Page 9 of The Orc's Stolen Bride

Another rustle from the trees announced Lothar's return. He strode into the clearing with a pair of small, furry creatures slung over his shoulder. They had long ears like rabbits, but their fur was tiger-striped in shades of orange and brown, and that odd sense of disorientation washed over her again. Lothat saw her watching him and flashed her a roguish grin that seemed at odds with his fierce appearance.

Wulf growled, but Lothar ignored him, grinning again before dropping his catch near the fire and pulling out a wickedly sharp knife. She quickly averted her gaze as he began to skin and butcher the animals with practiced ease. The casual brutality of the act drove home just how far she was from her comfortable life in Charleston.

She focused on her bowl, trying to ignore the wet sounds of Lothar's work. Wulf seemed to sense her distress, placing a quick hand on her shoulder before he rose and went to join his brother. By accident or design, he placed himself between her and Lothar and she took a relieved breath. Until she could find a way home, she would have to accept her new reality - but the longer she could avoid some of the harsher realities, the better.

CHAPTER SIX

Wulf kept a discreet eye on Kari as he talked to Lothar, smiling when she finished her bowl of grød. Feeding her satisfied his instinctive desire to provide for her.

To provide for my bride.

The knowledge that he'd found his mate at last filled him with happiness, despite his lingering doubts about Wold's intentions in sending her to him. Was there a greater significance to her arrival than just fulfilling his own longings? He'd told Wold that he'd put her happiness above all else, but he prayed that it wouldn't be at the expense of his people.

He watched as she gathered up both bowls, then reached for Egon's. When his brother gave her a confused look, she mimed wiping out the bowls and pointed in the direction of the stream.

"I was going to wash them. Wash."

"Vas," Egon translated, then gave him a quick look.

He didn't like the idea of letting her out of his sight, but he trusted Egon with his life - and hers. He nodded, fighting back the urge to go after them as they gathered up the rest of the breakfast dishes and went towards the stream.

"I'm glad to see you're behaving more rationally this morning," Lothar teased as he skewered the marta carcasses and place them over the fire to smoke.

He frowned at his brother as he set to work scraping one of the small hides.

"I was never irrational."

Lothat shook his head as he took up the other.

"A foolish male never knows his own foolishness. I'm surprised you're not still insisting on carrying her around this morning. She's certainly small enough for you to do so."

Small and perfect. Her soft curves tucked against him all night had been an agonizing pleasure, his body responding to her closeness despite his guilt. He'd spent the night in a constant state of arousal, his cock still hard and aching when he carefully extracted himself from their bedroll, leaving her to sleep.

"She will need to be protected," he muttered, to himself as much as Lothar.

"Then she could ask for no better mate." Lothar's face turned serious for once. "You will care for her just as you have cared for all of us."

"A leader protects his people."

His father had impressed that on him since he was small. When he'd had to assume the leadership role after their father's death, he'd done his best to follow it. Doesn't that mean they deserve a chance for brides as well, his conscience prodded, but he pushed the thought aside to focus on the reality of making his bride more comfortable.

He took the now clean hides and spread them out on a flat rock, deciding how best to use each skin. He'd finished cutting each one into the rough shape of a shoe when Kari and Egon returned. His heart skipped a beat when she immediately looked over at him, a tentative smile on her pretty lips.

He returned the smile, then gestured for her to come closer, patting the rock in front of him. She hesitated for a moment then sat down in front of him, near enough that the sweetness of her scent threatened to renew his arousal. He did his best to ignore it as he pointed to her feet and then to the hides.

"Cobbes."

"Shoes?"

She nodded, but her breath caught as he gently grasped her ankle, marveling at how delicate it felt in his hand. He forced himself to focus on the task, measuring her foot against the leather and refining the shape to conform to her feet. As he worked, he notice the gentle curve of her calf, so different from the muscular legs of orc females. His fingers brushed against her skin as he adjusted his measurements, and she shivered slightly at his touch. The reaction sent a jolt through him, and he had to remind himself to concentrate.

She seemed equally affected. Her cheeks flushed pink, and she bit her lower lip, a gesture he found inexplicably alluring. Their eyes met, and the air between them crackled with unspoken tension, before he cleared his throat and returned to his task, breaking the spell. He refused to explore the attraction between them until they could communicate more readily. That didn't stop the warmth spreading through his chest from her response to his touch.

He returned to crafting the shoes, shaping the leather and using strips of cured rawhide to lace up the front of each shoe, then adding another strip to tighten the heel and tie around her ankles. He'd allowed room for the thick woolen socks she'd been wearing and replaced them with a clean pair before fastening the shoes in place.

Her shy smile of gratitude made his efforts worthwhile, even if they were far from perfect. They weren't the elegant footwear she deserved, but they'd protect her feet on the journey home. He nodded and looked over at this brothers.

"Are we ready to go?"

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