The Falcon Ridge Series Book 4: Art of a Girl

(Chapter song ‘I Would Do Anything For Love' by Meatloaf)

BASTIAN

“SOMEONE GRAB A MED KIT!!”

The sound of River’s Camaro and Nigel yelling for help had us all running for the front door.

“The girls are back.” He informs me as we rush by him.

“My car!” River holds his hand out to the very damaged black car in the driveway outside my front entrance. He runs down the steps as the girls get out.

I wrap my arm around myself and rub my lips as I walk down the stairs and look over the crushed hood, smashed windshield and dented, torn roof.

“ALEXI?!” Luke shoves past me, jumps the rest of the steps and runs to mate. He immediately starts to examine her. “Are you hurt? Is anything broken? Who do I have to kill?!” He growls.

She holds her hand up. “I’m fine, Alpha.”

He holds her cheeks. “Are you sure? You look stressed. You’re stressed, aren’t you? That’s it! No more missions for you!” He points in her face.

She pushes his hand down. “Oh, stop. Really.” She scowls.

“My baby won’t be stressed.” He warns. “Tell me who to take out. I’ll do it right now.” He pulls out his gun and waits for an answer.

“Luke. Calm it down.” Jayson says as he joins our circle.

Luke turns to him, shoves his gun in the back of his jeans and points to Alexi. “Listen. The last thing I want is that woman stressed. It’s an action killer and I plan on beating my personal record of most times in a night. Get me?” He tilts his head to him.

“God. Shut up!” Jayson shoves him and shakes his head.

“It was Sam.” Anna replies as Nigel starts to clean her cheek with three, deep, bleeding claws marks. “She attacked us in Deruse.”

“What? Bastian’s girlfriend did this to my car?!” River motions to the broken glass.

I push myself in between Jayson and River. “Sammy? You saw her? She did this?” I flick my eyes between Anna’s wounds and the car with disbelief.

“Yes, she did. I’m fine by the way.” She furrows her brow, then winces when Nigel puts the first bandage on.

“Sorry, Luna.” Nigel mutters.

River cringes, then grabs her arms. “Shit! God, baby girl. I’m sorry. Are you ok?” He kisses her forehead and lips softly.

“I'll live.” She gives a little smile.

I cross my arms and look at both women. “She was still shifted?”

Alexi leans on the car beside Anna. "Your young woman was in human form, but she wasn't in control. When she tried to kill us, that’s when she shifted. You’re right, Alpha Cole. Her wolf is highly unusual. I can pretty much attribute the chemicals in my father’s body to its uniqueness. Including the ability to be in control and walking as human. She's very strong and vicious, as you can tell. I'm sorry, but I had to shoot her."

"You shot her?!" As soon as the word left her lips, my wolf jacked himself up and my anger skyrocketed. “You fucking shot her?!” I move to get in her space and her mouth shrinks as she steps back. River and Luke step in the way.

“BACK THE FUCK OFF!” Luke shoves me but I barely move.

My eyes flash gold as I glare at both of them. “SHE SHOT MY GIRL! NO, I WONT BACK OFF!!” I roar in his face.

He reaches behind him. “You’re girl tried to kill mine, alight! She won’t be the only one shot if you don’t back the fuck up.” He grits in my face as he pulls out his gun.

“Alpha! She’s alive. I barely stunned her.” Alexi supplies.

River places a hand on my chest and steps between Luke and I. He looks into my eyes. “Don’t. You know Alexi wouldn’t do that unless she had to.”

My eyes meet Alexi’s. “You sure she’s alive?”

Alexi nods and steps up to Luke's side. “I watched her push the bullet out of her shoulder. Bastian. It didn’t effect her at all. She was standing and walked off before we left her.”

I take a deep breath, push my wolf down and rub my neck. “Where did she go?” I mumble.

“Into the woods, I assume.” Anna shrugs as River checks the condition of her bandages. “Bastian. This wolf is crazy. In human form, it’s as strong as three of us. In wolf form, at least 5. We can’t beat this.”

"We have to try, baby girl." River kisses her other cheek.

I place my hands on my hips. “I won’t accept that I lost her. I know I can save her.” I cinch my brows up as I look around the group.

Jayson lays a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll figure this out. I’m sure we can find a way to get her back in control.”

I suck in my top lip and nod as I look to the ground.

“I’m sure there’s something in the Torrent papers that will explain all this.” River turns to his car and lets out a big sigh as he scrubs his face. "I loved this car." He looks like he’s about to cry. I can’t say I wouldn’t feel the same if it was my Lamborghini.

"Don’t worry, soldier boy. You can get another one." Anna rubs his arm and smiles.

"I'm just glad your safe. I love you." He plants a kiss on her head.

“I love you, too.” She whispers as he hugs her.

A twinge in my chest makes me want Sam more than ever. I fucking hate this.

I rub my head. "Can anyone tell me what Sam was she doing in Deruse?"

Alexi walks around the car and opens the passenger side door. She reaches in and pulls out a book a large, beat up book. "I believe she wanted to acquire this."

