Three days later and Dr. Nazra, pack doctor of the Oaks Pack, confirmed that my heart rate's keeping a steady pace at sixty-four.
For now.
Aiden and her had an hour long phone conversation with Dr. Adler, to which Aiden kicked me out of the room after I keep telling the three of them that I was fine. I did, however, listened through the door as they discussed causes, treatment and the effects it will have on me.
It wasn't anything new that Dr. Adler hadn't already explained to me. But Aiden did keep his promise and kept Emery's magical healing a secret.
All Dr. Nazra knew was that we had a possible solution. She didn't question it after Aiden made it clear it wasn't up for discussion. She and Dr. Adler did discuss a second option.
A back-up plan that Aiden growled at. He was fully adamant on Emery healing me...and I can't deny that I was wishing for the same.
If it doesn't work...then the next option was a pacemaker. Except I really didn't like the thought of them cutting me open to put the pacemaker in my chest.
If felt too clinical.
Too intrusive for my comfort.
Until then, I was banishing all thoughts of heart conditions, healers and devices with electric pulses.
Now, my only focus was deciding on which swimsuit to wear for my first lesson in swimming.
Little Tourm and I banded together and got Aiden to take us down to the beach today. With her cuteness and my mate magic, he was putty in our hands.
Since the last time we were down there, Aiden tracked down the issue that caused the motion detectors he has in the water to not send a signal to the alarm system. It turned out to be a short in the cables on the alarm due to it's exposure in the sun.
Now that it's sorted, Tourmaline was excited to get back into the water. I was also a little buzzed to learn how to swim...especially since Tourm promised to have a pod of dolphins swim by.
The perks of having mermaids around.
As I looked at the dozen swimsuits Calypso got for me from the human town nearby, my indecisiveness kicked in.
One piece? Bikini? Should I just throw one of the shorts and a t-shirt?
It certainly didn't help with Aiden's confession looming over my head like an animated circle of dizzying stars.
Not just friendship.
Those were his words. The exact words that's been looping around my head for past three days.
I had the urge to laugh at myself for believing that being friends was what he wanted all along.
But now that he did admit to wanting more, my insecurity rang out as I tried to find a suitable swimwear. I don't think there was a person on this planet, male or female or non-binary, that doesn't experience insecurity every now and again. It was a naturally ingrained part our mindset influenced by society's words.
So now I stood in front of my mirror wondering if anyone would question me wearing a turtleneck to the beach.
Answer leaned closer to: yes.
Ditching the eyesore sweater, that I'll probably never need in this corner of the world, I closed my eyes and grabbed a random piece of cloth off my bed.
Peeking one eye open, I cringed at the wine red two piece, but mustered what little courage I had and threw it on.
And God bless Calypso for also bringing me a few cover-ups, albeit they were either crochet or sheer.
I picked up the white crochet material and tied it up before braiding my hair. By the time I was finished, there was a knock on the door.
It flew open before I could answer it and Tourm came running in.
"Tourm, you knock and then wait for an answer," Aiden explained to his niece from his place outside the door frame.
"Sorry Dad," She called over his shoulder but she not sorry at all from the grin on her face.
"It's okay," I laughed. "You can come in Aiden."
Tourm beamed at me as she climbed onto my bed and started jumping when Aiden stepped through the door.
He stopped short when his eyes landed on me and they widened as I heard his jagged intake of breath.
"Fuck," I heard him growl under his breath. But it was low enough that Tourmaline didn't pick up on it.
She did, however, ask, "What did you say, Dad?"
He coughed as he shook his head but his eyes never left mine, "Nothing."
"But you said something," She urged.
"I said we're going to miss the surf, so you better hurry along," He waved her off the bed.
She stopped jumping as her five-year-old eyes looked at him quizzically.
"That's not what you said."
"Isn't it?" He said in confusion as fear sprung on his face and he tore his eyes away from mine.
"Dunno," She shrugged before jumping off the bed and running out the door. "I can't wait to see the dolphins!"
Aiden was staring at me with hooded eyes as I walked past him.
Right as my shoulder brushed his, I smirked and couldn't resist the urge to tease him, "You got a little drool there."
I pointed to the corner of his lips and when he lifted his hand, I laughed and quickly walked out the door, following Tourmaline.
Aiden trailed behind us without a word as we walked down to the water.
