It was in a corner store where the two met for the first time. David grabbed a six pack of Molson Ice, Kahn picked up a six pack of Heineken and the two men walked toward the cashier.
“Big game tonight,” Kahn said, once behind David in the line.
“Just a long day,” David replied.
“Tell me about it.” Kahn said, “Couldn’t have been worse than mine. Talk about bad days, I got an estranged wife and a secret admirer with a mean chloroform game.”
David shook his head in the negative, as if he did not want to be bothered. “You should be thankful you’re still with us.”
“Yeah… might as well drink away right. Hey, I traveled all this way just to get away. Any pubs around here…?”
“There’s one about a block from here.”
“You care to join me for a few shots? You look like you could use a real drink.”
It took David a few seconds to respond. He looked back to Kahn as if to figure him out. He couldn’t get a whiff of his animal side now that Kahn was human, and figured it to be safe, even though he didn’t know him, never seen him a day in his life. “Drinks on you?”
“Sure thing,” Kahn said with a grin, introducing himself.
So they left the beers on the counter and headed off to the pub.
Book 3: The Alpha’s a Bitch: Rise Of The Pack Princess Chapter 9
About a half hour later the two were at the bar, beginning to get nice and tipsy, when David started spilling the beans. He told Kahn that his sister, without saying her name, had gone crazy. “I just don’t know what to do about her, ya know.”
“Some women can get a bit ferocious at times. But it can’t be that bad.”
“Ah… but you don’t know Ryder. Instead of a sister, she acts like mommy.”
Kahn lets out a light chuckle upon hearing her name. Now he knew for sure he had the right guy. “Please elaborate.”
“She just… you know… tries to run things around the property. It’s like she wants total control over it all. She has to be the one in the spotlight.” David paused. “I don’t even know why I’m telling you all this.”
“Hey, it’s cool man. We don’t know each other.” Kahn said, trying to ease any tension. “At least you’re not looking over your shoulder for someone to knock you out and kidnap ya.”
“Yeah… woman problems, right. Well, you better be lucky it isn’t Ryder, right?” David asked, laughing at his own joke. “Whooh… she’s a fighter. She’d catch you head on and fight ya… just like a man. When we were kids…” he said, giggling at the memory, “when we were kids… she sent one of her boyfriend’s running back to mommy with his tail between his legs.”
“She sounds pretty frightening.”
“Oh, nah… that’s nothing, man,” David said. “She once beat two of my buddies to a pulp, had ‘em following her around taking care of her light work. I mean really doing chores like a couple a molly maids.”
Kahn laughed at the stories.
“No… seriously. So… serious… I mean it man… I actually believe she’s after my father’s inheritance. Seriously… and she’ll do anything to get it.”
“So, your father’s wealthy?” Kahn asked innocently.
“I guess you can say that. He’s leaving… everything to me anyhow… what he does have. It’s like… sometimes, I just feel… I don’t know, like she’s trying to take me out of the picture too.”
“It sounds like you might just have a serious issue on your hands, friend,” Kahn responded.
David grinned then sniffed at the air. Not a split second later he rose from the bar stool. “Hey… I gotta go, man. Be safe out there,” he said, as he stumbled toward the front door. “And thanks… for the drinks, I mean.”
If only Kahn could sense what David sniffed. He knew someone from his clan must be near, and waited for David to leave the pub before he stepped back out into the night, where the street’s night life was losing popularity.
“Kahn! We have to go!” Erik yelled.
“What’s happened?” Kahn asked as he rushed over to Erik.
“An Alpha has been assassinated! The council must be notified at once.”
“Where are your brothers…?” Kahn asked.
“Ashton sent me to get you.” Erik responded. “They’re still at the main site. Did you learn anything useful?”
“Only that Ryder doesn’t like being number two.”
“Exactly as we’ve come to understand…” Erik went on. “We have solid evidence to bring her and her followers down. It’s a shame really, but we have to do it. Come on, let’s get out of here.”
Book 3: The Alpha’s a Bitch: Rise Of The Pack Princess Chapter 10
At that very moment, a voice, a very familiar voice echoed through the night. The two men looked toward the culprit of the voice and saw black flats, a purple and black trimmed body suit, and forearms protected by steel bracelets. It was Ryder. And she looked hot! And hot under the collar too! She did not sound pleased with either Erik or Kahn, when she repeated their names.
“Erik… Kahn, is that you?” she asked, with a tremor of low anger in her voice.
“Ryder?” Erik said, “You need to come with us, now.”
Ryder tilted her head as if bewildered by Erik’s command. “Where’s David?”
“Ryder,” Kahn asked, “What happened to you?”
With a gust of wind, Erik was at Ryder’s side. She slung her elbow, catching him in the jaw. His head flew back; she delivered an uppercut to his mid-section, grabbed him by the hair and rammed her knee into his forehead before running off into the night. Kahn rushed to Erik’s aid while he was down on the pavement, only to be told to follow Ryder.
Ryder ended up in an abandoned warehouse about a mile away before Kahn caught up with her. She stopped beneath what seemed to be an old baseball field, the bright bulb lights shining imposingly, directly on her. Kahn slowed down, calling out to her, only to receive a grimacing stare in return. He decided to casually walk toward her, and within an instant, ten others – followers from Ryder’s new pack – began enclosing on his position from the darkness surrounding the field.