"What is that?" I scrunch my brow and try to read the cover.

"The Book of the Dragons. Come inside." She waves us all to follow her.

We all follow her into the house and I lead them back to my office. Once in, I shut the door and she heads to the conference table.

She sets the book down on the table and opens it. "My father wrote this book. It was a copy from a book he found in a library decades ago. He lost the original book and made this one as a replacement. Of course, he also added his own parts from many years of research into shifters. My father used to tell me stories. Stories of a great prophecy that would rise a kingdom out of the ashes to rule over all and liberate the world from the great oppressors. Being a child at the time, I didn’t understand what he meant, until now." She flips the pages. “This book was my father’s manifesto to his plans for the Dragon pack.”

Luke rolls his eyes, flops in a seat and leans on the table. "Here we go."

Alexi narrows her eyes and crosses her arms.

"What?" He throws his hands to out to the side.

She shakes her head with annoyance. "Anyway. This book says when the red and blue moon combine, the king will rise and he will cause immense bloodshed across the wolf world. His rule will be the one and only because he will not only control wolves, but man himself."

"A Turner." I mutter.

"Yes." She flips the page. "I didn’t know my father was one until you came to me, Alpha Cole. But your problem with Samantha makes everything my father told me makes sense, except for one thing.”

She turns the page and there’s an illustration of a man in front of an army with a child standing next to him.

She points to the child. “This Turner will dominate and rule the wolves with a fierce hand, but he's not immortal. He must have an heir. The legend says this heir will be created by the Turner and will be stronger than any wolf ever seen."

"Sammy." I say quietly.

"I'm afraid so, Alpha. According to legend she will meet the prince of the creator. They will mark under the blue moon which he was born under. In that moment, the Dragons will rise to be an unstoppable force."

"Wait. Prince? What prince?" Luke turns to his mate.

"That's what I don't know. My father had a lot of men under his command that could take the reign of Alpha, but this legend reads as if it's a biological child of the creator." Alexi closes the book.

"But it's just you right?" Luke asks.

"Yes." Alexi confirms.

I lean my hip on the table and cross my arms. "Well, it's just a legend, right? Maybe the situation doesn't have to be exact. Maybe all the Dragons need is Sam."

Nigel turns to me. "Like an Alpha female."

Alexi nodded. "My father wanted me to take the helm of the pack. It's not unreasonable for the pack to accept Sam as their Alpha. Especially now that her wolf is showing its true strength."

"Ok. So, what do we know?" River asks.

Jayson leans on the table. "Clearly we need heavy artillery. From the sounds of it, a silver bullet will only slow her down."

Dylan shakes his head. "She not allergic to silver or wolfsbane and mistletoe only gives her a stomach ache for a couple of hours."

"Fuck. There's goes like 90 percent of our weapons." Luke groans, thumping his arm on the table.

Jayson looks at Dylan. "OK. What are her weaknesses?"

"Me." I pipe up.

All heads turn to me and I sink into a chair. I have to face her to end this.

River arches a brow. "How do you mean?"

"Number one. She won't kill me. She could've when she was at the car, but she didn't. Number two. If I can get my hand on her, I can force the animal back in its cage. One touch and I can shut her down. I just need to get close enough." I heave a breath.

Anton turns to the table. "So, all we have to do is fight a crazed wolf the size of a mountain range, get it to shift and slow it down enough for you to touch it without getting us killed in the process?"

I nod. "That's about it.

"I like it." Anton grins.

River pulls out the laptop. "Ok, so she was last seen in Deruse. It's like she's playing 'This your life'. Alexi. What would be next?"

"If she's going through my father's life, the only thing I would know would Helena or Timber." Alexi squeezes Luke's hand on the table.

"None of those would pertain to this, would they?" I turn to Alexi.

"Not really. I don't think a wolf of her nature would be interested in my father's conquests." Alexi leans on the table.

Nigel sits up. "What about old lovers?”

I snap my fingers. “That rumor you heard about the house.”

Alexi nods. “Yes. The human. But like I said, she died a long time ago in a little town called Bellington. It's a human town outside of Eagle. Not far from Eden.”

"What was her name?" I ask.

"From what I heard. Her name was Dinah. Dinah Everett. " Alexi supplies.

"Ok. We go to Bellington and knock on doors. We need to find out everything we can about this Dinah Everett. Where are we on the doctor?" I instruct as I turn to Nigel.

"He's gone. His office is cleared out. He's disappeared." Nigel says.

"The bastard activated Sam and took off." I growl. "We'll have to look for him later. Right now, we need to get to that town."

****

SAMMY

The wolf is determined to hold me forever. I have noticed a pattern though. She sleeps during the day and walks at night. I can feel the calm sensation of sleep. In here, I don’t need to sleep or eat. I can use this to my advantage, I think.

After traveling for what felt like week, the wall opens up and the images appear in her vision. We're in a clearing in the middle of the forest. She walks around it, sniffing everything.

‘This is where the prince was born.’

"What prince?" I ask again as I flop my hands out to my sides.

