Page 10 of Bred By the Orc
While the other females clung to one another, my Mate turned to glare at me. “Then whatshould I call you?”
Mate. Protector. Yours forever.
Instead, I shrugged. “I am Drakolt, son of Klaar, Chief of Clan Bladesedge.”
I couldsmellher fear, but she didn’t back down. Instead, her chin rose and she managed a haughty sniff. “And what do you want with us, Chief of Clan Bladesedge?”
I couldn’t help my smile, but from the way her lovely blue eyes widened when they dropped to my tusks, I likely should have reined in the impulse.
“You are our spoils, lass,” I murmured, and if I hadn’t been staring at her, I would’ve missed the way her nostrils flared and the pulse jumped in her throat.
“Speaking of spoils,” snarled Korvak, who’d swung down from his horse, disgustingly graceful even without the need for stirrups, “I believe I have a wager to collect on.”
Oh, fook. In the distraction of holding my Mate for the first time, I’d forgotten the foolish wager Moltar had made with my brother. From the way our cousin bristled, I knew to expect a fight.
“Ye bastard,” Moltar cried, his hand dropping to his blade. “Our Chieftain told us no’ to spill human blood. ‘Tis the only reason—”
“Moltar,” I bit out, interrupting his whining. “Did ye kill any humans today?”
Mulishly, our cousin pressed his lips shut and shook his head.
I nodded once, my glare encompassing all my warriors. “Ye did well, following my orders, and we emerged with three prizes.” And I had no idea what to do with two of them. Still, I raised my fist. “Bladesedge!”
“Bladesedge!” The cry was echoed back to me by the circle of my men.
“My brother Korvak did what any of us would have done, protecting the female from that traitor, John. His aim was blessed by the gods, and he spilled more human blood than ye, Moltar. Korvak has won the wager, and thus the prize—the little human.”
I could tell my cousin wanted to argue. His hard gaze landed on the thin little female—pretty in her own way, although she lacked the fire of my Mate—and his mouth pulled into a snarl.
But then Korvak stepped up to the pair of women and pulled Moltar’s prize—the one called Effie—away. I knew he had no interest in her and was only doing this to annoy our cousin. Still, Effie’s sobs made me wince.
Korvak swung up onto his horse, swinging the small female behind him. “We’ll take the mountain pass,” he called, wheeling away. “See you in afortnight, brother!”
And in my arms, Sorcha began to thrash. “Effie! Effie!” she screamed, even as the other female darted after Korvak’s horse. Luckily, Varkaan intercepted her, pulled her against him and locked down on her thrashing.
My Mate’s fear was a sour taste on my tongue, and even as my men began to break away on their journeys, I leaned my mouth close to her ear.
“Peace, Sorcha. Yer Effie is in far better hands now.”
She stilled, stiffening, and I could see the tracks of her tears on her cheeks as she peered in the direction Korvak had ridden. I knew she was thinking of her home, thinking of how safe she’d felt mere hours ago, and my heart ached for her.
“Korvak might look terrifying, but he is my brother, and I trust him more than the male who held yer Effie afore.”
Slowly, she twisted in my hold until she could stare, wide-eyed up at me. I could see so much in those lovely blue orbs. Fear, exhaustion, dread, and a strange sort of desperate hope.
I wanted to feed that, to ease her thundering heartbeat I could feel under my own skin.
“I would no’ lie, lass,” I murmured, for her ears only. “Yer friend will be safe with Korvak, and ye will see her again in a fortnight.”
She studied me, as if uncertain if she could believe me, and I allowed it. Normally I would feel affront that my word was doubted like this, a strange experience. But this was my Mate, who had no reason to believe me.
After a long moment, her gaze dropped to my mouth.
And I had to growl silently at myKteerthat this meant naught. She didn’t want me.
Not yet.
I had a fortnight to make her want me.
