14. Varkul
Varkul
I wake up slowly, the edges of my vision still blurry. Heat courses through my veins, my body still brimming with satisfaction.
That was… sensational .
The little human female possesses the grip of a goddess. But it is not just her touch that makes my heart race.
It’s her .
Her scent. Her breath. Her very essence .
I feel it in my bones. In the deepest part of me. This is more than desire, more than simple lust. It is something far greater and far more dangerous.
My orc instincts are telling me something incredible. Something raw, true, and undeniable.
This woman, this human female, is my mate .
My one and only fated mate.
The realization shakes me to my very core.
No orc has ever claimed a human mate. If the other clans knew, they would call it heresy. My own people might not even believe me.
And yet, there is not a single doubt in my mind. There is no question.
The only thing I care about is her .
Evelyn Carter.
I turn my head towards her and drink in the beautiful sight in front of me. Her blonde hair has fallen from its neat bun, stray strands curling against her flushed cheeks. Her full lips are parted, her breathing uneven.
And all the while, my seed drips down her cheeks.
A deep and primal satisfaction rumbles deep inside my chest. My essence marks her, claiming her.
She wipes at her face with a towel, muttering. “You could have warned me, you know.”
I grin, slow and satisfied. “I thought this is what you wanted?”
“Yeah, in a cup. Not all over my face .”
I chuckle. “Works for me.”
She shakes her head, but there is laughter in her voice. “You’re unbelievable. This is the strangest job I’ve ever had, I’ll tell you that much.”
The feeling in my chest is warm and… unfamiliar. I like this. I like her laughter. I like hearing the joy in her voice.
I do not wish for this moment to end.
“When is the next session?” I ask.
Something changes in Evelyn’s eyes. Her smile fades as she answers hesitantly.
“I… don’t know. I have more than enough to do my research. More than I bargained for, in fact.”
My heart feels like it’s being ripped in two.
No.
“That can’t be true,” I say, my voice rougher than I intended.
She shifts uncomfortably. “I don’t know what to tell you.”
Tell me that this is not the last time I see you, Evelyn.
I stare at her, but she does not say the words I need to hear. Instead, she glances at my wrist. The wrist was once bound, and is now free.
She is afraid of me.
That claws at my insides. I am an orc, a proud warrior, a savage beast to my enemies.
I am many things… but I am not a monster.
She takes a step back.
That small movement sends ice coursing through my veins. She is retreating. Distancing herself from me.
She is leaving.
She cannot leave.
My orc instincts roar to life. I will not be locked away again. I will not be caged like some wild animal!
The bonds still holding me all snap as I flex my muscles.
Evelyn gasps, stumbling backwards. Her fear hurts me to my very core, but I cannot stop myself. My body is driven by instinct, by something ancient and undeniable.
The door to bursts open. A dozen human soldiers flood into the room, weapons raised. Their guns gleam beneath the harsh, fluorescent lights.
Evelyn spins towards them, her voice filled with panic.
“Wait, don’t?—”
Too late.
The first shots ring in my ears.
Pain explodes in my chest as the first bullet slams into me. Another one follows. And another.
I lurch forward, reaching for her, but my legs give out.
The floor rushes up to meet me. My vision darkens at the edges.
The last thing I see before the world fades to black is her .
Evelyn.
Her blue eyes are wide with horror, her lips parted in a scream I cannot hear.
I’m sorry, my mate.
And then — nothing.