Page 19 of His Orc Warrior

She took a breath.

“And you…you don’t belong here.”

My eyes burned, tears welling up inside them, ready to escape.

She wasn’t saying anything wrong, per se. I didn’t even think she was trying to be cruel. If anything, she was looking out for her son in a very real way. Unfortunately that real way meant she wanted me gone.

She knew better than I did what it was like being in a couple where one of you had to hide. There was no denying that. But saying she didn’t want her son to have what she did? That was some grade-A bullshit.

“Dad, help.” Thrain reached over and put his hand on my arm. “Tell Mom that she’s wrong.”

“I can’t.” He swallowed hard. “She’s not.”

Thrain’s body tensed.

“But I can tell you—I wouldn’t change a single second of our time together.” He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it gently. “Not a single one.”

“And yet,” Thrain spoke so softly, “you don’t want me to have the same.”

“Not when there’s a choice.” She closed her eyes. “Not when there’s a choice.”

“And maybe I don’t have a choice.” It sure didn’t feel like I did.

Her eyes snapped open. She stared at me. “What do you mean? Of course, you have a choice. Go find another human. Get married. Have kids. It’s not that hard.”

“You’re wrong. From the second I first touched your son—our skin barely brushing over each other—I felt whole, as if I were finally home. And when we’re apart, it’s like a part of me is gone…missing.”

She blinked.

“I don’t have a choice. He’s mine. I can’t explain it and I don’t pretend to understand it, but he is. And nothing you or your husband can say will change that. The only person who can is Thrain and, if he did, it would break my heart, and I’d never be able to love again.”

Playing it back in my mind, it sounded like one of those soap operas from back in the day more than reality, but it was true, every last word.

“He never told me that.” His mom’s words were sincere, even if I didn’t fully understand who he was and what she meant.

Thrain got up, came over, picked me up, sat back down, and plopped me onto his lap, holding me close. “He never told me that.” Thrain kissed the top of my head.

“I didn’t think it mattered.” Or that it made any sense.

“Oh, it matters.” He peppered my cheeks with kisses. “It matters so much. I felt it, but I didn’t realize you did.”

He nuzzled against me, murmuring against my skin.

“It means you’re mine.”

“Fated,” his father said.

“I felt it from that first day. But I thought it was just…me, that I was confusing my attraction with something more.

“Oh, sweet, sweet Lucas…” He buried his face in my neck. “I can’t believe you’re mine.”

He kissed me again then held me close to his chest.

I’d nearly forgotten we had other people in the room, his kiss transporting me away to somewhere that was only the two of us—that was until his mom was suddenly in front of me, apologizing.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice cracked. “I didn’t realize you were fated.”

She shook her head, as if trying to make sense of it. “I should’ve—the way Thrain acted—but I didn’t. I was just trying to protect him.”

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