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.”