by L. P. Dover
Tia turns me to face her. “Micah and Tate can switch places. There are always loopholes in magic. Micah can leave as Tate and Tate can stay here with you. They’ll just have to switch back before Tate’s next fight. That is if the guys don’t mind.”
Micah slaps a hand on Tate’s shoulder. “I’ll do it, brother. You two have been separated long enough.”
Tate gives him a side hug. “I’m in your debt.”
Colin clears his throat. “This is all nice and all, but how’s this going to help us with Vilkas? Tate will still be under your magic during the final fight.”
We all look at Tia, and she brightens. “The full moon begins at sunset and lasts until sunrise the next morning. Killian wants the fight at midnight, the peak of when shifters are the strongest.” She steps forward and takes our hands. “You may not have hours to enjoy mated bliss, but if you can complete your bond right at sunset, then you’ll have all the power you need. My magic won’t work on you because you’ll be stronger.” She smiles up at Tate. “You’ll be a royal. You can defeat Killian and put an end to all of this. I’ll get my freedom.”
“And I’ll get mine,” I murmur. “To think we almost missed out on this chance.”
Tia squeezes my hand. “It’s not over yet. We still don’t know who’s fighting against who tomorrow. If Killian wants it to be Tate, then we’re screwed. There are only four fighters left.”
Tate’s jaw clenches. “If Killian fights Dixon tomorrow, that leaves Anson for me.”
Tia lets our hands go, and I wrap my arms around Tate’s waist. “I’m sorry.”
He leans down and kisses me. “He’s the one who’ll be sorry. No one touches my mate and gets away with it.”
Two wolves approach the house, and their footsteps pound on the floor beneath us. Tia hands the stones back to Micah and Tate. I turn to the real Micah and stare into his eyes which are now Tate’s. “Thank you for this. I love you so much.”
He hugs me quickly. “You better. Stay safe.”
“I will.”
The door opens and Barrett glares at who he assumes is Tate. “Let’s go, Grayson.”
Micah winks at me and follows Barrett out the door. I hurry to the window and watch them leave through the gate. There are only two wolves on the property, but they’re on the far end where the building is.
“Where is everyone?”
Tia snorts. “In town. Killian knows you can’t go anywhere. That’s why he only has two men protecting the compound and two for the house. Plus, he knows there’s nothing romantic going on between you and Micah. He doesn’t mind you two being alone together.” She smiles and nods toward Tate who is talking to Colin. “You can always take advantage of this alone time. Especially with Barrett and Wilson taking Micah into town.”
Tate hears her, and Colin backs away to the door. “That’s my cue to leave.” Tate sets the stone on my dresser, and Micah’s body fades away.
Tia smiles at us both. “Have fun, you two.” She walks out and shuts the door behind her.
Tate’s need hits me like a ton of bricks. “We may only have a few minutes,” I say, my heart racing out of control.
His eyes flash. “That’s all we need.” He rips off his clothes, and I barely get mine off before he tosses me onto the bed. His lips lock onto mine, demanding and hot as he tastes me. I give in to him, loving the feel of him claiming me. “I want you so fucking bad right now.”
I want him too, more than I’ve wanted anything else in the world. His hands are everywhere, caressing my skin, and I do the same to him. I can’t get enough. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.” All he has to do is feel between my legs to know how much. My thighs are wet, and my body screams at me to let him inside.
A groan rumbles in his chest, and he licks his lips. Crawling up my body, he spreads my legs with his hands, his gaze on mine as he slides his tongue across my clit. Everything inside of me tightens, and I suck in a breath. He plunges in deep, breathing me in as he tastes me. My orgasm hits me from the inside out, and when my hips lift, he holds me to his face. Biting my lip to keep from screaming, I ride wave after wave of ecstasy. Tate groans and slides his tongue inside me one more time.
“You taste so fucking good. I wish I could do this every day.”
