Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Anna
Iwake up disoriented, my neck stiff from sleeping at a weird angle.
Where am I?
The hum of engines vibrates in my ears. I blink at soft lighting and notice I’m in a comfy leather seat. And then it all floods back—the package on my doorstep, the photos, the bus station. Keric’s face when he called my name.
You’re my mate.
Did he really say that? Or did I dream it?
I blink and look around, slowly sitting up. I’m on a plane and it’s the smaller, luxurious, type of private plane I’ve only seen in movies. I have a vague recollection of being carried from an SUV onto this plane by a large green orc.
Across the aisle, Keric watches me with that dark, intense gaze. Black horns burst from his forehead and white tusks poke past his bottom lip. He’s still bare chested, only wearing black pants and boots. And dear god, he’s so handsome it’s blinding.
“You’re awake,” he says quietly.
Heat rushes to my face and butterflies dance in my belly. This is what he does to me. “How long was I asleep?”
He stretches his arms, giving me a show of those rippling, green muscular arms. “Most of the flight.” His mouth quirks slightly. “Don’t worry. We took a private red eye flight. I fell asleep too.”
Liar. I can tell by the careful way he’s sitting, the alertness in his posture. He stayed awake all night, watching over me. The thought should be creepy but instead it makes my chest tight. “Where are we flying to?”
His brow furrows. “You don’t remember?”
“Well, it’s a little fuzzy. I think I said yes to you taking me to your orc commune in Maine. Is that right? Are we really flying across the country?”
“Yes. Maine.” He gestures toward the window. “In fact, we’re almost there. Look.”
“Oh wow.” I lean over and peer out the window at the distant landscape below.
Endless forests stretch out in every direction, dusted with early snow.
Mountains appear in the distance. It’s beautiful and terrifying and so far from California I might as well be on another planet.
“Where is Jonus? Wasn’t he with us in the car on the way to the airport? ”
“He’s staying behind to help keep everyone who went to the wedding safe.”
A weight settles in my chest as I remember the troubles I’ve brought to all the people I’ve been working with or befriended. “Oh.”
“It’s okay, Anna,” Keric says. “The Irontrees, as well as the larger orc community in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, will band together and keep the humans safe in Truckee. Meanwhile, I’m taking you to Maine and the orcs there will keep you safe.”
I exhale. “Does Ellie know that I was living under a fake name and I wasn’t who she thought I was?”
“Yes.”
“I need to call her and explain.”
“That will have to wait. We’re landing soon. There’s a bathroom in the back if you want to freshen up.”
“Oh god. I probably look like hell.” I touch my hair, noting it’s a disaster.
My face feels oily and mascara is probably smudged everywhere.
“Yes. Thank you.” I grab my go-bag and practically flee to the tiny bathroom at the back of the plane.
When I flip on the light and see myself in the mirror, I wince.
Okay. Not as bad as I feared, but not great either.
I still wear the outfit I changed into at my apartment after the wedding—a sensible sweater, jeans and waterproof boots.
These were good choices for running, decent enough for arriving at an orc commune in Maine, but my face remains smeared with the leftovers of the heavy makeup I wore for Ellie’s wedding.
My short hair sticks up on one side, and I look exhausted.
The go-bag sits on the tiny counter. I unzip it and find my makeup bag right on top, exactly where I always pack it, along with my skincare routine, toothbrush and deodorant.
The essentials of running. I’ve done this before and made myself presentable in gas station bathrooms, airport restrooms, anywhere I could find running water and five minutes of privacy. This bathroom is nicer than most.
I take off my glasses, give myself a double cleanse, pat my face dry and smooth on a Peptide serum and then my favorite daytime moisturizer that includes sunscreen.
The familiar routine calms me. Then I floss and brush my teeth and put on deodorant.
Now my skin is glowing, all I need is a little concealer under my eyes and a little cream blush.
Just enough to look human again. My hair is hopeless, so I smooth it with some anti-frizz oil and hope for the best. It’ll have to do.
I stare at myself in the mirror. Short black hair.
No-nonsense glasses. Sensible clothes. I look like Anna Kim, the invisible teacher.
But I’m not her anymore, am I? I left her scattered across my apartment floor with those surveillance photos.
