Reign Of The King The Falcon Ridge Series Book 10

What the hell am I doing? I hate this woman, but all I wanted to do was rip her clothes off on the side of the damn highway.

The meeting in Caledon was a disaster. All I could think of was this fucking kiss.

I didn’t even want to kiss her, but with everything that happened, my mind was a literal blur. My body was vibrating with excitement and fear.

I have fought armies of literal thousands. I’ve looked death in the face countless times. Stared down the edge of swords at my neck, yet this girl almost getting herself killed had me almost pissing in my pants.

“What the fuck is wrong with me?” I mumble as I sit at my desk. My elbows on it and my fingers laced in front of my mouth. My leg is bouncing under it. I’m brain is trying to process all this.

No. I can’t like her. I won’t. I shake my head.

I hit my desk and stand. “It wasn’t even that good.” I walk out in front of my desk and pace.

I wrap an arm around my waist. I scrub my face and my head with my other hand. I continue to pace. “She’s not even remotely attractive.”

I spin around. “Certainly not the standards I require.” I walk to the other side of my sitting area.

I shake my head. “She’s annoying, irresponsible, reckless, infuriating…”

I walk in front of my desk and stop. “I hate her with every fiber of my being.” I spin around. “So why cant I get her out of my fucking head!” I yell.

Nala’s tiger looks up from licking her paws and growls.

I grab my hair, ready to pull it out. “No! It’s impossible Nala. I don’t even remotely like her. At this point, I want to run her over with my car!”

The tiger chuffs.

I throw my hand to her. “It was just a kiss. It doesn’t mean anything!”

She growls low.

“I’m not being irrational, Nala. Who’s fucking side are you on!”

She chuffs and lays down.

Were interrupted by a knock on my door.

I walk behind my desk. “I swear, Nala. Your mouth gets fouler the longer we stay here…..Come!” I yell as I sit.

“Hey, Sexy.” Ricky opens the door smiling.

My heart speeds up again as my eyes widen looking at her smile. My mouth goes small. “That is not how you address me!” I yell.

She holds her hands up. “Ok. Ok. We’re back to yelling. Sorry, King.”

“What could you possibly want?” I growl as I look down at my work.

“Besides the obvious?” She smirks.

I glare at her. “State your business or get out now.” I grind.

“Alright. Someone’s in a mood. Geez, you’d think a make out session would loosen you up. You really are a hard nut to crack.” She steps up to my desk.

She’s doing it on purpose. She must be. No rational person would act like this. Either that or she, in fact, is certifiably insane.

I shake my head. “One. It wasn’t a make out session. It was a meaningless kiss. One that will not be repeated. Two. You will not be cracking this nut…” I point between her and me.

She holds her breath, presses her lips together. I could her face start to go red.

I tilt my head and point at her face. “Don’t.” I growl low.

She tries to hold it back. Tears well in her eyes. She holds the back of her hand under her nose.

“Don’t you even dare." I warn with a snarl.

She bursts into laughter.

Nala’s tiger chuffs and purrs. I shoot an icy glare at them both.

The vein in my neck starts to throb. I throw my hands in the air. “You know what I mean!” I yell.

She waves a hand in front of her face as she tries to calm herself.

“You’re business, Ricky. NOW!” I stand and lean on my desk.

“Fine.” She says as she wipes her eyes. “I have to report some issues to you out of Phoenix.”

She told me everything about the attack, the shaman, the Puppet master. Everything.

I walk around with a concerned look on my face and lean my but on the edge of my desk. My arms are crossed and I bite my lip.

This is concerning. I knew the shaman played both sides, but weapons development is a new one for him and deeply concerning to me. The last thing I need is undiscovered weapons showing up in one of my pack wars.

Then there’s this puppet master. The only two creatures I know of that can successfully navigate those mountains is Nala and Damon. Him being dead already, the cold wouldn’t affect him. Plus, vampires can move fast. So fast, you might blink and miss him. The blizzards and all the hazards of the mountain wouldn’t even come close to a challenge.

I know Damon wouldn’t be associated with a bunch of frozen wolves. He barely stands being around us in Europe.

I have to wonder if Damon isn’t the only vamp we have here in the states. If so, he better be prepared to lose his head.

“I’ll get in touch with the Highs. They might know something. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.” I push off my desk and walk around it to sit.

“Hey, everything’s got to go through the King right? Just doing my part.” She heads to the door. “So where are we going?”

I look confused. “What?”

“Our second date. Where are we going?” She turns back toward me and folds her arms.

“We’re not. What happened on the highway wasn’t even a first date. Now, get out.” I pick up my pen.

She steps back into my office further. “Ok. So it was a prelude to date one. I’m going night climbing at Caledon cliffs. It has an amazing two level waterfall and with the full moon through, it is gorgeous. You can meet me there. 9 pm.”

