Reign Of The King The Falcon Ridge Series Book 10

I walk down the halls doing my inspection and preparing for my interviews. Nala is beside me in human form. I glance around at the soldiers. They ones near, bow their heads as we walk by.

I’m still irritated that Ricky is free, but on some small, miniscule level, Nala has a point. I just need to find another crime Ricky can commit so I csn imprison her life. It’s clear, Nala believes her annoyance isn’t enough to warrant such punishment.

“Zander. Your feelings will consume you if you don’t deal with them.” She says looking forward. Her hands are behind her back.

It always comes back to this as a reasoning for my actions as of late.

“Nala. I’ve told you before. I do not have feelings for the girl.” I mirror her posture.

She side eyes me. “You think I can’t see, Zander?”

I know she can see. I refuse to entertain her though.

“I know you csn be confused. Your gift isn’t one hundred percent. I suggest you stop trying to see what isn’t there.” I say with my chin.

“I clearly see your other feelings…for her.” She arches her brow.

For her. She has no clue.

I sigh and lower my head. “Enough. Please.” I close my eyes for a moment and lift my head again. I open my eyes.

I see it. Days after the moon. I see it. The mate bonds. The happiness. I hate this time of year. Year after year. I see the hands held, the kisses, the hopeful eyes for the future.

It’s times like these I wish I could just fall off the face of the planet. The pain is worse around the moon. Like a dagger in my heart, the moon twists it. Each moon feeds the pain even more. The joys of being a shifter and having your DNA dictated by an Astral effect. Hiding is my only option.

I get to my office and place my hand on the door handle. I lower my head. “Nala, leave me. I want to be alone.” I say without looking at her.

She nods and walks away.

I open my door and close it to my empty office.

I walk to the bar in my office and pour myself a drink. Taking my drink to the window, I put a hand in my pocket and sip my glass.

Then I feel it. A presence.

“Figures you’d show up.” I say.

I turn with my head lowered. I put my glass on my desk. I heave a breath and raise my head.

My face softens at the sight on my couch. She’s as beautiful as the day she left me. Long, shiny brown hair. Big, gorgeous brown eyes. Glowing skin with soft, majestic features. Her long, blue, soft fabric dress slightly bellows in a room with no wind.

“Hello, Zander.”

While my heart softens, my mind remembers. My face hardens at the sound of her angelic voice.

“What do you want, Hope?” I ask

She smiles that amazing smile which angers me more.

"Can I not come see you?" She stands.

"No. You can't." I snatch my drink and pound it back. Pouring another one.

"Zander. You can't keep being like this." She folds her hands in front of her. She watches me walk back to my desk.

"I can and I will." I growl.

"Your anger is stopping you. You need to let go." She tilts her head.

"No! I won't let go, Hope! You destroyed that for me!" My face twisted as I stared at her.

"You know why it had to happen." She said in a calm voice.

"Yeah, I know." I grit. "Your fucking position."

"Zander..." She starts.

"I was going to give up everything for you. My title, my position, but you just couldn't do it. You put your fucking job over my heart." I'm fuming.

"Zander, you know how important my job is to this world. Without me, no one has anything to hang on to." She says in a caring tone.

I stomp up to her. "No. You could've gotten a replacement any time. This is Fates fucking fault and her damn rules. You're to weak to fucking stand up to her." I point to her face.

"Zander, we weren't going to work." She says.

"I loved the hell out of you. We would've worked if you even wanted to try." I grit.

"There is love Zander. Love for you out there." She looks into my eyes.

Looking at her smashes my heart to pieces.

I turn and grab my drink and look out my window. "There is no other love." I grumble and drink.

"Yes, there is. You just need to believe it." She says to my back.

"There's nothing to believe." I continue to stare out the window.

"Please, Zander. Don't lose hope." She says.

I raise my glass to my lips. "I already did." I take a drink.

I turn around and my office is empty. I sit in my seat and put my elbows on my desk. I grip my hair in my hands.

"I already did."

I flop back in chair. I heave a pained sigh. Standing, go to the bar.

I take the top off my bottle and stop.

My head stays forward as my eye flicks to behind me. My face turns to a snarl.

