by L. P. Dover
It takes ten full minutes of hardcore fighting for Killian to deliver the final blow. Out of all the fighters who were paired against Killian, Penn was the strongest. Next up is Anson, and I already know he’s going to win by the gleam in his eyes as he stalks the other wolf around the ring. I can’t believe I never saw the darkness in him before.
“Do you think he would’ve betrayed you if he knew we were mates?” I ask Tate.
I can feel Tate in my mind, but it takes him a while to respond. “I wish I knew. It’s almost like he’s a different person right now. I’m starting to think he would’ve ratted us out so that I couldn’t have you.”
Anson defeats his opponent and shifts back into his human form, lifting his head triumphantly. I look away because I can’t stand the thought of acknowledging his win. Soon, I’ll have to spend an hour with him alone. It’ll be the perfect chance to tell him how I feel about him.
Roman calls Orin up to the ring and his opponent. Out of all the men besides Tate, I have a soft spot for Orin. I already know the final fight will be between Tate and Killian, which means someone will end up killing Orin. I don’t want to watch it happen.
Tia flinches every time Orin gets hit but then smiles when he wins. Deep down, I’m happy he’s the victor too. “You care too much,” Tate murmurs. “I know what you’re thinking with Orin. Don’t get discouraged if he doesn’t listen.”
“I’m going to make him hear me out.” I have a plan.
Orin steps out of the ring and stands between Killian and Anson. Roman comes over to me and flourishes a hand toward them. “Here are your three winners. You get an hour with each of them. Who do you want to be first?”
“Orin,” I say. “Then Anson, and then Killian.” Orin looks at me, and I nod toward the exit. “I’m going to my room to change, so meet me up at the house when you’re ready.”
He nods and smiles but doesn’t say anything. Killian seems all too happy to be chosen last by the sly grin on his face, but I try not to think about what he has on his mind. Colin and Micah flank me, and we follow Tia out of the underground pit. I’m ready to get to my room to find out what she needed to say.
We get to the house, and there are no wolves inside, only three around the perimeter. As soon as we’re upstairs and in my room, she shuts the door. Colin and Micah both look at me, confused. “What’s going on?” Colin asks.
Tia comes up to me and grabs my hands, pulling me close to her. “Tell me, Faith. Are you and Tate true mates?”
I keep my eyes on her because if she sees me look at Colin and Micah, she’ll know I’m lying. I want to tell her, yes, but I can’t. “No, we’re not,” I say, lying straight to her face.
Her face falls, and she closes her eyes. “That’s not what I wanted to hear.” She lets me go and turns for the door.
“What does it matter?” I ask.
She stops at the door but doesn’t turn to look at me. “I had an idea, but it doesn’t matter. I’ll figure something else out.”
“Tell me,” I demand.
On the floor below us, one of Killian’s shifters walks into the house. Tia opens the door and walks out, leaving me to wonder what the hell she was talking about.
“I want to know what she was going to tell me,” I say, keeping my voice low. What if it was something that could help us?
“Do you really want to tell her the truth?” Micah asks. I don’t know what I want to do.
Micah and Colin left so I could change clothes and get ready to meet Orin. It doesn’t take him long to come to the house, and when he does, I meet him downstairs in the foyer. His light, ashy brown hair is still a little damp from his shower, and he has on a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt. He greets me with a smile, and it’s hard not to return one to him.
“What do you want to do, little wolf?” he asks.
Everything Tia told me about him and his lost love makes my heart break. “I want to go for a walk around the gardens.”
He holds out his arm. “Let’s go then.”
I take his arm, and I can feel Tate in my mind, but he doesn’t say anything, even though I can feel his displeasure with Orin touching me. Orin and I walk around the side of the house to the gardens. Even though I despise Killian, I can’t hate his gardens; it’s a paradise for me.
“I already know a lot about you,” Orin begins, “but I’m sure there’s a lot I don’t. Tell me something you don’t think I’d know.”
Letting his arm go, I bend down and run a finger over the bright pink flowers. “Micah and I have a landscaping business. Did you know that?”
