“Hear what?” I looked down and placed my hands on my stomach.Reid’s eyes followed my hands, watching.
“I can hear it.” I whispered.Reid figuring out what I was talking about.Placed his hand over mine.Like he could suddenly feel it, although we both knew that was a couple of weeks off yet.Zane stepped into the kitchen, before realising, he walked in on something.He froze and went to turn around, but it was too late.My senses were already overloaded, his heartbeat just adding to the pressure snapping the control I had left.I lunged at him, the sound of his heart beating becoming too much.
Grabbing him by the shoulders, I bit into the tender flesh of his neck.Zane’s blood filled my mouth.I could feel my eyes change as my vision turned red as I drank greedily.Starving and rabid, I had no control, but in this moment, I didn’t want control.I just wanted blood and was willing to do anything for it.Zane tried to fight me off, but I was stronger, his hands pushing and yanking more of an annoyance, a distraction but not strong enough to fight me off.Shoving him into the wall and biting down harder this time into his shoulder, I had him where I wanted him pinned to the wall with no escape.It all happened so quickly not even Reid had time to react.I could feel Reid’s hand wrap around my shoulders and yank me back, forcing me to let go of Zane.My teeth ripping away taking his flesh with me.I spun around quickly to fend off Reid.Only for his intoxicating scent to hit me, his scent filling my nose, as I breathed deeply my eyes fluttering closed, a growl tearing out of me vibrating through every cell in my body.
Zane’s blood was nothing compared to Reid’s.I craved Reid’s blood.Zane’s was sweet but bitter compared to the taste of Reids.Opening my eyes, I advance on Reid.I jump at him wrapping my legs around his waist, my arms wrapping around his shoulders, as I sink my teeth into him, drinking so fast I couldn’t swallow fast enough, his blood running down my chin and neck.I could feel Reid trying to pull away, fighting me off.It was only when I heard her agonised scream ring in my ears that I stopped.The sheer pain in that one scream tearing through my heart and shattering my soul.All her fear and pain flooding me through the Pack link as she screamed out for her mate.Forcing myself trying to override the need to feed, I turned to find Zane slumped on the floor next to the kitchen door.Christine clutched onto his shirt, tears staining her face as sobs wracked her entire body.
Her wailing as she clutched his shirt, trying to wake him.Wendy and Mitch ran in.Wendy’s hands going to her mouth trying to hide her shock as Mitch ran to Christine pulling her out of the way before leaning down and placing his hand on his neck which wasn’t healing just spilling out his life’s blood onto the tile.Zane’s face drained of life as his skin started to lose its colour.Reid shoved me out of the way trying to get to his best friend and Beta.Then I see Amber and Lily step into the kitchen, Ambers screams shatter me as she runs trying to get to her father, only for Christine to grab her shielding her eyes away from her father’s limp body bleeding out on the floor.What have I done?
Chapter 39
Aria’s POV
I watch in panicas 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 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.