CHAPTER NINETEEN
Hayley sucked in a painful breath as she stared at Grayson's body. There were angry red claw marks all over his torso. The wounds in his side were deep and raw, but as she stared at them, she saw that some of his wounds were already knitting shut. She ran her quivering fingers over his scars, scars which were still fresh and throbbing.
She knew that shifters could heal very quickly and they were much stronger than humans. But the numerous bite and claw marks all over his body revealed how violent and savage the fight had been. He could have been killed.
The scene from her nightmare flashed before her eyes. She had seen him drenched in blood, his skin and flesh torn from his body. She had seen the vicious fight in her dream. She had seen how Grayson had fought so hard to protect her. But it wasn't a dream. She had seen the truth in her mind's eye but she needed to hear it from Grayson.
“Who did this?” she said, her voice rising. “Who did this to you? Tell me! Goddammit, just tell me everything, Grayson! And—don't tell me that it's none of my business. Because it is!”
Grayson caught her hand and tugged her closer to him. “I will never say that to you,” he said hoarsely. “I will never shut you out, Hayley. You...” His throat moved and he seemed to be struggling to find the right words.
Hayley scowled. “It was Strom.”
“Yes,” Grayson said through gritted teeth.
“You got hurt because of me.”
“I fought Strom for you—and for the other human females.”
Hayley yanked her hand away and blinked. “What are you talking about? You're just saying that so I won't feel guilty.”
“I will never lie to you. And I won't sugarcoat anything for you. You are a strong, smart woman, Hayley. I know there is nothing you can't handle,” he said softly.
After a brief pause, Grayson explained, “What an Alpha does with his pack is the internal business of the pack. No one will interfere. But Strom went a step too far. There were innocent humans involved.”
Hayley gave a jerky nod to encourage him to go on.
“Strom kidnapped human women and forced them to become his 'wives'. These women were snatched from their towns, their families and taken into the pack. They weren't shifters, they couldn't fight back and they didn't belong with the wolves. Strom let his animal appetites rage out of control and he broke the unwritten law that governed all shifter packs and clans. And yet, his wolves, his Beta, his lieutenants didn't stand up to him. The other packs all looked the other way. No one wanted to antagonize the Red Razor pack so no one stopped Strom. There was no one to save those innocent humans. Strom would have continued his brutal, barbaric ways. He would have taken more humans but it would never be enough.”
Hayley gulped. “Strom said he wanted me as wife number five. He said he was coming back for me, after...”
“He won't come for you.”
“You challenged him.” Hayley touched the deep cut on his neck. The wound had opened up and bled earlier when she touched him.
She felt Grayson jerk. His muscles tensed and she could almost hear his blood roaring through his bulging veins. She realized what he was doing.
He was restraining himself, leashing his wolf down forcefully. She stared at his tightly clenched fists. He was fighting his wolf and his raging desire. The strain was causing his wounds to bleed anew.
Hayley stared at his terrible, horrific injuries. The numerous bite and claw marks criss-crossing all over his body told her how much pain he had endured for her, and for those human women.
“You killed Strom.”
“Yes.” There was a flicker of pain in his blue eyes as he braced himself for her judgment.
“You saved those women,” Hayley said fiercely.
“My lieutenants are escorting those women back to their families right now. Strom is dead. The Red Razor wolves will be severely punished for allowing their alpha to commit all these atrocities,” Grayson growled. “It will be a clear message to all the other packs as well. This must never happen again.”
Hayley couldn't breathe as Grayson stepped closer to her. She stared up into his blue eyes, the same blue eyes that she had seen in her dream.
She understood that shifter politics were complicated, violent and bloody. Grayson had put himself and his pack in grave danger by interfering in another pack's business. He hadn't shied away from doing the right thing. If he hadn't challenged and killed Strom, Strom would have hurt many more humans. Including her.
Grayson Edge was a wolf shifter, but he wasn't at all like Strom. Strom was a predator, a beast, a monster. Grayson was a true Alpha, fearless, righteous and he would risk everything, including his life to defend and protect those who couldn't protect themselves.
Hayley recalled the vivid image from the nightmare again. Grayson had endured the savage, brutal attack to protect her. He didn't flinch from the pain and the horror, and even though his flesh was being ripped from him, there was a fierce pride and love in his eyes.
She saw that pride and love now as he stared at her. His turbulent eyes were filled with hunger and yearning. Grayson was a powerful, proud, formidable Alpha. He had hundreds of wolves under his command. He was fearless, unstoppable and deadly in a fight.
Grayson Edge could have any female he wanted. Hayley wondered just how many women he'd had. Too many to count, a bitchy voice in her head whined. A strong, virile, powerful man like Grayson would have had scores of women.
Hayley shook away that annoyingly high-pitched voice in her head. That was his past, and he was entitled to it. Everyone had a past. And her own past wasn't that pretty either.
What mattered was the present. Grayson was in her present, in her house right now. She searched his face and saw her own longing and loneliness mirrored in his eyes. Perhaps tonight they could give each other the warmth and comfort they both craved.
Very slowly, she reached up and cupped the side of his face. Pushing herself up on her toes, Hayley touched her lips softly, tentatively to his.