Hybrid Aria by Jessica Hall

Chapter 18

Aria’s POV

Waking up, the bed felt soft, comfortable, and warm. Not like the infirmary bed, which was a rubber

mattress with flannelette sheets and thin cover. I was also aware I wasn’t in bed alone. A heavily

muscled arm draped lazily over my torso, his body heat seeping into mine from his chest pressed

tightly against my back. Turning my head, I looked over at the sleeping Alpha. Must be deep in sleep

because he snores like a bloody chainsaw. It was the middle of the night; I could see the moon sitting

high in the sky through the windows that wrapped around half the room. Rolling onto my back, I freed

one of my arms and lifted his arm that was now placed under my breasts, moving it off my body. I sat

up and put my foot on the soft carpet, about to make a run for it.

Looking towards the door, I started to get up when I realised the snoring stopped. Glancing over at him,

he was no longer sleeping; his eyes open staring at me. “I wouldn’t. I mean, you can try if it makes you

feel better. I will even give you a head start.” He rolled on to his back, closing his eyes.

Getting up swiftly, I darted to the door. I could hear the Alpha laughing behind me. Throwing the door

open, I ran out, a cold breeze sending goosebumps all over my body. Looking down, I realised I only

had an oversized shirt on that was only just covering my bare arse. Where the fuck are my clothes?

Running back into the room, I turned around and glared at the Alpha.

He was sitting up in the bed back propped up against the wooden headboard. Reaching over, he

flipped on the lamp that was on the bedside table. “Well, that was quick. Forget something?” He

smirked, raising an eyebrow before looking down at my bare legs. Suddenly feeling naked, I tried to

pull the shirt down to try to cover my exposed flesh.

“Where are my clothes?” Alpha Reid put his hands up in surrender.

“I promise I didn’t peek, and I thought you would be uncomfortable sleeping in jeans.”

“So, you thought I would be uncomfortable in my underwear as well?” I asked, crossing my arms over

my chest glaring down at him. His eyes dropped to my legs again. He smiled. Looking down, I realised

by crossing my arms, I had hitched the shirt up even higher, nearly exposing myself completely. Quickly

ripping the shirt back down, I felt my face heat up.

“I wonder how low your blush goes?” Looking back at the Alpha, his head cocked to the side with a

smile on his face. I watched his eyes flicker oddly in the dim room to his wolf before settling back to his

normal stormy grey. I stood awkwardly at the door, trying to cover myself and my embarrassment,

which he seemed to be enjoying.

“You can have your clothes in the morning,” he said, pulling the blanket back and patting the empty

side of the bed.

“I’m not tired. Might have something to do with you knocking me out.”

“Well, I am. Now get in the bed.”

“No, I will go sleep with Lily. Where is she?”

“Why? So you can run the first chance you get? Not happening.” He patted the bed expectantly.

Knowing I wasn’t getting anywhere, I walked over to the bed and climbed in. The Alpha tried to pull me

closer, but I wriggled out of his grip. One minute he was glaring murderously at me, the next he was

almost playful. Why am I in his bed? He wanted nothing to do with me the other day. Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“My wolf will sleep better closer to you, and so will I, if you stop questioning everything.” Confused, I

looked over at him, his eyes were closed. “I can hear your thoughts when you’re close, now can you

please go to sleep?”

What? Can he hear my thoughts? My face heated up, instantly mortified, thinking of all the

inappropriate thoughts I had of him in the diner. Why can’t I hear his then?

Propping himself up on one elbow, he looked down at my reddening face.

“I can hear yours because I have marked you and you are close to me. You haven’t marked me so,

therefore, you can’t hear mine. As for the dirty thoughts, I didn’t know of them until you just

remembered them, now please go to sleep.”

Oh my god kill me now. I mentally face palmed myself. Rolling over to my side, I tried to go back to

sleep, but it just wasn’t happening. Trying to think of anything other than the Alpha’s warm body next to

mine, I started counting back from a 100. “Not helping, please stop talking.”

