by Erin M. Leaf
“You are delusional,” the woman said angrily. “And if you try to escape, you will bring nothing but problems for us.”
The fearful woman got up and moved away. Aleirah was thankful the lady was gone. She went back to studying the door. She had fought her captors when they’d snared her, she’d fought in the cargo hold of the ship that transported them from Lycanis, and now she was determined to live up to being part of such a fierce race of warriors. Rising, she moved toward the door, pushing a woman off a chair and scooping it up as she walked with determined strides. The displaced female screeched in some odd language, but Aleirah didn’t care. She waited by the door and at the marked hour brought it overhead as the guard stepped through. Using all her strength, she crashed the chair down upon his head, knocking him sideways into the door. Aleirah dropped the chair and jumped on the fallen man, letting her claws through in order to shred the man to pieces. Her goal was his blaster. If she had that, she could fight her way toward Ravage’s side.
But as she went for the kill, the hum of a weapon caught her attention and she glanced up to see the second guard level his gun at her. Pain coursed through her as the energy bolt blasted her so sharp and intense she was left a writhing mass on the floor, helpless to do anything but watch as the guard stood above her, drew back his fist, and punched her across the jaw. Unfortunately, the hit didn’t knock her unconscious, although it did send stars to circle around her head and render her limp enough not to fight when the guards grabbed her arms and dragged her from the room.
Chapter Four
Ravage sat in his cell, analyzing the prison he was kept in. The bars were made of thick iron and, even with his strength, unbendable. The other three walls were made of stone, making escape impossible. The realization was a bitter pill to swallow. Helpless rage swept through him that he and his people had been so easily taken. He had fought savagely, doing everything in his power to defeat the enemy who dared invade their planet, and he recognized how complacent they had grown over the decades of peace. If … when … they returned to their home, Ravage vowed to change their vulnerability. No more would he allow his people to be endangered.
Suddenly, an electric wall hummed to life in front of the door, snapping him to attention. He jumped to his feet and crouched in a defensive position, waiting with clenched fists. The door opened and Aleirah was shoved forward. She stumbled but luckily stopped before hitting the force field.
“Ravage?” she whispered, tears flooding her eyes.
The electric wall disengaged with a zap of energy and he rushed forward to wrap her in his arms. She clung to him, digging her short fingernails into his bare shoulders. He buried his face in her neck, squeezing her so tightly he feared he would crush her. The metal collar that encircled her throat caught his attention.
“What is this?” he asked. He reached up to touch it.
“A choke collar,” she said. “They put it there after my latest attempt to escape.”
He gave a fleeting, humorless smile. “And if I try to rip it off you?”
“It will kill me,” she whispered.
He closed his eye and sucked in a deep breath, hoping to calm the wolf that paced restlessly inside, wanting one moment to break free and wreak havoc on the whole damn place.
“Please tell me you know a way out of here,” she said against his shoulder.
Slowly, he shook his head. “Not yet. Have they hurt you?”
She pulled back and cradled his face with her hands. “No. Only my pride that they were able to capture us so easily.”
“The man who owns this ludus expects the men to fight in the arena,” Ravage said. He curled his lips in disgust. “He is a weak, fat little man who thinks our mythology will attract a sell-out crowd.”
Her forehead crinkled with concern. “You mean to comply?”
“It’s not my intention to aid them in their quest for entertainment, but the lanista threatened the lives of the men. He threatened you.”
“I can take care of myself, Ravage,” she said firmly.
“If this was a fair fight, I have no doubt to your ability to defend yourself. But these Sennex bastards are two faced and would shoot you in the back if it furthered their cause.” The thought of her being hurt, or killed, made him want to hit the wall. He gave her a hard look. “I am your Alpha. I won’t put you or the men in unnecessary danger.”
“So you’ll give this asshole what he wants?” she asked. “Bow to his demands? That doesn’t sound like the Alpha I know.”
“What would you have me do, Aleirah? Hmm? Watch him hurt you? Watch him kill Fray or the other youngsters? No,” he said harshly. “I will figure something out. Figure out some way to free us all. Trust me.”
