Page 139 of The Orc Outcast's Miracle

Govek clenched his jaw. “I never should have let her do it at all.”

“Govek,” Karthoc said low and slow. “Let me impart some wisdom that I have gained from deep loss. If you try to force your mate into anything, you will lose her. If you fight against her, she will have no choice but to flee. Evythiken did not tell you because he knew if you fought Miranda on this, you would lose her. Forever. She would never forgive you for stopping her from doing what she was meant to do.”

“But I lost her anyway.” Govek’s voice broke. “At least if she was furious, I would still have her.”

“You do have her, Govek. And one day, soon, I am certain she will wake. You will be stronger for it. And let me tell you that a mate who feels nothing but fury and hate toward you is not having her. It is only agony. Worse agony than you feel now.”

Govek turned to his cousin and finally looked at him. He found Karthoc gaunt and tense. His bloodshot eyes focused out the window. His jaw set tight.

His cousin was right. He was living firsthand what it was like to lose a mate from mistreatment. Govek could not fathom what it might be like to have Miranda alive, well, caring for his babe, and refusing to let him get near. Choosing to reject him.

Govek went to Miranda’s side and took her hand again. He collapsed to his knees and nuzzled his cheek into her palm. If he closed his eyes, he could almost pretend she was caressing him on her own. “Viravia has not... relented?”

He heard Karthoc swallow. “No.” His heavy sigh flooded the room. “I can only pray that the Fades will show me the way to earn her forgiveness. That they will light the path back to her heart.”

Govek nodded, still cupping Miranda’s hand to his face.

“I should go,” Karthoc said, “Return to the healer’s?—”

Stomping sounded as a male burst into the room, came to the bedroom door.

Brovdir stormed into the room, gasping. His panicked eyes landed on Karthoc. “She’s gone!”

“What?” Karthoc’s voice was a rough whisper.

“Ovinia—Viravia has gone!”

“Where?” Karthoc rushed to the door.

“We don’t know! She masked her scent,” Brovdir said as he followed his brother out.

Govek remained in the silence, still reeling from this. His exhausted mind could hardly keep up with what had transpired.

He looked down at Miranda’s form. Her sleeping form. She was not dead.

He gave into the urge he had been resisting all this time and climbed into the bed with her, curling his body around hers.

Fuck, she was warm. Her heat soaked into him, and he squeezed his eyes shut tight. He imagined she wasn’t limp. That her mind wasn’t far away from him now.

He whispered, “I love you, Miranda. Please, wake up.”

She didn’t stir as he rubbed his cheek against the top of her head, her soft hair. “Please, wake. Come back to me.”

He’d done this before, called her back from her nightmares. Her delusions. He used those words now. “You are here. With me. In the Rove Woods.”

He felt a twitch.

His eyes burst open, and he examined her close. She was still limp. Still unmoving. But he was certain she’d just tensed. He was sure.

He curled around her again. “You are with me. In Rove Wood Clan. You are not on Earth. You are not in a vent.”

Her eyes fluttered.

His heart pounded in his ears.

“Miranda.” He cupped her face. “Miranda, come to me. Come back to me. Open your eyes, please.”

Her eyes fluttered open.

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