Hybrid Aria by Jessica Hall

Chapter 45

I watch in panic as they try to stem the bleeding. When Reid walks over, ripping me up by one arm and

dragging me to Zane’s limp body, laying on the floor drenched in blood. Christine starts screaming at

me. “Get her away, she has done enough damage!”

“She can help,” Reid says, throwing his Alpha voice behind his words. Christine looks at me doubtfully

but can’t go against her Alpha. I hold the same doubt. I caused this, how was I supposed to help? Lily

looks pale, standing in the door, looking at the monster I have become. Reid, not wasting any time bites

into my hand, making me flinch. I try to pull my hand back, but he just yanks me forward. What the fuck

is he doing? He presses my hand to Zane’s mouth, my blood running into his mouth before my hand

starts healing. Reid reaches up and grabs a knife from the bench and cuts down my hand where he

just bit me, I squirm as he twists the knife and my blood pours down Zane’s throat. Reid lets go of my

hand, and I fall backwards, trying to figure out what he was just doing.

After a few minutes, Zane starts coughing and spluttering spitting, out the blood. I watch amazed as his

neck starts to heal up. Christine gasps and throws her arms around him in a stranglehold. She starts

peppering his face in kisses, and I suddenly feel relief flood through me that he is alright. I stare at my

hand, confused. My blood saved him. How?

Reid, noticing me staring at my hand, shook his head at me. He was livid that I had hurt one of his

Pack members. I stood up and bolted from the kitchen, intending to try and escape. I couldn’t remain

here not if it means risking their lives or Lily’s life. I yank on the front door handle, only it's locked. I go

to kick it open, knowing I could shatter its wood easily when Reid’s arms wrap around my waist and rip

me backwards. We stumble, and I land on top of him, my back pressed to his chest, his grip

unwavering. I struggle and fight to get up.

“Stop it Aria,” he says as he rolls to his side and stands up, pulling me with him to my feet.

I throw my head back, and it connects with his nose, I hear it crack, knowing I just broke it and quickly

hold my breath as I feel his blood dripping on my back. Reid lets go with one arm while squeezing

tighter on my shoulders, so I don’t escape. I hear him break his nose back into place. Why the fuck is

he so much stronger than me, I just fed for fuck’s sake?

“Perks of being mated to a Hybrid, our bond doesn’t just link us Aria, it makes me stronger, a better

Alpha.” Answering the question that ran through my thoughts. Reid pulls me back towards the cells I

kick out, trying to get him to drop me, but he doesn’t let go. Lily runs out and sees Reid trying to drag

me to the stairwell.

“What are you doing, Reid, let her go,” she screams, running over smacking his leg with her tiny fists.

Reid looks down at her, his gaze softening. I hear his voice in my head. “Stop fighting, you're scaring

your sister, Aria. Look at her.”

“You fucking are. Now let me go.” I mind linked back. Reid looked down at Lily, and I felt like punching

him when he used his Alpha voice on her.

“Lily, go wait with Amber and stay away from this door.” Lily tries to fight his Alpha voice, but I can tell it

causes her pain within a second. She gives up and walks out. Lily has Alpha blood, but her wolf hasn't

awoken yet to even put up a fight.

“You fucking arsehole, you could have hurt her,” I said whipping around and smacking Reid in the side

of the head. Reid grunted at the impact but just managed to get a better grip on me and throw me over

his shoulder marching down the stairs before depositing me on the bed. I went to get up and run for the

door when Reid spun around.

“Don’t forget what Ryder told you Aria, and just for your information, I won’t fucking stop him especially

after what you did to Zane!” He screamed, making me freeze on the spot. Tears sprang to my eyes.

Reid just glared and walked out before slamming the door shut and locking it.

I sit back on the bed, trying to figure out what my next move is, how to get myself out of this situation

and fix what I have broken. I nearly killed Zane, Reid’s Beta. The look on Christine’s and Amber’s faces

I was sure would haunt me. I nearly devastated their lives and possibly destroyed Christine in the

process. I knew there was no way Reid would let me out of this cell now. Looking around, I started

banging on the walls, but the concrete was too thick. Moving to the door, I tried pushing on it, then tried

prying it open with my fingers, but the steel was too thick, and I couldn’t get a grip on the frame itself, it

was pointless.

