2. Ivy

It doesn't take long before we are deep into the swamp. Forbidden lands to my people but home to the orcs. My head is still spinning with the events of the evening, but I decide to focus my thoughts on my current predicament, hanging over the shoulder of my captor. When the beast first slung me over his back, I spent all my energy kicking and screaming until I completely exhausted myself. I quickly realized that any attempt to escape him while I was in his arms was futile. So, instead, I resigned myself to tracing the sharp lines of his muscles without making contact with his skin.

Despite his firm grasp around my waist and being in nothing but my undergarments, I determined that brushing my fingertips across his back would feel too intimate. Alternatively, I opted to use my imagination. Luckily, I didn"t have to use much of it. The male only wears trousers and a few leather straps across his chest to sheath his swords. Everything else was exposed green skin. That lasted until the darkness enveloped us. Now, I am left with nothing but frantic thoughts swimming through my mind.

I shake my head, trying to distribute the blood that has concentrated on my skull. I shift uncomfortably, which only causes the creature to tighten his grip.

I roll my eyes. Like I could possibly get away. I had already tried that and quickly learned how pointless it was. I even thought about grabbing one of the swords strapped to his back. I knew I could wield it, just not from this position. The blades were not a standard length for humans; no, these were approximately double the size. I couldn"t even remove them from their sheath at my current angle.

For reasons I still don"t understand, this beast has no intention of letting me go. And to my dismay, I have no choice but to accept it for now.

"You." His guttural voice repeats in my head over and over again. The way he said it, with such possessiveness, scared me in more ways than one. What could this creature possibly want from me? He hasn"t muttered a word since he slung me over his shoulder. And for fuck's sake, I don"t even know his name. My uncomfortable thoughts make me squirm again, and he grunts his disapproval.

I freeze in response. Did he really just grunt at me? I try my best to let out a controlled, steady exhale, but this beast is testing my nerves. I"ve accepted being his captive. I have accepted being carried around like a sack of grain, by the gods. By the gods, I even accepted my lack of dignity. But what I won"t accept is disrespect. One moment, I was picking sweet berries, and then the next, I was stolen from my home by the very beasts I"d only ever heard about in stories. The least he could do was speak to me.

"Put me down now!" I grit out every word. I"m tired, hungry, and, more than anything, sick of being scared.

"Do you hear me, foul beast? I said put me down now!" I pitch my voice, beating my fist against his back. He probably won"t let me go, but that doesn"t mean I can"t make it increasingly uncomfortable for him. I will wield whatever power remains. And right now, that means being the most annoying human he has ever met. A thought passes my mind: Has he even met any other humans?

"I can barely feel my arms! Now put me do—" I yelp as I"m suddenly thrust back over his shoulder and onto the wet mossy ground. The world won"t stop spinning. I don"t even attempt to stand as I know I will simply fall back on my ass. Although I can"t see anything, I feel the beast"s presence approach and loom over me. Without looking up at him, I can sense his predator"s gaze. My skin prickles at the sensation. I fear him, yet there"s something else I can"t describe. I exhale steadily, but this time to calm my nerves, not my frustration.

"Welcome home," the male mutters. "You want to walk? Walk."

He grabs me by my arm with a commanding grip that pulls me to my shoeless feet. I let out a little squeak as I feel the moisture from the ground seep into my black stockings. The sensation makes my skin crawl and provides a momentary distraction from his words. Did he just say...home? This is it? But there are no other orcs. Maybe there are, and I just can"t see them.

Even in the dark, I wasn"t prepared for how utterly exposed I feel. My legs wobble underneath me. I don"t know how long we have been traveling, but it was long enough for my legs to lose sensation. Without thinking, I grab onto the orc"s strong forearms to steady myself. He makes a low groan that could be interpreted as pain, but that wouldn"t make sense. Surely, my hands could not affect this creature"s thick skin.

"Fine," I bite out. I want him to know that I will walk on my own, not because he told me to. I push off of his arm and start walking. I use my hands and small steps to guide me in the pitch black. The male behind me places a gentle hand on my back, and my spine goes rigid in response. His touch…unnerves me. I wouldn't expect something his size to be so tender.

