Page 25 of The Orc Outcast's Mate

“Most of his babbles are fucking rave dung,” Karthoc muttered before changing the topic. “This wears on me. Tell me, instead, of your woman, Govek?”

Govek bristled, jaw unhinging, claws slicking out. Fuck his instincts and his inability to control them.

Karthoc, in all his too observant ways, rose his brows in shock. “For fuck’s sake, how did you get imprinted on her so wretched fast?”

“How can you tell?” Govek asked. To his knowledge, there were no outward signs of imprinting.

“I have my ways,” Karthoc said, obtusely. “But you’ve only been gone a handful of nights. You barely smell of her. I’ve never seen an imprint hit so quick.”

Govek had no response for that. Imprints typically occurred over the course of many seasons, even years. It had taken two seasons for Yerina’s to firm within him, and even then, it had not been nearly as deep as Miranda’s was now.

Karthoc continued. “Brovdir has had many women flee him. All within my forge have. I was just pondering that she may have been a lost conquest.”

“She isn’t,” Govek snarled. “She is mine and smells of no other male.”

“For fuck’s sake. That isn’t what I meant,” Karthoc said, his amusement growing even higher. Govek couldn’t decide if he wanted to rage at the male or let his tension ebb. “I only thought to warn any fools thinking to challenge you for her. I’ve seen your battle rage, Govek, how your magic-laced blows could render even the mightiest to pieces, and I have no desire to lose good warriors to your prowess.”

Govek’s blood simmered under the weight of Karthoc’s words. Govek had lived with the dreaded knowledge of his brutality for far longer than Clairton, but the events there had pushed the truth into the light. He could no longer hide away in Rove Wood and pretend he wasn’t the dangerous wretch his brethren knew him to be.

It was only a matter of fucking time before Miranda was informed of it. Dread stirred so thick he couldn’t swallow.

“Let’s get you to her, then.” Karthoc made his way out of the camp. “I’m eager to see the woman who can put up with your wretched ass.”

The insult was eased with a smirk that did nothing to quell Govek’s dread. He wanted to tell Karthoc to fuck off. To get back to his own business. To stay far away from his mate until Govek could fully win her.

“When she decides to play conquest, it can be an informed choice rather than one made only out of desperation.”

His stomach rolled.

They met no others on the paths as they walked. All of the Rove Wood orcs were likely making merry in the hall, and would continue to until late in the night, enjoying their meat and mead as though Karthoc and his warriors were not even here.

The silence was easy between him and his cousin, but Govek was glad this night was done so he could spend the rest of it with Miranda in his secluded home on the outskirts. Alone.

He would find boons to prove to her he was the right choice.

And then her honeyed scent wafted toward him.

From the opposite direction of his home.

“Fuck,” Govek said, turning the exact direction he didn’t wish to go. Further into the clan.

“What?” Karthoc said, but Govek ignored him and went to find his wayward mate.

Chapter

Four

MIRANDA

“So, you are taking me to Govek’s home, right?” Miranda asked. Her initial joy at seeing humans for the first time had dimmed substantially, and the fact that these were complete strangers was daunting.

Strangers who had a pretty negative opinion of Govek.

“We will only stop at Viravia’s home for a moment to fetch clothes. Govek’s dwelling is much further out, and her house is on the way. Unless you would like to see the healer,” Maythra said, her sharp eyes glinting in the torchlight. She was bigger boned than Miranda, probably in her sixties.

“I don’t need a healer. And I want to go to Govek’s home.” Govek had kept them moving at a brisk clip, but she felt perfectly healthy. Like living on Faeda was rejuvenating, camping out on frosty nights, eating nothing but roasted fish and the occasional late autumn berry, getting lost in the beauty of this new world.

It was so easy to forget everything when she was around Govek. The destruction of Earth. All the death.

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