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“I know what I said, but I was lying to myself. I think I’ve known for quite some time that you are my mate, my true mate. I want to Claim you—”
“No! No Claiming!” she says, suddenly panicked and wrenching away. “I belong to myself. Only me!”
“That’s not—”
“No, stop!” she commands, looking at me with tears in her eyes. “Why did you have to ruin this? I wanted a lover, not another owner!”
Now I am starting to get angry, “That is not what Claiming means!”
“Yes, it is!” she yells, pulling her clothes back on as she drifts further and further away from me. “I have been ‘claimed’ before, if you have forgotten.” She gestures between her breasts, now hidden again with fabric. At the brand we both know sits there.
She shakes her head, anger and fear both in her voice as she cries, “Never again. Neveragain!”
The door slams behind her, leaving me in silence in the room. The Mating Instinct pushes me to follow her, to explain, to bring her back. But my pride stills my movement. If she doesn’t want me, she will not have me.
Like she said. Never again.
Chapter 19
Pellia
Ifind another room to stay in, though it is cold and musty since it has been empty for so long. Still, I cannot bring myself to wake the servants to fix it for me. I try the bed, but I can’t relax. All night I am restless, unable to sleep. Verrick’s words ring in my ears, his expressions burned into my eyes, never leaving me at peace, even for a moment. Why did he say that? Why couldn’t he keep things the way they were? They were fine, great, perfect, even, before he had to destroy them with his talk of love and Claiming.
The morning comes and I am quick to leave the castle. Anything to get some distance from Verrick and his proclamations of love. I hurry into town, only to find I am being followed.
I whirl around to find Korovi behind me, keeping a respectful distance, his face as unreadable as stone.
“Why are you following me?” I demand, no patience left in me for pleasantries.
The orc’s face stays impassive, a soldier’s face, when he says, “I’ve been assigned to your protection.”
“Been assigned? When?”
“My Warchief told me yesterday that I am not to let you out of my sight and I will obey.”
Verrick ordered him to my protection? Obviously, before our fight. I huff, annoyed. “Nothing will happen to me. You don’tneed to watch me.”
Korovi doesn’t respond. He simply stands, a little on the balls of his feet, as if ready to walk the moment I move.
I try a different approach. “I would rather be alone. Please.”
The orc shakes his head, then says, “That is unfortunate because I have my orders and I will follow them. Please don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.”
I want to yell in frustration. I was looking to be alone today in town, away from orcs and mating and Claims and anything that reminded me of them. I was going to pass out the rest of our supplies and blissfully avoid my personal problems. But it seems that I am over-ruled by a high-handed orc ex-lover who is being far too careful.
But I don’t scream or shout or throw any sort of tantrum, tempting though it might be. I just turn on my heel and keep walking into town, my orc shadow trailing behind me.
The day is busy. Though Grimblton has not been hit quite as harshly by the arsonists, they were one of the first towns that had to flee when the orcs invaded during the war, close as they are to Fort Attis. As such, their crops were untended longer than others in the south and their harvest looks grim as a matter of course. The supplies go quickly and we are cleaned out by noon. With nothing else to distract me, I go to sit behind the magistrate's house with an apple and some bread, wanting a few moments of peace without interacting with anyone. This is, of course, ruined by Korovi standing like a statue, watching me from mere paces away.
I fight the urge to scowl. I hold up my meager repast and say, “I am only eating lunch. You can go rest yourself. No need to watch me every minute.”
“Orcs can go much longer than humans without eating or resting,” is all that he replies.
My annoyance grows, and finally, I have had enough. “Well, Korovi, since you insist on being here when I wanted to be alone with my thoughts, you may stand there and listen to my thoughts instead.”
Korovi remains impassive, though I think I detect a hint of unease in his eyes. But I am far beyond caring.
So I begin, “Why is it that males always must lay ownership of something? Why can they not enjoy things for what they are?”
