Page 74 of Guarded By the Orc

A small harrumph came from the other side as Rok and Dristan stepped back into the room, their mates in their arms.

“It was nothing,” Papa Bois said, stepping through the portal, his hooves clipping against the hardwood floors. “And you can call on me in the future if you need to.”

“Thank you,” Zara whispered, a smile spreading on her lips.

“Here,” Papa Bois told her, holding his palm out to her. It was craggy and calloused, covered in dirt, but she didn’t hesitate. She took it and a pulse of white light swept out of his palm into hers, spreading through her until she was enveloped in it.

I stood, my chest throbbing a protest, worried about what was happening, but the light dissipated and I saw my mate, hale and whole, blinking as the exhaustion disappeared as if it had never happened.

“W-what did you do?” she asked, her eyes wide.

“A small gift,” Papa Bois said with a shrug, turning to look at me. “And you,” he told me, his hands moving to his waist. “I see you protected her.”

I nodded, looking from Zara to this solemn male with dark eyes that were filled with a sacred wisdom that I would never be able to understand.

“Good,” he said, “And I expect you to continue protecting her,” he added, narrowing his eyes at me, but there was no way I needed to be threatened about that.

“With every breath in my body,” I told him, and he harrumphed before pressing his hand to my chest. The thrum of healing that ran through me almost made me drop back into the sofa again. Every ache and pain was eased, and the headache that had been brewing disappeared.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Papa Bois said before turning and moving back to the portal. It was sealed before Zara had a chance to close it.

We all blinked at where he’d left, a little confused and a lot awed, before turning to each other.

“I don’t know what the hell that was,” Zara laughed, holding her arms out in front of her, purple sparks leaving her fingers, “But I feel brand new.”

“Us too,” Tabitha said, shaking her head in disbelief, aiming her fingers toward Gabbi, conjuring a butterfly to land on her nose.

Her uproarious giggle made everyone smile until she tried to grab the butterfly from the air.

“Oof,” Tasia called, spinning her away, her eyes wide with horror.

It was everyone else’s turn to laugh, relief and joy filling us now that we were all back together. I moved to stand next to my mate, cuddling her close to me before pressing a kiss against her delicate, sweet lips.

“I love you,” I told her, and she squeezed me to her, repeating the words against my chest.

CHAPTER 38

Zara

It wasn’t long before everyone was gathered again in our apartment, food being ordered and alcohol being passed around. Tasia had taken Gabbi back to their apartment for her bedtime routine, but everyone else was celebrating the victory of the day.

I couldn’t stop touching Rudgar. Now that he was healthy and back with me, the last thing I wanted to do was be away from him. So when anyone tried to pull us away from the snuggle puddle we’d made on the sofa, I refused.

“I think I’ll head to bed,” Rudgar announced, and Dristan and I both turned sharp, assessing looks his way. He grinned, shaking his head. “I’ve become a boring old orc, and it’s just been a full day. I need a nap,” he insisted, before snatching me around the waist. “With my mate.”

Realization settled inside of me and a secret smile spread across my face.

“Wedefinitelyneed a nap,” I agreed, nipping at his throat.“We’re sotiredafter everything.”

“Ew,” Pen gagged, waving her hand at us. “Can we please move this party away from them? I can’t handle hearing what my brother-in-law and his mate sound like when… well you know.” She waved at everyone, ushering them all out of the door, taking most of the food and drinks with them. I turned to Rudgar, wiggling my eyebrows.

“Do I know how to clear a room or what?” I asked, preening.

“I started it,” he insisted, nuzzling his nose against mine.

“Fine,” I conceded, “but if there’s a prize, I win.”

He snorted out a laugh and lifted me into his arms, turning and carrying me toward our bedroom. “I’ll give you a prize,” he chuckled, running his tusk along my neck, marking me with his scent.

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