Chapter 44

**ARIA**

"You have to come." Cassius says to me as I answer on the second ring.

"You're scaring me what's going on?" I ask panicked.

"It's dad. He had an accident, he's in the hospital. It's bad Aria.... really bad." He tells me holding back tears.

I've never heard him like this, well... only once.

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

We hang up and I get dressed as fast as I can. Austin has joined Adam in Alex's office so this is the place I rush to. I'm running at full speed when I almost run into Leila in the hallway.

"Wow easy." She tells me frowning.

"Sorry." I tell her as I run around her to get back on my way.

"Wait! What's going on with you?" She asks me and for the first time I feel like I hear concern in her voice.

"It's my dad...he had an accident...I have to go." I answer her in a hurry.

"Wait, I'm coming with you."

I walk through Alex's office door without knocking. Austin and Adam get up hurriedly and face me.

"I have to go...it's my dad...I have to... I need to leave."

"Let's go." Austin cuts me off.

"I'm coming with you. We sensed your worry and your fear." Adam says to me as he hugs me.

"I'm coming too." Leila tells us and the three of us turn to look at her, surprised.

"I feel like I need to come with you. Don't ask me why...I don't know." She tells us with a slight shake of her head.

***
When I arrived in the hospital hallway, it only took me a thousandth of a second to understand the situation when I saw Cassius' face. My older brother, with his tall, lanky look, has hunched shoulders and swollen, red eyes. Our eyes met and my world fell apart. We didn't need to talk, I ran into his arms and we hugged each other. Austin, Adam and Leila stayed downstairs for us to be between ourselves. I thought I would at least have time to see him one last time, to hug him and tell him how much I loved him and how much he meant to me. My dad has always been my hero, when I was a kid I remember going to see him box and thinking wow I really do have the strongest dad in the world. And as I grew up I realized that his strength was not just physical, he was a rock for us. He will never see me get married, not that I know if werewolves get married... or even vampires or hybrids for that matter. And he'll never see my kids, he'll never show them how to dodge a punch.

I cry in Cassius' arms in that cold, white hallway. A man in his fifties, with salt and pepper hair and a white coat approaches us, his face serious.

"You must be Aria. My sincere condolences for your father. We did everything we could, unfortunately it was not enough. You can see him if you wish."

I simply nod, unable to formulate a single word, and we follow him inside the room, to see my dad one last time.

**AUSTIN**

"Why do you make those faces?" Leila asks us.

"He passed away... We were too late." Adam simply replies to his sister.

The three of us sit down in the hall. I wish I could be with her, hugging her, kissing her, and giving her all the comfort she needs. But deep down I know that what she needs is to be with her brother. They need to be alone together.

"Shit." Leila replies.

"Why did you come again?" Adam asks her, raising an eyebrow.

"A hunch." She answers him evasively.

I still don't understand why she's here, even though she was born a werewolf, she seems to be more of a vampire. She's cold, she's a real ice queen, she's not friends with Aria, besides I wonder if this girl has any friends.

I think about Aria again, I lost both my parents but the relationship she had with her father and the relationship I had with mine are two completely different things. Now that only her brother is left, I don't know how things will work out between us and him. He's going to want to be more involved in his sister's life and I know he doesn't look too kindly on our relationship.

We sit in silence for long minutes before Leila leaves to get some coffee, I'm sure that she doesn't feel comfortable being here. I feel Aria approaching and Adam and I turn in the same direction.

"So you're really dating both of them at the same time?" We hear Cassius ask Aria.

"Please...not now." She pleads him, pinching the bridge of her nose.

They approach us, both of them with swollen and reddened eyes. Adam and I both pick her up and Cassius stands uncomfortably next to us for a moment. We finally release her.

"I'm sorry for your loss, both of you." Adam tells them.

"Thank you." They both answer at the same time.

I nod my head beside him. "I'm sorry we didn't get there sooner. And I know there's nothing I can say that will ease your pain."

Cassius taps me on the shoulder, turns his head and stares at something or someone. All three of us look where he's looking and he and Leila stare at each other for a moment. She has her mouth open and I recognize that look. She looks at him as if he were the only person in the room and he clearly undresses her with his eyes. For a surprise, it's a surprise.

"My mate." Leila whispers. Not loud enough for Cassius to hear.

My gaze turns to Aria who observes the scene with wide eyes. I think all three of us are shocked. It looks like our secret will soon be out.