Three.

Aiden

She isn’t quite with it as I carry her from the truck into my building. Her body continues to spasm a little as she lays in my arms.

There are a few Hybrids that stick their heads out of their rooms. No one says anything and they quickly close their doors again. Recognising that I was frustrated.

Bella’s head rolls back over my arm. Her body spasms a few more times before it stills. Whatever Dom had done to her, he had fucked her right over.

Settling her on the large bed. Her copper hair fans out on the pillow. Her eyes follow me as I move around, but she keeps her mouth shut. Even when I place a glass of water next to the bed, she says nothing, remaining still, except for the odd jerk.

“I just need to grab a few things, stay here, you will be safe.”

Heading down to the ground floor. I grab what I can from the main kitchen. The girl was thin, weak and must be starving. It was my duty as a soon to be King to make sure all of our kind were fit and well.

Opening the door to my room, I could already see the bed was empty.

“Bella?”

She charges me from the side. Leaping on me like I was her prey. Her arms try to lock around my neck and she seems surprised when I drop everything and throw her to the ground. She tries again and again and again. Growing frustrated when I easily get out of each hold.

Anger rippled off of her in waves. For someone so small and weak, she had so much energy. As if her life had been built on fighting to survive.

She was desperate to win. I knew she had no weapons on her. I let her pin me. 

She straddles my hips. Her legs hooked around mine, locking them in place. She holds my arms down with her elbows, her face inches from mine. “Where the fuck am I?”

“I told you, my house.”

“Why did you bring me here?”

“You have nothing to worry about. You are safe here.”

“I can look after myself.”

“It really looked like it. What did Dom promise you? A year, eighteen months.”

“Two.” She growls at me “Then I would be free.”

“He would have killed you. Or at least have one of his lacky’s kill you.” Her scent was delicious, strong too. It made me hungry for her. Something I haven’t felt in a long time.

“Why did you help me?”

“You know who I am, right?” I mutter, trying to ignore her fruity scent

She frowns, “Why should I?”

“My fathers the King.”

She quickly releases me, climbing off of my body and scooting herself across the floor. “Shit!”

“Why are you trying to attack me?” I demand, staring into her golden eyes.

“I am not a slave.” She growls back at me.

“I know. It’s a long journey to my fathers. I thought that you could do with a decent night's sleep. You don’t need to fight me.”

“Fine. I won’t kill you.” She folds her arms across her chest. Standing still, staring at me. Her golden eyes are full of so much hate.

“How long have you been fighting for Dom?”

She presses her lips into a thin line.

“Does he taser all of you?”

Again, she doesn’t answer me.

“Why did you kill that guy?”

“To survive!” She spits at last

“That was your first time in the ring, wasn’t it.” It had to be. They didn’t usually go as far as killing each other.

“Does it matter?”

“I’m just trying to figure out who you are.”

“It doesn’t matter. As soon as you let me go, I’m going to hunt down my father and rip his fucking head off!”

It was a bold statement for someone who didn’t have their Wolf. But I had seen what she had done to the other man. I had seen how she had killed a Lycan who was much bigger than her.

“Why? What did he do to you?”

“He killed my sisters.”

“All of them?”

“Both of them!” She snaps

“Why would he do that?”

“Because he is a dick.”

“There must have been a reason.” I don’t know why I was kidding myself. He wasn’t the first Alpha to kill his daughters in the hope for a son.

“Because he was given three daughters. Grace and Darcy were twenty and twenty one. Neither had mates. Father said it was punishment.”

“Then why are you alive?”

“Because he is afraid of me. He is afraid of what he has made me become. I’m the only one that remains and I will make damn sure he rots for what he has done.” She snarls. “I will tie him up and let the birds peck his flesh away. I will visit him every single day to ensure that I am the last thing he sees as he dies a very slow and painful death.”

So much anger.

“You should speak to my father.”

“The King? He doesn’t help anyone anymore.”

“He does, you just don’t see it.” She wasn’t wrong though. In the last few years, he had slowed right down, focussing on the worst problems. With Humans knowing about us, that had become his main priority. Everything else had fallen on me.

“Pfft!”

She was going to be a hard one to get through too.

“How many have you killed?”

Her golden orbs flash to me. “Human, Wolf or Lycan?”

At least she didn’t say Hybrid.

“All?” I shrug, I wanted to know what I was dealing with.

A sinister smile creeps over her face “Thirty six.”

I couldn’t say much, I had killed more.

“For fun?” I ask curiously, because if she said yes, then she would also have to face my father. There would be no question about it. Killing others for fun was a serious offence.

“They all deserved it.”

"According to who? You or someone else?"

Her eyes narrow to slits as she glares at me.

She was the first Wolf that I had met that just baffled me. Violent tendencies on a whole other level. If she had always been fighting for her place in the pack, it would make sense. But why would her father have trained her in such a way? What benefit would it have?

“You don’t fear me?” Most did. If they saw me coming, their heartbeats would be practically humming from the speed. She was the only one that had ever tried standing up to me. The only one to challenge me.

“I don’t fear anything.” She shrugs her shoulders, as if she has answered that question a thousand times.

“What about death?”

She smiles at me. “Do you?”

“Not when you live the type of life I do.” I tell her and she nods her head in agreement.

“What are you going to do with me?”

“Technically I’m supposed to take you to my father.”

“And?”

“I’m not sure if I want to.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’m due to take over my father’s reign soon enough. I think I can decide what to do with you.”

“How old are you?” She asks out of the blue. 

“Twenty one. How old are you?”

She doesn’t answer me. “You don’t smell like a Lycan.”

“That’s because I’m a Hybrid.”

Her eyes drop back to the ground. “Hybrid?” 

“You haven’t heard of us?” 

“No, should I have?”

“We are a combination of a Wolf and a Lycan. We can shift between them depending on what is needed.”

“Always something new.” She mutters, rolling her eyes. “Next there will be fairies and goblins living among us!”

I don’t respond, Most don’t like to hear the truth of how many other creatures there are out in the world. As far as most were concerned. There were Humans, Wolves, Lycans and a few witches and vampires dotted around. Anything else just seemed impossible.

“So are you going to tell me how old you are?” She had to be close to turning eighteen. “I know you are not eighteen otherwise you would have healed a lot faster.”

“Seventeen.” She mutters through gritted teeth. Like she was embarrassed by it.

When I move, she scuttles back along the floor, keeping her distance, yet keeping her eyes on me the entire time.

Holding my hands up, I tell her that I have no intention of hurting her. 

“That’s what you all say.”

“Do you ever trust anyone?”

“Myself!” She snaps, glaring at me.

“What pack are you from?”

She presses her lips into a thin line. Her nostrils flare at me.

“You need to tell me something? Something that will help you when you are in front of my father.”

“No I don’t. And I thought you were going to decide?”

“If you don’t tell me anything. I will have no choice but to take you there.”

She rolls her eyes at me.

“I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.” I was trying to find a way in. Using my words to break her cockiness.

“I don’t need your help!”

“Everyone needs help at some point.” She was strong willed.

“Not me! I do things my own way.”

“And how has that worked out for you so far?”

She frowns at me. “Just fine, I can handle myself.”

She was so angry. There was so much hate coming from such a small girl. It was ten times worse knowing that the girl in front of me was my mate and she didn’t have a clue.