The Falcon Ridge Series Book 3 If Looks Could Kill

(Chapter song ‘Beat It' by Fall Out Boy)

ALEXI

“We waited so long for your return. The Dragons will rise as your fathers voice fills them.” Nash sits proudly beside me as the highway rushes by.

I glance at him with irritation. “I will never rule the way you prefer, Nash. My father was sick.”

He turns to me. “Your father was direct. He knew there was no saving those who didn’t want to be saved. The best course was to relieve them of their painful ignorance. Just like you will.”

He takes my hand and I rip it away with disgust. “Don’t touch me.” I growl.

His face turns stoic. “Unfortunately, for you. Your reign as Alpha will be a bit different than what Draco wanted. He never had a son and we disagreed on letting a female take his crown. Now that he’s gone, his preferences for the future of the Dragons no longer applies. I’ve successfully made Alpha and you are no longer required to stand in your father’s place. I will, however, need a Luna. There’s no one I want but you.” He side eyes me.

I whip my head to him. “Never.”

“Like I said.” He turns to me and smiles. “You have no choice.”

I narrow my eyes at him before turning out the window.

I don’t think he's as important as he thinks he is. Once my people see me, I’m sure they won't tolerate his insanity and turn on him. Then it will only be a matter of time before Luke shows with the Alliance and I will end my father’s sickness for good.

As I fume at Nash's audacity, I realize the scenery has changed. I lean to the window and look around. I know this area.

I turn to Nash as my heart races. “No.” I gasp with shock.

He grins at me and adjusts himself in his seat.

I look out the front as we crest a hill. The beacon of my childhood glows against the stars. My brows stitch together as we cross the town limits. I haven’t been here in almost 2 years. My mind races with memories as Nash leans to my ear.

“Welcome home, princess.”

I turn and meet his eyes with confusion as his lip ticks up.

My heart breaks as I study the root of all my nightmares. I have to fight my mind and my heart to remember who’s fault this truly is, but I feel incredibly torn about it all.

Homes that were once beautiful and full of love were black, burnt out and boarded up. Dilapidated and crumbling. All the love in them was destroyed. Children once played in these yards which were now overgrown, and full of debris, scrap and garbage. Cars sat in driveways and on the road as burnt-out metal skeletons. Roads and sidewalks are broken and barely drivable as a result of the invasion of the Alliance.

We were punished severely for the teachings of my father. But it seems Nash hasn’t learned the lesson from it. Instead, he wants to build back what got most of us killed.

"Hundreds died. Many more escaped with barely their lives." Nash says solemnly. "But with us as rulers we will rebuild everything."

"Nash…" I turn to him. “Why do you think my father died and we were attacked in the first place. My father's ambitions were murderous. More so than the Alliance. You can't possibly believe he was righteous."

"Your father was a great man, Alexi. A God for all wolves. The Alliance doesn’t want the truth exposed. Why else would they want to kill innocent women and pups?”

“My father did the same, Nash.” My eyes sting when I remember the photos Luke showed me.

He tilts his head to me. “No, princess. You have it wrong. When someone is sick and there is no cure for them, you can’t allow them to suffer. It’s inhumane. Your father was their salvation. And now, his reign will live through us as Alpha and Luna. With us continuing Draco's dream of a free world, the Dragons will be unstoppable." He was so caught in my father’s delusions, it made me sick.

I sat back in the leather seat. "Nash. My father was misguided. Drunk on power. He killed so many without honor. I will not lead my people in the same footsteps."

"You will, Alexi. You're the Dragon's princess. Your people crave what your father created." He rolls his head to me. “You have a responsibility to your people and the man who gave you life. Also to the man who claimed you first.”

I stare into his eyes. “You never claimed me.”

“I made you into the woman you are. In both body…and skill.” He eyes me and licks his lip. “I have more right to you then some Alliance Alpha.” He almost snarls.

“I’ll die first.” I clench.

He leans close to my nose. “That’s assuming I let you. Isn’t it?”

My eyes fill with hate and disgust about the thought of ever letting this man touch me. My level of stupidity just keeps rising.

