Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Yeah, well, I’m very fucking uncomfortable now.
Mate.
Yes, Platinum. That would be fucking why.
“So…,” A.D. childishly taunts, “you really brought HR here because-”
“Because she swears,” my voice hardens while sidestepping a conversation we don’t need to be having at this time, “that the Magitek beast locked up in there—who tried to kill me or kidnap me, by the way—is her mother.”
“She is my mother!”
For some inexplicable reason—I’m going to blame it on my newly established yet highly unwanted Fate Mated status—it’s easy to abandon my typical even temper demeanor to bite back, “Impossible! You are not an orc!”
“And this isn’t fucking World of Warcraft where I need to be one!”
“What the fuck is World of Warcraft?!”
“It’s an MMO role-playing game,” Dae casually answers, collecting our glares. “And you don’t need to be one in the game; however, it is an option.”
“Stop glaring at my fucking mate.” Z protectively tugs her closer to him. “She simply answered your damn question.”
“I have a question,” A.D.’s taunting voice has me shutting my eyes in further frustration.
“I swear to The Great Ones, A.D., that if you fucking mock me right now, I will lay your ass out so hard you’ll become a fucking case study for one of Dae’s medical classes.”
His nervous gulp is audible.
“It’s against company policy to threaten employees,” Cameron needlessly pipes up, instantly receiving another glare.
“And really fucked up to threaten ones that are gonna be a dad in nine months,” Ana adds on a disapproving headshake.
“What?!” is shouted in tandem with my brothers.
“Wait,” the tall, light-honey brown-skinned female begins, frame swiveling towards Dae, “is it still nine months with dragons or is it less? Or more? And like is morning sickness still a thing when you’re knocked up by a shifter?”
Her Fated Mate damn near jumps up and down. “You’re-”
Ana’s hand lifts to hush him.
“But we just bonded like-”
The same silencing motion is made.
“You’re the reason Gold and I have been craving dinner rolls for breakfast!”
At that Ana guiltily swings her body back his direction.
“Why didn’t you say something sooner?!”
“I wasn’t completely sure until I talked to my sister-in-law who then gave me a home test to take—which was so fucking bizarre—and then I was definitely sure, but we had brunch plans with the family, so I was just waiting to tell you until we got home.”
Gotta love hearing that I’m not part of the family.
Hurts.
Yeah, Platinum, it fucking does.
“Excuse me, sir,” Truxxton respectfully intervenes, statement spoken to me. “The prisoner is calm enough for questioning.”
All eyes shift to the creature standing completely still as though in some sort of trance.
I step forward and kick my head backward to indicate I want the group to move away. They follow the unspoken command, yet the beautiful ball of fury and frustration beside me remains directly at my side.
Ugh.
Her fearlessness is sexy as fuck.
With her chin tipped high, her shoulders pushed far back, her hands anchored on her wide hips, and her stance parted as if ready for combat, the spirit of a warrior spills itself from every crevice.
I’m impressed.
I’m intrigued.
I’m admittedly more inebriated by the sight than I would be off three bottles of Leprechaun’s Breath.
This being beside me is wordlessly shouting to everyone watching that she is not only willing to fight for what’s right, but that she is willing to fight tooth and claw for who she loves.
Us.
Not yet, Platinum, but fuck me, do I someday hope so.
I banish the internal confession with a shake of the head and move directly in front of the orc, blocking her view of everyone but me. “Name?”
Her steal cut face doesn’t flinch.
“Name?”
“Her name is Daichin, but Dad always called her Dai.”
One brief twitch of the left eye is all that occurs from the statement.
But it does occur.
And it does create an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Rather than dwell on the unwelcomed nagging, I quickly insist, “Miss Pennington, I am politely requesting that you reframe from answering any questions intended for the detainee.”
To my surprise, she submits to the order with a curt nod.
It’s relieving.
And it’s fucking dick swelling…you know at a time when my dick should not be swelling.
Bond.
And it damn sure should not be doing that, either.
“I’m gonna ask you again,” I state to the female beast behind the blockade, “and you’re going to answer, or I’ll be forced to use other methods to extract the information I am seeking. Name?”
The lack of response isn’t surprising, although disheartening.
If this mammoth-sized being really is my Fated Mate’s mother, torturing her while she watches isn’t the best idea.
Nor is it gonna win me any fate-in-law points.
None.
That line of thinking prompts me to try a different tactic in hopes of avoiding inflicting unnecessary pain. “Is that really what you want, warrior? To have your daughter watch as I spill your blood onto your boots?”