Hybrid Aria by Jessica Hall

Chapter 2

Reid’s POV

Having just finished one meeting, my Beta Zane texted to tell me the next meeting I had has been

moved to Joe’s diner. Apparently, it was on neutral territory; the Black Moon Alpha didn’t want to meet

on my territory. Pussy, I thought, shoving my phone back in my pocket before adjusting my tie while

walking to the elevator. I stepped in the elevator, hitting the button to the bottom floor when the elevator

doors closed. I watched the buttons, watching the floors go down. When it got halfway down, it

stopped, the doors opening. I growled, annoyed. Two women, one with red hair and the other a blonde

both were quite attractive. One of them I recognised, the redhead. Michelle was a Pack member. The

other was a human I didn’t know, and a short stumpy man from the tech floor walked in after them.

They quickly stepped back, realising who I was. They dropped their heads looking at the floor. “Sorry

Boss,” said the man. I’m fairly sure his name was Peter. I remember him coming up to my office to

update the computers. I pushed the button for the doors to close. Listening, I heard them let out a

breath just before the doors shut completely. I stared down at my Rolex watch, 2:30 PM. Shit! I was

going to be late.

Once down at the foyer, my Beta was waiting with my keys in his hand. He tossed them to me.

Catching them, I quickly threw them back at him. “You drive, I don’t know where this place is.” I walked

out to my black Bentley getting into the passenger side and opening the window. We were driving to

the south of my Pack's territory, and just as we left the border, I felt my wolf stir, trying to come forward.

“What’s gotten into you, Ryder?” I asked. He didn’t reply. I could feel that he was anxious. Maybe this

meeting wasn’t a good idea, I thought to myself. Feeling him pressing beneath my skin, I knew my eyes

must have changed when I let out a growl, warning him to stop.

My Beta pulled the car over to the curb. “You alright boss?” he asked. Hair was spreading across my

arms, my wolf fighting for control.

That’s when it hit me, the most intoxicating scent. I looked around; we were pulled up out the front of a

primary school. I couldn’t see anyone, so I stepped out of the car. My wolf instantly calmed down,

happy that we stopped. I looked towards the primary school across the road then looked up the street. I

couldn’t see anything except trees along the footpaths and a group of mothers waiting along the school

gate, none of them standing out to my wolf and they were definitely human. As I was getting back in,

the breeze shifted, and the intoxicating scent got stronger. It smelt like strawberries and citrus; it was

making my mouth water.

My Beta got out staring at me questionably, and that’s when I noticed her. She was standing behind a

tree next to the gate of the school. She had long dark hair that was pulled into a ponytail and an

hourglass figure. I stared at her back, hoping she would turn around, she was dressed in jeans and a

plain white blouse with long legs. I wanted to run my fingers through it. “MATE. MINE.” I growled. Ryder

echoed the same thing in my mind.

Zane smiled, a knowing look on his face. I went to walk across the road when the bell rang, and the

little girl jumped up into her arms. I stopped before crossing and growled. Turning my back on her, I

quickly got back in the car.

“What are you doing?” asked Zane, staring at me in disbelief. “Go get her,”

“What do you expect me to do? She has a kid,” I said, pointing at her.

“First of all, you don’t know if she has a kid. Secondly, I don’t think she would be old enough to have a

kid that is already in school,” he stated.

“Fine, cancel my appointments and follow her,” I snapped back. I watched Zane as he instantly sent a

few messages before pulling out from the curb to follow her. My wolf wanted her. She was extremely

attractive, but I am not one to separate a family. I watched her hips and arse move when she walked

into the diner, feeling my pants becoming a little too tight. I adjusted them, stupid bloody wolf giving me

dirty thoughts of what he wanted to do to her.

My eyes followed her through the window of the diner that I was supposed to be having a meeting at.

The little girl ran to a woman that was seated in the booth. Zane and I watched her as she walked out

the back before returning with an apron on and a glass jug with water and filled a glass up before

handing it to the little girl. She must have felt me staring at her because she suddenly stood up, looking

around cautiously.

“So, what do you want to do?”

“Drop me back to my office and come back to watch her for now. Try and find out which Pack she

belongs to,” I ordered him. Zane nodded his head before driving me back to my office.

The entire drive back, my wolf wouldn’t settle down, trying to come forward, wanting me to go back and

claim the girl. Stepping into the elevator, I hit the 20th floor where my office is. My wolf lurching forward,

making me hit the elevator walls, trying to fight me for control.

“Settle down, Ryder, or I will reject her,” I growled. The thought of rejecting her caused a stabbing pain

in my chest and my lungs to restrict. How could she have such an effect on me already when I haven’t

even spoken to her yet? Stepping into the corridor, my secretary came running over to me. She was a

nice girl, not much to look at, very plain Jane, in my opinion. She was like a stick figure, no arse and no

boobs, but she was good at her job.

“Sir, I couldn’t stop him. He said it was urgent, he is in your office,,” she said, fear evident on her face.

“Who is?” I asked, annoyed.

“He said his name is David, sir.” I nodded before throwing open my office door and glaring at Alpha

David. I cancelled my meeting with the Black Moon Alpha earlier; I didn’t think he would have the balls

to show up to my office.

When I walked in, he was sitting behind my desk in my seat, his muscles bulging from his shirt. It

looked ridiculous, as if it belonged to his little sister. He stared up at me with a smirk on his face before

cracking his knuckles.

“Alpha, you’re back,” he stated. I growled warningly at him.

“Yes, I am. Now get the fuck out of my seat,” I spat the words at him. He put his hands up in surrender

before getting out of my seat and leaning against the window, looking down towards the street. Taking

my seat, I sat back before asking Melody, my secretary, to make coffee and bring it in.

“What can I do for you, David? Why the sudden interest in meeting me?” I asked.

“That’s Alpha to you,” he snarled.

“Don’t push me, David. You’re in my territory now. You may have one of the strongest Packs in the city,

but you know as well as I do that you don’t stand a chance against me or my Pack. Now what the fuck

do you want?” I said using my Alpha voice, forcing him to submit.

“I’m sure you're aware of the rogue attacks at my borders. I need help. I'm losing too many of my

warriors. My guys keep pushing them back, but they keep coming.”

“So, you dare come to my territory, try and challenge me in my office and then ask for my help?” I

laughed, shaking my head. “You got balls, I will give you that. Now, what do I get out of this?”

“What do you want?” he asked.

“Nothing you can give me clearly. I don’t need anything, and I don’t want to get mixed up in your gang

rivalries and drug business. I will do this as a favour for now, but just know when I do need something,

you will do it. Understood?”

Alpha David nodded his head before giving me his hand to shake. “Deal,” he said.

“Fine, I will organise my Beta to send some of my men over to watch the border. Tell your guys to

expect them. If any of your Pack attacks one of my men, I will declare war.”