Shudder

27

I breathed heavily, sweat was rolling down my neck and I'd ripped off the long sleeves of my V-neck long ago. The jeans were sweltering, but I had attempted to ease the heat by kicking off my shoes and socks. My hair was a mess and I yanked it back out of my face again as Luke stalked around me.

We'd been training for hours, it was nearing noon and I had gotten quite a few bruises, but no more than that because Roman had growled and threatened his father that he'd kick his ass if he made me bleed or broke a bone. However I healed rapidly and the bruises were gone in just minutes, my energy was wearing thin and though we'd been at it for quite a few hours I hadn't gotten much better at attacking, though blocking was easier. Luke had decided not to do any Lupus fighting until I'd become more comfortable with the nudity issue or had extra clothes handy and could fight better in human form.

My eyes flickered, watching Luke's every movement now, and I saw his feet move. I lifted my arms up just in time to block a well aimed punch at my neck and then went to return one to Luke. He seen it coming though and before I could withdraw my hand, he gripped my wrist, yanked me to his chest and lifted his knee. I winced, bracing myself for the impact his knee would make into my softer stomach, but it didn't come. Instead his knee tapped my stomach and he released me, his eyes were hooded, but he nodded.

"That's enough for today, we'll work more another time and I'll eventually stop going so easy," he said.

Roman growled his disapproval, but his father looked over, eyes deadly serious and tone of voice even deadlier, "When she goes to kill the Jaecars do you think they'll go easy. that they'll just stop and talk? No, they'll murder, rip her apart. She needs to be able to take pain and give it."

Roman glowered, but said nothing. I turned to look at Luke and said, "Thank you for training me. I'm looking forward to the next session."

Luke grunted, but his eyes seemed to soften. I went to Roman then and interlaced our hands.

We walked more slowly back to the house even though my bruises had healed and I wasn't sweating anymore. I looked at Roman and he seemed to be deep in thought and so before we could go any further in the direction of the house, I pulled him to a stop.

The nagging need to ask what Yorik meant overwhelmed me and I couldn't keep it back anymore. "Roman?"

He quirked an eyebrow at me, but his eyes seemed tense.

"Yorik told me something else in his room yesterday. He said not to be too hard on you because you'd waited a long time...what did he mean by that?"

Roman tensed even further and then blew out a long breath. He gripped my hand a little tighter and tugged me towards the forest. "I had wanted to tell you later, when we were more together than this, but since you're asking I'll have to answer you now."

For some reason, for the first time being around Roman, I felt scared, fearful of getting an answer and knowing about him.

"Wait," I said, pulling us to a stop. "Where are we going?"

Roman turned, having heard something in my voice and cupped my face. "Rori, it's a long story and I think we should go somewhere private, to the hill top... I...I'd never hurt you."

Suddenly I felt foolish, but just nodded rather than talking. "I'm sorry.. I don't know what came--"

"It's fine, now would you like to know or not?"

"Yes."

"Okay then."

**

We walked through the forest in our human forms rather than as a wolf, but even so we were quiet and graceful, not once disturbing the wildlife as they moved about.