“Faith, can you hear me? Faith.”
His voice echoes in my mind, and when I open my eyes, I almost expect to see him. “Tate?” The relief I feel is almost overwhelming, but then reality sets in.
“Thank fucking God. You’re awake. Are you okay?” he asks, his voice pained.
Sitting up, it takes a few seconds for my eyes to clear, and when they do, I see I’m not alone. “I’m fine, but I’m not alone. Tia’s here in whatever room I’m in. I have no clue where I’m at. Are you okay?” Everything comes flooding back. Florida. Killian. Seeing Tate unresponsive on the floor in the kitchen.
“I’m fine. Your brother and Micah are with me.”
Sitting across the room at the window seat and reading a book is Tia. She looks over at me and smiles as she shuts her book and walks toward me. Wearing a yellow sundress with her chocolate-colored hair in loose waves down her back makes her appear less like a seductress than in the black gown she wore the last time I saw her. I know not to be fooled by her, though.
“I’m sorry I had to keep you under for so long. I wanted to make sure everything was perfect.”
“Perfect?” I scoff. “How can things be perfect? You kidnapped me.”
“Tate, can you see and hear everything?”
“Yes,” he answers. “I’m right there with you. Make sure to focus on her so she doesn’t pick up on anything.”
Tia’s smile fades. “Kidnap is such a strong word. This isn’t a prison, Faith. You’re not going to be locked in here.” She waves her hands about the room. “I think it’s quite a lovely room. I had it prepared for you.”
The walls are a light green with white, gossamer curtains to go with the white, lacy bedspread that covers me. It all seems so light and airy, not like the darkness I know surrounds me. Tia strolls over to one of the doors and opens it to reveal a closet where some of my clothes hang neatly.
“Your dresses and nice clothes are in here,” she says. Then she nods over at the antique white dresser on the other side of the room. “And your T-shirts and underthings are in the drawers.”
I look down at my clothes, and I’m still wearing the same tank top and shorts over my bathing suit. “How long have I been out?”
“Two days.”
My head jerks up. “Seriously?” If I was out for two days, that means there are only eight days left before the full moon. “How did you find me?”
I expect a smart-ass response, but all she does is shrug. “Magic has its perks, I guess.”
“They have Anson, Faith. It’s how they were able to figure it out.”
Averting my gaze, I slide off the bed. “Is he okay?”
“I don’t know.”
I walk past Tia to the window and peer out. There isn’t anything around except for vast land and a river in the distance—no other buildings or houses. There’s just a road that leads in and out through the gate that’s attached to a tall, brick wall expanding as far as I can see.
“Where are we?”
Tia comes up behind me. “Canada. Killian’s estate.”
Tate’s audible sigh can be heard in my head. “I’m not far from you, Faith.”
I turn around to face Tia. “What did you do with Tate? Did you just leave him on that kitchen floor?”
“He’s okay,” she says, her voice sounding tired. “I’m pretty sure he’ll be headed this way soon.”
My heart rate spikes. “Why is that?”
All she does is stare at me, but then she shrugs. “I just have a feeling.”
“Why am I here?”
There’s a sadness in her eyes, but then her demeanor completely changes when the sound of footsteps thump down the hallway. “I’m going to let Killian explain all of that. He’s giving you time to take a shower and get changed.”
“Oh wow,” I retort sarcastically. “How nice of him.”
Tia smiles once and nods. “All right, I’ll leave you to it. The book I’m reading is fascinating. I left it on the window seat for you.”
I stare at her blandly. “Gee, thanks.”
Turning on her heel, she walks out and quietly shuts the door. I wait to hear a locking sound, but nothing happens. When I twist the knob and open the door, I peek out, and the hallway is vacant.
“They have to be tricking me somehow. They’re not just going to leave the doors unlocked.”
“That’s because the witch can simply use her magic,” Tate counters.
I close the door and sit back on the bed. “What happens now? I don’t know what to do.” He feels so close to me being in my mind, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m so afraid I’ll never see him again.
“You’re going to see me again, Faith. I can promise you that.”
I can’t help but smile. “You’re listening to my thoughts. I guess I need to hide them better.”
“I like hearing your thoughts. I’ve been without them for two days, and it fucking killed me. I didn’t know what was going on.”
Lying back on the bed, I close my eyes. “I was terrified when I saw you on the kitchen floor. If we were mated, Tia’s magic wouldn’t work on us. We’d be stronger than anything she could throw at us.” When two wolves mate, their bond can withstand just about anything. It makes them almost indestructible. That’s why so many wolves want to find their mates.
“I know,” Tate murmurs. “We’ll get there. When Killian found us in Florida, he told me I could see you again if I pay the price. He said he’d call when it’s time.”
“And you have no idea what he means by that?” I ask.
“No. Hopefully, he’ll tell you tonight.”
The thought of having to be around him makes me livid.
“It pisses me off too,” Tate growls, “and he better keep his fucking hands to himself.”
“Don’t worry about me. I know how to rip those hands off.”