Rick, Calypso, Kai, Matt, Dylan and a couple mermaids and mermen were already down there. Including Jenny swimming around in mermaid form.
I frowned because she really was beautiful and her mermaid form just made her more majestic. But the knowledge that she had a thing for Aiden was my reason for my crabby feelings.
Had she not wanted me out of the picture, we may have been good friends.
Well...there was at least a thirty percent chance.
"Tate," Tourm pulled on my hand to get my attention.
"Yes, princess?"
"Can you braid my hair like yours?" She asked as her big blue doe shaped eyes looked up at me.
I smiled, "Of course I will."
We walked closer to the water's edge and then sat on the dry sand as I braided Tourmaline's hair into a French braid.
"All done," I told her before he turned and gave me a hug before running off again.
"Stay close to shore, Tourmaline," Aiden called and she nodded her pink hair head. Then he turned to me but the sun was to his back so I had to shade my eyes to be able to see him clearly.
He held one of his hands out for my own and grabbed it as he pulled me to my feet. The loose sand under my feet made me slip as I stumbled into Aiden.
My body was fully pressed into every dip, curve and contour of Aiden's hard and warm body. And oh boy, the physical connection was explosive.
He chuckled and I felt my frame shake with the movement as his face got dangerously close to my own.
"Ready for your first lesson in swimming?" He asked as his arms steadied me in the sand and he took a step back. Except, before I could answer, the man pulled off his shirt and bared his gloriously tan six pack of pure unadulterated abs to me.
And hubba hubba was he mouth watering.
"Tate?" He raised a brow in question and I snapped out of the trance his abdominal muscles put me in. "I think you got a little drool there?"
His thumb wiped at the corner of my lips as he smirked. I batted his hand away as I playfully narrowed my eyes at him.
"Ha ha, very funny," I shook my head as a smile played on my lips. "You know it's kind of a faux pas to repeat someone's joke back to them."
One his brow shot up as he shrugged, "I suppose, but you did smile."
"And what a beautiful smile it is," Dylan commented as he popped out of nowhere with his usual mischievous grin.
A hint of annoyance crossed Aiden's face looked at Dylan.
"Don't you own a shirt?" Aiden asked his Gamma.
Dylan looked at him warily, "Dude, we're on the beach."
"Go find a shirt."
"What? Are you insane?"
"Dylan."
"Nope."
I rolled my eyes at their back and forth, "Leave him be Aiden. His nips aren't offending me."
Dylan placed both his hands over his chest as he looked flabbergasted, "Don't look at my tits."
"I wasn't," I snorted.
"I'd hope not," Aiden grumbled jealously.
I groaned, "Can someone just teach me how to swim?"
"Could you handle it?" Dylan asked and when I gave him a confused expression he gestured to my heart. "I mean with your chest and all."
Aiden's expression soured considerably as his eyes darkened and flashed between us.
"You know about Tate's heart condition?" Aiden question with accusation laced in his tone.
"Yeah, she mentioned that rogue attack or whatever," He shrugged indifferent.
"Dylan!" Rick called out from further down the coast where there were bigger waves. "You're missing the gnarly waves man!"
My eyes caught the large waves that broke as it neared the shore when Dylan took off towards his board. The blue water foamed as it washed up to lap a few feet away from our feet before dragging back into the open blue.
A thrill of both excitement and dread creeped along my spine as if someone poured ice down my back.
I wrapped my arms around myself to ward off the chill of the terrifying thought.
When I looked at Aiden again, his expression was still dark.
"You told me you hadn't told anyone about your heart..." The hint of distrust was as plain as day in his voice.
"I hadn't told anyone about the lowering of my heart rate," I clarified and his jaw clenched. "And I hadn't told anyone in this pack about my heart either. But the first day I was here...it got really bad before I made it to breakfast and Dylan found me in the hallway."
Aiden was then in my space as his fingers lifted my face to look at him, "What do you mean he found you?"
"I mean I fell over from the pain and he found me. I didn't know what else to say so I gave him a summarized version," I shrugged. "He doesn't know everything, especially not about Emery."
"Tate..." He sighed as he closed his eyes tightly. "Jesus, Cupcake, why didn't you tell me then? What if something worse had happened?"
"But it didn't?" I suggested with a wary smile and he growled.
"That's not the point. You tell me when you're not feeling good alright? Even the smallest pain, you tell me," His eyes searched my own for a sign that I understood.
