Page 46 of The Orc's Innocent Plaything

Vartok

I would never bethe same.

With the blessings of the gods, I would live to be an old man, and when I was gray and feeble and I looked back on my life, my years would be distinctly divided: Into the time before I joined with Myra…and after.

Long after she’d fallen back to sleep in my arms, I lay there staring up at the wooden beams which supported the thatch of my roof, marveling at this perfection. I needed to get up, to warm some water so I could wash my seed from her body, but I didn’t want to release her. I didn’t want this moment to end.

Pulling from her to spill across her stomach had been one of the hardest things I’d ever done.

But she was amidwife. She had to understand the possibility of impregnation was?—

She thinks she cannae get pregnant, ye dobber, because she doesnae realize ye’re Mates.

But I knew.

By Torvar’s Hammer, I knew! When I’d slid into her for the first time, myKteerand my heart had both exalted at the realization I was finally claiming my Mate. We had fit together so perfectly and she’d felt so fookingrightin my arms. I wanted to be joined with her forever.

But…

But Myra had only come to me as a teacher. I was doing all I could to tutor her in the art of pleasure, but I wantedmore. I wanted to claim herfully. I wanted her to know she was my Mate.

I just needed to find a way to tell her. To tell her that whatever she thought of this relationship, ‘twas so much more to me.

With a sigh, I finally forced myself away from her, tucking her carefully beneath the quilts before rolling to the edge of the bed. But she was so damn peaceful, curled up on her side with one palm beneath her dark cheek, her jaw lax in slumber, I couldn’t stop myself from reaching down and cupping the top of her head.

“I love ye, lass,” I whispered. “Ye’re mine, and I’m yers, and one day I’ll find the bollocks to tell ye that when ye’re awake.”

But ‘twas not to be today.

Nor the next day, either.

As promised, I woke Myra in time to clean her and feed her again, then sent her to Mkaalad’s cottage. I escortedmy grandmother back to her home, listening with half an ear as she chattered on about the decoctions and teas she needed to make for Avaleen, while my mind was on the female—myfemale—I’d just left.

When I straightened after distractedly kissing my wee grandmother on the top of her head, Nan stopped me with a hand on my arm.

“I’m happy for ye, laddie.”

Startled, I frowned down at her. “For what?”

“For finally getting yer head out of yer arse.”

I had to chuckle. “That sounds uncomfortable, Nan. But I’ve done naught worth celebrating.”

“Have ye?” She peered closer at my face, then hummed and shrugged. “Well, mayhap no’. ‘Tis been a hectic few days.” She patted my arm. “Get some rest, laddie. The gods ken, everything looks better with some rest.”

Ididmanage to sleep, although I missed holding Myra. The fact that I tossed and turned, wondering at Nan’s words, didn’t help either.

Bright and early the next morning, I was waiting to escort Nan back to Mkaalad’s home. She didn’t say anything further to give me a hint about what she’d meant, and I didn’t ask. I was too anxious to see Myra again.

She looked exhausted when she opened the door, but she smiled tiredly at Nan. When she switched her gaze to me, I saw her drop her eyes and smelled her embarrassment.

I wanted to take her in my arms, to yell to the world that this was my female, my Mate. But she made no move toacknowledge me, so I clasped my hands behind my back and glowered.

As the women converged on Avaleen and the bairn in bed, discussing the changes of the night, Mkaalad sidled up to me.

“Yer female has been pushing herself all night.”

I grunted in agreement, and only then realized what he’d said. I sent him a sharp glance, and his lips curled into a tired smile.

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