Lycan Gladiator (Wolf Maiden Saga)

by Gordon, Eva

  “She cannot while she is weak.”

  “Take me to her. I must meet her.”

  “Yes, but remember not to say a word to anyone.”

  “Believe me; I would not endanger your life mate, my den daughter.”

  ***

  Cassia awoke in her room. How did she get here? She touched the bump on the back of her head. She must have fallen during her fit. She remembered healing Lucius’ knee and nothing more. Would he be well enough to run? Without Gaius or Ferox to help her, she had lost her focus. Her left knee ached with a pain that should have gone away by now. Who had found her? How long had she been out? How long will I be stranded here? A whistle to call a lycan for help lay on a table next to her bed. The only lycan she wanted to see was Ulric. Did he know about her fit? Not when forced to be at Floretta’s beck and call or perhaps, locked in his cell.

  She took the whistle and blew. Acca entered, her tone gentle, “I am to bring you whatever you need.”

  “What happened to me?”

  “You slipped and fell on your head. The injury caused you to go unconscious. You have slept since late morning.”

  “What time is it?”

  “Early evening.” She poured her watered wine and lifted her head so she could sip. “A guest waits to make sure you are healing well.”

  Hope awakened in her. “Gaius is here?”

  “No. Her name is Rohesia. The gladiator’s mother. She says she is familiar with head injuries.”

  Did she hear correctly? “Rohesia?”

  “This wolf maiden was once a Chattian warrior and previously mended her wounded barbarian pack members,” Acca explained.

  Ulric’s mother, here, to see her? Did she know? Would she like her? Her pulse raced.

  Acca laughed, “Don’t be so nervous, like a cat being chased by a dog. She is no longer a barbarian but a Roman. She whispered, “Macula’s former lover.”

  “Help me freshen up before I see her.” She stepped out of her bed and her left knee buckled. She screamed and collapsed.

  Acca lifted her and placed her back on the bed. “What is wrong?”

  She gritted her teeth. “My leg is numb, nothing more.” The pain of the healing would pass but for now, she was as crippled as Lucius had been in the morning.

  “I will tell Rohesia you cannot see her.” She turned to leave.

  “Wait, is she here?”

  The door slammed opened and in walked an older, attractive, blonde woman, dressed in a wolf maiden’s red cloak. She had a thick guttural accent. “I heard you scream.” She placed a sac on the bed and sat next to her. She took her by the hand. “I am Rohesia. I heard you hurt your head while attending to Lucius.” She scowled at Acca. “Leave us!”

  Acca bowed, “Yes, domina.”

  Rohesia narrowed her eyes. “In fact, you are to order everyone out of here. I need to be alone with the physician so I may deliver my healing spell.”

  Acca’s brows climbed. “Understood.” She turned and left.

  Rohesia’s presence radiated authority. Defiance appeared to be part of her nature. Chattian women fought alongside their men. No surprise this was Ulric’s mother. Rohesia waited until the doors below slammed shut. She cracked a smile. “They fear Chattian magic.”

  Did Ulric tell her about his desire to claim her? Would his mother approve? Cassia’s hair hung disheveled. She must look like a beggar. She mustered her energy to sit. “It is an honor to meet you, Rohesia, mother of Ulric.”

  She gently pushed her back. “Cassia, lie still.” She smiled and brushed a whisp of hair from her eyes and felt her forehead. “You look pale but blessed Feronia, no fever.” She grabbed the wine cup Acca had left her and added a powder from a small bag in her sac. “Here, drink this tonic.”

  Cassia took the cup but hesitated drinking from it. She stared at it. The powder could be anything, including poison. Being paranoid was wise in Rome where so many died from sudden stomach ailments. Floretta could have sent someone to pose as Ulric’s mother. Yet there was kindness in her face. Her accent, similar to Ulric’s, only heavier. Cassia trusted no one except her former pack and Gaius’s small household.

  Rohesia took the cup. “Let me drink first.” She swallowed a good amount and smiled, “Not poisoned.”

  “I’m sorry, it’s just that…”

  “I understand. You are wise to question.” She leaned over and whispered, “Ulric told me how he carried your goat all the way home.”

  Only she and Ulric knew of their first meeting when he helped her with Egidius. She smiled sheepishly, “Forgive me.”