“Keep calm, Faith. As much as I’d like for you to do that, Killian holds all the cards right now. If you fight against him, all he has to do is get Tia to spell you and you’re out. I need you awake.”
Groaning, I open my eyes and sit up. “Fine. I’ll play nice for now.” If I’m to meet Killian for dinner, I need to get mentally prepared.
“I’m not leaving you, Faith. I love you.”
I wish I could hold him and feel his arms around me. “I love you too.”
After taking a shower, I put my wet hair in a braid and dressed in a pair of jeans and one of my looser T-shirts. The last thing I want is to look sexy. I even opted for no makeup.
“You still look sexy as hell. Every man who has eyes will see that.”
I move to the door and place my hand on the knob. “I’m trying to look dull and unappealing.”
“Just be careful, Faith. And stay strong. Micah told me how your anger gets the best of you sometimes.”
I open the door and peer out. No one is in the hallway. “I’m trying. Tell Micah I won’t lose my focus. I know what’s at stake here.” My life.
“Good.”
If I didn’t have Tate in my mind, this would be a lot harder. He gives me the strength I need. Taking a deep breath, I move out into the hallway. There are paintings on the walls, all elegant and beautiful, but I can’t bring myself to enjoy them. On one end, the hallway stops, and there’s a large window that overlooks the land. The other end of the hallway leads to a fancy staircase that goes down. I slowly walk to the stairs, expecting to see movement on the lower level, but it’s quiet. It has to be a test to see if I’ll run because even though it’s quiet, I can feel Tia’s magic all over the place. There are wolves around; but I can’t sense them yet.
I take the white marble stairs down the spiral staircase and stop when I get to the bottom. The house is enormous, with its open foyer and an expensive chandelier hanging from the ceiling. I can either go out the front door or choose one of the four hallways.
“There you are.” I look to my right, and Killian is there, grinning as he rakes his gaze over my body. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a dark blue T-shirt, he looks the same as before with his light brown hair and bright green eyes. “Want to take a walk with me? I’ll show you the house.”
“I can’t wait to kill that bastard,” Tate growls in my mind.
“Sure,” I reply.
Killian flourishes a hand down the hallway he just came from. “We can start here.”
We walk down the hall, and he shows me all the various bedrooms and bathrooms. When we get to the other side of the house, there’s a library, a study, and a media room. I don’t care about any of it, but I nod and try to show interest. It’s all so grand and over the top. My family is worth a lot, but I have no desire to show it off like that.
When we get back to the foyer, I look around curiously. “If you don’t mind my asking, where does all your money come from? You don’t deal drugs, do you?”
He bursts out laughing. “Hell no. It’s time you learned the truth as to why you’re here. I don’t see the need in keeping it from you, especially not when the fun’s about to start.”
The way he says it makes shivers run down my spine. I’m not sure what his idea of fun is, but I doubt it’s anything but that. He opens the door, and I follow him outside. The tall, brick wall I saw from the window expands around his property, locking us in. “Fun, huh? Why am I not getting that vibe?”
He glances back at me and smirks. “Lighten up, my little wolf. You’ll be thanking me once this is all over.” I highly doubt that. It takes all I have to bite my tongue.
We walk around the side of the house, and I still haven’t seen anyone else. There’s a pool in his backyard and gardens all around. “Where’s your pack? I’m surprised you don’t have me locked up.”
“That’s not what I want, Faith. I want you to be comfortable here. I told you before you’d be treated like royalty, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
He takes me around the gardens, and we head through the field to the giant workshop building at the edge of his property. “What is that place?” The closer we get, the more my gut clenches with uncertainty.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out what looks to be a garage door opener and presses the button. The massive door to the building opens, and I hold my breath, wondering what I’m going to see on the other side. When everything comes into view, it’s not what I expected at all. The walls are full of built-in shelves filled with various tools and piles of wood. And in the middle of the room are two giant drafting desks and table saws.
“Woodworking?” I ask.
Killian runs a hand over one of the desks. “Yep. It’s my hobby.” He grins at me as if there’s a joke in there I’m not understanding.
Gaze narrowed, I stare at him. “So, if woodworking is just a hobby, what do you do for real?”
His eyes flash, and I can feel his excitement. “Follow me.”
We exit through a door that leads us further into the workshop. The hallway is narrow, and when we turn the corner, there’s another door. Killian opens it, and there’s a stairway that leads into darkness. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. I can smell blood and death mixed with wolfsbane, even if it is faint and covered up by the scent of bleach.
“What the hell is down there?” I growl.
Killian chuckles. “You’re not afraid, are you?”
“No, but I’m not stupid. I don’t know what you do in your basement of Hell, but I know it’s not something I want to see.”
“It’s all for you, Faith.”
If blood and death are all for me, I don’t want anything of it.
“You can do this,” Tate assures me. “I have to know what he’s planning.”
Inside, I groan. Why me?
With a heavy sigh, I wave for Killian to continue. “Go. I need to see this.” I dread getting to the bottom of the stairs. The walls are solid concrete, and it’s dark and cold.