I giggle. “Trust me. I’d let you.” With his heated gaze on mine, he kisses his way up my thighs to my stomach. His hands clutch my breasts, and one after the other, he pulls my nipples between his teeth and sucks them generously—my back arches off the bed, desperate for him to suck harder.
“As you wish,” Tate says in my mind.
He gets into position and pushes his hardness inside of me while ravishing my nipples. I suck in a breath as he fills me completely, thrusting his hips gently yet deep. I never knew I could need someone as much as I needed him. His touch sends fire through my veins. Gripping me gently, he flips us over, and I’m now on top. I can feel him stretching me, the ache of it so blissfully erotic.
Pulling me down to him, he sucks a nipple between his teeth and groans as I ride him hard. His hands clench my waist, and he moves me faster. Everything builds up inside me, and I hold back my scream as he too is milked to completion, his cock pulsating as he spills his warmth inside me.
Tate grabs my face and kisses me. “Holy fuck, that felt good. I needed it.”
“So did I.”
A car rumbles in the distance, signaling our time is up. Tate holds me in his arms for another minute before sliding off the bed and throwing on his clothes. “I love you, Faith.”
He grabs the stone and his appearance shifts to Micah. “I love you too,” I whisper. He hurries out the door, and I close my eyes. We have a plan, but we don’t know if it’ll work yet. Our fate will be decided tomorrow.
Chapter 33
Tate
Looking in the mirror is strange, especially when I see Micah’s face staring back at me. If I had to pretend to be Micah for the rest of my life, I’d do it just to have time with Faith. It killed me knowing she was just next door to my room, and I couldn’t be in there with her. At least, I knew she was safe. I haven’t left her side the entire day.
“When do you think we’ll find out?” Faith asks as we sit down at the dining room table filled with all sorts of food. It’s closing in on seven o’clock, and no one has heard who is fighting who.
Colin grabs a plate and piles it high. “Obviously, Vilkas likes to keep everyone on the edge of their seats.”
Two seconds later, Killian strolls into the dining room with Tia. “I do, actually. It keeps things interesting.”
Tia gives Faith a reassuring look and joins us at the table. I stand close to Faith as we fix our plates. With Micah being her protector, it gives me an easy excuse to stay by her side. Faith sits down and I next to her while Killian takes the chair across from us.
“The fight starts in an hour. It’ll be against Dixon.”
I can feel her relief through our bond. She nods and picks up a piece of asparagus. “Think you’ll win?”
He bursts out laughing. “Of course, I do. I’m hoping you want me too as well.”
“Are you still going to let me go?” she asks.
The genuine look on his face is fake as hell. He’s not fooling anyone. “If that’s what you wish.”
She snaps off the edge of her asparagus with her teeth. “That’s all I wanted to hear.” Her disappointment is palpable. One of the things I love about her is her willingness to help others. She was ecstatic when Orin backed out of the fights. A part of me wonders if she’s hoping she can help Killian with his rage, but even I know he’s too far gone. There’s an emptiness in his eyes from the darkness. I’ve seen what the rage does to unmated males. It eats away at you until there’s nothing left.
Roman walks into the dining room and pockets his phone. “Just told Grayson he’s fighting his second-in-command tomorrow.”
Killian chuckles and gets to his feet. “That’ll be one hell of a fight. I wish I could sell tickets
.”
“How did you get him to turn against Grayson anyway?” I ask. It’s strange hearing my voice sound like Micah’s.
He smiles over at Roman and then laughs again when he turns to me. “Money and power. How else? You wouldn’t believe all the people I’ve seen turn on those they love because of it. I was just about to give up searching for Faith when I end up at the same bar as Anson. He was babbling on and on about how his alpha wouldn’t share a certain royal he had in his grasp. I knew then it was fate.” He turns his gaze to Faith. “I approached him with my plan, and he was all too willing to disclose where you were. It was his idea to do the video at his house.”
So that’s how it happened. “Does Anson think he’s going to beat Grayson?”