  Rohesia lifted a brow. “Not necessary, now drink.”

  She finished the cup and smacked her teeth, “Powdered willow bark.”

  His mother took the cup. “Yes. Rest and tell me what pains you?” She whispered, “Valeria Luperca.”

  Cassia eyes widened. She warned Ulric not to tell, yet this was his mother. Walls of mistrust fell and she risked opening up. “My knee. I worked on the boy’s shattered kneecap. I did not stop the healing correctly. Now that I’m awake it will pass but it’s too soon for me to walk.”

  Rohesia covered her shoulders with a soft woolen blanket. “It is best you stop healing. My son forbids it.”

  The woman’s tone conveyed she agreed with Ulric. “But it is what I am.” She stiffened. He had not yet claimed her, yet gave orders as if he had.

  “He does not fully understand what you are but I must remind you, your first duty is to my son.” She smoothed her cheek with a tender finger like a mother soothing a child. “Cassia, know this, he loves you and will claim you even if it means his death, mine, and perhaps even yours.”

  A chill ran down her spine and she trembled. Once an alpha claimed a wolf maiden as a life mate, it was far more sacred than any human marriage. Yet the thought that she could be so desired, so loved, so possessed frightened her. Her voice cracked, “Perhaps it would be better if he forgot me.”

  “Not possible.” She gripped her hand and squeezed. “Think of Ulric and tell me how do you feel?”

  Cassia looked away while her mark seared her.

  Rohesia whispered, “Show me the mark.”

  She closed her eyes. “Just mentioning his name makes it burn. You will see it is red as blood and hot as fire.”

  Rohesia removed her sheet and smiled, “You have chosen my son.”

  Cassia batted her tears with her fingertips and nodded. “But how can it be? Ulric is Macula’s slave.”

  “I will seek Petronia’s help when she returns from Gaul. Until then, you and Ulric must be discreet.” She scoffed, “Though Ulric does not know the meaning of the word. He told me how he stormed off from Floretta on hearing of your fall. If he is as bull-headed and protective as my mate was, we are in trouble.”

  Did she know how Ulric had reacted when Floretta had suggested she bed a beta lycan? Floretta might have been too drunk to notice but Nox knew exactly how Ulric felt. Did Nox suspect her true nature? “Where is Ulric?”

  “He is in his quarters with the other omegas. I convinced him to stay away. I must leave on the morrow and suggest you leave before Macula returns.”

  “I shall. I expect Gaius will be waiting for me back home.”

  Her brows lifted in concern. “Does he know you are here?”

  “Yes, I sent him a message. He should be back any day.”

  “Pray he did before…” She stopped and gathered her sac. “I promise to help in any way I can.”

  “Wait, pray he did before what?”

  “I told Ulric. He was not sure if I should alarm you.” Rohesia pressed her lips tight and looked down at her hands.

  “Tell me what?”

  She sat beside her and held her hand. “A trusted member of the Lupercal told me of her concern for Gaius.” She took a breath in preparation for her next words. “Emperor Domitian ordered the execution of Senator Servius Ovidus Cato and his family.” She hissed, “Crucified and burned. His land confiscated and all the slaves put t
o death as well.”

  Cassia gasped. Dear sweet Cato, his dutiful wife, and his adopted young son. He had as many as twenty slaves on his estate. “And Gaius?”

  “I don’t know. I doubt even Macula would allow the death of a lycan physician, but these days I have my doubts about his loyalty. Perhaps he left before the order.”

  “He had to have left, he had to…” She broke down and sobbed. Rohesia held Cassia in her arms and rocked her.

  Chapter 10

  Cassia pushed away her bowl of grapes. Too weak to walk, she convalesced as ordered by Lucius. In his father’s absence, he acted as alpha. She fretted. It had been two days since she had met Rohesia and learned the bad news about Senator Cato’s execution. Ulric was nowhere in sight. Had he returned to the arena? Or had he and his mother finally escaped Rome? Not likely. If he escaped, it meant death to his den siblings. Besides, he was determined to claim her.

  She needed to talk to Lucius. He promised to find out about Gaius. A gentle knock on the door startled her. She clutched her chest. Was it Ulric? “Enter.”

  Lucius waltzed in with the help of a cane. “How does my physician fare?”

  She smiled. “Much better.” She cocked her head. “And how are you, Master Lucius?”

