The Alpha King Call Boy
Chapter 244

Alexander

I rode shotgun in Grayson's SUV again, with Kayden and Cal in the backseat so the three of us could talk on the drive. Our vehicle headed the Cold Moon Pack's ragtag fleet of miscellaneous vehicles that was once again couriering me and my guys to our next destination. This time, we were headed in a new direction. Cutting a straight line through right through the unpaved heart of the red desert, making a bee line for the sandstone canyon.

We had piled into the vehicles a few minutes before sunrise and waited for it to break before turning the engines and leaving the safety of Grayson's property. The sun came up with a fury on this side of the world, apparently. As soon as it forced its way up over the horizon, it blasted the barren world of the desert with urgent yellow heat.

It might have been nearly winter back home, but not here. Here it was only the desert. Only impossibly bright, unfiltered sunlight that beat down upon red sand that seemed to stretch on into infinity, intermittent hills that matched that endless terrain exactly, strangely shaped trees that looked like they belonged in children's story books and occasional heat mirages that wobbled shapelessly in mid-air.

The pack had dressed for the mission in light layers. Lightweight cargo pants, cotton t-shirts, and protective vests made of extra thin, super strong Kevlar. We had wooden stakes of various sizes and weights tucked into our boots and the pockets of our vests and pants.

We were not planning to shift during this mission. This type of operation required hands and weapons, dexterity and control. We had to stay in our human shapes.

Our wolves would be fueling us, though, with their strength and energy.

And they'd be satisfied when we finally got our kills.

The best thing to do in these hours before the assault was to focus on the mission. That was easy enough when the guys and I still had checklists to talk through and strategy to rehash. But after about an hour of driving we ran out of necessary conversation, and it fell quiet in the cabin of the SUV.

I tried to will away the thoughts of Fi and Lexi, but they began pushing their way into my mind every time I closed my eyes. Those piercing blue eyes... I could almost see them.

I missed Fiona's voice. I almost gave in and called her this morning before we left Grayson's. But it was no good to be distracted chatting with family at a time like this.

I did have her scarf on me. In one of my pants pockets.

And I'd brought that note she wrote me, too. I hadn't read it yet. I wasn't sure why I didn't want to read it last night or this morning, like I'd planned to. But I brought it with me on the mission, for some reason. It was in my pocket with the scarf. "Promise me.." A ghost of Fiona's voice rang out in my memory.

That night when I first spoke of this coming mission, and she'd cried.

"Promise me you will return to us," she'd said.

I had promised.

Out of nowhere, as I stared out at the open desert we were tearing in two with our tire tracks, the pressure of that promise started to frighten me.

For the millionth time my mind stewed on how different things were this time around. How much I had to lose. How much I'd left behind. How important it was that we succeeded today. How important it was that I made it home from this. You promised her you would return, came a hollow version of my own voice inside my mind.

You can't break another promise to Fiona.

You can't have your last act in life be breaking another promise to her.

You can't leave Alexis to grow up without a father.

You can't...

A firm, heavy hand landed on my shoulder and gave it a single, sharp squeeze. And then was gone.

I turned and looked back at my Beta, who was seated behind me.

Kayden met my eyes and gave a small nod of his head. His face was still, his features expressionless

He mindlinked me when we made eye contact.

You good, Boss?

I replied in the affirmative as I turned back around to face forward again. I took a few deep, deliberate inhales and exhales. I didn't realize I had been holding my breath.

I could not afford to indulge in distraction right now, I reminded myself. I had to steel my nerves and narrow my focus. Right now, only one thing mattered. Only one thing was allowed to occupy my attention.

Hunting and killing vampires.

Finding the vampires and staking every last one until I was drenched and retching, baptized anew in black blood that reeked of death and victory.

"Strike Team in position," I commanded in a half-whisper.

I didn't need to shout. My men had good hearing, and it was also quiet as f**k out here. The only audible sounds we weren't creating with our own movements were the distant whistles of wind currents slipping through the canyon and the occasional buzzing of a lonelyfly. Plus the team was eagerly waiting for that cue. They heard it and clicked right into position.

I peered down into the canyon.

It was shockingly beautiful. Too bad I didn't have time to find any enjoyment in the sight.

And it was tremendously deep.

Over five thousand feet deep, I had learned during our research.

That's how far down we were rappelling and climbing today. All the way down to the caves at the very bottom of the canyon, where we believed the vampires had made their safehold. It was going to take us all day.

I pulled hard on my personal tether to test its hold one last time. It was secure.

Then I turned my back to the canyon and took my own position on its edge.

I lifted my gloved right hand up into the air and closed my fist.

The men on my left and right, all geared up just like I was in harnesses, tethers and systems of climbing ropes, watched till I gave the signal. Two fingers, then one, and then down we went.

The fifteen of us - the Strike Team, the first group going down - made our first jump down into the red rock canyon in unison.

Gravity made a savage pull on our bodies, dragging us down fast through the hot, dry air.

I've never felt anything like it. Falling so far, so fast. It was exhilarating. Under different circumstances, I might even call that feeling fun. But of course, nothing about what we were doing right now was fun.

And after only a few quick jumps like that, we had to slow our pace dramatically. The irregular topography of the canyon required us to climb more carefully the whole rest of the way down. And though we could not do this in complete silence, we wanted to be as quiet about it as we could. That meant careful, strategic steps. A long, slow, tedious trek.

The red rocks were smooth and chalky in some places but sharp as knives in others. I learned to be more careful with my hands after slicing the palm of one of my climbing gloves open on a particularly jagged stone's edge I'd tried to use for a handhold.

It was better than cutting my actual hand, but still it was a loss. The slashed fabrie flapped open, making me unable to see in front of my hand clearly, so it was no longer safe to keep wearing any part of it. I had to take it off and tuck it into my vest, and keep climbing with my right hand bare to the elements the rest of the way.