Atticus

Chapter 20

The next morning, Atticus leaves to get some food and I sit down on the beach to look at the sea.

The waves are making their way closer to the boat but it won't be enough to leave. Atticus will have to use his powers to free it from the beach.

I get the urge to bathe before we leave. I have been bathing almost every day but I haven't shaved in a while.

I get my things from the boat and go into the water. I am still not ready for Atticus to see me naked so I change into my suit and bathe in that.

I am rubbing a bar of soap down my legs when I hear a splash behind me. Thinking it's Atticus I don't turn around immediately and smile to myself.

Suddenly, I feel a cold hand on my ankle. I yelp and turn to expect Atticus playing with me. To my horror, it isn't.

It's a male with grinning sharp teeth and horrible green eyes. It hisses at me and yanks on my leg, dragging me further into the water. As it is dragging me, I try to grab for rocks but nothing is able to keep me from this creature.

One rock comes lose as we are entering the deep part of the water and I turn to hit him. I miss and feel him dragging me under the water, trying to drown me.

This time, I turn in time to smash the rock on his arm. I hear him scream and let go of me, swimming away. I don't waste a moment as I start to swim to the surface for air.

I look down in time to see it coming back at me with anger in its eyes.

It hates me. It despises me and it wants me to suffer and drown. To it, I represent everything that is wrong with humanity and by killing me, it will be able to sleep a bit better. It's eyes are nothing like Atticus's eyes. They are not soft and loving but hateful and horrible.

It circles me as I struggle for the surface. I feel my fingers breach right as I feel something hit me hard.

At first, I am confused. I feel a deep pain in my stomach and all the air escapes me. My body goes still and I start to sink, unable to move.

I soon realize that it hit me in the stomach with its powerful tail. As my vision blurs, I see it heading towards me. Behind it, I see another figure appear and rip into the male.

Atticus.

Everything begins to go black as he grabs me and rushes me to the surface.

My head tilts back and I try to breath in air but all I get out is a gurgle.

Atticus looks at me with concern and says something that sounds muffled. As my world fades to black, I panic and I'm afraid that I might not wake up.

His POV

Kaia is perfect. No one can compare to her beauty and her personality. I am so in love with her and want nothing more than to hold her forever.

I begin to dream of what we can do together. We can be together and although I would have to deal with humanity, I won't mind as much so long as I have her with me.

I am looking forward to meeting her brother who she speaks so highly of.

When I was holding her in the cabin, I could feel her needing me. I needed her so bad. I have been so alone and desperate for so long that I wanted to give her my world and make her feel good. But when she said she isn't ready, I did not hesitate to hold back. I want her but only if she wants me.

I settled with kissing her and holding her as close to me as possible. She completes me and I need her like humans need air. Without her, I would drown in darkness and sink into oblivion.

The next day, I had to go get food for the trip back. I promised her I would be right back and decided to go farther than I have been. I felt the urge to get my mate the biggest fish I could catch. My instincts wanted to make her proud and to see her smile as I approached her with a giant fish in my arms.

I decided to have her teach me how to prepare the fish so I can do it for her in the future.

I was thinking about it when I felt something in my heart. Something was wrong and I immediately turned around and swam back to my Kaia.

When I arrived, she was sinking in the deep water and another of my kind was closing in in her. I did not hesitate to rip that sick bastard apart and save Kaia.

As I watched her eyes close and heard a gurgle come from her instead of air, my heart shattered. I felt like I was being skinned alive as my soulmate was dying in my arms.

Her eyes closed and she went still. I called for her and begged her to open those beautiful eyes. She didn't respond so I rushed ashore.

I shifted and laid her on the beach. After some effort, she shook as she threw up the water. I have never been so relieved in my life as she started to breath again. After hacking up the water, she fell unconscious again but began to shiver uncontrollably.

I pulled her to my chest and rocked her back and forth.

"It's okay. Everything is okay. I have you."

It's my fault. I let my guard down. I was such a love sick fool that I forgot about the others. I let myself get swept away and forgot the most important thing, keeping her safe and alive.

She makes me strong. I've never been this stable and happy in all of my existence. I was surprised by my strength when I ripped the male in half to save her.

But there is something way more important than my strength. My love for her puts her in danger so long as we are out here. I've failed to keep her safe and I need to take her home and stop stalling.

I will take her home right now.