The Falcon Ridge Series Book 1 She's Not For You

ANNA

Monday morning, we're not at the training field. Some of us have been sent to a conference room.

I walk in and see River, Blade, Zeke and Stevens up front. There's a long table down the middle of the room with border agents dotting the chairs.

I look around the room and see Michael. Instinctively, I head over and sink into a chair beside him.

"Hey." He says watching me sit.

"Hi. I guess you know what this is about?” I lean on the table.

He nods. His face dark and concerned. "Karver."

"Yep." I nod. "We're gonna put him down this time. No more games."

He cracks a smile. "Damn right." He offers a fist bump and I return it.

Stevens clears his throat. "Okay. Good morning." He looks around the room.

He continues. "You're here because you've been selected as the best agents and fighters we have to go up against Karver. If you've never faced Cole Karver before, I'm not going to lie. The guy is the devil himself. He's dangerous. You'll be putting your life on the line here. That being said, if you do not want to be part of this mission, you can leave this room right now."

He waits, scanning the faces. Some shake their heads. Others are leaned back with cocky looks on their faces. No one leaves.

"Okay." He smirks. "Now. Each of you have your own skill sets. Your own experience. Something we believe will be needed to be successful in this operation."

He walks around the room, dropping files in front of every person as he walks by them.

"In these files is everything we know about Karver thus far. Known hangouts, acquaintances, contacts. Study him, get in his head. I don't have to tell you, we have to find this guy fast." He side eyes us all.

He stopped back up at the front of the room. "We don't need another Timber on our hands." He said gravely.

Guilt ran through me like a freight train at his words. My eyes flicked to meet River's. He mouthed the word 'don't' warning me to not feel what I do, but I can't help it.

Stevens continued. "Now, we're fortunate enough to have the foremost expert on Karver on this team. Riker, care to share some information with the rest of us."

I was a bit startled at his request, but I sat up and cleared my throat. "Um. Yes, sir. Ok. Karver's badass. He's an opportunist. He's unpredictable. He likes his mind games. You'll need to think on your feet. Unfortunately, sirs, any plan that gets developed, will most likely get tossed out the window when implemented. Karver has a great talent for turning the tables really quick and if we're aren't ready for it, people die."

"Ok." Stevens says. "Are there any questions?"

Michael raises his hand. "Yeah. When do we kick Karver’s ass?"

The room erupted in growling ‘Yeahs’.

"You will report to the training arena where you will placed in your teams. You'll then be given your orders and be briefed on the plan. After that, we kick some Karver ass." He smirked at Michael.

Michael glanced at me with an evil smile. I shoot a smirk back. I glance at River who nods.

We were dismissed and sent to a large warehouse type building on the north side of the barrack complex.

Inside, were higher up leaders waiting patiently. These were the people who were devising our teams.

There were rows of chairs in the middle of what I would consider a gym floor. They had a presentation screen waiting and they all stood like stone with hands behind their backs waiting for us to be seated.

One stepped forward once we had our seats.

"I'm Alpha Edwards. I'll be assigning 3 teams based on the recommendations of the team leaders of the recruitment center. Once your name is called, you'll group with your team leader to receive your assignment."

He walked over to River. "Alpha Blake, call your team."

River walked to the spot where we were to go. "Ok. Taylor, Harper, Fray, Davis, Gillian,.."

He read the names, but I'm not hearing mine. Did he not pick me? How could he not pick me?

He continued to say names. "....Miller, Daniels, Weeks, ......" He glanced at me for a quick second. "...Riker."

I internally breathe a sigh of relief, get up and join my team.

Blade and Zeke did the same until all of us were split in our groups.

Edwards clapped his hands. "Ok. Now. Once we have Karver’s location, we will meet back here and brief you on the plan. Your team leaders will then give you your assignments. Dismissed."

We all left the complex to join the rest of the recruits on the training field.

Once we were settled, Blade steps forward. "Ok. I'm sure you've all heard the rumors." Mumbles floated through the groups. "Now, I want you to push all that shit out. We don't need to lose our heads now. Right now, we need to focus on training our asses off. Get our heads in the game. Push ourselves to the max. I want to see each and every one of you pushing yourselves. I want to see you all take command and get the most out of this training. The next two weeks will be crucial. It’s rank time, recruits. You can't let bullshit mess with your heads. Do you understand?"

The crowd stands straight. "SIR! YES, SIR!"

"Good." Blade walks up and down the front of the group. "First is drills then Alpha Blake will head up sparring."

We ran drills for 3 hours. I swear my body was on fire. I thought I was going to die.

We were told to stop and partner up for sparring.

By the time lunch came, I was jelly, but it was good.

I was gulping down water, when Michael walked up. Wiping sweat off his face with the bottom of his shirt. He walked up grabbed my water and downed the other half. "Hey!" I protest, smiling.

"Thanks." He grins, catching his breath. "Fuck that was brutal."

I laugh. "You need to work on your offence."

He smirks. "Oh yeah? I got the drop on you a few times."

I cross my arms. "Only because I was caught off guard by your sloppiness."

"Oh, I'm sloppy, am I." His smirk got bigger. "I'll show you sloppy..." He came at me with an offence attack and he tripped me, but I grabbed his shirt before going down and we both fell on our backs, laughing our heads off.

"Everything ok over here?" I looked toward the voice. River was standing over us with his hands on his hips.

I'm trying to catch my breath. "Yeah, it's fine. Michael's just showing me how sloppy his offence is."

