Kai pointed a finger at me. “The saint lost control and claimed Billie.”
Lance glared at me with a face twisted in anger, his wolfen eyes shining through before quickly vanishing. “I’ve been fucking chained up in a hotel room these past two days to avoid the very thing that you did. You know your weakness. I thought you were better than that.”
I tensed when he mentioned my weakness. He was right. I had a past where I went out of control. Lance had never and still had the foresight to leave out of concern for Billie. I had been so selfish in my desire to not leave her side, to have her, that I had not protected her…from me.
Daniel swore and spun around, turning off the burner. “Great, I’m burning the food now.”
I rubbed my forehead with the back of my hand, feeling sweaty from the many angry and disappointed eyes on me. I didn’t look at Billie again. It would devastate me to see the hurt in her eyes. Like a coward, I looked to Daniel instead. “I’m sorry. What should I do?”
He shook his head. “I have to think about this.”
“Hey! I have some thoughts!” Billie yelled, raising a hand.
He looked over to Billie, as did all the other sets of eyes in the room.
To my surprise, she didn’t look angry. Not even hurt. She was still surprised, her eyes shifting from side to side as if she was still considering it all, which she probably was. I glanced over to Lila, who was shaking her head slowly at me, lips twisted to the side.
Billie let out a breath, putting her hands on her hips. “Since this is about me and all, maybe I should get to talk. I did ask Ty to bite me.”
Daniel leaned back on the counter, eyes still at their neutral state. “Biting isn’t exactly the same as claiming. There’s magic with the claiming bite.”
She lifted a shoulder, chin out. “I know that.”
Did she? My head was a blur then, but I was sure she hadn’t meant claiming when she asked for me to bite her. From what I knew of Billie, she’d make that decision when she was clear-headed.
Kai snorted. “You were in heat, kitty cat.”
She rolled her eyes. “And Ty was out of sorts too.”
Lance flopped down on a stool at the island. “Yeah, but he’s an alpha. He has better control.”
Lila and Billie exchanged wide-eyed looks, and I knew that Lance had said the wrong thing.
Lila lifted a finger. “Are you saying an omega doesn’t have as much control over herself as an alpha?”
Lance froze, quickly recognizing that he had put his foot in his mouth. “It’s just that alphas are about control. We don’t get controlled, so Billie couldn’t make Ty do anything.”
Lila sucked her teeth in disagreement. “Well, Ty wasn’t in control this time. Don’t sleep on Billie. She can control herself too.”
Billie gave her friend a curt nod, lips in a tight line. Why was she so set on owning what happened? Why wasn’t she mad?
“I was clear-headed enough to know that I wanted Ty to bite me. I was well aware that he was in a rutting haze. Maybe subconsciously I wanted it,” she stated. “I instantly connected to Ty, and he would be someone I’d like even if we weren’t omega and alpha. I’m not in the haze of heat right now, and I’m not scared of being bonded to you. Feels natural.”
My eyes widened with hope. Something in my heart just twitched. She had liked me from the start? I felt the connection then but wasn’t sure she had as well. “Really?”
She touched her collarbone near the mark on her neck, and a faint glint of happiness lit her eyes. “I think so. I wanted to be mad. I thought I would be scared. But honestly, I feel good. This feels surprisingly right.”
I wanted to believe her, but I’d claimed her during a heat. It felt like I’d taken advantage of her. “You’re still in your heat.”
She rolled her eyes. “Ah, I get it. Everyone’s clear-headed but the woman. I am lucid. I’m able to walk. I didn’t run down here and start grabbing penises.”
Lila leaned toward her. “Just say dicks. Why do you have to be all clinical about it, doctor.”
Billie put her hand over her mouth as if it would hide her words. “It just doesn’t feel natural coming out of my mouth. But the point is still made.” She dropped her hand. “I didn’t come down here and start grabbing everybody’s twigs and berries. Even if this is a clear period before I start getting all hot and bothered again, the fact remains that I am of sound mind and body right now, and I’m saying,” She paused and looked over to me, her face relaxing, “That I don’t mind that you claimed me. Maybe I don’t overanalyze things for once. Maybe I start trusting how I feel.”
I was in love with this woman. I wanted to wrap her in my arms and take her away, but I figured I’d done enough for the day. Instead, I smiled at her. “Thank you for accepting me.”
Kai cleared his throat, turning slightly to Billie. “What about me? Did you like me from the start?”