“Stop listening then, I never asked to be in here. I can’t sleep with you next to me.”

“You were sleeping just fine before. I can help if you want.”

I rolled my eyes and sighed dramatically. “How? Are you going to drug me again?” I laughed.

“I have other ways.” Before I could ask what they were, he was on top of me, his legs pressed against

my thighs, his head pressed to where my mark was. The next thing I remember is his canines brushing

up against it before his teeth sunk into it, remarking me, then I was out like a light.

Waking up the next morning, I could hear water running. Groggily opening my eyes and peering around

the room, I blinked, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the light shining in through the floor to ceiling

windows. His room looked like something out of a catalogue. All the furniture was made from oak, and

the carpet was black and thick, making the room quite cosy looking with the furniture. The king bed was

also made from oak with a huge headboard that had two wolves facing each other carved into it.

Getting up, I noticed straight away I still only had his shirt on. Walking over to the dresser, I opened the

drawer which had briefs and socks in it, going to the next drawer I opened it. Inside were boxers and

pyjamas. Grabbing a pair, I slipped them on before taking a pair of his socks and putting those on too.

Wanting to leave before he got out of the shower, I quickly opened the door and started running down

the stairs, which were located next to the bedroom door I found Lily hiding in.

Opening the door, I popped my head in, but the room was empty. Closing the door, I walked down the

hallway, passing the infirmary after a few turns. I knew this side of the house, so finding the stairs

leading down to the main floor was easier today than when I tried to escape. Walking down the stairs, I

could smell freshly brewed coffee and bacon. My stomach growled hungrily. I followed the scent all the

way to the kitchen, where I found Lily, Beta Zane, and a blonde woman with the little girl Lily introduced

me to. Standing in the kitchen was Wendy and another man whom I’m assuming must be her mate, as

he had his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. His head rested on her shoulder while she was

standing at the bench drinking what I’m assuming is coffee or what I like to call liquid gold.

As soon as I swung the wooden door open, all eyes turned to me. Not one of them seemed shocked to

see me. Wendy smiled and walked up to me with her arms open, embracing me in a warm hug.

“I’m so glad you are alright. You had me worried when you left.”

I hugged her back before stepping back and looking at her. “I’m sorry I hope you didn’t get in too much

trouble.”

“Don’t worry about the Alpha, I can handle him.” She winked before smiling back at me.

“Oh, this is Mitch, my mate. You already know Zane, and that is Christine, Zane’s mate,” Wendy said,

pointing to each one. Mitch had short blonde hair and blue eyes and a round face. He was taller than

Alpha Reid but leaner. Christine had blonde curly hair that sat on her shoulders, her facial features

were softer, and she had green eyes and pale skin. Waving at them, I instantly recognised Mitch was

the one I headbutted.

“Sorry about yesterday,” I said, looking at him. Mitch just nodded his head. His nose was already

healed, not even a scratch, but that didn’t make me feel any better especially knowing he was Wendy’s

mate.

“What, I don’t get an apology?” asked Zane.

“I barely touched you, and you fell over your own feet,” I threw back at him with a grin on my face.

Zane shook his head, smiling before taking a sip of his coffee. Lily stopped eating her pancakes and

came over to me, wrapping her tiny arms around me in a hug, before running back to the table to sit

next to Amber. Walking over to the jug, I poured myself some coffee and lent on the counter with my

arms next to Wendy and Mitch, who had gone back to the same position they were in when I walked in.

Come to think of it, Christine also had some part of her touching Zane. When each would move, they

would readjust some body part whether it was arms, legs, or hands to keep touching each other like

magnets. Must be a mate thing and werewolf thing because I don’t feel like touching Alpha Reid. I feel

like running from him.

Speak of the devil, and he will show. Just as I was taking a sip from my coffee, in bursts Reid with his

wet hair that was dripping on his clean blue shirt and a pair of jeans. The panicked look on his face

made me jump back before his features softened and relaxed upon seeing me standing next to Wendy.

