Hybrid Aria by Jessica Hall
Chapter 4

Reid's POV

I watched her escape the diner. I heard her heart rate spike when I told her my name. She has everyright to fear me, but I don’t want to scare her. My wolf wanted her. All of her, and so did I. Never inmy life have wanted something as much as I wanted her to be mine, but what was the mostinteresting thing about her was the fact that she could fight my Alpha’s voice. I could tell by thelook on her face she wanted to submit, but she was also determined not to reveal anything aboutherself. Her scent radiated fear. It took all my strength not to chase after her and mark her. Thebloke behind the counter came over and introduced himself as Marcus, pulling me out of mythoughts. He smelt human. We gave him our orders before deciding to move over to the table andchairs, where I know the girl Lily always sits after school. Zane raised an eyebrow at me when Imoved but followed anyway.

"So, what's the plan then?” he asked.

"Well, if she won't talk, maybe her daughter will,” I stated.

Marcus brought our food out, placing it in front of me. I looked down at my food and startedeating. It was good. After about half an hour, the door opened to the diner. As predicted, the littlegirl ran straight for her usual spot directly across from us and started getting her homework out. Wefinished eating while they were gone, but I flagged Marcus down and ordered more coffee and ahot chocolate and cookies. When he placed the coffee on the table, he went to place the hotchocolate and cookies down. I shook my head and pointed to the girl. He quickly placed them downin front of her and thanked me before placing a kiss on the girl's forehead and walking away.

I could feel eyes on me. I knew my mate must be watching me carefully to see if I was going to hurther pup. The girl looked up and smiled before thanking me. She set out to do her work, and after afew minutes, my mate brought her over a sandwich, placing it on the table in front of the girl as shelooked at the girl's work.

"Where is Zoe?" asked the girl.

“She is still at the doctor. That one is incorrect, try again,” she said, pointing at the page at somemath work before walking away to serve some new people who just walked into the diner.

I turned back to Zane. “You should head back to the office; I'm going to stay here for a bit." Zanenodded before standing up and leaving. I watched Lily struggle with her homework before gettingup and sliding into the booth sitting across from her. She looked up at me with her blue eyes andchubby cheeks. She was adorable, her blonde curls hanging down around her face.

She looked up at me. “Hi, thanks for the hot chocolate,” she said. I just nodded and looked down ather work; she was doing three times tables. Really, they make kinders do times tables now? I thenproceeded to grab the little bags of sugar from the jar on the table and set up three lots of threeand told her to count them, she looked down and using her fingers, she counted all nine.

“Nine,” she said happily.

“Then that's your answer,” I said to her, pointing at her page. She started using the sugar to helpwork out her math problems while I watched. After a while, I asked her some questions.

“So, what's your mother's name?” I asked, pointing at my mate who was standing behind thecounter, her eyes glued on me.

"Aria, but she isn't my mum, she is my sister,” she said while still looking down at her page.

"So where is your mummy?” I asked, taking a sip of my coffee.

“She died when I was born. Ari looks after me. Has since I was born,” she stated matter of factly."What about you dad then?”

Lily got all nervous. Her shoulders slumped, and her heart rate picked up. She was scared. I couldsmell it on her coming off in waves, so I quickly changed the question.

"How old are you and what grade are you in?"

She immediately relaxed. “I'm six, and I'm in grade one.”

“And your sister?”

"Ari is nineteen.” So, she has been looking after her sister since she was thirteen? What aboutschool, I thought to myself.

"How old are you?" she asked.

"How old do you think I am?” I asked in return. She smiled.

“Old,” she replied. I laughed at her answer. Kids always say the first thing that pops into their minds.“I'm 28," I told her.

“So, you are old.” She giggled.

"You won't think it's old when you are my age. So, it's just you and Aria?” Lily looked up. I could tellshe was mind linking. Her eyes glazed over before she nodded. I knew her sister would have beenlistening in on my conversation.

"Aria said I shouldn't talk to strangers.” I looked over to her, she was talking to the owner who juststepped in. Lily noticed my stare, looked up, and saw Zoe. She squealed before running over andwrapping her arms around the woman's waist.

I observed my mate. I could tell she was very protective of the pup, but there was something else Ijust couldn't put my finger on it. I knew she was a wolf, but she didn't seem quite as affected by themate bond. I knew she felt it when I touched her, and she leaned in, inhaling my scent, but mostwolves can't help but be all over each other like an elastic band that keeps pulling them backtogether. But for the most part, she seems unaffected unless she is close to me.

“She hasn't got a wolf,” Ryder spoke up in my head.

"What do you mean she hasn't got a wolf. She is a werewolf?” I asked him.

"Yeah, she is, but she has no wolf. I have tried talking to her wolf, but it's like there is a blockage, ormaybe her wolf died somehow.” I could feel his sadness spilling into me at the thought of her nothaving a wolf, so I pushed him to the back of my mind.

Aria came over to clean the table. It was now dark outside. She placed Lily's stuff in her bag beforewiping the table over.

“Aria,” I asked.