  Lucius pulled a chair and sat next to her bed. “My knee improves each day. It’s now only a dull pain. Your suggestion of a mineral bath is most therapeutic. I’m sorry but there is no word yet about Gaius.”

  She stared at her hands. “I see.”

  He leaned in and took her hand. “I promise, Father will not allow a Lupercii physician to be killed.”

  Cassia twirled a loose hair to calm her nerves. “I pray that is true.”

  He changed the subject. “I’ve decided to give up chariot racing.”

  “Your mother will be elated.” While she recovered, Floretta had not visited. A blessing under the circumstances. As long as she was not sharing her bed with Ulric.

  “My Lupercii friend Stephanus convinced me not to risk my life. Instead I now favor intellectual pursuits. Stephanus promised to tutor me in philosophy, mathematics, and science.”

  Would he become a philosopher leader of the pack like his grandfather? Or succumb to Macula’s evil and greed?

  After he left, she decided to get fresh air. Her leg, no longer sore and her stamina back, she stood. She stepped out to her terrace and surveyed the vast estate. A breeze chilled her but the fresh air soothed her troubled mind. Dear Feronia, Gaius has to be alive. Lucius had sent Acca to the gates to find out if any messages had come for her. She prayed Gaius would send her a missive. On the morrow she would go to the villa to pay Lucius one last visit. It was dusk and no messages. Her door opened and she whirled around. But it was not Ulric.

  Acca stepped onto the balcony. “I will be out with my den sisters for a few days but I have told the guard that if a message comes for you, someone will deliver it, no matter what the hour.”

  “Thank you.”

  Acca bowed and left.

  Cassia ached for Ulric. She had not seen him since the banquet. Rohesia said it was best to wait for Petronia before risking his claim. It was late summer and Petronia would not be back from Gaul until late fall. Could she wait that long? Could he? A sudden wind blew and dark clouds opened with a downpour. Was it a sign from Feronia? She shuddered as it cut through her warm cloak and she returned to her room. A warm brazier provided the only light. Too early for bed, she paced. Perhaps she should light an oil lamp to write. The door slammed open. She gasped at the tall figure that stood like an oak tree. He stepped in and closed the door.

  “Ulric?” Her heart gladdened on seeing him.

  He picked her up and whirled her around. “At last.” He set her down and drew her in. “Cassia, I have been dying inside for want of seeing you.”

  She gazed at him, her head spinning. “Oh, Ulric.” Panic set in. They must not meet. How soon before his scent was detected in her quarters? “What if Nox or someone sees you with me? What then?”

  He laughed, “The guard sent me with this.” He reached below his sword belt and handed her a scrolled message.

  She quickly took it. It was from Gaius! Her heart sped. In the dark, it would be impossible to read. “Ulric, light the oil lamp.”

  As the lamp lit the room, she breathed out in relief, “Blessed Feronia, Gaius is alive.”

  He whispered, “What does it say?”

  She scanned the scroll. “He returns in three days. He tells me not to worry, that all is well.” She paused for moment before continuing, and read, “Emperor Domitian and Macula just arrived in Ravenna, which was most curious. I left before finding out why they came; surely it has nothing to do with my beloved Cato.” Her eyes grew teary. “He does not know. Gaius will be devastated when he learns his love Servius Cato died so horribly.”

  Ulric drew her in and kissed her forehead in a chaste moment of tenderness. He gently lifted her chin. “Asking your master to return early saved his life.” His breath tickled her neck as his mouth moved down to her vulnerable throat. He whispered, “I promise to protect you.”

  His very presence made her feel safe, despite the danger of discovery. She shuddered and pressed the message against her heart. “Fortune has favored my dear Gaius.” His powerful calloused hands held her arms and she stiffened.

  “Cassia, look at me,” his tone a command, not a request. She raised her head and met his eyes. His seductive gaze seared her soul. “Cassia. It is I who is favored by fortune.”

  He towered over her, muscular and broad shouldered. His raw masculine scent dizzied her. She licked her lip and dampness gathered in her loins. Her wolf mark beneath her tunic blazed. Wounded by Cupid’s arrow upon seeing her living Adonis, desire washed over her senses like a rogue wave. In the wan lamplight, his wolf aura darkened his face. Fangs emerged and a low growl of satisfaction escaped his throat. A predator that had caught sight of his prey.