Dr. Anna Lee, the note had said. My real name.
The person I used to be before I learned to hide.
Hmm. Maybe this means I can grow my hair out again.
I fish a mint out of my bag and pop it in my mouth.
Then I take a breath and study my reflection and smile at what I see.
Yes, I’m overweight. I wear plus size clothing.
My face is round; my thighs rub together when I walk and there’s a roll in my back that won’t seem to go away.
But you know what? I’m still cute as hell.
And I’m with Keric, which makes everything better.
The thought surprises me. With Keric. Like we’re a unit now.
A team. I’ve never had a partner in this and it feels.
.. good. I’m not as freaked out as I was last night when I first found out that my cover in Truckee was blown and ran for the bus station.
Yes, I feel terrible about Ellie finding out from someone other than me, but I can call her later and hopefully she’ll understand.
Today, I get to see this new location that Keric is taking me to, s place he’s so sure I can hide and remain safe.
I square my shoulders, grab my go-bag, and head back out.
Keric looks up when I emerge. His gaze travels over my face, down my body and back up again. Something heated flickers in his expression. “Better?”
“Much.” I slide back into my seat and buckle up. “Thank you.”
The plane starts its descent. My stomach swoops as we drop altitude. I grip the armrests and Keric notices immediately.
“You okay?”
“Fine. Just... processing.” I look at him. Really look at the massive green orc with twisted black horns and a crooked nose and eyes that see way too much. “At the bus station. You said I was your mate. Did that really happen, or did I imagine it?”
His jaw tenses. “It happened.”
“What does that mean?”
“We’ll talk about it when we get to the cabin.”
“Keric—”
“Soon, Anna. I promise.” His voice is gentle but firm. “First, let’s get you somewhere safe.”
The plane touches down with a slight bump. I watch through the window as we taxi to a stop on what looks like a private airstrip in the middle of a forest. There’s a small building that might be a hangar and no other planes in sight.
“Where exactly are we?”
“This is in the middle of one hundred thousand acres of commune land.” He unbuckles and stands, ducking slightly because even this fancy plane has low ceilings for an orc. “Come on. Kelt is waiting. He’s the head of security.”
I’m about to meet more orcs. Lots more orcs. And they all know that I’m a human in witness protection, running from people who want me dead. My hands start to shake.
Keric notices. He always notices. “Anna. Look at me.”
I meet his gaze.
“You’re safe,” he says simply, like it’s a fact. “I know you don’t believe that yet. But you will.”
The cold hits me the moment we step off the plane. Maine in early spring is similar to Northern California. The air smells like pine and wet earth. I zip my coat, happy that I happen to be dressed correctly for the climate.
A massive orc stands next to an SUV that screams “orc family vehicle.” He’s even bigger than Keric, if that’s possible. Broader shoulders, thicker arms, horns that curve forward like weapons. He looks like he could crush me with one hand.
“Anna,” Keric says, placing a hand on my lower back. “This is Kelt. Head of security.”
Kelt’s dark eyes assess me. Not unkindly, but thoroughly, like he’s cataloging every potential weakness. “Welcome to the commune, Ms. Lee.”
I blink. “You know my real name.”
“Keric filled me in.” His voice is deep, gravelly. “You’re safe here. That’s my job.”
“Thank you.” It comes out quieter than I intended.
Kelt nods and opens the back door of the SUV. “Let’s get you out of the cold.”
I climb in, Keric slides in beside me, and Kelt takes the driver’s seat. The engine starts with a quiet hum and we’re moving, leaving the airstrip behind.
I can’t stop staring out the window. The forest here is different from California, with taller and slimmer trees, different but still beautiful. The road is paved but narrow and winds through the wilderness like something out of a fairy tale. “How big did you say this place was?” I ask.
“One hundred thousand acres,” Keric repeats.
My mind tries to process that and fails. “That’s... a lot of acres.”
Kelt chuckles from the front seat. “Big enough to get lost in. Don’t wander off alone.”
Great. Comforting.
“How many people live here?” I ask.
“About three hundred orcs live in the actual commune,” Kelt says. “Maybe sixty human women. The Brides.”
That word again. “What’s a Bride?”
