Page 13 of His Orc Warrior (Human Omegas for Monster Alphas #1)

Lucas

The ride to Thrain’s village had been wonderful. The weather was great, the company magnificent, and the scenery beautiful. Best of all, Thrain seemed completely relaxed. Everything was going exactly as it should.

That was—until I saw his parents. Something about them had my spidey senses tingling. I wasn’t even sure what, but the small sliver of doubt that I was overthinking things disappeared as I stepped out of the car and introduced myself to them.

They pretended like they were happy enough, but from the second I shook his mother’s hand, I could see that she was not pleased. Our introduction niceties were a facade. My gut told me they didn’t want me there, and I wanted to shrivel up into a ball.

“Won’t you come inside?” His father clapped me on the shoulder. “We don’t need the neighbors staring.”

I chuckled, but it was more out of nerves than humor. It wasn’t that the neighbors were paying us any mind that was odd. They would in my neighborhood, too—people who weren’t normally there suddenly standing around and talking always brought some attention. It was the way he said it, as if he cared what they thought.

My nerves continued to be on edge, growing as we started toward the house. As if walking through that door was somehow going to make them drop their facade of kindness and they’d suddenly rip into me.

Thrain’s hand settled on the small of my back. “I got you,” he whispered close to my ear, and that gave me the courage to follow his parents inside.

So far, they were nothing like the sweet couple I expected them to be based not only on things that Thrain had said but also on the homemade bread.

Once inside, his father had us sit in separate chairs while he took the sofa with his wife. The coffee table in front of us had a pot of tea and some cups, but no one was drinking, not that Thrain and I had been offered any.

“I’m going to be frank with you,” his mother said before anyone else could begin any small talk. “I-I’m sure you’re a nice guy. And I know my son adores you. But a life with you isn’t going to be easy.”

She grabbed her husband’s hand and held it. I wasn’t sure if it was for reinforcement or comfort, but really, it didn’t matter. Because right then and there, all I wanted to do was puke. Thrain’s parents thought I was bad for him.

“He deserves a life where he can just be himself. Always. Where he doesn’t have to hide. And where his children can do the same.”

His children, not our children. They were actively writing me out of his life as I sat there, frozen with fear.

“He doesn’t have to hide with me.” My voice was quiet but firm. “I like him exactly the way he is.”

“I’m not talking about you.” She leaned back in her seat. “I’m talking about society. If he lives where your kind does, then he’s constantly going to be shifting, having to hide his true form.”

She took a breath.

“And you…you don’t belong here.”

My eyes burned, tears welling up inside them, ready to escape.

She wasn’t saying anything wrong, per se. I didn’t even think she was trying to be cruel. If anything, she was looking out for her son in a very real way. Unfortunately that real way meant she wanted me gone.

She knew better than I did what it was like being in a couple where one of you had to hide. There was no denying that. But saying she didn’t want her son to have what she did? That was some grade-A bullshit.

“Dad, help.” Thrain reached over and put his hand on my arm. “Tell Mom that she’s wrong.”

“I can’t.” He swallowed hard. “She’s not.”

Thrain’s body tensed.

“But I can tell you—I wouldn’t change a single second of our time together.” He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it gently. “Not a single one.”

“And yet,” Thrain spoke so softly, “you don’t want me to have the same.”

“Not when there’s a choice.” She closed her eyes. “Not when there’s a choice.”

“And maybe I don’t have a choice.” It sure didn’t feel like I did.

Her eyes snapped open. She stared at me. “What do you mean? Of course, you have a choice. Go find another human. Get married. Have kids. It’s not that hard.”

“You’re wrong. From the second I first touched your son—our skin barely brushing over each other—I felt whole, as if I were finally home. And when we’re apart, it’s like a part of me is gone…missing.”

She blinked.

“I don’t have a choice. He’s mine. I can’t explain it and I don’t pretend to understand it, but he is. And nothing you or your husband can say will change that. The only person who can is Thrain and, if he did, it would break my heart, and I’d never be able to love again.”

Playing it back in my mind, it sounded like one of those soap operas from back in the day more than reality, but it was true, every last word.

“He never told me that.” His mom’s words were sincere, even if I didn’t fully understand who he was and what she meant.

Thrain got up, came over, picked me up, sat back down, and plopped me onto his lap, holding me close. “He never told me that.” Thrain kissed the top of my head.

“I didn’t think it mattered.” Or that it made any sense.

“Oh, it matters.” He peppered my cheeks with kisses. “It matters so much. I felt it, but I didn’t realize you did.”

He nuzzled against me, murmuring against my skin.

“It means you’re mine.”

“Fated,” his father said.

“I felt it from that first day. But I thought it was just…me, that I was confusing my attraction with something more.

“Oh, sweet, sweet Lucas…” He buried his face in my neck. “I can’t believe you’re mine.”

He kissed me again then held me close to his chest.

I’d nearly forgotten we had other people in the room, his kiss transporting me away to somewhere that was only the two of us—that was until his mom was suddenly in front of me, apologizing.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice cracked. “I didn’t realize you were fated.”

She shook her head, as if trying to make sense of it. “I should’ve—the way Thrain acted—but I didn’t. I was just trying to protect him.”

“It’s fine.” I wasn’t sure if I was telling her the truth or not. All of this was…a lot. But if she was going to accept me, forgiveness was the least I could do. “Seriously. It’s fine.”

“Well, I don’t think it’ll be fine until you have some cinnamon rolls.” She ruffled my hair. “Come. Let’s start over again. With hot tea this time. The cinnamon rolls that are just about to come out of the oven. And maybe this time, I can be an older orc who isn’t going to jump to conclusions and take some weird protective stance that was actually not helpful at all.”

I smiled. She’d never been intentionally cruel. It had still hurt, but I could give her the mulligan, for sure.

“Yeah. I like that.”

“Hold out for the cinnamon rolls,” his father said. “She might even give you two of them.”

I ended up eating three.