Hybrid Aria by Jessica Hall Chapter 15

Reid’s POV

Watching her leave and slamming the door behind her, I wanted to chase her down and force her to tell me what she wanted the wolfsbane for. It was unusual for a wolf to want it. Was it for protection? Does she feel safer knowing she has it on her? Lily refused to tell me when I asked why Aria smelt of it at the diner and why Aria had so much in her system when we found them. The only thing Lily said was that they used it against the Alpha when they escaped. I’m assuming her old Alpha forced her to drink it as punishment, knowing it wouldn’t kill her. I just didn’t understand why they would have so much in the bag. Just as I was about to follow her, the door opened, making me come to a stop. It was Doc. She walked in holding a bunch of paperwork.

“You are going to want to take your seat, Alpha. I have some surprising news for you.”

Walking back over to my desk, I sat down waiting for her to explain what the hell she was talking about. Mavis sat down before pushing the papers in front of me.

“What is it?” I asked, confused. The documents looked like blood work documents.

“When Aria came in here, we took some vials of her blood. Out of curiosity I had her DNA tested because even for a Hybrid she had ingested way too much wolfsbane. Enough to even kill a Hybrid.”

“What are you getting at? I don’t understand.” Looking at the papers, they were just numbers on a page to me. I could never understand all this medical gibberish.

“We got the test results back. Aria isn’t a typical Hybrid. She is 83% Lycan or in simpler terms a pure wolf, but her Vampire side is also pure. Aria isn’t just a werewolf/Vampire Hybrid. Her DNA is older, her bloodline is ancient, and she is more wolf than any of us. Whoever her parents are, they are old, incredibly old. Aria’s bloodline is so pure that she is, in every sense of the word, a mythical being.”

“That’s impossible. Lycans died out centuries ago. There are none in existence. Run the tests again.”

“We have multiple times. I thought it must have been a mistake as well, but I assure you Alpha, it’s not.”

Lycans were the first of our kind. They don’t have a wolf because they are the wolf. Meaning if what Mavis says is true, her bloodline isn’t much younger then the Moon Goddess herself. The Moon Goddess was Lycan. It’s said that one of her grandchildren fell in love with a human, therefore creating a mutated version called werewolves. When the Moon Goddess found out that her grandchild mated with a human, she had a witch help her, and in turn, the Moon Goddess created the mate bond to try and keep the bloodlines pure. What she didn’t realise was that humans and Vampires could also be mates for Lycans and Werewolves, so after time, the Lycan blood was eradicated. Werewolves like myself are a mutation over Lycans mating with humans. No wolf today has Lycan blood, we are half-human, but that means Aria is from an original generation of Lycans. It also means that if she wanted, she has more power over any Pack and is rightfully a queen of Alphas. It also means the Moon Goddess is either her grandmother or her aunt because the last Lycans alive with as much purity as Aria were the Moon Goddess’s siblings or her children.

“What about her Vampire side?”

“It’s the same. I have no idea who her parents were, but you said Lily and Aria share the same mother. Lily’s test showed she has normal wolf genes, and she comes from an Alpha bloodline. So that means it was Aria’s father who was an original Hybrid. Aria’s Lycan side is more dominant than the Vamp side for now. From what I gathered from her blood test, she hasn’t drunk blood in years. Her Vamp side was almost dormant until you gave her blood. I’m actually surprised at how well she is adjusting, her thirst must be excruciatingly painful for her. Giving her blood would have awoken her Vampire side, she would probably be ravenous.”

“What do you mean she would be ravenous? Has she come to you to get blood?”

“No, I figured you must have been feeding her, but if you haven’t been feeding her, that means she hasn’t had blood since you fed her the first night here. She would be a ticking time bomb if she doesn’t feed.” Doc’s worried expression has me concerned. If she is a ticking time bomb, then how safe is my Pack with an original Hybrid in the house?

“And you’re sure no one has given her a blood bag?”

“Yes, Alpha. It’s not something we keep here. Not much use in a Pack house full of werewolves with super healing abilities.” She chuckled lightly.

“Well, you are going to have to order some.”

“Yes, Boss.” She walked out of the room, leaving me to my own thoughts.

So, if Lily has Alpha blood, does that mean Alpha David is Lily’s father? No Pack has two male Alphas. And who was Aria’s father? Does Aria know what she is?

