CHAPTER 17
Rudgar
I paced up and down Dristan’s living room. He was cuddling a pregnant Pen while Rok and Becca were snuggled on a chair together.
“So there’s a coven here?” Becca asked, nuzzling against her male’s shoulder. “That’s good, right? It means that they can help keep Zara safe.”
“It also means that if the warlocks are going to attack, they’ll definitely do it here,” Dristan pointed out and I turned a glare his way.
He shrugged at me and I rolled my eyes. I didn’t need logic at the moment. I needed a plan .
“Yes, but what’s the plan if they do attack?” I asked, and Dristan sighed, scrubbing his palm over his face.
“We should attack them right back,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “We’ll be the physical force and the coven will provide the mystical stuff.”
“The magick,” Dristan offered and I nodded.
“Yes, that,” I confirmed.
“And what will we do?” Pen piped up and Dristan narrowed his eyes. He parted his lips to speak, but I cut him off before he could shove his huge foot in his mouth.
“You’ll be the emotional and moral support who cheers us on from a safe location,” I told Pen and Becca, pointing at them. “Here specifically. You won’t leave this penthouse.”
Pen and Becca both started in with simultaneous complaints, and I shook my head.
“No, you’ll both be staying here. Pen, you have to protect the baby and Becca can protect you both,” I explained. Becca perked right up, nodding.
“I’ve got her,” she said, smashing her fist into her other palm as if to show she was very strong—which she wasn’t.
“Zara said they’ll be starting the protection spell as soon as they can, but—” I trailed off, my eyes widening as swirls of light started entering the room. I backed up toward Pen and Becca, holding my hands out in case, but the magick didn’t stop, rushing over us and surrounding us with comfort and warmth.
“Oh,” I exclaimed, as it continued on its way, outward and upward. “This might be it.”
Dristan, who’d jumped to his feet, taking an aggressive stance in front of Pen rolled his eyes and gave a low growl. “A bit of warning would have been nice.”
“My female isn’t the warning type,” I explained and Rok gave a laugh from where he’d taken a similar stance in front of Becca.
“That’s very true,” he said. “She jumps right in.”
“With both feet,” I agreed, shaking my head, a grin on my lips.
My female’s one of a kind.
When the swirling light died down, I pulled up the video feed on my phone and watched as the coven left the biggest apartment, making their way outside the building and then leaving little items at the corners of the building and then in four other spots. I waved at my family before making my way down to the ground floor to meet her.
My mate was just making her way around the corner of the building and I grinned at her. Joy filled her expression and it was a punch to my heart.
She’s happy to see me.
I’d always wanted that, and now, thank the Gods, I finally had it. Holding my arms out to her, I watched with a grin as she hurried toward me, her luscious breasts jiggling and I was sure her ass would be moving for me too. I snatched her up, spinning her in my arms and pressing a kiss to her lips. She met me with enthusiasm, a fervent kiss that I felt to my toes.
“You’ve been apart for an hour, by the way,” Tabitha said as she passed us, rolling her eyes but patting my shoulder.
“Less than that,” Floria sighed, shaking her head.
“I think it’s cute,” Hanna said with a tentative smile before looking away from me.
“It’s kind of gag-worthy, really,” Tasia added with a wink before my mate swatted at her and she laughed.
She pulled away to cup my cheeks. “We did the protection spell. So now I can do magick and not worry,” she enthused with a squeal, kicking her legs up behind her while I held her around her waist off of the floor.
“That’s great,” I told her with another smacking kiss. “But that means that you have to stay inside, right?”
She scowled, but nodded. “Yeah, I guess.”
I let her down and she took my hand in hers, leading me toward the front door.
Gods, I can get used to this.
“Do we need to do anything else to protect her?” I asked Tabitha once we’d moved back inside the large apartment she and Floria would be sharing. Tasia and Gabbi had their own and Hanna had a smaller one for herself as well.
