Page 40 of My Orc in Uniform

“Simbel…” she breathed, eyes wide.

“There is a knowing. That’s what we’re told as little kitlings. That when we meet our Mate, we will just…” I shrugged. “Justknow. I knew your scent. I knew your eyes. I knewyou, Marissa Gray. I love that you have rediscovered yourself with me, and I pray to all the gods that you’ll continue to allow me in your life.”

Her gaze had dropped to her hand, where it was pressed over my chest. “A knowing…” she murmured. Then she lifted her eyes to mine. “I…I feel it too, Simbel. I couldn’t understand why someone as incredible as you would be interested in someone as boring as me, but I couldn’t stand the thought of you with anyone else, like Kelly.”

I felt myself smirking. “I don’t think you’re boring at all,dkaar, and I certainly never wantedher.”

“Beloved,” she whispered.“Dkaar.”

Hearing my language on her lips made myKteerhowl in glee. When she leaned in to capture my lips, I met her joyfully.

At first, I assumed the thrumming in my ears was my pulse, or maybe myKteerhad decided I wasn’t quite done claiming my Mate yet.

But this sound wasn’t just in my ears; I could feel it against my skin too. When I lifted my head, Rissa was blinking at me. “Do you hear that?”

“Oh good, I thought maybe I was going nuts.”

Her lips twitched. “Well, I didn’t say you weren’t, but I can hear it too. It sounds almost like…”

My head snapped up. “A boat.” In one movement, I rolled to my feet, keeping her wrapped in my arms. “There’s a boat coming this way.”

Sure enough, out in the open water, a spotlight was bobbing in the waves. It swept across the island twice before landing on our campfire.

“What time is it?” Rissa murmured.

I checked my phone, which had no service out here, but still kept time. “About a half hour until I can push the boat into the water.” But with the newcomers making their way unerringly toward us… “Maybe I’ll have some help, and we can get off this island a little earlier.”

“Mom!” The word came calling across the waves. “Mom, are you okay?”

If I hadn’t been holding Rissa upright, I think her knees would have given out. “Patrick?” she murmured weakly. “Wha…?”

“Trick!” I bellowed, waving my free hand. “We’re okay! Over here!”

“We’re coming!” he yelled back.

We? “Where’d he get a boat?” I asked.

“Where’d he get the absoluteballsto take it out in the middle of the night?” Rissa hissed, suddenly sounding livid. She pushed herself away from me. “Patrick James Gray, are you out of your mind?” she hollered. “Of all the stupid, reckless, idiotic—”

“He’s coming to rescue you,” I interrupted. “Me too, I guess.”

“We would’ve been on our way home soon enough,” she snapped back at me, her hands on her hips as she marched toward the slowly creeping tide. “This wasbeyonddangerous, coming out in the middle of the night…”

And suddenly, understanding hit me again.

Rissa had spent sixteen years trying to hide a part of her that made herher. The adventurous, fun-loving side. Andnow that Trick was becoming a man, she was terrified that he’d inherited that part of her. The part that got bored easily and took up minor larceny and vandalism, because there was nothing else to do on this island.

I grinned.

I was going to spend the rest of my life reminding these two precious humans how special they were, and how they can embrace that side of them safely. Because I’ll always be there for them.

“Patrick James Gray,” she was yelling as the other boat nosed ashore, “did you steal a vessel? Did I raise a pirate?”

“Bro,” came another voice, “she’s using your middle name. You’re in deep shit.”

“And so are you, Jaxon Millhouse,” Rissa shot up at him. “I know it’s you! Did you talk my son into piracy?”

Trick jumped off the bow and hit the sand with a grunt. “Calm down, Mom, it’s his boat—his dad’s boat.” He enveloped her in a hug. “When we realized something was wrong, all the guys…well, we all thought we should come save you.”

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