Reign Of The King The Falcon Ridge Series Book 10

“WHOO! YEAH!” I scream as my parasail floats me over Caledon lake.

I look down the rope clipped to my chest. Declan is in the speedboat below me. He’s craning his neck making sure I’m OK every two seconds.

“GO FASTER!!” I yell. He looks up and shakes his head. I nod and give two thumbs up.

He shakes his head again hits the throttle. The boat pulls me faster around the lake. “YEAH!!” I pull out my phone and snap a few pics. Then I notice the time. “Damn.”

I look down. “DECLAN!!”

He looks up and I motion across my neck to cut it.

He nods and begins to slow down, pulling me into the marina.

Once on dry land, I put my jeans, crop top and knee highs boots on. “Damn council meetings ruin all the fun.” I chuckle.

Declan ties the boat and steps onto the dock. “Ok. You got that out of your system. No more stunts. Just because you’re on vacation, doesn’t mean I am. I do have code to write you know.”

“Yeah, yeah. Declan, I will keep saying it. You need to get out more.” I stand and pull my hair out from my shirt.

“I get out plenty making sure you don’t break every bone in your darn body.” He scowls. “Speaking of which. You think the King will be at this meeting?” He asks as we walk up the dock.

“Don’t know.” I respond as I stuff my parasail back into its pack. “I’m kind of hoping so.” I shrug.

“Are you flipping kidding?! He tried to kill you, Ricky!” Declans brows went up.

I smirk. “I know. It was hot.”

“Unbelievable.” He growls as he throws up his hands. “Only you would be turned on by a psychopath.”

I tilt my head to him. “He’s not a psychopath. He’s a narcissist. A steaming, hot, angry narcissist.” I drop my pack into the trunk of the car. “And I’m getting under his skin. I can feel it.” I chuckle.

“He wrapped his angry fingers around your throat, Rick. I don’t think he’s thinking what your thinking.” Declan squints at me while getting in the drivers seat.

“Oh, he’s thinking it all right. He’s just in denial. Soon I’ll crack the king wide open and I’ll see exactly what makes that head tick, if you know what I mean.” I smile.

He puts the car in gear. “Yeah. Unfortunately, I know exactly what you mean.” He says as he backs out and heads to the council building.

****

He dropped me off at the council building. “Shit, I’m so late. I’ll text you when its over.”

“If I don’t hear from you, I’ll call the morgue.” He mumbles.

I chuckle. “If he wanted to kill me, De, he would’ve done it by now. Stop worrying.” I smile.

“It’s all you ever make me do.” He looks forward as I slam the door. He drives off and I climb the steps to the council meeting.

My heart starts to speed up at the thought that Zander could be here. My adrenaline is pumping hard. I so want to see that chiselled jaw line and deep blue eyes.

I walk in and the meeting has already started.

“Hey! The party’s already started? Damn. Sorry I’m late.” I cross my arms and kick out a foot. Then I see him. My heart flutters more. I can see in his face. He’s not happy to see me, but he’s just going to have to deal with it.

“Just got back from parasailing. Caledon really has a great lake for that. Oh, hey, king. What’s shaking?” I give him my now famous smart ass look as I eye him in his grey suit. The guy really does look good in a suit. I will quickly admit the robe was weird, but sexy as hell when I saw him in it.

Zander slams the table with his palms and pushes his seat back.

Uh oh. Here we go. I watch him get up and take big steps to me. Don’t lose your cool now.

“What are you doing in my council chamber?! Leave now!” He stands in my space and throws his arm up past my head, pointing out the door.

“Oh, relax, Mr. Sensitive. I’m here to update the council on Phoenix Mountain.” I waves my hands at him. He thinks he’s scary, but the scary king façade is as fake as his anger. “Take your seat. Go on….” I shove him out of the way and take my seat. I’m showing him that just because he choked the shit out of me, without buying me dinner first, it will not stop me from egging him on. I meant what I said. I’m busting this bronco even if he kills me.

I can see his shoulders heave as he turns to where I’m sitting and walks in front of me. “If you don’t leave in two seconds, I’ll rip your throat out!” He grinds. Daggers shoot out his eyes.

I scoff and wave him off. “Seriously, you can’t still be mad.” I turn to the table. “One of you guys need to hook this guy up. Lots of built up frustrations, you know what I’m saying.” I wink. I hear Mica groan beside me and he slams his forehead on the table.

I watch his head bounce on the table top. “What?” I look at him as his ears turn red.

