Page 20 of Captured By the Orc

My hands clench the yoke, knuckles whitening. I can almost feel her touch, soft yet unyielding, the ghost of her fingers tracing battle scars, the whisper of her kiss, the sounds of her pleasure.

I will bleed the galaxy dry for her.

“Warlords,” I growl, the ship lurching forward at my command. “You’ve taken what’s mine.”

And I will take her back.

I push the transmit button, the impact resonating through the metal like a war drum. The signal, an urgent call to arms, ripples out across the void, finding my kin wherever they may lurk.

“Brothers. Cousins,” I snarl into the comm, my tone filled with fury burning in my chest. “Converge on my coordinates. We hunt warlords today. They have my mate.”

Beneath me, the ship hums, alive with the promise of retribution. It’s a familiar vibration against my skin, one that always precedes the dance of death and glory. But today, it’s not for honor or conquest; it’s for her. For Lila.

Her voice echoes in my skull, all fire and steel—arguments laced with that diplomatic charm. She’d say, “Peace, Garoth. There’s always another way.”

The console pings—a chorus of acknowledgments from my clan. They’ll come, they’ll follow me into the fires of hell itself, not for peace or diplomacy, but because blood calls to blood.

“Get ready, Lila.” A growl builds up in my chest. “I’m coming for you.” And when I find her, I'll remind her why an orc's notsomething to run from. Why we fight with everything we've got. And why we love even harder.

CHAPTER 10

GAROTH

The stench of ozone and fear taints the air, mingling with the distant acridity of scorched metal as the warlords shoot at our orc ships.

My brothers and cousins’ ships flank mine, drawing the brunt of fire and attention, just as planned. The warlords don’t even see me coming; they’re too focused on the onslaught of our united fronts. I press the teleporter at my wrist and feel the familiar pull, my body disassembling and reassembling in a matter of heartbeats.

I’m aboard their ship now, just as I was when I took Lila. That time, I was hunting—a bounty hunter in search of his mark. Now, I’m a different beast: one driven by the ferocious need to reclaim his mate.

Every fiber of my being coiled tight, ready to strike.

Two hulking warlords with sneers ran at me. I duck under a wild swing, feeling the rush of air as it misses my head. With a swift uppercut, I send one sprawling. The other lunges, but I sidestep, grabbing his arm and twisting until something snaps. He crumples, groaning in pain.

Time to find my mate and get out of this death trap.

Following the signs to the brig, I reach a heavily reinforced door. With a grunt, I override the lock and burst inside. The room is dimly lit, lined with enclosed cells. I scan frantically until they lock onto a familiar silhouette. Relief washes over me, but I force it down. We’re not safe yet.

She stands in a cage, with the keys to her cell dangling from her fingers, secured by the belt she’s cleverly fashioned into a makeshift lasso.

“About time,” she teases, and she calms the fury that’s been eating at me since I learned of her capture.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the galaxy,” I shoot back, moving to her side. Our fingers brush as I take the keys, sending a current of electricity coursing through me.

I unlock the cage and she steps out, close enough that I feel the heat radiating from her body. Together, we make for the exit, but fate has other plans. Four guards burst in, weapons raised, blocking our path to freedom.

Lila’s stance mirrors mine. There’s no room for error. No space for hesitation.

Laser fire singes the air and I tuck Lila down behind a metal desk. I shove a gun into Lila’s hands. My body hovers over hers protectively, an instinctive shield. “I’ll cover you.”

I press my lips to hers in a quick, desperate kiss—a taste of something sweet amid the acrid tang of ozone and scorched metal.

Springing to my feet, I fire shot after charged shot. Each fallen enemy is a step closer to freedom. Four guards collapse, lifeless. I’ve carved a path through hell itself, but then my gun clicks empty—a jam.

“Skies above,” I curse under my breath.

Two more warlords barrel in, but they’re met by the sharp crack of Lila’s gunfire—their legs buckle, not fatal, but damn effective.

“Can’t kill anyone,” Lila says. “Didn’t say anything about putting them out of commission.”

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