Alpha David wore a smirk on his face, dropping his arms to his side.He started walking down the steps.He never took his eyes off me.I could hear a low warning growl coming from him as he walked towards me.I stood straighter, not breaking my gaze, refusing to look away.When I didn’t submit, the rest of the Pack started circling around us, growling at me threateningly.Michael didn’t move off the porch, he just stared at me, trying to warn me with his eyes.He looked petrified not of me but for me.What the hell have I just walked into?
Chapter 23
Aria’s POV
Watching David, I noticedhe didn’t look shocked to see me.I then realised this was his plan all along.I realised I was his bargaining tool, his way to get Reid to comply.I was Reid’s weakness.If something happens to me, it weakens him, and he can get Lily back.
Too busy watching David trying to think of a way to convince him to sort this out amicably, I didn’t hear the person sneaking up behind me until I felt the sting of the needle as it pierced my neck.The burning sensation bled into my skin, burning my insides like fire consuming my body.I gripped my neck, trying to get the pain to lessen, trying to stop it from spreading.Turning around, I see no one behind me but my former Pack members and a syringe at my feet containing gold liquid concentrated wolfsbane.
I felt my surroundings start to spin as fire consumed my veins, overtaking all my senses.I could feel myself burning up.I screamed in agony, trying to stop the burn.My legs collapsed under me.My body felt heavy, I was losing to the pain.For the first time in my life, I welcomed the darkness, praying I would pass out so the pain would end.
I could feel my body falling, my head hitting the soil, but I didn’t even feel it.All I could feel was wolfsbane burning through every cell in my body.I smiled when I felt everything getting darker, my surroundings starting to dim.Michael’s words came back to me.“This stuff will even put you on your arse.” He was right.If I weren’t in so much pain, I would have laughed at the fact it did exactly what he said it would….I thanked the Moon Goddess as I finally slipped away into the darkness of oblivion.
Reid’s POV
Torn between going to fight beside my Pack and staying and protecting Aria and Lily, I reluctantly left.I had a Pack to protect.We raced through the winding back roads towards the city.The trees blurring into one at the speed we were moving.Alpha David crossed the line, and now there is no going back, I will finally rid the earth of that scum who dared torture my woman.Aria can’t hate me for protecting my Pack… our Pack.I was doing this for her, for Lily, and for us.Driving towards the border, the city came into view.We were only a few kilometres out.The only thing surrounding us were trees and farmland.Just as we hit the outskirts of the city, I felt a cold wave of a feeling I couldn’t recognise rush over my skin.Ryder instantly tensed and tried to lurch forward.
“What is it?” I ask him.He pushed underneath my skin forcefully.Hair spreading across my arms, my claws extending tearing the leather seat.
“Aria is getting away from us,” I heard him snarl at me in reply.No, Aria was at home where I ordered her to stay.She wouldn’t defy me; she wouldn’t betray my trust like this.I locked her in, the door was sealed, and wolf proof.The glass on the windows is even impenetrable.Mind-linking Wendy, I felt her push back, trying to ignore the link.Furious that she tried to ignore my call, I shoved back forcing her to accept the link.I could hear her groan as I pushed through the tether.Mitch, who was in the front seat driving, whimpered at me, feeling his mate’s pain come through the bond.Wendy let go and stopped trying to shove me out, knowing it’s a battle she can’t win.
“Where is Aria?” I demand.Wendy didn’t answer.Mitch tried to get her to answer by asking the same question I just did.I could see his grip tightening on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.Wendy whimpered from the pressure of her mate.
“I ca…can’t,” she stuttered almost breathlessly.Aria has done this; she is the only one who is strong enough to bind someone against me.Her tricks don’t work on me, but the rest of the Pack is defenceless against her commands.But I also know she wouldn’t force that burden, that pain to go against an Alpha on Lily.Linking Lily, I could finally get answers.
“Lily, where is your sister?” Lily didn’t resist, meaning Aria hadn’t commanded her to keep quiet.
I heard Mitch let out a breath when I dropped the link to Wendy.
“She went to speak to the Alpha, um, my dad.” Lily sounded unsure on the last word like she hadn’t used the word before.I growled, pissed off that she disobeyed me.I felt Lily cower through the link, she doesn’t understand I’m not angry at her.Cutting the link, Mitch looked at me through the rear-view mirror.
“Speed up, Aria is heading to the border.” Mitch nodded before putting his foot down, overtaking everyone like they were standing still.
Jumping out of the car before the car even stopped as we reached the border, Dominic, one of my warriors, came up to me.“They all retreated about 5 minutes ago, Boss.”
“Where is the Alpha?”
“Don’t know.He never showed up here.Only their warriors showed up, but they left.What do you want to do, Alpha?”
“Stay alert, they have your Luna.” Dominic growled in reply.I tried to reach out to Aria but got no reply.Trying to come up with a plan with Zane, we had no idea where the Pack house was having never been there.We knew it wouldn’t be anywhere in a populated area.Most Pack houses were away from the human population and near bushland so we could let our wolves out.So, it’s probably on the outskirts of the city.Dominic brought some maps of the city so we could search for secluded areas of the east side.Unfolding the maps, I sprawled them out on the car bonnet.The only place big enough and secluded enough was the bushland along the railway tracks.It was backed onto a wildlife reserve.I know that is where I would build a Pack house if it was me.
Suddenly feeling like I was being skinned alive, I fell to the ground panting.My body felt like it was being doused in acid.Ryder pushed forward, forcing me to shift.My clothes tearing as I took my wolf form.
“Aria,” snarled Ryder.Jumping over the border, I could feel him trying to run towards her until I suddenly felt cold, my body going numb, my vision blurred.Pushing forward I regained control, forcing us to shift back.Zane was right behind me.Clutching his stomach he shakily handed me some shorts.
“We can feel her, Alpha, make it stop.” he pleaded before collapsing next to me.
Sitting up, I look around to find all my men on the ground, shaking and writhing in agony.How is this possible?The bond only works on me.Ryder was pacing in the back of my mind, anxious.Reaching out to Aria, I feel nothing through the bond, no connection at all.Which could only mean two things: she has passed out or she is dead.I knew she wasn’t dead; I would feel that.The thought alone was painful like my soul ripping out of me, so I knew she was still alive.But the question was how she affected my entire Pack.
“Lycan Blood.She is our rightful queen.They were all bonded the moment you marked her,” growled Ryder.My body felt weak; I shakily stood and put the blue shorts on before collapsing to the ground again.We just had to ride it out.Once she was completely out, the pain would end, I hoped.
Aria’s POV
“Now what do we do with her?”
“We use her to get my daughter back.Alpha Reid will come for her.If he wants her he will hand Lily over.”
“He will kill the entire Pack.This is insane even for you.You’re willing to risk everyone?”