So, with a resigned sigh, I nodded, "Alright, I promise."
He still seemed worried as his eyes fluttered to the water, "Maybe this isn't such a great idea..."
"Wow, wow, wow," I grabbed his bare shoulders. "You promised and my heart's perfect."
A rose an eyebrow, unimpressed by my words.
"Well perfectly fine for its condition," I amended.
"Fine, but if your chest-"
"I'll tell you," I assured him.
He resigned the conversation as he nodded and grabbed a bottle from a bag laying with dry clothing for Tourmaline that he'd brought down.
"First rule of swimming-"
"Don't drown," I guess.
He smiled and his freckles became more pronounced, especially in the sun.
"No, but that is an important factor," He stated. "Though you should probably not try to die today."
"Duly noted."
"First rule is always wear sunscreen," He handed me over the bottle while he grabbed another. "You don't want sun burns, trust me."
Being on the sand made me feel more comfortable as I untied my cover-up and placed it on a beach chair near Tourm's bag.
I rubbed the sunscreen over my exposed skin before turning to Aiden who seemed to be struggling with reaching his back.
"Here, I got you," I said as I pushed his hands away and rubbed the product on his smooth solid back. Jesus, the man was built like a solid wall of muscle.
I felt him tense under my palms but relaxed after a few seconds when the shock wore off. Tiny tingles exploded over my hands where I touched his warm skin and I heard him inhale a shaky breath.
It was perplexing to me on how I'd managed to volunteer myself for that task without being a ball of nerves. Maybe Aiden's abs did have some sort of voodoo magic that me under a spell...or maybe I just really wanted to feel him up.
"There, all done," I said shakily as I stepped back. My nerves now sinking in.
He turned around with hooded eyes but the warm pools of his pupils spoke volume.
"Thank you," His voice was deeper when he spoke up before he looked at the water. "The next thing you need to know is how to spot for a riptide."
"Those pull you out into the water, right?" I asked as I watched Tourmaline swimming about in her mermaid form.
"Yes, it's the current that pulls the tide back from shore and into the sea. If you get caught in one they can take you out for miles in a blink of an eye and you can't swim against it," He stepped behind me and pointed towards a spot in the water. "It's more dangerous than sharks. You see the gap between the waves there."
My eyes narrowed on the water to the space where Aiden was pointing and I nodded.
"That's one way to spot the rip and if you can see just before it the water's a bit choppy," He explained. "It tends to be a narrow current but powerful even for strong swimmers. You won't get stuck in one because you won't be coming down here without me-"
"But-" I turned my head to his which was looking over my shoulder.
He shook his head sternly, "No. You can't swim and those blood suckers are out and about, so you won't be down here without me, alright."
"Fine," I grumbled.
"Great. Another reason you won't get stuck in one is because I'm showing you how to spot one. But, if for someone insane reason that do you-"
"I won't."
"If you do," He continued, "then you swim parallel to the shore until you break from it and then follow the waves at an angle. They'll help push you to shore. Got it?"
"Aye aye Captain," I gave him a salute.
His lips titled up, "Save it for when I take you out on the boat."
Excitement rushed through my veins as I squealed, "You have a boat?"
He smirked, "I'll take you out in the water some day. But today's not day."
I felt my heart flutter at his words and thanked my lucky star when it didn't sting with pain after. Maybe... just maybe my title of bad luck was wearing off slightly.
At least by a fraction.
Before we could head to the water, Kai approached us with his surfboard in hand.
"Hey, Tate," He smile as he patted my hair. I'd come to realise it was a trait of his that he did whenever he saw me. Like an older brother.
"How's the water?" I asked him.
"Warm and calm," He deduced.
But as I looked at the deep blue, it looked anything but calm. I gulped in fear at the ghastly waves. Maybe I should just stick to bathtubs and kiddy pools. Whose brilliant idea even was it that I start learning in the sea opposed to a pool anyways?
The sudden dread was a force that crumbled my earlier excitement.
"Tate," Aiden called and pulled me out of my reverie. When I looked at his concerned expression, I only then realized that he was asking me a question.
"What was that?" I asked.
He chuckled as my eyes found its way back to the ocean.
"Afraid to go in?"
"No," I answered hastily.
He had a right to give me an unconvinced tilt of his head, "So let me get this right. You're not afraid of jumping out of the car in the night to fight a vampire but you are afraid of the water."