Orin chuckles. “No, I didn’t. I do, however, know you paint. I saw some of your work in the Jackson Hole gallery.”
Pursing my lips, I look up at him. “Oh, you mean, when you were busy stalking me?”
He holds up his hands. “Not one of my finest moments.”
Standing, I reach for his arm again. “Have you always lived in this part of Canada?” I ask, knowing he hasn’t.
His smile falters. “No. I was born in Ontario. I’ve only been with the Blue River pack for two years.”
It kills me to drag this out. “Okay,” I say, standing in front of him. His eyes widen, and I hold up a hand. “I don’t want to lie to you. Just listen to what I have to say.”
He cocks his head to the side. “What are you doing?”
I take a deep breath and blow it out. “Drop out of the tournament.”
“Why?” He’s taken aback by my statement.
My heart pounds in my chest. “Because you don’t belong here. I’ve seen the men who are fighting for me, and none of them are like you.” Taking his hands, I squeeze them hard. “You’re a good person, Orin. You may be a smartass at times, but I like you. Deep down, you know I’m not your mate.”
He shakes his head. “You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do.” I move closer to him and stare right into his eyes. “You know it too. I know you lost someone you loved.”
His eyes flash, and he looks away, but I hold tight on his hands. “Who told you that?”
“Tia did. She’s worried about you and so am I.” Closing my eyes, I concentrate on our surroundings to make sure no one’s close by to hear us. When I open them, Orin’s still looking away. I take his chin and turn him back to me. “You know the outcome of this tournament, Orin. If sacrificing yourself to get rid of the heartbreak is what you really want to do, do it. Honestly, I don’t think that’s what Rachel would want.”
His eyes flash, and he closes them. “I haven’t heard her name in a long time.”
Letting his chin go, I hold his hands again. “Look at me.” When he opens his eyes, I can see the pain. “I don’t know what’s going to happen when this tournament ends, but I can promise you that I will do everything I can to help you find your mate. She’s out there, waiting for you. You will be able to love again. Your mate will make you whole.”
He shakes his head. “What if I’m not worthy? I’ve done too many bad things in the past two years. Look what I’ve done to you. You’re stuck here against your will.”
I squeeze his hands. “I forgive you for that. If you start doing things the right way, you’ll find your redemption. I have faith in that.”
He chuckles. “Faith has faith.”
“I do,” I say with a smile. “And right now, I have all the faith in the world that you’ll make the right decision.”
With a heavy sigh, he looks at me with regret. “Okay. I’ll back out. You’re going to need a friend here once all of this is over.”
I don’t want to think about that just yet. Swallowing hard, I hug him. “Thank you. I promise you won’t regret it.” I let him go and nod toward the gardens. “Come on. We still have some time left.”
Orin smiles. “At least our time together is nice. I pity Anson. Do you think you can be alone with him without killing him?”
That’s a good question. “I don’t know,” I answer honestly. “But I’m about to find out.”
&n
bsp; Once mine and Orin’s time came to a close, he left to find Anson. I chose Killian’s library as our alone destination for a reason. One, I love books, and they always make me happy. Killian’s library is two stories tall and filled with literature from top to bottom. Being in here reminds me of Belle in Beauty and the Beast, only I’m not going to fall in love with the beast. And two, I’d have something to throw at Anson if he says something to piss me off.
“Throw the books hard,” Tate says.
“Oh, I will.”
Anson draws closer, and I toss the last book I need on the desk. When he walks in, he looks around, confused. “Why the library?” he asks, clearly disappointed.
Glaring at him, I beckon him closer with a wave of my hand. “I thought you might like to read these.” He moves closer, and I fling the first book at him, and it hits him in the chest. “That one’s called Betrayed.” I throw another one at him. “Stabbed in the Back.” The next book I have aimed straight for his head, but he ducks. “That one was titled The Knives Come Out. Do you get the message here?”
Anson stalks toward me. “I get it loud and clear. It doesn’t change anything.”
I throw my hands in the air. “Why are you even still in the competition? I would never agree to be your mate after what you did to Tate.”