All of the witches looked drained except for Zara. She was still her usual bubbly self, making hot chocolate for everyone, but they were slumped in their chairs, seeming like they needed naps.
“I was going to seek help from another coven,” Tabitha said, smothering a huge yawn, “for helping her focus her powers. But I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’ll have to do some more digging, but I’m sure there’s another way.”
“It’s smart to not get anyone else involved,” I agreed. “The less people who know where she is, the better.”
They nodded at me, and I saw more yawns make their way around the circle.
“Well, I’ll take Zara with me and leave you ladies. We’ll provide compensation for the spell, of course,” I told them and when Tabitha opened her mouth to protest, I shook my head, holding up a hand. “No, none of that. You’re helping the building, and you deserve to be paid for that.”
Her eyes softened and she mouthed the words Thank you .
“No, thank you ,” I told them, making sure I made eye contact with every female so they could know I was being sincere. “For protecting her and for protecting us.”
They lowered their eyes, and waved me off. Chuckling, I made my way over to Zara in the kitchen, leaning my hip against the counter and crossing my arms as I watched her bustle about.
“Hey you,” she said with a smirk. “Have you come for more kisses? Because I think we’ll make them sick and they won’t want to drink any of this delicious chocolate I’m making.”
“It’s always a yes for more kisses,” I agreed, “but I can hold out. I’m a very disciplined orc, after all.” I tilted my chin up pretentiously and she snorted out a laugh before shoving two mugs of hot chocolate in my direction and forcing me to drop the stance.
“Alright, alright, Mr. Big Disciplined Orc. Let’s get the chocolate out to the ladies and then leave them to rest.”
I nodded, helping her carry mugs. Then she hugged each of them and said good night. I gave them all new phones with new numbers that I’d grabbed from my office and asked them to use those for the time being—since we didn’t know if the warlocks had access to technology or a contact who did.
I’d asked them to turn off their phones before we left their home and Gabbi didn’t have a phone. They obeyed so easily I wondered if they were used to doing things like that. If they were, and if it had anything to do with their pasts, then I hoped we’d be able to help these sweet females in the future.
“Call or message me if any of you need anything,” I insisted as they shoved us out of the door. I sputtered as the door closed in my face, but Zara just laughed, hugging me around the waist, pressing her chin to my chest and staring up at me.
I wrapped my arms around her, too, tracing my gaze over her precious, perfect features. That little groove on the side of her mouth that I was sure was a dimple. That little mole in her left eyebrow that attracted my gaze and lips every time I looked at her.
I love this female so much.
And it wasn’t just because she was my mate. I’d fallen in love with her after watching her and learning about her. Her heart was so pure, so sweet. And she was just so damn brave. The bravest female I’d ever encountered.
She’d protect the world and sacrifice herself if given the chance. But she’d never have that chance if it was up to me. There would be no sacrifice for her. I was going to take care of her and make sure that nothing would ever touch her again.
“I can do magick now,” she crowed, wiggling from side to side in my arms, using me to keep herself steady. “Finally!”
“What did you want to do first?” I asked her, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.
She frowned, nibbling on her lower lip and it was everything I could do to not dip my head to kiss her so she would stop. “I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it. But at least I can,” she said with a shrug.
“Can you break the curse?” I asked in a low voice and her frown deepened as she looked away, trying to pull away from me. I kept her in the circle of my arms, not letting her get away.
“That’s different,” she told me, clearing her throat. “That’s blood magick. There’s only one way to stop a blood curse,” she said in a low voice, keeping her gaze trained to the top button of my shirt. “And that means either the person who was cursed or the person who did the curse will have to die.”
Swallowing hard, I tipped my mate’s chin up. “Then he’s going to be the one to die, Gul-ar. Not you,” I assured her, stroking my thumb across her lower lip.
A shuddering breath left her and she searched my gaze. “Yeah,” she whispered, but she didn’t sound so sure of that.