Page 115 of The Orc Outcast's Mate

“It was you who I was imagining. Carrying... my child.” Saying the words out loud caused a deep swell of yearning he could not explain. He’d never even considered having a son. Never thought himself worthy of such a thing. But now, with Miranda staring at him, her eyes blinking with wonder, he could not seem to shake the thought from his mind.

He stalked forward, feet and heart hammering. He got down on his knees in the icy dirt before his beautiful, foolish, misguided mate. “I would never be insane enough to even consider holding affection for a woman other than you, and imprints are created by romantic bonds. Not the other way around.”

“But... we didn’t have a romantic bond when you imprinted. You didn’t even know me.”

That was true, and he had no explanation for it, but he knew one very vital truth. “Yes, but with every moment I spend with you, your imprint grows stronger. Every laugh, every smile, every fucking glance you spare me. It makes me crave you.”

She gulped and fidgeted.

So, he dug deeper for more words. “Every meal you cook for me, working hard to please me even though I would literally eat rotting scraps if you served them. Every naughty joke that makes me burn and howl with mirth. Every gentle touch and easy word and fucking everything about you. I long for you, Miranda. Only you.”

Her fingers grazed his hair, sending a torrent of shivers down his spine as she gently scratched.

“Viravia is nothing compared to you. I would throw her into the wastes if you willed it.”

“Oh god,” Miranda said, her tone finally lightening. “Don’t do that.”

He sighed, relief slamming him. “And I vow to you she does not hold any affection for me, either.” Miranda looked dubious, so he rushed on. “And if she does, then I will squash it out. I will never speak another word to her.”

“She’s the mother of your nephew.”

“I don’t give a shit.”

Miranda laughed, pressed her palm to her head. “God... this is such a mess.” His heart squeezed and then she finally—finally!—leaned down to embrace him, tucked his head into her chest and bathed him in her warmth. All the tension flowed out of him.

“I’m sorry I’m acting crazy. Viravia is so nice and... it’s just... I don’t share,” she said into his scalp.

He pulled back from her and took her face in his hands. “It is not possible for me to be imprinted upon any other woman, Miranda. You are it for me.”

“You were imprinted on someone else before,” Miranda mumbled.

“She was a fucking speck of dust next to your glory.” He extended his fingers into her hair, splaying them out to cage her skull. She was his. He would never even glance at another woman for the remainder of his days. “You are it for me.”

“All right,” Miranda finally relented. “Okay.”

Okay. He buried his face in her chest, surrounded himself in her sweet honey scent. Fuck, to think she’d been mad about something like this after all the horrors that were revealed tonight. The idea of losing him was what had her the most worried. He would ride the high of it for decades.

He would do anything to keep her safe and hale.

And that started with making peace with Oakwall.

“Come, Miranda, if we are going to go to the trade day after tomorrow, we will need plenty of rest.”

She smiled as he rose to his feet. “You know, I think the only thing that could go wrong now is someone preventing you from going to the trade at all.”

Fuck. She was right.

“Govek?” Miranda said warningly, clearly seeing the alarm on his face. “Is there someone who could stop you?”

He took a deep breath. “Let’s go home, Miranda. We’ll need to be prepared for tomorrow.”

“What’s tomorrow?” Miranda asked, allowing him to scoop her up.

“We’re going to see my father.”

Chapter

Twenty-One

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