Killian snorts. “Their technique is similar, but Tate’s a much better fighter than him.”
“What about you? Do you think you’re a better fighter?”
He shrugs, but I can see the evil glint in his eyes. “Don’t know. Guess we’ll find out.” He smiles over at Faith. “You could always use your influence with Tate. He’s your friend, so I know he’ll listen to you. You can tell him I’m going to set you free. There’s no need for him to die senselessly.”
Faith narrows her gaze at him. “You’d let him leave unharmed?”
“Of course. He can be put on a plane tomorrow night if you want.”
“He wants me far away from you,” I say to Faith.
Faith keeps her eyes on him but answers me back. “I see that. It won’t surprise me if he tries to send Colin and Micah away. Not unless he plans to incapacitate them while he has his way with me.”
Faith takes a sip of her wine. “I’ll see what I can do. If he wins the fight tomorrow night, I’ll talk to him.”
Killian’s grin widens. “Perfect. I should probably start getting ready for the fight. I’ll see you down there in a few minutes.”
As soon as he’s gone, Faith glances over at me, but there are still wolves around within earshot. We have to be careful what we say. “Do you think Tate will give up?” she asks me, knowing damn well what I’m going to say.
“No,” I answer. “He doesn’t give up on anything.”
Tia grabs a grape off of the fruit tray. “I just want to get through tonight. I’ve seen enough blood to last ten lifetimes.” We all finish our food, and Faith latches onto my arm as we walk outside to the underground pit. Tomorrow is my day, the day I have to kill a man who’s been like a brother to me my entire life.
It has to be done.
Chapter 34
Tate
The day went by quicker than any day I’ve ever experienced before. One minute, I’d look at the clock, and the next, an hour had passed. Faith stayed by my side all day, trying her best to get my mind off of what I’m about to do.
With her on my arm, we walk into the underground pit. Everyone sees me as Micah. As soon as he arrives, we’ll have to switch places. “Anson’s already here,” Faith says.
I follow her line of sight, and he’s surrounded by several of Killian’s wolves, laughing and carrying on as if he’s not getting ready to die. “I see that,” I growl low. I walk her over to her seat, and Tia sits down next to her.
Tia looks up at me. “You know the plan, right?”
I nod. “Got it.”
Once Micah shows up, looking like me, I’m to go to one of the back rooms so I can hide my stone and turn into myself. She’ll retrieve it and give it to me after the fight so I can go back with Faith. All I have to do is do one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my life. Colin walks into the pit and heads straight for us.
“Tate just got here,” he says to me.
I look down at Faith, and she smiles sadly. “I’ll see you afterward.”
Colin goes with me to the back room, which has a couple of showers as you’d see in a gym. He hands me a pair of shorts he had hidden under his shirt. Since we can’t say anything with all the shifters close by, he nods, and I nod back. A few seconds later, Micah marches in, and I toss him my stone so he can hide them where Tia told us to. Looking in the mirror, I’m back to myself. Micah changes into the clothes I was wearing, and I put on the shorts.
“Will you show him mercy?” Colin asks.
Visions of him in the library with Faith run through my mind. “No. He doesn’t deserve it.”
Micah places a hand on my shoulder. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way. We’ll see you after the fight.”
Roman slams a hand against the door. “Times up, Grayson. Let’s go.” Colin and Micah both leave, and I take a deep breath. It’s time to end this.
I walk out, my sole focus on the task at hand. Gasps and cheers erupt when I enter the pit, but I block them out. Faith’s mind is quiet, and I know it’s because she doesn’t want to distract me. Anson climbs up into the ring, and our eyes lock. He doesn’t even look like the same man I’ve known my entire life. The leer on his face and the outright deceit makes me hate him with every fiber of my being. He betrayed me.
I march up the stairs onto what used to be a white mat. Now it’s stained with shades of red. In the past few days, so many shifters have lost their lives where I stand.
