling her hips against him, she started to kiss down his neck until she reached the point where she had marked him, and licked him, before giving it a light blow, sending Titan in a spiral of desire that he couldn't contain.
Before he knew what he was doing, he flipped her over, putting her on all fours, pushing down on the center of her back, as he started rubbing her with the tip of his penis, separating her enough to penetrate her, only to find she was just as ready as he was, before forcing all of himself inside of her in one quick thrust.
Ayla let out a loud, sensual moan, "Yes. Don't stop."
"I don't plan on it," he said, as he grabbed her hair and twisted it into his hand, pulling her head back, making her back arch just a bit more, as he continued on his quick, forceful thrusts, without mercy.
With his free hand, he slapped her ass, and she let out a pleasure-filled moan that was slightly louder than the one prior.
"That's right, I want to hear you."
Just as he felt her pulsating around him, pulling him to the edge during her climax, he pumped even harder, causing her to nearly scream as she released, until he finally found a release of his own, pumping through it, as he threw himself on top of her, and the pair collapsed on the bed.
Trying to catch his breath after the marathon he had just been through.
The two of them rolled to their side after a moment, knowing they wouldn't be able to separate for a while, as they pulled the covers over them, and drifted off to sleep, or so Titan thought.
After the swelling went down, and Titan slipped out of her, Ayla knew she had to come up with something, because there was no way she was putting herself in the same place as the witches in the night to come.
She slid out of bed, silently hoping the door wouldn't creak, and eased it open as slowly as she could before slipping through and pulling it shut behind her.
Ayla knew she'd probably always be a lone wolf, not because she wanted it that way, but because she hated the idea of friends having to face the fallout of being caught up in her plans.
That's when it hit her.
She had a solid plan; all she needed was to confirm that the players she had in mind were on board for Plan A.
If not, she'd simply move on to Plan B, because there was always a second plan.
With a few things on her mind, the first thing she wanted to do was make sure the maids that Titan had locked away got something to eat.
As far as she knew, he hadn't visited them, and it had been a long time since they were locked up, or at least a full day.
Ayla headed to the food pantry, grabbed whatever she could fit in her arms, and carried it over to the Betas' quarters.
Ayla paused to listen before opening the door, but heard nothing.
She figured from the silence that the girls had fallen asleep, so she went ahead and opened the door.
When the door opened, Ayla stepped inside, and what she saw was the thing she had never expected.
Blood covered every inch of the two white couches in the bathroom, with the glass shower window splattered in crimson.
As she glanced around, it was clear that the place looked exactly like a crime scene.
Ayla wandered around, taking in everything as she tried to make sense of it, but she couldn't.
She'd been told the girls were here to protect her secret, yet it felt more like they'd been placed here to be silenced, permanently.
That was until she rounded a small half wall and spotted the maid who never spoke, the silent one, lying on the ground.
The color had drained from her, her throat was torn open, and a brand was visible on her back where she lay.
Ayla's hand shot up to cover her mouth, stifling the sound that threatened to escape as the realization sank in.
The young man bore the same mark as her friends.
She had taken part in the same ceremony as her friends, only to be killed by those same wolves she wished to call family because of her, and Ayla wanted to know why and where Fidda had gone.
She glanced around to be sure she hadn't overlooked anything, scanning for Fidda, though deep down she knew the young woman wouldn't be there.
Something had gone down while Titan was showing them around the territory, and she was determined to find out what it was.
As she was clearing the bedroom, the sound of footsteps made her quickly scurry to hide under the bed in the Beta's room.
She watched the feet pass by, peering from the shadows around her, trying to catch a glimpse of who was heading toward the gruesome scene she had just escaped.
Who else had known that Titan locked the girls away in the forbidden wing, besides her and Titan?
Just as the door opened and light spilled over the man standing before her, the realization hit.
Had Titan sent his loyal lapdog to handle the mess for him?
Ayla watched as Silas scooped up the lifeless body, slinging her over his shoulder like she weighed nothing, and headed back toward the bedroom.
With her hand clamped over her mouth to keep quiet, she watched the man vanish into the darkness, her eyes darting around as questions spun through her mind.
Listening closely, making sure there wasn't the slightest sound of footsteps nearby, she dashed from her hiding spot, down the hall, and toward the person she hoped had the courage to follow through with her best plan, shoving everything she'd just seen to the back of her mind for the time being.
She had to stay focused if she wanted to avoid getting stuck with her Plan B.
As she reached the door she was aiming for, she slipped inside, doing her best to stay silent.
If this was going to work, she had to keep it under wraps and tell as few people as possible.
She pulled back the covers to reveal her target, pressing a finger to her lips to make it clear they needed to stay quiet.
With everything in place, Ayla felt certain her plan would make for a perfect night of fooling everyone, from the prisoners still in the keep to the witches themselves.
"Goodnight, then! Get some rest, you'll need it," she said as she left, venturing back into the darkness once again.
She was heading back to join Titan in bed.
Ayla just hoped Titan wouldn't notice she had ever left the bed.
Once she returned to the room, she took off her housecoat, slid into bed, and gently drew his arm over her with practiced ease.
Sleep didn't come easily to her as she lay there, wondering about the man snuggled up close beside her.
After a while, his steady breathing lulled her into a calm state, and she could no longer resist the urge to close her eyes.
Morning arrived sooner than she expected, and Ayla awoke to an unexpected shock.
She lay alone in bed, her hand brushing the spot where his arm had been when she fell asleep to find it missing.
Lifting her head, she glanced at the empty space beside her, scanning the room for any sign of him, but there was no telling where Titan had wandered off to.
As she looked around, one thing messed with her head even more than Titan's disappearance.