“You chose a bad day to seek me out lover,” Ryder said to Kahn. “Reah put you up to this?”
“You still have a chance to make this right, Ryder.” Kahn said, not paying attention to the circle forming around them both. “Just come back with me before this thing gets blown out of proportion.”
“There’s no turning back now. Not for me… or for you either Kahn. Reah is much more conniving than she appears. You’re going to die whether you do as she says or not. Join me now and you will live the rest of your days by my side.”
This was so tempting to Kahn, but not as much as Ryder would like to have thought. He was an honorable man. There was no love strong enough that would lead him astray from his word. He rejected her offer and took a menacing step toward her.
The sounds of steel clinking together behind him compelled Kahn to shift his sights to the left, as it did the same with Ryder. They watched as her men systematically dropped like dominoes in the black. One, two, three, four men lay still in the field. And after a brief silence, the dark robed figure entered the light. Kahn stood statue still as Ryder took a step toward the dark robe and gave an order for the figure to identify itself.
“This stops here, Ryder!” Ashton called out from somewhere behind Kahn.
“Ashton!” Ryder exclaimed. “You’re a part of this too? I should have known. Wherever Erik is, you’re never that far behind,” she snickered. “Let me guess… hmm-mm…. that nitwit brother of yours… what’s his name? Dunne? Is he with you as well? What a shame, family coming to imprison family. You know David’s the one you want, right?”
“No, cousin, it’s you.” Ashton said flatly.
“Well then… come and get me.” Ryder said.
Ryder’s men immediately attack Ashton and Duncan. The brothers retaliated with aggravated punches and serial kicks. Kahn reached in his
lower back, retrieving his firearm and aimed right at Ryder. He did not want to shoot her, only scare her a bit. But just as soon as he drew his weapon he was tackled by one of her men, who transformed after toppling him. Two muffled shots rang out and the beast lay still, reforming back to its human state.
The dark robe unveiled the daggers in both hands, walking toward Ryder. Without a word, Ryder charged the cloaked assassin. It was impressive, how Ryder fended off the dark robe’s melee attacks with forearms, using kicks and punches in her defense.
The dark robe was extremely notable as well, ducking and dodging, swinging fists and spinning kicks. It was only after the two were tied up in their scuffle, that the dark robed ones identity was revealed. And by no surprise, Ryder pulled the hood back to see the face of Reah. The females separated and immediately began to have it out in words.
A shrieking whistle sound erupted just then, a piercing sound, for animals perhaps. It did not last long. Maybe three to five seconds at most. Just as it confused the aggressors, Duncan and Ashton managed to subdue three of Ryder’s followers. Ashton witnessed Kahn as he was coming from underneath his kill, a follower snatching the gun and training it on Reah. Ashton zipped over to the follower, snatched the gun out of his hand and pointed it at him. But it was too late. Reah was hit and collapsed.
Ashton, in rage, fired once into the follower’s skull; the follower hit the ground. By the time he looked for the remaining followers, no one was left but Kahn, Erik, and Reah.
Book 3: The Alpha’s a Bitch: Rise Of The Pack Princess Chapter 11
“Reah,” Kahn asked. “Reah, are you alright? Can you hear me?”
She did not speak, only nodding weakly. She was hit in the shoulder, and was losing a lot of blood.
“We need to get her back home. Now!” Ashton said. “It’s the only way.”
Erik stood up. “Ashton,” he said. “We have a problem.”
“What is it?” Aston replied.
“Ryder has fled the camp, leaving anarchy in her escape,” Erik said. “We were late the moment we arrived. What’s about to take place is now unstoppable.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” Ashton said, helping Reah to her feet. “She doesn’t have any place to go that we can’t find her.”
“She’s trying to blame David for everything so that she can take the Alpha position.” Kahn said.
“We have to find David before she does.” Ashton said. “If she just assassinated her own father… then what’s going to stop her from doing the same to her brother? How could you let him out of your sight?”
Kahn said, “I was right behind him until… he must have picked up on her scent and just broke out of the bar.”
“He could be anywhere by now,” Erik suggested.
“Anywhere… but he can’t be too far with his entire clan out looking for him,” Duncan says. “They catch him now, he’s a dead man.”
“Right! Then maybe you three should get on it. I’ll get Reah out of here and to someplace safe for now. I’ll see you all back at The Garden,” Ashton replied.
Erik and Duncan stalked the streets at their lightning speed while Kahn retraced his steps. They knew it to be nearly impossible, catching up with someone who does not want to be found. If only David knew of the crimes being tatted on his head that he was completely unaware of.
Kahn reached the opposite end of the alley, where he spotted David running in earlier. He entered the alley to find the hobo was still there. He had his threadbare trench coat back, and he was snuggled up within it, no longer shivering in the cold night air. Upon reaching the hobo, Kahn realized that it was not the hobo, but instead it was David.
Excitedly, he called out to him, “David!”
