The Falcon Ridge Series Book 3 If Looks Could Kill

(Chapter song ‘Detroit Rock City’ by KISS)

ALEXI

"We hit the pack house! It's the only way to take over this town." Ian yells.

"Bro, you're insane! It's suicide! We wouldn't get past the fucking security. We hit the town first, then take the pack then the house. He'll have to give it up if he has nothing left." Falcon, Ian’s second in command, slams his fist on the table. He puts a hand on his hip and rubs his shaved head. "You know I'm right."

Ian paces as he takes in Falcons words. When Ian killed the original leader, Falcon vowed allegiance and has been his trusted advisor ever since. With the exception of now. Since the Alpha, Ian’s head has been clouded. That’s very apparent.

"Luke Jackson is our main threat. We show him who the true Alpha is. Bring the fight to him. If we don't show our power now, we won't be taken seriously when we take the pack. The pack needs to see their Alpha Heir on his knees. When they do, they'll beg for their lives. Beg to me." Ian thumps his finger into his chest.

Falcon shakes his head. "This isn't the time for personal vendettas, Ian. You're getting sloppy."

Ian snarls, then jumps the table. He grabs Falcon by the throat and pins his back to the wall.

"I'll show you sloppy!!" Ian growls into Falcon's face.

I casually look over from the spot ok the floor of the barn with my back leaning on a wall. I’ve been listening to this bickering for the past two hours and I’m on my last nerve.

"Ugh. Will you stop!" I rub my aching head then flop my hand down and glare at Ian as Falcon struggles against his grip.

I stand and walk to the table. "You waste your time with the Alpha. When a much larger prize waits."

"Oh, here we go." A disrespectful voice comes from the chair beside me.

I turn my head to Ian's chosen property, Rach and eye her with disgust. If she were in the presence of my father, her tune surly would change.

Rach sits backwards on a chair as she pulls her amber hair into a ponytail. She's rolling her brown eyes at me. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

My eyes narrow. "I would if I didn't have to rely on filth like you." It disgust me, really. These people don’t deserve the help I give them, but if I’m to achieve what I need, I have no choice.

"I'll give you filth!" She snarls, as she rises from her seat and balls her fists. I can only fold my arms and tilt my head thinking how stupid this woman is.

"Rach. Sit your ass down." Ian growls as he holds Falcon.

Her jaw drops as she throws a finger at me. "You're gonna let this bitch talk to me like that?"

He glares at her. "If you want to live, shut the fuck up. Now!"

Ian knows who and what I am. He knows the strength of my father commands respect.

He rips his hand off Falcon and he falls to the floor, catching his breath. He strides across the floor to me. "We can't take on the Alliance, Alexi. Not happening."

I meet his eye and raise a brow. "The agreement was to help me. Are you not a man of your word?"

"No. Actually. I'm not." He casually sits down at the table and laces his fingers on the top.

I walk over to the table and lean my hands on it. "Fine. Leave the Alpha to me and I'll defeat the Alliance myself."

"Lady, you're crazy. If you think I'm handing Luke over to you, you got another thing coming." He snorts.

I slam my hand on the table then point to his face. "The deal was for Alliance Alphas. He is one! He’s mine!!"

"Plans change sweetheart. I've had a longer beef with Luke then you have. I'm Alpha and I say, I get Luke." He pulls out a knife and jams the tip in the table.

He looks to me then his men. "First, we send a clear message. Give him the option to give me his pack or die. I mean, I'll kill him anyway, but I'll let him think he has a choice."

He stands then closes the gap between us. He licks his bottom lip as he studies my body. His lip grows into a sick smirk. "When I take my throne as Alpha of Red Rock, I'm gonna need a Luna to mark. A strong Alpha female would do nicely."

He ran his disgusting digit down my neck to the spot where he would sink his canines into my flesh.

"I would die before I let you mark me." I watch his finger drop to the little amount of cleavage showing. My eyes rise to his and I make my displeasure known.

"You're a Torrent, Alexi.” He playfully growls. “You know power when you see it. First Red Rock then the Alliance."

He threads his fingers into my hair, firming his grip on my head, forcing me closer. He raises his chin and looks down into my eyes as my lip threatens to curl.

"You feel it, don't you? It's like a drug. You know I can give you what you want. What you crave. Just admit it." His lips are dangerously close.

I do feel it. Honor, loyalty. Feelings of leadership and strength, but they aren't coming from Ian.

The qualities of a true leader that I felt, came from the Alpha I met in the Alley. His body exudes command. I felt it when he had me pinned.

Ian is correct. It is something I crave, but not as a Torrent. I don't know what draws me, but I know what doesn't. This low life. The scourge of society does nothing for my hunger for loyalty. These people have no loyalty to their own mothers much less anyone else.

"Alright. I will follow you, but only if you give me my mission." I snarl.

"Agreed. Glad we could renegotiate our relationship." He smiles as his lips brush against mine.

I rip myself from his grip. "Let me know when you're ready. I have something I need to do."

I grab my coat, make my disgust for them clear once again and leave.

****

After wiping Ian’s disturbing scent off me, I decide to go back to Red Rock's downtown core. With the Alpha in my mind, I found myself in the alley where we met.

I don't know what I expected to find here. Maybe him. Most likely not with my third physical attack on him.

As I turn up the dark, damp alley, I stop and look down to the pavement. I crouch to the spot where I laid his head, pressing my fingertips to the wet street.

People walk by, not giving me a second glance. I rest my arms on my knees and observe them go about their lives.

