The Falcon Ridge Series Book 3 If Looks Could Kill

(Chapter song ‘Poison' by Alice Cooper)

ALEXI

"What are you doing here?"

The door to the safe house opens and I walk in. "I need access to the lab.” I say abruptly to a rather handsome man that I’ve known for several years.

Ollie Manchester. He was a late addition to my father’s ranks and his computer skills are unmatched. His long, textured platinum blonde hair makes him look almost regal. His tall height and muscular build help that, too.

Ollie is my contact to getting into Alliance Labs. Inside is a treasure trove of weapons and chemicals that I could use.

He sighs, turns and heads to the kitchen. "We almost got killed last time, Alexi. They've upped the security. We can't.”

He walks to a tiny, four chair table and sits in one of the chairs. In front of him is a couple of laptops.

I fold my arms and follow him. I lean on the table. “This is important, Ollie.”

“I realize that. We just don’t have the numbers to risk. You may have your agenda, but we still have ours, too.” He leans back in his chair.

The safe house is a house in a virtual ghost town of a neighborhood in Red Rock. Dragons have them all over if we ever get separated. Ollie is the keeper, of sorts, of this house. He helps lost Dragons find their way and rejoin the pack. The heart of my father's mission was still very much alive and the Dragons left are still involved.

I sit across from him. “I understand that.” I fold my arms on the table and lean to him. "Please. It's crucial I have access. Give me the codes and I'll do it myself."

Ollie pushes his laptops out of the way and leans to me. "Those codes are useless now. Even without our attack, they change them every week. I can't just cough up codes to you."

"Then get new ones." I grit as I grow impatient.

He studies me. "We got you the bullets, what could you possibly want in there now?"

I look at my hands as I play with my fingers. "I don't know yet.” My eyes meet his. “But I'll know it when I find it. My plan won't succeed without it." I frump back in the chair.

Ollie does the same. After a pause, he tilts his head. "You look tired. When's the last time you slept?"

His question brings me right back to Luke's bed. It's the first time I really slept in years. His strong arms made me feel safe. He made me feel like all my worries and tribulations were no longer haunting me. Although, I had to leave to save my mission, I did so with a little reluctance. A part of me didn't want to leave. A part of me wanted to open my eyes to his. To stay in his warm embrace. I didn't want to feel cold and alone anymore.

"Alexi?" Ollie's voice was soft as he tilted his head.

I shake my head and rub my forehead. "Days ago." I mutter.

He nods. "It'll take a few days to hack the system and get new codes. In the meantime, there's a room upstairs. Stay here. Get some rest."

"Thank you." I stand and take off my coat.

"You're welcome. Sleep." He orders, motioning to the stairs as he sets his laptops up again.

I softly smile at him and head for the rather plain staircase. I imagine this was once an average home. With a neat, average family residing inside. But long since abandoned due to Red Rocks plight of crimes being committed.

As I ascend the stairs, I have a tiny thought of what it would be like to have that.

An average family. Mum, Dad. Little ones. No real worries to speak of except whose turn it would be to make the tea.

I almost envision Luke wrapping his strong arms around me in the tiny kitchen as I pour his cup. Whispering sweet nothings in my ear.

But it's just a dream.

Women of my persuasion don't get those little fairytale lives. They're a child's dream. Nothing more.

The wolves inside us crave more. They crave strength. They crave power. Most importantly they crave honor. They need to rule over others. That's my reality.

But the little family in the little home is a dream that I enjoy and the only man I seem to want to share it with is Luke Jackson.

****

I bolt up in bed with a thin sheen of sweat making my clothes feel sticky.

I hold my head as I look out the window. My breath is labored and my brain is a fog.

It's day now. I don't know how long I've been sleeping.

I know I was dreaming. I can see glimpses through the cover of confusion. This dream was my shaking hand holding my gun to Luke's chest. His yelling at me to kill him.

I'm crying begging him to leave me, but he's not listening. He just keeps shouting at me to pull the trigger and I can’t.

As I try to re-orient myself, I realize my cheeks are wet and my throat is dry. Had I been really crying?

After giving myself a few minutes, I collect my senses, get dressed and head downstairs.

Ollie is at his table surrounded by three laptops. He's furiously typing. He looks up quickly as I enter the kitchen.

I pull my hair into a bun and walk to the fridge.

"There's food in the oven." He mumbles, not looking away from his screens.

I open the oven to a delicious smelling lasagna. "You made this?" I dip my finger in the sauce and put it in mouth. It tastes heavenly. I grab some pot holders, pull it out and set it on the counter.

Ollie shrugs. "When I'm not breaking like twenty Alliance laws, I cook. It's sort of a hobby." He smirks.

I cut a square and return the pan to oven to keep it warm. I sit down and cut my fork into it. I slip the pasta, meat and sauce into my mouth. "Mm... Ollie. This is delicious." I melt into it.

He smiles, glancing only a second. "Glad you like it, Princess. I can give you the recipe if you like."

I huff as amusement fills my face. "I don't cook." I take in another forkful.

He stops typing. "There's a first for everything." He chuckles. "Tea?"

"Please." I say with a mouthful.

He pours a cup from a tea set sitting in the middle of the table and sets it down in front of me with cream and sugar. "I'm sorry. I'm out of biscuits."

I smile again. "Quite alright, Ollie. You've been a gracious host." I tease.

He smiles and continues his work.

"How long was I asleep?" I ask taking a sip of my cup.

He looks at his phone. "Um... 10 hours, give or take."

I puff out my cheeks. Another first. "How's the hacking?"

He shakes his head. "Long." He moves from one laptop to another to another and back. "For every firewall I break, five more pop up. They really didn't like us in there."

