The Falcon Ridge Series Book 2 Not Just A Girl

(Chapter song ‘The Girl Next Door’ by My Babysitter’s A Vampire)

SARAH

Damn. Jayson Duke. I don’t know what it is, but poking at him is really actually fun. Sure, I’m pissing him off, but really, who don’t I piss off. This really isn’t any different. This place is boring and I want fun. Right now, I want to make Jayson fun.

When he got up in my space on the field, I couldn’t breathe. He was surrounded by this spicy pine scent. My head was spinning and the butterflies in my middle fluttered away as I stared into his blue eyes.

When he threatened me, I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Geez, he's tough. He needs a vacation or something. He’s a giant ball of anger.

His little threat, though, is now my biggest challenge. He wants to make my life hell? I’ll make his worse. We'll see who wins.

He does have my curiosity peaked though. I wonder what makes a guy like that tick. He’s certainly not like his dad. When Alpha Duke isn’t impounding my dirt bike, he really is a fair and nice Alpha. Jayson seems the exact opposite.

I think if I pry a little harder, I’ll find out what’s behind that hot body. I just need to survive this damn camp.

So, I’ll give him a run for his money. If anything, I’ll get some wild entertainment in this dump.

****

The sun was barely above the trees at 5 in the freaking morning.

I'm miserable, groggy and not having it. I stretch and yawn as I follow the fun Alpha out to a patch of grass.

I found out his name is Kale. Can’t really go wrong with a name like that. Anyway, Kale’s babysitting me until the recruits come out for 6 am. Like most babysitters, we’re goofing off instead of listening to what dad says.

He shows me some offensive moves and I trip him, but I lose my balance, too, and land on his chest. He lets out an Oof sound. We both crack up laughing.

"That was good." He says between breaths. "Just try to keep your weight on the back foot and you won't end up on top of me." He throws me a charming smile.

I get up on my knees. "I knew that." I chuckle.

Kale stands and pulls me up. "Wanna go again?"

"Bring it, tough guy." I smirk.

"Oh, bad girl, now. Ok." He grins.

He rushes at me and I'm completely unprepared. Yet again I lose my balance. I grab Kale's shirt and he comes crashing down on me.

"God, you're heavy." I groan.

He laughs. "I don't think a girl has ever said that to me before."

Again, we break out in hysterics.

"Having fun?"

We both turn our heads to see Jayson stomping this way from the Alpha building.

Kale jumps up and pulls me up.

I brush off my leggings, fix my hair and glance at Jayson who didn't look happy at all.

He stood, crossing his thick arms. "Aren't we supposed to be training?" He glares at Kale.

Kale looks my way. "And we are training. Sarah's actually a quick study. Lots of... skills." He flashes another charming smile, making my cheeks heat. Only because I felt weird about him flirting with me in front of Jayson.

"Yes. Well, a little less fucking around, ok?” Jayson furrows his brow.

I stand cocky. "You think you could train me better?"

He eyes me. "I know I could." He raises his chin and focuses on Kale.

"Well, why don't you?" I challenge.

I see his eyes shoot my way and back at Kale who smirks at him and crosses his arms.

Jayson rubs his nape. "I can't. I got shit to do." He turns to Kale. "Stay professional, got it?"

Kale rolls his eyes. "Yes, sir." Kale turns to me smiling, shaking his head no and I giggle.

Jayson shakes his own head and walks off.

Kale turns to me. "Ok. The troops should be here any minute, so why don't you do some warm ups until the training starts. We'll pick this up tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." I smile and head to the track to run.

Kale laughs and heads into the Alpha office building.

****

By 6 am, the field was filled with recruits. Orders were barked and we were all sent to circuit training.

"Man, this is brutal." Shane puffs out breaths as he leans on his knees.

I get up from sit ups. My hair's a mess and my cheeks are red. "I know. This is not fun. This is cruel and unusual punishment. I swear, there has to be some sort of human rights violation here." I flick out my sweat covered t shirt, trying to cool myself off.

"So how was early training?" Shane asks.

My eyebrows shoot up. "OMG. It was so fun. I was training with Kale. He's so sexy. A complete laugh riot." I have an ear to ear grin.

"Dude, really? Hitting on the Alphas?" He scrunches his face.

I throw my hand on my hip. "What? A little flirting never hurt anything."

"Gross." He furrows his brow. "I don't need to hear about you flirting."

"Please, like you've ever been quiet about it." I sneer.

He smirks. "Duh, I'm a guy. It's what we do."

I wave him off. "Whatever."

"Yeah. Whatever. Remember what dad said." Shane warns.

I tilt my head to him. "He said no boys. He never said anything about hot men."

My eyes float across the field just as Jayson is turning from correcting another recruit. Our eyes meet yet again. He folds his arms and squints his eyes, signaling to get back to work.

Shane looks him over. "What's that guy's deal anyway?"

I get back down into sit up position. "I don't know, but I sure as hell am going to find out."

****

With morning training done, I’m starving and so ready for lunch.

Ash is bouncing along beside me. "This is fun, isn't it?"

