Chapter35


    The knock on the door alerted us that someone was outside his office door. I managed to throw my


    clothes on with speed that would have put The sh to shame. I could hear Reid chuckle at my


    embarrassment. Any werewolf walking in could easily smell what we had been doing. My dishevelled


    appearance would only be verifying it. I tried to tten down my hair and smooth out my clothes. Reid


    was slowly buttoning up his pants, not even fazed in the slightest. I groaned with annoyance at his


    leisurely pace.


    Without warning, Zane waltzed on in, taking in the room, a sly smile spread across his face as he


    leaned on the doorframe. Reid chuckled at my mortified expression. Before slipping his belt on. Zane


    cleared his throat. “Sorry about that, but by the sounds of it, you two were done. I couldn’t very well


    wait in the hall all day, some of us have work to do,” he stated.


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    My face flushed red. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks. Zaneughed at me. Reid eyed me


    like he wasn’t the least bit embarrassed, it actually made me wonder had Zane walked in on Reid with


    some random bent over his desk before. The thought churned in my stomach jealousy, consuming me


    at the thought.


    “Calm down, Aria, Zane is just ying. And no, he hasn’t walked in on me before,” he said, answering


    the question that was lingering in my mind. I hated when he did that, I can’t even keep my thoughts


    private. “No, you can’t so I don’t know why you bother trying.” Reid answered. Invading my mind again.


    Zane just watched our lover’s quarrels. I sat on the edge of the desk and folded my arms across my


    chest. I know it was childish, but it really irritated me that invading my thoughts was bing easier


    and easier for him and yet I could feel what he was feeling but still not see into that head of his.


    Reid, ignoring my ranting turned to Zane. “What do you need?”


    Zane smirked at me before turning back to Reid. “Nothing Alpha, I just came to see you about a breach


    in security,” Reid’s head popped up at that, all joking pushed aside while he listened intently on what


    Zane had to say. I unfolded my arms and leant forward on his desk to listen too. “Hunters were spotted


    sneaking around the territory, and they managed to breach theputer database, they stole some


    footage.”


    “Footage? Of what? And are you sure they were Hunters; we haven’t had Hunters around in years.”


    “Positive Alpha, they left something behind. When we scoured the footage, we saw they left a note in


    the foyer downstairs. I’m not sure what they were looking for, but they stole the footage from the night


    Lily and Ari came to our territory. They didn’t take the footage of inside the building but of the cameras


    on the streets,” Reid looked back at me, panic on his face and leaking through the bond. I could tell he


    was trying to mask it. Zane’s eyes darted to me quickly before his eyes zed over. I could tell he was


    mind linking Reid as Reid’s eyes lost focus before going to me. He growled lowly from the back of his


    throat, it sent chills down my spine and paralysed me on the spot.


    “What?” I asked, demanding to know what had Reid so riled up. Zane looked back at Reid, who put his


    hand up before pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. I could tell he was trying to pull himself


    together, so I waited patiently for him to answer.


    “The note said to hand over the Hybrid, and they will show the rest of us mercy,” I gasped in shock.


    There is no doubt in my mind the Hybrid they are referring to is me. My throat suddenly felt dry. If they


    know I exist, they would definitely know about Lily. Lily and I are always together, especially the night


    they took the camera footage from.


    “Why, though?” My voice shook in fear but not for myself, but for our Pack and for Lily. I never should


    have stayed in town; I should have left when we had the chance. Now I have put everyone at risk and


    why now after years have the Hunterse out of hiding and feel brazen enough to break into one of


    the most feared Packs’ business buildings.


    “I have no idea, Aria, but it won’t be for anything good, you aren’t to leave without an escort from now


    on, in fact, you won’t be leaving my sight.” I shook my head that wasn’t even an option in my head for


    the sake of Lily and my Pack, I may just have to hand myself over. No one is dying for my sake; I could


    never live with myself.


    Reid growled menacingly, obviously reading my thoughts yet again. I rolled my eyes, but Zane seemed


    to get the message that I apparently missed because he left the room in a hurry, the door mming


    behind him.


