Page 17

Olivia

I ATE A VERY QUICK lunch in the infirmary with Grace then hurried back to my apartment. I figured Orin would come see me after he finished work for the day. The thought of seeing him again made me smile from ear to ear.

Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t contain my excitement about the prospect of sitting down and talking to him. That was, if he did show up after the way I spoke to him.

Once he’d left my side to go to work, I was riddled with guilt for the way I had treated him when I first woke up.

The rude way I accused him of...what was I accusing him of?

I wasn’t sure exactly, since we weren’t a couple.

Yet I couldn’t help but feel he was mine .

Never in my life had I felt so possessive and jealous.

Sitting down, I covered my face with my hands recalling the Alaran female I’d seen with him was his sister. The longer I considered it, the more unsure I became about whether he would show up.

I was awful to him. Even though he said nice things, he might have just been trying to be polite and get away from me. I sighed. “Quit torturing yourself.” I said aloud.

After a quick shower, I found myself engrossed in mundane chores, my hands occupied with the repetitive task of fluffing and re-fluffing the sofa cushions.

To occupy myself, I broke the silence by rehearsing what I would say to Orin when we met again.

Now and then, I’d pause and let my hands rest on my hips while I inspected my work.

Once I had finished fluffing, I sighed and settled onto the cozy sofa, placing a pillow behind my back for support.

I put my hand on my stomach as the baby’s foot pushed against my palm, making me feel comforted I wasn’t alone.

FINALLY, AFTER A LONG day, as the evening approached, and I stared at my untouched last meal, the sound of a chirp filled the air, signaling a visitor at my door. I pushed myself out of my seat and bounced from foot to foot.

He’s here!

My pulse sped up and my stomach lurched with anticipation. Would I say the right things? Would he admit I was his mate?

I nervously ran my hands through my hair before smoothing down my dress, then walked to the door to wave my hand over the panel to open it.

My heart almost burst with joy at seeing Orin grinning back at me.

With hands behind his back, Orin and I took each other in. I couldn’t stop the goofy grin that must have shown on my face.

In as calm a voice as I could muster, I spoke. “I’m happy you came.”

His rugged turquoise face captivated me, and his delectable full lips made me want to feel them against mine. The way his dark eyes lit up, radiating heat and intensity, as he stared back at me, made my knees go weak.

The mere presence of him caused my body temperature to rise. He smelled incredible with a one-of-a-kind scent of cinnamon and spice that made my mouth water.

I couldn’t believe Orin was here, standing across from me.

My breathing stuttered and my mind was consumed by erotic thoughts, pushing aside any trace of sensible thinking.

I continued to stare, my eyes tracing every contour of his fit physique, my pregnancy hormones amplifying the urge to kneel down and worship his muscular form with my mouth.

The strong, handsome warrior in front of me was the one guy I couldn’t stop thinking about. My heart told me he was the one I’d been waiting for without even knowing I was searching.

“I’m grateful you asked me here.” He surveyed me up and down before meeting my eyes with a soft-as-silk gaze. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yes. Thanks.” I gestured for him to come in.

Orin stepped forward, and the door slid shut behind him.

My hand trembled as I brushed the hair off my cheek, a mix of nervousness and excitement filling me as I tried to recall the words I had carefully rehearsed for this moment.

“Uh, with everything that happened after I woke up, I never got the chance to thank you for helping me...back at the marketplace.... You saved me and my baby. I can never thank you enough.”

His mouth down-turned while his Adam’s apple bobbed.

“I failed to protect you when the Krilex took you away from the Chetok. And I failed to protect you from being hurt at the marketplace.” A pained expression etched across his face.

“Olivia, I promise I will not fail you again. I will ensure the safety of both you and your youngling.”

Orin’s genuine words caused my heart to stutter, captivated by his sincerity. The weight of his words hit me like a thunderbolt, surprising me even more because in my eyes he had never failed to protect me. The things that had happened weren’t his fault.

“You’ve never failed me. You saved both Grace and me multiple times. I trust you to keep me safe, Orin.”