Walking towards me, I took a step back, bumping into Wendy.

“He won’t bite love; he is alright once you get to know him.”

“That’s because you haven’t been bitten by him.” I could hear everyone chuckle. My hand reflexively

went to my mark where he decided to take a bite last night. Who is she kidding? I have every right to

fear him. He hates me and my kind.

“I don’t hate you, don’t think that.”

“Will you stop doing that? It’s an invasion of privacy,” I said, gritting my teeth. Grabbing my coffee, I

went and sat next to Lily, drinking it slowly.

“So, how many Pack members live here?” I asked.

“Only us, the rest have their own places. It would cause too many fights having everyone under one

roof, and Pack warriors love to fight,” Christine said, speaking up for the first time since I walked in.

Made sense, Pack warriors are hunters and loved fighting, so I would assume amongst themselves

too.

Looking around the room, I noticed the Alpha leaning casually on the counter staring at me, his dark

eyes burning into me with a look on his face I couldn’t decipher. Looking back at Lily, she had finished

eating.

“Can we stay here now, Ari?” she asked excitedly. Before I could answer, the Alpha was standing

directly behind me.

“Your home is here now, you aren’t going anywhere,” he said, placing a hand on my shoulder. His

touch sent sparks flying down my shoulder to my core, desire coursing through my body. I pressed my

thighs together, trying to stop the ache between my legs. Looking up, the Alpha was looking down at

me with a sly smirk on his face over the effect he was having just by touching me.

My face instantly heated up. He chuckled softly before removing his hand and walking back to the

counter. When I looked around, I found everyone was staring at me smiling, like they were in on some

joke I was unaware of. Wendy broke the awkward silence.

“Zane reckons Alpha has no effect on you. Alpha wanted to prove him wrong.” If looks could kill, he

would be dead ten times over with the daggers I was throwing his way.

When Lily walked out, I was quick to follow, pulling her to the side.

“Lily, where is our bag?”

She looked nervous, looking down before answering. “Alpha Reid took it; I think he took it in his room.

He had it when he was carrying you,” she said, still looking at her purple socks. Looking over at her

clothes, I noticed she was in brand new ones. She had on black tights and a pink unicorn shirt that

matched her bedspread.

“Okay, I will try to find it. Stay with Amber.”

Lily nodded before running over to play with Amber in the games room. Walking back up the stairs, I

quickly ran back to the Alpha’s bedroom, looking in all the drawers before going into his walk-in closet

and rummaging around trying to find my duffle bag. I knew if I didn’t find it soon, we would have

problems. Ever since the night I came here and they fed me blood, I have started craving it more and

more, not just when I’m injured or angry. The thirst is now always there waiting for a reason to take

over.

Realising it’s not in the bedroom, I make my way down to his office which I know is the one with the

new desk simply because it’s the biggest. It was nearly as big as his room, plus it was kind of in the

middle of the house. Feeling relieved when I opened the door to see he wasn’t in there, I made my way

over to the bookshelves which had filing cupboards underneath and started opening them.

When I opened the third drawer, I found the bag. I opened it, noticing it felt lighter. My stomach dropped

when I realised the bag only had my work uniform and my wallet. Standing up, my back was turned to

the door, so I hadn’t realised the Alpha had walked in and was now sitting behind his desk watching

me. Shit, where did he put them? I couldn’t find them anywhere.

“Looking for these?” His voice was low, making me jump. Turning around, he was sitting at his desk

holding up a jar full of syringes. Relieved, I went to grab them, but he pulled them away at the last

second.

“I need those, please,” I begged.

“Why?” not willing to answer. I tried to snatch them from him, but he was quicker, moving them out of

reach again.

When I went to grab them a third time, I noticed one of the bottles of wolfsbane at the end of his desk.

Quickly snatching it off his table, I walked out and slammed the door.