Page 55 of My Orc Nanny

Aswan gently untangled us. “And Ben and I will make the picnic lunch.”

“Paninis?” our oldest asked eagerly, and when Aswan nodded in agreement, I was amazed—yet again—how the children had blossomed under his care.

Benjamin had found someone who could teach him woodlore and had fostered a newfound love of cooking, a male role model he could be proud to claim.

Tova had found someone with infinite patience, with enough time to make her a priority, and teach her what she was worth.

Joshua had found a gentle father, one who was stern enough to teach him what he needed, and nurturing enough to ensure he learned to grow into a good person.

And me?

I’d found the most perfect Mate a woman could hope for: one who put our family first, one who took pleasure inmyhappiness, one who I could trust to never hurt me in any way.

“But first,” Tova announced, skipping back to her table, “we gotta find some sumscream. And finish breakfast.”

“Mo’ pa-cakes!” demanded Joshua, pounding his heels against his chair. “Doshy hungee!”

Aswan was the first to break into laughter, and we all followed. Because that’s what family was about.

Epilogue

Aswan

“I claim you,Hannah Woods, as my Mate, with open hands and an open heart. I will serve you for the rest of our lives and do everything in my power to ensure you are happy.”

I loved the way she blushed, and now—with her wearing a pink sundress, standing in the shade of the oak tree in our backyard, in front of our friends and family—was no different.

“I claim you, Aswan Woods, as my Mate,” she whispered shyly, smiling up at me. “I will provide for you and care for you for the rest of my life. I will help you care for our family, although I know we can be overwhelming at times.”

Behind me, I heard her mother—who’d just rung the bell on her last treatment earlier in the week—snort happily.

And so, knowing Allison and Charlie were now as much of my family as Ben, Tova, and Joshua, my smile grew. “I love you, Hannah. Thank you for giving me three fine kitlings and parents I can be proud to love.”

Her blue eyes bloomed with tears moments before she threw her arms, bouquet and all, around my neck. “I love you, Mate.”

When my lips found hers, I heard Giza’s baritone roar, “Mbaruk!” the congratulatory cheer I hadn’t heard in a decade. Simbel was next, “Mbaruk!” and then the other males took up the shout as the humans joined in with their cheers and whistles and claps. I even heard Memnon’s grumbled, “Mbaruk” alongside his Mate’s laughter.

I didnot, however, hear Abydos’s voice, because my twin brother had chosen not to return to Eastshore for this celebration, a combination of a human wedding and an orcish Mating ceremony. He’d texted a short impersonal note to let me know he was too busy with his work to travel at that moment, and I’d tried not to be hurt.

If my twin brother didn’t approve of me finding a human Mate, then that was his own loss. One day, I hoped he’d return to Eastshore and share in my happiness, meet my kitlings.

One day.

The day was too special to be brought down by him not being here, and I was quickly swept up in celebrations with my new family—both human and the Eastshore orcs I’d lost touch with in the last ten years.

Good-natured Tanis and his talented Mate, Olivia, whom Iremembered from the Denver facility, both exhausted from caring for their young twin sons.

Creative Karnak, who was helping to teach the humans about our world through his classes and art, and his Mate Jess, who basically ran the island.

Perpetually grumpy Cairo, who had mellowed slightly since his sunshiny Mate came into his life with her bake shop—Meli had made our wedding cake, which is one human tradition I was one hundred percent on board with. Her brownies still weren’t as good as mine, but we’d had some fun arguments about recipes.

Young Luxor, with his constant good humor and easy way of looking at the world, and his far more serious librarian Mate Zoe…and the dog they brought everywhere with them. It would be strange, had little Seamus not been so cute.

Charming Thebes, who had an online following and had been acting as a sort of orcish ambassador all these years, and his Mate Ashlyn, who had apparently single-handedly revitalized Eastshore’s historic district.

Wise Giza, the male we all looked to for reminders ofwho we were, with his stunning younger Mate Harper, Eastshore’s lawyer. Their daughter Raina was even cuter than Tanis’s twins, which seemed impossible.

Responsible Sakkara, who had united us and kept us going, even through the darkest days. He’d taken the responsibility for raising sweet Emmy when her parents—our brother Dahshur and his Mate—had been killed. Sakkara’s Mate was Nikki, who had been my Tova’s teacher last year.

---