Killian turns the corner first and flips on the light switch. I step off the last stair and peek my head around the corner. My mouth gapes when I see the underground world Killian had made for himself. When I think of the building above us, the basement is three times larger. It had to have taken years for Killian to construct something like this. Unfortunately, I now know where the blood and death come from. There are three fighting rings, surrounded by cages and barbed wire at the top. Hundreds of stadium chairs circle all three. Visions of people cheering on others as they fight to the death in the ring flash through my mind, but I push it out.
“Oh, my God.” I can feel Tate in my mind, but his silence makes me nervous. He most likely thinks what I’m afraid to think.
Killian flings his arms out wide, proud of his masterpiece. “This is how I make my money.”
Mouth gaping, I circle around, taking it all in. “How’s that?”
He cuts a glance my way. “Seriously, Faith? You don’t know?”
Clenching my teeth, I huff. “You make money off fights. I’ve heard about this stuff with humans, but not our kind.”
His grin widens. “That’s the beauty of it. Human fights are boring. Our people know how to make it gritty and exciting.”
I throw my hands in the air. “What the hell are they fighting for?”
Killian shrugs. “Money. Power.” He pauses for a second. “A mate.”
“Motherfucker,” Tate thunders in my head. “So that’s what he’s doing.”
I didn’t want to think it, but I was afraid it would lead to that. “How can you fight for a mate?” I snap. “The magic of the moon doesn’t work like that.”
Killian shrugs again and steps toward me, his face more serious than I’ve ever seen him. “Maybe, maybe not. It’s not only unmated males who yearn for a mate, Faith. You may not believe this, but it was the women in my pack who agreed to this arrangement many years ago when my father was alpha. It made them happy to be mated off to men who’d fight and die for them. I continued the tradition for a while, but when word got out about the royals, suddenly normal female wolves weren’t good enough.” Stunned into silence, I was not expecting to hear that the females came up with the idea. Guess it’s not far-fetched to believe it. Women have needs just as strong as men. “All I know is that your pack members are being matched with the strongest of our kind. Take for example, your sister and Ryker. He defeated the Yukon pack, and now he’s more powerful because he’s a royal’s mate. Their kids will have the royal bloodline. The same thing goes for Tyla and Sebastian and your good friends Laila and Cedric.”
My mouth gapes. “How do you know all of this?”
He throws his arms in the air. “Everyone knows. Why do you think I got you out when I did? If I didn’t take you, someone else would have, and I bet they wouldn’t have been as nice as me. I could’ve easily killed your royal protector and your friend, Grayson, but I didn’t. At least, you’re safe now, and the men who wanted to come after you can fight for their chance.” His smile comes back. “Speaking of which, I told your buddy he could see you again if he was willing to pay the price. Do you think he’d come here and fight for you?”
“You better fucking believe it,” Tate hisses.
“I don’t know,” I reply. “Why don’t you call him right now and find out?”
Killian’s eyes twinkle. “Oh, I plan on it. I think he’ll make a great fighter. Plus, he wants you just like all the other men.”
Anger fuels through my veins as I slide past him to stand next to one of the fighting rings. There are bloodstains on the white mat and fur caught in the barbed wire. I don’t want to imagine Tate inside the cage fighting against another wolf. “So how will this go exactly? You make bets on the fighters, and then whoever wins gets me?” I turn and glare at him.
He gives me a devilish grin. “Oh, no, my little wolf. The men are paying to fight for you. Only the strongest will win. You deserve the best.”
“The best?” I shout, storming over to him. “What if the winner’s a complete and utter asshat? I’m not mating with anyone against my will. Your plan is absolutely fucked up beyond belief.”
“It won’t be like that. I promise.”
I push past him and head toward the exit. “Calm down, Faith. I’m just as pissed about this as you, but you have to play along somehow,” Tate warns.
I stop mid-step and close my eyes. How in the hell can I play along with this? But then, an idea comes to mind. I face Killian again and stare right into his flashing green eyes. He doesn’t even conceal his need for me. “How do you know it won’t be like that?” I ask. “You can’t control who wins this fight.”
He stalks toward me. “No, but you can. I’ll let you figure out how you want to do that.” He stops only a breath away from me and peers down into my eyes. “I need you to trust me, Faith. I’m not here to hurt you in any way. It’ll be a win-win.”
“Something tells me this fight will be rigged from the beginning,” I say to Tate.
I can feel his rage. “You’re right. We just have to figure out a way to beat him. I wonder if he’s competing himself.”
“Okay, I’m in,” I huff, staring back up at Killian. “When do the fights start?”
“Tomorrow. My men will be meeting the contestants at a secure spot at Baker’s Ridge and bringing them here.”
He’s too close, so I step back and walk to the stairs. When I get there, I glance at him over my shoulder. “What’s in this for you?”
His heat-filled gaze bores into mine. “The chance for a mate. I’m competing too.” Now I know for sure it’s rigged. He would never allow anyone to come into his turf and beat him. He nods toward the exit. “You’re free to roam around the grounds and go wherever you like. I’ll discuss more of the details at dinner.”
Heart racing, and not in a good way, I take the stairs one at a time, wondering what the hell I just got myself into.