She nodded then pressed her forehead against his bare chest and traced over the nearest tattoo, his legacy to the Alpha title depicted in ink for all to see. When humans had begun their mass exodus from Earth, shifters had been one of the first people to flee. They had brought their heritage and beliefs to their new world and each Alpha had the story tattooed on their body. It was a pictorial story of the first Lycan, granted the spirit of the wolf by the Gods to protect his people from invaders, reminding him that a leader had to sometimes make difficult sacrifices.
“You’re so beautiful,” Aleirah murmured.
“I think that’s my line,” he said as he cupped her face. “Why do you refuse to mate with me, Aleirah?”
Her lower lip trembled and tears welled in her beautiful honey colored eyes. “I … I cannot have cubs,” she whispered.
Her revelation stunned him. “What? How?”
“It was during a change,” she murmured sadly. “I was running through the night alone, the first time since I had gone through the transition. I remember feeling free, with the cool wind brushing through my pelt. I was on a cliff’s edge, going as fast as I could go, but then … I misjudged a jumping distance. I tried to reach the other side, but ended up clawing to get to the top. I couldn’t hold the change and fell in my human form. When I woke up … my parents had found me, but the doctor said there was too much bruising inside. Too much damage. I would likely never be able to conceive.”
His heart ached for her pain and sorrow, but the love he felt for her overshadowed anything more. If anything, what she went through made him love her even more.
“That’s why you never entered the mating ceremony,” he said.
She nodded. Her amber eyes reflected the torture of her accident. “So you see why I’m not a good choice for the Alpha’s mate.”
“You’re wrong,” he said. “You’re perfect. The way of the pack is to raise all cubs with equal love so it doesn’t matter to me if we have cubs of our own or not. You know being Alpha isn’t necessarily determined by genetics. I love you, Aleirah. Not the children you may or may not give me, and I do not want any other female by my side.”
Big fat tears rolled down her cheeks and he wiped them away with his thumbs. “Will you accept me as your mate?” he asked.
Slowly, she nodded. “Yes, Ravage,” she murmured. “I love you, too.”
He kissed her tenderly and it was like putting a flame onto dry kindling. The heat that existed between them instantly flared to life and Aleirah sank her nails into his flesh to hold him to her. He moaned, unable to deny himself the pleasure to be had in her arms.
He backed her up until they hit his bunk. This was not the time for foreplay. This had to be a hard, fast fuck because he had no idea if Aleirah was allowed to stay with him. At any moment someone could come for her or for him, and if he had to let her go for now, he wanted everyone to know she belonged to him. He yanked at the neckline of the gown she wore until he’d bared her breasts. The nipples were rosy little nubs hardened with arousal. He closed his mouth over one turgid peak, lavishing it with his tongue and teeth, tugging tenderly until she writhed uncontrollably against him.
“Hands and knees,” he ordered, staring into her bright, lust-filled eyes. “You’re so fucking sexy. I’m goin
g fill you with my cum until you’re drowning in my scent.”
Aleirah moaned and slid to her knees upon the bunk bed. She prepared herself as any bitch in heat would do, presenting her fine ass to him and bowing her head to the side to offer her neck. Ravage followed her, pushing her thighs even wider as he fit behind her. He kneaded the soft flesh, then ran his finger along her slit. She moaned and wiggled her hips. He slapped one cheek, halting her movements.
“You’re so fucking wet,” he said.
“Please, Ravage.”
He fisted his shaft and lined it up with her dripping pussy, feeding the tip into her moist heat. Going so slow was torture, but it only heightened the pleasure, so he took his time, stopping halfway in only to pull out. She moaned in protest and he smiled at her impatience. He spanked her again and if possible, even more juice leaked from her cunt to run down her thighs. The scent of her arousal was driving him mad. He pressed back into her, going so slowly that sweat popped out on his body. In easy, measured strokes, he pumped her, giving her a little more cock each time.
