Hybrid

TWENTY-NINE

⫷ JAMES ⫸

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I snap back at Caleb. My mind is buzzing, distracted, angered. I flip through files until I find it. Even looking at the name has me growling.

Victor Cage. The man who orchestrated everything that let to Aria's amnesia. I will kill him if it's the last thing I do. My hands clench the edges of the paper.

"How do you expect to find him?" Caleb asks calmly. He is standing on the other side of my desk with folded arms.

"I'll find a way."

"James, what about Aria?"

I tense from the sound of her name. "Alpha Christopher has promised to look after her. She'll be safe at home. She'll feel safe."

Caleb narrows his eyes at me. "I meant you and Aria."

"That's none of your business," I grumble.

"It is," he shoots back daringly. "She is our Luna, after all."

"No. Not anymore."

"Why not? All you have to do is make her remember. If she never does, then start over."

I slam the paper down on the desk and stand to meet his level. "There is no bond, Caleb. It's broken. Before, I had that to convince her we're meant to be together. Now? Nothing. Not one fucking thing."

He pauses long enough to have me believing that he simply won't reply. Finally, he shakes his head slowly. "The bond is just an attraction. It doesn't force us to fall in love. If that were the case, no werewolves would face rejection."

I pause, taking in his words. "And if she rejects me?"

"Then at least you tried instead of hiding away from her like a coward." I'm surprised by his tone. Caleb is usually the calm man, not one to show much emotion. Now, I see a look of aggravation evident in his expression. Before I can retaliate, he spins around and stalks out of the room.

A slam as his goodbye.

I eye the phone on my desk. My hands itch to pick it up and call her. Giving in is the easiest thing, so I do just that. Just to hear her voice. I wasn't expecting to hear a male's voice as well. That fucking anger shows itself again. I'm out of the door before the I have the chance to think through what I'm doing.

I never said I had any self control. Not when it comes to her, anyway. On the main floor, I nearly run into my second in command and his nosey mate.

"Alpha?" Caleb's eyebrows raise at the sight of me.

"I'm going to her," I said in one breath.

He nodded wearily at me. Before he could reply, Kasey glares up at me. "Don't tell her anything," Kasey warned with narrowed eyes. "It'll overwhelm her."

"Don't tell me what to do," I ordered with a glare. "If I want to tell my mate something, then I will."

"It could damage her mind," Kasey urged. Her eyes widened as she saw me abruptly stand and head towards the door. "Maybe you shouldn't go..."

My growl caused her to cower and Caleb sidestepped in between us. "Nobody can stop me from seeing Aria. Not you. Not Caleb. Not fucking Victor Cage. Are we clear?"

She shrunk closer to her mate. "Yeah," she mumbled quietly.

⫷ ARIA ⫸

"This music is so loud!" I yell while praying my eardrums don't burst. The sound vibrates underneath my feet and jitters anything that hangs on the walls. I train my sight on the ample amount of lights that shoot every which way.