“Silence!”
Abby saw Hula shrink in fear. There was hatred in her eyes, and she wondered whether it might be directed at Morok and not at her.
“I don’t believe that you’re sick,” Morok told Abby. “You are lying, hoping I would change my mind. Tell me. Are you really sick? Because if you are, I have no use for you, and I will have to kill you.”
Abby shook her head. “N-no. I’m... I’m not sick. I lied...” She choked on the words. But she believed him when he said he would kill her. She could see in his eyes that he was cruel. He didn’t care about anyone. If Hula was his mate and he treated her this way, Abby couldn’t hope to get any mercy from him.
“Always be truthful to me,” he said. “If you lie again, I will know.”
He wasn’t very bright, then. But that only made him more dangerous.
“Hula the Relentless is my mate,” he continued. “I will keep you for breeding and nothing else. If your sister can give Uthar a child, then you can give me a child.”
“But she’s thin and ugly,” Hula hissed. “Do you want ugly children, my mate?”
“Shut up! The orclings will all look like me. After she gives me two, I will get rid of her.”
“Good,” Hula whispered. And Abby could see that his promise eased her pain a little.
Morok took a step to the right, but he had nowhere to go. He frowned in displeasure. The space was too cramped for him to pace.
“This is temporary,” he said. “I will take over my father’s town, and we will all live there. Maybe I’ll even let you live in your own home if you behave and cause no trouble. I don’t care what you do with yourself as long as you come when I ask and open your legs to receive my seed. Hula and I will move into Uthar’s house. I might spare your sister, too.”
“You can’t spare her,” Hula said. “She carries Uthar’s baby.”
“She will have the baby, I will get rid of it, and then I’ll have two human females for breeding,” he said. “Shut up and let me do the planning.”
“Yes, of course.”
His plans were insane. Nothing was going to happen the way he imagined because Abby knew that Uthar the Hunter would never allow it. He loved Beth in a way that was out of this world. The kind of love that her sister and her mate shared... Abby hadn’t even seen it in movies.
Meanwhile, there was no love in Morok’s life. Someone like him couldn’t prevail. So, Abby only had to stay calm and keep him happy. Make him believe that his delusions had a chance to become reality. The cockier he was, the easier it would be for Uthar and his horde to eradicate him.
She hung her head and let a tear slip down her cheek.
He reached out and took her chin between his fingers, forcing her to look into his dark eyes.
“Don’t cry, little bird.” Then, to Hula, “She’s frail like a bird, isn’t she?”
“She is. Too frail. If she gets pregnant, she might not be able to carry the baby to term.”
“Oh, shut up already with your negativity.” He let go of Abby and stepped out of the room. “I have to get ready. Don’t forget to lock the door. Don’t be deceived by her looks. She will try to escape if she’s given the chance. And if she does, I will never forgive you, Hula.”
Abby saw the female orc shiver. Not in fear, but maybe in anger? Humiliation? Her own mate was treating her like she was trash.
“Don’t worry. Your little bird won’t escape her cage.”
Morok grunted and walked away. Hula didn’t close the door behind him. Keeping it open was the only way they could have some light to see each other’s faces. She approached Abby, forcing her with her back against the far wall.
“I hate you,” she hissed. “I hate your sister, too.”
“We never did anything to you.”
“Soon, Morok will see that you can’t give him children, and he will throw you away. Maybe he’ll give you to me, as a gift, and I can think of a few things I could do to you.”
Abby realized she couldn’t reason with her. She pursed her lips and steeled herself. If she was lucky, Hula would get some things off her chest, then leave her alone.
“He’s the one who can’t have children. Not me. Borrin the Dancer told me. He’s our mage. He told me in confidence, and Morok must never hear the truth. If you say a word, I will slit your throat.”