Page 6 of Enchanted with the Orc
I’d taken out as much cash as I was able, and had packed our bags with everything I could for her. We were going to have to budget for a little bit—and the transition was going to be hard on her.
When I’d been running the first time and even afterward when I’d moved in with the coven, I was used to living off of the barest. But my Gabbi had only been given the best by her aunts and now her orc-uncles.
She raced over to the door as the tall, handsome orc who Gabbi bit inthe hallway entered and my heart thrummed in my chest. I’d met many orcs in the time our coven had moved into the clan-building, but none had stood out the way he had.
I’d seen him around, of course, but yesterday when we’d met in the hallway, something had changed. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it wasn’t good. Watching him smile down at my daughter had done something to my insides—melting them in a way that didn’t happen with any other male.
And I couldn’t afford for that to happen. Not now. I needed to escape and I couldn’t have anything else tethering me here. So when I saw my sweet girl with her teeth latched onto his ankle and him beaming down at her with pride, as if this was the best greeting in the world, I struggled to harden my heart. His dark eyes lifted, meeting mine across the room and the jolt in my chest told me that I was in trouble.
Not now. Please not now. Why is this happening now?
As realization filled me, I sent a tight smile his way in greeting and turned away, not even bothering to pry Gabbi off of him.
The wards.
When my powers had been bound and the wards that my coven had placed around Gabbi and I had fallen, it would have allowed another kind of bond to start forming… A witch’s true mate.
Oh no. This can’t be happening.
I’d seen it with Zara and her orc, but there was no way it was happening with me. I couldn’t deal with what he was making me feelon top ofthe heavy emotions that were plaguing me, since I was leaving.
Everything was too much. I stepped toward the kitchen, trying to help, but Tabitha shooed me out with a well-meaning, “Go play with your beautiful daughter.” Unsure what I was supposed to do with myself, I hurried to the snack table, neatening as I went.
I was stopped for conversation one or two times, but it was easy to passoff my near-tears expression as disbelief that my little girl was so grown up already. I moved to the cake, the letters on the frosting spelling out Gabbi’s name along with purple butterflies that were actually fluttering—her most recent obsession and most definitely a gift from her aunt and our High Priestess, Zara.
The tears clogged in my throat decided that it was time to make an appearance, and I waved a hand in front of my face, trying to stem them.
How am I supposed to get through this night without falling apart?
Chapter Five
Enka
Itook my time, picking my way through the small crowd that surrounded the snack table, eyeing the female who was pretending to be laughing in the corner. I’d been observing her, and I knew without a single doubt that there was nothing real in her smile.
Something wasverywrong. I could tell from the way she carriedherself and the way her gaze shifted from person to person as if trying to memorize them.
She’s going to run.
I was certain of it. And my entire body was tight with the knowledge. I wasn’t sure why she would. It made no sense. She was safe here with her coven and inside the protection spell that surrounded the tower.
I had no idea what had happened to make her so afraid she would risk that, but whatever it was, there was no way I was going to let her go without me. I glanced over at my older brother Krusk, and I saw the way his gaze flickered between me and Tasia. He tilted his head toward her and I rolled my eyes.
Savla, my other brother, was standing in the corner, observing the interactions around him with his usual quiet contentment. He didn’t like to be involved too much. But when his gaze met mine, he sent me a little bob of his head.
I’d told them both what I’d felt and they were firmly on my side, backing me any way they could. I was going to have to let them know that I’d be leaving with her—at least until I could convince her that she needed to return.
From the way she was looking at her family, she was going to make her move soon, and I was going to have to make mine. My brothers would support any choice I made—especially when it was attributed to my mate and her sweet youngling.
I was just as attached to that baby as I was to my mate. Every time I saw her, the joy that lit her gaze was mirrored in my chest. Even now, she’d only released her hold on me after Becca had bribed her with a present that she needed to try on.
A little dress for my little princess.
The thought was a possessive one, and I looked back at my mate, the noose tightening its hold around my heart.
Mine.
The bond had strengthened as I’d watched her, becoming more obvious until the knowledge roared through my chest. I could get my brothers to pack a bag for me that I’d have shipped to wherever she was going—because I wasn’t letting her out of my sight.
