Alpha Aiden's Protection Program

Chapter 11: The Theory of Blood

Aiden didn't miss a beat as he rushed into the water as Tourmaline, with a panicked expression, started swimming towards the shore.

Uselessness and helplessness weren't feelings that were familiar to me, but in that moment, they sunk their claws into every inch of my skin and left holes for fear to creep in. As the darkness clung to my pores and left my fractured heart screaming in anguish, I chanted to the Moon Goddess to protect Tourmaline.

To protect the only good thing left in Aiden's already shattered life. The last string holding him together.

Aiden was hard to read but the one and only thing anyone could read on his face was how much Tourmaline means to him.

Swim. Swim. Swim Tourmaline.

Loud sirens blared an ominous but alarming shrill across the coast and everyone set into motion. If I guessed right, it was an alarm to signal a vampire in the water, like those used for sharks.

As I ventured knee deep into the blue water, I watched in relief as Tourm swam right into Aiden's arms. He quickly pulled his soaked t-shirt over her pink hair before making quick work of getting them back to shore.

Further out in the ocean, five of the pack members, including Kai, floated on their surfboards and created a circle around a still part of the water. There was no vampire breaching the surface and there won't be anytime soon either. Not when the glorious sun was out and threatening to burn any blood sucker alive.

But that didn't provide much comfort because the water was a playground for these vamps. One that werewolves had no place in because unlike the vampires, we need oxygen. They're already dead so they can swim in the deep blue for the rest of their existence.

"Go back to castle!" Aiden commanded to the crowd behind me as he passed a frightened Tourmaline into my arms. "Tate, take her back, please."

The desperation in his voice cracked my already aching heart and I didn't fight him on it. This was a battle I couldn't fight. Not without knowing how to swim or take down a vampire. Ensuring his niece's safety was the one thing that I could do.

"Uncle Ai-" Tourmaline protested.

"Go!" He rushed sternly as he dove back into the water just as Tourmaline's small hand reached out for him.

I staggered my way back onto the shore with a human Tourmaline in my arms. Sometime between reaching Aiden in the water and being placed in my arms, she'd shifted back to her legs.

"Tate," She sobbed quietly into my neck as I tried my best to calm her and get her back to the castle, unscathed.

Calypso and another wolf, Pete, reached out to me and pushed me forward and further away from the water. As I hurried my way up the grand staircase on the cliffside, I peered down and saw Rick, Dylan and Matt all heading out into the water on jet skis. But I was too far up to see where Aiden was in the water.

Oh, Moon Goddess, please keep this stubborn, secret keeping, dickhead alive.

Tourmaline's arms were wrapped securely around my neck as I led her into the castle and straight to her room.

Her room was made for a princess. The walls were painted in shades of pastel blues, pinks and purples arranged in a scale pattern. Her bed head was cut into a clam shell shape with a crown canopy that draped dusty pink curtains down. The entire room was fashioned with mermaid themed bits and bobs but what caught my attention was the picture hanging above her dresser.

A man who was the spitting image of Aiden stood with his arms wrapped around a beautiful woman with striking blue hair on the beach. Tourmaline looked just like the woman and I could see the similarities she took from the man. So, this was Will and Amethyst Oaks, Tourmaline's parents.