I folded my arms and lifted my chin in defiance, "Seems like a reasonable fear to me."
His eyes twinkled with an indescribable expression as he shook his head.
Aiden held out his palm to me, "Come on, I'll keep you safe. Promise."
The sincerity in his tone and the trust I've built for him had me easily accepting his hand.
As we approached the water, I noticed Kai following closely behind with his bored.
"Do you guys honestly think I'll be so bad that I require two of you to make sure I don't drown?"
Kai looked guilty but Aiden chuckled.
"With your luck, I think we actually require about four strong swimmers to keep you alive," He teased and I playfully jabbed him with my elbow.
"How long can you hold your breath?" Kai asked as we stepped into the warm water.
"I don't know...I guess I've never been a position where I've had to time it."
But considering I grew up with three brothers and a dad, I've had to hold my breath a lot when they thought it was funny to let out their toxic gasses.
My feet were still firmly planted on the sand below my feet as we stopped where the water was a little over waist deep. Aiden's hand was still firmly gripping my own as the waves made us unstable.
Aiden had informed me that before I learned to swim, I had to learn to float so that I'll be able to keep my body buoyant.
"Do you trust me?" He asked intently as Kai got up on his board.
I nodded and he let go of my hand I almost screamed bloody murder.
"Aid-!" I stopped mid shout as his hand settled on my waist.
"Sorry," He laughed and I knew he was anything but from the sparkle in his eyes. "Is this okay?"
He meant his hands on my bare skin. And honestly, I was not okay.
I felt my skin flush, my heart flutter and my mind being muddled.
"Mhmm," I murmured and saw Kai snickering.
I dashed some water his way and when it splashed him, he just laughed harder.
"You do not want to start a water fight with me Tate," Kai smirked.
"Bring it on buddy," I said in a challenge as I moved to splash him again but Aiden kept his grip firm on my waist.
"You really don't want to do that...especially considering you don't know how to swim yet," Aiden insisted.
"Fine," I conceded.
As Aiden went about explaining how to keep my body afloat, one of his hands went to my back as the other went behind my knees. He lifted me horizontally until I was on the water's surface with my eyes shut close to block out the sunlight.
"You're not focusing," He chided without releasing me. And it was a good thing he didn't because I knew I'd sick like an anchor if he did.
His warm breath fanning over my cheek, his big palms on my tingling skin and the residual fear of the waves mixed into a powerful concoction that had my mind adrift instead of my body.
"It's sort of a hard thing to do Alpha," I grumbled.
"Concentrate, Tate. Level out your breathing and relax your muscles, the water will hold you."
"But you're holding me."
"Should I remove my arms then?"
"Don't you dare!" My eyes popped open an one of my arms wrapped around his neck and I clung to him.
His amusement didn't die from his face as he removed my arm we tried again.
This time, he did move his hands and I instantly panicked and sunk. Aiden's hands held me up before my head could go completely under and I glared daggers at him.
It took a good while out there until I finally managed to relax and allow Aiden to move his hands.
I waited to sink but I didn't. I was floating. Thank you saltwater.
When I opened my eyes, I was blinded by the sun rays and as I titled my head, I lost complete vision at the even brighter light that was Aiden's proud smile.
"You did it," His ocean eyes shimmered as the daylight refracted off it.
My excitement, however, was short lived as I felt something cool and smooth brush against my thigh.
I saw the fin breach the surface and reached for Aiden instinctively.
He eased me back onto my feet just as the creature jumped into the air and splashed us.
"Holy mother of pearl," My jaw was laying at the bottom of the sea as I watched the dolphin swim back to me.
I was in awe as he whistled and squeaked and nudged me with his nose.
Tourmaline was right behind him with an excited smile.
What it must feel like to be a five-year-old mermaid with dolphin friends.
"Flipper," She spoke to the dolphin, who seemed to understand her clearly, "meet Tate, Uncle Aiden's girlfriend."
Flipper, the dolphin, squeaked again as he bobbed his head excitedly.
Aiden, on the other hand, stifled a cough and I could feel my own cheeks heating and it wasn't because of the sun.
That conversation wasn't one that we'd broached yet and I wasn't exactly sure that it will be anytime soon.
"He's a bottlenose dolphin," Aiden informed as he changed the subject.
"You can touch his head," Tourm encouraged. "He's our friend."
