Chapter 14

Holdar stirred as daylight crept through the curtains, then looked down at the woman in his arms. He'd marked her all right - almost every inch of her pretty skin showed his possession. He waited for the guilt, the regret, to hit him but they didn't surface. She had asked him for all of them, begged for some, and he was absolutely sure she'd enjoyed herself.

But now what?

Had she meant what she said about moving to Fairhaven Falls? It was entirely possible that she'd forget all about it once she returned to city life, but if she didn't… How did he feel about returning?

He stayed away mainly out of his guilt over Trogar but that guilt had been easing ever since Trogar had found his mate. A brother sitting alone in his overly neat house with only his drawing for company had been easy fodder for his guilt. A brother who was clearly devoted to his mate and child - and whose mate and child were devoted to him - was not.

Even he was less inclined to wallow, thanks to the woman in his arms.

I don't want to give her up.

If that meant moving back to Fairhaven Falls, then that's what he'd do. He could even admit that it appealed to him a lot more than settling down in Atlanta. Thinking of Atlanta reminded him that he needed to call Banner and find out the situation there.

He slipped reluctantly out of bed, then went out on the porch so he could call without disturbing her. Banner answered on the first ring.

"Is Trish all right?" the other man demanded.

"Yes, she's fine. Why?"

"Everything here is under control, but two of them got away. I'm afraid they're going to try and track her down."

A wave of panic threatened to wash over him but he pushed it back. His senses immediately went on alert and he scanned the woods before fading back into the shack, pulling on his pants and adding his gun for the first time since they'd arrived.

"Should I bring her back?"

"Not yet. We're still repairing systems and reviewing personnel. Do you have backup?"

Yes. A whole town's worth of backup.

"I do."

"Good, then keep her there. Keep the phone off like we agreed until this time tomorrow."

"I will. How's Sinclair? She's worried about him."

Banner laughed. "‘Other than worrying about her, I'd say he's having the time of his life. He's treating it like one big chess game and he sees checkmate ahead of him."

"I hope he's right," he muttered, and hung up.

He turned around to find Trish sitting up and watching him, her face pale.

"Is something wrong? Is it Daddy?"

"He's fine. Banner says he's enjoying himself."

She gave a big sigh of relief.

"That's good. So what aren't you telling me?"

"Banner thinks two people are looking for you."

That news seemed to upset her less than when she'd thought her father was in trouble.

"Can they find us?"

He started to say no, then decided she deserved the truth.

"It's not impossible. I have ties to this place. Someone could find them, assuming they knew you were with me, or speculated that you were."

"It would be a logical assumption," she agreed. "Although they might not know about this place."

"No, and the deed was never registered so it can't be tracked that way."

But if they checked the records…

"Trogar and I have the same family name," he said grimly. "I never use it, but it's not a secret, and if they check for records in my name…"

"They might find him." She nodded and threw back the covers, snatching up her overalls and a tee. "Let's go."

"You should stay here."

"By myself? Jumping every time I hear a branch crack? Nope. I'm better off with you."

He thought he should argue but he'd be much happier if she was in his sight as well. While she dressed, he added a knife sheath to his boot and another one to his calf.

"Let's go," she said quietly.

Her face was pale, but she did her best to give him her usual sunny smile. His brave little princess.

"Fuck, I love you."

The words just popped out, but he had no intention of taking them back. To his horror, her face crumpled.

"Oh God, don't cry. It's all right if you don't love me -"

"Of course, I love you," she sniffed, "but why did you choose to say it now? it makes me think we're going to die."

He gave her a quick hug as relief washed over him.

"No one is going to die. But maybe my timing could have been better."

"You think?" Her glare dissolved into a watery smile as she tugged on his hand. "Come on, love. We can get back to the mushy stuff later."

"Princess, I don't do mushy."

"I can be very persuasive," she said primly.

He had no doubt of that, and it was just one more reason to love her.

"All right. Let's get going."

