10. Briella

It's not every day that you serve three seven-foot-tall green giants lunch. While I cut up the garlic bread, Oren carefully serves up the noodles and spaghetti sauce.

The Orcs look exactly like I envisioned. Their green faces are distinctly fearsome, dominated by large, sharp, and threatening tusks that curve outward from beneath their lower lips.

I was a little shocked to find that the giants wear normal clothes. Kol and Aric are dressed in white button-up dress shirts and blue jeans while Oren has a black t-shirt stretched across his massive chest and gray dress pants.

Despite their fearsome appearance, the giant Orcs move with surprising grace, each step calculated and purposeful. Their hands are large and calloused but obviously capable of delicate tasks as well as brutal force.

"Thank you so much for helping out in the kitchen," I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.

"You are welcome, female." He glances at me and nods his head before turning back to his task.

I'm not really sure I like being called "female," but I'm not about to correct the jolly green giant helping me serve lunch.

Watching three Orcs eat spaghetti and meatballs is an experience. I expected sloppy table manners and grunting, but these three green beasts are perfectly polite guests.

"Thank you for the delicious meal, female." Aric glances at me from under his strong, slightly protruding eyebrows, and I notice a slight pink tinge to his cheeks that tells me the youngest Orc is shy.

After we finish our meal, Aric insists on cleaning the kitchen while Oren, Kol, and Kodi discuss business.

"Tell me about your settlement." I turn to Aric as I dry the dishes he's washing.

"What do you want to know?" He isn't the talkative type.

"Everything, I've never met Orcs before." I put away the last dish and turn to lean against the counter.

"Our settlement was established many years ago by my father and his best friend. Fable Forest's power drew them to the area, and they wanted to create a safe community for Orcs close to the enchanted forest."

I've heard the term enchanted forest but never really gave it much mind. "What do you mean the forest is enchanted?" I ask, hoping to learn more.

"Legend has it there was a spell cast on Fable Forest that causes the residents to find their lives playing out like fairy tales." He shrugs. "If you believe in all that."

I do believe in all that. In fact, I felt the magical pull of Fable Forest the moment we drove into town.

Now, I just need my beast to find my stalker so we can get to our happily ever after.

I'm about to find something to do to keep me busy when my cell phone rings. I see Brenna's smiling face flash across the screen and answer it. "Are you okay?"

"We're fine," she hurries to reassure me. "Jared managed to pull off the highway before the jerk could do much damage."

"I'm glad," I breathe out, relieved my sister and her family are safe. "Did you contact the police?"

"Jared made a report, but you know how it is in New York. If you survive the attack, you're at the bottom of their priority list." Boy, she's right. I tried several times to get the police to take my stalker seriously, and they blew me off every time. "We're heading up to Jared's hunting cabin to lie low for a few days while Kodi investigates the situation."

"That's a great idea." Jared's wealthy family owns a fancy hunting lodge on one of the lakes in upstate New York. He has a cabin located on the back of the expansive private property that has top-of-the-line security. "Will you text or call me every day to let me know you're all okay?"

"Only if you promise to return the favor," my twin returns. "Take care of yourself and tell Kodi Brute he'll have to answer to me if he doesn't keep you safe."

"That's not a problem." I almost tell her about my mating but decide to wait until this danger has passed.