Chapter 28

Aria's POV

Watching David, I noticed he didn't look shocked to see me. I then realised this was his plan all

along. I realised 1 was his bargaining tool, his way to get Reid to comply. I was Reid's weakness. If

something happens to me, it weakens him, and he can get Lily back.

Too busy watching David trying to think of a way to convince him to sort this out amicably, I didn't

hear the person sneaking up behind me until I felt the sting of the needle as it pierced my neck. The

burning sensation bled into my skin, burning my insides like fire consuming my body. I gripped my

neck, trying to get the pain to lessen, trying to stop it from spreading. Turning around, I see no one

behind me but my former Pack members and a syringe at my feet containing gold liquid

concentrated wolfsbane.

I felt my surroundings start to spin as fire consumed my veins, overtaking all my senses. I could feel

myself burning up. I screamed in agony, trying to stop the burn. My legs collapsed under me. My

body felt heavy, I was losing to the pain. For the first time in my life, I welcomed the darkness,

praying I would pass out so the pain would end.

I could feel my body falling, my head hitting the soil, but I didn't even feel it. All I could feel was

wolfsbane burning through every cell in my body. I smiled when I felt everything getting darker, my

surroundings starting to dim. Michael's words came back to me. “This stuff will even put you on

your arse.” He was right. If I weren't in so much pain, I would have laughed at the fact it did exactly

what he said it would... I thanked the Moon Goddess as I finally slipped away into the darkness of

oblivion.

Reid's POV

Torn between going to fight beside my Pack and staying and protecting Aria and Lily, I reluctantly

left. I had a Pack to protect. We raced through the winding back roads towards the city. The trees

blurring into one at the speed we were moving. Alpha David crossed the line, and now there is no

going back, I will finally rid the earth of that scum who dared torture my woman. Aria can't hate me

for protecting my Pack... our Pack. I was doing this for her, for Lily, and for us. Driving towards the

border, the city came into view. We were only a few kilometres out. The only thing surrounding us

were trees and farmland. Just as we hit the outskirts of the city, I felt a cold wave of a feeling I

couldn't recognise rush over my skin. Ryder instantly tensed and tried to lurch forward.

"What is it?” I ask him. He pushed underneath my skin forcefully. Hair spreading across my arms, my

claws extending tearing the leather seat.

"Aria is getting away from us,” I heard him snarl at me in reply. No, Aria was at home where I

ordered her to stay. She wouldn't defy me; she wouldn't betray my trust like this. I locked her in, the

door was sealed, and wolf proof. The glass on the windows is even impenetrable. Mind-linking

Wendy, I felt her push back, trying to ignore the link. Furious that she tried to ignore my call, I

shoved back forcing her to accept the link. I could hear her groan as I pushed through the tether.

Mitch, who was in the front seat driving, whimpered at me, feeling his mate's pain come through

the bond. Wendy let go and stopped trying to shove me out, knowing it's a battle she can't win.

"Where is Aria?” I demand. Wendy didn't answer. Mitch tried to get her to answer by asking the

same question I just did. I could see his grip tightening on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning

white. Wendy whimpered from the pressure of her mate.

“I ca...can't,” she stuttered almost breathlessly. Aria has done this; she is the only one who is strong

enough to bind someone against me. Her tricks don't work on me, but the rest of the Pack is

defenceless against her commands. But I also know she wouldn't force that burden, that pain to go

against an Alpha on Lily. Linking Lily, I could finally get answers.

“Lily, where is your sister?” Lily didn't resist, meaning Aria hadnt commanded her to keep quiet.

I heard Mitch let out a breath when I dropped the link to Wendy.

"She went to speak to the Alpha, um, my dad.” Lily sounded unsure on the last word like she hadn't

used the word before. I growled, pissed off that she disobeyed me. I felt Lily cower through the link,

she doesn’t understand I'm not angry at her. Cutting the link, Mitch looked at me through the rear-

view mirror.

"Speed up, Aria is heading to the border.” Mitch nodded before putting his foot down, overtaking

everyone like they were standing still.

Jumping out of the car before the car even stopped as we reached the border, Dominic, one of my

warriors, came up to me. “They all retreated about 5 minutes ago, Boss.”

"Where is the Alpha?”

"Don’t know. He never showed up here. Only their warriors showed up, but they left. What do you

want to do, Alpha?”

“Stay alert, they have your Luna.” Dominic growled in reply. I tried to reach out to Aria but got no

reply. Trying to come up with a plan with Zane, we had no idea where the Pack house was having

never been there. We knew it wouldn't be anywhere in a populated area. Most Pack houses were

away from the human population and near bushland so we could let our wolves out. So, it's

probably on the outskirts of the city. Dominic brought some maps of the city so we could search for

secluded areas of the east side. Unfolding the maps, I sprawled them out on the car bonnet. The

only place big enough and secluded enough was the bushland along the railway tracks. It was

backed onto a wildlife reserve. I know that is where I would build a Pack house if it was me.

Suddenly feeling like I was being skinned alive, I fell to the ground panting. My body felt like it was

being doused in acid. Ryder pushed forward, forcing me to shift. My clothes tearing as I took my

wolf form.

“Aria,” snarled Ryder. Jumping over the border, I could feel him trying to run towards her until I

suddenly felt cold, my body going numb, my vision blurred. Pushing forward I regained control,

forcing us to shift back. Zane was right behind me. Clutching his stomach he shakily handed me

some shorts.

"We can feel her, Alpha, make it stop.” he pleaded before collapsing next to me.

Sitting up, I look around to find all my men on the ground, shaking and writhing in agony. How is

this possible? The bond only works on me. Ryder was pacing in the back of my mind, anxious.

Reaching out to Aria, I feel nothing through the bond, no connection at all. Which could only mean

two things: she has passed out or she is dead. I knew she wasn't dead; I would feel that. The

thought alone was painful like my soul ripping out of me, so I knew she was still alive. But the

question was how she affected my entire Pack.

“Lycan Blood. She is our rightful queen. They were all bonded the moment you marked her,”

growled Ryder. My body felt weak; I shakily stood and put the blue shorts on before collapsing to

the ground again. We just had to ride it out. Once she was completely out, the pain would end, I

hoped.