18

I watched Dorghu take out a bunch of pots and pans and then he reached into his fridge and suddenly took out some frozen meat. I stared at the meat seeing dried blood on it and immediately I looked away closing my eyes as the events from earlier played in my head. My body started shaking some and I sighed lowly.

"No. I don't want that." I cried out gently. Dorghu looked back at me and I slowly looked at him with wet eyes and his eyes softened as he nodded.

"Okay. Okay. Cereal?" he asked and I just nodded quickly and he nodded and put everything away and then grabbed two bowls, one large one and one smaller one, and just filled them both up with cheerios and milk. He put two spoons in them and just came over toward his round table in the back of the room and I sat across from him.

"Thank you." I replied and just sat there for a moment staring at my cereal.

"Not much of an appetite." he said as if understanding and I nodded in agreement.

"It was so bad." I said looking up at him. "People just fell to the ground and blood was everywhere. The damage didn't get worse until the siren…" He watched me carefully, yet his eyes were soft and gentle.

"The siren?" he asked. I nodded.

"What happened down town was some type of plan, of what I had no idea. Humans were shot down in the streets like dogs. The shooter shot Kandomere but purposely missed me. Then they kill a siren child and her mother was going to level the city with her screams had I not… killed her." I said and shook my head. "None of it makes sense. None of it at all."

Normal POV

Kandomere's eyes never left the video footage, even as he removed his arm sling, his arm fully healed. He was looking at the alleyway outside the insurance building. Someone in black was indeed walking down the alley with a black brief case and Kandomere's eyes hardened.

"Freeze it." he demanded when he stared back at the bald-headed elf who was looking directly into the camera, middle finger staring right at Kandomere. His eyes filled with anger and he looked at Monte before moving from the room quickly.

"Do you have the trace on Odette's phone?" he asked as he walked swiftly down the hall. Monte was moving to keep up.

"Yes. She's at one of the orc ghetto's. Boss… the address belongs to orc gang leader, Dorghu." he said. Kandomere sighed heavily and shook his head with frustration, but it was not in his mate. It was in himself for pushing her into a putrid orcs arms. If she heard his thoughts, she would probably reprimand him for his thoughts.

"Let's move." he demanded.

O's POV

"Hey, you're free to stay here as long as you need to." Dorghu said and I shook my head.

"No. I couldn't do that. Your son needs you- your people. Whoever shot up the city will try it again and maybe do something worse and I have a feeling I will be the cause and I will not allow something to happen to you." I said and he smirked some.

"Why do you care so much about what happens to an orc?" he asked. I noticed he hadn't touched his cereal either. I shrugged.

"You're my friend, aren't you?" I asked gently and he nodded slowly.

"Yeah I'm your friend. And I'll always have your back." he said and I felt tears stream down my face as I looked away. I could see her face again, the mother I killed, the siren I stabbed in the throat.

"Fuck. I feel so undone. I don't know what to do, this has never happened to me before, where do I go? Who do I talk to, this is just all so fucked up! I killed a siren, my kind!" I was rambling now body shaking and Dorghu got up and came around to the table. He suddenly lifted me up bridal style and shushed me.

"It's okay. You went through a terrible thing today." he soothed and now he just sat on his couch and rocked me as I bawled into him. "You have every right to feel what you're feeling. The world is a dangerous place. I used to think if you were good you could never be touched by such impurities of the world. But the world is different- it's dying it's rotting away. We only have one life we have to survive it."

I curled up in his hold before and I just listened. I hear about orc on orc violence all the time. The seemed so black and white but now my world has just been stabbed brutally and everything is pouring out of me.

"You're so wise." I said flatly looking up at him. "I'm glad to have met you, Dorghu." I just leaned back onto his shoulder and he smiled leaning his head on mine.

"Yeah, me too." he said distantly. A feeling entered my body. Some body was near. I lifted my head up now.

"My mate is here." I said. Dorghu lifted his head toward the door and sat me off to the side.

"Good. I got some words I want say to him." he said icily before moving toward the door. How did he find me? I looked at my phone wondering if I had messaged him somehow in all my emotions and feelings. I hadn't. I realized he was a fed, he could find me through my phone. I closed my eyes some and slowly got up and moved toward the door once Dorghu had stormed out it. I stood in the door way and just watched. There were two squad cars parked in front and behind Kandomere's car. He was walking right up to Dorghu's house, Dorghu walking right up to him.

