Page 61 of Her Rugged Orcs

"I don't understand," I whisper, my voice catching. "How can you forgive me so easily?"

"Nothing about this was easy," Murok says, his thumb tracing my jawline. "For any of us."

A sob escapes me. "But I betrayed you. I wanted to hurt you because I thought..." The words get stuck in my throat. "I thought what we had couldn't be real."

"And now?" Grash rumbles against my ear, his arm tightening around my waist.

"Now I know what real love is." My fingers find his, intertwining. "It's this. It's understanding. It's forgiveness."

Dren shifts closer, pressing his forehead to mine. His silence speaks volumes - of acceptance, of devotion, of a love so deep it transcends betrayal.

"You changed everything," I continue, looking at each of them through my tears. "You showed me that love isn't about power or control or ownership. It's about choice. And I would choose you every time. All of you."

"As we would choose you," Murok says softly, his usual sharp wit softened by emotion.

The firelight dances across our intertwined bodies, casting shadows that seem to bind us together. In this moment, I finally understand what I've been fighting against for so long - the simple, overwhelming truth that love, real love, is about being accepted, flaws and all.

"I love you," I whisper, the words feeling like freedom on my tongue. "Even when I was angry, even when I was scared - I loved you."

Their touches, gentle yet possessive, tell me everything I need to know. This is what coming home feels like. This is what healing feels like. This is what love truly is.

I turn and face Grash, my heart pounding with newfound certainty. My fingers trace his jaw, feeling the rough texture of his scars beneath my touch. His eyes lock with mine making my breath hitch.

"I wholeheartedly choose you," I whisper, pressing my lips to his. He tastes like wilderness and thunder, his kiss fierce yet tender. His massive hands cup my face with a gentleness that still surprises me.

Turning to Murok, I see the knowing glint in his piercing blue eyes. A smirk plays at the corner of his mouth, but there's vulnerability there too, hidden beneath his usual confidence.

"And you," I breathe, capturing his lips. He kisses like he fights - precise, calculated, yet passionate. His braids brush against my cheeks as he deepens the kiss, making me shiver.

Finally, I face Dren. His eyes hold mine, speaking volumes in his silence. My fingers thread through his dark hair as I draw him close.

"Always you," I murmur against his mouth. His kiss is different - soft, reverent, like a prayer. His hands tremble slightly as they rest on my waist, and I feel the depth of his devotion in every gentle touch.

"You're stuck with us now," Murok says, his voice husky. "No taking it back."

"Good." I smile through my tears. "Because I'm never letting any of you go."

Grash pulls me against his chest, his heartbeat strong and steady under my palm.

Dren's fingers find mine, squeezing gently. The firelight catches the silver in his eyes, and for once, I see everything he never says aloud written plainly on his face - love, devotion, promise.

My heart feels too full, expanding with a joy I never thought possible. These three impossible, beautiful souls have become my home, my future, my everything. And for the first time in my life, I'm not afraid of what tomorrow brings - because I'll face it with them.

The hearth's warmth seeps into me as I lay nestled between my three orcs.

"Comfortable?" Grash rumbles, pulling me closer.

"Mmm," I murmur, my fingers still intertwined with Dren's, his thumb tracing gentle circles on my palm.

Murok nuzzles the back of my neck, pressing a soft kiss behind my ear.

The fire pops and crackles, casting dancing shadows across our intertwined bodies.

The weight of Grash's arm, the gentle press of Murok's chest against my back, the tender way Dren's fingers remainlaced with mine – it creates a cocoon of safety I never thought possible. My eyelids grow heavy as sleep begins to claim me.

"Rest," Grash murmurs, his voice thick with his own exhaustion.

I let myself drift off, surrounded by their warmth, their love, their protection.

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