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The sounds of laughter and the clinking of spurs on the wooden boardwalk echoed through town. They were fake spurs purchased at the general store, but real enough to those wearing them. Tourists dressed in cowboy and other Wild West clothing walked down main street while children darted around them, their cries as shrill as chumbles waking to the morning sun. A few even “rode” fake sorhoxes, that were only sticks with fake heads on the end.

The aroma of fresh cooked food drifted from the saloon and restaurant, mixing with the scent of hay and sorhoxes from the stable.

This was Lonesome Creek Ranch, a tourist destination, but the place I now called home.

As Beth and I rode down the street on our sorhoxes, I took in the sights with a sense of pride. My brothers and I had bought this valley, brought our vision with us, andbuilt this town, infusing a touch of orc culture into the Wild Western theme. It was a strange and wonderful blend, and it seemed to captivate the humans who were visiting.

Dungar stood in front of the saloon, a broad smile on his face as he spoke with a group of tourists. Four sorhoxes had been tied to the posts out front, saddled and ready, their green hides gleaming in the sunlight. A fifth sorhox had been hitched to a cart and was loaded with the tourists' baggage. Tark's mate, Gracie, was there too, her phone in hand, capturing the excitement of the soon-to-be adventurers.

We brought our sorhoxes to a halt in front of the saloon. I leaped off Ebar and turned to help Beth. Or rather,Ben, as she would be known for the upcoming week. She swung her leg over Barg's back, her face pale but determined. Her hands shook as she handed me the reins, and I gave her a reassuring nod.

“You're doing great,” I said softly, hoping to ease her nervousness. When she placed her smaller hand in mine, I ignored the way heat curled in my chest at her touch. She was delicate, soft in ways I had no right to want. A woman like her, made for silken beds and fancy clothes, would never be happy living out of a pack beside a fire. But I still couldn't stop myself from tightening my grip, though, before I let go.

It felt amazing to mean something to her if only to help her down.

She offered me a small smile, and warmth spreadthrough my chest. This human, with her fiery spirit and courage, had quickly become important to me. I couldn't claim her as my own. I couldn't even show her the proper orc claiming rituals. But I would protect her with my life.

We stepped up onto the covered boardwalk, and Gracie hurried over, giving me a quick hug before she got back to recording.

I nodded to Dungar before greeting those traveling with us. “Welcome to Lonesome Creek Ranch. I'm Ruugar, and I'll be your guide on this trail ride. This is Ben, our trail ride helper. He'll be assisting us during our adventure.”

The tourists—a middle-aged couple from Ohio and a younger couple on their honeymoon—offered waves and smiles. Mary and Joel Brightworthy and Pete and Carol Smith, to be exact. I imagined they were eager to get going, and I was almost as excited as them. I hoped this would be an excursion they'd never forget.

“Alright, gather close.” I urged the four guests off the boardwalk and onto the street, mostly to get them out of the way of those passing by. “We'll be leaving soon, and I want to stress that safety is our top priority, so let's go through a few details before we mount our sorhoxes and head out.” Sel had worked with me on these lines, and I'd memorized them. Took me longer than I liked. I wasn't used to anything like this, but I'd always had a way with others, so I was the most natural to volunteer for this task.

As I described the journey ahead, emphasizing thebeauty they would witness and the measures we had in place to ensure no one got hurt, I caught sight of two males some distance away, weaving through the crowd. Nothing odd about that except for the intent way they studied everyone around them.

I recognized Bradley, Beth's intended husband. The other older male must be her father. They scanned the area with a desperation that made me grind my tusks together in anger. I'd hoped they’d left town by now. They were persistent, if nothing else. And this only reinforced why I'd made my offer to Beth.

I shifted my position, placing myself between her and the men, catching her eye. Hers widened, and she peeked around me before her breath hissed out. She stepped closer to me, using me as a shield. I kept my body relaxed, but inside, I'd coiled like a spring, ready to leap to defend her with everything I had. The sight of them here, in my territory, ignited a fierce protective instinct inside me.

The urge to confront them was strong, to let them know that Beth was under my care now, but there was no way I could do something like that. I wouldn't risk exposing her or potentially putting her in even greater danger.

As I talked, sounding natural due to practice, I kept my gaze on them.

“Alright, let's mount,” I said after I’d answered everyone’s questions.

Dungar and I each took one couple, introducing themto their sorhoxes and then helping them climb up onto the beast's backs.

“Like this,” I said patiently with Beth hovering by my side, hidden by the sorhox Mary had mounted. I showed her how to hold the reins and place her feet in the stirrups.

“My ass is going to be on fire before we travel a mile,” Mary said with a low laugh, her eyes sparkling. “Maybe I can get my husband to massage it later.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him seated on the sorhox beside hers.

He chuckled. “We'll see, Mary. We'll see.”

Beth snickered, and hearing the sound made some of my tension ease. That and noting that Bradley and her father had turned and strode in the opposite direction. I watched them disappear into the crowded street, my hands tightening around the sorhox’s reins. They would not stop searching for her, not until they had her back under their control. The thought made me want to go on a rampage.

But they wouldn't find her. Not with me here.

“Alright,” I called out, forcing my voice into an easy drawl. “Let's get movin’ before the sun climbs too high in the sky, folks.” Maybe I was finally getting this Wild West lingo down like I should.

The tourists settled in their saddles, adjusting their reins and footwear in the stirrups. Beth swung onto Barg’s back without too much trouble, though she dangled a bit before she scrambled up onto the beast's back.

“Now you're doing it, boy,” Mary said with a lowlaugh. “Takes some getting used to, doesn't it? I rode a bit when I was a girl but that was many years ago and…” Her toothy grin widened. “I'll admit I was a little skinnier back then.”

“You're gorgeous, wife,” Joel said from her other side. “Don't let anyone tell you anything different.”

“Aw, you're a dear.” Mary's gaze met mine. “That's why I married him. Why I stay married to him. He's the best.”