The Falcon Ridge Series Book 3 If Looks Could Kill

(Chapter song ‘We Aren’t Gonna Take It’ by Twisted Sister)

LUKE

After a stiff drink and a bag of ice for my hand, I finally was able to calm down enough to sit in the common room of the White Rock pack house. I was still reeling from the news of the lab, but at least enough rational thought came back that stopped me from tearing throats.

River went to his office to find the files he was talking about. I’ll apologize to a point, but he still kept it from me, so I won’t take back all my throws. I’m sure, deep down, he needed a good ass-kicking anyway. Especially, after what he tried to pull with Jayson and his family. There was probably a bit of that in my rage, too. So, I feel better now.

It's strange what counts as therapy. A round at the gym. A round of booze. A round of women. All things I used to work out my messed up head. I never thought in a million years, I’d find peace wrapped in a pink blanket.

As I sit on the couch waiting for River, Sarah brought me someone she wanted me to meet. I feel like a complete douche scaring her like that. I can’t apologize enough to her and Chloe.

I said I hated kids. Ok. I lied. I love the little stinkers. I just don’t deal well with diapers and 2 am feedings. But…I still have a big smile on my face as I hold little 5 month old Chloe in my arms.

She yawns and tries to stretch as I gently rub her cheek with my finger. She’s so squishy and soft. Oh my god. I feel like I’m going to break her. She’s blinks her mother’s big, blue eyes as she drifts off to sleep in my arms.

I fix the tiny wisps of blonde hair and glance at Jayson. "She's a good-looking kid, man"

Jayson's sits in a chair off the corner of the couch and leans on his thighs. "Yeah, she is." He beams with pride. He leans over and adjusts the blanket over her tiny hand as she sleeps. "She likes her Uncle Luke."

I lift Chloe closer to me. "Sorry you had to see that. When you get bigger, I'll show you how hold your own. Those boys won't know what hit them." I whisper to her then grin.

Jayson laughs. "My kid's not gonna be a street fighter, Luke."

I raise my brows. "Hey, my niece will know how to protect herself, ok. I'll make a fighter out of her."

Sarah walked over with a bottle. "Oh…darn. She’s a asleep.”

I chuckle. “It’s ok. I can feed her some other time. I’m sure I’ll be seeing a lot of this squirt.”

“Oh, yeah?” Jayson leans back and crosses his leg. “You going back to the Unit?”

“No.” I snort. My face falls as I hand Chloe off to Sarah. I lean on my knees and tap my fingertips together. “If this lab thing is true, my council seat is even more important. Jay. If the Alliance can put some lab in my town, they can do it to others. I need to find out how deep this thing goes.”

Jayson nods. “Well, when you join the table in a few months, we'll sit down. But, there’s still a number of old school guys sitting there. Andrews, Jacobs, Fredericks, Whitney…all those guys still have massive pull. And don’t count on Cole to back you up.”

“Cole.” I scoff. “That douche can kiss my ass.”

“He may be a douche, Luke. But he’s a power voter. Getting him on your side for anything….You better have something that benefits him.” Jayson leans his temple on two fingers.

I sit at the end of my seat and point a finger at him. “If Cole or any of those other assholes even think of fighting me on this lab, I’ll make them wish my dad never gave me my title.”

“That’s another thing.” He sighs as he sits forward, too. “You can’t be threatening the council. It’s a good way to end up in Bastian’s prison.”

“I don’t give a fuck.” I scowl as I sit back and cross my leg. “Listen. It’s time these old guys stepped aside and let us younger guys run the place. Obviously, there’s shady shit going down and they’re not doing a damn thing about it. I promised to clean up my pack, I’ll clean up the damn council, too.”

“Good luck, buddy. You’re gonna need it.” He shakes his head and huffs a laugh. “So, what's happening with Alexi?”

I look down and play with my shirt that’s spotted with River’s blood. “I don’t know.” I mumble with a shrug. “Can't find her.”

“She disappeared.” He nods with a sigh. “I hate to say it, man. You might be chasing the wrong girl here.”

I shake my head and lift an eye to him. “No. I know I’m on the right track with her. I just…I need to get ahead of her somehow. I just can’t get into her head to know what she’s going to do next. With all the bullshit…I’m at a loss.” I look back down. “There’s something in that lab that will tell me what I’m dealing with. I feel it.”

“You think she’s connected?” Jayson furrows his brows.

“Maybe not directly, but there’s a reason she knows it exists. I mean, I never knew it was there. My dad certainly didn’t. My mother…she can’t keep a secret to save her life. Alexi found out by some other means and I need to find out what that was. I have a strong feeling it’s the root of all her hate.”

“Hopefully, River finds something.” He mumbles.

“Found it!

We turn to the office hall and River comes out with an arm in a sling, bandages on his cheeks and a really banged up jaw. I did a number. It’s going to take a week to fix him up. I feel bad, but not that bad, like I said earlier.

I stand and stuff my hands in pockets. I don’t really do apologies after a fight, but…

“Uh…So, you don’t look…that bad.” I shrug.

He just stops in front of me and blinks his good eye. The other is under a bandage.

