Page 24 of Loved By The Orc (Monster Orc Brides #4)

Negan:

I brEAK FROM THE others as soon as possible so I can hunt for Varguk.

My… mate.

I can’t believe it.

Hisa, Shalia, and I had huddled together and watched as each member of the Southpeaks was escorted to the edge of the pine trees surrounding Solaya.

They rode away and the temporary bridge across the ravine was destroyed when the last enemy crossed.

It wasn’t the only way into the village, but it would deter any visits from the south end.

With the mountain trails, it takes much longer to travel to the west, east, and north sides.

In six moons, we would see the Southpeaks again. This time, it would be both Auglesh and Leviton present to show their physical punishment. A much longer trip considering they have to travel around the mountain ridge, but at least they were given the grace period to avoid winter.

Searching the bank where many often bathe, I don’t see Var—or any of the males. Could have sworn Grumpy said to give him a river dunk.

Mayhap I’ll go back to the tents. They may have set one up for us. The thought of sharing with him makes me giddy inside. I spin on the ball of my foot, ready to race back to the living quarters. He might be there, in a tub, waiting for me to find him.

But a shadow behind an old oak tree startles me. An eager grin on my face, I spin around… and freeze.

The smile drops.

“Spoiled little princess.” Denruk spits on the ground and the puddle of wet lands near my feet. “I can’t believe you got your way.”

My taunt comes easily. I’m at home here. “You’re in my territory. What did you expect? For my godfather to give me to a loser like you?”

His grin is ugly and his eyes are beadier than I’ve ever noticed. “That’s the only reason I wanted you. Your connections to West Mountain.”

“Too bad it’s a done deal. I’m a happily mated female now.”

“To a prisoner.”

I shrug. “He’s still a West Mountain. Property, mayhap, but he still claims the name.”

“If I had known you were going to be available, I’d have put in my bid. But like daddy was once going away, maybe your new male can disappear, eh? Who can trust him to protect you when he’s gone?”

I refuse to cower. Instead, I make my way closer and lean up against the tree. Foolish move, mayhap, because he doesn’t back away, and now I’m trapped. But my father trained me and I can take on this sniveling fool. He doesn’t know all my moves, some were taught to me by West Mountain orcs.

Especially after I rode all the way here with my unconscious father tied across two horses a few years ago.

“Keep your bid,” I sneer. “I’ll never be interested in a fool like you, nor will any female ever be.”

“You’d choose an ex-Southpeak over one of your own males? And a prisoner, no less?”

“Definitely. ”

“Your father spoils you,” Denruk snaps. “But he won’t be around forever. Mayhap another accident will take out both your males. It might look like they take each out separately.” He reaches out to touch my cheek, but I jerk my face away.

He stretches his arm out to place his palm against the tree, locking me in. Trying to intimidate me.

“They’ll be around long enough.” I smile slowly and his attention is drawn to the curve of my lips. “Are you making threats you can’t keep? I seem to recall my father besting you just two years ago.”

“But your father is two years older now,” he whispers. “He can’t watch himself all the time. Or you. I’d say you’re alone and vulnerable right now, Sweet Knees.”

A sharp whistle of wind makes us both pause at the piercing sound, then he howls in pain, jerking his arm, but the hand stays pinned. A handle of a blade sticks out of it, the knife impaled through the flesh into the tree. Not ten feet away, Varguk stands.

“Touch her again and you’ll lose the hand.”

“You missed,” I chide Varguk.

“Nay. ‘Tis only a warning. I deliberately missed severing at the wrist.”

“What is your warning?” Denruk hisses through his teeth. “I did nothing.”

“Never get that close to my mate again. Never try to intimidate her with your words or your size. And you will lose the hand that touches her.”

I slide out from under Denruk’s arm and approach Varguk, standing at his left side since Var is right-handed. “Whew. Good thing you have such excellent aim, my mate. My face was right there.”

He grins at me, then his face hardens as he turns back to Denruk, who’s trying to awkwardly turn toward us with his hand pinned forward .

“In my clan,” Varguk says. “Protection doesn’t only extend to my mate, but her family as well. Let’s see you raise that hand to her father now.”

“I’m right-handed! You son of a biernak ! You’ll pay for this, prisoner!”

“What will you do, Blackheart? I’ve already been ordered to mate the bridge. Will you demand that I fill her with my seed too? Bear my brats?”

“She has to sleep sometime. Her father too—”

Another knife comes sailing through the air, right through his left hand that’s raised in the air, snapping it back and over his head. My mouth hangs agape.

I’ve never seen such skill. It’s sexy as hell.

Then we’re surrounded by running orcs, who’ve heard the commotion.

“What’s going on here?” Jacovi asks.

“Just protecting what’s mine,” Varguk answers.

“He can’t stab one of our clansmates,” someone says. Mitrek and Ugrik, Denruk’s friends, stand near the king. My father stands on the other side of Jacovi and Grumpy is to his right.

“He’s a prisoner of West Mountain. He doesn’t have status to fight in our clan,” Ugrik says. “The male is a slave.”

“Aye, he’s a West Mountain prisoner. But not a slave,” Grumpy says.

“And his job is to protect my goddaughter. That means he has every right to fight anyone on my land .” He turns to Jacovi.

“Will my prisoner be able to carry out his duties when they are in your territory? To protect my sweet, gentle goddaughter?”

I almost snort at Grumpy calling me sweet. Or gentle.

“The prisoner will have the same rules when he is in our village. He is to protect. Does any Blackheart wish to challenge this?” Jacovi looks around the group.

No one responds .

“Then someone pull those knives from his hands and return Varguk’s property to him. Oh, and without use of your hands, you can’t be on any outdoor duties. That means your whole team is off boundary protection. Someone else can bid the job and you three will have to go back to hunting.”

“How will we hunt without the use of Denruk? He can’t use his hands,” Mitrek says.

Jacovi shrugs. “You two will have to pick up the slack.”

My father heads to Denruk and viciously yanks the blade. Denruk howls… and then my father yanks the other.

I swear the wicked male is smiling when he returns to our side and hands the knives to Var.

“Good job, son.”

“Son?” Varguk’s eyes are wide.

My father shrugs. “Always wanted one of those.”

“Hey!” I snap.

“I got the next best thing, myesha . The sweetest daughter in the world who always uses her head and her heart. And look at what she brought home. An honorable male.”

“A prisoner,” Varguk says softly.

My father grins. “Aye, boy. Just like me.”

“Ahh, my heart,” Aunt Joanna says, clutching her bosom. “She found a male just like her daddy.”

Uncle Latsil grunts.

Brachard pounds his chest. “All this talk about prisoners… how about ribs for tonight’s final meal?”

He tosses an arm around my father’s shoulders, and one around my Uncle Latsil’s neck, and the three males make their way back toward the village.

Then it’s just me and Varguk left staring at each other.

“Thank you.”

He raises his brow .

“For saving me.”

He snorts, then reaches for my hands and tugs me closer. “Female, I’ll always have your back.”

“And I’ll have yours.”

“It’s the three of us against the world!” My father yells out from up ahead.

“Do you have to make it obvious we listen in?” my Uncle Latsil asks.

Grumpy giggles.