As he headed back down out of the forest, he heard a wolf howl, then another. Fuck. He recognized that sound. He brought the truck to a halt and opened the window, doing his best to echo the call. A moment later, a tall blonde dressed in nothing but her hair walked calmly out of the woods.

"Strangers?" he asked grimly.

"Yes. There were three, but one of them got separated and was lost in the mountains." Her smile showed a disturbing amount of teeth. "Pity. Doubt he'll ever be found."

"The other two?"

"Made it out of the forest before we got to them."

"Thanks, Lenore. I'm headed to Trogar's."

"I'll spread the word."

Lenore walked back into the woods, her tail swishing, as he turned back to Trish. He expected to find her panicking about the fact that there was at least one more man than they'd anticipated. Instead she was glaring at him.

"Friend of yours?" she asked icily.

"Lenore? I suppose. She's Eric's sister."

"Do all your friends walk around naked?"

"Are you jealous?" he asked incredulously as he started back down the road.

"No."

"Princess, I have absolutely no interest in any other female. Orcs mate for life."

Her face softened as she gave him a shy look.

"Really? And is that what we are? Mates?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Good."

She nestled against him and contentment filled him until he reached his brother's street. As soon as he turned onto it, he knew something was wrong. Trish seemed to feel it too, sitting up as her eyes scanned the road anxiously.

"Wait a minute." She clutched his arm. "Is that -?"

"Gran? Yes."

He was already pulling into the driveway next to where Gran was waiting in the bushes. She was wearing a pink camouflage tracksuit today and under any other circumstances he would have been amused.

"What's the situation?" he demanded.

"Two strangers in Trogar's house. Pippa and Daisy are hiding in the reading nook Trogar built into Daisy's room. They're safe for now and a casual search wouldn't find it."

"And Trogar?"

"In the kitchen with one of those bastards." His grandmother's eyes snapped with fury and ice ran down his spine. "The other one is behind the front door."

He didn't ask how she knew any of what she'd told him, just nodded grimly and turned to go, but she grabbed his arm.

"Eric is coming in from the end of the road. He'll meet you at the cottage." Her hand tightened so much he thought she'd crack his humerus. "Holdar, you have to wait for him, do you understand me? I know you want to go charging in to protect them, but if you do it will not end well. You don't want to leave your mate alone when you've only just found her, do you?"

He didn't ask how she knew that either, just looked over at Trish's pale, terrified face. Even now, she did her best to smile.

"You do whatever you need to do," she said quietly, trying valiantly to keep her voice steady. "But… but come back to me, okay?"

"I will," he promised. "Look after her, Gran."

"No one is getting past me."

He believed her. He gave Trish's hand a quick squeeze then slipped into the woods that ran behind the row of houses. on the side of the street. As he skirted Trogar's backyard, he could clearly see his brother, tied to a chair in front of the bay window in the kitchen. It was clearly a trap, but in spite of that, in spite of Flora's warning, all he could see was a ten year-old Trogar cowering away from their stepfather.

He'd taken two steps towards the house before he managed to wrestle himself under control. Even then, it was only his promise to Trish that kept him moving and gave him the strength to wait for what felt like an eternity but was no more than a few seconds before Eric arrived.

He arrived as a wolf, but shifted immediately so they could talk.

"Situation?"

Holdar filled him in and he nodded grimly.

"I'll go in the back -"

"No. I'm going after my brother."

Eric studied him for a moment, then nodded.

"All right. I'll go in the front door in wolf form. What's your plan?"

"Shoot everyone who isn't Trogar, Pippa, or Daisy."

"Simple enough. Signal when you're ready."

Eric shifted back and slunk off towards the front of the house while he crawled as close as he could to the kitchen door. He could see Trogar, a bloody rag tied around his arm. He was sitting upright, a defiant look in his eye.

"I won't tell you anything."

The man shrugged.

"It's not necessary. He'll come for you."