"You can hurt and be angry all you want. The Alliance will pay for the pain it caused. All that death and destruction will be avenged with the blood of your Alpha and the entire Alliance coating the streets. Anyone who doesn’t bow to me, will see themselves dead at my feet. What happened to Deruse is not a deterrent, Alexi. It’s fuel. I already have the calls out. The time of Dragons suffering and living like dogs is over. Deruse has awoken and the Dragons rebirth will be felt across the entire hemisphere.” He sits smugly as the trucks and bike maneuver around broken cars and debris.

"No. They struggle every day because of my father. My father killed and terrorized more people than the Alliance ever did. All this, out there, is because of a man so insane with infamy, he'd kill anyone to get it." I turn to him and throw a hand to the window.

Nash straightens his suit. "I can see your time spent in the hands of the Alliance has confused you more than I anticipated. No matter, with time, you'll understand your proper place."

"I will not become my father, Nash." I arch a brow.

"No, princess." He lowers his eyes to me and gives me an evil grin. "I will."

We turn onto the street that was my only sight from the grand home. The large iron gates glide open exposing the white mansion. Humongous wings and five stories loom over a vast property that sits in the center of Deruse.

My heart skips a beat when I saw my balcony on the corner of the third floor. I remember watching the town and people walking around. I want to want this so badly….I just can’t.

The cars all park in the huge driveway and the bikes turn off to an area for them. The driver opens the door and helps me out of the vehicle.

I don’t show that I’m frightened, but I can’t help but be a little scared when I’m surround and escorted by several white haired men. At the house is Lycans. I recognize a few of them.

“Really?” I side eye Nash as he walks beside me to the front doors.

“Good help is hard to find these days. Until the 1500 Dragons left alive are found, we need to sacrifice our dignity with these…people.” He said the last word with disgust.

Dragons are certainly purists, but my father was never shy in recruiting people from other packs. I just didn’t know how at the time.

Once inside, Nash is greeted by a she-wolf in a white skirt suit. Her white hair is pulled into a ponytail. He hands her his jacket, she bows to him and I roll my eyes.

As I’m lead into the foyer, I’m met with the grand staircases on either side of the room. They meet on a balcony that overlooks us and the stairs to the rest of the floors on are on different parts of the corresponding floors below them.

The destruction I remember has all been repaired and even some of my father’s favorite artworks have been fixed and displayed. One thing about my father, he had an eye for treasures and would often collect them from his conquests. Which is where he acquired most of the paintings and statues that sit before me.

"What do you think, princess? Your people worked very hard to please you." Nash smiles as he leads me to a staircase.

“It maybe impressive, Nash, but I know how this came to be. It’s tainted for me now." I spy a bust of Alexander the Great as I climb the stairs. My father's favorite leader. Coincidently, he too, was also insane.

"This is your home. Forever and always. You'll respect it once I’m done clearing your mind of the Alliance." When we reach the second floor, Nash claps his hands and three she-wolves come bouncing out of a room next to the stairs. "Take the princess to her room and freshen her up. Remove the ghastly Alpha from her body. Dress her in her royal gowns. Be ready for dinner in two hours."

He puts his nose in the air as the women bow to him. I glare at him as the lead me away.

We climbed the staircases and walked halls. I was expecting to be taking to my room on the third floor, but they took me to the forth. I fill with confusion as they lead me down the hall and stop at the last door.

“My fathers room?” I raise a brow.

“Your room.” A woman corrects as she opens the door.

She walks in and I feel the large wooden doors. The familiar resistance of wood ash enters my body. A security measure my mother’s family installed. Wood ash weakens wolves. If we were attacked, the doors were to stop the intruders. Unfortunately, heavily armed military action is not prevented by simple doors. They also make escape difficult.

As I walk in, I see my fathers life has been replaced. A regal painting of me in a white gown hangs above an extremely large circle bed covered in white fur. White fur throws cover the marble floor. White sheers cover the 12-foot windows leading to the stone balcony. On it, stands two very large body guards with white hair wearing black suits. Also, difficult to escape from without dying.

“The doors will be locked and as you know, you cannot break them. If you need something, just knock or tell the guards. You will be served promptly.” The woman instructs.