His face lit up. With a proud stance he extended one hand in front of him presenting yet another beautiful bouquet. The unmistakable scent of the freshly picked flowers filled the air, blending enticingly with his own unique scent.

His radiant smile caused an instant beam of joy to light up my own face. I studied him for the first time. Oh, my god . He has dimples. Why didn’t I notice them before?

My heart was racing like crazy, like it wanted to burst out of my chest. “Wha...why have you brought me another bouquet?” I asked, reaching for them.

Orin’s smile vanished, and a look of disappointment clouded his face. “Oh. Is this not a human custom when wooing one’s mate?” His brows drew together as he straightened his posture.

Wooing? “Yes. I...um.” I sniffed the bouquet, feeling like a heel.

“Am I incorrect? Or is it that you do not like them?” he asked.

I waved my hand. “No... That’s not what I meant.

... I like them.” I glanced at the flowers.

Why did I constantly say stupid things? Smiling I added, “They are pretty. It’s sweet of you.

It’s just...No one has ever given me flowers before.

And you’ve brought me two bouquets within a brief span of time.

” I said, before chewing on my bottom lip.

The handsome warrior’s shoulders relaxed, and he grinned again.

“Have a seat.” I gestured toward the sofa. “I’m going to put the flowers in water.”

Being in the infirmary with him was one thing, but now that we were alone, I felt unsure about what to say. Especially when I felt such a powerful attraction towards the guy. How would I manage to resist the urge to kiss him?

I hoped things were headed in that direction and he wasn’t about to tell me he wasn’t interested in me.

I headed to the kitchen preparation area to locate a vase for the beautiful flowers.

“Thanks again for the bouquet,” I said while rummaging through the cupboards, waiting for my anxiety to subside.

When I glanced over my shoulder at Orin, he was running his hand through his hair. Following his movements I couldn’t help but notice he had a death grip on his muscular thighs. Despite being a formidable warrior, he seemed just as anxious as me.

It was a relief to know I wasn’t alone.

His head tilted in my direction. “Queen Grace mentioned I should bring you flowers.”

Of course she did. I rolled my eyes. She failed to include that part when we were talking.

After arranging the flowers and placing the vase, I returned to the sitting area and sat beside him. Close enough to catch his delicious scent and feel his body’s warmth, yet not so close to make either of us uneasy.

My cheeks heated. Then I reminded myself to keep things cheerful.

Giving myself a mental pep-talk I chose to engage in small-talk to break the ice. Piece of cake.

Placing my hands together in my lap, I fixed my eyes on him. “Are there any other family members of yours living here on Alara, apart from your sister?”

Orin stiffened, and I felt a wee sense of panic.

He remained motionless for a millisecond before shaking his head. “Only my sister. She raised me after my mother died and my father left.”

It broke my heart to see his eyes lose some of their sparkle. It was definitely a sore spot for him. Way to go, Liv. I was back to worrying my bottom lip.

It surprised me when he added, “My father is...was...a warrior for the Protectorate. Just like his father before him.” Pride lingered in his voice.

Lost in his thoughts, Orin let out a deep sigh, his gaze passing right through me. “After the death of my mother, my father accepted a mission that would take him to a different planet.”

I didn’t interrupt him. It was clear he needed to talk, but the sadness in his voice left me feeling choked up. My chest constricted as I felt the weight of his pain.

“My sister told me my father’s grief for my mother overwhelmed him. We were constant reminders of my mother and he couldn’t bear it. We haven’t heard from him since he left. I have no idea if he’s alive or deceased.”

A mist formed in my eyes.

“Orin. I’m so sorry.” I managed to resist the temptation to hold his hand. My biggest concern was that he might interpret my intentions as pity, when in truth, I empathized with him.

Beneath Orin’s calm exterior, there was a complexity to him that made me like him even more. I wasn’t sure why he was opening up to me.

Then it dawned on me that he had never said so many words at once in the time I’d known him. Even though he shrugged off my apology, I couldn’t ignore the emotional scar that he carried.