“I will not.” I say with conviction. I don’t even look at her.

“Ok. See you then.”

I raise my head and she smirks at me.

“See ya later, Zan.” She swishes her long, hair and walks out of my office, shutting the door behind her.

Nala’s tiger meows at me.

I look down at my paperwork. “No. I’m not going. I won’t even entertain the thought.”

She growls.

I sigh. “I don’t care Nala. She can fun and be suicidal on her own.”

She chuffs.

“No and that’s final!” I growl at her.

She chuffs and growls as she lays her head down.

“I am not a coward. I should have your head for that.” I growl.

I shake my head and continue to work.

I’m not going. I refuse. I don’t even know the first thing about climbing. Plus, I will not give her the satisfaction of knowing she’s getting to me. Nope. I’m staying right here.

****

I grumble as I pull in behind the yellow mustang with black stripes. My headlights light up a tiny, firm ass pointing at me from the trunk.

She stands up, turns she crosses her arms.

I get out and press my lips together.

No. Not because I gave in. I’m nervous to climb. It’s stupid. I fear nothing except Ricky’s crazy ass stunts.

I look past her to Caledon lake and the full moon hung high above the water. It’s reflection shimmers across the surface.

I look at her as I approach. “This is not a date. I’m curious about climbing.”

She arches a brow. “Really. You want to learn to climb.”

“Yes. Why is that so hard to believe?” I scowl.

“Oh, I don’t know. I thought you enjoyed being an asshat king, but here you are. Actually, wanting to have some fun.” She puts a helmet on her head and pulls her ponytail out.

I furrow my brow. “This was a bad idea.” I walk back to my car.

“No. Zander. Come on.” She runs to me and grabs my arm. “Ok. You want to learn to climb, I’ll teach you. It’s definitely not as big a rush as a street race, but it’s still good.”

“Ok.” I turn back and follow her to her trunk.

“I expected you would show up.” She reached in the trunk. “Bow to me.” She smirks.

I cross my arms and scowl. “Never!”

She chuckles. “Just…lower your head.”

I look at her for a moment and do so. She puts a helmet on my head and thumps it. “Good, it fits.” She flicks a light on it. “So you can see.”

I nod.

She fits my harness on and all the gear we will need. She goes through all the rules of climbing.

“Ok. Pay attention to your footings and make sure your hands are secured before moving. Take it slow.” She pushes me to the edge of the huge waterfall. It’s high up. The top crashes to a rock ledge then the water falls from there to the lake.

She points up. “We’re going to the ledge.”

I look at her. “What behind the waterfall?”

“Yep.” She grins.

“Oh…ok.” I look at.

We start climbing. I’m hooking ropes to anchors and my feet find their footings. My arms start to burn as they pull myself up to the next hold.

“Slow it down, Zan.” Ricky warns.

“This is actually…kind of fun.” My helmet light finds her. I’m caught as my eyes travel across the curves of her body as she navigates the rock wall. Her muscles all flexing. Her abs tight. Her ass even tighter. The shape of her jawline as she looks for her next hold.

“Hey, Zan. You’re kind of blinding me here.” She holds up her hand.

“Sorry.” I mutter.

As I climb, I have to tell myself this isn’t a date. I’m just rock climbing. It’s not a date.

The waterfall crashes beside us. I feel the spray from it as we climb. I can’t help, but feel exhilaration.

This isn’t a date.

We climb the cliff wall. Swinging from hold to hold. Both of us get right into it like it’s a natural thing.

As I look down to see how high up we are, I feel it. The rush crashes in. I’m not afraid of heights, but for some reason this feels different.

This is not a date.

I watch as Ricky reaches for an outcropping. She’s hanging from it until she can anchor a rope. She looks at me. “Come on.” She motions her head.

“Uh...I can’t do that.” I shake my head.

“Come on, King. You can do anything remember.” She grins. “You’re not scared, are ya.”

“No.” I feel a smirk tug at my lips, but fight it.

I climb over to it and reach for a hold.

“That’s it.” She says.

I let go of the wall and reach for the next hold. As my fingers touch it, my other hand slips.

“SHIT!”

My heart explodes as I fall grasping for another hold.

“ZAN!” Ricky yells.

My one hand finds one and grips it hard. I’m dangling by one arm at the bottom of the out crop.

I look past my dangling feet to the 100 foot drop below. The cars look small.

I blow out a breath. “Fuck.” My adrenaline floods and my arm burns as it calls the muscle to hold me.

“Ok. Swing your arm up. Call your claws.” Ricky instructs.