“And you called her an abomination, she is more werewolf than us,” Ryder spoke up.

“Shut up, Ryder. We have more pressing issues like where our mate is and what she is hiding. We also have to sort out the Black Moon Pack and that Alpha of theirs.”

Leaving my office, I followed Aria’s scent to look for her.

Aria’s POV

Running from the Alpha’s office, I quickly made my way to the Alpha’s bedroom. I didn’t want Lily to worry, and I was also worried she might tell the Alpha I was craving blood. I didn’t need to give him any more reasons to kill me. I knew he wouldn’t follow me because as soon as I left, Mavis, the Pack doctor, walked in straight after me. Going to the bathroom, I quickly chugged down half the bottle before crumbling to the floor. My thirst was beginning to become a problem. I haven’t wanted or needed blood so badly before, but it was like every fibre of my body was craving it. The wolfsbane burnt every cell, making me cry out in pain, clutching my stomach.

Come on, Aria, you can do this just a bit more. It will make the hunger stop. I tried to drink more down, but as soon as it hit my tongue again, I doubled over, throwing up into the toilet. I could feel my tongue sizzling from the poison. Blood started running down from my eyes and mouth. I thought drinking more would hold me off longer, but all it did was make me thirstier. My hunger became the only thing I could think about, taking over my thoughts completely. Laying on the cold tiled floor, I suddenly felt like my body was overheating, like I was boiling from the inside. I don’t know how long I laid there. When I suddenly heard the bedroom door open, I could smell his alluring scent instantly. Closing my eyes, I tried to concentrate on anything but his scent, his blood calling to me. Sitting up, I quickly locked the door, but as soon as I did, he knocked on it.

“Open the door Aria,” his voice sounded strained. I didn’t answer because I knew if I did, it would come out pained or I would growl at him. Not trusting my hunger, I tried to drink another mouthful but only ended up choking gasping for air, when the door was suddenly kicked in. Alpha Reid walked in a pained look on his face; his breathing was ragged, and he was clutching the door frame tightly with his hand.

“Stop whatever you are doing,” he gasped. I tried to get up but only stumbled back onto my hands and knees. So instead, I leant on the wall. He walked back out to the bed sitting on the edge, “The stronger the mate bond gets, the more I feel what you are feeling, including your pain.”

Looking over at him, I suddenly took in his appearance. He had sweat running down the sides of his face, and his shirt was drenched in sweat as well. He sat there until he regained his strength before pulling his shirt over his head, dumping it on the floor next to him. Placing his elbows on his knees, he brushed his fingers through his hair before looking over at me sitting on the floor.

“Is that why you drink it? To stop the bloodlust?” Nodding my head, I faced the wall. I had been holding my breath for a few minutes now. Knowing as soon as I took a breath, I would be consumed with hunger again.

Getting up he walked back over to the bathroom door, leaning on the door frame. I watched as a drop of sweat ran from his neck down his muscular shoulder over his pecs and down his 6 Pack to his V-line before stopping at his jeans. He really was built like a god.

“If you’re done eye-fucking me, get up off the floor and breathe. I know you’re uncomfortable,”

“I can’t,” I said, gritting my teeth.

“Why? Because you’re hungry…because you need to feed?”

Looking up at him, his eyes were soft. He didn’t look angry, he just looked worried. Does he really care, or is this some trick to see if I can control my hunger? Well, if that’s the case, I won’t give him the pleasure of seeing me break.

Reid, figuring out I wasn’t going to listen, showed me his palm. His claws extended, and he ran his index finger down his palm, slicing deeply. Blood started running down his hand onto the floor. He was baiting me. I could hear his blood dripping onto the floor. My face distorted just at the sight of it; my lips parted, my fangs breaking through my gums painfully. I growled at him in warning, trying to tell him to back off, but he didn’t even flinch. I took a breath through my mouth, my growls getting angrier like a predator about to attack its prey.

“It’s okay, Aria. It’s not a trick I promise.” Looking away, I closed my eyes, but my eyes snapped back to his when I heard his skin be resliced, only deeper. He was healing but reopening the wound. Teasing me. Obliterating what little self-control I had left. Why is he doing this to me? I felt tears brimming in my eyes, threatening to spill over. You are stronger than this Aria, you can do this, he is just trying to bait you.