My hands finally brace something, which I realize is some kind of railing. Soon after, my feet hit a platform, which could mean only one thing…stairs.

I swallow my humorless laugh. The orc didn"t release me because I demanded it. He did it simply because we reached his lair or whatever the fuck this is. What is his aim now? To watch me struggle up these stairs? To embarrass me? I"ve been embarrassed enough for a lifetime.

I pause briefly, and I can feel him rustle behind me. I weigh my options; I can either attempt to do this on my own or ask him to carry me…

Fuck both options. I"m not doing either.

I plop back to the ground in defiance. Sure, it's childish, but it's the only move I have.

"Move, female," the orc grunts out. He sounds almost tired. Perhaps his patience is also running thin.

That makes two of us.

Instead of responding, I simply clamp my mouth shut. Maybe if I pretend like I didn"t exist, I will be left alone. One can only hope.

"Female!" The beast reaches down to pull me upright, but I let my body go completely slack. He howls out his frustration. "You infuriating creature! I"ve had enough of this." And with those words, I am once again scooped up in his arms. So much for making it difficult for him.

I cross my arms against my chest and do my best to avoid eye contact, which is easier said than done. It's like the darkness enveloped everything but his amber eyes.

Before I know it, we have ascended the staircase. He kicks down the door, and a small lit candle in the corner of the cabin illuminates the small space. It takes a few moments for them to adjust, but soon, I make out the countless blades that cover the entirety of the walls. They're…breathtaking. Did he make all of these? They distract me from the simplicity of the room. Aside from the blades, there's only a decently sized straw bed, no doubt to accommodate his size, a table, and a singular chair. It seems like he doesn"t entertain much.

However, the moment of observation is short-lived as he steps towards the bed, reaching it in only a few strides. Fear spikes in my chest. Despite what townspeople think of me, I am not knowledgeable in the way of sex. I can"t—I won"t do this with him. Before my panic can find its way to the surface, the beast simply tosses me onto the crunchy bed.

"Hey!" I shout accusingly.

"That"s what you get for acting like a child," he scolds.

"Me?" I gape at him, completely dumbfounded by his words. I can finally make out his face under the candlelight. I swear my heart skips a beat, so I rub the space below my clavicle. Indeed, this is caused by the anxiety of everything I have endured today and not by this creature"s appearance. His features are sharp yet uncharacteristically handsome. Because of his height, I have to crane my neck upwards to get a good look at him. He doesn"t shrink under my observation; instead, he holds firm. If he intends to intimidate me, it"s working.He isn"t lean in the slightest, and his muscles bulge, making him the most heavily built male I have ever seen.

"You cannot be seriously scolding me after you just broke into my home and whisked me away against my will. Not to mention, you assaulted my uncle. Thanks to you, he is without one hand."

"Your uncle," he growls, "should be happy he still has his head."

I let out a humorless laugh. This conversation is utterly ridiculous. "What is it that you want with me?" I ask flatly.

"To be my bride," he answers plainly.

My blood runs cold. No. Surely not. Without thinking, I grab one of the blades from the wall and assume the fighting stance my father taught me all those years ago. To my surprise, the orc doesn"t even flinch, but I don't let his dismissive glare deter me. People have been underestimating me my whole life. My father always said to use people"s misplaced perceptions of you against them. So, I harden my resolve to fight the beast for my life.

"That is impossible. I"m not suitable for marriage. Did someone pay you for this? Did my uncle pay for this? To steal me away as some cruel joke. What? I"m so undesirable that only an orc would marry me."

I don"t miss him flinching at my last sentence, but instead of reacting in anger, he simply lets out a sigh of exasperation.

"You don"t belong to your uncle or any other male. No one paid me. No one bribed me. And no one forced me. They wouldn"t dare, for it would mean their death. You are mine simply because I wished it."

