Hybrid Aria by Jessica Hall novel Chapter 36

The knock on the door alerted us that someone was outside his office door. I managed to throw my clothes on with speed that would have put The Flash to shame. I could hear Reid chuckle at my embarrassment. Any werewolf walking in could easily smell what we had been doing. My dishevelled appearance would only be verifying it. I tried to flatten down my hair and smooth out my clothes. Reid was slowly buttoning up his pants, not even fazed in the slightest. I groaned with annoyance at his leisurely pace.

Without warning, Zane waltzed on in, taking in the room, a sly smile spread across his face as he leaned on the doorframe. Reid chuckled at my mortified expression. Before slipping his belt on. Zane cleared his throat. “Sorry about that, but by the sounds of it, you two were done. I couldn’t very well wait in the hall all day, some of us have work to do,” he stated.

My face flushed red. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. Zane laughed at me. Reid eyed me like he wasn’t the least bit embarrassed, it actually made me wonder had Zane walked in on Reid with some random bent over his desk before. The thought churned in my stomach jealousy, consuming me at the thought.

“Calm down, Aria, Zane is just playing. And no, he hasn’t walked in on me before,” he said, answering the question that was lingering in my mind. I hated when he did that, I can’t even keep my thoughts private. “No, you can’t so I don’t know why you bother trying.” Reid answered. Invading my mind again. Zane just watched our lover’s quarrels. I sat on the edge of the desk and folded my arms across my chest. I know it was childish, but it really irritated me that invading my thoughts was becoming easier and easier for him and yet I could feel what he was feeling but still not see into that head of his.

Reid, ignoring my ranting turned to Zane. “What do you need?”

Zane smirked at me before turning back to Reid. “Nothing Alpha, I just came to see you about a breach in security,” Reid’s head popped up at that, all joking pushed aside while he listened intently on what Zane had to say. I unfolded my arms and leant forward on his desk to listen too. “Hunters were spotted sneaking around the territory, and they managed to breach the computer database, they stole some footage.”

“Footage? Of what? And are you sure they were Hunters; we haven’t had Hunters around in years.”

“Positive Alpha, they left something behind. When we scoured the footage, we saw they left a note in the foyer downstairs. I’m not sure what they were looking for, but they stole the footage from the night Lily and Ari came to our territory. They didn’t take the footage of inside the building but of the cameras on the streets,” Reid looked back at me, panic on his face and leaking through the bond. I could tell he was trying to mask it. Zane’s eyes darted to me quickly before his eyes glazed over. I could tell he was mind linking Reid as Reid’s eyes lost focus before going to me. He growled lowly from the back of his throat, it sent chills down my spine and paralysed me on the spot.

“What?” I asked, demanding to know what had Reid so riled up. Zane looked back at Reid, who put his hand up before pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. I could tell he was trying to pull himself together, so I waited patiently for him to answer.

“The note said to hand over the Hybrid, and they will show the rest of us mercy,” I gasped in shock. There is no doubt in my mind the Hybrid they are referring to is me. My throat suddenly felt dry. If they know I exist, they would definitely know about Lily. Lily and I are always together, especially the night they took the camera footage from.

“Why, though?” My voice shook in fear but not for myself, but for our Pack and for Lily. I never should have stayed in town; I should have left when we had the chance. Now I have put everyone at risk and why now after years have the Hunters come out of hiding and feel brazen enough to break into one of the most feared Packs’ business buildings.

“I have no idea, Aria, but it won’t be for anything good, you aren’t to leave without an escort from now on, in fact, you won’t be leaving my sight.” I shook my head that wasn’t even an option in my head for the sake of Lily and my Pack, I may just have to hand myself over. No one is dying for my sake; I could never live with myself.

Reid growled menacingly, obviously reading my thoughts yet again. I rolled my eyes, but Zane seemed to get the message that I apparently missed because he left the room in a hurry, the door slamming behind him.

Reid gripped my arm tightly, pulling me towards him and wrapping his other arm around my waist, so I was flush against him. I could feel his anger radiating off him, the heat of his skin suddenly feeling like it was burning into me. “You will not be leaving my sight, Ari. Do you understand?” I looked up at him, my own anger bubbling to the surface. How dare he tell me to sit on the sidelines while everyone risked their lives for me. Over my dead body would I allow that. Reid’s nails dug into the skin on the inside of my arm. I hissed at the sting and looked up at him. His eyes were no longer his own, Ryder’s eyes peering back at me were blazing in fury at my defiance.

“Stay out of my head, Reid, or is it just you now, Ryder?”