I hesitated for a split second before gently brushing my hand along the front of his head.
He made a few clicking sounds before beginning to swim around us.
"He's magnificent," I said to Tourm and she beamed proudly at me.
"He wants you to come swim with his pod," She translated.
I frowned, "Maybe another day...when I can actually swim."
"He's heading to Australia now," She said sadly. "But he'll be back when he needs us."
As Tourm began swimming around with him, she sung, "Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming."
"She speaks with them?" I asked Aiden with complete fascination as Kai jumped in the water with them and passed Aiden his bored.
"Yeah, it's a mermaid thing. Kind of like our mind link," He said as he climbed onto the bored with grace and then held his hand our for mine.
I was a lot more clumsy and was both surprised and relieved when I made it on without losing half of my bikini.
My legs drifted against the water as it hung over the sides of the board.
Aiden's firm chest was pressed against my back as he began paddling us to shore.
"Are we done for today?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'll take Tourmaline to see the dolphins off since they're near the monitors. Tomorrow we can use the pool to get you to learn to hold your breath."
I nodded and when he didn't get a reply, his voice was laced with concern, "Are you alright? Is it your chest?"
"No, I'm fine," I smiled to myself as protective side came out. "I was just thinking of Tourmaline and how much she must be missing out on learning about who she is and her home. The entire ocean belongs to her and she's confined to an area that's basically a bathtub compared to the rest of earth's water."
"I know what you mean," He sighed. "And I hate those god forsaken vampires for causing that. The only thing I could do to help the situation is find something that says her blood won't help them. It's been years of research and hundreds of books, even one that claims to described how Poseidon created them, but nothing on blood."
Anger radiated off of Aiden in large bolts of electricity.
I could only begin to understand the frustration he must feel. Knowing that the best he could do for Tourmaline and her people were keep them in a castle and pray for an answer to show up in an old script.
There was no way he'd let the mermaids test the theory themselves. If they did that, they'd have to do it on a vampire and before other vampires. Therefore, if it worked the vampires gain two things:
1) A vampire to walk in the daylight,
2) Proof that it works which will only make them hunt down the mermaids faster.
It was a dangerous gamble that no one would take. And who knew how much mermaid blood was even required for one vampire.
The risks were too great.
When we made to shore, I hoped off the board as Aiden went back to swim with Tourmaline.
I joined Calypso and Matt who were sitting in the beach chairs. Matt with a ukulele and Calypso with a book. Caly threw me a towel and as I patted my skin dry and relaxed into a chai, I noticed Calypso wasn't dressed for the water with a t-shirt and shorts.
"Are you going to swim?" I asked.
She shook her head and bookmarked her page, "Absolutely not."
"She hates the water," Matt grinned as he strum the instrument.
"You do?" I asked in surprised since everyone here seems to love the ocean.
"I may be from the Caribbean, but the sea is not my forte," She laughed as she eyed the water. "I much rather sit here and read."
Calypso had explained to me how her parents were from a pack from the Caribbean but they moved here when she was five and they were welcomed into the Oaks Pack. They moved back a few years back but Calypso and Rick knew they were mates by then. Since he was the Beta, they figured staying was a better choice.
"Well, I don't blame you," I nodded. "It's scary."
"You guys are insane," Matt snorted.
"So then why aren't you swimming?" I asked.
Matt's eyes flashed to the waves where Rick and Dylan were surfing and his expression fell.
"Waves aren't that good today," He shrugged as he turned back to his ukulele.
Calypso and I shared with a confused exchange but didn't push it.
"Want a popsicle?" Calypso asked as she opened a cooler.
I gladly accepted as Matt played his ukulele for us and we talked.
My focus, however, was heavily monopolized when Aiden started to surf.
His hair, that was usually tied up, was now out. Dirty blonde, shoulder length hair that made him all the more breathtaking.
Oh boy, there was at least some luck I struck when the Moon Goddess paired me with him.
He was a thing of beauty he was.
A/N
Hehe, late again but it's long...?
Look at me writing about learning how to swim when I don't even know 💀 Also I know it's silly that she went in the ocean to learn as opposed to the pool but the pool would have been a boring scene... so logic be damned 😏
While writing I realise that I never ask you guys how are you and that's insane of me! So how are you guys? Staying safe and healthy I hope ♥ Remember my DM's are always open to talk 🤗
Song: Khalid - Eleven
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