I swing my legs and my arm toward the rock. My eyes glow solid white and I call my claws and create a hold. I call the claws on my other hand and shove them into the rock. Pieces echo as the bounce to the ground below.

“That’s it one hold at a time.” Ricky encourages.

I breathe a sigh of relief once I pull my body up to the land my feet in a hold.

“Alright. No more cheating. Put the claws away.” She smirks.

“NO WAY!”

“Zander.” She tilts her head to me.

I narrow my eyes. “If I want to use my claws I will!” I growl.

“You don’t get the true experience if you do. Now quit being a big, Beefcake, baby and put the claws away.” She smiles.

I glare. “I’m not a baby. Don’t ever call me that again!”

“Fine. Do whatever. You’ll just be a big cheater baby.” She continues her climb.

I look at my claws and look at Ricky. “Fine.” I grumble and put my claws away.

We finally get to the ledge. It’s wet, slippery and loud. But she’s right. It’s amazing. The view from up here, even with the waterfall in the way, is breathtaking. You can almost see all of Caledon and the lights from it. Plus, the moon, just amazing.

I turn from the waterfall. My chest is heaving and my heart is hammering from the climb. I watch as Ricky places her pack down and anchors our ropes to the floor. “Don’t want to get swept off" She chuckles.

“Swept off?” I look confused.

“Yeah.” She walks to the water fall and puts her hand in it.

“What are you doing?” I grab her.

She shoves my hand off. “Relax. It’s fine.”

“Ricky.” I try to grab her again, but she steps into the waterfall. The water cascades down her body. She puts her head back and her arms letting the water flow over her.

I watch her form in the water. The water pouring down her back. My jaw slowly goes slack as my eyes take in the sight of Ricky being so uncaring and free.

I’m snapped out of it by Ricky’s giggles. “Ok. You did it. Now come out.” I say.

She turns to me. “Come on. It feels great.” She smiles.

I step to her just as I see her slip.

“Ahhhh!” She screams as she swept over the edge.

“RICKY!” I run to the edge where I can see her. She’s dangling from her rope.

“Uh. A little help?” She says as she’s hanging just behind the arch of the second fall. Swinging in and out of the water.

“HOLD ON!” I run and skid to a stop at her rope. I start to pull her up, but the anchor her rope is on, gives.

“SHITTTT!” I yell as I’m dragged toward the edge because of the slippery floor.

I call my claws on one hand and dig them into the ledge. “FUCKKKK!”

I hear Ricky scream as she drops some more.

I’ve got Ricky dangling in one hand and I’m anchored with another. “Shit.” I blow out a breath. I see her anchor at the end of her rope.

With the rope in my hand, I carefully slide the anchor down to my hand. Ricky’s screaming with every drop.

“ZANDER, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” She yells.

“HOLD ON!” I growl back.

I take the anchor and shove it into the rock. Testing it to make sure its secured.

I pull myself out of the waterfall and back to where I can find some footing. Grabbing Ricky’s rope again I pull her up.

She gets up on the ledge and crawls out of the falls.

We both flop down on our backs. Our hearts beating a mile a minute.

“God. I thought I was a goner. Thanks for that.” She huffs.

“If I wasn’t here, you would’ve been. Do you realize how stupid that was?” I rolled my head to her.

She rolled her head to me. “Well, I didn’t die, so it wasn’t that stupid.”

I roll to my side and prop my head on my hand. “What is with you? It’s like you want to kill yourself.” I scowl.

She smiles. “No. I’m showing death I’m not afraid of him"

“What? That’s crazy. You don’t need to prove you’re not afraid to die, by putting yourself in dangerous situations, Ricky. You just have to believe it. Feel it. You don’t have to keep proving it.” I look over her drenched body.

“Isn’t that what you do?” She looks at me.

I scowl. “No.” I flop back onto my back looking at the ceiling of the small cave.

She rolls to her side. “Sure. For all the angry hordes and fire breathing Dragons, you don’t go out there with your wolf and stare death in the face.”

“That’s different." I don’t look at her.

“Not that different. Face it, your Highness. You stare death in the face to feel alive. Protecting your pack is just a side effect. I bet you would go against giants even if you didn’t have to because you like the feel of it.” She rolls on her back. “Which is weird. Because your so afraid of me.”

I roll my head to her. “I’m not afraid of you.” I squint my eyes.

“Yes, you are.” She looks at me with her brow raised. “It’s why you think our first kiss was meaningless. You’re afraid it actually might mean something. You’re afraid to admit it.”

I sit up. “It was meaningless.” I grumble.

She sits up too. “Keep telling yourself that because you and I both know that’s not true.”

She stands and brushes herself off. “Thanks for the date it was fun.” She smiles.

“This isn’t a date.” I scowl.

She looks at me. “Keep telling yourself that one too.”