Page 57 of The Orc's Bonded Bride

When it was done, the Beast stood before her—massive, powerful, with gleaming fangs and claws that could tear through armor. But even in this form, the eyes were his, watching her with the same tenderness and concern she’d come to cherish.

She stepped forward without fear, placing her hand against his chest where his heart thundered beneath thick layers of muscle. “Still you,” she murmured.

The Beast—Egon—lowered himself slightly, then carefully gathered her into his arms. She felt the raw power contained in his body, the strength that could easily break her, but he cradled her against his chest as gently as if she were made of glass.

Then they were moving, racing through the forest at a speed that stole her breath. Trees blurred past as Egon leapt over fallen logs and bounded across streams. The wind whipped her hair, and despite the dire circumstances, despite her fears for the village, Lyric felt a strange exhilaration.

Held securely in Egon’s arms, she had never felt safer. Not in her cottage with its sturdy walls, not behind the high gates of Kel’Vara. Here, against all reason, in the embrace of a Beast that would terrify most, she found perfect security.

CHAPTER 23

Egon came to a halt on the ridge behind the village and gently placed Lyric on the ground before transforming back. The Beast receded, a painful shudder rippling through his body as his bones realigned and his claws retracted. The transformation always hurt—like being turned inside out—but he’d learned to endure it silently. He drew in several deep breaths, tasting the air for any hint of danger as his senses gradually dulled to human levels.

“Are you all right?” she asked softly, her hand on his arm.

“I’m fine,” he said as he scanned the village below them. His heart had been hammering with dread the entire time, imagining what they might find—buildings ablaze, bodies in the streets, the kind of devastation he’d witnessed too many times before.

But the village lay peaceful in the afternoon sun. Smoke curled lazily from chimneys. A dog barked somewhere. Children played in the square.

“I don’t understand.” Her voice wavered with relief and confusion. “There’s nothing wrong.”

He narrowed his eyes, studying every corner of the settlement. No blood. No signs of struggle. No Beast warriors lurking in shadows. No trace of that unnatural scent lingering in the air.

“Could we have misread the signs?”

“No.” He shook his head. “That camp was abandoned in a hurry and the Beast warriors were free. Something happened.”

They made their way down the hill, his muscles coiled tight despite the apparent calm. Villagers nodded at Lyric as they passed, some eyeing him warily but without the terror he’d expect if they’d faced an attack.

When they reached her cottage, everything remained exactly as they’d left it—the garden untouched, the door still latched from inside.

She unlocked the door and they stepped inside as the familiar scent of herbs and flowers enveloped them.

“This makes no sense,” he muttered, pacing the small room. “If not here, then where? Why abandon the camp?”

She sank into a chair at her table. “Maybe they were called elsewhere? Another village?”

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration building. “Or maybe this was never their target at all. But I didn’t see anything else nearby on those maps.”

He caught the sound of approaching hoofbeats and tensed. He moved to the window, positioning himself so he could seewithout being easily spotted. A single rider approached—the old captain, his weathered face set in a grim expression.

“Stay inside,” he told her, his hand already reaching for the knife at his belt.

“Egon, wait?—”

But he was already out the door, placing himself between the approaching rider and Lyric’s cottage. The captain reined in his horse, his eyes narrowing when he recognized Egon.

“I thought we had an agreement,” the captain said, dismounting with a weary sigh. “You were supposed to be gone.”

He crossed his arms. “Things changed.”

The captain shook his head, looking more resigned than angry. “I can see that.” He glanced past Egon towards the cottage where Lyric now stood in the doorway. “Miss Everhart. Good to see you’re well.”

“What happened to the training camp in the northern woods?” he demanded, not bothering with pleasantries.

The captain’s brow furrowed. “Training camp? What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play games. Beast warriors. Lasseran’s men. The camp was abandoned when we got there.”

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