"You got some centaur size balls to bring your ass in this hood." he threatened stopping Kandomere in his place. His arm, it was healed. He was okay, thank god.

"Get out of my way, orc I am in no mood for your petty words." Kandomere threatened and Dorghu snorted in disgust.

"What you gonna shoot me?" he asked and Kandomere's frown intensified.

"I'm thinking about it." he said and Dorghu raised his arms.

"Half of L.A. is going to hell and all I see standing before me is fuck boy elf who decides to run off when his girl needs him most." he said. Kandomere stared up at Dorghu for a moment, tense eyes blinking a bit.

"You're not wrong." he said lowly and looked around him. "But I don't care who the hell you are. If you act like my enemy and stand in the way of MY mate, then you will become my enemy and I will have no problems cutting you down." I winced at his words and watched the interaction between the two species and Dorghu just looked him over some.

"You better step up or there'll be someone who will." he promised and Kandomere looked him over and for once I saw an inkling of intimidating in his eyes and he just nodded. Dorghu slowly stepped to the side and Kandomere just stood there staring at me. Immediately, his eyes shifted to a soft stare and he sped up to me. I just stared at him too tired to be angry at him, to defeated to feel anything but happiness for seeing him. He stood before me and I just stood there staring up at him, a single tear rolling down my cheek to show my disappointment in him. He exhaled and took my cheeks and kissed me deeply. To feel his lips against mine brought great comfort and joy to me and I placed my hands over his and he pulled back slowly.

"I'm so sorry for how I acted, for leaving you so vulnerable to the aftermath that is to come from all of this." he whispered. "I don't deserve you." I slowly pulled back from him caressing his cheek some.

"No you don't. But you get to make it up to me in the future." I said and he looked down some with regret.

"If you think you should stay here with them… then I will leave a car here to watch you." he said lowly. I looked him over some knowing that staying here in another man's home would weaken his mind and his emotions. And if I were in his shoes, I wouldn't want him staying at another woman's home.

"I'll got to your home while you all catch the son of a bitch who did this to us." I said and he looked up at me with relief in his eyes and he nodded. He massaged my cheek gently and nodded taking my hand and guiding me down the sidewalk. We stopped in front of Dorghu and Kandomere looked up at him.

"Thank you, for protecting her during these horrible times." he said. But Dorghu wasn't looking at him. He was looking at me smiling.

"I didn't do it for you," he said before looking down at him, "but remember what I said. Take care of her or another man will and that's a promise." I was stunned by his words but smiled nonetheless. Kandomere nodded.

"It will never come to that." he said and Dorghu smirked.

"You really think so?" he asked and Kandomere just stared at him for a second before continuing to pull me toward his car. Monte was waiting and opened the back door for me. Kandomere led me inside and then followed. I looked through the window at Dorghu as the car took off. I leaned into Kandomere and he embraced me and we just sat like that.

"I will understand, if, after this, you want to leave me. I would want you to. I ran at the first sign of trouble, you could have been seriously hurt, and I chose my pride over your feelings." he said lowly. I was still as I listened. "Elves, we mate for life, things were always simple, but now they aren't." I took in his words and remained staring at his lap.

"At least you let go of your pride enough to admit that. Not a lot of men could. But if I really thought about it, if I was you, I would have done the same. You were married to your job before I met you, and even though that isn't an excuse for what you did, I understand you ran to the very thing that brought you comfort because I too put you in a position to go there." I said and I feel his hand curling under my chin and he raises my face to meet his. His eyes were deep and serious.

"I will never abandon you again." he said soothingly. "No matter how hard or difficult things get, I am with you." I smiled gently and nuzzled into him.

"Good. I will hold you to that." I said. "So did you find out anything?"

"Yes. The shooter is an elf, he is Inferni. I don't know why they did this, but I am going to find out." He said darkly.

Author's Notes

Back yall. So there will be a Kandomere/Serafin fight coming soon. I will try and update my other fics as well. Stay tuned!