“Human women mated to orcs,” Keric explains. “That’s what the commune calls them.”
“Oh.” I process this. “And I’m... what exactly?”
“Under my protection,” Keric says carefully. “As my mate.”
“But at the bus station you said I was your…”
“But you’re not yet, not until you choose that for yourself. I believe you are my future Bride though, but that’s a conversation we can have later.”
“What’s the security like?” I ask, changing the subject before I panic.
Kelt glances at me in the rearview mirror. “Perimeter fence, twenty-four-seven patrols, surveillance on all access points. No one gets in or out without us knowing.”
“And if someone tries?”
“They don’t succeed.” His voice is flat. Final.
I believe him. “What about the people looking for me?” I hate how small my voice sounds. “What if they track me here?”
Keric’s hand finds mine. “They won’t.”
“But if they do—”
“They won’t,” he repeats. “And if by some miracle they manage to find this place, they’ll have to go through every orc on this commune to get to you. That’s not happening.”
“You don’t understand what you’re dealing with,” I insist. “These aren’t just random criminals. They’re powerful, connected, dangerous—”
“So am I,” Keric says quietly.
I look at the set of his jaw and the certainty in his eyes. He believes what he’s saying. Completely. “They’ve killed before,” I whisper. “To keep me quiet. To get what I have.”
“Then they’ll die trying to get to you here.”
“Keric—”
“Enough.” He gives my hand a squeeze. “You’re safe here with me.”
Kelt catches my eye in the mirror. “He’s right, Ms. Lee. Whatever you’re running from, believe me, we’ve handled worse. Over the centuries we’ve become experts at keeping out the humans we don’t want. This is what we do here.”
I squeeze Keric’s hand in return. God, I want to believe them so badly.
After twenty minutes, the pavement turns to gravel and we pass a glinting mountain lake that takes my breath away. Then I see it—a sign that makes my stomach clench: Warning: Orcs Only Past This Point.
Kelt doesn’t slow down.
The gravel crunches under the tires as we round a curve and suddenly there’s a checkpoint ahead.
Two massive orcs stand guard in front of a wooden security shack.
Behind them rises the most formidable fence I’ve ever seen—thick wooden spikes topped with barbed wire, curving in both directions with no end in sight.
The fence is so tall and imposing I can’t see anything beyond it.
“Wow,” I breathe. “That’s impressive.”
“Secure,” Keric says simply.
One of the guards waves us through. A thick metal gate swings open with a groan and Kelt drives us inside.
I gasp. I’d been expecting... I don’t know.
Primitive? Rough? This looks like a mountain resort.
Cabins are scattered among the trees, far enough apart for privacy but close enough to feel like a community.
Everything appears hand-built with rough-hewn logs and stone foundations, but it’s quaint, beautiful even.
In the center, I see an enormous lodge with a massive stone chimney.
Smoke curls from it, carrying the scent of burning wood.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper, surprised.
Keric’s hand finds mine again. “It’s home.”
We drive down a wide gravel path. Orcs walk alongside it—all sizes, all ages, going about their lives.
Some stop to stare at the SUV. At me. Male orcs are everywhere, and I see a few human women too, scattered among them.
The women stop and wave at me, which is both nice and encouraging. The orcs watch with open curiosity.
The SUV slows as we approach the massive building in the center of an enormous open space in the center of the commune. “This is the Great Lodge,” Kelt remarks. “We’re going to park here and go inside.”
I keep staring because it’s truly impressive, with rough-hewn logs, huge windows, and a chimney that must be six feet wide. Smoke rises from it, carrying the scent of burning wood.
“Rogan Overlook will want to meet you,” Keric explains. “Grant you formal sanctuary.”
My stomach clenches. “Now?”
“Now.”
“Can I have five minutes to—”
“You look fine,” Keric says gently.
“I slept in these clothes.”
“You look beautiful.”
The sincerity in his voice makes my throat tight. I duck my head, hiding behind my hair that’s too short to hide behind. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not.” His thumb brushes over my knuckles. “Come on. The sooner we do this, the sooner I can get you to my cabin.”
His cabin?
Kelt parks in front of the Great Lodge. “Ready?”
No. Absolutely not.
But I nod anyway.