Page 41 of Enchanted with the Orc (The Kingverse Orcs #4)

Tasia

T he words were like a shock to my system. Our family. We weren’t so far into our relationship that I fully understood him, but this male was loyal without fault. He’d lay his life down for the ones he loved and that’s what terrified me.

“No, no ,” Zara was saying on the phone. “We have to go together. The coven is stronger when we’re all there.”

“We can handle this,” Rudgar was explaining to her.

“We can help!” Tabitha insisted, and then everyone was speaking over each other, the entire coven fighting to be part of the rescue mission.

I gave a tremulous smile, reaching out to take the phone in my shaking hand. “What do you think would be best, Rud?” I asked, my voice low and worried.

Everyone went silent then, and I just knew that they were all looking at the male.

“I’ve already spoken to Dristan,” he explained.

“And I think our clan should hunt him down, find Hanna and deal with the issue. I want to bring the coven there to stay with you,” he added, and another loud protest sounded from all around him.

“So that we don’t have to worry about your safety. We’ll take care of her, we promise.”

“She’s our sister,” Zara whispered, and I knew that it would be difficult for him to say no to her. The same way Enka had looked tortured when I’d told him I needed to go as well.

“I know that,” he agreed, “but we’ll bring her back to you, I swear it.”

There was another long silence where I studied Enka’s handsome, solemn face as we waited for a response.

“Okay,” Zara agreed, “but it has to be now.”

I murmured my agreement, as did Enka.

“You have ten minutes to get ready while I get the rest of the clan,” he said, and there was a scramble over the phone, which told us that the coven had scurried to get ready. “I’ll be there soon,” he said directly into the phone, before a beep told us that he’d hung up.

I swallowed hard, turning to look at Enka, whose expression was growing more and more angry by the second. I reached out for him, my hands shaking as I did, and I was enveloped in his arms before I even knew it was what I needed .

“I’ll get her, my mate,” I whispered against her hair. “I’m going to bring her back to you and she’ll be safe.”

I didn’t allow the sobs to start, nodding briskly and swiping my fingers under my eyes before wriggling away from him. “I want to go with you,” I told him, trying to sound firm. “If I’m not there, he might hurt her.”

He was there in a moment, cupping my face and lifting my chin so my eyes could meet his.

He swept his thumbs under my jaw, soothing me in a way I didn’t even know I could be.

“Protect our daughter, my mate. Stay with her and make sure she’s safe.

I promise I’ll bring back your sister. Can you trust me? ”

I stared up into the eyes of my mate, knowing that I could, but wishing that I could help. Still, he was right. I wouldn’t feel complete knowing that this could all be some kind of trick and our daughter would be the real victim.

“I trust you,” I told him, meaning it with every part of my soul.

He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead and then to my lips.

I paced in front of the door, nibbling on my lower lip with my arms crossed, waiting. Enka was leaning against the wall nearby, his gaze following me as I moved. I had the phone that I’d had before I left home in my hand, waiting for it to ring.

I’d left it off the entire time so that it couldn’t be used to track me, but now the group chat was pinging and I needed to know when my coven would arrive. I glanced at it every few seconds, but I hadn’t seen anything new in minutes.

“Maybe we should—” I started, just as there was a knock on the door. I lunged for it at the same time that Enka lunged for me, spinning me and holding me against his body while I struggled to escape.

He looked into the peephole before he put me down, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. He opened the door and a rush of females poured inside, hugging me in a tight circle of arms. Familiar scents bombarded me and I let myself soak in the love that surrounded me.

“I missed you guys so much,” I tried to say, but it came out a garbled mess of sobs.

A similar mass of words that had no clear meaning, just unintelligible, high-pitched screeches of sound.

The bedroom door opened, a little head peeking out, rubbing her eyes, and a scream that would probably shatter glass left Gabbi.

She raced across the room, suddenly completely awake even though it was the early hours of the morning.

More hugs and kisses were spread to her and the coven migrated into the living room.

I looked over at where Enka was, males entering the room to greet him, shaking his hand.

