Tempting Gray - Untouchables 02 by T. A. Grey Page B

said or done was enough to make her want
to stop. The pain was too much for her. She hadn’t known a way to cope. And
then, in a final moment of failure, he’d gotten her killed.
    A shell of a woman he’d loved lie on that stone
pyre. The white beauty from before turned a bitter black.
    He didn’t say the words aloud. He said them to
her, wherever her spirit was.
    I’ve always loved you, ’Nita. Rest in peace. Your
death will be avenged.
    With those parting thoughts, Grayson Blackmoore
left his mate’s side for the final time.
     

CHAPTER 7
    Three
Weeks and Four Days Later
     
    The sun would rise soon.
    That thought floated through Grayson’s mind as
he stepped into the clearing where Alpha Zeke Hunter’s tent stood. The alpha’s
guards already knew he was coming since he’d entered their land. One of the
guards, already shapeshifted into a grisly looking creature, bared its fangs
and growled, spittle foaming at the gum line.
    Weres were dangerous creatures. Their bodies
could transform into vicious, smart werewolf animals. Only these creatures
barely resembled their namesake—the wolf. They were great hunters, fast in
combat, and if transformed, their teeth and claws could rip a man open.
    Grayson strolled past the growling were with
little care. The only thing that interested him was getting in to see Zeke. A
guard came up to block his path. “State your business. Your stench is twisting
my nose hairs.”
    “Perhaps that isn’t me you’re smelling but your
dog over there. Seems he doesn’t know the meaning of keeping one’s mouth
closed,” Grayson said.
    The guard was a bulky, strong man with a bald
head. He carried an assault rifle strapped across his chest which would be
loaded with silver bullets.
    “That’s Benjie,” the guard said.
    When the guard waited as if expecting Grayson
to say something, he muttered, “Good doggie.”
    “He’s my brother,” the guard responded. His
expression had gone from cool to frozen.
    “Is this a family reunion or is Zeke here?”
    The guard narrowed his eyes. What, it wasn’t
like Gray had time to fuck off. His mate’s body had been put to rest the nearly
a month before. He couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat. All Gray could do was plan.
Finding the Donatos was out of his reach. He needed some help and the only
person he knew powerful enough to track the Donatos was the alpha himself.
    “He’s here but if you want to see him you have
to do a little something,” the guard said.
    “And what’s that?” Grayson asked with measured
patience.
    He’s wasting my time. I could already be
talking to Zeke.
    “Fight my brother. Rules are simple: you pin my
brother down, you win. If he pins you, you’re outta here. Got it?”
    A fight just to see the alpha? Grayson cracked
his knuckles. Heady anticipation opened his veins allowing blood to rush to his
body. His fangs dropped as he scoped out his target—the salivating Were. “And
if I put him down permanently?”
    The guard’s gaze narrowed. “Then you’ll be
joining him afterward, vampire.”
    There was no bell to ring ding, ding, ding .
There was no referee to judge the match. And there was only one rule.
    How simple .
    Gray spun around but he was too late. The Were
was already on its haunches, body curled and ready to strike. In a burst, they
both moved. Gray dodged slash after slash by using his speed to evade side to
side. With a vicious uppercut, he caught the Were’s chin, snapping his head
backward. A bone in its neck cracked in protest and the Were howled. Reacting,
the Were lurched forward muzzle-first. Gray doubled back to keep from having
his arm bitten off in a single bite.
    The fight turned nasty. They both started
hitting faster. Things got dirty as they rolled in the dirt. Fighting a
four-legged animal was not Grayson’s preference nor specialty. The mangy beast
smelled like wet dog and foul breath.
    Gray flexed the arm he had wrapped tight around
the Were’s throat. “Give in,” he