Page 10 of Guarded By the Orc

Zara’s eyes went wide and she shook her head, looking over at Rok where his brow was furrowed. “T-that can’t be right,” she said, frowning. “Is that true, Rok?”

“I didn’t know that was what they were called until I returned,” he explained, scrubbing his palm across the back of his neck. “And I’m sorry if that’s youramu’scoven, Zara. Maybe they were different when she was in charge, but now…” he trailed off with a shrug, pursing his lips.

Zara’s hand went to her chest and she shook her head. “There’s no way. My mom came to this plane, pregnant with me, knowing she needed to escape and found them—” she cut herself off, swallowing hard. “There’s just no way.”

“I’m sorry,” I told her in a low voice, reaching out to touch her hand, but she pulled away from me, her brow furrowed, her eyes unfocused—lost in thought. “But we looked into them after Rok was taken. I know all about them and if I’d known that that was where I would be getting this potion from, I would have found another coven.” I said the words in a placating voice, but I needed her to know the truth.

While her mom might have trusted these witches with her life, there was no way I was letting her get anywhere near them. They were bad news. They’d stolen Rok right out from under our noses and while they’d tried to help get him back, in the end, they hadn’t been able to do anything about it.

It was unforgivable.Zarahad been the one to bring him back. If not for her, he would still be lost to us—to Becca. While on a certain level, I felt gratitude that Rok had brought my mate with him, there was no way I would be able to trust The Sisters of the Sage with my mate.

Especially not when she was hiding from a warlock. These witches were too transactional for my liking. I’d offered to pay any amount to return Rok, but they hadn’t been powerful enough to do anything but return him into the enchanted tome he’d come from.

“But they—” she gasped, her hand going to her throat as she narrowed her gaze. “I need to meet them.”

“Are you okay?” I asked, reaching out to her, but she waved me away, slapping at my hand with her tiny one. “You won’t be meeting them,” I told her in what I hoped was a soothing voice. If just the thought of them was making her this upset, then I couldn’t be expected to allow my mate to run amok with them.

“You can’t tell me what to do,” she huffed, holding her chin high, and I quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Well, actually—” I started, but Becca ran up to my side, grabbing my forearm and shaking her head with urgency.

“No, no. We’re going to stop right there,” she said to the both of us, holding out a placating hand between us. “We’re not going to fight. We’re here to have a nice dinner. And we just wanted to let you know that while you might remember them as something a little different, Zara, we think your coven might have changed. That’s all,” she said with a kind smile in my mate’s direction.

“And she’s not allowed to see them,” I added with a firm nod.

Becca slapped her hand across her face and turned to walk back toward her mate. “I tried,” she said to Pen while my mate turned to glare at me.

“I’m allowed to see whoever I want to see,” she argued.

Krusk, Savla, and Enka were watching us as if we were the most interesting thing in the world, their heads going back and forth between us like a tennis match.

“You know, Zara,” Krusk said, tilting his head to the side as he lifted the bottle he was still holding up for her to see. “If they’re selling these things instead of giving them the way you said your mother did, then maybe theyhavechanged. It’s been a while since your mother was here. Maybe they lost their way.”

I watched with fascination as my spitting mad mate pondered this new bit of information. Her fury fizzled away until it was almost as if it had never happened.

“That’s true,” she said with a curious tilt of her head. “What if they’re under new management now? That would explain whythey’re different,” she agreed.

I glared at Krusk for being able to make her see exactly what I’d been trying to explain, but he just shrugged at me.

“Then you should look into them some more before you approach them,” Enka said, turning to sniff in the direction of the kitchen.

Zara nodded, deep in thought. “Yeah. Maybe. That way I can get an idea of who’s in charge. And maybe I’ll be able to talk to them and see why they’d agree to send Rok back. Because it doesn’t make sense.” She murmured the last sentence, nibbling on her lower lip until it was raw and moist.

I licked my own lips, trying to ignore the pull of attraction between us—but it was impossible.

“I’ll go tomorrow,” she announced to the room and my thoughts were dragged to a halt.

Wait, what?

“Didn’t we just say that going to meet them was a bad idea?” I asked the room at large, wondering if I was losing my mind.

Most of them nodded, but the females just shrugged at me, as if it was out of my hands anyway.

It mostdefinitelywas not.

“I’m in charge of the security of this clan,” I announced to everyone, and I watched as a smug smile crossed my brother’s face.

Of course that fucker is enjoying this. This is revenge from when he couldn’t control his own female. Now he’s taking it out on me.

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