A Leader Must Rise - Old Version

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Justin's P.O.V

I can't believe that Chase did THAT. The things he could do to win Aria back and he chooses to go the worst way possible. I shook my head, not believing what is happening today. I was surprised earlier that Aria had found her way into my locked room. Being a silver and bronze warrior. Aria talking to the Moon Goddess herself. It just crazy. Again, I shook the thoughts out of my head and headed to Chase's room, knowing he will be in there. I didn't knock, just opened the door. He back was against the headboard and tears were still flowing down his face. "What am I going to do Justin? It'll take a miracle to get her back!" He said to me, putting his head in his hands and bring up his knees.

"If you want her so badly, why do you lie to her?" I asked sitting down on the bed with him. "Because what I want to tell her will properly push her further away from me." He answered. "You're doing that now. Just be honest with her, she likes honesty. I went with honesty because I thought it was the best way to go and it was. I've got my baby brother and sister back, she gave me my warriors mark back I should have gotten at 17. I have my family again. I won't lie to Aria. If I do, I'll lose everything again." I said. "W-What's your point?" Chase asked.

"My point is, if you kept lying to her, you definitely won't get her back, but if you be honest with her, there's a chance you will get her back," I said to him softly. "Y-you think so?" "Yes, you will have more of a chance to get her then than lying to her," I answered and he nodded. "Okay, I'll tell her when she back from her run," Chase said. "Good idea, also have a shower, you look like shit," I say sarcastically, he just threw a pillow at me. I laughed and bolted to the dining room. Chase didn't follow but stayed in his room to shower.

When I reached the dining room, Andrew, Mason, Sophia, Tristan and Kyle were sitting at the table. I lowered my head to Mason and Sophia and walked to the fridge to get a beer. "Justin, why don't sit with us!?" Andrew asked and he got glares from Mason, Sophia, Tristan and Kyle, but he ignored them. "I-I d-don't t-think I-I'm a-allowed." I stuttered at him. Sophia sighed and said, "Don't be stupid Justin, come, sit." I looked at the rest of them and they nodded. So I took a seat next to Andrew. "How is your arm?" I asked Andrew. "Healing." He responded. I nodded and hung my head again.

"Hey, it wasn't your fault," Andrew said to me, trying to convince me it wasn't when it partly is. "But I didn't do anything. I just stood there shocked," I said. "Yeah, that's because you didn't know that Chase was going to do that." He tried again and it's working now. "You went and saw Chase, didn't you?" Mason asked, "I smell him on you." He added. "Yeah, I went to see him. Only to find out why was he pushing her further away with lying to her." I said. "Okay, this I got to hear," Andrew said and made a hand gesture to continue. I listen on Chase, he still in the shower.

Good, that means he won't find out that I told them instead of Aria. "He said that if he told her the truth he would push her away further away. I told him that he's doing right now and that he should be honest with her. She still likes honesty, doesn't she?" I asked Andrew. "Yeah, she does." He answered me. "I also told him that he would have a better chance of having her if he was honest with her, instead of lying to her. I managed to convince him to be honest with her. The only question is, will he have the guts to tell her?" I finished off.

"Hopefully he will or he will lose her," Mason said. I gulped before my next question, "What you guys wrote for us the day you left, is it true that for two years that Aria tried to commit suicide?" I asked shakily. Andrew hesitated for a moment, "Yes, it took me everything to keep James from killing you." He said then he stiffened with realising what he just said. "What?" I said. "Um, Aria and I, um, shifted early. We shifted at 15, not 17 and our wolves started talking to us even earlier. I'm pretty sure it was 11 that they started talking to us." He said. I was surprised beyond belief. I didn't know what else to say to that so I change the topic.

"Speaking of Aria, should she have been back by now?" I asked, looking at the clock, it's 8 in the afternoon. "Yeah, she should be, but knowing her, it will take her a few more hours to cool off, but I did say don't be out too long?" Andrew trailed off. "She should be back in about an hour or so." A voice called. We all turned to see Zena, "How do you know?" I asked. "Zena, Winter and Amy clicked instantly with Ari." Declan came behind her with Winter under his arm. "Yeah, we're her best friends she never had," Amy said coming around them and into the kitchen. I winced at what she said. "Alright, guys that's enough!" Andrew said sternly. I sighed, "Don't worry about it." I said as I got and left. I heard Andrew sigh and started talking sternly to the others.

I made my way into the living room. I was there for a couple of minutes where I heard someone walk in. I turned to see...Tristan. "Do you really mean you regret hurting Aria?" He said. I was surprised that he talked. He sounds like Kyle and Andrew. I look down at the empty beer bottle in my hands and said quietly. "Yes, but no one believes me and I get why. Who would trust an abuser who abuses their own sister and tries and forces her twin brother to not care for her." "I would. If you say you regret it then I believe you. Andrew told us how you ran out of Chase's office earlier today in tears. That is enough evidence in itself to clarify your guilt." Tristan said and I looked at him surprised. "Thank you," I say quietly. Kyle and Andrew came in then. "You okay, brother?" Andrew asked. "It's been a long time since you called me that and...I'm okay, I guess," I said. "Are you sure that Aria will be back in an hour?" I said unsure and worried. "Yeah, she should be, don't worry. I'll tell you when to worry." Andrew said and I nodded. We stayed in the living room and made small talk. Getting to know what Andrew and Aria did over the past 4 years and getting to know our younger cousins.

About 2 hours later, Andrews' arm healed and Aria still hasn't returned. I can see Andrew starting to fidget. "She should of be back by now," I said. He nodded. "Declan!" He yelled through the house. 'Chase,' I said through the mind link. 'Yeah,' I got back. 'You better get to the living room.' I said. 'Is Aria back.' He asked nervously. 'No, but it's about her.' I said. I didn't get a reply but hurried feet downstairs. Chase made it downstairs first. "Where's Aria?" He asked frantically. "What is it to you?" Andrew said. I put a hand on his shoulder, 'Remember what I told you earlier. He regrets lying to her.' I said to him through the mind link and he nodded. I looked at Chase and nodded, he looked relieved and grateful and nodded back. Declan came down then, "I swear if I hear my name called like that again one more time I'll-" he started but I cut him off. "Aria isn't back yet." "What?" He asked wide-eyed. "And I can't reach her through the mind link," Andrew said, getting really worried. I looked at Chase. He's trying really hard to keep his wolf under control. "We've got to look for her!" Andrew and Chase said together.

"We can't now, it's 10 o'clock at night," Declan said. "We're not leaving her out there," Kyle screamed at us and Tristan nodded. "We're not leaving her out there, but I do agree with you. We'll search for an hour and if don't find anything came back, rest and started a new in the morning around 7. Tristan, Kyle, stay here in case if she returns I'll leave one of the girls here to contact me since your still not apart of a pack. Justin, Chase go and shift and start searching. Andrew are you able to shift." Declan asked. "I'm able, able enough to kill her when we find her," Andrew said. Declan nodded, "Then go with Chase and Justin. Go to different parts of the territory, howl if you come up short and came back to the packed house, I'll get the others." And with that Declan went upstairs to get the others.

"Well let's not wait any longer," I suggested, and went outside, striped, shifted and started our search. After an hour, I heard of howl from Andrew, and then Chase. I whined before hesitantly howling back and ran back to the pack house. Everyone had the same question as me.

Where is Aria?