Hybrid Aria by Jessica Hall novel Chapter 12

Reid’s POV

Deciding to leave the diner, I mind linked Zane. “I want everyone on the lookout for Aria and Lily.”

“Everything okay, Boss?”

“Yes, I just need answers. I had an interesting conversation with Zoe, the owner. She told me a few things that aren’t making any sense, but she won’t say anything else. I will explain when I see you. Just find them and bring them back to the Pack house. Is there any news on which Pack they belong to or last names?”

“No, Boss, whoever Aria is, someone has gone to great lengths to keep her hidden. Same goes for Lily. There are no birth records for Aria, not even banking information. Zoe must pay her in cash, and Lily’s records are sealed seeing as she is a minor. Public records wouldn’t hand out her information when we visited. It was weird, though. When we went to the school, they said they could not find her files.”

“Hmm that is interesting, keep looking.”

“Yes, Boss. Want me to come grab you?”

“No, I’m almost back at the office, anyway.”

Cutting the mind link and walking to the elevator, I hit the button to my office floor. When the doors opened, I went straight to my office. My secretary was still sitting at her desk when I walked in.

“Why are you still here, Ellie? Go home.”

“Just had some filing to do. I'm about to leave, Boss.”

Nodding my head at her, I walked into my office. Ryder was lingering just below my skin, agitated. His feelings were starting to mix with my own, making me angrier. “What are you hiding, Ryder? What do you know that you’re not telling me?”

He didn’t answer. Having a wolf doesn’t mean we share everything, but we do feel everything together, and I could tell he was hiding something. Something he was worried about me knowing. Something to do with Aria. A few hours later, I was still in my office looking over some documents. My bad mood only got worse when one of my Pack warriors alerted me to two rogues running through my territory.

“They are running north of the office. They are running through the bush heading straight towards your location, Alpha.”

“Fine, keep following them. I will meet up with you.”

“What about the child, Boss?”

“There is a kid?”

“Yes, Boss, woman and child,”

“Don’t kill them, catch them.”

“Yes, Boss.” The mind link is cut off. Putting on my suit jacket, I decided to take the stairs, running down them 2 at a time, pumping my adrenaline in case they decide to put up a fight. Maybe this will settle Ryder down; he always loved a good chase. I felt him jumping forward, he was excited just as much as I was.

Once on the bottom floor, I sniffed the air. Nothing but the smell of rain. The sound of howls could be heard in the distance. Jogging slowly and turning at the corner of the street, I started to run up towards the outer parts of the city towards the housing estates. Just as I was running through a small industrial area, I cut through an alleyway. I could hear growling then footsteps running on the pavement towards me. Picking up my pace and turning another corner, I stopped dead in my tracks.

Lily was sobbing, running directly at me. Her clothes were covered in blood, and she was running like her life depended on it. Noticing me coming towards her, she stopped, her eyes going wide, fearing I was someone chasing after her before recognition hit her.

“Reid?” Her voice cracked, and she ran at me, grabbing me around the legs.

“Lily, what are you doing here? Where is Ari?” Placing my hand on top of her head, I looked around frantically. Aria would never leave Lily on her own, especially in this state and this late at night. Lily was sobbing uncontrollably and shaking.

“They’re going to kill her! Help her please,” she begged, clutching my pants leg.

More growls could be heard. Running in the direction of them getting closer, I got a whiff of her scent. She was up an alleyway up ahead. I could hear Lily puffing and panting trying to keep up behind me. Turning into the dark alley, I could see Pack members circling around the intruder, and I caught sight of Aria being slammed onto the concrete. Just as one of the Pack members went to lunge for her throat, I was standing over her in a split second, moving with inhuman speed. My hand grasped around the grey wolf’s throat. Merle, his name was. Squeezing until I heard a sickening crack, his body going limp in my hand. “MINE,” I snarled.

Dropping his lifeless body at my feet. I stepped over him towards my men, growling. They all moved back, and they lowered their heads whimpering.

“We didn’t know, Boss,” one of them whimpered out through the mind link. Turning around, I gazed down at Aria’s limp body. She was saturated in blood, her clothes were torn, and her top half was completely bare except for her black torn bra. Bending down, I scooped her up, clutching her to my chest. I nuzzled her neck, breathing in her scent. Her body felt cold against my hot skin, my wolf instantly calming. She was alive, her breathing shallow but alive.

“Let me fucking kill them,” Ryder growled.

“No, we will deal with them later. We need to take her home.”

“Zane, get here now.” I mind linked.

“Yes, Boss.” Not even two minutes later, Zane turned up in his wolf form. Shifting into his human form, he quickly pulled on his jeans that were tied to his leg before walking over.

“Grab Lily,” I said, nodding towards her. She was standing shocked, staring at Aria’s limp body in my arms. Zane walked over, picking Lily up from under her arms before picking up the duffle bag that was at her feet. Lily clutched it tightly as he rested it on his shoulder.

“Where to, Boss?”

“Home. The Pack doctor is meeting us there. I already called for her.”

“What about Mark and the others?”

I growled warningly at them, and they backed up, lowering their heads.

“Not now,” I snapped, looking down at my mate. I could feel her blood running down my arm, where I was holding her legs. One of the Pack members pulled up at the end of the alleyway, opening the door of my black SUV. Throwing the door open, I climbed in, pulling Aria on my lap. Zane placed Lily beside me, putting her seat belt on. She was sobbing uncontrollably, still clutching the bag that was over Zane’s shoulder. When she wouldn’t let go, he slid it onto her lap before closing the door and hopping into the passenger seat.

Looking down, I pulled the shirt that was tied around her stomach slightly. Blood started gushing out except it was not red; it was black and thicker than normal blood. I quickly placed my hand over it, putting pressure on it.

“Why isn’t she healing?” I asked out loud. Zane peered over the front seat looking at her before my glare made him turn around, quickly realising she was barely clothed. Pulling her closer, I looked over at Lily, who was rubbing Aria’s leg with the hand that was not clutching the bag.

Trying to take her mind off Aria, I asked her, “What’s in the bag that’s so important, Lil?” She clutched the bag tighter and looked at me but did not speak.