THE ALPHA’S ADDICTION

The others fell silent when Aiden entered his home. Janet smiling tentatively, pressed a protective hand to the child lying in her womb.

“Is she all right, Aiden?” She asked.

He nodded abruptly, curiously grateful for her concern. No one would question him, yet his behavior was completely out of character for him. He got right to the point.

“How did the assassins find her unprotected?”

The others looked at one another. Aiden was among the few that always found time to drill it into them never to forget the smallest details guarding their safety, but over the years it was so easy to forget, to slip up.

“Noami had her baby only two months ago. She was so tired all the time.” Janet tried to excuse the slip.

“And Jared? Where was he? Why did he leave his exhausted wife unprotected while she slept?” Aiden asked softly, dangerously.

Byran, the man who had been in such trouble earlier(wanting to touch Freya), stirred uncomfortably.Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

“You know how Jared is. Always after the women. He took the child to Naomi and went out hunting.”

“And forgot to provide her with the proper safeguards.” Aiden’s disgust was all too evident. “Where is he?”

Janet’s lifemate which was the Prince of his people, answered grimly.

“He was crazy, Aiden. It took all of us to subdue him, but he sleeps now. The child is with him deep in the ground. The healing will do them good.”

Apart from coming to inquire about the mission, he was genuinely sorry about the loss of the lady who was Aiden’s elder sister, and so he had joined the others to offer his condolences, also present to prevent Aiden from doing something rash.

“We could not afford to lose Naomi.” Aiden said.

He tried to push the grief away which was threatening to wear him down; it was not the time to feel it.

“Byran, can you keep Jared under control?” He asked.

“I think you should talk to him,” Byran answered honestly. “The guilt is making him crazy. He nearly turned on us.” He said.

Aiden tapped a finger on the small table near the chessboard. He didn’t feel like speaking to the stupid man. He preferred something else. But he knew that his Prince wouldn’t approve it.

“Where is Sonia?” He asked, remembering a very close friend of his who was pregnant the last time he had seen her.

“She is fine. Charlotte too. They couldn’t come because of their babies which are almost at full term. Perhaps it is significant that we have three of our women giving birth for the first time in a decade. Our children are few and far between. If the assassins somehow have gained knowledge of our women’s condition, they will be afraid we are multiplying, growing strong again.”Janet stared, rubbing her hand over her belly.

Aiden shot the most muscular of the men a quick glance.

“Michael, you have no lifemate to encumber you.”

There was the faintest trace of affection in his voice, affection he could never feel or show before and maybe wasn’t aware anyone else knew of. Micheal was his younger brother.

“.. Neither does Byran. You two will get word to all the others. Lie low, feed only in the deepest cover, sleep deep within the ground, and always use the most powerful safeguards. We must watch our women and get them to safety, especially those who are with child. Do not draw attention to yourselves in any way.” He said.

“For how long, Aiden?” Janet’s eyes were shadowed, her face tear stained. “How long must we live like this?”

Aiden soughed, exchanging glances with his Prince, his best friend.

He was his chief adviser, and most trusted personnel. The others may or may not know it but the Prince depended on him too for advices.

After all, he had been his protector whilst they were young. It has continued till date.

“Until I find and dispense justice to the assassins.” He finally said. There was a fierce, savage note in his voice.

“All of you have become soft, mixing so much with mortals. You are forgetting the gifts that could save your lives,” He reprimanded them harshly. “My woman is mortal, yet she knew of your presence before you knew of hers. She felt your unguarded emotions, knows of the assassins through your thoughts. There is no excuse for that.”

“How can this be?” The Prince dared to ask. “No mortal has such power.”

“She is half of our kind, and so telepathic and very strong in her gift. She will be here often; she will be protected, as will all of our women.” He replied.

“Half of our kind? How is that possible?” The Prince questioned, even as he exchanged wary glances with Julius, Aiden’s twin. The same thought was running through their minds. The girl resembled Sheila.

Julius was more confused. He had seen Emma through his brother’s mind, and had been shocked out of his grief when he had seen the girl(Freya) with his brother. They had an uncanny resemblance! And then there was the matter that the wicked witch was her mother. How? There was a lot of research he had to do, apart from finding and destroying the killers of his sister. He gritted his teeth at the thought.

The others exchanged bewildered, confused looks. According to the legend, only their strongest members might be able to convert a mortal. It simply wasn’t done, was far too risky. It had been tried centuries earlier, when the ranks of their women had been depleted and the men were without hope. But no one dared try it anymore. Most of them believed it was a myth made up to keep their males from losing their souls. Aiden was unreadable, implacable, his judgment never questioned throughout the centuries. He settled arguments and protected them, just like the Prince. He hunted the males who had chosen to turn vampire, dangerous to mortals and immortals alike.

Now this. A mortal woman. They were shocked and it showed. They were obligated to put the life of his woman before their own. If Aiden said she was under his protection, he meant it. He never said anything he didn’t mean. And if she was harmed, the penalty would be death. Aiden was a savage, merciless, and unrelenting enemy.