Another she-wolf who was preparing a bath in the bathroom, pokes her head into the bedroom. "Mustn't doddle. The Alpha doesn't like to wait."

I was bathed by the women in an exquisite round tub. I was dried and changed into a soft pink chiffon wrap skirt and a wrap top that crossed over my chest. The back was crossed and tied around my waist.

My hair was dried and curled into solid curls and dotted with crystals. My makeup done in regal fashion.

Gold gauntlets were fixed to my wrists, and my collar was carefully replaced with a white and gold, diamond chipped one that was an inch and a half wide. I felt the silver in this one more. I don’t even remember what my wolf feels like.

They place me in the middle of the fur blanket on the bed and spent a good amount of time spreading my skirt out and fixing my hair to be presentable to the Alpha. I internally vomit with every sick giggle.

There’s a knock on the door and the ladies ran to it. The lined up respectfully and the last she-wolf opens the door.

My eyes narrow as Nash waltzes in with his hands behind his back and grin on his face when he finds me. The women bow low when he passes then silently leave, closing the door behind them.

He stops at the foot of the bed and looks me over. Seduction fills his face as he shakes his head and grins. "My dear. You look ravishing."

I don’t show any emotion toward him at all. The last thing I want is for him to believe he can emotionally break me.

He slowly sits on the edge of the bed and straightens my dress. “I’m a very lucky Alpha to have a beautiful woman like you at my side.”

"I'll never be yours." I spit.

He quietly chuckles as he moves closer. "You will, Alexi. When I place my mark right here..." He runs the back of his finger down my neck to my shoulder making my skin crawl in disgust. "You, our people and all of Deruse will be owned by me.”

"You will die before you mark me.” I snarl at him.

He grabs my chin fiercely. "Don't think I won't harm you, Alexi. I will. I may need you before the mark, but I don't need you after. All I need is for the pack to see it. That's all."

“I don’t need you at all.” I growl and slap his hand off me.

He glares and tries to grab at me, but I push myself backwards out of his reach. I fiercely grab the blanket he’s sitting on and pull it over his head. I land several punches to him and he shoves me off him with a louder growl. I slide off the bed to the floor as he stands and rips the blanket off. His hair is messed. His nose is bleeding and his face is full of anger.

I lean on the bed and tick my head as I dare him to move. I flare my eyes at him and curls his lip at me.

He wiped his nose, sees the blood and throws the blanket down. With a mean sneer, he jumps on the bed and I back off. He lands on the floor and I lift my skirt. I kick up a leg and hit him in the head. He stumbles back and I take off for the door.

He catches up and grabs me by the hair. “I DON’T THINK SO!”

He throws me back to the bed and I hit it, landing in the blanket. He rushes me and tries to grab me, but I take the blanket and wrap it around his arm. I hit him with a blow to his cheek and he recoils.

His eyes shoot daggers at me as he yanks the blanket hard, pulling me off my feet. He grabs my neck and slams his forehead into mine.

He picks me up by my throat and throws me. I hit the dresser and crash to the floor.

I'm huffing breaths as I roll my eyes to him and proceed to get to my feet.

He throws the blanket away as he walks toward me. “You really forget who taught you to fight?!” He growls.

When he’s close, I swing a punch at him, and at lightning speed, he grabs my arm and my throat. He pulls me close to his face. “Continue to act out, using the last bit of strength you have, and I will make sure you watch your Alpha kneel in front of my execution squad. You can’t beat me.” He reaches to his back and pulls out a gun. “You will let me mark you to the fullest or I will kill you, but not before I make you watch everyone else die before you.”

My head hurts, my body aches and my nose and lip is bleeding. And I can’t heal.

“Let go of me.” I grind as I shake in a combination of anger and fear.

He removes his hand and fall back on the dresser. I try to stay strong through the pain in my body.

“This was fun, princess. I missed fighting with you.” He leans to my eyes. “Soon, I’ll show you what else I missed.” He kisses my cheek and I shove him away. I wipe his touch off my skin as he smirks the walks to the door.

He leaves and I hear the click of the lock.

Once gone, I release my bravery and crumple to the floor.

"Luke, where are you?" I hitch.