Hybrid Aria by Jessica Hall
Chapter 49

Aria's POV

I woke to Lily and Amber crying, my instincts going on high alert. I grabbed them, hugging them to me before glancing around, looking for the threat they fear. I didn't recognise my surroundings, why were they here? Reid said they were staying away for the night. I push trying to feel for Reid, but I get nothing, he is blocking me out. The girls are hysterical. I try soothing them enough to get them to speak. I look around. I am in some sort of bunker, getting up. I peer around and huddled on the ground are hundreds of women and children. Fear consumes, what is going on?

I walk over to a woman, trying to figure out what the hell is going on. The lights flicker before I hear an explosion above us. Bits of concrete cracking off and falling to the ground. The room reeks of tears and fear, it was burning my nose, the stench nearly making me gag. The woman stands up when I approach, she is wary of me. But she can feel that I'm an Alpha female. The woman has sandy blonde hair and big brown doe eyes. She is lean and muscular, she is a trained fighter, and blood smears her clothes. A child is clinging to her leg, whom I assume is her pup; she looks around the same age as Lily.

I can almost hear the vibration of everyone shaking in fear. The room seems to buzz with tension. "What's happened? How long have I been out?” I ask.

“Two days, Luna. We are at war.” she whispers as the girl clinging to her leg whimpers. War?

“With whom?"

“Hunters they attacked and took some Pack members two days ago, your Beta came and warned us Alpha locked us in the bunker, they attacked not long after. We fought, but there were too many, the Alpha said it was best we stayed here.”

"Which Alpha? Reid?”

“No, Luna, you're in Black Moon Territory.” I know something has gone terribly wrong if I am here and so is half my Pack.

"Who is in charge here?” I ask expecting to see Michael's wife pop up from the shadows, the place was crammed with bodies. The room was huge like a football field, but not big enough for everyone to move or stretch their legs much. Another explosion was heard up above. I was worried the roof was going to cave in.

“You're in charge, Luna. Alpha David couldn't leave any warriors with us, there's too many of them.” Shit, I know what they wanted. Looking around the room, I tried to find Elizabeth, Michael's mate. I called out to her, but no answer.

"Does anyone know where Elizabeth is, your Beta female?” I knew she would have answers. Lily walked over, wrapping her arms around my waist, she was shaking.

“They killed her Ari, and they took Wendy and Christine.” My blood ran cold. Ice in my veins, a growl tore from my throat so loud, it was actually painful. Vibrating out of my chest, everyone froze. I couldn't even hear the sounds of their breathing; you would be able to hear a pin drop, the silence deafening. They have them, they have my family.

An explosion by the door leading outside made everyone turn and shuffle towards me, trying to get away from the door. I shoved through the sea of people until I was standing between them and the door.

“Get the children to the back of the bunker now,” I screamed, throwing my Alpha voice at them, forcing them to move and get organised. I heard banging on the door, someone was trying to break in. If it were Alpha David, I knew he would have just unlocked the doors, this was no friend this was foe. I let my claws extend so angry, I couldn't even feel them tearing my nails off. The women in the bunker shuffling around, shoving the children to the back, taking protective stances.

"Get ready!” I yelled, and everyone turned to the doors waiting. My fangs tear through my gums, my eyes blazing, I could feel every vein moving in my body as adrenaline pumped through me feeding my anger. I wanted blood, and I wanted to find my mate, but right now, I needed to protect my Packs. The door burst open concrete debris flying everywhere, filling the room with dust. The lights shattering above our heads, raining glass down on us. I didn't feel the sting as it cut into my skin. I could hear the woman and children’s cries and screams behind me.

I had no idea what I expected when the doors burst, what I wasn't expecting though, was wolfsbane grenades. As soon as I heard the metallic clink and the roll across the floor and smelt the deathly sick smell, I screamed. “Cover the kids!" Just as they exploded. Everyone started coughing and dropping like flies. It burnt my skin, my growl ripping out of me as I am thrown backwards smacking into the people behind me. I jump to my feet. When I see the first sign of movement, I lunge straight for their throat.

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