“You…um…You look good with an eye patch.” I grin and tap his arm. “Look tough.” I clench a fist at him.

“Thanks.” He grumbles.

“Look…I’m sorry for the one, two.” I fake punches at him and flinches bad enough to make me put my hands up as a show of peace and my cheeks heat.

I releases his breath, holds a hand up and looks at me. “I'll heal. It’s ok.”

“OK.” I shrug and smile. “I'll…uh…stop apologizing.”

“Thank you.” He holds up a white file folder. “I found it.”

Jayson takes it from River, opens it and flips through the pages. “Whoa. There’s some next level shit in here.” He says as he reads.

“Like what?” My eyes flick from the file to him.

“Well, for starters, it’s been down there for a long damn time.” He scratches his head.

“How long?” River scrunches his brow.

Jayson lifts his head. “Like pre-WW2 old.”

“Whoa.” My brows shoot up. “Like dad was a kid old?”

Jayson nods. “Looks like it. Some really weird experiments, too. Some of these are…wait…” He flips back and forth between photos and paperwork. He puts up a photo of a guy on a table. “Who does that look like?”

River and I lean in. “A white haired dude.” I shrug.

“Think.” Jayson glances at us both.

“No way.” River takes the photo and the file. “Holy shit, it’s true.” He raises his wide eyes.

“What?!” I snatch the file and read.

My jaw falls slack, my face fills with confusion and suddenly I feel like I care. What?

I raise my head. “Draco Torrent was a guinea pig…for 20 years?!”

River taps the file. “If this is right, he was the main source for whatever the fuck they were doing down there. At quick glance, none of the chemical they stuck in him exist. None.”

“What did they do?” I question.

“I don’t know, but now you have your answer.” Jayson motions to the file.

“Alexi knows about the lab because her father told her about it. We created the Harbinger of Death.” I say with astonishment in my tone.

“20 years of medical torture? I think we got off lucky. I’m sure he was crazier than he let on.” River says.

“No wonder he tried to wipe us out.” I drop on the couch. “I need to find Alexi. She needs to know I’m doing something about this. I need to stop her before she does something she can’t take back. And it’s all because we’re the biggest assholes on the planet.”

“Are you actually going to bat for Torrent?” Jayson asks.

“No.” I scowl an point to the file. “He’s still a psycho, but there’s no reason for that. If that lab is still working, I can’t let them make the next Torrent. Alexi needs to see me shut that place down.”

“There's a location. We can go right now.” River supplies.

“I'm in. Let's go.” I stand.

Before I could take a step, River’s phone rings. I turn as he pulls it put of his pocket and answers.

“Blake…” He listens then he raises his eyes to us. They look concerned. “When?...He's where?...On our way.” He hangs up and puts it back in his pocket.

“River?” Jayson crosses his arms.

"That was the council. Alpha Fredricks and his mate were taken to Falcon General tonight. They were attacked.” He looks to me. “They were shot up with some weird form of wolfsbane.”

“Alexi.” I breathe.

“Lets go.” He rushes for the door and we follow him out.

****

“Alpha Blake!”

The doctor jogs to us and joins us as we walk briskly to Alpha Fredericks room. He hands River his chart.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. It acts like wolfsbane except the victim is paralyzed.” He says.

“Wolfsbane doesn’t do that.” River says as we rush around people in the hall.

“No. It doesn’t. There’s more.” The doctor taps the chart.

River reads. “What is it?”

The doctor shakes his head. “The tests came back inconclusive. Whatever it is, it’s binding to the cell walls making the wolfsbane almost impossible to neutralize. We’re setting them up for transfusions, but we’re not sure if it will work.” He stops us. “Alpha. This looks like some sort of weapon.”

River nods and hands the file back to him. “Will they live?”

“Its hard to say right now. He did need to speak with you. He says it’s urgent.” The doctor glances at us all.

“Take us to him.” River motions down the hall.

We enter the dimly lit room. The Fredericks are hooked to machines and the beeping fills the room. I slowly enter, feeling more guilt than I ever did.

“Did you notify the boys?” River asks.

“Ian and Oliver are on the way. We couldn’t find Andrew.”

"Jay…son…” Fredericks croaks out. He sounds like mu dad and it’s killing me.

“I’m here…Adrian…” Jayson walks past me and joins the paralyzed man by his bedside. “Alpha. What happened?"

"I have…to give…you a message." He starts.

“A message from who?” I cross my arms and furrow my brow.

His eyes meet mine. “Torrent.” He chokes. I see fear take him and I’m amazed. The Fredericks aren't born with the ability to be scared. This is not good.

I step forward. “What's the message?”

“Deliver…Riker…10 pm…to the…camp…or else.” He struggles to talk and I see him trying to stay awake.

I turn to the doctor. “What’s wrong with him?”

“It’s the unknown agent. It only keeps them conscious for so long before it shuts them completely down. He’ll be awake in a couple of hours.”

I look at my phone, 9:15pm. I turn to River. “We got the message. We've got to go. Now.”

“Agreed.” He nods. He points to the doctor as we walk to the door. “Keep me updated.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Baby, please. Don’t do anything stupid.