Tate’s anger was palpable. I heard what Killian said to him. It’s the first time he’s claimed me like that. I don’t like it, and it pisses me off, but I have to pretend I never heard it.
“Everything okay?” Micah asks.
Tia is across the hall showing Colin to his room. “I’ll tell you later,” I say, leaning in close to him.
Colin and Tia come into my room, and she smiles at Micah. “You sure you’re okay with your room?”
He nods. “I am. Thanks.” She gave him the room next to me while Colin has the one across the hall.
Tia clears her throat and gives me a warning glare with her eyes darting toward the door. Someone’s coming. A couple of seconds later, Killian appears in the doorway. “I’m so sorry it took so long.” He holds out a hand to Colin. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Colin glares at him but ends up shaking his hand. Micah does the same. Killian stands back and smiles as he looks at them. “It’s not every day you’re in the presence of three royals.”
Colin stands close to me. “The pleasantries are nice and all, but I think it’s time we get down to business. What exactly are your plans for my sister? I’m not going to sit by and watch her get mated off to just anybody.”
Killian’s eyes widen, clearly impressed. “No, I would hope not. I wouldn’t expect anything less from her brother and protector.”
Micah steps forward. “And what if you win, Vilkas? Does that mean Faith will be a prisoner here in Canada? Thousands of miles away from her friends and family.”
The room falls silent, and I hold my breath. I wasn’t expecting him to say all of that. Killian sighs, and his eyes meet mine. “You won’t be a prisoner here, Faith. If I were to be your mate, I’d go anywhere you wanted. We could travel around the world and live in Wyoming if that’s what your heart desires.”
“The bastard sure is laying it on thick,” Tate growls in my head.
Killian clears his throat and focuses back on Colin and Micah. “I don’t want there to be hostility between us. That’s why I’m trying to make amends. Maybe after the fights this afternoon, we can all have dinner together before the other round tonight? Some ladies in my pack really want to meet you.”
And there it is … another agenda. If one of the women in his pack were to become a mate to a royal, it’d strengthen his clan. Neither Colin nor Micah answers, so I do it for them. “They would be happy to meet them,” I say.
Killian chuckles. “Excellent.” One of his men comes to the door and whispers something in his ear. Killian nods and smiles at us. “It’s almost time, so I’m going to head down. Tia will escort you.” Turning on his heel, he disappears down the hallway.
Colin glares down at me. “What the hell, Faith? I don’t want to party it up here. I’m trying to figure out a way to get the fuck out.”
“Good luck with that,” Tia explains. “I have no doubt you can escape. Getting out of Baker’s Ridge will be the problem.”
Micah scoffs at her. “Why should we even trust you?”
Tia brings a finger up to her lips and lowers her voice. “Faith’s not the only one who wants freedom. I have a plan, but we can’t discuss it right now.” One of Killian’s men walks down the hall past my room. Tia waves toward the door. “It’s time to go.”
Colin and Micah flank me, and we follow Tia out of the room. It’s time like these that I wish I could speak to Colin and Micah in their minds as I can do with Tate. His mind is focused on the fight, and I don’t want to interfere with that. He needs to concentrate. Everyone is silent as we walk through the gardens and the field to the workshop. If you look at the building, you’d never suspect there was a whole underground world beneath it.
When we get inside, you can’t hear anything going on until Tia open’s the heavy, steel door that leads down. My stomach clenches, and I take a deep breath. I dread the thought of having to watch Tate fight. Tia takes the first step down, and Colin follows in behind her, leaving Micah to my back.
“I’m right behind you, Faith,” Micah says.
Tia walks into the underground room first, and when Colin is seen, everything goes silent. When I turn the corner, my breath is taken away. There are so many shifters, their need hitting me like a ton of bricks. But out of all of them in the room, my eyes find the only one who matters. He’s in a corner, shirtless with only a pair of gym shorts on, stretching his well-toned muscles. Tate glances over at me and smiles.
