Page 137 of The Widow and the Orcs

Itfelt so familiar, so… right, just like that softness onUlfarr’sface, the gratitude in his eyes.Theway he bowed low towardMaria, and signed,Thankyou, sister.Youhonour me.

Mariawaved it away, but her smile had gone even warmer, flicking brief but knowing towardLouisa’sface.Andon another day, whenLouisawasn’t still mostly naked, and covered with sticky slickness, she might have rushed over, and hugged her — but instead she signed her fervent thanks towardMariatoo, her hand over her heart.Andthen,You’vebeen so generous.I’dlove to stay in touch.

Mariagrinned and nodded back, and signed her agreement.Andthen her gaze flicked back toSimon, and she signed something else, swift and surprisingly obscene.Nowcome here, you big gorgeousEnforcer, and fuck me full of your strongSkaiseed.

Atthis,Simongave a deep, satisfied grunt, and instantly strode off toward her, tugging at the front of his tented trousers.WhileLouisahuffed a short, shaky laugh, glancing towardKillikbeside her — but wait, he was still swaying on his knees, his eyes stunned and glassy, his face sweaty and pale.

“Wolf,”Louisasaid, low, darting his eyes toward her — and at her meaningful nod towardKillik,Ulfarrflinched, and then lurched down to his knees beside him.

“Ach, pup,” he breathed, the alarm flaring bright in his eyes. “Areyou ill?Inpain?DidIhurt you, is aught amiss with you —”

Hisvoice was rising, his hands skittering againstKillik’sface, tilting it up toward him.WhileKillikgave a twitchy smile, a roll of his eyes that felt more halfhearted than usual. “Naughtis amiss,Wolf,” he said, his voice a rasp. “Ithas only been — a long day.Iscarce slept last eve, and then we had thisSummitto hold, andSuneto comfort, and our woman to save, and this fool man to kill, and these plots to untangle, and this lawyer’s office to break into.Andnow —”

Hesnapped his mouth shut, wincing, and then shoved himself up to his feet, slightly staggering as he drew in breath. “Andnow you have gainedSimon’sforgiveness,” he said, with obvious effort, “and regained your place amongst us.Iam — so glad for you,Wolf.Andso proud.Andso honoured to call you my — my —”

Hisbreath shuddered, his sharp tooth biting his lip — and before him,Ulfarrgulped a soft little sob, and lurched forward.SweepingKillikentirely up off his feet, and cradling him tightly in his arms. “Mymate,”Ulfarrcroaked, burying his face inKillik’shair. “Myfierce, faithful mate, who always, always gives so much, and asks for naught in return.Nowcome home, pup, and let us care for you.”

Comehome.Killikblinked at that, looking just as bewildered asLouisafelt — butUlfarrnudgedLouisaover toward hiskofi, and then he carriedKilliktoward it, too.Evenkeeping hold ofKillikas he climbed up the ladder, and then he took him inside, and set him gently on the soft, fur-covered bed.

Killiksank down with a shaky, heavy exhale, whileUlfarrturned to light a lamp thatLouisadidn’t recall seeing before.Andnow, in the lamp’s warm glow, she could see the cozy, familiarkofi, but with — new things.Withmore soft furs and pillows on the bed, and a small washstand in the corner, and two new wooden chests.Andon the walls were new hooks, and — wait.WerethoseKillik’sdaggers?AndKillik’ssword?AndKillik’sclothes and boots?AndLouisa’sclothes, too?

Killikblinked blearily around at it all, his eyes particularly squinting toward the daggers. “Leftthose withSune,” he said. “Toldme he would guard them with his life, but…”

Ulfarrgave a low, husky laugh, and settled down onto the bed besideKillik, waving forLouisato join them, too. “Suneand his packmates helped me ready ourkofifor you,” he murmured. “AndnowIshall guard your daggers, pup, just asIshall guard you.Foryou are my mate,KillikofClanSkai.Andhenceforth, you shall stay here with me.With” — his eyes flicked towardLouisa— “with us.”

Withus.Itfluttered warm and alive inLouisa’sbelly, and she smiled atUlfarras she nodded, and stroked her hand upKillik’ssticky, sweaty chest.Andthen, after a glance toward the new washbasin, she went over to collect a cloth, and began carefully washingKillik, wiping the blood and seed away.

