Chapter 16
“Turn here.” It’s the first words he’s spoken since we left our house. His voice pulls me back to reality, and I jerk the steering wheel at the last minute, turning down the dirt road, dense brush caging us in. “Keep driving until you can’t.”
I follow his directions, stopping once we meet a dead end. It’s dark now, and once I turn off the car and the headlights shut off, I can barely see a thing. Thank God for the full moon above us. Derek gets out of the car, speaking to me across the seats before shutting the door, “Follow me.”
“Where are we going?” I ask, my eyes finally adjusting, picking up on the stars and moonlight. I pull my bag out from the back of my parents’ spare car.
“Somewhere we’ll be safe.”
I figured he’d have a place we could hide; he has a hidden identity after all, and I always remember him running off somewhere in high school, but he never verbalized where.
Now, as I follow him through a narrow, overgrown trail through the woods, I wonder if he’s taking me to a cave or a fort made of fallen trees.
He’s a bear. He probably doesn’t need much in the way of lodging.
I, on the other hand, would prefer a roof over my head and a door I can lock.
I’ve always enjoyed nature, ironic since I loved my life in the city, but I don’t know how long I can rough it, even with a sexy bear to keep me company.
It’s fine. We need somewhere we can lie low for a day or two until we figure out what’s next.
Lightning glints across the sky, only visible in fragments through the overhead branches.
Man, I really hope he has a hidden log cabin or something.
We trek through the woods, still not talking. I’m quickly out of breath as I dodge tree limbs and jump over exposed roots. My attempts at stealth end, and I trip, yelping as I hit the ground.
“Isabella!” Derek swoops me into his arms, turning me to him, his eyes working frantically to inspect every inch.
He grabs my arm, still wrapped with one of my shirts.
Desperation burrows in the lines stemming from his eyes.
It’s almost as if he went somewhere else, and now he’s remembering the injury he caused.
I pull my arm back. “I’m fine. Really.” It’s the truth. My arm doesn’t hurt. The bleeding has stopped. He freaked out before we left our house, but now, looking at him closely, I realize how close he is to a panic attack.
I move to comfort him, but it’s too late.
He stands with me in his arms and races through the woods.
Thunder claps from overhead, and I glance at his harsh features, illuminated by a crack of lightning.
I cling to him, burying my head in his chest. Surely he’s using some part of his bear strength, as we’re racing faster than humanly possible.
He stops as the first trickle of rain hits my cheek, stomping up the steps and opening a rickety door.
Could I really have manifested a cozy log cabin?
We’re still enough for me to take in my surroundings.
Okay, it’s better than a cave, but definitely not a dream woods vacation destination.
There are two single cots on either side of the one-room hut.
An old-fashioned stove sits between the beds at the back of the small room.
“Where are…” I can’t finish the question. Derek hurries to a bed and lays me down, crouching over me, his thighs caging me in on either side.
“I’m so sorry!” He unwraps my wrist, bringing my wound into his line of vision to inspect.
“Derek, it’s okay.”
“No, I hurt you. My mate. My mate.” He kisses the cuts, and I try to pull back.
It’s dark, but Derek left the door open, and my eyes slowly adjust to the lighting and the full moon, thankfully not hidden by storm clouds.
He’s growing more frantic by the moment, tears welling in his eyes and his scruff rubs against my sensitive skin, opening up the cut again. Blood smears across his face.
“Ow, Derek. Stop. It’s okay.”
I shouldn’t have shown pain, because his eyes grow wider and fur emerges from his temples.
He folds over me. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he murmurs in my ears.
His hands trail down my neck to my shoulder, to my sides.
He bucks against me, his hardened length spearing under his gray t-shirt, which I’m still wearing.
I’m terrified. He’s not himself. I’ve never seen this version of him before, desperate, completely out of control.
I’m unsure if he’ll hurt me, and if so, how much worse off he’ll be once he realizes.
I push him back slightly, surprised it’s possible, and cup his jaw, bringing my lips to his.
I kiss him deeply. My intended effect works, and his jitters cease.
He zones in on my lips, settling into the kiss, his body relaxing on top of mine.
His heart beat slows, and his hands trail down my side and over until they meet my breasts.
He bucks against me, and I part my legs wider.
I pop off his lips to release a moan, arching my neck.
He moves my bathing suit bottoms to the side and pulls himself out of his sweatpants, making quick work to push himself inside of me.
There’s no teasing, no anticipating. He needs a quick release to ground himself and I’m happy to give it to him, to take him completely.
He ruts inside of me, his head falling in the crook of my neck. “Isabella,” he says with a shaky breath while completely sheathed. He holds my breasts as if he lets go, he’ll lose himself, pounding into me without reserve.
I cry out, and he stops, his eyes wide and inspecting. I run a hand down his neck. “It’s okay, it’s good. So good. Keep going.”
He gulps, and fear blinks behind his eyes, but he continues thrusting, lowering his head to my neck.
I stroke down his back and whisper soothing sounds into his ear.
His frantic murmurings don’t cease, even as his pumps increase in speed.
“Isabella,” he says over and over again, until he sputters, coating my insides with globs of cum.
His knot expands at my entrance, and even though there’s pain, there’s so much pleasure, but still pain.
I bit my tongue, not wanting to worry him.
“My mate. My mate.” He repeats the phase until he’s depleted, settling on top of me while putting most of his weight on his knees and elbows.
“Shh,” I whisper, still stroking his back, listening to the pitter-patter of rain on the tin roof above.
His body heavies as he drifts off to sleep, and I fall with him, the last thought flickering out of consciousness—what does he mean by mate?