Page 74 of Bound to the Orc Hunter

Dravarr starts a fire while I carve six steaks, storing six more in one of the leather bags spelled to preserve food so we can have a hearty breakfast in the morning. I let Mist pick which part of the elk she’d like, and I offer the rest of the deer to the canine fae, who’ve gathered around their own kills a little way into the forest.

Riselda and the other parents call the pups to them, and I return to the fire to cook our meal.

Dinner is fresh meat and apples plucked straight from the tree, and everyone eats with gusto, Dravarr and I each finishing off two of the steaks. It’s simple fare, but I could swear I’ve never tasted any food finer in my life when my bride offers me a happy smile.

I take a drink of water, then waggle the waterskin at Dravarr. “You couldn’t have brought some ale?”

“I was more concerned with traveling light.” He frowns. “The dragon youngling could barely carry me as is.”

“Drake did fine. You just don’t like flying.” Ashley pokes his shoulder, then turns her bright smile on Grace. “Speaking of packing, I brought you a few things! The puppies distracted me, but…” She digs around in the pack and pulls out some orc made clothes. “The sizes probably aren’t perfect. All Mist told us was that you were taller than Olivia.”

The feline fae looks up from her post-dinner bath. “Clothes aren’t something I need worry about since I have such glorious fur.”

“You brought me clothes?” Grace stares down at the cloth in her hands, stunned. “You didn’t know me.”

“I knew you were new to Alarria just like I was a month ago.” Ashley shrugs. “What more did I need to know? Us witches got to stick together.”

Grace’s fingers run over the linen shirts over and over, as if she still can’t believe they’re real.

I reach out and take her hand. “I will get you as many clothes as you want.”

“And trust me.” Ashley grins up at her husband. “You’re going to need them. Orcs are hard on clothes. Especially panties.”

“Irritating things,” Dravarr growls, but there’s no actual anger in his tone, and he looks at his moon bound as if thinking of her in nothing but her underwear.

Which makes me think of my bride in nothing but those little scraps of light pink. “We should go to bed,” I growl, pulling Grace to her feet. “Tomorrow we might see battle.”

“Why do I find it unlikely you will sleep?” Aurora snorts.

I shoot my friend a mock glare and say goodnight to everyone.

Yet when we reach our den, Grace is even quieter than normal.

I pull her into my arms on the furs, leaving the glow stone lit so I can see her face. “What troubles you?”

“Just thinking. We’ve been on the move since I got to Alarria, and on the move is how I’ve lived for a while now. But meeting Ashley and Dravarr…” Her fingers trace little patterns across my chest, her nails scratching slightly against the linen. “I don’t know. It got me wondering about your village and what it will be like to live in one place all the time. What if I don’t fit in?”

“Did anything happen that makes you feel you won’t? Did Ashley say something?” My arms tighten around my moon bound. I can’t imagine Ashley being cruel to Grace—she’s not the type—but if she mistakenly said something…

“No, nothing like that.” Grace traces more designs. “It’s just me. I’m awkward, bad with people.”

“They will love you.” I take a breath, ready to tell her I love her.

But she gives her head a little shake, as if she can’t believe anyone would ever love her.

My heart aches.

This is an old sadness that’s dug its claws deep into my bride. Anything more I say right now will not be believed.

I tap the glow stone to turn off its light and pull her even closer, stroking a hand down her back. As much as I want to bed her, I can feel that’s not what she needs at this moment.

Her body slowly relaxes against me, and I slow my caresses to match. When my bride’s breathing finally deepens into sleep, the last of the tension leaves her, making it clear just how wound up she was previously.

My heart hurts that she carries such doubts.

“You are lovable.” I whisper, pressing a kiss to her hair. The moment I met Grace, I knew the Moon Goddess bound us for life, and I loved my new bride with devotion to that belief and the idea that she was my moon bound. But it wasn’t thesame as actually lovingher, the woman I now hold in my arms. The woman who works hard for others without complaint. The woman who’ll stop and make a toy for younglings and play with them for hours. The woman who showed me the peace of simplybeingwithout needing to entertain, such as when we rode her Ferris wheel.

“You are already loved.”

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