Ulfarrwas still kissing him, too, tending the fresh bite-marks on his neck, and then tippingKillik’slax body onto his side, and slipping slowly, purposefully downward behind him.Hismouth caressing, licking, slurping, untilKillikgave a telltale shudder, his reddened cock again helplessly straining againstLouisa’sthigh.

SoLouisaslipped down too, and then gently took that bobbing length into her mouth, stroking and soothing untilKillikbucked and released, a low moan gasping from his throat.Andonce she’d swallowed it all, she carefully kissed up him again, whileUlfarrdid the same behind him.Tendingto him, adoring him together, untilKillikfinally let out a breathless little sigh, and then a faint, telltale snore.

Louisacouldn’t recall ever seeingKillikfully asleep like this before, and she metUlfarr’seyes, found him looking just as fond as she felt. “Ach, my fierce mate has borne much this day,”Ulfarrmurmured, as he pressed a kiss toKillik’ssweaty temple. “Toomuch of it from me,Iken.”

Hesounded truly regretful, even worried, his eyes glimmering onKillik’ssleeping face.ButLouisareached over to squeeze his shoulder, and shook her head. “Hewanted it,Wolf,” she said. “Hewanted it so, so much.AndIknow” — she gave him a gentle little shake — “he wanted it just like that.Withyou showing your entire clan how much you needed him.Howyou would doanythingto have him, and make him yours.”

Ulfarrswallowed, audible in his throat, and let out a low breath, his eyes heavy onKillik’sface. “Ach,Iwished to show this also,” he replied, quiet. “Hedeserved this from me, afterIfailed him for so long.”

Louisashook her head, but now it wasUlfarrclasping her arm, stroking up and down. “Idid fail him,” he said thickly. “Andit was — you,Louisa, who showed us both such kindness, and helped us through this.Andeven you, today” — his eyes glimmered on her face — “who said you wished to wait, and think upon this, before becoming my mate.Andthus, you grantedKillikthis rut from me tonight, only for his own.”

Louisawould have waved it away, butUlfarr’seyes were too steady, too searching.Andfinally she shrugged, twitched him a wry little smile. “I’llget my own,” she said lightly. “WhenI’mready.”

Ulfarr’ssmile drew up, the warmth so strong, so tender in his eyes. “Ach, you shall,” he murmured back. “Youshall have allIcan grant you.Foryou have granted so much to me, and toKillik, and toSune.Somuch kindness, so many gifts, such great… hope.Youhave — saved us,Louisa.”

Louisashook her head, but she couldn’t seem to speak now, through the quiver in her throat.WhileUlfarrjust kept smiling at her, and then leaned forward, and pressed a soft, sweet kiss to her mouth. “Ilove you,Louisa,” he whispered. “Andyou shall be my mate.Ourmate.Andthis shall be our home, together.Ourfamily.Ach?”

AndLouisacould only smile, and nod, and choke out a shaky laughing sob, as the warmth unfurled and flared through her chest.Shimmeringher full of life, and hope, and peace.Shewas safe.Shewas whole.ShewasSkai.

“Yes, sweetheart,” she whispered back. “Ours.”

EPILOGUE

Thesedays,Louisabarely recognized her own house.

Shedrank up the sight of it as she strode up toward the kitchen door, eyeing the fresh paint, the new shutters, the large open field for playing games, and the expanded, well-tended garden.Itall made the house look like a cheery, welcoming place, a place to learn and play and grow, and that was reinforced by the new sign out front, printed in large, familiar block letters.

THEWOLF-CAMPWILDERNESSSCHOOL, it announced.ACaring,ContemporaryCross-CulturalEducationalExperience!

Ofcourse,Killikhad thrown a tantrum over the subtitle, but he’d gotten his way with the school’s actual name, at least.Andas the president of theWolf-CampSchoolRath— orCouncil—Killikhad continued to get his way with the school’s curriculum, too.Ensuringit taught not only the usual subjects like languages, history, and mathematics, but also multipleSkai-focused subjects, like hunting, tracking, climbing, knife-throwing, and rope-braiding.They’dalso added a variety of other practical pursuits, too — horseback riding, gardening, swimming, shelter building, and even tunnel digging, with regular guest appearances fromFilakand his lovely new mate.

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