Dristan, Rudgar, Rok and Darak. His brothers entered last, but they both pulled him into tight hugs, slapping his back with blows that would have taken me to my knees—and possibly killed me.

I watched as they formed a circle, much like ours, but instead of reunification and passing around a little girl, they shared low words and serious frowns.

For some reason, Savla—usually the calmest of the bunch—looked jittery and shaken.

Enka’s gaze met mine and he sent me a reassuring smile before Dristan said something in a low rush that I couldn’t understand from so far away and he turned back to him.

Tabitha’s hand on mine drew my attention to her and her expression told me she was feeling just as much pain as I was. I leaned forward, hugging her close.

“This is my fault,” I told her in a low whisper and she scoffed, shaking her head.

“It’s just as much all of our fault then,” she told me, taking my arms in her hands. “We knew that David was after you. We knew you were running from him, and we should have been more careful, don’t you agree?”

I shook my head, and she shushed me, squeezing me into her arms again. “You’re safe and Hanna will be safe. Those males won’t let anything happen to her and we’re going to perform a protection spell from here,” she added, tightening her arms. “Are you ready?”

I swallowed hard, avoiding her gaze. “I… lost my powers.”

I watched her eyebrows sweep upward as she studied me. “You’re bound,” she sighed, squeezing my hands in hers. “And you didn’t tell us.”

Gasps sounded around us as the words penetrated the coven.

“You should have stayed at home,” Zara told me, sweeping over to hold my hands as well. “We could have protected you.”

“I’m the one who brought the danger,” I sniffled, tears leaking from my eyes as I looked around at the circle of women who had taken me in when I hadn’t had anyone else in the world. Gabbi ran back from where she’d wandered over to greet the males, her little brow furrowed with worry.

I swiped my tears away again, giving her a tremulous smile. “Hey sweetheart, why don’t you head back to bed?”

She shook her head, adamant. “I want to stay here.”

“How about I read you a story?” Floria asked, sweeping her up into her arms.

“Three,” Gabbi said, holding out three tiny fingers in demand.

“Two,” Floria negotiated as they walked.

“Four,” Gabbi huffed, and Floria’s laugh was the last sound I heard before she closed the bedroom door.

I turned to look at where Zara was still studying me with worry.

“He found us and he followed us to the park. Hanna was there with Gabbi but I went to grab groceries and he came after me. I didn’t know what to do, so I ran.

By the time he caught me, I’d gathered enough power to blast him. But he’s—”

“Human,” Zara sighed, rubbing her palm over her face before shaking her head. “That’s fine. We’ll call the Magickal Bureau. Did you receive a summons?”

I shook my head. “Not yet, but I’ve been staying here. I’m not sure if they would have sent it home instead—”

“I changed our official coven address,” Zara said with a shrug, “but I haven’t seen anything for you. Let’s reach out to them soon. We need to get you empowered again.”

I nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. How could I protect my family if I didn’t have any magick to do it with?

“In the meanwhile,” she told me with a stern look, “you’re going to trust that mate of yours to get Hanna back. Those orcs know what they’re doing.”

I felt heat rush to my cheeks and I ducked my head, but Tabitha tsked. “As if we wouldn’t know,” she huffed. “With the way you both can’t seem to stop looking at each other.”

Even though she said it—or perhaps because she said it, my gaze swept to Enka where he was already looking at me. He sent a small wink my way, and it melted my heart. This male was going to do whatever he could to help us .

“We’re ready to leave,” Dristan called, and Savla already had his hand on the door, opening it and gesturing for everyone to exit. “We’ll be back with Hanna, don’t worry.”

“Thank you,” we all said as one, and I sent up a silent prayer that all of the males would be safe. David might be human, but he still had tricks up his sleeve. I wasn’t sure what he would do, but I could trust that it wouldn’t be fair.

“Be safe!” I called to them, and they waved as they filed out. Enka blew me a small kiss, sending a jolt of love shooting straight to my heart—along with a sharp fear that I’d never see him again.

Please Goddess Mother, protect him. Protect them all.