17. Kharag

How the fuck had I been so wrapped up in our mate that I left not only her, but all of us open to attack? I knew the goblins were still a distance away, well occupied by the traps and distractions I'd laid for them. But they weren't the only enemies out there. And where the fuck was Nuar? Some guard hound he was.

I scanned the clearing, looking for the beast, but he was still scouting behind us, most likely where I had left him. Jarrus, however, after the initial scare, was striding across the clearing, his hand outstretched, his ax lowered.

"Ragon! You've grown up, lad. Last time I saw you, you could barely lift an ax!"

The young minotaur, his tawny mane not as grown out as Jarrus's, indicating his youth, scowled at Jarrus. "Maybe you should come home more often, Uncle Jarrus."

He peered around the larger male. But I stepped between them and lifted one of the furs to cover our mate. Olivia scrambled for clothes to cover herself, her face scarlet. "Who is that, Uncle?"

Jarrus also positioned himself between the younger male and our mate. "She is our mate."

"Your mate? Both of you?" His bushy eyebrows drew together in confusion. "You share her? With an orc?"

"Kharag's clan has long been an ally of ours and he has been a companion and fellow warrior of mine for many years."

The male sniffed. "The elders might have something to say about this."

Jarrus quickly pinned the younger male to a tree, establishing dominance. "The elders will hear nothing of this until I am ready to tell them. Is that clear, Ragon?"

Ragon's eyes widened, and he lowered his head in compliance. "You have goblins on your trail. We found a couple of scouts who came around to trap you. We took care of them. But where there are a few, more follow."

Jarrus and I exchanged looks. The traps were not as effective at slowing them as I had hoped. "They seek our mate, through foul means, even though we won her fair."

The younger male spat in disgust. "Goblins never play fair. You cannot fight them. And I only have a youth, Varaz, barely experienced enough to battle, to assist."

Jarrus shook his head. "You should leave us. Go to the herd and get assistance. We will make haste to meet you and hope to outrun the goblins."

Ragon spat again. "Running from goblins. It's a disgrace."

Kharag raised an eyebrow. "Do you have another option?"

Ragon's gaze stole to Olivia, who had emerged fully clothed from behind the fur to stand beside me. Reluctantly, he shook his head. "Not with a mate to protect. She could ride with me."

His gaze was heated, and I knew what he was suggesting. I scowled. "She doesn't need another mate."

He shrugged. "Isn't it her choice?"

Olivia took a step forward, her chin lifted in defiance. "She is right here and doesn't need or want another mate. Especially not one so arrogant."

Jarrus and I both stifled laughs at the disgruntled expression on the younger male's face. "She needs to learn manners."

"Maybe you do," she retorted.

"Enough, mate." I laid a hand on her shoulder and she subsided. "Will you help us?"

He nodded. "I will run to the herd and seek help. Move fast. The goblins are coming quickly."

He slipped away into the forest, and Jarrus turned a troubled look to me. "We leave everything and move out now."

I inhaled and noted that Olivia scented of us. It might be faint, but it would grow over time. The claim had taken. Olivia was claimed, but I didn't believe the goblins would honor that claim.

I nodded. "We stick together and go as far as we can."

Brushes crashed and Nuar raced into the clearing, blood caked on his muzzle. We had just run out of time.