Page 58 of Orc's Forbidden Claim

No. He’s fine. He’ll return to me. He has to. I’ll even… babies are fine. I’ll figure it out.

I walk towards the door to leave, but Sek and Wren remain in my peripheral vision and all I can think is that if he dies, she’ll be left with nothing. No remnants of him or their love. Nothing to put into the future. No mark on this planet that shows the love they had.

I swear to myself that will not be Khiara and me. As soon as he’s home, safe and whole, I am going to get pregnant. Once I do, I will be the best pregnant woman of all time, if only he returns to me. I want him to give us a child. My womb aches with an emptiness, something I’ve never felt before.

The images of Rosalind with her legs spread and the head of her baby emerging, forcing her body into a contortion that I never wanted to experience or to see in all honesty don’t matter. Pain is momentary, and a life that Khiara and I create - that’s forever. That’s a future long beyond the span of our own lives. That is worth it.

And I want that. I want that more than words.

Reaching the door, I lift it enough to slip out, not wanting to disturb my friends or break them from their moment together. As I lift the smooth, cool leather there is a sound that stops me in my tracks.

The cries of a baby.

Cold chills race over my limbs, leaving goose-pimples in their wake. My stomach quivers and I involuntarily gasp. I look over my shoulder and both of them are staring at the door too. My smile is so wide that it makes my jaw hurt, but there is nothing I can do to stop it. Tears fill my eyes. Tears of joy. Tears of life affirmed.

“Rosalind?” Wren asks.

I can’t speak around the lump in my throat, so I nod with great enthusiasm. She smiles, looks down at Sek, then kisses him on his forehead.

“Soon, my love,” she whispers but I hear it clearly since it is an echo of my own decision.

Sek’su murmurs something that I don’t catch. She wraps her arms around his neck and once more I’m the third wheel. I slip out the door, leaving them to one another.

In the hallway, I stand looking around, unsure what to do with myself. All there is to do is wait. I should go see if anyone needs help. The quake was really bad and I’m sure that there is even more work to be done than there was, even if no one was hurt.

A woman emerges from the room that Rosalind is in. She has light brown hair that drops to the middle of her back. Herdelicate features are dominated by large, dark eyes. She pauses to wipe sweat from her forehead and take a deep breath.

“Is she okay? And the baby?” I ask. She startles, jumping and turning towards me. I raise my hands palm out while ruefully smiling. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine,” she says. There are heavy bags under her eyes indicating a long lack of good sleep. She purses her lips and shakes her head. “I didn’t realize anyone was here is all. Figured everyone was busy with the quake.”

“My friend, well her mate, he was poisoned. I was checking on them,” I say, gesturing towards the door to the room.

“Oh, right,” she says, rubbing her face and eyes. “They’re fine.”

I blink having to take a moment to figure out if she means Sek’su or Rosalind. I assume she means Rosalind, but it’s a guess.

“The baby?” I ask.

She nods dropping her hands heavily to her side.

“Can I ask…” I trail off realizing I shouldn’t. It’s stupid and selfish and this poor woman is clearly stressed to the max. The last thing she needs is me asking ignorant questions or pestering her. “Never mind.”

“No, it’s fine,” she says, a half-smile forming. “I’m Addison, by the way.”

She walks closer extending one hand in a friendly greeting. She’s prettier than I thought at first. It’s not so much her face or build, but her attitude and the way she is that makes up for the lack of good skin care and sleep. She has an aura of gentle kindness to her that is calming and inviting.

“I’m Saylor?—”

“I know,” she interrupts with a big smile. Then realizing she cut me off, shrugs and shakes her head. “Sorry. Everyone knows who you are.”

“I suppose,” I agree.

“You had a question?”

I feel completely out of sorts. I want to know, but then part of me really doesn’t want to. What if it’s terrible? What if the damage is permanent and irreversible? Would I still want to go through with it? Do I tell Wren before she commits herself to possibly being deformed for life?

“Yeah… never mind. It’s stupid.”

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