Roman grins and holds out his arms. “It’s all yours, gentlemen. Anything goes.” He steps out of the ring and locks the cage door.
The crowd’s cheers rumble all around us, their feet stomping on the concrete floor to spur us on. I’ll fight when I’m damn well ready. “Is this how you pictured it?” I snap.
Anson circles the ring, and I counter his movements, making sure to stay one step ahead of him. “I want what I want, brother.” His eyes shift over to Faith. “It’s time I finally get it.”
My body trembles with the need to turn, but I lunge and punch him right on the side of the face. His head snaps to the side, and I grab his neck. “I’m not your brother.”
Chapter 35
Faith
Tate attacked first, and he didn’t stop with just one punch. I thought they would shift into their wolves, but they didn’t. This is personal. Anson is strong, and he matches Tate with every single blow. They look like a blur in the ring, the sound of fists pounding flesh. I thought watching wolves tear each other apart was worse, but I was wrong. It breaks my heart to see two men who were like brothers battle it out to the death.
“This is going to be a long fight,” Micah whispers. “Tate’s going to want to punish him.”
Swallowing hard, I nod. “I know.”
The smell of blood permeates the air, both Anson’s and Tate’s. Anson kicks Tate in the shin, and he goes down for only a split second. Anson uses that advantage and slices his claws across Tate’s back, blood pouring like rivers down his skin.
Tia squeezes my hand and averts her gaze away from the ring. “I thought I could stomach this. It’s worse than all the others.”
I have no doubt Tate will win, but it’s the emotional aspect of the fight that’s mentally draining. In Tate’s mind, he knows what he has to do, but his heart isn’t in it. The wound from a betrayal that deep will leave a scar that nothing can heal.
The world moves in slow motion as I watch Tate and Anson fight to the death. Tate’s claws slice through Anson’s stomach, but both keep fighting as if they aren’t bleeding out all over the mat. Tate never flinches in pain; he just keeps striking as if nothing’s amiss. My breaths are all I can hear. I look around at Killian and his men all cheering like animals. What kind of world revels in this kind of madness? There’s only one word to describe it … hell.
In Tate’s mind, I can feel his need for revenge. Both men fall to the mat, grappling around in their blood. It goes on for what feels like an eternity, and all I want is for it to be over. Tate gets the advantage and climbs on top of Anson with his arms around his neck.
“I hope it was worth it,” Tate growls. “You lost.”
Anson’s face turns red, and his eyes blaze. His body shimmers on the verge of shifting, but Tate digs his claws into Anson’s neck just l
ike I did. However, this time, Tate rips him apart. Thunderous roars echo all around us, but Tate doesn’t revel in it; he just killed his best friend.
Closing my eyes, I push into his mind. “You did what you had to do.”
Covered in blood, Tate slowly stands, and his claws retract back into his hands. He looks over at me with pain-filled eyes. “I’m starting to think I never knew him.”
Roman unlocks the cage, and two of Killian’s men climb inside to take away Anson’s mangled body. Tate watches them, his face emotionless as he steps out of the ring and looks down at the blood covering his skin. Roman joins him and motions for him to go to the back. Tate glances over at me before disappearing around the corner.
“I’m going to get cleaned up. Send Micah and Colin back.”
“Okay,” I murmur.
I nudge Micah in the side, and he already knows what to do. He and Colin disappear to the back, and I stay with Tia. “Is he okay?” she asks.
“He will be.”
Killian comes over with a big wolfish grin on his face. “That was a fascinating fight. Very entertaining.”
It gets harder and harder to pretend to be amenable around him. Especially knowing he plans to hinder me and mate with me on the full moon. I guess he thinks I’d wake up the next morning and accept him as my mate. The problem is that I wouldn’t be able to kill him if Tia’s still linked to him. I’d be a prisoner for the rest of my life.
“I wouldn’t call it entertaining,” I grumble. “It was a tragedy.”
Killian shrugs, not caring in the least. “Are you going to talk to Grayson about going home?”
