Reign Of The King The Falcon Ridge Series Book 10

RICKY

Am I dreaming right now. I must be. I’m still in the shed on the verge of death. I can’t be trudging through the snow and cold with Zander right now.

I know I’ve had this type of dream many times over the days of my capture, but I never actually believed he’d come for me.

I knew someone would, but I thought he wouldn't be the one.

With the wind at our backs, I watch Zanders white wolf walk in the belly high snow.

I’m still weak. I haven’t eaten or drank properly in days.

My wound is almost healed, but it was slow due to the silver. Now that my wolfs back, the process is taking a toll as my body has to heal and fight off the elements of the mountain.

I only caught bits and pieces of the battle outside my door. The destruction I saw, it must of have been a big one.

They’re going to have to a big meeting when I get back to sort this all out.

My wolf steps into the snow behind Zander. I admire his stature. Even through his thick fur, his muscles flex with every step.

He glances up every now and then. I noticed it too.

The moon. It’s deep blue light makes the mountains white snow almost glow.

I’ve never seen the sky this clear. It’s like for this one night only someone hit pause on the blizzard button.

I shake and keep walking. Zander looks back. “You ok?” He links.

My wolf huffs. “Yeah. I’m alright.”

His wolf looks ahead.

“You…um…you really climbed up here to save me?” My wolf raises her head a bit.

“Yes. Of course.” He looks back then forward.

“You didn’t have to. I’m sure the unit would have thought of something.” I link back.

“No. I didn’t have to. I wanted to. I wanted to be the one to save you, Ricky.”

“Why?” My wolf stops.

He looks back and turns around. “Look.” He walks back. “I realized something. While you…you were gone.”

“What.”

“I realized that no matter what I did. Where I went. Awake or asleep. The person I thought who would be there wasn’t.” He wolf tilted his head to me.

“Who was there?” I linked quietly.

His wolf stepped closer. “You.” He nose tickled mine. “I thought I would be complete with Hope, but really I was just refusing to let go of a bad breakup. By doing that, I let what was right in front of me walk away. And I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry. I’m a complete jackass.”

“That’s Royal Jackass.” I say in a snarky tone.

He laughs. “Yeah. Royal Jackass.” His wolfs nose rubs mine. “Do…do you…forgive me?”

I walk past him. “I don’t know…”

He turns behind me. “What?”

“A letter? Seriously? You broke up with me in a letter?” My wolf turns back. “Of all the immature, rude, classless…”

“Hey, I came to talk to you after. I just knew you were too busy to talk.”

“And I’m just supposed to accept that” My wolf walks away with her nose in the air.

“Come on, Ricky. I’m sorry. I don’t know how, but I swear, I’ll make it up to you.” His wolf was practically crawling on the snow.

My wolf side eyes him.

“I swear.” His wolf starts to pant and wag its tail.

My wolf prances forward. “I don’t know. I have been eyeing a few other beefcakes since our breakup...”

“What?!” His wolf stands.

She looks back. “Gotcha.” I chuckle.

He growls. "Come here!”

I yelp and run down the pass and he chases me. We run in circles laughing in our links. He pounces and lands on my wolf who’s on her back.

He’s licking me excessively. “You dare look at other males!” He laughs.

“I’m sorry! Stop! Zander!” I laugh as my wolf tries to escape.

He stops. “Hey, do you feel that?”

“What?”

Just as I say that, the snow underneath us starts to give way

“OH SHIT!!” We both say at the same time and we claw at the edge of hole we were on.

Our paws claw at the edge and find our grip, but our back paws are dangling.

My wolf looks down to the dark hole and back up to Zander. “Um…this is a problem.”

“Yeah.” He looks around. He tries to pull himself up.

“Maybe if I can just…” I maneuver my wolf closer to Zander.

“What are you doing?” He says.

“Don’t move.” I instruct.

My back paw kicks out until I find his hip. “Ok. Kick me up.”

“Ricky…” He looks down.

“Just do it.” I say.

He lifts his back leg.

“That’s it. A little more.” I say as my wolf begins to climb out.

My wolf gets out and shakes out her fur.

I grab him by the scruff and help him out. “God you’re heavy. What do you eat!”

“Quit whining and pull.” He grits.

“Or I could let your ass go.” I growl.

“You wouldn’t.” He replies.

“Wanna test that?” I growl again.

“Okay, I’ll shut up. Just get me out of here.” He whines.

I pull him up. We flop on the hard surface.

“We should get out of here before we fall into another hole.” Zander says.

“Yeah. It’s kind of hard to breathe up here anyway.” I get up and shake myself off.

“I know. It’s like the air is thinner all of sudden.”

We get back on the path.

It’s funny. The air is still bitter cold, but I feel warm all over.

We walk until we get to the edge of the ridge. “Ok this thing is slippery as fuck so be careful.”

His wolf backs down the slope. His claws dragging down the ice.

I look up and the blue moon is almost at its peak.

“Come on, Rick. You can moon gaze later!” Zander yells up.

I look down and turn around. My wolf claws dig in and I slide down slowly.

About half way, I lose my grip. “Oh crap!” I yell as I slide faster.

