Page 55 of The Orc Outcast's Mate

“I will never abandon you.”

He said this easily, as if he really meant it, and it was the simplest thing in the world to promise.

She looked into his eyes again and the sincerity there made her chest grow tight. She squeezed around Govek’s middle and pressed a kiss to his cheek that she was certain didn’t even come close to reciprocating how good he’d made her feel.

“You sure know how to say exactly the right thing,” Miranda said, her eyes sliding shut as she listened to the steady drum of his heart under her ear.

A knock sounded from the living room.

“Someone’s at the door?” Miranda asked, trying to sit up, but Govek quickly pulled her back down.

“Fuck them.”

“The same way you fucked me last night?” she teased, forcing a chuckle out of him.

And then his breath caught. “You’re bleeding.”

“I’m bleeding?” She didn’t feel hurt, only mildly sore around the thigh area and some achiness in her lower stomach that indicated she was about to—oh, frick.

“Uh,” she forced him to let her sit up, looking down between her legs. She’d bled on his sheets. Dang it. “I’m so sorry. I can do the laundry. And do you know where I could find some pads or something?” Did they even have anything like that here?

Govek ripped the blanket off without preamble and she yelped as cold air blasted her.

The agonized expression on his face, joined by his claws slinking out and his body shuddering with withheld fury had her heart dropping. “I injured you.”

“No,” she insisted, quickly. “No, no. You did not. I’m just?—”

Another harsh knock sounded. This time followed by the sound of a woman’s voice.

“You are fucking bleeding, Miranda. Only I could have caused this.”

Another harsh knock at the door.

“I’m on my period, Govek. That’s all,” Miranda assured him. “Who is that?” If it was one of the nicer women, then she could probably ask them for supplies.

“What the fuck is that?”

“What is what?” Miranda asked as the pounding became more insistent.

Govek got out of the bed, wrenched open the trunk, and threw the dress she’d gotten the night before at her. “We need to get you to a healer,” Govek said, too loudly. “Put that on.”

A muffled cry sounded at the door. “Govek, let me in.”

“Is that Viravia?” Miranda asked, obeying his command to get dressed and starting for the doorway. “I can ask her for pads.”

“Fuck,” Govek raged, storming up behind her. “Fine.” He passed her by and started for the front door, only to stop, frown with confusion and go to the back door instead.

He wrenched it open so hard Miranda suddenly knew how the front door had been ripped off its hinges.

Viravia scampered back, eyes wide in the bright morning light and her cloak hood tucked up tight around her hair. She held a wicker basket held tight in her arms. “G-Govek, where is Miranda?”

“I’m here,” Miranda called as she entered the living room still buttoning her dress.

“Take her to the healer, Viravia,” Govek demanded, walking all the way to the kitchen.

“Yes,” Viravia said, rushing inside, putting down the basket on the couch. Her warm hands curled around Miranda’s shoulders. The warmth of them soaked through the dress. “Come this way. It’s all right.”

“What?” Miranda shot her eyes back to Govek, who was looking pale and horror-stricken, and her stomach knotted. “What the—what is going on? I don’t need a healer.”

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