Alwen: A year ago, one of the males in my village hurt me. When he tried to do it a second time, I took care of that problem—permanently. Then I'm selected for the annual Monster Mate Hunt where two village women must enter the forest to be claimed as an orc's bride. If an orc tries to take me, I'll handle him just as I did the man in my village.

To my dismay, I'm captured by a band of treacherous thieves. I'm planning my escape when an enormous, snarly orc attacks the camp. He slays the thieves and announces I'm his fated mate.

I won't go down without a fight. If only I didn't swoon whenever he comes near.

Zickar: I have one purpose: to find my brother, Dakur, and bring him back to our clan. When the path leads me to Alwen, she sparks my clan pendant, proving she's mine. She fights me at every turn, and I can tell she was hurt in the past. This pretty maiden deserves to be treated gently, and I'm just the male to do it. In no time, I can't imagine a life without her.

But when someone steals her from me, I'll cross the ends of the continent to save her. Alwen's my fated mate, and I'll do anything to make her mine.

Contains mature themes.