BellaThe bed was calling my name, yet, as I laid there, staring up at the ceiling, sleep was the last thing I wanted. Or maybe it was just the fact that I was alone and knew that sleep wouldn’t come easily.I had more questions than I had answers and every time I gained an answer, more questions would develop. It was a never ending circle and one that I couldn’t break free from.‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’ The phrase was on repeat in my head. The man who is supposed to be my uncle, didn’t know me and yet he was insisting that I was just like my father. A man hated by so many. A man that had done horrible, unforgivable things to everyone, to me.A phone starts ringing somewhere in the room. It was quiet at first, with each ring steadily growing louder. I didn't think it was possible for a phone to sound impatient.The ringing was coming from inside the closet. It stops for a moment before starting again. It wasn’t the tone to Aiden’s phone and I didn’t have one.Search
AidenAs she drops off to sleep, I pull the phone from my pocket. Flipping through the call history. There was nothing, no outgoing calls and certainly no incoming calls. No messages either.At first, I wondered why she would delete it if she was going to tell me about it. She had ripped the room apart, looking for something. Another sign that suggested she wouldn’t have deleted the call historyAs I turn the phone over in my hands, Bella settles into deeper sleep. She was certain that he had called her. Yet the evidence showed otherwise. I look down at my mate. She had fallen asleep quickly, her lips parting a little, like they always did. Maybe it was exhaustion that was making her hear him.Still asleep, she rolls away from me, pulling a pillow in against her chest.I wait a few minutes, to make sure the nightmares are not going to start and when I am certain she is heavily asleep. I get up, slipping out of the room.Rhys and Eli are standing in the door frame of the open front do
BellaHe presses his thumb against my wrist, a sharp jolt of pain rattles through me, “What the hell was that?” My hand recoils from his and I hold it to my chest.Aiden’s eyes are still on my wrist. “He’s found a way to mark you.”“No, Vampires can’t mark.” I hadn’t seen anything. And I knew Vampires couldn't mark people.“It looks like Linc has found a way.” He rubs his jaw, deep in thought“I’m not his mate. I’m yours.” There was no way I was going to be his little play thing. “I know that. Everyone here knows that. I believe that he has marked you so he can connect with you and keep an eye on you.” He slowly backs away from me. “Danica was warning you. Not about him trying to kill you. But about marking you, making you one of his belongings.”I look at my wrist. I still couldn’t see anything, but it ached.“Why would he do this?”“So he can talk to you, feel you, just like I do.”“I didn’t know,” I whisper, still trying to see what Aiden could see.“The sweatshirts, you’ve been c
BellaHis blue eyes hover on me. I thought Aiden had told him everything, but he, somehow, had failed to mention this. Or maybe chosen not to speak of it.He doesn’t get a chance to ask me anything as we are disturbed by a commotion in the hallway.Eli gets up and sticks his head out the door to see what was happening.“Do you need help?” Eli asks someone“No, we’ve got it.” Rhys snaps back“Let fucking go of me! I want to see my niece.” Miles’s voice makes my blood run cold. I didn’t want to see or hear from him again. He must have seen Eli, because a deep snarl came from the otherside of the door, accompanied with “You! You put them up to this, didn’t you?”“I have no idea what you mean.” I see how he smirks“BASTARD! This is why you asked me to come, isn’t it. Finally getting back at me for fucking your mate!” Miles hollersEli stays calm, “You did that to yourself.” Eli looks back at me, reading my expression, he tells them to take Miles back to the dungeon. That speaking to me wa
Bella“GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!” Aidens eyes return to slits as he stares at me. He knew I wasn’t shouting at him.‘I always knew you were quick, Bella. Piecing together information faster than anyone else.’ Aiden grabs my shoulders, “Block him!”He had told me how to do it, but it clearly hadn’t worked. Linc's voice was clearer than ever.‘You can’t block me, Bella. You know as well as I do that you don’t want to. You are curious about me. You want more information.’“What is he saying?” Aiden demands‘Tell him to leave you alone Bella.’ Linc’s voice booms in my mind. ‘It’s my turn to talk.’“Bella?” Aiden’s grey eyes are full of worry as he stares at me. He wanted answers.‘Bella?’ Linc mimics.Somehow he could hear the things that I was hearing, how was that possible?I rub my wrist as both of them continue to call my name, waiting for me to say something. My wrist was aching so much.‘How long have you been listening?’ I whisper to Linc. He laughs, I knew it was a stupid qu
Aiden“It’s what she needed!” Eli mutters as he follows me through the house. “She needs a friend.”Rounding on him, I snap. “Why are you so concerned about what my mate needs?”“Seriously? She either spends her time with you, me or that baby brother of hers, it isn’t healthy.”“Healthy? Have you ever stopped to consider that this is how she prefers to live?”“No girl likes to live like that.” “She isn’t a normal girl. She wasn’t raised like a normal girl. She didn’t have a normal childhood. She believed she was destined to be alone!” “But…..” I glare at him and he clamps his lips shut, lowering his gaze as I sigh. His sister had been the only female to come remotely close to challenging Bella’s fighting abilities and Bella seemed to enjoy it.Sitting at my new desk, I let out a groan, maybe he had done the right thing. Maybe a friend was what she needed.“Go and get your family.” I mutter, changing the subject. Bella and I were supposed to be meeting them anyway.As he leaves, Rhy
BellaAiden wasn’t in bed when I wake. I expected him to come out of the bathroom, but everything is quiet. No running water, no quiet footsteps. Even my head was quiet.It takes me a minute to remember that I didn’t even come to bed last night. The last thing I remember is meeting Eli’s family. There was nothing between then and now, everything was blank. An empty spot in my mind.Dressing for the day, I hurry down the stairs, catching Aiden’s scent as I pass his office. Unusually for the time of day, the door is closed. He wasn’t alone either, I could hear Eli and their mutterings.The door opens and Aiden is standing on the other side, he doesn’t look happy. Looking around him, I spotted Eli, he had his back to me and was keeping himself facing away from me. What the hell had I done?“Bella, take a seat.” Aiden gestures to the single chair in front of his desk.“Why?” My arms automatically fold up as I jam my hands into my armpits. It immediately felt like I was going to be accused
BellaKatie is flapping her hands as she turns around in a circle. “This is so bad, this is so bad.” She mutters.I was already confused by her response. Why would it be so bad?“I told her tht she wasn't allowed to drug me.” I hoped it would calm Katie down, but she just seemed to grow more flustered. “Oh my Goddess, you are going to kill her. Then Dad will abandon Flynn. Our family will fall apart again.” She stops in front of me. “Why would she say yes?”“I think it might have been Eli’s idea.”“What? No, he wouldn’t do that. Not after last time.”Grabbing her wrist, I pull her into the storage cupboard. “You need to chill and tell me what happened last time!”She frantically plays with her hair, combing her fingers through it over and over. “You are going to kill her. But then if the King knows already, he might kill her first. This is not good!”I was losing my patience. This was exactly why I didn’t like females, the sheer panic in them was so irritating.“Promise me you won’t