Page 36 of The Orc Protector's Secret Baby

My legs give way at last, sending me sprawling face-first onto the dusty ground. This is it. Darkness creeps into my vision as unconsciousness rushes to claim me. With my last shred of awareness, I manage to croak a single word:

“Help-”

Then, a blessedly familiar voice cuts through the haze. “Cagan!” Strong hands grab my shoulders and roll me onto my back. I gaze upward into the scarred face of Nevarth, a friend from Burning Sun. Never have I been so relieved to see someone.

I cling weakly to his arms as he bellows for healers. My head lolls but I force myself to stay awake. I am safe now. My body finally hits its limit. With Nevarth's reassurances ringing in my ears, I surrender to exhaustion and let the darkness take me.

I can fight no more today. But I swear I will find you, Hayden. This is not over.

20

HAYDEN

Ifeel so unbelievably lost. I hate having to leave Cagan like this, but he must not be burdened right now by my shocking news. I have no choice but to go and figure things out on my own. Feelings of fear and uncertainty surge through my body as I turn to take one last look over my shoulder at my camp.

The crisp morning air chills my skin as I venture deeper into the forest, my hand instinctively resting on my still-flat stomach. I never dreamed this could happen, that I could get pregnant. My old clan was so cruel, so convinced of my infertility that they were ready to end my life. But now, a tiny spark grows inside me - Cagan's child. Our child.

My heart swells at the thought, even as my mind races with worry. I have been so happy with Cagan, but my life isn’t fit for a baby. The timing...it's all wrong.

I’m too scared to tell Cagan about the pregnancy right now. What will he do? How will he react? He still has his life ahead of him as the destined leader of his clan. From his stories, his father Malamute is a strict and stubborn orc. What if Malamute and the Swordstone clan try to take my child away? Malamute would never accept a half-human grandchild, jeopardizing Cagan's power. I’m so terrified of losing my baby.

The thought makes my heart clench with fear. No, I can't risk that. Not when this child is the only family I have left. I must stay strong, for this new little life growing inside me. I will do whatever it takes to protect my baby.

The early morning sun filters through the leaves overhead, dappling the forest floor. I duck under a low-hanging branch, the morning dew damping my hair.

I'm truly on my own now. But I'm a survivor - I'll find a way through this. For my baby's sake, I have to. My hand lingers over my stomach, my heart bursting with a fierce protectiveness.

I suddenly remember the rumors spoken in my old clan of a human doctor living among the Burning Sun clan. Bonnie, they call her. Kind, caring. My feet turn in the direction of their village before I can talk myself out of it. I must see her.

With each step of the long journey, my nerves fray more and more. My trust in others is hardly existent these days. But what choice do I have? If the Burning Sun clan discovers me, an outsider pregnant with a half-orc child, they could easily banish me back to the unforgiving wilderness. Or even worse. I shudder at the thought. My options are severely limited though. I have nowhere else to turn for help. I have to at least try to seek out this human doctor named Bonnie. For my baby's sake, I must find a way.

I arrive on the outskirts under the cloak of nightfall. Their wooden walls loom, fires flickering within. Sneaking past the guards, I slip inside a back entrance to the healer's quarters.

"Hello?" I call out hesitantly.

A middle-aged woman appears, her brows rising. "Can I help you?"

I take a shaky breath. "Are you Bonnie? I was told you might help me."

She smiles kindly. "That's me. What seems to be the trouble?"

My eyes dart around nervously. "I'm pregnant. But you can't tell anyone, please. I just need some guidance."

Understanding crosses her face. "Of course, dear. Let's take a look, shall we?"

As she examines me, relief trickles through my veins. Maybe this will be okay.

Just then, a voice calls out from the other room. "Bonnie? Have you seen my-"

A young woman enters, stopping short when she sees me. My heart leaps.

"Hera?" I gasp.

"Hayden!" Her face lights up and she rushes forward to embrace me. "I thought you were dead! What happened?"

Tears spring to my eyes as I cling to her, the friend I never dreamed of seeing again. We catch up in a rush. She tells me how she’s made a home here.

"What about you?" she asks eagerly.