Page 26 of Bound to the Orc Warrior

Naomi digs in, chewing happily. “This is wonderful! Thank you!”

Only once I see her eating happily do I make a plate of my own.

“These are almost as good as potatoes!” She scoops up a forkful of cattail tuber and hums as she eats it. Then my moon bound holds up one of the flower heads and nibbles comically at its surface. “How do I eat these? The kernels are kind of small.”

I bite into one. “They’re young enough that you eat the entire thing, cob and all.”

She crunches into one of the flower heads, and her expression brightens. “Oh, these are like baby corn. I love baby corn!”

My bride eats like an orc, all appetite and appreciation, and I love it. My own hunger drives me until my tusks rip hunks from the rabbit, making short work of the meat.

I clean the first to the bone before pausing for vegetables, then turn to the second. After ripping off a thigh, I hold it out to Naomi.

She swallows another bite of cattail tuber and holds up her unfinished meat. “Nope. I’m good. Two thighs are plenty for me.”

My eyes flick to her legs, so plump my fingers ache to touch their lushness. I nod. “Two thighs are perfect.”

“My, my,” Shadow says. “Is this what passes as orc flirting? I could give you a few pointers if you like.”

Zephyr whinnies a laugh and stomps at the ground. “NowthatI would like to see.”

Anger boils through me, and my lips pull back from my tusks. I will pummel the cat. I will—

My bride’s sweet laughter cuts across my anger with all the sharpness of a moon steel blade.

“You guys are too much!” Her fork clatters on her plate as she hastily sets it beside her on the log to brace her hands on her stomach. Laughter moves her entire body, her shoulders shaking. Her teeth flash bright in the firelight, the raised plumpness of her cheeks closing her eyes to slits that glitter with reflected light.

Naomi gives joy her all, and I can do nothing but stare, bewitched.

By the time she calms enough to wipe her face free of happy tears, all my anger has faded away.

“Whoo! I needed a good laugh,” she says, flashing a smile at all of us. “Thanks.” Then she picks up her plate and continues eating, so I do as well.

The second rabbit disappears in record time as the lack of a real lunch drives me to eat well. Warrior training prepared me for many hardships, and I can go without food for several days, but I want to remain at my best to protect my moon bound.

After swallowing the last bite of meat, I turn to the feline fae. “Thank you for hunting for us.” The words tear at my throat, but no matter how much they hurt, I force them out. I don’t like thanking him, this Wild Fae I don’t trust, but he has done me and Naomi a service, and to not thank him would burden me with even more of an obligation.

His green eyes sparkle with amusement in the firelight, his grin widening to show far too many teeth. “Of course.”

“Yes, thanks!” Naomi throws her arms around his neck in a hug.

Shadow’s eyes widen for a split second before he leans into her.

“Your fur is so soft!” As she pulls back, her fingers dig into the long hair of the ruff around his neck and scratch. “Is this okay?”

In answer, a ratcheting purr fills the air, and his eyes close to slits.

As they chatter about feline fur and other things, I clean our dinner dishes and walk over to Zephyr. “Will you stand guard tonight?”

“I will. I plan to graze all night.”

A chuckle from Naomi snaps my eyes back to the fire.

Zephyr bats me with her horn. “Goddess knows, you’ll be too distracted.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Humph.” She tosses her head in amusement. “Only one tent, remember?”

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