Page 56 of My Orc Billionaire
“Gods below, he’ssmiling?” I heard him mutter, then he was barreling up the steps toward me.
Since he was moving so quickly, I reached out my hand to steady him on his shoulder, and his jaw dropped. “Abydos, what’s going on?”
“What do you mean? What’s wrong?”
A little panicky, Sylvik turned to gesture to the drive, then the house. “You don’t like others in your space, and there arethreecars out here?—”
“You’re one of them. Sakkara just left, and the cleaners’.” I jerked my chin to each. “Riven’s and mine are in the garage.”
My assistant just continued as if I hadn’t interrupted him, gesturing animatedly. “—there arepumpkinson the porch, Abydos! You don’t ever decorate for holidays!”
“Riven did that. She wanted the place to feel autumnal, apparently.”
“—And you’retouching me!” Sylvik’s pitch had risen, and he clasped my forearm, as if to hold my hand on his shoulder. “Since when are you okay with touching?”
My brows rose in surprise.
Was that how the younger male thought of me? Really? I wracked my brain, trying to remember times in the past that I’d touched him, touchedanyone…and I couldn’t remember any beyond the necessary shaking of hands.
Huh.
So I shrugged and squeezed his shoulder. “Thank you for being concerned, Sylvik. But I’m okay.”
My assistant was peering at me. “No, I don’t think you are,” he mumbled, eyes squinting as he studied my face. “Have you seen your eyes, Abydos?”
Confused, I dropped my hand and stepped back, frowning. “What do my eyes have to do with anything?”
“They’re glowing.” Sylvik’s own dark eyes widened. “By Palton’s Spear, Abydos,” he whispered, “you’ve found your Mate?”
I gaped. “My Mate?”
“It’s the Heat, isn’t it?” My assistant’s expression broke into a delighted grin. “Congratulations! Who is she? Can I meet her?”
Mate?
The memories slammed into me—Sakkara speaking of this new stage in my life, Tarkhan talking about the Mating Heat—and I stumbled away from Sylvik, crashing into one of the support columns.
Mate.
Didthisexplain the itchy, unsettled feeling I’d been experiencing? Was this why myKteerfelt as if itpaced in my chest, causing me to growl and snap in irritation? Was this the Heat?
Mate.
Holy.
Fucking.
Shit.
There is a knowing. I remembered my father telling me that once, when he was deep in his wine and mourning our mother.There is a knowing. Soul meeting soul.
Slowly, I slid down the column to rest my ass on the top step, my mind a haze.
Mate.
My claws dug into my chest, my breaths coming too fast. I rested my other hand on one of the large pumpkins, trying to settle myself.
Mate.