"Will he? I'm not so sure."

His chest ached. Did Trogar truly believe that, or was he trying to discourage the man holding his captive?

"You'd better hope he does." The man ran his thumb across his knife. "I don't think you're going to enjoy Plan B very much."

The sound of a window shattering came from the front of the house, followed by the sound of a shot. He took a deep breath, raised his own gun and kicked the back door open, shooting the man holding Trogar first. Eric burst through the front door as the second man appeared in the dining room, firing a shot at Trogar as he went.

Trogar cried out and fell, blood blooming on his chest. Holdar aimed his gun but the man ducked and a bullet ricocheted off the ceiling. He took aim again but Eric was in his way, the wolf tearing into the man, his fangs sinking deep into the man's throat as they went down together. The man struggled to raise his weapon but he was already losing the fight, and Holdar focused on his brother.

He was on his side on the floor, still tied to the chair, his breathing shallow and his face the same color as the bandage.

"Hold on," he urged, dropping to his knees beside his brother.

"Fine." His brother smiled, an oddly sweet smile. "Knew… you'd come."

"Always."

"Look… after… girls."

His brother's eyes closed again, but then Flora was there, along with Trish.

"Get Pippa," she snapped, and he raced for the stairs calling for her.

She appeared immediately, her face deadly pale as she followed him into the kitchen. Her knees buckled at the sight of Trogar, but he put his arm around her as Trish took a silently crying Daisy.

"Help's on the way," Flora said urgently. "Just make sure he holds on until they get here."

Pippa nodded and kneeled next to Trogar, stroking his head and whispering how much she loved him as they all waited. Gladys, his Gran's best friend and a powerful healing witch, flew into the room, followed almost immediately by Jeremiah, the local witch doctor. Gladys glared at him and opened her mouth but Gran cut her off before she could speak.

"He needs both of you. Put aside that petty shit and heal my grandson."

Her voice broke on the last word and when Jeremiah extended his hand, Gladys took it.

"Everyone out," Gladys ordered.

"I'm not leaving," Pippa said quietly, and after one look at her face, Gladys didn't argue.

The rest of them, even Gran, walked silently into the living room. For once he couldn't even take refuge in movement, just sat huddled in his chair, clinging to Trish's hand. Daisy fell asleep against Trish's shoulder, her small shoulders still shuddering with an occasional quiet sob. Gran had her eyes closed and for the first time that he could remember, she looked her age.

Her eyes suddenly flew open, and for the second time in his life, tears trickled down her cheeks. The first time had been when she found him and his brother living in that one tiny, dirty room.

"He's going to make it," Gran said, her voice shaking.

Gladys appeared in the doorway looking ten years older. Jeremiah looked just as bad but he had his hand under Gladys's arm to support her.

"He'll live, but he needs rest and food. Get as much into him as he can take. Start with soup, but give him solid food as soon as he can handle it."

Gladys's voice was a tired thread, and Jeremiah urged her gently towards the door. For a moment she looked as if she would argue, but then she sagged against him and let him lead her away.

"Right," Gran said in her usual no-nonsense tone. "Eric, help me get him into bed. I'll call Grondar and have him start cooking. Trish, take Daisy in to see Pippa."

Everyone obeyed and it wasn't until Trogar had been put to bed that Holdar got to see his brother. Pippa looked up as he entered, her face still pale but her smile radiant.

"I'll give you a minute. Just one."

He stood looking down at his brother, the color already starting to return to his skin, and struggled to find the words.

"I'm sorry I brought trouble with me."

"Nonsense. You brought your mate here because you knew you'd have help. It was the right thing to do."

"You almost died."

"But I didn't die. And you came, just like I knew you would. You've always been there for me, Holdar. I just wish you'd let yourself believe it."

"I love you, little brother."

"I know."

They smiled at each other and then Pippa was there shooing him away and Trish was waiting, her arms wrapping around him as the guilt that had haunted him for so long finally washed away.