  He bent down to sniff her hair and then his nose trailed down to her nape. He growled, “I love your sweet scent.” His fangs retracted and his thumb circled her lower lip.

  Delirious with erotic sensations that shot through her body, she moaned. He captured her mouth with hungry urgency. Dear Feronia, what joy. Her fingers pressed against his arm muscles, encouraging him to possess her.

  He released her swollen mouth, his eyes feral, his voice husky, “You are mine.”

  She held his face with her hands. “Oh, Ulric.” He stood still, his chest heaving. Alone in her room with the undefeated fierce lycan gladiator, her life mate. The bulge beneath his tunic, evidence of his need. He meant to have her. Would he ravish her with wolfish abandon? Thrilled and frightened at once, she murmured, “Oh, my beloved.”

  Ulric’s inner wolf emerged. His need to protect her from danger fought with his need to take what belonged to him. He promised himself only to deliver the message and ensure she fared well. He could not risk suspicious eyes and noses learning of his ruse to see his beloved. Yet looking at her and inhaling her sweet aroma, his wolf thought otherwise. Nature, his mistress and he, her dutiful servant.

  Despite the peril, he decided to claim her with a single bite. Forever imprinting his claiming scent on her red wolf mark. Every alpha would know upon trying to claim her that she was taken. She stood still, shy, her eyes cast down, waiting for his move. His length throbbed with wanting to include the first mating claim. He hesitated. She was a virgin.

  All the women he had bedded were experienced. He always plowed the brothel prostitutes like a rutting stag. Always rough. He knew little of the pristinely untouched. Would he hurt her? The taking of such a gentle lamb took time. It must be special. He would wait for the first mating. Not rushed. And not on his enemy’s territory.

  For now, only his claiming bite. His fangs emerged, like swords drawn. His nails curved into claws. Like twilight, he shaded between the souls of man and wolf. A low growl escaped his throat as he drew her into his arms, pressing her soft body against his chest. Her
pulse quickened, making his predatory instincts cloud his common sense and a low growl escaped his throat.

  Her only sound, a slow gulp as her eyes roamed down to his phallus pushing against his tunic skirt and into her belly. He sensed fear but arousal as well. She wanted him. The aroma of her wetness burned him with desire. No other woman’s scent had roused such a primal need to possess. As if mesmerized, she dropped her woolen cloak and stood wearing only a short undergarment. His breath hitched. He released his hold to gaze upon his wolf maiden. Her hardened nipples beneath her flimsy garment beckoned for his mouth to kiss, nibble and suck them. With a swift swipe, his clawed hand ripped off the thin material. It fell in a heap. Her nude form stood before him, glowing in the lamplight.

  “You are as beautiful as our moon goddess, Lusna.” Round magnificent breasts and svelte curves with long slender legs made him want to howl to the entire world that he had at last found his mate. He dared not look below her navel. The temptation was too great.

  She gasped and closed her eyes, “Please, Ulric, I’m yours.” Her breath was slow in anticipation.

  His length grew with need for her. To mate. Fur prickled on his back. No. Not like this. Not on his enemy’s territory. The scent of semen, his semen, discovered and relayed back to Floretta would risk her wrath against Cassia.

  He stroked his clawed finger through her long hair. His voice husky. “Cassia, I must not hurt you.”

  Her lips parted. Her fearless eyes locked on his. “Claim me.”

  He drew her in, feeling her silken soft breasts warm his chest. He cupped her face and kissed her. He could savor her sweet tasting mouth for an entire moon cycle and never tire of it. He rasped, “I will my beloved.” He swept her up. The feel of her soft body made him shudder with primal need to satiate his hunger.

  He set her on the bed belly down, adjusting her so he could view her exquisite bottom, which sloped from her slender back. She bent her bottom up as if expecting him to mate. He almost lost his mind on seeing her submit and swallowed his drool. From behind, he pushed her hair aside and nibbled the back of her neck. He mumbled between bites. “No, my nymph, I will save a mating for another time.” He straightened and traced his claw around her inflamed wolf print mark. She quivered like a playful kitten at his touch. He moved in, kissed it and it heated on his lips. She moaned in pleasure like a wild mountain cat in heat. He suppressed a howl.