Instead, with my ear pressed to his chest and his heartbeat steady against my skin, all I feel is a persistent pull to be close to him.
Like maybe I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.
Chapter 2
Garruk
Thestormhowls.
It pushes at my cloak, drags wind down my back, but I barely notice it. My entire attention is on the beautiful human in my arms.
When I found her on the ridge, half-frozen, injured, and still trying to stand against the storm, the whole world went still. Just for a moment. Long enough for me to hear her breath, soft and uneven.
Just long enough for the bond to strike.Thurok'hai.
A pulse under my skin, older than the blood in my veins. Recognition followed by absolute certainty.She's meant to be my mate.
Except she doesn't know it yet. And once she does, she can still refuse. Human hearts are free in ways orc hearts are not. For her, the bond won’t solidify unless shechoosesit. For me, it’s already decided.I’m hers, and hers alone, forever.
My arms tighten without thinking.
Ava shifts against my chest, tucking her cold face into the warm curve between my shoulder and collarbone.
"Doing okay?" My voice comes out low.
She makes a small sound. "I’m much warmer." Then, after a pause, "You're really strong."
I huff a laugh, and the sound surprises me. I’m not a creature prone to laughter. "Yes, I am.”
She goes quiet again. Her fingers curl in my cloak, holding on tight.
The bond thrums between us.
Her scent threads through my lungs. Even under frost clinging to her, it pulls at me, filling me with an overwhelming desire to kiss every inch of her skin. I force myself to breathe carefully. If I make my move too soon, I will frighten her away.
"Almost there," I tell her.
She lifts her head slightly. Her eyelashes are heavy with melted snow, cheeks pale except for the sharp flush from the cold.
"Where'sthere?"
"My home."
“Do you live in a cave?" she asks curiously.
"No," I say, slightly offended. There are orcs that still live in caves, but my brothers and I are civilized. "My cabin is sturdy, warm, and hidden."
"Hidden?”
"If I lived where humans could easily find me, I probably wouldn't live long."
She goes silent.
Her heartbeat ticks faster, as I wait for the obvious question:Are you not human?But she doesn’t ask it. Not yet. She's cold. Hurting. Exhausted.
Questions will come later, I’m sure of it. And I dread them. Because once she asks, I’ll have to tell her not only that I’m an orc, but that she’s my fated mate. MyThurok’hai.
Will she reject the bond? Reject me?
