Chapter 9 – Billy
BILLY
Ispot the motel manager stepping out of the office with a steaming mug in hand. He clearly keeps the good stuff for himself.
“Morning,” he calls, lifting his cup in greeting.
I nod. “Roads clear yet?”
“Yeah, I just took a trip into town to get some supplies. Any downed trees are already gone.” He digs into his pocket. “Your brother called. Asked me to sort you out with a rental.”
“Thanks,” I say sullenly, taking the keys, disappointed that we have no excuse to stay here now that I have a means of transportation.
When I open the door, I find Carla already up and dressed in the clothes Beau provided, her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. All signs of last night’s intimacy erased, as if it never happened.
“Morning,” I say, keeping my voice neutral despite the way my heart pounds at the sight of her.
Her eyes don’t quite meet mine. “Morning.”
The awkwardness stretches between us, made worse by the memory of her body wrapped around mine.
“About last night,” she begins, still not meeting my eyes. “My heat… I’m sorry I put you in that position.”
Sorry? My stomach drops.
“You needed me. I was happy to help.” My voice comes out gruffer than intended, and I wince at my awkward choice of words.
“I feel better now, so you can relax. We can get to Grey Ridge, and I’ll take some herbs to manage my symptoms.”
She studies me for a moment, eyes searching my face. “Did you… did you bite yourself?”
The question catches me off guard. “Yes,” I say finally, unable to lie to her.
She looks at me; the cogs turning as she mulls over what that means. “That’s not... Bears don’t...” She stops, seeming unsure how to continue.
“Don’t what? Mate for life?” I let out a humorless laugh. “We’re not as driven by it as wolves, but when we find someone worth keeping, we’re just as committed.”
Her face pales slightly. “I didn’t… I know Marcus and Leila mated, but…”
“I don’t know. Maybe it was the heat.” I interrupt, not wanting to hear her explain again how last night wouldn’t be happening again.
The drive to Grey Ridge is silent and tense. I try not to think about what waits when my father catches up to me. Leon will know by now that I helped Carla escape. There will be consequences, possibly violent ones.
As we approach the packhouse, a lone wolf steps forward from the treeline, doing a double take when he sees Carla in the passenger seat.
“How the… Thank god. We were all so worried.”
Carla tenses beside me. “Can I come in?” she asks quietly, as though worried she’s no longer welcome.
“Of course,” he says, then his gaze narrows on me, and a growl escapes him.
“He helped me escape,” she explains quickly.
“I know you’re not your father, and we appreciate your help, but my wolf is struggling. You might get the same reaction when you drop Carla up to the packhouse. It might be better if you don’t stick around, at least until everyone calms down.”
At the main house, a woman with sleek black hair rushes forward. “Carla? We’ve been so worried!”
Her words cut off as she registers my presence. “This is Billy Lennox,” Carla explains. “Marcus’s brother. He helped me escape from his father’s compound.”
The woman studies me for a long moment. “I’ll call Marcus and let him know you’re here. And Billy is welcome to stay in Grey Ridge as long as he needs.”
I shake my head. “Thank you, but no. I need to check on my brothers, make sure they’re safe after what I’ve done.”
Carla’s head snaps up, her eyes meeting mine for the first time in hours. “You’re leaving?”
“I have to,” I say, though what I really want to say is, Only if you want me to. Tell me to stay, and I will. “But if you need me...”
Something flickers across her face before her expression shutters again. “You should go,” she says softly. “Your family needs you.”
My bear howls in protest, but I nod, accepting her decision.
Outside, Carla holds the car door, her fingers touching mine, and the brief contact sends a jolt through me.
“Thank you,” she says, stepping back quickly. “For everything.”
I search her face, looking for some sign that last night meant something to her. Some indication that this isn’t really goodbye.
“Will you be okay?” I ask, unable to help myself.
“I’ll be fine,” she says, not meeting my eyes. “I just need rest.”
“If you need anything...”
“I won’t.” The words come out harsher than I think she intended.
“Goodbye, Carla.”
“Goodbye, Billy.”
Two simple words that feel like they’re tearing something vital out of my chest. I drive away, my bear demanding I go back, that I not leave our mate alone and unprotected.
Immediately, I call Beau.
“So,” he says once the call connects. “You and Carla.”
“There is no me and Carla.”
“Bullshit.”
“Where are you?” he asks, apparently giving up on getting me to talk about my love life.
“On my way to Marcus’s. I need to figure out what I’m going to do next.”
Beau’s silence has my bear paying attention.
“Dad won’t be chasing you down any time soon.” He sighs. “Bodhi had to tackle him last night. He was about to kill Ethan. He’s in the hospital and… it looks like he might not walk again.”
That’s not what I was expecting. I take my foot off the accelerator and let the car roll to a stop in stunned silence.
“So what do I do?”
Beau sighs again, exhaustion clear in his voice.
“Unless you have some magical way of convincing Bodhi to shift back to human form and talk to us… You’re better off staying put until Mitch can try to wrangle the clan into some kind of order, and we see what the fallout’s going to be.”