Zanders back is up and his fists are balled. “You are the most infuriating, I’ll mannered, little…”

I cross my arms and legs, bouncing my boot. He looks like a volcano that’s about to blow and I’m sitting on the edge of it waiting for the explosion. So let’s call him out. “Hey. Tall, dark and broody may work for that guy.” I point to Lucius who scowls at me. “or maybe that guy.” I thumb over my shoulder to Mica who just rocks his forehead on the table. “But you? I see right through you, Your Royal Fakeness.”

Our eyes are locked. Through my stare, I’m daring him to react. He sees it too.

He bites his top lip and pushes his chin out. His face turning red.

Zander huffs a breath, calls me more names quietly, and throws a hand at me. He storms back to his seat and sits down. His eyes shoot daggers at me from across the table.

I continue bouncing my toe and smiling cockily at him. He knows I got him beat.

I inform the council of the Phoenix Mountain upgrades as well as the impending threat from the Nordic Pack.

I should back up a bit.

About a year into our occupation of the Phoenix Mountain red wolf city, we had got the dome almost secured. Then we were attacked. We hadn’t got all our security up and running, so we were blindsided by light grey wolves. Angry and vicious.

Seems Sage Moreau, red wolf Alpha, had an Alliance agreement with them. Now that Sage is dead, the Nordics have seen his death as an open invitation to the Lazarus pool. Not on my watch.

The Nordic pack. They live in the north where it’s stupid cold. They’re also crazy as fuck. They attack like rabid dogs. In relentless waves of thousands for exactly three days, then we don’t hear or see anything until the next attack which could be in a week or a month.

Now comes the really weird part.

The Alpha Gabriel Frost. Mean son of a bitch. He’s also not that bright which confuses me as to how or why he would even think of contacting the mysterious Shaman, but he did.

Now Gabriel has made the Nordic pack true to its name. They’re literal ice wolves.

If allowed to shift, whatever the shaman made them, gives each wolf the power to freeze us in one single venomous bite and smash us to pieces.

Our only successful weapons have been electric nets with a current so strong it forces them to shift back and heat generating blaster guns. Once hit with a blast of hot air, they basically scream and run away like a vamp to sunlight.

Don’t worry, I’m sure Zander will explain the vamp thing later since he announced that they were, in fact, real.

Anyway, I’ve been fighting these damn wolves off for a year now. They want the dome, but the dome is secured. It’s under high powered glass. Nothing, but another Cowboy from Hell could break it. And only I control the program for the emergency steel cover over the pool and the unbreakable locks. Anyone who actually does get in, the pool is automatically covered and locked. Anything tries to break out of it again, laser grids extend over the water and it’s sealed shut. We’re taking no chances.

No one’s getting even remotely close to that water unless they get through me first.

Which kind of makes me a high priority target for Gabriel. So I’m kind of glad I’m here for a while.

After dishing out the rest of my report and listening to the all the blue moon talk, I decide to bug out.

“Hey!”

I turn and my middle jumps. “Nice meeting, Your Royal Moodiness.”

Zander glares at me. “I told you to stay out of my way.”

“Um…Correct me if I’m wrong, but you put me in your way.” I say with snark.

“This room is off limits to you.” He growls.

“That’s cute. However. I am Head Alpha of a very important piece of the Alliance. If you think you can keep me out of that room, you really don’t know me very well.” I smile.

He stands straight and folds his arms. “You maybe a Head Alpha, but I’m your King. You answer to me.”

I look him square in the face. “You may be a king, but the last one you’re ruling is me.”

“How dare you?” He growls loud.

“You know what you’re problem is? You have no fun.” I smirk as I thump a finger into his chest.

“I don’t need your kind of fun.” He spits.

“Come on, ya big lug. Live a little.” I back hand his chest and wave as I walk away leaving him practically hyperventilating in anger on the council building steps.

I text Declan and he meets me down the street.

“So…was he there?” Declan asks when I got into the car.

I grin. “Oh yeah. You should’ve seen his face. He now knows his threats and growls are not scaring me off. It’s best he just gives up.” I nod.

He shakes his head. “Yeah, let’s piss off the flipping King of Wolves. Nice game Ricky.”

I glance at him. “Not a game. A challenge. The biggest thrill challenge of the century.”

“Have I told you you’re nuts today?” He turns to me.

“Only about ten times already. But what’s one more.” I grin at as we drive back to the unit.