The Falcon Ridge Series Book 3 If Looks Could Kill

(Chapter song ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ by Lorde)

20 YEARS AGO

“Have you ever seen something so beautiful?”

My mate. My love. The only one meant for me and my greatness. The only one who will ever understand me. At least that’s what I thought until four years ago when she blessed my kingdom with the most precious gift a woman could give a man.

I watch as she leans down and kisses the light, soft cheek of the sleeping child between us in our king sized bed.

I sigh as I look to her, reaching up to feel my mates soft red hair. “Only once. I never thought I’d be so blessed as to see the sight again.” I smile as she blushes.

Her delicate fingers move the red curl from my little treasures face. My tiny beauty winces and cuddles into my chest more causing me to smile.

“She will know such greatness.” I say as I lay my head down next to my little girl’s face.

“She'll be a strong fighter. Like you.”

I prop my head up on my hand and stare into my mates emerald green eyes. “She'll know her mother’s love. She’ll know the power of her father. She'll rule with the strength of her pack behind her.”

“Her future is bright, Draco. Should we allow her to darken like the rest of us?” She touches the child’s cheek.

I lay back down and stare into my daughters sleeping face. “I suppose. If she’s to be Alpha, she should know what that means.”

“I agree, but she will have trusted advisors and loyalty. She won’t have to fight with them. This is also if we don’t have a boy to take the reign.” She continues to gently fawn over my princess.

“Cecille. We’ve been trying for years. We were barely successful once. You almost died. I can’t risk that again.” I cup her cheek and she leans into it.

“It’s worth the risk. The pack deserves a proper Alpha.” Cecille smiles.

“And they will. I will turn Alexi into the greatest Alpha this pack has ever seen. Even the Alliance will tremble at her feet. She’ll rise and crush them in the palm of her hand. Anyone loyal to them will fall to their knees and beg her for mercy. This I assure you.” I try to not wake my darling beauty as I reflect on my future plans for her.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Draco.” Cecille says quietly.

My eyes flick to hers. “You know better. That’s a promise.”

“I only say this because I don’t want to break her heart. If she can’t rule the way you…”

“She will. I’ll insure it. You have no faith.” I quietly growl.

“I do, Draco. I have full faith in your commitment. I just don’t feel that it’s in Alexis best interest.” She says with a touch of fear and should fear me.

I narrow my eyes with curiosity. “Why do I question your loyalty?”

She nervously chuckles. “My loyalty? Draco…”

I sit up and shake my head. “No. You don’t question my ability to turn our child into a fierce leader without me doubting you. What’s wrong, Cecille? Do you not want our daughter to turn out like me?”

“Draco…that’s ridiculous. Of course…” She sits up, too.

“It’s not ridiculous, is it? You doubt me. You don’t think I can beat the Alliance. You don’t think our daughter is strong enough to crush them into dust.” I say as I study her reactions.

“I will not entertain this line of questioning.” She grits. “I refuse to have my child soiled by your ideals, Draco. Make her Alpha if you must, but spare her your methods of control. I say this with experience. This house needs light. Alexi is that light. Don’t darken it.” She warns.

My brow furrows. “Cecille…Are you not happy fighting with me?”

“It’s too late for me, Draco. No amount of washing will remove the blood and rid me of the guilt. Please, I beg you. As your love. Spare Alexi. Spare her the blackness I hold in my heart. She can rule with the power of a clean soul. She can reign with true honor. The way you wanted before all this. The Draco I fell in live with.” She appeals to me, but I know she's self-serving. The question is why?

“Who have you been talking to?” I question quietly.

“No one. What question is that?” She slides off the bed and walks to her dressing table.

“It's a fair question, Cecille. Answer it.” I get up and walk to her as she sits down and starts to comb her hair.

“I won't. I don’t condone your paranoia, Draco. You know that.” She takes off her earrings and wipes her face of the makeup she has on.

I stare at her milky white skin in the mirror.

“You know I would never betray you.” She says smugly.