David leapt to his feet, growling like the beastly animal within him and rushed out into the night before Kahn could acknowledge and take off behind him. A car horn sounded again and the impact that followed was a crash. Wow. Two in one night? Kahn jumped toward the sound, hustled out of the alley to see David stretched out on the pavement in front of a small SUV, a crowd forming all around him.
Someone from the crowd pointed in Kahn’s direction, no, directly at him, and he backed into the alley, not wanting to be recognized. It was in these moments that he realized Councilwoman Reah had been watching him all along. She saved him back in Canaan Valley and now again in Georgia. She was now injured by a silver bullet and just might not return to her animalistic side. But she was alright. She was alive.
Ryder however was unharmed and on the prowl for her brother. Kahn now knew she had no clue as to his whereabouts. If she did, then it would be her behind the wheel of that car in the street. The shocking reveal that stuck out in his mind was that Ashton was a councilman, and Ryder’s cousin too. Wow, didn’t see that coming!
Now, the only thing on Kahn’s mind was bringing the right parties to justice.
Book 3: The Alpha’s a Bitch: Rise Of The Pack Princess Chapter 12
During all the confusion of the events only moments ago, Ryder managed to escape. She was happy to see the developments of the evening happening as they were and took full advantage of the situation to make a getaway as quietly as possible. She fully expected Ashton and his brothers to respond as they did but figuring out that Councilwoman Reah was the robed figure was not something she had expected all.
And it turns out that Councilwoman Reah was a much more intense competitor than she had ever given her credit for too. She had no idea that she had the abilities to fight like she did and possessed all the skills of a fine ninja which she demonstrated here tonight. Despite all that, Ryder went on about her business – which in this case was to get in touch with Simon asap.
At this point she had no idea exactly what Simon knew, but she knew she had to find him fast so that she could use his clan to help her complete her current objective, which was to seize control of her father’s clan and to take control of the Alpha position. Only one thing stood in her way of taking control of everything, and that was her brother David. But she would deal with him later.
It took only seconds for her to reach her black Tahoe parked about four blocks away. As she jumped inside she immediately dialed Simon’s number hoping he would answer right away without having to leave a message. Luck was with her because he did answer on the second ring as she cranked her truck.
“You wouldn’t believe what just happened… I’m so glad you answered,” Ryder said breathlessly, as she wheeled out of the parking space already racing toward her cohorts lair.
“What’s up, beautiful?” Simon asked, nonchalantly.
“Do you have David?” Ryder asked, hoping he’d say yes.
“Nah, but we have someone else though, just as good… One of my boys is with him right now,” Simon said, chuckling under his voice.
“What are you talking about,” asked Ryder, confused at his response.
“We have an old friend of yours – for some time now…” Simon remarked, “in fact, someone you would love to see I’d bet… We have Kahn.”
“What you need to do is get your facts straight because I saw Kahn just a few minutes ago.”
“No way… There’s no way that could be true ’cause I got my best men with him right now.”
Ryder said, “Well, all I can tell you is that Kahn and my cousins almost captured me a couple minutes ago. I don’t know why they wanted to capture me but they were hell bent on it. The only thing that saved me was that Councilwoman Reah showed up and then all hell broke loose and I escaped in the confusion.”
“The Councilwoman?” Simon said, “What in the world was she doing there?”
“I don’t know… but something’s going on and it’s kinda fishy,” Ryder remarked. “I’m on my way to see you now so we can try to figure out what’s going on together… because if they’re doing this to me, who says you won’t be their next target. If I don’t make it there in 20 minutes come looking for me,” Ryder said, hanging up the cell. As she stepped on the gas, the Tahoe immediately responded
to her foot’s request and lurched forward at top speed.
Ryder smiled to herself as she rushed off toward Simon’s lair. She knew it would only be a matter of time before everything belonged to her. With David out of the way and her father gone there would be no one to refuse her right to the title of Alpha.
Wrapping Simon around her finger would be no problem at all and once she did that she knew his clan would help her complete her plan too. All she had to do would be to play up the fact that Kahn and her cousins were out to get her even though she had done nothing to them. This would infuriate Simon’s hot temper, wake up his chauvinistic tendencies, and at the same time, gain her his help and that of all his resources. What could be better?
Book 3: The Alpha’s a Bitch: Rise Of The Pack Princess Chapter 13
While Ryder was driving to Simon’s place, Kahn was still watching over David from the safety of his alley way post. David still remained in the middle of the street surrounded by several well-meaning do-gooders, who wanted nothing more than to make sure he was okay after being hit by the second car of the night.
“Don’t move him,” said one man pushing many of the other bystanders away. “He might have internal injuries or something so wait until the ambulance gets here,” he said pushing a few back.
“Check his breathing,” said one of the ladies, holding a child of her own who couldn’t have been more than one year old.
The first man, pushing all the others away, bent over David’s body and said, “Get back. Give me some room now! I need some room! And shut up… I can’t hear anything.”
The crowd finally quieted down to a low roar and the loud man bent over David and put his ear to David’s mouth listening for the sounds of breathing. He put his hand on David’s chest as if to feel for a heartbeat at the same time. “He’s breathing, thank God, he’s breathing. Has anyone called 911?”
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