I reach to a knife on my hip slowly, my eye still trained. My foresight for threat, fills my body.

In a blur, I unsheathe my knife and spin in a circle.

My knife stops. The razor sharp edge stopping on a soft, milky white neck. The knife glows bright gold while silver runes light up the hilt. It’s power activated by the being it’s threatening.

My anger filled eyes follow the soft neck, up to the smooth features that practically glow. Her red lips are full and pouty. Her blue eyes are seductive and manipulating. Her short, red hair is softly curled much like a style from the 1930s. She holds her head firm. Her chest is out and her nose is high.

She doesn’t flinch as my knife brushes her skin.

I stare her right in the face. “I should kill you right now.” I growl.

“But you won’t. You know exactly what would happen if you did, Zander.” She talks in an authoritative, hard tone.

“What do you want, Fate?” I remove the blade and sheath it. Filling my glass, I sit down.

Fate turns with her arms crossed. “I’ve come to warn you.”

“You sure you didn’t come to gloat.” I say mumbling into my glass of alcohol.

“Zander. You cannot keep blaming me for rules dictated by the cosmos.” She scowls.

“I can and I will. You’re lucky I don’t slit your throat.” I pound back my drink.

She walks in front of my desk. “I’m not here to discuss your love life, Zander. Though I will say, you need to buck up and take it like a man.” She hits me with that hard stare.

“This coming from a being who should be a man.” I eye her and growl. “You’re a giant asshole.”

She arches a brow. “You can insult me all you want, Zander. You’re fate is sealed. There’s no fighting it. Might as well let it happen.”

“No.” I stand aggressively and get another drink. “Your fucking plan almost killed me. I won’t play your games.” I take the bottle and my glass the desk and sit.

“What happened with Hope was something that is a flaw in your Zeta gene. You can’t blame me for that.”

“I can if you won’t let us be fucking happy.” I aggressively point at her.

“Hope is the reason we have these rules Zander. Technically, your type of Zeta should not exist, but for one who broke the rules. We cannot allow mortals like yourself to have more power than you are already destined." She stares at me.

I lean back. “Well, it’s too late for me, isn’t it, so why deny me hope?”

She leans on my desk. “You cannot have her, Zander. You know why. Fate has other plans for you.”

I bite my top lip and shake my head. “You just love fucking with people don’t you.”

She glares at me. “I design your fate, Zander. I do not take pleasure in the journey you must take to get there. But it’s a journey you must take.”

“You can take your journey and shove it up your ass.” I sit back cocky in my chair. I’m not following fates plan. To follow her plan, means I let go of Hope and I refuse to do that. One day, I’ll find a way to get around the rules.

“Zander. Your obsession with Hope will be your downfall if you don’t let fate guide you. Hope has moved on. So should you. Honestly, you can act like you don’t like my plan, but don’t pretend it doesn’t intrigue you.” She eyes me.

“No. It doesn’t.” I sip my glass. “The warning?”

She stands and places her hands in her hips. “I tried to stop him.”

I sigh and lean my elbow on the elbow of my chair. Rubbing my forehead, I squint my eyes. “What’s he done now?”

“Zander. Destiny has created a line of action. If he’s allow to complete it, it may release him.” She actually looks a tad worry.

I sit up and lean on my desk. “Then fortify the prison. We can’t have him free.”

“I know this Zander, but destiny is young. He doesn’t realize what he’s done. Now it’s set. You must not let the goal be reached.”

“What goal?” I ask.

“I can’t tell you. You’ll know when it’s discovered.” She says.

“Your fucking cosmic rules again.” I grumble.

“You know I can’t reveal the cosmos to mortals.” She states.

“I’m hardly a fucking mortal, fate!” I yell.

She arches a brow. “You’re closer to mortality than you believe, Zander. Just because your father was cosmic, doesn’t mean you are. Children in your position are not allowed to have the rights to the stars.”

“I’m cosmic enough and I should be told what I’m about to fight!” I glare at her.

“You have my warning.” She says.

I shoot daggers at her with my eyes as she blinks out of existence on the spot. My office now completely empty.

I grab my drink and sit back. “Fucking coward.” I grumble as I slam it back.