"Can you still do it?" I lean on the table.

He stops and turns his head to me. A mischievous half-smile grows. "Princess. The day I can't hack into a computer system, is the day I eat one of your fancy bullets." He ticks his head and returns to his typing.

I take a sip of my tea and sit back to enjoy the little bit of normalcy this situation is giving me right now.

Without looking up, Ollie asks. "So, who's Luke?"

My eyes go wide and I start to sweat. Placing my cup down, I look at him. "How do you know that name?"

"You were screaming it. Sounded bad. I was going to wake you, but you stopped so I let you be. Who is he?" He continues to type, but side eyes me quickly.

"No one." I grumble.

He looks at me and raises his brow. "Didn't sound like no one."

"He's a distraction. One that I mean to eliminate." I pick up my tea and sip it.

His mouth ticks up. "A handsome distraction?" He stops and searches my face.

"A distraction. That's all." I get up and take my plate to the sink. I turn on the water to rinse it off.

My thoughts go to the little imagery of the neat, loving family in the tiny kitchen. I turn off the water and dry my hands. "A distraction I can't afford."

I sit back down as Ollie sips his cup. "You know. Life has a funny way of changing things. Maybe this distraction isn't a distraction at all. Maybe it’s life telling you which way you should go?"

"Ollie. Are you telling me to abandon the vengeance for the Alpha?" I frown at him.

He tilts his head. "No. But maybe a little reconsideration might be in order. The woman I heard tonight was not one of anger or hatred, but one of sorrow and fear. Whatever was happening to this Luke, it pained you. You care, Princess. Your mind knows."

The clicking of the keys fills the room as my thoughts drift to not what Luke was saying, but to my reaction to it. Before him, I wouldn't be upset to pull the trigger, but Ollie is right. It hurt me to be given that choice. I don't think I would be able to do it if I was faced with the very real decision currently.

I lean my chin on my hand. Contemplating Ollie's words and my current course of action. My drive to complete my mission is still strong and holds me tight. But the seed of doubt grows with each passing day. Luke's infection is spreading. I try to control it, but it's like some force is grabbing at me to try and hold me back.

"Bullocks!" Ollie hits the table.

"What? What is it?" My face grows concerned.

"I have to try another door. This one just locked me out. This may take a little longer, Princess." He flopped back in his chair.

I nod. "Keep trying. I'll be upstairs."

I leave Ollie to it and head for the stairs to go over my new course of action since first plan was so rudely interrupted. I was about half way up when the front door burst open.

"Ollie!" A fellow Dragon named Hunter rushes in.

"Hunter? In here!" Ollie shouts.

Hunter rushes into the kitchen as I turn and climb down the stairs again.

He slams his hands on the table leaning on it. "Have you seen Alexi?"

"Here." I enter the room with arms folded.

He breathes a sigh of relief. "Thank god."

"Hunter? What is it?" I cinch my brows together.

"It's Ian. He has something to tell you. It's a matter of urgency, I'm afraid." He looks almost scared.

"What is it? Tell me?" I order.

"I can't. I was just told to collect you and bring you to him. It's about the Alphas." He presses. "We must go now."

I study him. He's shifting his feet. Crazy in the eye. Whatever Ian has to tell me must be gravely important. Something must have happened that ruins everything. I think I may have to hear him out before I enter the lab. I may have to adjust my plan.

I grab my coat. "Alright. Bring me to him."

He leads me out to his car.

****

Sometime later, we pull into the parking lot of the abandoned warehouse the Lycans moved to. "I see Ian's vehicle, but where's everyone else?"

"Uh... Ian had them go search for the Alpha's family. He needs them to get the Alpha to give us the pack. He's in there." Hunter opened the door after parking.

I open the car door feeling a little put off, but I ignore it. Hunter opens the side door to the warehouse for me to walk through.

It's dark and quiet. I walk in farther. "Hunter, where's..." I turn to face him and he has his hand raise with a gun in it.

I look at him confused. "I'm sorry, Princess." He hits me and everything goes black.

****

When I come to, my head is throbbing. My vision is blurry and the light burns my eyes. I groan and wince. I try to move my arms and that’s when I quickly realize I'm tied to a metal pole.

My vision starts to clear and my surroundings come into focus. I'm still in the warehouse, but I don’t see Ian.

"I hope your head doesn't hurt too much."

I hear an all too familiar voice from the dark shadows of the warehouse. I narrow my eyes as I turn to where it came from.

Heavy boots echo off the floor as Luke steps into the light. My eyes grow angry and my jaw goes slack. My teeth clench and my hands ball to fists behind my back.

As he approaches me, he pulls out a bowl and a cloth from behind his back. I watch him as he dips the cloth in a liquid. He raises it to my head and I squirm to get away,

"Relax. It's just water." He mumbles as his hand hovers above my head.

I stop struggling and side eye him as he looks at the injury on my head. His eyes carefully observe me as he washes the blood off.

"Let me go." I clench my teeth.

Once he's satisfied with his care, he drops the bloody cloth into the bowl. "Nope. Me and you..." He flicks his finger between us while he walks away. "We're going to have a nice little chat. One that's a long time coming."

"I've nothing to say to you." I spit.

He pulls up a chair and sets it down in front of me. He sits in it and crosses his leg. "That's fine." His arms outstretch to the side. "I can sit here all night until you do start yapping. I've got nothing better to do right now."

He uncrosses his leg and leans on his thighs. He stares me down, tapping his fingertips together.

I struggle a bit more with my ropes then stop.

I blow at a lock of hair and my eyes turn to slits as he tilts his head and smirks.

“Oof!” I growl.