River arched his brow and looked at Michael. "Well, if you need help tightening up your technique, I can help with that." River grinned.

Michael stood up. "Uh...no...I'm good, thanks." He offered me his arm and helped me up. "I'll meet you in the dining hall." He clapped my back.

"Alpha." He nodded to River and left.

"Ok." I say as he leaves.

I'm still smiling as I turn back to River who's not looking too impressed.

"What?" I say.

He raises his brow and crosses his arms. "What? Really?"

I wave him off, grabbing another water and heading for the dining hall. "Oh, come on, Alpha. We were just goofing around."

He fell in beside me. "Goofing around...with my girl." He hissed quietly.

I glanced at him. "River, stop. You promised you knock this possessive crap off."

He heaves a breath. "I know. I can't help it. It irritates me."

I stop and turn to him. "If I felt any kind of uncomfortable or if he was crossing a line, I would stop it. You said you trusted me."

He stopped to. "I know. I know. Just…Can you watch the hands? For my sake...Please?"

I give a half smile. "Okay. I'll keep the hands to a minimum."

He sighs. "Thank you."

"Okay." I continue walking backwards away from River. "I'll see you later."

He nods. "Afternoon session!" He yells.

I spin and run to the dining hall.

****

After lunch, I head out to the training field.

We are doing circuits for the rest of the afternoon.

I get to the field and Cassidy, of all people, runs up beside me.

I arch a brow and glance her way. "Hi." I say, cautiously.

She smiles. "Hi. You want to be circuit partners?"

"Why?" Normally we don't partner up for circuits.

She shrugs. "I don't know. Just to hang out. Us girls."

I face forward. "We're here to work, Cassidy."

She smirks. "Didn't look like you were working with Dorian."

I whip my head towards her. "Yes, we were. He was showing me his offensive moves."

She winks. "Sure. Hey, it's cool. I won't say anything. You have a thing for Dorian. It's written all over your face."

My eyes go wide. "No, I don't! We're just friends."

She leans in. "Honey, there is no way that guy is in your friend zone. The way you two are with each other, I'm surprised you haven't hit that yet. You haven't, have you?"

"What? No! Ugh...it's not any of your business anyway." I furrow my brow and keep walking to the field.

She caught up to me and leaned to me again. "Sorry. I just thought...it looks...you know." She straightens up. "I wouldn't blame you. The guys all kinds of hot."

I catch River's eyes as we get to the circuit. "No, Cassidy, I'm not interested in Dorian. If you are, then you can have him."

Cassidy is eyeing River. "Nah. I got a bigger catch in mind." She waggles her brows.

This gets me mad. I turn to her. "He doesn't date recruits."

She stood with a smug look on her face. "He kissed you, didn't he?"

My face instantly went red. "No. That was a mistake. He was drunk and...."

"Sweetie, he's an Alpha. They don't get that drunk. He knew what he was doing."

This girl is really starting to piss me off. My fist clenched as my wolf rattles her cage.

She continues. "And if he's actually willing to kiss you, then me getting him between his hot, delicious body between the sheets should be a piece of cake."

“Excuse me?” I turn to her and cross my arms.

She looks at her nails. “Don’t get offended, Anna. As you said, he was drunk. His standards were probably pretty low at that point.”

That's it. My wolf surges forward and I lose all control. I deliver a left hook right to her nose. Blood splattered from her face the moment I heard the sickening crack of her bridge. I jump on her, grab her shirt collar and start laying blow after blow as she screams.

My wolf has totally taken over. Defending me and River from this bitch.

I was cursing a blue steak. My amber eyes were glowing gold and I could feel the growls in my chest. I was pounding on her like her face was a piece a meat I was tenderizing. I lost all control over myself. I had no clue I drew a crowd.

My wolf was just about to tear through when I feel arms wrap around my waist. My arms and legs are flailing everywhere.

I'm being pulled back, but I see red. "YOU STAY AWAY FROM HIM!" I scream at Cassidy’s broken, bloody face. She crying on the ground next to someone.

The person that has me yells "STAND DOWN!" It was an Alpha because my wolf immediately retreats back into my chest and my vision starts to become aware of my surroundings.

Blade has his arms wrapped tight around my shaking body. Anger and humiliation are coursing through my veins.

River is kneeling next to Cassidy which sets my wolf off again. Blade must feel it because he whips me around and points a finger in my face. "Don't even fucking think about it." His face is angry. His eyes glaring.

My eyes must still have been glowing because his were glowing yellow. His wolf was present. My wolf backs down once again.

I'm breathing heavy. I close my eyes to calm myself down. My body shaking with rage.

River stands. "What the hell just happened?" His head turning back and forth between us.

Cassidy spoke first through tears. "I...I... don't...know. We were just talking and she flipped out!" She started sobbing.

I turn around. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." I swallowed knowing how much trouble I was in.

"Riker. Get to the barracks to await disciplinary orders." River's face was stern.

My eyes widen and I give him a look of disbelief. "But, Alpha..." I protest.

"Go, recruit!" He points to the barrack and laces with words with Alpha command.

"Yes, sir." I say solemnly. I head for the barracks.

As much as the fucking bitch deserved it, I shouldn't have done that. I'm not that kind of person. Sure, if I'm faced with a sicko, or some dirt bag, I'll knock the fuck out of them, but I've never got into a fight over a guy before. I'm in so much trouble.