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They thought I’d go down easily.

They were about to discover how wrong they could be.

“The calvary is here!” Mary’s voice rang out in the clearing. Her snarl echoed as she lifted a cast-iron frying pan and rushed toward Bradley.

Pete raced next to her, wielding a spatula like a sword.

Joel hurried not far behind them, his eyes wide with determination as he pulled back a slingshot. A pebble flew, hitting Bradley square in the right cheek.

The yelp he let out would have been comical if I hadn’t been burning with fury.

Carol flung a rock, hitting one of the males attacking me in the head. He groaned and flopped to the side, rubbing his skull.

I flung the males off me and leaped to my feet.

Chaos erupted.

Mary’s nightgown flapped around her calves as she swung her pan through the air. It smacked one of the males across the jaw, sending him staggering. Pete jabbed his spatula at the other, his eyes bright with fire. Shouting war cries, Joel pulled back the slingshot and released a stone, hitting one of the men between the legs. The guy gasped, coiling forward, smacking his hand over the area. His club tumbled to the ground, as did he.

Someone lunged for me, but I wrenched free, barreling toward Beth. I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her from Bradley’s grasp, and whirled around, racing halfway across the clearing before I put her on her feet. I carefully removed the gag from aroundher head, and her gasp was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard.

She clung to me, her warmth burrowing into my chest.

Bradley scrambled backward, eyeing us with fear.

A growl roared up my throat. I gently eased Beth behind me and stomped toward the other male. “I challenge you to battle.”

His face paled. He darted behind one of the horses, his lips twisting in disgust. “Get rid of him,” he barked to his men.

“Choose your weapon,” I snarled. My slick smile grew. “I'm excellent with a sword.”

“I'm not fighting you. That's...primitive.”

My smile flashed wider. “That's me. Primitive. There isn'tanythingI won't do to protect my mate.”

“What's a mate?” Bradley huffed, his hands on the saddle horn. The horse skittered sideways, its wild eyes locked on me.

I lifted my hand for the world to see. “Mate mark. I've claimed her. You touch her again, and you won't make it back to Lonesome Creek.”

“How dare you threaten me?” he gasped. “I'll call the police.” He yanked his phone from his pocket and waved it in the air. “See if I don't.”

“My brother Dungar’s the local cop. Want to call him?”

“I think we should call him ourselves.” Beth stomped over to stand by my side, her faceruddy and her fists bristling. “I’m going to press charges for attempted kidnapping.”

Bradley flinched. “You're my bride. Iownyou.”

“I did not say I do, and I never will. You can't pry the words from my lips.” She took my hand, linking our fingers. “Leave. Don't ever come back or Iwillpress charges. See if I don't. Tell my father I'll call the press. Lonesome Creek has a PR person who went viral. She’ll be happy to shout out what you’ve done. I’ll tell the world my father tried to sell his own daughter to his business partner. See how long his clients or yours want to work with you after that.”

“You won't do it.” A dare came through in Bradley's voice.

She gave him a slick smile. “Watch me. There isn't anything I won't do to stay in Lonesome Creek with my mate.” When she lifted her arm, the matching symbol to mine blazed in the moonlight. “Maybe you'd like to find out what the orc king thinks of humans trying to steal a mate. I believe there's something in the treaty about that, right?” She looked up at me.

“Orc justice is laid out quite clearly,” I said. “We'll battle with swords, and I promise, you won't walk away.”

“I'm not doing anything like that,” Bradley blustered. “You can't make me.”

“The treaty states that you'll be confined and taken to the orc kingdom for the battle.” I grunted. “Want to be the first to test thetreaty?”