Kidnapped By An Alpha Jerk

Chapter 62

April's POV

"Nina, what the hell are you talking about? Aiden's not drinking again."

"Ap," she leaned forward and held me by the shoulders. "Ap, you need to listen to me. This is why Diego didn't want to tell you. He didn't want you to freak out. He wanted to give Aiden a chance to pull himself together again. But you need to know - you need to help him."

I pulled myself up and shook my head. "How do you know?"

"Diego told me."

"How does Diego know?"

Even in the semi-opacity, I could see her pull a face at me. "April, they're best friends. Of course he knows."

"I'm sure he's fine, Nina. You're worrying about nothing. He promised me he'd quit."

Nina stood up too. "I'm going in. It's getting cold out and I think it's going to rain. I think you should go to Diego again and sort out whatever you need to." She sat motionless for a few moments before shaking herself out of her torpid state, opening her mouth to speak again, but I assured her that I wasn't worried, that everything was fine and that she and Diego fought about nothing.

Then, I sat back down in the seat and waited for the rain to come. Rain was going to come. The sky was overcast with grey and the smell of rain lingered on the horizon. When the first few raindrops fell, I stood up and took a deep breath.

***

I stood in front of Aiden and Diego's room and knocked hesitantly, shifting on the spot in the semi-darkness of the corridor. No answer. I knocked again, more confidently this time, but no answer came again. I frowned and said clearly: "Aiden?"

No answer.

"Diego?"

Still no answer. I clasped the door handle and pushed the door open but there was still no noise of protest, not even the steady rhythm of breathing to indicate there even was any living person in the room. I sighed and stepped forward – they'd left their balcony door open.

"Ow!" I glanced down and found something glinting in the semi-moonlight. Bending down, I picked it up. A bottle of whisky. I felt my heart drop in my chest and my throat constricted. I glanced around the room and reached for the light switch.

I hated what I saw as soon as the light flickered on – there were three empty alcohol bottles visible on the bed. Diego must have found them and confronted Aiden about it - otherwise they would have been hidden. Aiden's bed, the one nearest the window, was undone and his sheets were flung onto the floor. His bedside table was littered with everything he'd said he was done with.

I felt my eyes burn. Rain was still drizzling down steadily; thunder crackled distantly, illuminating the sky and I jumped at the sudden noise. I reached for the balcony door handle to pull it shut, but something caught my eye on the beach below.

I frowned – was that... was that a person?

There was a figure on the beach, sitting with the faint outline of a surfboard by their side. I swallowed. I had no doubt that it was Aiden. It had to be. If it wasn't, it would be damn well awkward to just ambush them. By the time I had reached the edge of the beach, the rain was pouring steadily now and the waves were roaring in my ears.

"Aiden?" I called over the wind.

I'm not sure if he was ignoring me or if he really didn't hear, but I seriously doubted that, especially with his werewolf hearing.

"Aiden." This time it wasn't a question. He turned slightly and I hesitated besides him, unsure of whether or not to sit. "Can I sit down?"

"In the sand?" His voice was low, as though he hadn't spoken in a long time.