Page 66 of Claimed By Stone
With his large hand on the small of my back, he guided me into the corridor before he turned and claimed my mouth in a kiss, leaving me breathless.
"Did you come to find me just to kiss me?" I ask.
He smiled back at me, his tusks poking out even more, before his brow furrowed.
"What is the matter?" he asked.
"What?"
"Something is bothering you?"
How could he tell? I thought I was hiding it so well. And I mean, I couldn't even tell him what was bothering me, not truly. A visitor to the mountain gave an off vibe. That's not news.
"I think I'm just overwhelmed with the planning. I'm just so ready for it to be just you and me alone in those mating caves," I say with a smirk, pulling him back in for a kiss. It was true ... mostly.
He pulled back, still evaluating me. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, my mate," I say, knowing those words turn him into putty in my hands.
He pinned me to the wall in a deep kiss, actually succeeding for a moment in making me forget everything.
"I just wanted to tell you. I am needed in the war room for the remainder of the day. I’ll be with you for dinner tonight, though. I just need to prepare everyone for my absence before we are away in the dens."
"Of course," I answer, maybe a bit too brightly. "Do what you need to do. Tomorrow you are mine."
"I am already yours, my mate. But tomorrow we get to ignore the world around us, and that will be even better."
He kissed me again before turning and heading back down the hall.
I watched him walk down the hall. Even though he was small for an orc, his stride held so much strength and power. While orcs were powerful creatures, they had a reputation for their loyalty and kindness, the Westerly Clan aside. The more time I spent in this mountain, the more I learned that the reputation was entirely deserved. These orcs had taken me in and showed me such kindness. I’d only been here a little over a month, and still, the sense of belonging I felt was palpable.
And then there was Thavros, the level of loyalty and devotion he had for me was something I had never known. I’d heard of fated mates, but never dreamed I would have one or experience it. The depth of the love I felt for him was indescribable. It was as if he were a part of my very soul, and by the end of tomorrow night, he would be.
With that thought, my shoulders loosened and I was finally able to take a deep breath. Nothing else mattered, not creepy strangers or nightmares, not when Thavros was waiting to claim her at the end of this.
Later that night, I returned to the great hall for a feast before tomorrow's festivities. I saw Thavros and Khuldruk at a table, and I rushed over to join them. But then I saw him —the visitor —sitting across from Thavros.
I retreated into the corridor for just a moment to catch my breath. Just a moment in a quiet hallway, and then it hit me like a fist to the chest.
A memory. Sharp and vivid. Taking the very breath from my body.
Stone walls, but not these. Cold. Damp. Chains on my wrists. That man—that man—kneeling in front of me with a cruel smile.
“The goddess has such a pretty face,” he sneered. “We’ll break it if we must.”
My knees buckled. I caught myself against the wall, breathing hard, trying not to vomit.
I wasn't sure what to do next. I was only aware of the pain in my bones and the shame buried so deep it ached even now. I stayed there, trembling, until the sounds of celebration reached me again, and I shoved the memory back into whatever dark corner it had come from.
I almost made it through the meal in a daze, trying to smile and nod when appropriate, pushing away the icy panic that was threatening to pull me under. My head was so muddled, I didn’t know how to think or act. I was stuck in a spiral.
"Are you alright, little flame?" Thavros whispered low in my ear.
I could feel the man's eyes on me.
"I’m fine. I think I’m just tired."
"Do you wish to return to our chambers?"