‘The one who is yours, child. The one you were created for. With his strength and wisdom, you will both ascend to the throne.’

She enters the trees and follows a forest path.

"Will you stop! I'm not royalty!" I shout.

‘No. You're a God. Sent to command us all.’

Her voice booms and I have to cover my ears. I raise my head to the wall and her vision shows her entering a backyard to a small house. Beyond it is more small houses. She’s in another town. One that looks very lived in.

"Do you want to get caught?!” I growl with surprise on my lips.

‘The town is quiet now. Just as we’ll be.’

She steps into the yard and looks up at the tiny home.

"Why are we here?" I ask.

‘The woman who bore the prince lives here. She was bitten by the creator. The same as you except she has no wolf. Her given powers went to the son she carried.’

"She's human?" I slide closer to the vision.

‘Yes. However, the child she held in her womb is not. He's something more.’

"Who was his father?"

‘The creator. He made you both in his image. Now, you are destined to combine and be marked forever.’

"I'm not getting marked to this damn prince! I don’t even know what that means!!” I rush the wall and challenge.

‘You'll find out soon enough. Once we reach Aurora.’

"What the hell is Aurora?!" I bark.

‘Your true place in the Empire.’

“I DON'T WANT AN EMPIRE! I WANT TO GO HOME!!” I holler.

And… I'm in the dark again.

“AARRGGHHHH!” I stomp as I turn away and pace.

I sit on the floor and think of Bastian. I think of what he must be doing right now? Is he looking for me? Can he save me? I swallow and look to the wall. Will he have to kill me to do that?

I mean, I would. I really wish Lex had just shot me in the head and been done with this because from what I've seen, I'm not liking this plan my wolf has.

I wish I could fit the pieces together, but there's so many holes. I don't understand anything. I'm some sort of queen that has some sort of attachment to a wolf pack that I know nothing about. The only thing know about Draco Torrent is what Bastian told me.

But by the sounds of it, something bad happened to Draco's pack and for some reason, my wolf is pissed about it.

Now, it wants to take over control. But for what purpose? What makes her or any of these people think I can control a wolf pack. I'm just some girl from a small neighborhood. I'm not special. All I did was get bit by a damn dog.

I rub my temples because my head hurts from trying to decipher all this.

And this prince? He's got another thing coming if he thinks he's marking me. Whatever that means.

I have to find a way to sneak back control. There must be a moment when the wolf's guard is down.

I need to pay attention.

****

She entered the woods and walked for hours. She found a spot to lay down and soon, I felt that sleep feeling.

I lay on my back in the darkness with one foot on my pulled knee. I play with my fingers and try to think of a way to bust my ass out until I hear a click. It was just a small one, but I heard it. My head whips to the brown, wood door.

Without taking my eyes off it, I rise to a sit. I study it in the dark. Did it just unlock?

I turn to my feet and stand. Slowly, I pad to the door. I look it over, then my eyes land on the handle. “Could she…” My shaking hand lands on the handle and turns it. When I feel the door give, I have to slam my hand on my mouth to keep from crying out.

She let her guard down and left the door unguarded. Tears stream down my face as I pull the door open. My face fills with brilliant white light that I have to shield my eyes from as I walk through it.

The light of reality. My entire body shivers as I muffle my crying and let the light consume me.

I don’t know where she is, but I don’t care. My body disappears and I’m transported through my mind to where I should be.

With myself in the front of my mind, I call the shift. I concentrate and call the wind. I feel my wolf recede and my body return. With the connection between us established like Bastian said, I feel her in me. She’s still sleeping, but I don’t know what’s going to happen when she wakes up.

As I try to control my hysterical relief, I asses where I am. Again, waking up in the woods. Why couldn’t my animal be a poodle or something and wake up in a house?

I shake my head and scan the trees and the open area she was in. I need to get to a phone. I pick a direction and walk my naked body through the forest. I’m hungry, filthy and exhausted. I’m crying and I'm feeling the dread of not making it out of this alive.

I want Bastian. I want to hear his heartbeat as I lay in his chest. I want to feel the warmth of his arms around me and hear him tell me he loves me.

My bare feet walk along dries grasses, forest debris and rocks as calm, slow-moving river comes into view. Dying of thirst, I rush the back, drop to my knees in the mud and drink until I almost get sick.

I huff breaths as I lean my hands in the mud. My eyes land on the surface of the water and I see myself. I see how broken I am and don’t even recognize myself. My eyes well and I swallow as I sit up and look upstream.

If civilization is going to be anywhere, it'll be around water. I need to stick to the bank.

I start walking, hoping beyond hope that I'm right. I also hope that I will be able to find someone who can help me before she wakes up.

For two days and nights, I continued to walk. I’m covered in mud and starving. I managed to catch a little fish in the river for food yesterday, but it's not enough. I'm getting weaker by the day.

I need rest.

I don’t want to, but my body has had enough. I can’t… She'll get out… she'll…

I fall to my knees in the mud and grass. My front falls and I land on my stomach. My eyelids start to get heavy and close.

“Please…”

Someone… help me.