Page 68 of Summoning the Orc

The glow of her hands should have scared me, but the light was so warm and soothing that it did the opposite. I felt protected and hopeful.

“Please, Rok,” I whispered, tears dripping onto my male’s face. “Please come back to me.”

I thought I imagined it at first—the flutter of his long, gorgeous lashes. But I gasped and pulled away as his eyes opened. Their chocolate perfection was staring up at me, the small furrow between his brows telling me that he could see me.

“Am I dead?” he asked, his voice hoarse, his hands reaching out to cup my cheeks. “Or are you here?”

I gave a watery laugh, cradling his hands against my face. “I’m here. You made it back home. I missed you so much,” I told him, the tears not stopping.

“Don’t cry, my Becca,” he whispered, his big thumb sweeping over my tears and wiping them away with gentle touches. “I never want to see you cry.”

“These are happy tears,” I hiccupped. “I’m just so happy that you’re here. And safe.”

The sound of someone falling to the ground next to me jolted me away from our reunion. The witch had fallen to the floor.

“Oh no,” I gasped, reaching for her, but she waved me away with a tiny movement of her fingers.

“Give me a minute,” she said in a voice so low I almost didn’t understand her. “Recharging.”

I looked over at Pen whose eyes were huge in her face as she hovered next to her.

“Just need to sleep.” The witch yawned and Rok groaned as he sat up, wrapping his arms around me.

Perplexed, I cuddled against my male as the female fell asleep, emitting light snores. I looked up at the other three males who’d gathered around us. The tallest of them was prodding at the crystal chandelier above our heads, the burly male was looking out of the window in awe and the third was eyeing Dristan as if he was a threat. I turned back to Rok, my eyebrows almost to my hairline.

“We’re a bit of a ragtag team,” he said with a shrug and a wince. “But we made it out of there alive and that’s what matters.”

My expression transformed into a grin as I hugged him close, cradling my face against his neck. “Yes, that’s what matters,” I told him before wrinkling my nose. “But also, you’re covered in blood and need a bath.”

His rough chuckle soothed the last bit of worry inside of me.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Becca

“I’m going to get everyone settled into a bedroom and then come back, okay?” I asked Rok, and he grunted, making his annoyance with the plan known. I smiled, pressing a kiss to his forehead, but he turned his face at the last minute, catching my lips against his.

The kiss was everything I’d needed while he was gone. It was filled with passion, heat, and longing. I didn’t know what I would do without this male, and I never wanted to find out.

“No funny business in there while he’s healing,” Pen called from outside the door, rapping her knuckles against the wood and Rok growled long and loud.

Her tinkle of laughter made me grin and I pecked his lips one last time before pulling away. “She’s right. We have to get you checked over before you’re cleared for physical activity, mister,” I told him. “Plus you need that bath.”

He grinned at me. “How about you go get everyone settledand then come back and help your poor, injured mate scrub his back?” The gleam in mypoor, injuredmate’s eyes told me exactly what type of bath he was expecting when I got back.

And it made my entire body clench with need.

“Scrubbing backs is my specialty,” I told him with a wink before closing our bedroom door behind him.

I made my way back into the living room, my heart filled with love for my male. I stopped in the linen closet on the way, my arms overflowing with bedding by the time I made it out to see what everyone was up to.

The witch was still sleeping on the floor, her arms spread wide and a small line of drool making its way down the side of her face. I grinned at that, facing the three males who were investigating every nook and cranny of the room. Every once in a while they would eye Dristan with suspicion, but for his part, he was sitting on the armchair with Pen in his arms. She was whispering to him, nuzzling against his cheek and his expression was brimming with contentment.

“I brought some blankets and extra pillows for you to sleep with,” I said from behind the tower of soft fluffiness, and Dristan translated for me, not even looking at them as he spoke. I dumped the pile onto the sofa and then handed them out to the males who took them with wonder in their eyes.

The biggest one asked a question, his brow furrowed and wariness in his gaze as he looked between me and Dristan. “He’s asking if you’re letting them stay,” Dristan translated.

Oh, these males have had a hard life.

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