Page 30 of Guarded By the Orc

I need to be inside this female. Stat.

“I can show them to their apartments,” I told her, hoping that in their excitement they would forget that they wanted to staywith us.

My mate’s brow furrowed and her lips parted, but I hurried over to open the trunk of the SUV, calling Dristan over to help me with the bags. Gabbi ran over, snatching her little backpack out of my hands, her eyes wide as a croak sounded from inside. She pressed her fingers to her lips as she stared with huge eyes up at me and then ran off.

I hid a grin, remembering all the little pets that I’d snuck into our home when I was her age. Whistling to cover the sound of whatever it was she was hiding, I unloaded the bags and began moving them toward the elevators.

“This is my brother, Dristan,” I introduced the coven. They eyed us both with wary eyes, but Dristan more so.

Tabitha strode up to him, narrowing her eyes while he quirked a brow in my direction. I shrugged, not sure what the older witch was up to. She reached up, tapping his chin as he scowled down at her.

“That’s a good beard,” she said with a nod. “I like you.”

My jaw dropped and it was my turn to wear a scowl. “I can grow a beard, too!” I hissed, glaring at where the other witches nodded in agreement. Doubt was etched across their faces. Even my beautiful Zara looked skeptical.

I’ll show them. I’ll even grow a moustache. My beard will be way more magnificent than Dristan’s ever could be.

I stroked my fingers over my clean-shaven chin, scowling at my brother who bared his teeth in what he considered a smile. My nostrils flared at the challenge.

Oh, it’s on, fucker.

Dristan tapped his card to the elevator and I made a mental note to grab the keycards that the males who worked with me had prepped and left in my office. I had a master keycard for now and would let them in to their units. I’d leave my female—grudgingly—with them so she could help them settle.

Then I’d take her back to our apartment and eat her out on the sofa. I eyed her, wondering if she was thinkinganywherealong the same lines as I was, but she was preoccupied chatting with Floria. Gabbi was jumping up and down while Tasia tried to wrangle her. Hanna was smiling at them—the quietest of the bunch—in the corner.

The doors opened with a ding. I’d arranged for them to stay a few stories down from our floor since the apartments on this level were all connected. It would make it easy for them to have shared spaces within the coven. I led them to the door and Zara frowned up at me.

“Hey, I thought—”

“These apartments will be easier for everyone,” I explained to her. “They’re all connected and there’s enough space that no one will have to share a bedroom. Even Gabbi can have her own.”

“Hmm,” she sounded out, sighing as she looked around, then nodded. “Fine. That was smooth,” she said, leaning up for a kiss and I dipped right away, willing to oblige my female in any way she wanted me.

The other witches turned away with smiles, and I opened the doors for the apartments, allowing them to explore and select where they would be staying before Dristan and I helped them carry their belongings into their rooms. When they were all settled in the big sofas of one of the living areas, I nodded toward Dristan and backed out of the room, pecking my female on the head to let her know.

“Well, now we’ve added acovento the clan?” Dristan hissed, his scowl out in full-force now that he was out of earshot of the females.

“Yep,” I said, popping the p as I wrapped my arm around his shoulder, my hand gesturing in front of him. “Just imagine it. All of the spells and potions we could ever want. At our fingertips.”

“I don’t want any spells,” he groused, rolling his eyes.

“Protectionspells too,” I explained. “On the whole building. It’ll protect Pen and the baby.”

His brow furrowed, and I could tell that he was beginning to see the benefits of my plan.

“And they’ll have Gabbi to play with,” I added, not mentioning the fact that that youngling was a biter and might teach another how to sink their teeth into any nearby adult.

“That’s something,” he added, tapping the elevator button. “And having more females nearbywillmake it less likely that Pen will need to gooutto socialize,” Dristan considered, humming with contentment. “Yes, this is a good plan.”

“I thought you’d see it my way,” I said with enthusiasm, slapping my brother across the back, hoping that his usual pessimism wouldn’t kick in any time soon.

CHAPTER 16

Zara

Isettled into the soft cushions under me, celebrating that everything in this building was orc-sized and made me feel like a delicate porcelain doll. Grinning at the females who were also snuggled into the sofa, I said the one thing I needed to.

“I missed you all. Being there with the Warlocks was like missing a part of me. I know I wasn’t really apartof the coven,” I explained, feeling heat sweep into my cheeks. “But I always wanted to be, and at least I knew that I was part of the family.”

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