Sitting back down, I lay on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. Trying to figure out a possible way to get

out of this cell when I notice a vent just above the light. I pull on the bed, hoping to loosen it from the

floor, I continue to pull and push on it. It gives a little, and I know I can with some effort get the bolts to

loosen completely with the repetitive motion. I continue pulling and pushing until I hear the bolts snap, I Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

do the same with the bottom end, eventually pulling it completely from the floor.

Dragging the bed, I moved it under the light. Standing on it, I reach up and punch the vent with as

much force as possible. It dents but doesn’t budge. I punch it again, the little louvres separating slightly.

The third time I hit, it busts open. Gripping it with my fingertips, I pull it down, letting it fall to the ground.

Jumping up, I grab the sides and pull my head through the ceiling looking inside. I let myself fall back

down onto the bed. The vent narrows out, and a small child would struggle to get through the gap, let

alone an adult. I huff annoyed I just wasted all that time and energy for it to fail.

Pushing the bed back into the corner against the wall, I stare at the mark dragging it left on the floor

and the broken vent. Reid is going to blow his lid when he comes in. I pick up the vent to try and hide

under the mattress before laying down.

With nothing else to do, I decide to sleep, but before I even start to nod off, I hear footsteps on the

stairs, echoing loudly through the concrete walls. My heart rate picks up as I hear him stand on the

other side of the door, but not opening it.

“Zane is completely fine,” he says, I hear shuffling before he sits, leaning against the steel door. I get

up and move to the door and sit with my back against it. I try to pry into his mind anything to know what

he is thinking before his voice interrupts me.

“I wouldn’t, Aria, you might not like what you find.” I stopped because of the harshness of his words. I

lean my head back against the door, waiting for him to speak.

“Hunters have been caught and stopped on the borders twice since you have been locked up.” I could

hear the regret in his voice but decided I must have imagined it. “We aren’t sure why they want you, all

three killed themselves before we could interrogate them,” he stated.

“So, what’s that mean then?” I whispered back, knowing he could hear me.

“Means they are willing to go to extremes to hide whatever it is they need you for, David asked if he

could take Lily for a few days until things settle down,” I froze my blood running cold.

“You’re not letting him, though right?” I desperately ask the thought of her being away from me and in

his clutches horrified me.

“He has changed Aria, you have to give him a chance. I know he won’t harm her; I have spoken to him

a fair bit, he has been over here every day to see her. Lily wants to go,” he says, shocking me even

further.

“No, she stays here Reid, you can’t let her go with him.”

“It’s no longer up to you Aria, he picks her up in two days, this is only a trial Aria. He won’t be keeping

her.” I get up enraged. I kick the door and feel him jump before getting to his feet.

“Anything happens to her I will fucking kill you, Reid. Mate or not, I will fucking end you,” I scream while

punching the door wanting to get to him. “He can’t fucking have her!” I scream, my heart plunging into

my stomach. “I have spent years protecting her from him. Now you’re going to hand her over to him.”

“She wants to go Aria; he is her father, and I have his word he won’t harm her.”

“His fucking word, that’s what you're gauging his intentions off of?”

“No, Aria like I said he has been here every day while you have been in this cell. I think we can trust

him, Aria.”

“Clearly, you’re fucking forgetting we are in this mess with the Hunters because of him,” I spat punching

the door, my fist leaving a dent.

“I haven’t forgotten, but this isn’t your choice anymore, Aria. When you realise my word is law maybe I

will let you out,” he said before I hear him stomp up the stairs. Two days, I have two days to try and get

out of this godforsaken cell to stop him from handing her over. What the fuck is he thinking, to let her go

with him, I don’t care if she wants to, she is a child. She doesn’t understand she is putting her life at

risk. I can’t picture David changing enough in such a short time span where I would feel comfortable

leaving her with him for any amount of time.