Page 47 of Grumpy Pucking Orc
I shifted on my skates. “We’re not at the wedding stage yet. Humans take these things slower. I’ve got more wooing to do, but things are looking promising.”
Ugwyll gave me a worried look, then shot another puck into the net. “You locked your mate bond with her. Why would you do that when you weren’t sure she was ready for that kind of commitment?”
Because I am a love-sick idiot.“There will be no other for me. I’d rather complete the mate bond and experience amoment of that bliss, than risk having a partial bond for the rest of my life.”
Ugwyll sighed and hit another puck. “If she doesn’t return the mate bond—if she doesn’t evenfeelthe mate bond, then you risk a painful, short life. Personally, I’d rather live with a partial bond.”
“I will accept whatever she can give,” I said with far more confidence than I felt. “I will continue to woo her, and if she commits to be my bride, that will be enough.”
I wanted her to feel the mate bond and accept it, but I would take whatever the human equivalent of that might be. If the worst happened and she decided she wanted another… I clenched my teeth, not wanting to think about that. Last night, I’d thought I could accept that horrible alternative, but now I wasn’t so sure. Not that I’d have any choice. I would never force her to be my bride.
“She’s moving into your den, though?” Ugwyll asked.
I winced. “Not yet.”
The other orc turned to face me. “Please at least tell me she remained in your furs until sunup.”
“She had commitments to her patients this morning,” I protested. “And she didn’t have appropriate clothing with her for her employment.”
Ugwyll’s eyebrows shot up, and he tilted his head.
“She is taking me to eat ice cream tonight. She also wants to skate with me.” I left out the teaching me part because I was feeling rather pitiful as it was. “She also said she wanted to take me to other places in the city.”
The other orc stared at me in surprise. “She’swooingyou? A female is wooing a male?”
I nodded. “I think this is the way humans do things. But it must mean that she has similar feelings. She is attracted tome. She’s been receptive and even eager. I satisfied her several times last night and she was reluctant to leave.”
Ugwyll shrugged and turned back to the pucks. “You’re awyndall’s ass, and I shouldn’t care whether you get hurt or not, but I do. You’re absolutely committed to this female without knowing if her feelings for you will last a week or a month or forever.”
He was right, but I couldn’t be any other way. I’d been bold and strategic in warfare, and while I’d never put my team in unnecessary danger, I’d always been willing to take great personal risk. I could do no different with Jordan.
Pushing my doubts and fears to the back of my mind, I did laps around the ice as Ugwyll had done, attempting to skate backward and failing miserably. I did better at getting the puck in the net, even managing to speed up and aim my shots to specific sections of the goal. Two hours later, Ugwyll and I were both sweaty and tired—and the only two who’d been on the ice this morning.
“Where is the rest of the team?” I asked during one of our water breaks.
“In bed? Playing games in the locker room? Tugging their hand-axes?” Ugwyll speculated.
“We have a game in two days,” I fretted. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to continue to be the fool.”
Ugwyll snorted. “These humans have been playing this game for much of their lives. We’re not going to win against them.”
“I don’t need to win; I just need to make them respect us.” I waved a hand at the empty stadium seats. “I want those who watch to respect us as well.”
“Me too,” Ugwyll confessed. “But that’s going to take more than just the two of us.”
I tossed my empty water bottle into the plastic bin. “Then let’s go try to recruit some hockey players.”
Ugwyll followed me off the ice and into the locker room where I found six of our teammates lounging around. Whacking my stick against one of the lockers got their attention.
“You’re interrupting my nap, youwyndall’sass,” Eng said as he leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.
“Team meeting,” I yelled. “Now. On the ice. Put your skates on and get out there.”
Bwat ignored me and kept looking at his phone. Eng yawned and folded his arms across his chest. Two of the guys eyed me nervously and grabbed their skates. The other two edged toward the door.
Ugwyll slapped his stick across the doorway and glared at the two potential deserters. “Get. Your. Skates. On.”
They hustled back to the benches and did as he said, which left me to deal with Bwat and Eng.