“Glad to hear you only have eyes for me.”
Micah nudges me in the back, and I tear my gaze away from him to follow Tia to the seats around the center ring where there are five chairs reserved. Everywhere I go, I feel eyes on me. What I hate more than anything is that many of those eyes will be closed forever once the afternoon’s up. We take our seats, and the row behind us is full of women eagerly waiting for my brother and Micah. I want them to find their mates, but not here with the Blue River pack females.
Tia sits beside Colin, leaving only one empty seat to her right. Killian makes his rounds around the room and comes over to sit next to her. Eyes lit with excitement, he says, “Here we go.”
It takes all I have not to search for Tate in the crowd. A wolf I recognize from the night Killian and Orin broke into my cabin, climbs up into the center ring, and taps the microphone. While listening in on Tate, I found out his name is Roman.
“All right. It’s time to get the tournament started.” He points to the ring at his right. “Over here, I need Mitch Grayland and Parks Redkin.” The room turns electric as both fighters make their way to the cage. Roman calls out two more fighters for the center ring and two more for the left. Once they’re all inside, the cage doors are shut and locked. A part of me wants to close my eyes, to shut out the carnage I know is about to happen, but I can’t.
Roman lifts the microphone and smiles. “Gentlemen, begin.”
Growls echo in the underground lair, along with the sound of ripping flesh and snapping jaws. Blood permeates the air, and I hold my breath. It’s going to be a very long day.
The first nine fights went by quickly, but it was hard to stomach them all. No one backed down or submitted, which means I watched as nine men gave up their lives because of pride. After each fight, the blood was rinsed off the mats to get ready for the next round. There are three more fights to watch, which will finish up in the afternoon. Tate will be in one of them. I still have twelve more to endure tonight.
“In the center ring, I need Tate Grayson and Enrik Fenton.”
Enrik enters the ring first, walking around arrogantly as if he’s already won. Tate’s not like that, and it’s one of the things I love about him. He steps up into the ring, and Roman locks the cage door. Enrik bounces around, and Tate stands there all calm, like the silent killer I know he is.
“I’m sorry you have to see me this way,” Tate says in my mind.
He looks over at me, and I smile sadly. “You wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me. Whatever you do, I’ll still love you. Nothing will make me see you differently.”
His glowing eyes turn to Enrik. “That’s what I needed to hear.”
All three cages have been locked, and all six fighters are ready. I hold my breath as Roman tells them to begin. The second he does, Enrik lunges for Tate. Tate moves out of the way with lightning speed. Enrik bolts around with a surprised look on his face.
Colin’s mouth gapes. “Whoa. I didn’t realize Grayson was so fast.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about him.”
Micah moves in close. “The man makes it look effortless.”
Enrik’s anger builds as he continuously makes no gain on Tate. He shifts into his wolf, and Tate does the same, his shorts splitting into shreds. Both are giant gray wolves, but Tate is bigger. By the way Enrik backstepped, I don’t think he was expecting Tate to be the size he is. They circle each other, baring their teeth. All eyes in the room are on them, even Killian, who watches them with fascination. I’m not too fond of the evil glint in his eyes; it’s almost like he’s thinking up a deceptive plan in that twisted mind of his.
Enrik hunches down low, preparing to strike. When he does, Tate’s ready for him and latches onto his neck, delivering the killing blow. He tosses Enrik’s lifeless body across the mat and shifts back into his human form, looking as if what he did was the easiest thing in the world.
Colin and Micah stand and cheer for him, but all I can think about is how he just became a target. Everyone will see him as a threat, especially Killian.
“I’ve already been a threat to him, love.”
I glance over at Killian, and his eyes are solely on Tate. “And now he knows it.”
Roman opens the cage door and lifts Tate’s arm triumphantly. He won his first fight, but there are still plenty more. I have a feeling they’ll be even more gruesome and horrific as the grand finale draws near.