Chapter 38

Aria's POV

Alpha David got up from his seat and walked over to the cupboard that sat next to the window

overlooking the vast forest. His back was to me, I couldn't see what he was doing but could hear the

clink of glasses and him pouring liquid into them. When he turned around, he held out a glass of

whisky to me. I accepted the glass believing this conversation definitely warranted hard liquor. I

could tell David was starting to get nervous and a little uncomfortable with the conversation topic

I took a sip of the brown liquid. It was smooth tasting and had an oak taste to it. David downed his

in one go and poured himself another. Finally, he sat back down across from me looking a little

more confident with his glass in his hand. I took another sip from my drink and watched him over

the top of my glass. “I knew she was my mate for five years. Your mother knew about me too but

didn't want to break up her family. Your family Aria, not mine.”

"So, what happened?” David ran a hand through his hair nervously and sighed, becoming resigned

with the fact everything was about to be out in the open.

“I was pissed off that she would turn me down, reject me even though she never officially did reject

me. She tried once but couldn't say the words. Couldn't bring herself to reject me. I told my friend

about there being a Hybrid living in the city. I wanted to get rid of your father and try and have a

life with my destined mate. I could tell your mother would never leave him for me. So, I took matters

into me owns hands,”

I thought his words over trying to remember anything, but I was only two years old, so I had no

memory of my father.

“It took another five years afterwards for your mother to accept me as her mate. She refused to

move on, and I kept what I had done a secret for years, but I think your mother knew all along it was

me. She just didn’t say anything.”

“So basically, you killed not only my father but my grandfather? Why didn’t you just wait for the

mate bond to work. The pull is stronger than anything I could have imagined. She would have given

in eventually,” I asked.

"I didn’t want to wait. I waited five years before I acted, and as for killing them, they never died by

my hands. I thought your father was dead. I thought he died along with Joe. They never found his

body, and by the time your father came back, your mother was already dead.”

"Came back? My father is dead.”

“No, Aria, your father isn't dead, I saw him at the diner the other day when I had the meeting with

Alpha Reid,” I shook my head trying to wrap my head around what he just told me. How could my

father be alive and not contact me?

“Are you sure? Why wouldn't he make contact?”

Alpha David looked confused for a minute and didn’t say anything. He looked as confused as I felt.

My father was alive and not only is he in the city, but he has also been at my work. Why didn’t Zoe

say anything, why didn't she tell me he was there? I have longed for my father for years, wanting to

know him so I could know more about my past. The one I didn't know I had, to know more about

my lineage.

How could he sit back, knowing I exist and not say anything?

“So, what's next then?” asked David.

“I'm not sure. We need to fix this Hunter's mess then I need to try and find my father if he is alive” I

suddenly felt very sceptical.

“The Hunters won't be so easy to fix. When I told them you existed, they seemed really keen to get

their hands on you, I'm not sure why. I think we will have a war on our hands. I am sorry Aria, I didn't

mean, well I did, but I wasn't expecting everything to turn out the way it did, I promise to help with

the Hunters, even if it means fighting alongside your Pack and as for your father, I won't say I'm

sorry seeing as he isn't dead, but I do know where you can find him.”

My head perked up, suddenly excited. Some good news has come out of this conversation, after all.

I wasn't expecting what came out his mouth next, and the next few words shocked me to my core,

how I had not put two and two together.

"He works at the diner; he is the cook there. He has changed his name but is definitely him. Marcus?

I think his name is,”

My lips parted astonished, my father has been there all along, I didn't know how I felt. Shocked,

angry? How could he sit idly by and not say anything he knew who I was all along. Also, how did I

not recognise him, he looks nothing like the photo's Zoe showed me or like my necklace. I just

assumed he was human until Zoe told me, what hurt the most was knowing Zoe kept this secret

from me. I thought I could trust her completely now I was starting to wonder what else she was

hiding from me.

Getting up, I wanted to scream, my anger was overshadowing everything. I needed to get out here. I

needed to get home figure out my next move, placing the glass on the table, I stood up. Everything

was falling into place, starting to make sense. I spent years grieving for a father who was there all

along. Silently watching but not interfering. How could he just watch and not step in? How could

Zoe not tell me? Why would they feel the need to keep this from me? Walking out of the office, I

started walking down the hall. I just wanted to go home, I just wanted Reid. Zane, seeing me walk

past got up off the lounge and followed after me.

"Ari, what's wrong?” I didn't answer, just kept walking to the car.

“Luna?” asked Zane as I got in the passenger seat.

“I think she might be in shock” David spoke behind us.

“What did you do?” Zane asked, suddenly becoming defensive.

“Nothing, I told her the truth,” he said nodding in my direction, I nodded back and sat in the car.

Zane looked between the car and David, who had turned his back and was now walking up the

stairs. Zane waited for him to leave before getting in the car himself.

“Where to now?”

“I just want to go home” My voice lacked any emotion. I felt numb to all the new information I had

gathered. I didn't say anything for the entire trip home. Zane kept glancing over at me, but I just

ignored him and watched the trees and farmland pass by out the window. When we were about five

minutes out I heard Ryders voice, break through the thoughts circling in my head.

"Where the fuck are you?”

l ignored him, which I could feel ticked him off even more. I couldn't care less right now. I would

take whatever punishment he decided to hand out. I wasn't in the mood to argue anymore.

“Ryder just linked me.” Zane voice echoing in the silence. I just nodded, my eyes not leaving the

window. “I told him we would be home soon; he sounds pissed, and I am pretty sure he's gonna eat

me alive when we get back.”

I turned to look at Zane, I could tell he was genuinely worried about defying not only Reid, but

Ryder. Maybe I will have to deal with him, at least for Zane's sake.

“I won't let him touch you,” I simply said. Zane seemed to calm down, and his grip on the steering

wheel lessoned. His shoulder seemed to relax, and I could tell he was glad, I said something. I wasn't

about to let Zane get hurt because of me. And I wasn't about to let Reid hurt his Beta, I could feel

Ryder’s burning rage as the Pack house came into view. Reid was standing out front pacing back

and forth. The car pulled up, and I could see the tremble in Zane’s hands as he put the car into park.

Before I could even open my door, Reid was ripping it open. His glare was not his own but Ryder’s. I

could see his eyes flicking dangerously as Reid fought for control, Ryder was having none of that.

Refusing to give in, I prayed Reid would regain control.

Zane got out of the car. He tried to sneak inside like a naughty kid caught doing something wrong,

but his movements didn’t go unnoticed by Ryder.

"Don't fucking move, Zane.” Zane froze instantly under Ryder's command. I heard the front door

open and could see Christine's horrified expression looking at her mate.

“Please don't let him hurt my mate.” His voice came through the link, pleading desperately.

Standing up, I knew I had to get attention away from Zane. When I stood up, I met Ryder's angered

eyes. “Leave Zane alone. He didn't want any part of it but wouldn't let me go alone,” I stated.

Ryder's eyes burned with anger, but he seemed to believe what I said. He looked at his Beta, they

must have been mind-linking because he took off.

Christine's voice passed through my mind fluidly. “Thank you, good luck.” When I turned to look at

the Pack house. Christine had already run after her mate, leaving me with mine and his burning

rage. Ryder's eyes fell down to meet mine.

His anger was so bad he couldn't even feel my emotions that were running all over the place. I

didn't want to argue, I didn't want him to be mad. I just wanted to go to bed. I felt burnt out and

exhausted