“Crap! I got you!” He stands in the way as my but hits him in the chest with an Oof and we roll across the ground.

I’m laughing. “You ok?”

“Ugh…yeah I think I took a rock to back, but I’m fine.” He chuckles.

His wolf stares into my wolfs eyes. “You feel that?” He says.

“Yeah.”

He stands up and so do I.

The air got even thicker. There was an electric feeling to it. All around me. I looked to Zander. His wolf was whining.

His scent swirled around me. Everything I’ve felt for him came to the surface.

I don’t know who shifted first or if we shifted together, but we stood there looking at each other.

“Zander?” My breath was speeding up.

“Richelle.” He whispers. He smiles as his breath speeds up too.

I take a step and the bond snaps between us. It makes me let out a tiny giggle. I look up wide eyed at him. “Mate.”

He steps up close. “Mate.”

“Oh my God…I…I…don’t believe it!” I look to my chest as the bond snaps back and forth.

I look back up into his eyes. “I do.” He whispers. “I love you, Ricky. I always have.” He cups my cheek. “You always were mine. From the day I first saw you.”

I smile. “And you’re mine.” I choke.

He leans down and kisses me. His gentle tongue meets mine. I wrap my arms around his neck. He pulls me into him as he deepens the kiss.

We pull back and he places his forehead on mine. I look into his deep blue eyes. “I love you.” I hitch. “so much.” I smile as tears fall.

“I love you so much more, my little devil….and my Queen.” He smiles and gives me quick kisses.

I push him back. “Wait…hold up…you say Queen?”

“Yeah. I’m King so that makes you Queen.” He says.

“Get out! For real? Like fancy dresses and parades and off with his head stuff?!”

He laughs. “Yeah. What did you think you’d be?”

“Um…I don’t know. Luna…princess at best…but Queen!” I start to walk away. I spin around. “Am I even Queen material?”

He grabs my arm and pulls me to him. “Not even a little bit….but that’s why I’m crazy in love with you.” He rubs my cheek with his thumb. He kisses me again.

He slowly pulls back. “Now. I want to mark you in the worst possible way, but I refuse to mark you here. So can we go?”

I laugh. “Yeah, let’s go Mate.”

He motions forward. “After you, my beautiful Mate.”

We shift and climb down the rocks.

We climb for a couple hours when the storms move in again. Blue moons over I guess.

The weather is horrible, but I don’t care. I have Zander. All of him. I never thought in a million years I’d ever get myself a King.

A biker? Maybe. A butcher? Odds are pretty good, but a King? Honestly though, I couldn’t care less what he is. Zander is one in a billion and that’s all that matters. I love him to death and no one. Not even a goddess sitting on a cloud, will ever take him away from me.

“We rest for a bit here!” Zander looks back as we fight the wind.

He found a rock that leans away from the wind. He let me under it and my wolf curled into a ball and tucked her nose. Zander curled around me. He placed his big, white fluffy tail over mine and his head beside mine. The warmth of his body and the newly formed bond had me drifting off to sleep quickly.

When I woke it was morning. Zanders head was on my neck and his big paw was draped over my body.

It was still snowing and cold, but I never felt safer than what I do right now. In the arms, or paws, of my mate.

He stirs and lifts his head. He sniffs the air and looks down at me in my little ball. His wolf licks my ear and head slowly.

I unfurl myself and stretch. Flopping back down on my side. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” He links.

“We’re…um…still on the mountain.” I giggle.

His wolf stretches and flops down behind me with his leg over my chest.

“Yes, we are.”

We should get going.” He says.

“Yeah.”

We get up and start climbing down the rocks carefully.

“So…um…I was thinking.” He says as he climbs down. “What would you say if I moved to Phoenix?”

“What about London? The High council?” I ask as I jump to a rock. “What about your pack?”

“You have the remote system right? I can hold council virtually and attend in person when I need to.” He states.

“I’m King of the global pack so I can pretty much live anywhere I want.” He jumps to another rock.

“As far as London goes, our palace will be our winter home.” He watches me climb to him.

“My apartments pretty small. Certainly not meant for a king.”

His wolf leans to me. “We’ll move.”

He climbs down some more. “I’m sure there’s somewhere I can build a palace.”

“A palace…in Phoenix city.”

“Yeah…why not?”

“You actually haven’t seen the city have you?”

“Not really. I was to busy worrying about your stellar ass.”

“Let me show you the city first before you start drawing blueprints.”

“Fair enough.” He says.

I look back. “Please tell me that’s the bottom.”

He looks back. “Yes!”

We climb faster and get to the base of the mountain.

My wolf skips across the flat ground. “Yes! Thank God.” I spin around. “You know. Almost dying aside, that was an amazing rush!”

He laughs. “Yeah it was.”

He joins my side as we walk away. Leaving the mountain behind us.

“Look at you taking all the risks. You actually might be more of a thrill seeker than me.” My wolf shoves him.

“Trust me there is no one on this planet crazier than you.” He chuckles.

“Come on, beat ya to the city!” I wag my tail.

“You’re on!” His wolf takes off!

“HEY! NO SUPER SPEED!”