Page 5 of Tempted By the Orc

I swallowed hard, panic building in my chest. I couldn’t tell him.

“I just...need to get away,” I said, my voice shaky. “From everything. From my past. My future.”

Noel studied me for a long moment, as though he was trying to see through the lie I hadn’t even bothered to disguise. But after a tense silence, he nodded slowly.

“The storm will last a few more days. But you’re not leaving until it’s over,” he said, his tone unyielding. “You need rest anyway, and food for strength.”

Days? I didn’t have days. My heart pounded in my chest, the walls of the cabin suddenly feeling like they were closing in on me. I didn’t have days. For all I knew, the Dark King’s minions might be merely minutes from seizing me.

“What about you?” I asked, desperate to change the subject, to distract myself from the crushing weight of the situation. “The holiday is coming. Do you have plans for Christmas? With your family, perhaps?”

Noel’s lips twisted into a bitter smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ll be at the Dark King’s wedding. Like everyone else.”

I froze. The wedding. My wedding.

The words hung between us like a curse, and my blood ran cold. He had received a summons, just like everyone else in the land. Azrael expected the entire kingdom to witness my fate—my forced union to become his bride.

Noel’s expression softened as he looked at me. “No family left,” he said quietly. “Lost them when the Dark King took over the forest.”

The sadness in his voice caught me off guard. I hadn’t expected to feel sympathy for an Orc, but hearing the pain behind his words made me see him differently. He had lost people, just like I had. He had been hurt, just like me.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured, unsure of what else to say. The words felt small, but they were sincere.

Noel didn’t respond, but the sadness in his eyes was unmistakable. He glanced away, the firelight flickering against his strong features, casting shadows on the walls. He looked so different from the image of Orcs I had always carried with me. He wasn’t violent or savage. He was kind, in his own quiet way.

And he was handsome. That realization hit me unexpectedly, my heart skipping a beat as I looked at him again. His broad shoulders, his powerful arms, the way his dark hair fell across his forehead. His presence filled the room, not with menace, but with strength. He had been gentle with me, tending to my wounds, making sure I ate. His hands, so large and calloused, had bandaged my ankle with care.

I swallowed hard, feeling a warmth spread through me that had nothing to do with the fire. I couldn’t let myself feel this way. I couldn’t get distracted. I was running out of time, and I still didn’t know if I could trust him.

“You should rest,” Noel said again, his voice pulling me from my thoughts. “You need to heal.”

I nodded, sinking back into the bed, though my mind was far from resting. I was trapped here, both by the storm and by my own secrets. And what scared me most wasn’t the storm outside or the soldiers hunting me.

It was the Orc standing in front of me, whose quiet strength and gentle care were starting to tempt me from my path in ways I had never imagined.

Chapter Four

NOEL

The wind howled outside, relentless and unforgiving, rattling the walls of the cabin. Snow was piling higher against the windows with every gust, but the noise of Mother Nature’s wrath luckily didn’t seem to disturb her slumber as I watched over the injured girl. Rue lay still beneath the blankets on my bed, her breathing steady, but not peaceful. She stirred every now and then, murmuring things I couldn’t quite make out.

I stared at the crackling fire, trying to focus, but the thoughts swirling in my head wouldn’t settle. They hadn’t since I’d found her, lost and half-frozen in the storm. This was supposed to be simple—I’d take care of her until she was well enough to leave, and then I’d get back to what actually mattered: finding Cupid.

But it wasn’t simple. Nothing about the woman was.

I rubbed the back of my neck, frustration gnawing at me. I hadn’t gotten any real rest since she’d arrived. How could I? Her presence was distracting in ways I didn’t understand. I was used to being alone, always alone, and that suited me just fine. People feared me—an Orc. It was easier that way, easier to keep my head down and avoid getting caught up in the mess of other people’s problems.

Now, this beautiful, mysterious woman was turning my world upside down. Rue was unlike anyone I’d ever met—her strength, her stubbornness at continuing on her way despite the storm, and the way her eyes sparkled when she looked at me, even though she tried to hide it. I could feel her watching me sometimes, her gaze lingering a little too long, and I wasn’t sure if it was fear or something else.

I wasn’t used to people like her. I wasn’t used to people at all.

Grabbing the poker by the hearth, I shifted the position of the crackling logs with a practiced hand, sparking bright licks of orange and yellow fire. With a heavy sigh, my thoughts drifted again to the reindeer. Cupid was still missing, and I couldn’t afford to waste any more time. The storm had made it near impossible to track him, and I needed to find him before the Dark King started asking questions. Azrael Frost wasn’t known for his patience—or his mercy. He’d assigned me to care for the reindeer, and if one went missing on my watch, especially beforehis wedding when he’d ordered them to lead the procession, there’d be consequences. Dire consequences.

But how could I focus on that with Rue here, hiding something?

She stirred again, her soft murmurs drawing my attention. I leaned in slightly, curious, though I told myself it was to check on her fever. Her beautiful smooth brow furrowed, and she muttered something too low for me to catch. I started to pull back, but then I heard it.

“The Dark King...Santa...”

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