Chapter 15 – Carla #2
The casual inclusion makes my heart swell. Several wolves nod in agreement.
“Get out,” Rex says, dropping all pretense of friendliness. The alpha command in his voice makes even me want to submit. “And don’t come back. You’re not welcome in Grey Ridge.”
The wolves move aside just enough to let them pass. Craig glares at each of us in turn, but he leaves anyway. His companions trail behind like whipped dogs.
The moment they’re gone, my legs give out.
Billy catches me, pulling me against his chest. I’m shaking now, the rush of adrenaline making me vibrate.
“You were incredible,” he murmurs against my hair. “Fierce. Perfect.”
“Our Carla’s got teeth, after all.” Ethan observes with approval. “Good. Billy here needs someone who’ll stand up for him.”
“I don’t need…” Billy starts.
“Yes, you do.” I interrupt, looking up at him. My wolf is still close to the surface, making my voice rough. “We protect each other. That’s what mates do.”
The word slips out without thought.
Billy’s eyes flare amber, and his grip on me tightens.
The air charges between us again, but different now. Hotter. More desperate.
“I should... we should...” Billy’s voice is strangled.
“Go,” Ethan says, understanding in his eyes. “Take the afternoon. I can handle things here.”
We barely make it to the truck before Billy’s mouth is on mine. Hot, desperate, and claiming. I climb across the console, needing to be closer. He groans against my lips, hands fisting in my hair.
“Home.” He gasps. “Now. Before I...”
“Yes.” I’m already fumbling with his shirt buttons. “Drive fast.”
The trip home is torture. I can’t keep my hands off him. Running them over his chest, his thighs.
He drives one-handed, the other tangled with mine, squeezing almost too tight.
My teeth ache with the need to bite.
His knuckles are white on the steering wheel.
Both of us are panting.
The need to mark is so overwhelming now. My skin’s burning everywhere we’re not touching. I lean across the console, pressing my lips to his neck, and he swerves slightly.
“Carla.” He groans. “If you don’t stop...”
“Can’t.” I nip at his throat, not breaking skin, but close. So close. “I need you.”
He makes a sound that’s half growl, half whimper.
The truck barely stops before we’re stumbling out. Billy fumbles with the door while I attack his neck from behind, sliding my hands under his shirt to find his skin.
We burst through the door, already pulling at clothes.
Billy kicks it shut, then lifts me, carrying me to the bedroom. I wrap my legs around his waist, grinding against him. The friction makes us both gasp.
“Carla.” He groans as I kiss that spot on his neck. That perfect spot that calls to me. “If you...”
“I know.” I pull back to look at him. His eyes are fully amber now, his bear in control. “I want to. Billy, I need to.”
He sets me on the bed, hovering over me. His whole body trembles with restraint.
“Are you sure? Once we do this...”
“We’ll be bonded. Mated. Forever.” I reach up to cup his face. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
“Thank god,” he breathes.
His mouth crashes down on mine.
We come together with desperate urgency. My sweater gets caught on my earring. His belt won’t cooperate. We’re both shaking too hard to even manage buttons and zippers properly.
Finally, finally, we’re skin to skin.
When he slides into me, we both cry out at the rightness of it. But it’s different this time. More intense. Every nerve ending is hypersensitive.
“Mine.” I gasp, already so close.
“Yours.” He agrees, setting a punishing rhythm. “Always yours.”
The pressure builds impossibly fast. My teeth throb with every heartbeat. The spot on his neck seems to pulse, calling to me.
Billy’s movements become erratic, and I can feel him fighting the same urge.
“Billy,” I moan. “Please. Mark me. Make me yours.”
He drops his head to my neck. His breath is hot against my skin. I mirror him, finding that perfect spot.
“Together,” he rasps against my skin.
“Together,” I breathe.
His teeth graze my neck.
Mine press against his skin.
“Now,” he growls.
We bite at the same moment.
Pain. Pleasure. Everything.
The bond snaps into place with an almost audible click.
The world tilts on its axis. Suddenly, I can feel him, not just his body moving with mine, but his soul.
His emotions crash into me: love so fierce, it steals my breath.
Satisfaction so deep, it makes me want to sob, and a need that matches my own.
The feedback loop is devastating.
I feel my pleasure through his mind. He feels his through mine. It builds and builds until we’re both screaming, coming so hard, we see stars.
When it’s over, when we’re lying tangled and sweaty and completely wrecked, I can feel his heartbeat like it’s my own. His contentment purrs through the bond, mixing with mine until I can’t tell where I end and he begins.
“Wow,” I breathe.
“Yeah.” He traces the mark on my neck with reverent fingers. Each touch sends aftershocks through me. Through us. “I can feel you.”
“Me too.” I touch his mark, watching him shiver. Feeling him shiver. “Is it always like this?”
“I don’t know. But I can’t imagine it gets better than this.”
“I love you,” I say, the words flowing easily now that I can feel the truth of them in his mind.
“I love you too.” He pulls me closer. “My mate.”
“My mate,” I echo.
Our bond pulses with perfect contentment. Complete. Whole. Right.
We did it. Despite everything. And nothing will tear us apart again.