Before her stood a young maid she had believed long dead.
She had carefully arranged her food and ensured her bath steamed as she added a few drops of oil to the water.
"I thought he'd killed you," Ayla said as the fragrant steam drifted toward her, instantly pulling her back to the night they arrived, stirring her wolf's excitement.
The aroma made it impossible for her to focus on anything except her increasing desire for Titan.
"What are you talking about? He'd never do that. We grew up together as pups," she said, arching an eyebrow at her.
Ayla couldn't make sense of what she had seen the night before, but thought it wise not to mention anything else that would tell on her.
"I'm glad to see he's decided not to keep you a prisoner anymore. Did you hear about the mated couple? They've finally been found," Ayla said, sharing what she knew to say or not to say.
"It's truly a blessing when a couple finds each other. Sadly, I have responsibilities to take care of, so I can't make it to the blessing. Titan needs me at the pack house," she said with a scowl.
All of a sudden, she winced and clutched her wrist.
"If you'll excuse me, Ms. Raya, I need to tend to the other guests. They seem to be doubling by the day." Fidda said, bowing her head.
Ayla knew that Titan had done something, but she wanted to know exactly what he had done.
"No. Show me your wrist first," she demanded.
"I don't answer to you. Excuse me."
Ayla positioned herself between Fidda and the door, clutching the fabric of her uniform and tugging it up her arm.
As her arm revealed itself, a fresh mark identical to the one on Silas's forearm appeared, and Ayla realized she had pledged her loyalty to Titan in exchange for her freedom.
"You may go. I've seen all I need to," Ayla said, the worry clear in her eyes.
It was true she didn't know much about pack life, loyalty, or wolves in general, but this was all just too much.
Trying to wash her thoughts away, she slid into the tub and sank beneath the water, hoping to clear her mind and think more clearly.
While she was submerged, she didn't hear the door open or the footsteps as Titan entered and approached the tub, nearly causing her to choke when he reached into the water, running his hand down her thigh.
"What the hell?" she muttered, running her hands over her hair and down her face before coughing.
"You can't just sneak up on someone like that," she repeated to herself.
"I'm sorry, but you looked so irresistible lounging in the water. I just couldn't help myself. Touching you felt like the only choice," he said with a sly grin.
"Yeah, well, I'm not really in the mood," she said, lying.
"Mhmmm," he murmured, his hand tracing lazy circles across the water's surface.
"I'm not. We need to talk."
That got his attention.
"About what?" he asked, truly curious.
"Fidda was in my room this morning. I thought she was supposed to be locked up for my safety?"
Titan paused, mulling over his words as he tried to decide what to say to her.
"She won't be a problem for you. It's been made clear that revealing anything about you would endanger both the pack and me, and it would mean instant death for her. She's sworn her loyalty to me until the end of her life."
Ayla was starting to wonder what that really meant.
"What about her partner, the one she was imprisoned with?"
Titan apparently knew that would come up and had an answer for her.
"We only found out last night that she'd been accepted into the pack a few years ago. My mother had branded her, and when Silas tried to give her my brand, it didn't go quite as planned."
"You killed her while trying to protect me. Pushing her to be loyal to you instead of your mother is what got her killed," Ayla said.
Titan nodded.
Guilt coursed through Ayla's veins, but Titan was set on making sure she didn't carry its weight.
"Let's enjoy your bath and join the others for brunch before we get started on some pre-blessing activities," he said as he slipped out of his clothes and climbed in behind her, and grabbed the sponge.
Ayla chose not to resist, leaning into his touch as he gently cleaned her from head to toe, before darker desires began to take hold, and she allowed it.
When everything was done, he stayed behind to get himself ready, while she ventured over to the room that she was assigned to stay in, waiting for Deva and Rhae to come join her.
Nothing was better than getting ready with girlfriends.
For the first time in ages, the three of them laughed, holding dresses up to one another until they found the perfect one for each girl, the one that truly matched her to the core.
"I thought you were marked," Deva said, pointing at Ayla.
"Yeah, Titan bit me a few days ago and marked me. It was right..."
Ayla glanced in the mirror and noticed that all that remained of her mark was what looked like a dark bruise.
"Well, I suppose you do have to give your mate permission to bite you," she said with a wink.
"I wonder if that's why the witches wait for the blessing?"
Rhae was looking at the other two, concern etched all over her face.
"A fated mate is one of the most incredible things you could ever wish for. I can't understand why anyone would want to run from it. The blessing was delayed so the witches could gather and for the right moon phase. That's it. Let's just hope Raphael and I manage to fool them, or they'll still be searching for you."
Deva and Ayla exchanged glances as they zipped up each other's dresses.
"Sometimes it's for the safety of others, you know that, Rhae," Ayla said, questioning her friend's commitment to her.
"Maybe you're overreacting. I'm sure it'll be fine. Just trust the Moon Goddess to see the blessing through. I spoke with Deva before you arrived, and I know the plan, but I don't think it's going to work," she said, giving her friends a sidelong glance.
"Promise me it stays between the three of us. Orphans forever," Ayla said, putting her hand out for the others.
Rhae nodded with a wide grin, placing her hand over Ayla's.
Deva joined in, layering her hand on top.
"Orphans forever," they whispered.
Their excitement for the day ahead grew with each step they took toward being ready.
With the final touches to each other's hair, styled identically, they were at last ready.
Rhae, eager to impress Raphael, excused herself from the group, giving Ayla and Deva a moment alone.
"Do you remember what I told you. How to get there and when? What happens after?" Ayla asked.
Deva nodded, "Do you really think they will buy it? It's a crazy plan."
Ayla tugged at her lip and said, "They have to. This has to work, but you're still plan A."