Page 39 of Claimed By Stone
And gods help me, I believed him.
"I hate that you have nightmares because I was not there to protect you. It will never happen again."
He said it like a vow. And I wasn't sure if that made it better or worse. He didn’t carry any blame for these nightmares. I was not having nightmares about being thrown in that cell. No, these were something else, much darker, much deeper; something I was too afraid to even voice.
The next moment, the door flew open without even a knock.
I jerked the blanket up over my chest the second the door opened—human modesty filling my senses. I knew that orcs were much more open about their bodies and sexuality, but I was not there yet.
Khuldruk strode in like he owned the place. Probably because he did.
"Breakfast is?—"
He stopped mid-sentence, taking in the sight of me in Thavros’s bed, Thavros shirtless and holding me to his chest, protecting what he could. The pause was brief, but I saw the eyebrow twitch. Just enough to register an orc-level scandal.
“Get. Out.” Thavros’s voice was a low snarl. Not yelling, but there was no mistaking the protective threat.
Khuldruk held up his hands. “Alright, alright. Keep your tusks on, brother. I’ve seen her before–just not this... cozy.”
I made a strangled sound and buried my face in his chest, trying to hide the blush I knew was reddening my cheeks. Thavros took a long, slow breath like he was counting backward from ten.
“I will kill you,” he said without heat, mostly resigned.
Khuldruk laughed as he backed toward the door. “You’re not special. I have my own mate, remember?”
"Meet me at breakfast," he said as he shut the door behind him.
I flopped back against the pillows, cheeks blazing. Then a deep, hearty laugh shook Thavros's chest. While I didn't find it quite as funny, his laugh was absolutely one of my favorite sounds now.
“He’s not wrong, though,” I said, glancing sideways at him. “You do get very cozy.”
He blinked at me. “You invited me into bed.”
“I was traumatized,” I teased.
“Traumatized and handsy.”
I let out a startled laugh, and the tension broke a little. But beneath it, something itched at me. Mate. That word again.
Khuldruk had said it so casually—like it was an ordinary thing. Normal. Expected.
Could I be mated to Thavros?
Gods, what would that mean?
We got out of bed and dressed for the day, but I was distracted. Maybe it was the dream, or maybe it was the thought of being his mate. It both excited and terrified me. I tried not to spiral as we entered the great hall, but I was half-distracted by the swirl of thoughts as Thavros guided me toward the long table where Callie and Khuldruk already sat. The table was laid with meats, fresh bread, fruit, and something that looked like glistening root vegetables smothered in honey.
Callie waved us over enthusiastically, her curls bouncing with the motion. “You’re up! Did you sleep okay? Or—oh no, did Khuldruk walk in on you? He does that.”
I look down at my plate Thavros was filling for me as heat filled my cheeks.
Thavros grunted. “I’m going to put a lock on the door.”
Callie grinned and handed me a hunk of warm bread. “Well, welcome to the waking world. Not that I’m an expert, I haven’t been in the mountains long, but breakfast is sacred. Eat, flirt, and try not to get thrown in any more dungeons.”
I laughed at her while Thavros sent her a playful glare.
As they ate their breakfast, the embarrassment of the morning began to fade. And once that happened, I found I was actually enjoying myself. The room was filled with orcs laughing and sharing a meal. I did get a few double takes sitting with the Chief and his brother, but that's to be expected. I was sure word of what had happened the night of the Yule feast had already spread through the entire clan.
