Alpha Aidan's Rejection Chapter 107

TARA

　　"I can't ask you to come with me, Tara. Not when Nadia is all alone at her training," Jenna said, the second we got outside the restaurant, her eyes still brimming red with unshed tears.

　　It had been only months since Aidan and Jace first came into Vermont Pack, but I couldn't blame Jenna for falling head over heels for Aidan's beta in such a short time. I mean, the same thing happened with me and Aidan. As much as Jenna seldom talked about the dynamics of her relationship with him, I knew she cared deeply for him, but she still had other's interests at heart, even when she was currently breaking with the news about Jace being hurt.

　　"Jenna," I breathed, scared shitless, and worried to my bones for both my friend and my daughter. "Will you be okay?"

　　She shook her head once, her eyes full and almost spilling over. "I have to be. Be on the lookout, and avoid them as much as you can, okay? Get Nadia to safety and stay indoors till you hear it's okay to come out."

　　I nodded, pulling her in for a quick hug before I watched her dart to the left, taking a sharp turn away from where I stood, and the restaurant.

　　My mind did a one-eighty, landing on the bombshell Jenna had dropped earlier, while my feet moved on their own accord, retracing the steps we took here, itching to get back to the Pack's Retreat Complex. To Nadia.

　　As I sped through the now almost empty streets, watching shop owners close up their stores, most likely having heard the news, I prayed that they hadn't gotten close to the heart of the pack. I prayed that Nadia was okay and I'd be able to get her to safety without a repeat of what happened the last time.

　　My phone buzzed in the purse against my palm's vice grip, but I couldn't bring myself to care about that. I ignored it, also ignoring the gnawing feeling in my chest that told me this was more than just some random attacks aimed at looting or causing damage.

　　Minutes later, long enough for my body to start shaking physically, I reached Nadia's training grounds to meet it empty, and my heart, it fucking bottomed out! Racing to the double changing rooms which was the only other place I could think of, I was relieved to see a confused-looking Nadia with her coach, the only two people left there.

　　"Mom!"

　　"Nadia, baby," I cried, sprinting to where she sat, thanking the gracious goddess for keeping her safe. "Thank goodness you're okay."

　　"I couldn't leave without making sure every one of them was getting home safe," her coach's voice cut through my rambles, and now that my heart had somewhat returned to its normal rhythm, I could think of a coherent response.

　　"Thank you so much for staying with her. I'm so sorry. My friend…she…she…"

　　"It's okay," he cut through hurriedly. "You both have to get home. Do you have a way out of here?" He asked, and I shook my head once.

　　Aidan's house was a few blocks away from here, so we usually always walked. I was beginning to see how inconvenient that was going to be for us when we had to make sure we didn't spend an extra unnecessary second out in the streets.

　　The incessant buzzing of my phone in my purse resumed, and now that I was able to focus a little since Nadia was with me, I turned my attention to it.

　　Prying the phone out, I saw that the caller was Aidan. I picked up immediately, sighing in relief, just from the thought that he existed, and cared enough to think about calling at this time, even if I didn't know what for.

　　"Hello?" I called immediately the phone was pressed to my ear to hear Aidan's frantic rasp.

　　"Where are you both? It's unsafe," Aidan rushed into the speaker, and I forced the words to form.

　　"I know…I know. We're together. At Nadia's practice, but we have to leave now. Don't know how much time we have left," I admitted, my voice a little shaky as I squeezed on Nadia's wrist with my free hand if only to assure me that she was really with me and not a figment of my imagination.

　　Nadia's coach offered me a sympathetic look, and I blinked back at the emotions that were rising to the surface. I didn't want to think about how I would fight or escape one of them again.

　　"Don't leave. I'm on my way."

　　My throat closed over at Aidan's words, my heart threatening to give out if I opened my mouth to speak.

　　"Do you hear me?" Aidan asked, I nodded, knowing fully well he couldn't see me.

　　"Yes," I finally whispered, and Aidan ended the call immediately.

　　I didn't know where he was, or how long it would take for him to get to us, but I knew that he was going to. And I couldn't place a finger on one of the hundreds of emotions that filtered through my mind as I trained on that thought.

　　Nadia's coach must have heard bits of my call with Aidan, telling from his next words. "I'll stay with you till he's here."

　　I snapped out of my haze, whirling my head to him. "I can't ask that of you. You should leave now and head home to your family," I said, giving him an encouraging nod, but he only smiled.

　　"It's fine. I drove, and I'll be able to hold my own if I get accosted by one of them. The same might be for you, but I wouldn't be able to sleep if I left you and a kid here on your own."

　　Nodding, I offered him my thanks before turning my attention to Nadia's hazel eyes and pressing my lips to her cheeks.

　　"Aidan's on his way, and we'll be home soon, okay?" I chipped in, and she nodded. She didn't know the details, but I was sure Nadia knew that it wasn't safe. I hated that she had to grow around these threats- the StoneWolves, Kayla staking claims on her father, and who knows what else- and I wished for all of it to go away.

　　It was too too much.

　　I remained with Nadia in my grasp until the doors blasted open, and a wild-looking Aidan burst through it, eyes wide, scanning the room until they landed on us. I would have cried out in relief if the white shirt I was sure he left the house with today wasn't stained in crimson from his neck down to where the clothing was tucked into his pants.

　　"Christ, Aidan," I cried out, even if I knew that the blood was of Aidan's concern. He crossed the room to where Nadia and I were sitting now, crouched low to our level to press shuddering kisses on our temples, pulling back to scan our bodies with keen eyes.

　　"You're okay?" He asked no one in particular between us, more to himself, but I responded either way.

　　"We're fine, Aidan. How bad is it?" I asked worried sick, more worried for Jenna and Jace.

　　Aidan only shook his head once. "Not so bad, but let's get you both out of here."

　　It was only after I nodded, shifting to my feet with Nadia, that Aidan's attention spanned to the man who had stayed the ten minutes with us for Aidan to arrive.

　　"Coach Ken," Aidan called, familiar with the face employed to keep the place running, and Nadia's coach shook his hand, a silent communication passing between them. "Thank you for looking after them for me."

　　"Of course," the coach responded, tipping his head to us three as he made to leave. "Be safe," he finally said, and he was out.

　　"Come on," Aidan gestured to us, leading the way to his car parked inconspicuously behind the building.

　　We were seated, seat belts secured, and within a shorter time than it would have normally taken, we were home, and only then could I really let go of the tension that had held me by my neck in an unforgiving grip.

　　Everything in me told me to break down with how much panic I'd gone through, but I could only be strong for my baby, and be thankful that it didn't go more than this…that we didn't run into any one of them.

　　Only, Aidan did.

　　"I'll get her cleaned up and ready for her nap," I said to Aidan once we were inside, leading Nadia away from all the blood while he pulled out a tumbler and a bottle. He nodded wordlessly, and I did as I said.

　　Thankfully, Nadia wasn't shaken by the events of the day since she had barely saw anything, only Aidan's stained shirt, so I only spent so much time in her room. She had also been quite exhausted from what was her first rigorous training, so she passed out really quickly.

　　Without wasting time, I made it back to the kitchen to see Aidan still in the same spot, same clothes, and the same almost defeated look in his eyes.

　　The StoneWolves were really causing trouble here, and a foreboding feeling in my gut told me that it was only a matter of time now before something terrible happened, if it hadn't already.

　　With my heart in my throat, and fearing for the heart of my best friend, Jenna, and Aidan's too, I asked.

　　"How badly was Jace hurt?"