Page 54 of The Orc's Promised Bride

“I’ll make another batch,” she said and returned to her work table.

Lothar watchedJana hurry back to prepare another batch of the antidote, grateful for her knowledge and quick thinking and knowledge. The room fell silent except for Jessamin’s labored breathing and the rustle of sheets as Ulric adjusted his hold on her. He hadn’t placed her back on the bed but continued to cradle her in his arms.

Ulric’s jaw clenched, muscles working beneath his skin as he stared down at Jessamin’s pale face. His massive body seemed to curl protectively around her smaller form, and his thumb gently stroked her hand. The gesture was tender, intimate - not the action of a male fulfilling a political arrangement.

“You care for her,” he said quietly, the statement more observation than question.

Ulric’s shoulders stiffened, and for a moment, Lothar thought he would deny it, maintain the facade of a purely political match. Then the king’s usual stoic mask cracked, revealing the raw anguish beneath.

“I tried not to. When the arrangement was made, I told myself it was just politics. That I would treat her with respect but keep my distance.” He brushed a strand of hair from Jessamin’s forehead. “But she has such spirit, such wisdom. She sees solutions where I see only problems. And now…”

“She won’t.” He gripped his king’s shoulder. “My mate knows what she’s doing. And Jessamin is strong - she’ll fight to stay with you.”

“She deserves so much more than politics,” Ulric whispered. “More than duty and arrangements. When I first saw her, I thought she was the most beautiful female I’d ever seen. But then she spoke, and her mind…” He shook his head. “She challenges me, makes me want to be better. Not just as a king, but as a male.”

He remembered Ulric’s earlier advice about not rejecting the mate bond out of fear. The king had spoken from experience, even if he hadn’t admitted it then.

“You should tell her,” he said softly, echoing Ulric’s previous words. “When she wakes up, tell her how you feel.”

Ulric’s head snapped up, his eyes wide with vulnerability. “But what if she doesn’t-”

“She will wake up,” he said firmly, praying he was right. “And when she does, she deserves to know the truth. The mate bond is too precious to waste on fear and doubt.”

Ulric continued to stroke Jessamin’s hand, even as he shook his head.

“It’s more complicated than that. My kingdom-”

“No.” He cut him off, his heart pounding as Jana came back towards them, carrying another batch of the healing potion. Her face was drawn with concern, but determination burned in her eyes. The sight of her made his chest ache with emotions he’d been trying to deny.

“The only thing that matters is how you feel about your mate,” he said, unable to tear his gaze from his mate.

Everything he’d been afraid of seemed foolish now. What did it matter if the gods hadn’t specifically sent her to him? What did it matter if he wasn’t worthy? The mate bond thrummed between them, real and precious.

“I spent too long letting fear hold me back,” he continued, speaking as much to himself as to Ulric. “Wondering if I deserved happiness, if I was worthy of finding a mate. I couldn’t even admit to myself that I entered the Bride Trials because I wanted a mate. And look what that got me - a potential bride in love with someone else.”

He remembered the ache in his chest as he’d watched Garak’s female rush to his side. How empty he’d felt leaving Port Cael alone. Then fate, or the gods, or simple chance had brought Jana into his life.

“We can’t let fear make our choices for us,” he said firmly. “Not when it comes to matters of the heart.”

He looked up to find Jana watching him, an unreadable expression on her face before she turned to Ulric.

“Let’s see if we can get her to drink this.”

Once again, Ulric had to order Jessamin to drink but she obeyed and this time she finished the entire cup before sagging back against him.

Jana took the empty cup, then spoke to Ulric, her voice gentle but firm.

“Your feelings might give her something to fight for. Sometimes knowing you’re loved can make all the difference.”

Ulric looked up at Jana, his expression raw and vulnerable in a way he’d never seen before. The king nodded slowly, then cleared his throat.

“Would you… give us a moment?”

He wrapped his arm around her waist, guiding her to the far corner of the room. She leaned into him, fitting perfectly against his side. He tightened his hold, remembering how close he’d come to losing her. The Beast inside him growled protectively, but he kept it in check. She was safe now, here in his arms where she belonged.

He glanced down at her, taking in the way she watched the other couple with such compassion. His brave, beautiful mate who’d even found the compassion to try and understand her captor. The last of his doubts crumbled away as the mate bond hummed between them.

The sound of quiet murmuring reached them as Ulric bent over Jessamin, cradling her closer. As he watched Ulric with Jessamin, his own words about not letting fear hold him back echoed in his mind. She felt so right in his arms, her warmth and scent calming his Beast even as it made his pulse race.

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