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. I wanted to run my fingers through it. She also had 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. “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.”
Aria’s POV
The last week and a half, I have been getting this strange feeling that I am being watched. Would Alpha David be sending someone to watch me? I wonder what he is planning. I know the Rogue attacks were getting out of hand and that he had to ask the Blood Moon Pack’s Alpha for help. They have been along the borders. I have run into a few of them in the last week. Their auras are very dominating. I thought our Pack was sinister, but theirs is on an entirely different level. They even make me want to retreat, and that’s saying something because not even Alpha David can make me submit with me being a Hybrid. The only reason I do is because I know I can’t beat him. Sometimes it makes me wonder if I had human blood how much stronger I would be than my Pack. I know that’s the only reason Hybrids are hunted down because we would be the dominant species, but there are so few of us that we don’t stand a chance against a werewolf Pack. Therefore, I will always have to remain hidden and do as David says, because if he leaks what I am out, I will be hunted down like the rest of the Hybrids that have stepped foot into the city. I also know if I drink blood, they will realise straight away that I’m not just a wolf, and I really don’t feel like being attacked by my own Pack. Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t realise someone had come into the diner until they grabbed my elbow as I was walking past to clean some tables.
Placing my hand over my heart and jumping back, I looked at the customer.
“Sorry, I didn’t see you. You nearly gave me a heart attack,” I said nervously. The diner was extremely quiet today. The man just stared at me; he was quite handsome. He had shoulder-length hair that was pulled into a ponytail at the back of his neck. He was very lean and muscular, and he had green eyes and tanned skin. He was wearing a grey suit, so he looked like he just stepped out of an important meeting.
“That’s fine Hun, I was wondering if I could get some menus.”
“Sure,” I replied, going back to the counter and retrieving one. I passed it to him and waited for him to order. I could tell he was a werewolf by the way he carried himself, plus his scent was a dead giveaway. I wonder what Pack he is from.
“For now, I will just get two coffees black, no sugar please,” he said politely.
I quickly ducked to the kitchen, putting the coffee on. I glanced over to him, which was a mistake as he was staring directly at me, watching what I was doing. Marcus came over standing behind me, “Order?” he asked.
I shook my head, turning to him.
“He hasn’t ordered yet; I think he is waiting for someone,” I said, grabbing two mugs and the jug, walking back over to the booth he is sitting at. I placed the mugs down before pouring the steaming hot coffee in the mugs. As I was about to leave, he stopped me, grabbing my elbow again. I looked down at him.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“A... Aria,” I stuttered. He was starting to make me uncomfortable. I looked back towards the kitchen where Marcus was watching in case this bloke turned all creep on me.
“Nice to meet you, Aria. My name is Zane,” he said, smiling at me. He had perfectly straight pearly white teeth. Looking down at his hand that still had hold of my elbow, I could feel my face getting hot. I quickly moved out of his reach, stepping back only to turn and walk straight into what felt like a brick wall. But it wasn’t, it was another man. He was about 6.5 feet tall, had short dark hair, and I could feel his abs through his shirt when I walked into him. I looked up to apologise when his scent hit me. He smelt amazing, he had an earthy aroma like rosewood and sandalwood. I leaned in and inhaled without realising, when I heard someone clear their throat awkwardly. My eyes snapped open, and I stepped back quickly, apologising before taking off back towards the kitchen.
Once in the kitchen, I tried to calm my racing heart by taking deep breaths. “What’s wrong with me?” I asked myself, not realising I said it out loud.
“Nothing is wrong with you. If I had to go serve those two hotties, I would be hyperventilating too. Damn girl, they are fine,” said Marcus, coming up behind me.
Straightening out my apron, I followed him back towards the kitchen, stealing glances towards where they sat at the back of the café. I was secretly hoping Zoe would be back from her doctor appointment before I had to serve them.
A few minutes passed before they waved me over. I cautiously walked over making sure to stay a few feet away so I wouldn’t get distracted by his intoxicating scent.
“What can I get you?” I asked, not looking at either one of them.
“What Pack do you belong to? I can tell you’re a wolf, but you smell different from any normal wolf,” asked the new mystery person.
Instead of answering, I just repeated the same question. “What can I get you?” My tone sounded bored.
The man smirked before reaching forward and grabbing my hand. As soon as he touched me, sparks flew through my hand and arm, leaving a tingling sensation. I quickly pulled my hand back as if I had just been burned. Taking a step back, I looked at him. His eyes turned pitch black, even the sclerae. It only lasted a few seconds before going back to their normal silver-grey colour. He smiled at me; I couldn’t bring myself to look away, completely mesmerised by his gaze.
“I’m Reid, Alpha of The Blood Moon Pack. What Pack do you belong to?” he asked, using his Alpha voice.
My heart rate sped up fear consuming me. His Pack was the Pack helping ours, and he had an even scarier reputation then Alpha David. He was known for being cruel and merciless to those that have stood against him. Alpha Reid was also said to have wiped out complete Packs when they wouldn’t agree over territory disputes, but he was also an Alpha no other Alpha could go against. He had the largest Pack with over 500 Pack members, 95 percent of them being Pack warriors. Their Pack has been undefeated, and even if other Packs tried to stand against theirs, it would be a bloodbath. He is also the one responsible for killing off all the Hybrids. He made me want to run away or submit, which no Alphas have that effect on me.
“Ari, you got to go get Lily,” Marcus sang out from behind the counter, distracting me and also saving me from submitting and answering him. I looked in his direction relieved, thanking the Moon Goddess for my escape. I quickly ripped off my apron, chucking it at Marcus, not daring to look behind me as I ran out the door to get Lily from school.