Page 63 of The Orc Outcast's Conquest

Still she ran.

Straight into him.

She stumbled, and he caught her before she could plummet to the ground. She barely fought him as he lowered her to the sandy beach and caged her beneath him. His legs pinned her hips, his hands gripped her shoulders, so she couldn’t even squirm.

He knew she would reject him. This was the way it always was. It was the natural course of things. And then he would win her back in a few days’ time with boons and patience and a careful concealing of everything that made him vile.

His father’s voice blazed in his mind, “You must control yourself, Govek. The mates of our clan fear you too much. You will chase them away.”

Miranda wouldn’t even look at him.

And he had no fucking boons.

Miranda hadn’t even told him what she wanted. At least Yerina always told him what would quell her disgust and gave him hope that he could win her back.

Until he couldn’t anymore. Until he had nothing left to give.

He had nothing now.

Why had he ever believed Miranda could be different?

“Let me out. Oh god. Don’t leave me here!”

Govek stilled. Don’t leave her?

“Oh god, oh god. I can’t get out. I’m trapped.” She was panting the words, whispering them on the wind, and she wouldn’t meet his eyes.

“Miranda,” he said in a demanding tone. She didn’t flinch.

She was nothere. She was inside her mind, caught in a horror.

He’d seen this with Karthoc’s orcs when they’d traveled to Clairton. The terrors of their past had gripped them so tightly they relived it. The others had bellowed in their faces, forced them out of it by way of rage and harshness.

He raised his voice. “Miranda!”

She cowered, and he gritted his teeth. He could not bellow at her that way.

“Let me out! Let me out,please?—”

“You are out, Miranda.” He moved back slightly so he wasn’t crowding her. “You are out.”

“Don’t leave me.” Her hands clawed at his bare chest, and he relished the sensation. She was trying to clingtohim, not get away.

Blast, he was sick. She was lying naked and vulnerable, caught in her past agonies, and he was relieved she wasn’t rejecting him.

“I’m not leaving. You belong with me, Miranda. You are my...” Fuck, what should he even call her?

“G-Govek?”

“Yes.” He was lost to the haunted flickering in her gaze. Her fingers clung to him, and he moved closer until he could feel her breath fanning his flesh.

She touched his forehead, trailed her fingertips down his cheeks over and over until he was panting. Her eyes darted from his to the forest. “The siren.”

“What?” he rasped, dizzy from her touch. She was still stroking him.

“To... to warn of the attack. So, we can get to safety.”

Attacks? Hiding? “Speak more, Miranda. I don’t understand.”

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