Bella“Before you do, we need to talk.” I mutter, once again closing the laptop, I was starting to wonder if I was going to get any peace, ever.He pushes the door open further and strides in, “Please don’t tell me you have had a change of heart? I thought this was what we both wanted.”“I do… I mean I can’t wait for her to be a thousand miles away. I wish I had never met her.” I puff out my cheeks and tell him what Lilah had said. I see a flicker of anger.“I don't mean disrespect, but why did my mother come to you?”“I’m guessing because she knows I understand. I would never want to go back to my father’s old lands. Memories don’t just fade, Aiden. They hide in the back of your mind, popping up at the most inconvenient time. Plaguing your sleep, tormenting you from the inside." I let out a sigh, "And apart from your eyes, you are almost identical looking to your father. It's hard for her.”“Well I guess I can’t force her to stay.” He glances off, mulling over my words.“She likes Am
AidenGargled sounds come out of her neck, little air bubbles creeping through the blood as it oozes out of her. I purposely hadn’t sunk my teeth deep enough. Just deep enough so that she couldn’t heal quick enough. I wanted her death to be slow and painful. And if we were true mates, I would have felt it, instead, I feel nothing.As I spit her flesh from my mouth, Amelia’s hands flap. Her eyes grew wide with fear as she scrambles at her missing throat. Her eyes flicker to Bella, looking for help. Bella doesn’t move from her seat. Her face was still, her rampant heart slows. Her eyes focus on no one but Amelia.No one moves as Amelia’s body slumps back in the chair. The light dims in her eyes as her brain starves of oxygen. Even I knew it was a cruel way to go, but protecting Bella is my number one priority and will be for the rest of my life. No one is getting in between us again.“Get rid of the body!” I order Leighton as Amelia’s heart stops. “I don’t want to look at her for anothe
AidenBella was completely still in the back of the van. She was dressed too, which was something I was not expecting. Especially as she had shifted.“She shifted back and I helped her get into some of the new clothes before she passed out.” Katie mutters as she looks around me at Bella.“At least she shifted back.” I mutter“Eventually.” Leighton peers over my shoulder. “Basically I threatened to call you. Which sounds really stupid, but it worked.”“And she crashed out?”“I had to finish putting the hoodie on her. I couldn't leave her half dressed.” Katie adds. “And she is out cold, not even stirring.”I had asked her not to shift. I didn’t like that she still could. It was unnatural.Her face, lips and hair is coated in dried blood. She is curled up on her side, the same as when she is asleep. The shift had been too much for her, it had wiped her out. Climbing in the van, I place my hand on her stomach. The pup was fine, I could still feel the movements and the strong heartbeat.“
Bella. Aiden looks alarmed, “As in to eat? You wanted blood to feed your hunger? Like a Vampire?” “No. I felt this intense rage to kill. I don’t really remember why, or what happened.” I shake my head and my copper hair falls around my face. I was desperate for a shower, my hair was so matted and I smelled like old iron. “It’s like there is a blank spot of time, but I remember what I felt.” I pause to look at his face. There was that look again. “I mean it Aiden, everything is just blank. I left the house with Katie and Aiden. We had been in a few shops. I even remember Katie choosing some fancy underwear because she is going on a date. We came out and then I was here.” I frown at the room and pull at my clothes. “I don’t even remember buying this.” “Maybe you just need some more rest. Maybe after everything, your body is going in to some sort of protection mode. For the pup.” “Protection mode? Aiden, you know as well as I do, I don’t kill for fun. But from what you have told me
AidenWhat did she mean? For a brief second, my world had crashed around me. I couldn’t explain it, it wasn’t like she had died. Yet I had felt like we weren’t together, that I wasn’t mated to her. I was expecting her not to be here. The relief I felt when I saw her sitting in the shower almost brought me to my knees. She was still here, but she had a vacant look in her eyes.Her big golden eyes flash up at me “I saw something.”“Was someone in here?” There were no other scents in the bathroom or the bedroom.“I…” She shakes her head. “Can Hybrids have visions?”“No. Why?”“I think our pup gave me one.”“A vision? Bella, he isn’t even fully developed yet.”“Then I don’t know how to explain it.” She folds her arms across her chest which just makes her bump look even bigger.“What did you see?”She tells me about the piles of burning bodies. About a voice that calls to her, a voice that isn’t mine but one that belongs to another man.“Did you see his face?”She shakes her head at me an
BellaRubbing my eyes, I sit up in bed, surprised to see Leighton sitting on a chair in the corner of the room, watching me.“He’s told you then?” I mutter, yawning.“The lack of scent gave you away. Normally you stink.” He smiles at me and I couldn’t help but smile back. “By the way, happy birthday.”“Where is he?” I mumble, ignoring his well wishes.“Just doing a few jobs, he asked me to sit with you and keep you company."“So I can’t even sleep alone?”“No, not while you are unable to protect yourself.”“Pfft, I can still fight.”“Not for much longer, the way that pup is growing” He points to my round belly. “You look like you are about to pop.”“I’ve got ages yet.”“Not if it is a Hybrid, and at the rate you are growing, I would say you’ve maybe got a month or so left, tops.”Climbing off the bed, I am grateful that I had slept in one of Aiden’s massive tees. Looking down at my bump, Leighton is right, it was big. “I’m sure Aiden has told you that Hybrids develop faster.”“He tol
Bella“Terrified?” Leightons yellow eyes hover on me. “Why would you of all people be terrified? Plenty of people have had pups. It’s not like you are the first.”“It’s not that.” I mumble, trying to find the words to explain it. “I have never felt like this about anything in my life, ever.”“That’s why you took that potion of Eden’s isn’t it? So the Alpha won’t find out how you really feel about the pup.”“It’s not how I feel about my pup, it’s…..” I rake my hands through my hair. “It’s who my pup is going to be.”“That makes no sense. No one knows who he is going to be.”“Every member of my family has a bad reputation. And the only ones who are left are me and Miles and he is locked away in the dungeons. I’m pretty certain that if I wasn’t mated to Aiden, I would be dead right about now. Scratch that, I know I would be dead.”“You really believe that, don’t you?” He asks with his eyebrow cocked.I nod my head up and down.“We have already had this conversation, Bella. Yes we are gen
Aiden‘OFFICE!’ Leighton’s voice rumbled through my head.‘What’s wrong?’ Is it Bella?’ I ask, throwing the box of final decorations down.There is no response. Seconds later there are screams outside, a hundred voices echoing in my mind for me to come quickly, but it was Katie’s that stood out over the others. ‘Bella’s hurt!’It was not what I wanted to hear, today was supposed to be a day of celebration.I almost knock Rhys over as I charge through the doors, but I had to get to Bella.From here I could see the house. A mass of people grouped just outside of my office window, all looking down at something.Katie was yelling something about giving Aslow space.“MOVE!” I yell as I approach the group. They parted, leaving a small gap for me to move through. I could see her hair first. Her copper locks fanned out over the ground. She was quiet though. As I close in, I see her legs are twisted awkwardly. Katie is holding Bella’s hand, talking to her and Aslow is moving his hands over he