Since we’d been married by a male in a robe at the Town Hall, with Dakvaar and her father as witnesses, neither us nor the Terrors had received any more threats from the OHL. Apparently, us being married—and co-owning the complex—was all that was required to satisfy the League’s rules.
But our entire life wasn’t out there…some of it was right here.
So I nodded to Korrad, knowing I’d missed my brothers last autumn during the celebration. “Then Lila and I will be back then to visit. Will Aswan be doing the cooking for it?”
“Always.” Korrad handed me the platter. “Next time you come back, you need to take some time to visit with the other guys from Bramblebluff—I know they’d like to see you.”
“And,” Lila interrupted shyly, “I’m hoping we’ll see you this winter for the wedding? I know plane tickets are expensive, but I meant it when I said we’d be happy to help.”
Oh yeah. We might have beenlegallymarried by a Justice of the Peace, but my princess wanted the fancy wedding she’d always dreamed of, and her father and I were happy to give her that. In early February, right when the ice was thickest on all the ponds in the area, Lila and Maddie were planning an epic outdoor wedding to celebrate our love of winter.
I knew my Mate was hoping it might be a double wedding, but Rex had confided that he was still working on convincing Maddie.
But Korrad and Brakkor and their families would be there, no matter what.
Now, my brother chuckled and jerked his head toward the picnic tables. “And trust me, we’ll take you up on that, Mr. Hockey Star. Now take those over while I go take off this apron and find my wife.Boys! Dinner’s ready! Wash your hands.”
Lila settled beside me at the tables, and amid the jostling and teasing and calling out, she was my little center of calm.
I thought of the fancy wedding she was planning for us, and all the dignitaries and country club members who would be impressed by the expense. I thought of her at the galas and the art museums and the ballets, and how effortlessly she’d accepted me into her world.
And I thought of her on the ice, her throwing axes, her drinking a beer with the foam on her lip. I thought of her grin, her blushes, the way she sighed when she came on my cock.
She’d accepted me into her world, yeah, but she also fit into mine. Here, with my family, this wasmyworld. Back home, at the ice complex, we were building something new.
A new world, for just the two of us.
I caught her studying me, one side of her lips pulled up. “What are you thinking about?” she whispered, under the cover of passing me the salad.
“How lucky I am.” I leaned over to press my lips against her ear. “And how much I can’t wait to get you into bed.”
I smelled her sudden rush of desire, and myKteerhummed in approval. She wasmine, my Mate, and I was proud to claim her.
My lips curled. “I love you,” I murmured. “I’ll show you how much…later.”
Lila
Eastshore Isle was really sweet.I mean, I was with Kardok in that I couldn’tlivesomeplace so far away from winter, but I loved how welcoming and friendly everyone was in town.
And I didn’t just mean Kardok’s brothers and their Mates. We toured part of the historic district—apparently, the town was making preparations to move a lighthouse into one of the empty lots?—and it was really special to see so many Mated orcs and human females.
I could understand why Brakkor and Korrad felt at home here.
Unfortunately, what the islandalsohad was a distinctive lack of short-term stay opportunities—apparently the lack of hotels leant to the town’s charm—so we were staying with Brakkor and Jocelyn in their spare bedroom.
Which meant we hadn’t had a lot of privacy these last few nights.
So after the barbecue at Korrad’s home, when Jocelyn mentioned she had to pop out for milk for pancakes in the morning, Kardok convinced his brother he needed to go with her.
For safety.
The look Brakkor gave his little brother told us he wasn’t fooled, but I was too excited to care.
The moment the front door clicked shut behind Brakkor and Jocelyn, Kardok’s hands were on me. One second, we were laughing, breathless from some stupid joke about his brother’s terrible taste in beach decor, and the next, my Mate’s mouth was on mine, hot and demanding. His tongue swept in, ridged and thick, and I melted against him, my fingers already fumbling with the buttons of my blouse.
“Fuck, I’ve missed this,” he growled against my lips, his tusks scraping my cheek as he yanked the fabric free.
His hands were rough, impatient, but his touch was reverent—like he couldn’t decide whether to devour me or worship me. I wanted both.