She babbled incoherently, pleading with him to fuck her, and finally, he broke. He slammed his cock deep into her body and Aleirah screamed with pleasure. She fit him like a glove, wrapping around him so tightly he could barely breathe. This time was just like the first time. So intense. Equally amazing.
“Fuck!” He groaned when he bottomed out all the way inside her. “Your pussy is perfect.”
“I need you so badly, Ravage. Please make me come!”
Her plea drove him wild and he pounded into her harder, deeper. Her tight little cunt sucked him in, turning his brain to mush. He was fast losing control and he so wanted this moment to never end. She felt so damn good wrapped around him, skin to skin.
“I’m going to come,” he panted. “Aleirah?”
“Yes!” she cried. “Yes! Ravage!”
He reached down between their bodies and touched her clit, and that was all she needed to fly apart. Her pussy spasmed around his cock and her incoherent cries of pleasure pushed him over the top and he came with a loud shout. As his cock jerked, spilling his seed, his incisors elongated and he sank them into her shoulder. She cried out and came again on his pumping dick. Blood coated his throat and he drank deeply, pulling her essence into his mouth as he gave her part of his. When he was spent, he swiped his tongue over the puncture wounds and withdrew from her body. They both collapsed in a sweaty, panting heap, limbs entwined. Ravage pulled her close, contentment sweeping over him.
“We are mated,” he said with a pant. “My mark is upon you as your scent is in my blood.”
“I love you.”
“And I love you beyond words,” he said. His heart beat happily in his chest for their partnership ten years in the making. Now it was even more important to keep her safe and get his people out of Kappuah.
They stayed locked together, their hearts beating in time together as the sweat slowly dried on their skin.
“I miss home,” she whispered.
“I know,” he said. “But I promise we’ll get home. Now rest, my mate. Conserve your strength.”
He spent the rest of the night with Aleirah snuggled into his side, trying to figure out a plan to escape. His world had withdrawn from the Confederacy Trade long ago, not liking how only the strongest worlds controlled the markets. When the number one trade became slaves for the games, it had been the last straw. Lycanis ships only traded with planets far enough away not to be allies with the Confederacy. Now, however, his situation changed everything. If he were able to save his captured people, how could he ensure the Sennex raiders wouldn’t come back to his planet?
Through the night he contemplated the dilemma as he held his female close. The responsibility of what he needed to accomplish weighed heavy on his shoulders. When the collar on Aleirah’s neck buzzed, he sat up and stared at it just before her eyes flew open in panic and her fingers came up to claw at the thing. She gasped for breath and Ravage realized it was strangling her.
“Aleirah!” Fear poured through him. Fuck! Was he going to watch her die? His heart pounded with terror. He tried to pull the metal away from her throat, but it was so tight he wasn’t able to get any traction with breaking it and without hurting her.
“No! Stop this!” The collar had to be activated remotely, which meant it was controlled by someone. No doubt it was that fucking Felix. Ravage silently vowed to tear the mother fucker apart with his bare hands. “Don’t kill her!”
The door swished open and he looked up see the lanista. In his hands was a small device. By now, Aleirah’s face had turned from red to an ugly purple color, and she writhed on the bed, clawing at the collar. Helplessness drove Ravage to let his wolf through, and his fingers started to curve into claws when suddenly, Aleirah sucked in a ragged breath. Her body slumped to the bed as she gasped and coughed, able to breathe.
“Just like that, I can take her away from you,” Felix said smugly.
“You almost killed her!” Ravage took a threatening step toward him, mindless of his nudity. Felix held up the remote and mockingly shook his head. Ravage halted.
“I have no desire to harm a woman, even one as temperamental as she.” Felix smiled. He gestured to the guards behind him to come forward. “How fortuitous you care about her. Perhaps on your first win in the arena, you’ll get the chance to have her again—”
“You said wives could stay with husbands,” Ravage snarled.