    Reid gripped my arm tightly, pulling me towards him and wrapping his other arm around my waist, so I


    was flush against him. I could feel his anger radiating off him, the heat of his skin suddenly feeling like it


    was burning into me. “You will not be leaving my sight, Ari. Do you understand?” I looked up at him, my


    own anger bubbling to the surface. How dare he tell me to sit on the sidelines while everyone risked


    their lives for me. Over my dead body would I allow that. Reid’s nails dug into the skin on the inside of


    my arm. I hissed at the sting and looked up at him. His eyes were no longer his own, Ryder’s eyes


    peering back at me were zing in fury at my defiance.


    “Stay out of my head, Reid, or is it just you now, Ryder?”


    “No, Reid is here too, but he isn’t willing to do what needs to be done if you refuse.” Ryder’s voice was


    low daring me to defy him. I could hear the challenge in his voice like he really wanted me to try. I knew


    better, the memory of his bite still fresh in my mind. I hated that, but that didn’t mean I was going to


    drop to his feet and beg for forgiveness. He was the one not thinking rationally.


    “Bring Reid back now, Ryder.” Ryder growled his nails digging deeper as he pulled me even closer,


    which I didn’t think was even possible. His lips at my ear. “You won’t be leaving Ari, will you?” I felt the


    blood leave my body, and my heart felt like it had moved into my throat. His voice was so menacing, I


    tried to swallow the lump that was caught in my throat, but my mouth felt like I was trying to swallow


    sand, the saliva leaving my mouth making it as dry as a desert.


    “Bring Reid back, Ryder.” My voice trembled and didn’te out as strong as I was hoping.


    “Wrong answer,” Ryder spun me, with so much force my surroundings blurred for a second, my back


    now pressed tightly to his front. Ryder''s arm wrapped tightly around my waist, holding me in ce.


    When I felt his canines brush my neck, I screamed and ced my hand just in time, so he bit into the


    back of my hand instead of my neck. I shrieked at the sudden pain and pulled my hand away.


    Dropping down I twisted, so I was facing him. Lifting my hands, I hit him straight up under his ribs


    forcing him away from me. Ryder growled annoyed before getting to his feet. I watched him crack his


    neck, epting the challenge. I didn’t want to hurt him, and I knew deep down he didn’t really want to


    hurt me. This was just his caveman side, brute force, and not much rational thinking.


    Holding my hands up in front of me. “Wait, wait.” Ryder halted, thinking I was agreeing to his terms. I


    used that to my advantage. Using my Alpha voice. “I said bring Reid back NOW!” I screamed. Ryder


    fought off mymand easily. “Shit,” I really hoped it would work with him being distracted. It didn’t,


    why for once, couldn’t I get the upper hand over him just once. Ryder seemed to think it was funny that


    my Alpha voice didn’t work on him, because he was my mate. The look on his face was disturbing,


    primal, in this moment he truly looked like a predator and unfortunately for me, I was his prey.


    I only had two choices: take a very painful nap for god knows how many days or give in to his


    me.” He smiled triumphantly before stepping forward.


    “Promise you won’t put yourself in any unnecessary danger.” I nodded my head. I could agree to that


    unless it involved Lily, I won’t put myself in danger. I made sure to remember to hold my walls up, so


    Ryder didn’t read into my thoughts.


    Ryder reached for me, tugging me to his chest, I could feel his face in my hair breathing in my scent.


    His grip around my waist was strong like a cage. I couldn’t escape without hurting him, not that I


    wanted to, the familiar tingles running over my skin as his warmth seeped into. His arms loosened


    slightly, and I knew Reid had taken back control. I felt his lips kiss me on the top of my head. Pulling


    away, I red at him before shoving him away.


    Turning on my heel, I walked out of his office.


    “Where do you think you’re going, Ari?” Reid asked, reaching for my arm. I pulled my arm away.


    “To Zane’s office, don’t worry, Alpha, I am not leaving your ss prison without you. With Zane, I don’t


    have to watch out for his psychotic alter ego wolf attacking me” I spat at him. Reid growled, but I


    ignored him mming the door in his face. Before I even got two steps out of his office., Zane walked


    up to me. “I hear I have been summoned,” he said jokingly. I pushed past him and walked into his office


    and sat on his grey suede couch and pulled my mobile out.


    Zane followed me back in shutting the door behind him. I tried to navigate the new phone Reid had


    given me. “Don’t be too upset Luna, Ryder can be a pain in the ass, but he means well” I ignored him


    and kept scrolling through the contacts until I found the name I was looking for.


    Zoe.