“No. You wouldn’t.” My words trail off as I lean down, place my hands on her head and kiss her hair. “Because that would be an extremely stupid thing to do.” My eyes meet hers in her reflection. My lip threatens to snarl when I see it. The fear in her eyes.

I reach over her shoulder and pick up the amulet I had made from her crown. The circle of the Dragon. I admire red jewel in the center. Opening it up, I float it down in front of her face.

“I know you, Cecille. You're a believer. Loyal to a fault. I need followers. Alexi needs loyalty.” I wrap the necklace around her neck and bring the clasps together behind her head as she lifts her hair.

I lean down to her ear. “I love you. So much” I press my lips to her cheek.

She smiles. “I love you, too.”

I brush my nose across her skin and place my lips at her ear. “I tolerate much, but the one thing I will not tolerate is Alliance spies.”

Her eyes meet mine and I grab the ends of the necklace, cross them and pull.

Her eyes widen as her face starts to turn red. She silently chokes and her feet kick as I cut off her air supply. Her fingers claw at her skin as she tries to dig at chain. Blood trickles down from her claw marks and she smears it across her neck.

I glare at her reflection as shock and horror fill her eyes. I clench and pull tighter. My lips turn to a sly smirk as my eyes fill with the familiar murderous satisfaction I feel every time I weaken the Alliance.

I wrap one hand around her blood soaked neck while the other holds the necklace.

I lean down to her ear. “You’ve been lying to me from the start. It wasn’t until now, that I confirmed it to be true. My daughter will not know her mother was a traitor. I’ll take that to the grave, but it will be a cold day in hell before the Dragon’s Queen causes their fall. Goodbye Cecille.” I see a tear fall from her eye and her feet start to slow.

I place my lips on the top of her head, close my eyes and twist my hands fast in both directions. I pause for a moment as I absorb the event into my heart.

I stand, lift my hand sharply, twirling the necklace around and up into the air, freeing it from her neck. I stare into the mirror as her body slides off the chair and falls to the floor. I hold the blood soaked chain in my hand. The amulet spins in front of my eyes as my mates blood drips from the dragon. My red eyes get lost in it.

“The true Queen will wear this with the honor of the Dragons behind her.” I snap it up into my hand, closing my fist around it. I look down to Cecille. “You and your Alliance can rot in…”

I grit and my hand hits my shoulder. My body is flooded in pain as I fall to one knee.

Huffing breaths, I pull my shirt off and look to my mark. It starts to glow then crack. I ball a fist and lay my forehead on it as I silently absorb the pain of my fated mark being ripped from heart.

I’m used to this level of pain, but my heart still aches. My eyes sting as I close them tight. The mark slowly dissolves into nothing and the pain recedes little by little.

I take deep breaths as I feel the last of it fade. I lay my head on my arm across my knee as I feel my skin sweat. I raise my head to Cecille’s soulless, open eyes. “You… will not… stop me.” I pant with a snarl.

I stumble to my feet and lean on the dressing table. I lift my shaking hand and open it. The dragon pendent falls and settles amongst the belongings of my traitorous mate. The mother Alexi will never know. I won’t allow it.

I lean on the table and stare at myself in the mirror. I run my fingers through my silver hair and shakily stand tall.

Collecting myself, I link my guards. I walk across the room to the bed and silently lay back down beside Alexi who slept through it all.

I study her closely, in complete awe of her as the door opens. I've never seen anything so beautiful.

My guards enter the room and look to Cecille then me. “Alpha?”

“Get rid of it.” I quietly sneer without removing my eyes from my precious treasures face. “Never speak of her again.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

They pick up Cecille and leave.

My blood covered finger, strokes Alexi’s soft cheek as a tear falls out my eye. Her little brows gently cinch at my touch.

“You were born to rule. You were born to be feared. Remember that, Alexi. Traitors will cower before you. You will spare no one. Just like I do. They will know your truth. They will feel your power. The Dragons are yours. They will bow. I will bow. My goddess. My possession...My Queen Alpha.”

I lean forward, place my lips on her forehead and silently mourn into the night.