It’s time to meet Killian’s men at the abandoned shack. Over the past couple of hours, we watched shifters walk to the abandoned shack and get picked up in vans. Now it’s our turn. Micah and Colin have their bags with them so they can stay with Faith at Killian’s house. I would rather them be with her.
“You gonna be okay without us?” Colin asks teasingly, trying to lighten the mood.
I sling the bag of money over my shoulders. “Yeah, if I don’t get killed.”
Micah stares at me with concern. “What are we going to do about the whole Tia situation? We all know you’re going to be the one fighting against Killian in the end. She’ll have no choice but to use her magic on you.”
There’s only one way it won’t work on me, and that’s to seal the bond with Faith. Unfortunately, our circumstance prevents that from happening. The final fight will be the night of the full moon.
In the distance, I can see a black van approach. “Here we go.”
The van stops at us, and two shifters get out. The driver says the other guy’s name, which happens to be Roman, and I recognize him from Faith’s memories. He was the third wolf that came into her cabin that night with Killian and Orin. He opens up the van door and flourishes a hand inside.
“All right, boys, load up. The boss is waiting for you.” Micah and Colin get in first, but Roman steps in front of me, blocking my entry. “You got the money?”
He smiles, and I shove my bag of money into his chest, almost knocking him off his feet. “Here you go.”
A low growl erupts from his chest. “Get in.”
I hop in the back, and he slams the van door closed. A few seconds later, we’re on our way. I look at both Colin and Micah. “Whatever happens, keep Faith safe.” They both nod, and I can feel the tension mounting. I’m more than ready to do what I have to do. If that means killing every man I step into the ring with, I’ll do it without hesitation.
The road north is desolate with nothing but land and mountains in the distance. It takes about ten minutes of flying down the road to get to Killian’s property. We come to a stop at the gate, and it slowly opens. I can feel Faith’s presence nearby.
“I’m just inside the gate waiting for you,” Faith says.
It feels like it’s been a fucking eternity since I’ve seen her. “She’s there,” I say to the others.
We’re driven inside the gate, and I can hear it close behind us. Roman and the other guy get out, and the side van door opens. That’s when I see her standing in between Vilkas and his witch. Her eyes lock on mine, and her smile is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Colin and Micah get out first, and she runs to them, throwing her arms around their shoulders.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” She looks at me over Micah’s shoulder, and when I get out of the van, she slowly comes to me. Everyone watches us, and I know we have to be careful. Her eyes mist over with tears, and she hugs me. “It’s so good to see you.”
I wrap my arms around her waist and breathe her in. “Yes, it is.”
“I love you.” Her words echo in my mind.
“I love you too.”
She lets me go and stands back with Colin and Micah. Killian places a hand on both of their shoulders as if they’re good friends. Faith gives them a warning glare to play it cool, which they do.
Killian looks over at his witch. “Tia, why don’t you show our guests to their rooms?” He smiles at both Colin and Micah. “You’ll be right across the hall from Faith.”
Tia nods at him. “Will do.”
He removes his hands from their shoulders, and they all follow Tia toward the house. Faith sneaks a glance back at me. “Stay safe, Tate. I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon.”
Killian focuses on his two men and waves them off. “Go. I’ll take Grayson.”
His men leave, and Killian nods for me to walk with him. “Glad you could make it.”
“I would do anything for Faith,” I reply.
Killian glances over at me and narrows his gaze. “So would I.” My insides boil with rage. He took what didn’t belong to him as if he had the right. He leads us in the direction of the large building at the edge of his property. Through Faith’s mind, I’ve already seen what it’s like inside. We walk through the woodshop and down into the basement, where twenty-three other contenders warm up in their areas. I was the last to arrive.
Killian points at the men stationed around the room. “I have my men standing guard to make sure everyone keeps the peace. This is the first round of fighters. The other twenty-four will fight tonight.”
“You must be making a killing off of this,” I grumble, not impressed in the least.
He bursts out laughing. “Yeah, a little. That is if I make it to through to the end. I’ll be fighting in the group tonight.” I have no doubt he’ll make it through. “But you’ll be happy to know that Faith will get some of the proceeds when this is over.”
“He didn’t tell me that,” Faith informs me. “I don’t want blood money.”
Killian waves a hand throughout the room. “Take a look around, Grayson. Half of these men will be dead in a few hours. Hopefully, you won’t be one of them.”
“I won’t,” I say in all seriousness.
He looks at me and smiles. “I like you, Grayson. You’re different from the others here.”
I glare at him. “How so?”
His grin broadens. “You have heart. You don’t see Faith as a prize to be won.”
I face him head on. “That’s because she’s not.”
The tension in the room rises, and he steps toward me. “No, she’s not. She’s mine.”
My wolf threatens to break free, but then Faith’s voice calms me down. My claws dig into my palms, drawing blood. “Tate, don’t.”
Clenching my teeth, I back up, which is something I’ve never done. Killian chuckles and pats my shoulder as he walks past. “Good luck, Grayson. Sorry to cut this short, but I have guests to attend to.”
As soon as he’s gone, I retract my claws and watch the gashes heal within seconds. I hate the thought of him being alone around Faith.
“Hey, listen up,” a voice shouts from the center of the room. I look over, and it’s Roman. He waves for everyone to move closer. “The fights will start shortly, but I wanted to go over a couple of things with you first. One, when you get in the ring, anything goes. You will not be allowed to leave the cage until one of you submits, or you’re dead. Two, you will not know who you’re fighting until it’s your turn. Until then, you sit and wait. The royal is here, and you’ll be able to see her shortly.”
The energy in the room spikes, and it fuels their desire. If I had my way, I’d kill them all.