He shrugs. “It’s not up to you, now is it? You don’t have a choice.” His eyes flash, and he comes closer, making the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. I back up until I’m flush against the bookshelves with nowhere to go.
“Motherfucker,” Tate growls. “Is anyone around to help you?”
“I don’t need help. I got this.”
Anson blocks me in and glances up and down my body. “I’ve been thinking about what it’d be like to mate with you, to feel those legs of yours wrapped around my waist as I fuck you senseless.”
Tate’s rage explodes through my mind. Clenching my teeth, I can feel my nails and fangs lengthen. “I’ll kill you before you can even touch me.”
He lifts a hand, and I grab his neck, sinking my claws into his skin. His eyes widen, and he gasps in shock. All I’d have to do is dig my nails in more and tear his head off. The library door bursts open, and Colin and Micah rush in, followed by Killian. They all stare at me in disbelief. I want Killian and Anson to know I have the power to kill them.
Anson gurgles blood, and I lean in close to whisper in his ear. “I do have a choice, you pathetic jackass. I could’ve killed you just now, but I didn’t. Let that sink in.”
I push him away, and he grabs his neck, the blood slowing as he heals. Killian glares at him and points to the door. “Get out.”
Anson hurries out the door, and Colin starts after him. “Colin, don’t,” I shout.
He clenches his fists and turns his anger to Killian. “See what you’ve done? This never would’ve happened if it wasn’t for you.”
Micah rushes over to me. “Are you okay?”
I nod, but Tate’s anger is suffocating me. “I’m fine.”
Killian glances down at my blood-stained hands. “You should’ve killed him. You had every right.”
Tate shuts off his mind from me, and I breathe a sigh of relief. “I’m okay.”
Micah stares at me in wonder. “I never thought I’d see the day. You looked pretty damn lethal.”
“Now he knows I have the power and the strength to kill him.” My words are for Killian, but I keep my eyes on Micah.
Micah nods. “Yes, you do.”
The room falls silent, but then I turn my attention to Killian, who steps out of my way. “Let me get cleaned up, and then we can meet for our hour.” Showing my full strength to Anson gave me a high I’ve never felt before. It’s empowering. I walk out of the library, and two of Killian’s men quickly move to the side. A scent fills the air, and I breathe it in … fear. They’re afraid of me.
Good.
Chapter 32
Faith
Time ticks further on by. It’s now Tuesday, three days till the full moon, and we still don’t know how we’re going to defeat Killian. Tate is here, and he won his fight, along with two other shifters, Dixon and Alister. During my hour with Dixon, I learned he’s an arrogant ass. No amount of persuading him was going to get him to back out of the tournament. Alister, however, was a different story. I wasn’t able to convince him to back out, but I did coerce him into a bet. He wouldn’t fight me because he heard what I did to Anson, but he did agree to a race. If I won, he would back out. If he won, I’d have to spend an extra two hours with him. We raced in front of everyone, and he lost. I’m glad I was able to save two people out of the forty-eight. Orin kept to his word and told Killian he wanted out.
Now it’s time for my hour with Tate. It feels like it’s been an eternity since I’ve touched him. I stand in the gardens, waiting not so patiently for Tate to walk out of the building.
“You sure are taking forever,” I say in his mind.
“I’m coming. I have to wait for these fuckers to walk me out. They’re talking about the women in town they’re going to fuck tonight. Killian’s taking them out to celebrate.”
“Celebrate? He hasn’t won yet.”
“True. Vilkas gets cockier the closer we get to the end.”
A few minutes later, he walks out of the building with three wolves following behind him. Once he’s halfway, they stand back, and he finishes the rest of the way by himself. I don’t care who’s around, but I throw my arms around him.
“We have an hour. What do you want to do?”
He hugs me. “I can think of plenty. Making love to you would be my first choice.”
“That would be nice.”
“I don’t know,” he says out loud since there are wolves within hearing distance. “Guess you could show me around?”
I take his arm. “I’d be happy to.” We walk around the gardens, even though he’s seen it all through my mind.
