The Orcs Pregnant Mate

Seven

Raine

When I open my eyes, I see my own face staring back. But as I watch, the face smiles, and I realize it's not my reflection but my sister.

"River?" I croak out. My throat hurts and I feel like I've been asleep for days. "How?" I try and ask. The last time I had seen my sister she was hiding in the back of a wagon, hopefully on her way far from the breeders that we had been sold to.

River nods and holds a cup to my lip, "drink, it'll help."

I do as she tells me and my throat is immediately soothed, "what happened?"

She looks at me guardedly, "you don't remember?"

"I remember... not feeling well. And being hot even though it was so cold out. And... Mako maybe?" I look around for my orc but she's nowhere to be seen, "where is she?"

River holds my hand gently, "I sent her out. We need to talk first."

"Ok," I say slowly.

She takes a breath, "first I want to tell you how grateful I am for you."

"For what?" I hadn't done anything, had I? "Riv, none of this is making sense. How are you here? Not that I know where here even is. And why did you send Mako away?"

"I'm getting there," she tells me. "You got me away from the breeders Raine. You saved my life. The wagon you got me on belonged to the Icebear Clan and they took me in. I mated one of their people, Tuluk, and we are expecting a child," she says as her hand wanders to her belly.

Now that I focus on her, I can see the swell of her belly under the furs that she's wearing. "Are you happy?" I ask, because really, that was all that mattered.

She nods, "life here is so much better then back in the village. Our mates take care of us, so much so that it can get overwhelming at times but they mean well." She pauses for a moment before continuing, "and speaking of mates, we need to talk about Mako. How much have you told her about.. our past?"

"Almost nothing," I admit. "She knows I don't like to be touched suddenly, or to be boxed in."

River nods, "I figured you hadn't told her."

"Where is she?" I ask again.

"Raine, when they brought you here, the healer had to cut your clothes off," she says softly. "And Mako was here."

The realization of her words hit me slowly, "so she saw?"

She nods, "she saw. And she was furious. Not at you," she says quickly, seeing the panic that must have flashed across my face. "She was angry at the people who marked her mate." She breathed shakily, "she wanted to know who would do such a thing and I.. told her about the breeders. I didn't tell her much, just that they were bad people. But you should tell her the rest."

I shake my head slowly, "I don't think I can. What if she doesn't want me anymore?" The thought terrified me and I suddenly realized that the idea of Mako not wanting me anymore almost broke my heart.

River squeezes my hand, "Raine, orcs mate for life. The only way she'd leave you is if she died and orcs are very hard to kill."

Her words settle my fear slightly, "that's good to know I guess."

"There's something else though Raine," my sister tells me. "Something the healer wasn't sure if you knew about or not."

From the tone of her voice I can guess what her next words will be, "don't say it," I beg. "Please."

"I have to Raine," she says softly.

"I already know," I tell her. "I've known for months. How could I not? So please, don't say it out loud." I'm begging her now, my voice breaking as tears stream down my face. "It becomes real if you say it and I don't want it to be real."

My sister looks at me with such sorrow that it breaks my heart. "But it is real Raine, and it's not going to go away."

My shoulders heave as I sob, as all the emotions I've buried over the last three months come flooding up. I sob until it feels like I'm going to throw up, and I vaguely hear River talking. Her small hand is replaced by a large body and strong arms, and a scent I've grown to know and love.

Mako holds me until her shirt is drenched and my tears are all spent. Only after I've calmed does she ask so softly, "what has made my mate so upset?"

I don't want to answer her. I don't want to admit my past to her, to tell her what the breeders have done, but I know I can't hide from it anymore. My hands grip the front of her shirt as I whisper, "I'm pregnant."

Mako's arms never loosen their grip on me. "Yes, I know," she says calmly.

Startled, I pull back from her, "how?"

"I've know since the first night. Orcs have a very good sense of smell," she explains.

"You could.. smell the... child?" I whisper. "And you still mated me?" When she nods all I can ask is why. Why would she want me, a pregnant mate?

She pulls me back into her gently, "I have never cared for males," she says. "But all I have wanted in my life is a mate and a family of my own. I knew the fates wouldn't give me a male mate when the time came, so I made peace with the fact that I would never be a mother. But that would be alright as long as I had my mate, we would be a family. And then I saw you, scented you and you smelled of fear and of a child." She takes a shaky breath before continuing, "and I dared to hope that maybe, here was a female who was with child that could be the one I had been looking for." She kisses the top of my head gently as she says, "and you were. You are everything I have ever wanted and more."