Jaden slipped under the water, gasping in panic and splashing water with his arms. He couldn't scream anymore because the water was running in his mouth and nose, and he couldn't keep his eyes open because the salt burnt them.

It was frightening, dark, and painful, but it lasted only a second. It seemed like an eternity for the poor boy, but a pair of strong arms caught him.

Nate got him out of the water, and he patted his back while the boy coughed the water out from his throat.

?Hey, hey, I'm here,? he whispered, pressing the boy on his chest and rubbing his back with light motions. ?It's okay now; you're safe.?

Jaden stopped coughing after a few minutes, and he opened his eyes to look at Nate. He started first sobbing and then crying out loud.

His fear and worries flew out as he surrounded the man's neck with his short arms and sank his head there, letting Nate comfort him from the trauma.

Lara stopped her shout just in time, for she had turned blank when Jaden disappeared underwater. But she couldn't do anything because Nate was so fast to catch him. He saved her cub before she even realised the danger.

She returned her attention to Scarlet, her heart calming down little by little. Jaden was still crying, but he was safe by all means.

Scarlet was calmer, so the water wings could keep her up without much hassle. She didn't even try swimming, so there was not much Lara had to do to keep her safe.

?Mommy?? Scarlet murmured.

?It's okay; mommy got a little scared. But Jaden is all right.?

?Yes,? Scarlet said. She already knew that Jaden was okay. ?Let's play some more!?

Lara nodded, reaching out to her cub.

She saw Nate waving at her while walking back to the beach and Jaden holding on to him desperately.

?Your dad is here,? the man was saying, feeling unsettled because of that scene. How much could that pup cry before his eyes ran dry?

?You said I was safe,? Jaden replied once he could talk. ?You lied.?

?No, I told you the truth. You are safe, right? Nothing happened. But this little incident shouldn't discourage you from learning how to swim. We can go back later, after resting a little. It's almost time for a snack... We can eat, rest under the sun, and then try again. It will be fine.?

?It hurts,? Jaden complained. He didn't want to go back yet.

?Where??

?Here,? he said, touching his heart.

?Does it still hurt??

?It's hot and hurts.?

?Can you breathe?? he asked, in a principle of panic.

Jaden nodded, calming Nate's worries a little. Just a little.

?You drank a lot of water through your mouth and nose: that might be it. Let's wait a few minutes, and if it still hurts, we'll call for a doctor.?

Jaden nodded again, pursing his lips. They were talking about a snack, weren't they?

They reached their deckchairs without noticing the pair of black eyes fixed on them.

The hotel roof was empty, except for the dark shadow observing the beach. The man was wearing light clothes and no face mask, as it would attract even more attention in that environment.

With his white Bermuda pants and sunglasses, he looked like just any other of the guests of that place.

His right hand was holding a cigarette, almost over. The ash had grouped on the floor, for he hadn't moved from his position for a long while. The breeze would occasionally bring some of it towards the end of the roof and then away with the wind to the beach, but it was such a tiny part that no one could notice.

The sun was bothersome, and the weather was too hot to stay on a roof any longer.

He turned the cigarette off, moving his left hand towards the camera hanging around his neck.historical

The Alpha had sent him there to collect information, and that was the closest he could get without risking being noticed by Nathaniel Woods. They had made the mistake of underestimating him once already, and they weren't going to do it again.

The Alpha had sent him to follow Nathaniel Wood's car and find out about his personal life while Renato had a similar mission but in some other field.

They were working hard to find something they could use against that man and that pack. From the moment their late Alpha died, they had restlessly worked and fought in search of revenge, but the Norwich pack was hard to hit. Infiltration was also impossible.

Their only hope was to hit at the high-ranking wolves until the pack crumbled down and they could conquer their territory with little effort.

?Who's that female?? he murmured, taking a couple of pictures of the woman Nathaniel Woods had brought with him.

The two pups were also interesting.

They did have a big resemblance to the Alpha, but no one had ever heard about him having a family. It would have been easier to fight him if he had such a weak point!

?Two pups, ah? Alpha Woods sure knows how to do it...?

He pressed the button, and the camera took a few pictures. He even played with the zoom to catch some details, and he could confirm the pups resembled the Alpha. The male kid was his carbon copy, just smaller.

They were on vacation together, like any ordinary family. And the pups were having fun as if they were at the sea for the first time.

As for the woman, it was rather clear. The two didn't exchange many touches, but the way the Alpha made her sit in a position rather than another was transparent. Every single of his moves had well-hidden territoriality.

That was his woman, but no one knew the Norwich pack had an Alpha female... Were they that good at hiding it, or was Nathaniel Woods the one hiding his woman from the world?

If that was the case, how would the pack react after finding out their Alpha had lied for years?

His grin grew wider as he took another set of pictures.. This time, of Nathaniel Woods and the blond pup.