CHAPTER 4
Krusk
Iwatched as Enka and Rudgar pulled out chairs for their mates at the restaurant I’d insisted we visit, longing simmering inside of me. There were so many things that I’d seen since I’d been on this mission I’d started.
Little gestures that I barely remembered from my own parents when they were still alive. Tiny touches and moments that a mated couple shared that were barely noticeable by the outside world, but to them, it was intrinsic and meaningful.
That’s what I wanted, damn it. And it burned and ached in my chest now that I knew I was so close to having it.
I wanted to pull a chair out for her. I wanted to brush her hair back from her neck and place a kiss against my mating mark.
I wanted to hold hands and sit in absolute silence, knowing exactly what she would be thinking even without saying it.
And I was so close to having it. My claws—that I hadn’t filed in a while and would be remedying as soon as I got home—dug into my palms at the thought.
I admonished myself immediately, annoyed that I wasn’t thinking about her, but a generic mate.
I wanted someone to spend my life with, but I needed to focus on her.
Who she was as a person. As the potential mother to my younglings and the female I would spend the rest of my life with.
I was strumming my fingers on my thigh, my gaze swinging from left to right as I tried to locate her. I’d taken copious notes from Lin, ignoring the threatening statements of “if you hurt her,” that she’d tossed my way, since I never intended to hurt my mate.
“This was a great suggestion, Krusk,” Tasia said with a smile, pulling my attention toward her from where I was brooding. “It’s beautiful. Thank you,” she added, with a shy smile. She was the newest member of our family and she was still a bit reluctant to consider us her own.
It was pointless. She was our sister now that she was mated to Enka and we’d adopted her daughter into our clan as well.
Gabbi—the tiny hellion who I was proud to call my niece—was still fast asleep in her father’s arms. Enka had never looked happier in his life, and it soothed something deep inside of me.
A promise that I’d made a long time ago was being fulfilled.
“Beautiful,” Zara agreed, her gaze narrowed thoughtfully on me. “And not somewhere you’ve ever mentioned before.” She had a curious eyebrow lifted as she sent a narrow-eyed gaze in my direction.
“I met a very nice female while I was at the Bureau, who told me this would be a nice place to bring the clan,” I told her, still looking around the room, searching.
It was very nice. The dark flooring made way for light-wood chairs and marble-slabbed tables.
The natural cork tiles on the walls and ceiling added a little something earthy to the atmosphere.
It was chic and beautiful with open windows and a clean, breezy patio on the outside that I would have enjoyed if I hadn’t specifically asked to be seated in this section.
The tables were almost all filled, and I couldn’t help but notice that more than one patron seemed to be staring in our direction.
Odd. It wasn’t strange that a group of orcs travelled or ate together.
And having human-looking females with us wasn’t a reason for alarm.
According to Rudgar, orcs from this plane had a history of stealing their mates and taking them back to the mountains, but that practice had been outlawed ages ago.
I frowned at the minotaur who was chewing on his salad and staring right at us.
I quirked an eyebrow and the abashed male ducked his head and kept chewing, focusing on his companion—-a pretty little human who reached forward and pinched his arm to admonish him.
I hid a smile as I returned my gaze to Zara.
She was sitting back in her chair, leaning against where her mate had draped his arm over her shoulders. “So it seems like you made a friend while we were at the Bureau. I was wondering what you were doing,” she said, her smile mysterious. “Could it be that—”
Her words cut off as my head snapped in the direction of the succulent scent of my mate. All of my focus was suddenly, abruptly pulled to her.
Fuck me, she’s gorgeous.
“So I was right,” I heard Zara say in a pleased tone, but I had no idea what she was talking about.
All I could see was my female. Her long dark hair was pulled back at the base of her neck with a tie and she’d changed into a white shirt and apron with a black skirt that was short enough for me to see the thick, delectable thighs that had been hidden under her clothes before.
I licked my suddenly dry lips as I took another, swift inhale, trying to capture her scent in my nostrils and keep it inside me.
It’s been too long.
Even the short time away from her felt like hours. The members of the table around me had begun whispering to each other, and if I tried, I knew I’d be able to hear them, but I didn’t want to.
“Please tell me you didn’t think it was a good idea to stalk your mate at her place of work,” Rudgar leaned closer to murmur to me and I shook my head.
The male breathed a sigh of relief before I told him, “I asked her friend about her and she gave me all of her details. It’s not technically stalking.
” The slap of skin to skin told me that he must have facepalmed, but I couldn’t look away from where my mate was bent over the edge of the front desk.
Gods, that ass should be illegal.
“You can’t follow her around, Krusk,” Enka said in a low voice. “Tasia told me that that’s a terrible idea.”
“It worked for you,” I responded, biting back a groan as she leaned forward a little more, that tight skirt shimmying up a little higher, baring soft skin that I wanted to touch and bite into.
“That was a different situation,” Enka groused, his voice defensive. “My mate was in danger and needed protection.”
“I don’t know that she isn’t in danger,” I sniffed, waving off the rest of his argument to stare with awe and greed at where my female was straightening and tugging down her skirt, her arms filled with menus.
Her breasts pushed against the front of her shirt, and I prayed that one of the buttons would give up the fight to keep them contained. Licking my lips again, I released a long, dreamy sigh and ignored everyone around the table as they shook their heads at me.
“This is better than him trying to kidnap her,” Savla said with a shrug and I slapped him across his back without looking at him.
“Thanks, Sav,” I said, watching as Emma juggled menus as she made her way closer to our table.
Her little black shoes looked comfortable, but worn.
In fact, her clothes now—as well as her clothes from earlier—seemed older.
Tighter. As if her breasts and hips hadn’t had the chance to grow to their optimum size when she’d bought them.
Strange.
“I don’t think not kidnapping her is the gold standard you think it is,” Rudgar argued, and I ignored him completely, sitting straighter in my chair and pasting a friendly smile on my face as Emma got closer.
When she did, she frowned as she looked around the table, but when her whiskey-brown eyes met mine, they widened for a split second in recognition.
She knows me.
That thought sent a jolt of pleasure through my chest. Stronger than anything I’d ever felt before. I rubbed at the area of my heart.
Fuck. This mating business is the real deal.
If something as simple as her remembering me was enough for this kind of reaction, I couldn’t wait to see what else was in store for me.