Chapter 8 – Billy
BILLY
Early morning comes with pale light streaming through thin curtains, and the sound of birds singing. The storm has passed. For a moment, disorientation clouds my mind, then the warm weight against my chest brings everything rushing back.
Carla.
Last night.
What we did.
What I almost did.
What I want to do again.
I ease away carefully, not wanting to wake her. She needs the rest, her body finally peaceful after the fever broke in the early hours. My forearm throbs where I bit myself, the wound already healing, but the memory is still sharp.
My bear paces restlessly beneath my skin, dissatisfied and agitated. He still wants to mark her. To complete what we started. To claim her as ours in the most primal, permanent way.
Except that wasn’t part of what Carla agreed to.
The urge had nearly overwhelmed me in the heat of passion.
Her scent, her sounds, the way her body moved with mine.
Everything had pushed me to the edge of control.
We fit so perfectly together. I’ve never experienced anything like it.
I’m still stunned by the strength of emotion that overtook me as we made love.
When I ducked my head to her neck, breathing in her scent at the source, my teeth had lengthened, ready to sink into the soft skin where her neck meets her shoulder.
The mating mark. One bite, and she’d be mine forever.
At the last second, I’d turned away, sinking my teeth into my flesh instead. The pain had cleared my head just enough to stop me from making an irrevocable decision for both of us. But not enough to stop me from burying myself deep inside her and filling her with my cum.
She hadn’t asked for a lifelong bond. Just relief from the heat that plagued her, that made her skin clammy, and her face pale the entire ride here from our meeting point with Beau.
But she’s ours, my bear insists. She belongs with us.
I shake my head, trying to clear it. This possessiveness isn’t like me. I’ve never felt this kind of pull toward anyone, this desperate need to protect, to claim, to keep.
What the hell is happening to me? The heat is more powerful than I ever realised.
I dress quietly and step outside, needing the cold air to clear my head. The world is transformed, the storm’s replaced by crystal blue skies. A perfect day for travel. For taking her to Grey Ridge.
Away from me.
The thought brings a physical pain I’m not prepared for. I lean against the motel wall, struggling with emotions I have no right to feel. She’s not mine. Not really.
Not yet, my bear whispers.
Maybe not ever, I correct.
She’s just escaped weeks of captivity. The last thing she needs is some possessive bear making demands when she needs to recover.
Mine, my bear growls, rejecting this line of thought entirely.
I groan. It’s too early for this.
I find a vending machine at the end of the building and buy a coffee. As I’m returning to the room, my phone buzzes. Beau.
“How is she?” Beau asks without preamble when I answer.
“Better. The worst of the fever broke around dawn.”
“Good. That’s good.” There’s a pause. “Listen, I need to give you a heads up. Word’s already spreading about what you did. Marcus says there’s a lot of anger in the clan right now.”
“I expected that.”
“It might be smart to give things a few days to cool down. Let Mitch get a handle on the situation before you show your face anywhere near Black River.” Another pause. “Besides, Carla probably needs some time after everything. Three weeks with Leon, then this... that’s a lot to process.”
I glance back at the room. “What are you suggesting?”
“I’ve paid for another night at the motel.
There’s also some cash waiting at the front desk if you need food or supplies.
Take today to let her recover properly. I’ve got Mason and Maddox watching the road to make sure you’re safe and nobody is coming for you.
Let her decide when she’s ready to face the world again. ”
“Beau…” I don’t know what to say. We’re brothers, but he’s been away for so long that we’ve drifted apart. But he’s come through for me in a way nobody else ever has.
“You’re my brother,” he says simply. “And from what I saw yesterday, she’s important to you. Take care of her. Take care of yourself. Everything else can wait.”
After we hang up, I lean against the wall, processing. Another night. Another day with her before reality crashes in.
When I return to the room, I find Carla stirring in bed, her eyes fluttering open.
“Morning,” I say, setting the coffee on the nightstand.
She stretches, then winces, a flush creeping up her chest. “Morning.”
“How are you feeling?” I ask, trying to gauge if the heat has truly passed.
She shifts restlessly under the sheets. “I thought it was over, but...” she trails off, biting her lip. “I woke up, and it’s building again.”
My bear perks up immediately, but I keep my voice steady. “What do you need?”
“I don’t know. Maybe a shower? Some food?” She sits up, the sheet falling to her waist, and we both freeze.
She’s naked beneath it, her skin flushed and glowing with perspiration. The air between us charges instantly.
“Carla,” I start, but she’s already moving, crawling across the bed toward me with intent in her eyes.
“Don’t,” she whispers. “Don’t overthink it. Just... please.”
My control snaps. I meet her halfway, our mouths crashing together in a kiss that’s all heat and need.
She pulls at my shirt, frustrated when it doesn’t come off fast enough.
“Too many clothes,” she complains against my mouth.
I strip quickly, then tumble her back onto the bed. This time, there’s no hesitation, no careful exploration. We know each other’s bodies now, know exactly what works.
When I slide into her, we both groan at the perfect fit. She wraps her legs around me, urging me deeper, faster.
“Yes,” she hisses, nails raking down my back. “Just like that.”
We move together frantically, chasing the relief we both need. When she comes apart beneath me, I follow immediately, my bear rumbling with satisfaction.
But it’s only a temporary reprieve.
Within an hour, she’s burning again. We barely make it through breakfast. She keeps shifting in her chair, pressing her thighs together, until finally, she gives up pretending.
“Billy,” she says, voice strained. “I need...”
“I know.” Already moving, I pull her onto my lap. “I’ve got you.”
This time, we don’t even make it to the bed. I take her right there in the chair, her hands braced on the table, as she rides me with desperate abandon.
“Don’t stop,” she gasps. “Please don’t stop.”
“Never.” I promise, gripping her hips to help her move. “Whatever you need.”
The day blurs into a haze of tangled limbs and sweat-slicked skin.
We make love in the shower when she tries to cool down. Against the wall when she can’t wait the ten steps to the bed. Slow and deep when the fever ebbs, fast and hard when it spikes.
“Is this normal?” she asks during a brief respite, curled against my chest. “It feels stronger than yesterday.”
“I don’t know.” I admit, stroking her hair. “But we’ll get through it together.”
She nods, already squirming again as the heat builds. “I’m glad you’re here. I don’t think I could handle this alone.”
“You’ll never have to.” I promise, then capture her mouth before either of us can think too hard about what that means.
By evening, we’re both exhausted, but the heat shows no signs of breaking completely. We’ve ordered food twice from the diner, barely tasting it between bouts of need.
“One more night,” I tell her as we lie tangled in sheets that desperately need changing. “Beau arranged it. We don’t have to leave until you’re ready.”
“Good,” she murmurs, already drifting toward sleep. “Because I don’t think I can move right now, anyway.”
I pull her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple. Tomorrow, we’ll have to face the world, answer questions, and make decisions. But right now, in this moment, there’s just us and this inexplicable pull between us.
My bear settles, content for now, with our mate in our arms. Tomorrow’s problems can wait.
Tonight, she’s ours.