Page 4 of One Stolen Night with Her Orc

Koru

As the door shuts behindPoppy’s sweet, sweet round bottom, I roar in anger, dropping the tray of tea service, stoneware shards and hot liquid spray everywhere. Another mess.

Am I going to just let her walk away into unknown danger? She didn’t explain the fear of why she was here, or why she fainted when she entered the brewery, but the energy around her was nervous, fearful, and secretive. Who knows what awaits her out in the cold dark? If nothing else, the ice storm is dangerous enough.

No. I am Koru, eldest brother of the Cragbeard clan. I will not let my future mate travel in the frigid darkness to face dangers untold.

The wordmaterattles around in my head and heart as I grab my knife, coat, and hat. I never believed that a mate existed for me. Or that fated mates were real. It was just the stories our mother told us. Fairy tales.

I follow Poppy’s scent out of the brewery. Before I close the door, I speak to the Gordon, the last customer inside, “Leave your money by the till.”

The night air is frosty. Luckily, the moon is full and bright, shining down to bring me good luck. Every step is a crunch of snow and ice. Poppy is nowhere to be seen, but past the parking lot, I see a pair of petite boot prints headed into the forest away from town. Why would she head into the wilderness?

Her scent grows stronger as I travel. The moon continues to light the way for me. My mind is focused on tracking her, but all I see in my mind’s eye are the dangers that lie in wait for her out here in the wild, away from Moonfang Haven. Away from me.

The path she is on heads north, a dangerous place to be at this time of year. Though we are in the cold snap of spring, there’s no denying the warming of the ground as our days get longer. Weak ice lies in wait to gobble up unsuspecting individuals. Risk of avalanches increases up in the hills. Bears stir from the winter slumber and hungry wolves prowl. To say nothing of whatever danger she is running from.

Ahead—a crack. A shriek. Nothing.

I run toward the sound, lumbering through the trees, my heart racing. In a small clearing, there is nothing but glittery white untouched snow. No more footprints. No more scent. No sign of predator—animal or human. I retrace my steps, find where Poppy’s end.

In my panic, I leapt over the small frozen stream, not even registering it. Now though, I see the jaggedness of it, the lump of snow, the hole. Fuck.

On my knees, I dig away the ice shards and snow. The stream still looks like solid ice. But I know she’s there. Punching the ice, I plunge my arm into the icy water. It feels like fire overtaking me. I roar in pain and panic, continuing to reach under the ice, hoping against hope that I find her. Each second is like an eon. A race against death.

My fingers touch the softness of fabric. Grabbing hold, I pull her up with all my might, careful not to scrape her skin on the ice.

For the second time tonight, she’s in my arms. But this time, her skin is blue, illuminated by the moonlight. She coughs, erupting water out of her. Rolling her onto her side on the stream’s bank, I hold her in place until she’s coughed and heaved all she needs to in order to breathe easily. When she’s done, I gather her into my arms and run home. She is a popsicle.

I can see the lights of the brewery ahead when I hear her words, a raspy whisper barely audible over my own pounding heart and boots stomping through the snow. “Twice in one night. You need to stop rescuing me. Girl’s going to fall in love with her hero. And you’re going to get a savior complex.” Looking down, there’s the hint of a smile on her face as she tucks herself into my chest.

I snort a laugh. “Too late, baby girl. I’ve got you, and I’m never going to let you go.”

Chapter 4

Koru

---