Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

T hokk's arms around me feel like coming home. I bury my face in his chest, breathing in his scent, and mix of pine and woodsmoke. How could I have ever thought about leaving this?

"You came after me," I murmur, still hardly believing it.

"Of course I did," he rumbles, his voice vibrating through me. "I will always come for you, Zoe."

My heart swells as we continue to make our way out of the woods hand in hand. "But Thokk, are you sure? What about the elders, the town... they'll never accept me-"

Thokk stops me in my tracks and cuts me off with a kiss that curls my toes. When we finally come up for air, I'm breathless and a little dizzy.

"Forget the elders," Thokk rumbles. "We will make this work if I have to beat the whole council to a pulp. I will never be separated from you again. If you will have me, that is."

I can't help but giggle at the mental image of Thokk going full WWE on a bunch of stuffy elders. "Of course I will," I say, hugging him tighter.

"I really mean it Zoe. You are my mate. That is no trifling thing."

"Then you are my mate too. But maybe tell me more what that word means for monst ... er ... for Orcs."

Thokk's brow furrows adorably as he searches for words.

"The other night. Gods, I can't believe it was only a few days, ago, but Gornak ... an old troll, told me something at Kalen's tavern. At the time I thought he was just, ya know, crazy.

"What did he say?"

"'Fate finds a way.' He was right. This is fate, Zoe. You and me."

"I sure hope so," I say simply.

He takes my hand, pressing it to his chest. I can feel his heart pounding beneath my palm. "I feel it here," he says softly. "Don't you?"

And suddenly, I do. That pull I've felt since the moment we met - it all makes sense now. This connection between us, it's more than just attraction or even love. It's like... destiny.

"Soulmates, that's what it is."

"Soulmates?" Again, with the adorable furrowed brow.

"Yeah, it is everything you just said about ‘mates', plus throw ‘destiny' and ‘fate' in there. We are soulmates Thokky."

"That is like mates, then?"

"Tom-A-toe, tom-ah-toe."

He looks perplexed again, so I stretch up on my tiptoes, pressing my lips to his. He responds immediately, pulling me closer as the kiss deepens. When we finally break apart, we're both breathless.

"I am yours and you are mine," I say, grinning up at him. "Let's do this. Team Zokk against the world."

Thokk raises an eyebrow. "Very well, but I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that last part."

I laugh, feeling lighter than I have in days. "Oh, you love it."

He shakes his head, but I catch the hint of a smile. "You humans and your strange ways."

As we start the walk back to town once again, hand in hand, I know we're facing an uphill battle. But with Thokk by my side, I feel like we can take on anything. Bring it on, Fablewood.

Team Zokk is ready for you.