Hybrid Aria by Jessica Hall

Aria’s POV

Walking up the long driveway, Lily moved in my arms, waking up. I placed her on her feet. The night was cold, and the walk home took longer than usual since I was still in pain from the gash on my ribs. It was starting to get cold, and the breeze made it a little chillier than normal. I could smell an earthy aroma telling me it was going to rain later. When we were nearly all the way to the Pack house, Lily looked up at me tugging on my hand, I looked down at her.

“Can I run ahead please? I really need to pee.” I chuckled at her; she was wriggling around while she walked.

“Go on then.”

She looked relieved and took off running towards the Pack house, which was only about ten metres away now. I watched her run up the steps and into the Pack house. As I got closer to the Pack house, I pulled the duffle bag off my shoulder, about to climb the stairs, when a new sensation took over me, making me drop the bag on the ground. A horrid feeling churning in my stomach, overwhelming all my senses.

Fear. Pure fear. The sort of fear that makes your skin itch. When you can feel every hair on your body rise, when you feel like your skin is crawling. Fear that makes your body freeze paralysing you on the spot. That’s the sort of fear I felt when I heard her blood-curdling scream.

Only thing was, I was her big sister. I couldn’t run away. I had no choice but to move, go to her. I forced my legs up the front porch of the Pack house, running in the direction I could hear her screaming my name. My feet pounding on the floorboards in panic. I was moving so fast, I felt myself slipping on the hallway rug, making me skid along the floor and into the wall. My head and shoulder twisting at an awkward angle into the kitchen door frame with enough force that black dots danced in front of my vision. My collarbone and shoulder sending shooting pain through my body, as I feel my shoulder dislocate on impact.

“Aria! Aria!” Her petrified scream echoed through the house. Jumping to my feet, my head spun. I turned the corner into the kitchen to see the Alpha dragging my sister by her hair into the basement with a whip in his other hand. I start running to her, grabbing the basement door frame just in time for him to slam the door shut on my fingers. My own scream escaped my lips in agony. Reaching for the door handle, only to find it's been locked. I start trying to yank my hand free. I could hear her crying and screaming for me on the other side of the door.

“LEAVE HER ALONE!” I screamed at him, banging on the door with my fist. Slamming my body into the door, trying to free my fingers and get in. Not being able to get a run-up, I threw my body with all my might towards the side where my fingers were stuck. The door moved just enough for me to free my injured, bloody, mangled hand. My fingers were definitely broken.

ran full force into the door and bounced off, knocking the air out of my lungs. I stood up, backing up again and ran harder. I dropped my shoulder hitting the door with so much force it burst open. My feet hitting air as my body was thrown down the stairs

“Aria!”

“Aria!”

knees. The Alpha was standing above Lily, who was cowering on the ground at his feet, tears staining her rosy cheeks. As he went to raise the whip, I threw my body over hers just as it came down, tearing the back of my blouse open. I could feel my flesh being torn. I screamed, shoving Lily out from under me

his fist connecting with my nose making blood spill

whiskey breath on my face which just fuelled my anger. I felt my claws extend, and I didn’t think twice as I plunged them into his thigh, making

bones snapping. He changed so quickly, jumping into his wolf form in a split second. He lunged at me, my body slamming violently into the shelving along the walls. Feeling his teeth sink into my side, I let out a strangled scream. My breathing was laboured, and I was fighting to

vision. I could

lunge for my throat, he let out a scream. I looked up trying to figure out what happened when my eyes fell

Alpha was on the ground naked, screaming, turning back to his human form. I didn’t wait to see what would happen next. Scooping up Lily, I started running up the stairs. Halfway up, Michael

Michael stopped me. He jammed a chair from the dining

be able to hold him for long, especially if he commands us to grab you.” He sounded panicked, so did the person with him, who must be new as I did not recognise him.

Aria, get out of here while you still can.” Michael's voice

that might actually become a possibility. I could feel blood running down my legs and face. Stepping onto the porch, the breeze was cold,

the duffle bag when I ran past and started running through the forest that surrounded the Pack house. Michael mind linked me as we got close