He placed himself in front of her, ready to attack and defend his mate, but Felix held up the remote control once again. Ravage hated the helpless feeling that coursed through him. Anger welled up. Potent. All-consuming. He debated for half a second if he could get to Felix before the asshole hit the button, and actually let his claws come through a fraction in preparation for an attack. Then the guards rushed toward them, intent on getting Aleirah, and Ravage pounced. He caught one man across the throat and blood sprayed across the wall. Ravage turned and punched another man in the face. He was ready to turn into full wolf until a ragged gasp of his name had him halting and spinning. Aleirah was on the ground, clawing at the collar once more. He dropped his defensive position to go to her and he was knocked across the back of the head.
Ravage fell forward. Aleirah slumped over as the torture stopped and Ravage watched through bleary eyes as she was led out of his cell. Pain radiated through his skull and he absently wondered how many times someone could get hit in the head before serious damage was inflicted.
“Get up,” Felix ordered coldly.
Ravage sucked in a deep breath and pushed to his knees. He glared up at the lanista, pouring all his hate into the look, just as the force field went back up.
“Honor states wives stays with their mate,” Ravage said in a low tone.
“Yes, I did say honor dictated that, but if it’s one thing I’ve learned in the twelve years I’ve run this ludus, it’s that honor has no foothold in the fight between life and death.” A little smirk turned the corners of his mouth.
“You hurt her and I will tear your throat out,” Ravage vowed.
Felix laughed at him and turned to leave.
“Wait!” Ravage surged forward, hand out, only to cry out as it touched the force field. The tips of his fingers were dark with burn marks. Ravage cradled his hand. “Give me back my mate.”
“You don’t seem to understand that you are not Alpha here,” Felix said coldly. “You are nothing but a drudge that needs training in order to survive in the arena. Let me tell you how this works. There are eight levels of fighting in this arena, each one more advanced than the last. If you win at Kappuah, you will be labeled a gladiator and advance to Sennex Prime. If you win there, you win your freedom. You have no bargaining chips here.”
Ravage thought quickly. If he won but his men did not, he would lose them and be separated from Aleirah. Once again, Felix turned to walk away.
“What if we all fought?” Ravage demanded.
Felix halted and looked at him questioni
ngly. “What do you mean?”
“You said it yourself. Ten of my men are whelps. The equivalent of teenagers really. They know how to fight but haven’t yet had formal training.” Ravage took a deep breath. “Put all of us in the arena, against your best eighth level champions.”
Felix snorted. “I would lose out on a multitude of revenue.”
“Up the admission fee. Hail it as the greatest fight of all time. You said it yourself, Lycanis warriors are legendary. Surely people will be flocking to Kappuah to see this amazing display of savagery.”
Felix folded his arms and stared at Ravage. “I can … see the marketability.”
Satisfaction sliced through Ravage. He waited on tenterhooks as Felix thought over his proposition. Finally, the lanista nodded.
“Ten teenagers would need years of training since they wouldn’t generate that much revenue if put in the arena as is. That would cut into my profits. This, however, would be something new. I think the people will enjoy having a different type of fight.” This time when Felix turned away, Ravage let him. “Be prepared for training first thing in the morning.”
“Wait! Aleirah—”
“You will get your mate when you demonstrate you are sincere in training and winning.”
Felix walked out of the cell without looking back.
Chapter Five
Ravage stood with his men inside a mock arena, under the scrutiny of the gladiator trainer as the man marched up and down the line. He was a big man, muscular, with a long scar dissecting his face. It didn’t take much of the imagination to figure out how he became marked. The trainer studied each man, looking him up and down.
“I can smell Aleirah on you,” Fray murmured, keeping his voice low.
“We are mated,” Ravage replied. “You must protect her at all costs.”
Fray nodded. “Yes, my Alpha.”
The trainer paused beside Ravage, and he had to fight the urge to allow his wolf out, to cleave the man in two with his bare hands. To rip all the fucking people of Kappuah to shreds. It would be easy, except he didn’t know where Aleirah was being held. So for now, he’d keep to the plan tentatively forming in his head. The trainer gave one last look over Ravage before turning his back and marching the other way.