His Protection.
Chapter Three: His Protection
Flashback: 20 years ago, under the blood moon.
“Find her. Kill the child. Capture the witch.” The command was cold, sharp, and ruthless as cloaked figures slipped like shadows through the burning forest.
Elowan ran, clutching a baby only days old to her chest.
The fragile cries echoed through the night air, a desperate soundtrack to her pounding heart. Her breath came in ragged gasps, but she refused to slow down.
No matter what, she had to get the child to safety. The prophecy…her child…was meant to change everything.
She stumbled into the ruins of an old chapel, its walls cracked and weathered by time.
She’d been here before. An old priest lived nearby, a man she hoped would keep the baby safe.
With trembling hands, she placed the infant in a basket at the altar. Her eyes caught the flicker of moonlight on the child’s peaceful face.
“Forgive me, my child... please survive,” she whispered, tears burning down her cheeks.
She stayed just long enough to see the priest enter, kneel, and discover the baby.
Then, wrapping a bundle of clothes as if it were the child, she bolted in the opposite direction.
But it was too late. The commander’s rough hand snatched the bundle from her.
“Where is the baby witch? Tell me now.”
“No... you’ll never find him. I swear it.”
Aiden gasped awake, sweat clinging to his skin. His eyes snapped wide open, heart racing like a wild drumbeat.
The nightmare clung to him…wolves snarling on a blood-soaked battlefield, flames licking the sky, and a man shouting the name “Liora.” His hands trembled.
He drew a shaky breath. He couldn’t afford to be late for campus today.
Thirty minutes later, he sat on a bus, the scents and sounds around him sharper than ever, almost painfully so.
He rushed to a familiar classroom where Prince was already waiting.
“Early today, but you look like you’ve been through a war. Shopping spree?” Prince teased.
“Not quite,” Aiden slumped beside him.
“What’s with those bags under your eyes?”
Aiden hesitated, then let it all out. “Weird things... things I can’t explain. My senses…they’re overloaded. I can hear distant sounds like they’re right next to me, and the smells... it’s overwhelming.”
Prince narrowed his eyes, skeptical but listening.
“Last night, I was attacked by street thieves. Got cut, but the wound healed before I got home.”
“A man saved me…tall, dressed in black, with this strength that wasn’t quite human. He called me ‘Liora.’”
“And then the nightmare…wolves, some ancient place, and that same name, shouted by a strange man.”
Prince laughed, shaking his head. “Sounds like you’ve watched too many movies or had way too much coffee.”
Aiden ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated. “You wouldn’t even believe me if I told you.”
“Get some sleep, maybe see a therapist. Your brain needs oxygen, man.”
“Huh, whatever.”
Later, at the bus stop, Aiden chose to take the bus, hoping to avoid any more weird encounters.
An old man with striking heterochromia eyes sat beside him.
“Your scent could bring death to the world if you’re not careful,” the man said, locking eyes with Aiden.
Aiden scanned the crowd, confused. “You mean me?”
The man nodded solemnly.
“My scent’s more like cheap perfume. What, you some street prophet?”
A shaky laugh escaped Aiden’s lips. The man’s expression didn’t change.
“The prophecy of the Moon’s child... and the fallen alpha... mustn’t..”
Before the words left his mouth, a silver dart pierced his neck. Blood trickled down as he collapsed, eyes wide with shock.
Aiden screamed, trying to run…but his shoelace betrayed him, and he stumbled to the ground.
Dark figures in hooded cloaks closed in. One grabbed him, pressing a razor-sharp knife to his throat.
“Your bloodline ends tonight.”
Far above, Aldrich’s instincts screamed danger. He raced across rooftops with breathtaking speed, chasing the scent of his mate.
There, pinned against the cold stone by a vampire…the infamous Argato clan…was Aiden.
His beast snarled, eyes flashing gold with possessive fury.
He shifted, muscles rippling, fangs bared. With a savage snap, he grabbed the vampire between his jaws and hurled it aside.
The other vampires drew weapons, but Aldrich stood tall, a blazing barrier between his mate and death.
He howled into the night to summon Fiona, Grants and Merrick.
They arrive in beast form taking their positions. Super strength and speed made it easy to crush and ripe most of the vampires to shred.
“I'm Fiona, are you okay?”She checked on Aiden but he couldn't move.
Everything that was going on was like a nightmare, he had seen a lot of blood at the hospital but this was worse for just one night.
Aiden is terrified, if this was a nightmare he needs to wake up.
Aiden passed out from shock as the last vampire's head rolled to his feet.
