Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
“Good girl.”
My chest is filled with pride every day now. Both because of my mate, but also because I am with my clan. I have my memories and I am an orc of purpose and not just killing.
It has been twelve sleeps since we left the compound and our clan and the Hzarka have had many meetings. Athaan and Ragned are mated, it has ended the looming war and we are entering into negotiations on how our mutual efforts will be balanced.
Today we will find land for our family dwelling, then my brother Mol and I will plan the structure and the building will commence.
I am whole because of my mate and her body feeding me like this only proves it to me a thousand fold.
She comes around my finger as I take the last suckles on her ripe breasts. She will be milky for me until our offspring come, then I will have to share.
Orc women and human women mated to orc swell their tits and bellies soon after mating. It is sexy and beautiful and I will be planting my seed into my female until we breathe our last breaths.
“Papa,” she whispers, her eyes closed as I stand in the temporary hut and pick up my leathers.
“Yes, my little mate. Now, come and dress your Papa.”
This is her duty and she performs her task with pride and joy, only making me love her more.
She fastens the buckles and adjusts my chest straps, her body round and naked as the late day sun stripes dance on her flesh through the window over our bed.
“Katya is already at Tigor and Emmie’s house?” I ask. My protectiveness for Katya is no less than for my mate and my own offspring.
“Yes, she’s babysitting. She wants to play Once Upon with all the cousins after dinner.”
I nod. It is Sunday, family dinner. My family, Ragned and Erving as well. We are all family now.
The memories of all the Sundays before we were stolen to Iriaza have come back. As well as the memories of my time enslaved. I do not dwell there. I live in each moment with Aleena and our life, leaving the nightmares and horror of the past where it belongs.
In the past.
“It is good. That is a good game. Folk tales and stories are part of what brings us together.”
Aleena wraps herself in a white blanket as I reach for her, drawing her near to kiss the top of her head.
“I have a little change I’m going to make though,” she says, hands on my cheeks, soothing me in a way I will never tire of.
“What is this change?”
“Instead of ‘Once upon a time’ I think it should be, ‘Once upon an orc’…” She smiles and her blue eyes twinkle, making my heart swell knowing she is mine for eternity.
“This is good. You have done more than once upon this orc, haven’t you?” I reply, a smile cresting my lips as I reach around and swat her ass, which is one of my favorite things to do.
“You are bad, Papa.” She hugs me around the waist. “But I love you.”
“Papa loves you too, little one. Now, go be a good girl and I’ll see you at dinner.”
I throw one last look over my shoulder before closing the door, admiring my mate as she twirls in the center of the bedroom, a look of joy on her face knowing she is safe.
Because I am Gathred.
I am Papa.
I am hers.
Chapter
Thirteen
Aleena
Ten Years Later
“Your move,” Katya says, eyeing me from the side of the pool. It’s a Sunday, and Sundays are always for swimming and family dinners. Katya’s girlfriend will be here later, too, and we’ll be meeting her for the first time.
I push up on the side of the pool, and still dripping I come to stand by the board.
She’s won. Damn it. I can see the next ten moves and that’s as far as I can take this game. But I will finish it, because despite everything that’s happened I’m still every bit as competitive as I always was. I pick up my pawn and move it forward.
“You know you’ve lost, right?” she says, and Dad grins as he looks at the board.
“She knows she’s lost. But your sister is stubborn.”
“You still have to play out the last moves,” I tell her. “You could make a mistake and I could exploit it.”
“Right, like that’s ever happened.”
I roll my eyes as I step away, throwing my arms around the shoulders of two of my sisters-in-law. Emmie and Raven have become my best friends, along with Athaan and Ivy. Gathra has been like a mother to me and Katya, and I’ll never forget how much we owe her.
The family has grown so much. My father has become a fixture and respected as a part of the clan. It’s the life I always wanted.