As I think back on that first night, I can tell there's certainly no honor with this pack. The man I met may not be the pack Alpha, but he still was a leader in his birthright. To stand by and watch an Alpha get hurt shows these people have no loyalty.

If my father were alive, he'd command it. He’d take hold of their hearts and control their fear. He'd build their strength through wisdom.

I brush the grains of wet dirt off my fingers as I stand, still looking at the spot where he lost his fight with me.

I felt his potential as his hazel eyes locked with mine and his Alpha flowed out. I felt all that my father would show. I don't feel that with Ian. I feel shame and cowardice. Feel only intimidation and humiliation.

The only thing Ian would want from these people is greed of power. His selfish command would lead to death not growth. This pack under Ian's rule would not rise to greatness. It would sink into a pit of his darkness. I know the only thing Ian would rule, was himself.

I want to avenge the death of my father, but I can't ignore the skills of judgement he taught me. These skills tell me that if circumstances were different and I was to choose a leader for myself, it would be the Alpha I had at my feet.

I run that thought through my head several times, trying to make sense of it as I turn to face the back of the alley.

"I brought you something."

A voice behind me startles my thoughts and I quickly turn around.

The traffic buzzes by behind him as he stands with a leg kicked out and a hand in his pocket.

He's holding something up in his other hand. It slowly spins in the suns light casting bright flashes of the suns rays off the metal.

As I step closer with caution, I see the object in more detail and my hand instinctively goes to my neck.

My pendent.

I've been lost without it. More truthfully, it has been distracting me just as much as he has. I’ve felt the absence of my mother and it was weighing on my heart.

I stop and stare at the circled dragon, slowly twisting at the end of its chain and my face twists in offense. How dare he touch the Queens necklace.

"Give it to me!" I growl as I take big steps to close the gap with an outstretched hand.

Just as I reach it, he snatches it away and pulls back his hand out of reach. His head lowers slightly and his eyes lock with my glare.

"Tell me who you are.” He raises a finger in front of my nose. “And don’t…hit me.” He warns.

"I told you my name." I grit.

"Yes, you did.” He lowers his hand and cocks his head. With his chin slightly raised, he studies my eyes. “Now I want you to tell me who you are. The truth."

My heart sinks as I watch him put my pendent in his pocket while he waits for a response.

I refuse to give him what he wants.

"Give me my pendent!!" I growl with insistence.

"No, Alexi. I want you to tell me what I already know." He takes a few steps closer and his scent rises around me.

“What do you know?” I say with disdain as I fold my arms.

“You tell me.” He smirks.

This challenge only gets my back up more.

"You have courage, Alpha, I'll grant you that. I can kill you and take my pendent." I calm myself and add to the shrinking distance between us.

"I know you could, but you won't" He says in a confident, but cocky tone.

I take one more small step. There’s a mere foot between us and I feel a curious heat rise. The same heat I felt in my dreams.

"What makes you so sure I won't?” I lift my chin and meet his hazel eyes.

He’s only a inch taller than I am and I find this equality in strength intriguing. I could kill him, but the fun would be in the fight, I think.

“You would have done it already.” He says low as his eyelids slightly narrow. He bites his lower lip as his eyes study me further.

"Maybe, I'm biding my time. An Alpha is something I want to savor when I kill him. I prefer to wait for the perfect time to strike." I say with quiet smugness as a smirk tugs at my lip.

He glances around the alley. “That's not it.” He turns back to my eyes. “You feel it, don’t you?”

I cinch my brow as I tilt my head. The arrogance in him is offensive. I won’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he plays on my mind.

"I feel nothing. Give me my pendent." I demand as I present my open palm to his chest level.

"Tell me who you really are and I will." He counters.

He pulls the pendent out and I feel its power over me. I feel the past in my chest and my heart aches to hold it.

"Who I am is of no consequence to you. Give me my pendent and I'll let you live." My eyes flick from the dragon to him as I present my palm again.

He flicks his wrist, tossing the chain up and cups the dragon in his hand as he turns it over. His closed fist hovers over my hand then he opens it. I watch the pendent fall and hit my palm. My finger wrap around the dragon as he closes his fist around the chain, holding it back. My eyes shoot to his with concern.

He tilts his head to me. "My name is Luke Jackson. Not Alpha.” He corrects as my jaw goes slack.

He gives a slight nod then lets go. The rest of the necklace falls into my hand. I cup my hand around it and hold it to my chest with both hands.

He stuffs his hands in his pockets, looks down the street then rolls an eye to me. He squints as the suns rays hit his eye.

"I envy you.” His lips ticks up as he motions to the pendent. "The person who made that loved you very much. I can't say I know what that feels like."

My parents memories hit my mind as I feel a bit of humbleness grow in my chest. My brows stitch up as I watch him turn and leave the alley.

"Goodbye, Alexi."

I take a shaky breath in as I release the pendent from my chest. I open my hands and run my thumb across the dragon. I slowly raise my head to where the Alpha was standing.

"Luke." I whisper to the alley as I apply the correction he gave me.

I slip the pendent over my head and settle it around my neck. As I cup the dragon, I can only think on what this changes. Does it change anything?

Holding the pendent to my heart. The Alpha has power. He just doesn't realize how much of it he holds.

Each encounter I have seems to change something and it's slowly chiseling away at my spirit.

I tuck the pendent in my coat and raise my hood. Walking into the sea of people, I conclude, the people who live in this city need him, not Ian.

I'm also beginning to believe one of those people might be me.