“Nice job challenging that moron to a race. You surprised everyone when you beat him.”
I tighten my hold on his arm. “That was fun. If only I could’ve spent time with the other fighters. Maybe some of them would still be alive.”
“You can’t blame yourself for that. They chose to do this.” We head around the side of the house to the front entrance. Killian and Roman walk out just as we’re about to enter.
Killian holds out a hand to Tate. “Good fight today, Grayson.”
Tate shakes his hand. “Thanks.”
Killian focuses on me. “I’m going into town for a while tonight. If you need anything, you have my number.”
The further he’s away from me, the better. “Have fun.”
He looks at Tate one more time. “Barrett and Wilson will be taking you back shortly.” They walk off, and we watch them get into his expensive Mercedes and drive down to the gate.
“Faith,” Micah calls out, his tone urgent. I turn toward the door, and he waves for us to follow him. “I need you and Tate, now.”
He runs up the stairs, and we follow him. “Micah, what’s wrong?”
When we get into my room, Colin and Tia are in there. Micah shuts the door and sighs. “There’s something you need to hear.”
The grave expressions on Tia and Colin’s faces make my stomach clench with dread. “Go on,” I say.
Tia paces my room, her face pale. “Killian finally told me his plans for the full moon.”
Tate tenses beside me, and both Colin and Micah look as if they could kill someone. “And?” I ask, barely recognizing the sound of my voice.
A tear falls down her cheek when she meets my eyes. “And he wants me to subdue you so you two can complete the bond after he wins the main fight. That way, once you’re mates, there’s nothing you can do.” It’s what I feared and refused to think about. Tia breaks down and cries. “I can’t stop myself from doing that to you, Faith. It makes me sick to think of him taking advantage of you like that.”
Tate’s rage fills the room. “We have no choice. We have to call i
n Laila and Cedric. Her magic is the only thing that can save us.”
Tia shakes her head. “There’s another way.” We all stare at her, and by the sorrow filtering out of her, I know I’m not going to like what she has to say. She turns to Micah and Colin. “I’ve tried breaking the link before, and the pain was excruciating. I can try again, but if it doesn’t work …” She stops mid-sentence, her lips trembling.
“If it doesn’t work, then what?” I ask.
She takes a deep breath. “Then I need someone to kill me. It’s the only way you’ll defeat Killian.”
Colin and Micah both shake their heads. “No,” I shout. “That’s not going to happen.” She paces the room faster, and I grab her shoulders to stop her. When she looks into my eyes, there’s a vulnerability in hers I’ve never seen before. I’m starting to think it’s time I trust her. “When you came in here the other night asking if Tate was my mate, you seemed to have a plan for that.”
Nodding, she wipes away her tears. “I did, but you were adamant that he’s not.” I glance over at Tate, and he nods. Tia’s eyes widen, and she huffs. “So he is, isn’t he? I had a feeling you didn’t fully trust me.”
“Can you blame me?” I counter.
She laughs sadly. “No. I would’ve done the same thing.”
Tate steps forward. “Tell us this plan. How does me being Faith’s mate help us?”
Tia’s smile widens. “You can thank your good friend, Laila, for this.” She pulls out two light blue stones from her pocket. “I’ve kept these with me just in case. I had a feeling Faith wasn’t being completely honest with me. I wanted to be prepared.” Laila was a master at using various stones for their magical properties. Tia places a stone in both Tate and Micah’s palms and closes a hand over them. With her eyes closed, she whispers a chant. When she opens her eyes, she steps back and smiles.
Colin gasps. “Holy fuck. What the hell happened?”
I look over at Tate, but instead of it being him, he looks like Micah. When I turn to my left where Micah was standing, he now appears to be Tate. Tia giggles and pulls me to her side so that I face the guys. “It’s a glamour, Faith. As long as the guys carry the stones, they’ll appear to be the other.” She takes the stone away from Tate, and instead of looking like Micah, his true self appears. The same goes for Micah. He no longer looks like Tate when he gives up the stone.
