Hybrid Aria by Jessica Hall

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.

We got to the Pack house quickly. As soon as the door opened, I ran out and up the stairs clutching Aria to my chest. I kicked the door open and ran to the infirmary where the Pack doctor Mavis was standing next to the hospital bed, in her white coat. Her red hair was a mess, telling me I had woken her. I could see she was still in her pyjamas under her coat, and she only had socks on and no shoes. Placing Aria on the gurney, Doc quickly started to work. Zane walked in a few minutes later with Lily still clutching the bag tightly. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Findɴovel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

I bent down to look at Lily. “You okay?” She shook her head and sniffled. Her blonde curls were tinged red covered in blood, and some was dried on her face. “Are you hurt?” She shook her head again.

“The blood is Ari's. She was carrying me,” she stuttered, trying to hold her sobs in. I could tell it was Aria's; I would know her scent anywhere.

Looking down at her drenched clothing, I noticed what looked like blisters along her hands. Pushing the sleeves of her shirt up her arms, I found more blisters and burns. I could smell wolfsbane on her clothes, which would be causing her pain. Immediately, I signalled for the nurse that was with doc to come over.

She took one look at her before confirming, “Wolfsbane,”

“Is that why my mate isn't healing?” She looked uncertain.

“Maybe. Come on, let's get you cleaned up,” she said, holding her hand out to Lily to take. Lily looked uncertain but took her hand anyway.

"Why are you so quiet, Ryder?” I asked.

“You will find out soon,” was all he replied. I knew he was scared for our mate. She looked so small and fragile, laying on the hospital bed. The Doc was stapling her leg while another nurse was stitching her side. She was completely unconscious. If I couldn't see her chest rise with each breath she took and hear the slow beating of her heart, I would have thought she was dead. A tall man in a white coat walked in before placing an IV in her arm and attaching a bag of fluids. I watched as he took some blood samples before walking out of the room again. Both doctors kept giving me nervous glances.

“Maybe you should go wait in your study, Alpha,” said Mavis. I have known her for years, and I could tell something was making her nervous. That I was making her nervous.

“No, I'm fine here.”

"Sir, I don't think you should be here when she wakes up.”

“She is my mate, I'm staying.” Mavis looked shocked for a second, glancing at Tom, the male doctor who had stepped into the room again before looking down at my mate with a look of fear on her face.

"Sir, I'm afraid I need to insist you leave. Mavis or I will come see you soon. It's for your mate's safety,” said Tom.

“Safety? I am not going to hurt her. She is mine.” Tom wouldn't budge, instead gestured towards the door.

"Please, we will be able to work more efficiently with you not here.”

Storming out of the room and slamming the door behind me, I made my way down the hallway to my study. The study was dark. Turning on the light, I looked around the room trying to find something to distract myself, looking over at the shelves of books. I didn't feel like reading or working, instead deciding to just sit behind my desk. Running my fingers through my hair, I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes.

I must have dozed off because Zane walked in with a plate in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. He placed them down in front of me.

“Eat,” he ordered, pushing the plate in front of me.

“Any news?"

"Yes, but you're not going to like it. I had my suspicions earlier but didn't want to say anything,” “What?”

"Please just eat and wait for Doc.” Just as he mentioned her, she walked in with some papers in her hand. She looked over to Zane nervously before he nodded, and she walked further into the room. "Well, take a seat, Doc.” She shook her head before looking down. Mavis was making me uneasy; it cannot be that bad, surely, she was breathing and alive. “What, did she die?" I asked, my voice breaking at the thought.

Doc shook her head. “No, of course not but there is something you should know.”

“Like?” I threw my hands up impatiently. Doc glanced at Zane again before looking down at the papers in her hand.

“You said she was your mate?” I nodded, confirming her words. “Well, she had lethal doses of wolfsbane in her system. Enough to kill 10 or more wolves to be precise.” she said, placing a piece of paper down in front of me.

“But she is alive. She will be fine, though, right?" I asked, glancing down at the paper.

"Yes, Sir, she will live, but she needs blood to heal. We don't have any here. I am organising some to be sent over.”

"Ok, so what blood type is she? I can organise some Pack members to donate blood if needed?” Now she is really worried. She looked around anxiously, her hands began to shake, and she moved closer to Zane. “Am I missing something? What's going on? Does she have a rare blood type?”

“No sir, you're not understanding, she.... your mate needs blood to heal. She is a hy... Hybrid,” she stuttered over the last word.

I burst out laughing. “Nice try Doc,” she looked towards Zane. Before he stepped forward, his hand gripped my shoulder squeezing lightly. He looked at me and nodded his head, confirming what the doctor said.

My blood started to simmer. She can't be a Hybrid, but at the same time, so many things made sense now, her unique scent. The fact that she could not heal. Why she wouldn't know of the mate bond? Why she had no wolf. Why she was not dead when I smelt wolfsbane on her. My head was spinning. “This is what you wouldn't tell me, huh Ryder?”

My anger reached breaking point, boiling over. Gripping the desk, I flung it against the wall, narrowly missing Mavis. My mate was a fucking Hybrid! Mavis darted out of the room. I wanted to break something. I wanted to kill something. No, I wanted to kill her. Is this my fucking punishment, Moon Goddess? Did you do this to fucking torture me? I will not have a Hybrid as a fucking mate. Trashing the room, there were no shelves left standing. The windows smashed from flying furniture. Zane did not move, just stood in the doorway, waiting for me to finish. When I went to walk out, Zane stepped in my way.

“Move,” I growled, grabbing his shirt and slamming him into the door frame

"Why? So you can kill her? You kill your mate, the Moon Goddess will not grant you another. Reid, think about this. Do not let your hate control you. Don't let it destroy her.”

“I won't have a Hybrid as a fucking mate,” I spat at him.

“Killing her will only weaken you. Be reasonable.”

“I made a fucking promise to wipe them from existence. She doesn’t change that,” I screamed, shoving him out of the way.

"And I won't let you hurt our mate,” Ryder, finally speaking up, growled at me. Fighting me for control.