I scoff. "Easy for you to say. You got the fun trainer. Mine’s the Master of hell."

She tilts her head to me. "It can't be that bad."

I laugh. "Are you kidding? The guys a slave driver. Bent on torturing me with the punishment he calls training."

"Sorry." Jayson says gruffly as he pushes past us and strides off to the Alpha table.

My mouth goes small and I lean to Ash. "Do you think he heard me?"

Ash waves it off. "Nah. I don't think he'd be that quiet if he did."

"You're probably right. I just don't understand why he's so mad. He's literally in line to be king of Black Lake. You'd think he'd be happier." I sit down and Ash sits across from me.

I take a big bite of my sandwich.

Ash shrugs. "Maybe someone kicked his puppy or something and he's been jaded about it ever since."

I laugh. "Yeah, maybe."

"So, what happened to that guy you’ve been eyeing?" Ash arches her brow.

My eyes flick to Jayson's back. He’s talking to one of his friends then stops and turns my way. I break away as soon as our eyes meet.

I shake my head. "Nothing yet. I’m keeping myself open though.”

"Well, I have my eye on a few. There's so many to choose from." She giggles.

"You're terrible." I laugh.

"Honey, a girl has needs and I'm sure there's lots here that can provide." She smiles. Her big dimples showing on her olive skin.

I laugh again and drink my juice.

A girl does have needs and right now, I need to know what a girl has to do to make a cranky Alpha smile.

****

The afternoon session was sparring. The one thing I absolutely suck at.

I'm partnered with a girl named Georgia. She's a petite blonde girl, but man is she a good fighter. She never gives me an in. I spent more time on my ass then I did on my feet.

"Ugh." I groan as I pick myself up.

“You got to watch your footing.” Georgia giggles.

“I got to get an easier partner.” I grumble.

"Everything OK over here?"

I almost choke on my breath as Jayson struts over to us.

Georgia beams. "Everything's good on my end. Sarah's, not so much."

She reaches down to gives me an arm. I wave it off. "I'm just... warming up, that's all. I'll get it."

Georgia giggles. "Sure, you will."

Jayson flicks his eyes between the two of us. "Mind if I step in? Maybe I can see where the problem is."

I dust myself off. "Fine." I grumble.

He looks to Georgia. "Why don't you partner with Lisa over there?"

"Sure thing, Alpha." She salutes and trots away.

I eye Jayson and arch my brow. "You think you can fix this." I run my fingers up and down my body.

He ticks his head. "I am the Master of Hell, after all."

My face goes beat red. "Um...sorry."

"Show me what you got." He motions for me to step back.

"Ok." I blow out a breath.

I run at him and he tries to grab for me, but I duck under his arms and spin. I try to trip him but, he grabs my waist, puts me on my back and pins my neck with his arm.

I struggle under his pin, trying to get his arm off.

He arches his brow and let's go.

I groan again, roll to my knees and sit up.

He stands with his hands on his hips. "You know, people usually get sick of being planted on their asses by now. They tend to actually try to fight."

"I'm trying." I scowl as I stand.

"No, Sarah. You're not. You're either holding back, or being lazy." He crossed his arms.

"Ugh... listen. I can't fight." I shoot him an irritated look as I dust myself off.

"Oh, you can fight. You just don't know it yet. Here." He walks up to me. "When you take your stance, stand like this. Square your body."

He was inches from me. His strong hands position my shoulders and my hips. They felt so good. I struggled to contain myself as his skin touched mine. Jayson Duke is touching me… Oh… My… God!

I blow out a shaky breath. It’s weird. His touch feels really warm and almost static. At first, it felt strange. It was like my body needed a minute to adjust then it died down.

As he gives instruction, his eyes glance at mine, but they lock. Our lips mere inches away. I can almost feel them.

I bite my bottom lip as I get lost in his eyes. I swallow my nervousness. My heart beat was racing. My wolf does a few spins behind my ribs.

He clears his throat and stands straight. He takes a giant step backwards. "Yes... um... Just remember that and you should be fine." He calls Georgia back and books it like he was on fire.

I just stood there, staring, my body tingling all over as it remembers his touch.

Georgia finds my eyes. "You, ok?"

I slowly shake my head. "No. I mean. I don't know."

"You want to keep sparring?” Her question snaps me out of my stare.

"Yeah. Just go slower, ok. I'm trying to learn here." I mutter.

I try to focus, but now the image of Jayson's face so close to mine is filling my brain. I can't make any sense of it. What I saw in his eyes wasn’t the angry Alpha. It was something else. I need to know what.

Getting closer to the grumpy Alpha will now be my primary mission. I will crack him open of it’s the last thing I do.

As Georgia is running through moves, I'm watching Jayson go up and down the lines, correcting recruits. He's so memorizing. The way his body moves, the strength of it. The way he touched me. I've never been touched like that before. It's wasn't a training touch. It was something more. Like he wanted to touch me.

But why did he run away like that? He looked freaked out. I wonder if he sensed the same thing I did. Is he scared of me or something? So many questions and not enough answers.