I fiddle with the sword"s grip, and I can tell he notices. My heart skips a beat, and I immediately know it will cost me. The sword"s hilt weighs heavy in my hand. I didn"t exactly have time to pick out one that fit me, now did I?

The best bet I have is to go in for the attack, so that"s exactly what I do. The creature counters me with little to no effort, pinning my arms and stealing the blade. I scream out in frustration and grit my teeth at him. But as he looks down at me, I swear a faint smile dances across his lips.

"I"m not someone you want to marry," I whisper.

"Why? Because you intended to marry someone else. That is why you wear all white, isn"t it? I don"t care who the male is; you are mine and the only one I want to marry." He stares so deeply into my eyes that I feel like he sees my soul stripped naked. It scares me completely, and his words make me want to cry. Why is he doing this to me?

"I-I," I stumble on my words, not knowing which one of his words to address. The preposterous notion that anyone would want to marry me or that I would ever be caught dead being married in my undergarments. I decide to comment on the latter.

"This isn"t a wedding dress! These are my…well…they are my underwear." I look towards the ground, embarrassed to look at him as I continue, "Besides, no one would want to marry me. You included. I do not have my virtue. You see...I"m not a virgin. I"m spoiled goods." The admission is still painful to admit, even to this creature.

I brace myself to look at his horrified expression, but what I see is only confusion. He looks at me with an inquisitive brow, like what I said meant nothing to him. Now, it"s my turn to stare at him with confusion. He has to care. Everyone cares about a woman"s virtue. My people have practically shunned my uncle and I since the rumor spread that I no longer have my maidenhood.

"I, too, am no virgin." He pauses, leans towards me, causing me to squirm, and takes a deep whiff. "And you do not smell spoiled to me."

"But you are a—" I stop myself before saying the word man to describe the being before me. Because he is no man.

"You don"t care that I am not a virgin?"

"Why the fuck would I care about that?" His voice carries a tinge of irritation like he doesn"t understand why this is even a discussion. Now, his proposition scares me even more. The orc, whom I still don"t know the name of and who intends on marrying me, pulls me close into his embrace, and for the first time, I feel the outline of his angry boner. My breath catches in my throat as he whispers, "Listen to me and listen to me closely. I don"t care who claimed your heart before; your pussy is mine."

Despite my better judgment, my core tightens. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to get a handle on the situation and my spiraling feelings. He pulls back, and without his presence, I feel like I"m going to fall. I grab onto the bedpost as he makes his way to the door.

"Get some rest. In the morning, we will leave for The Chosen One."

"The chosen what?" I try to make sense of his words.

"The Chosen One. It is a tree deep in the swamp. It"s where my people go to complete a marriage and their mating bond. Tonight will be your only chance to get a full night"s sleep before I fill each and every one of your holes with my seed."

He pauses for a response, but I have lost the ability to form words. I notice the subtle clench of his jaw before he opens the door to leave.

"Wait!" I stumble towards him, and he slowly turns from the door.

"W-what is your name?" I whisper.

"Evrin."

Silence fills the room before I remind myself of my manners. Although everything that has transpired between us states that we are well past formalities, manners are the only thing I can control now. I simply respond, "My name is Ivy."

"I know." And before I know it he has left the cabin, closing the door behind him.

I should welcome the distance, but his lack of presence makes our interactions sink deeper. It"s like his very being is seeping into my bones. Perhaps the shock is wearing off, but a sudden wave of despair washes over me. I hug my waist, willing myself not to cry. I haven"t felt this alone since that dreadful night four years ago.

CLINK CLINK CLINK.

The rhythmic noise of metal clanking guides me over to a small window. I let out a subtle gasp as I realize the cabin is built into the trees. I have the perfect view of the orc, whom I now know as Evrin, as he works on crafting another blade for his bountiful collection.

"A blacksmith," I whisper to myself, sniffling. "Well, Ivy, it"s a good thing you know your way around a blade."

I may not be able to take Evrin one-on-one, but at some point, an opportunity to escape will present itself. I will harden my resolve, and by then, I will be ready.