Back on the bike.

It felt right. It was where I belonged. If I could, I’d just drive this thing forever, never get off and never stop. Not for anyone. Not again.

Keep moving, I told myself as I throttled ahead through the snow, pushing the bike to its limits. The tires were churning through slush and threatening to slip out from beneath me, but I didn’t care. Hell, I was almost wishing for a crash. At least then I’d have physical pain to focus on instead of the pain from the loss of Billy.

I should have just hit that son of a bitch back at the bar. He wasn’t that big, and I could probably take him if I wanted to. There’s nothing like a good fight to get your mind off of things. But then what? I’d be back on my bike just like I am now, with no destination and no plan.

I didn’t want to go back to my place. It would be filled with Billy’s scent and would drive me wild. So I kept the throttle open and my head down as I blasted through the snowstorm.

I gunned it through Stone Falls, not bothering to look down at the water below. I hated everything right now – the snow, the cold, the road, the shitty little town with its hideous motel. All I wanted was that beauty I’d found in Billy, and now it was lost.

The road fanned out in front of me and I kept moving.

Forward, forward, forward. That’s all I could do.

I gritted my teeth as I hit a turn, going way too fast, and felt a tire slip. The back tire slid out, whipping to the right, dangerously close to the edge of the road.

“Shit!”

Grasping the handlebars hard, I gripped the bike with all my strength and managed to hold it straight as it continued to slide. Somehow, I managed to keep the fucker on the road, and with my heart racing, kept moving.

I left that shitty town behind me, heading up a gradual slope toward the hills and woods. My heart was pounding – adrenaline from a near crash, but I wasn’t prepared for what happened next.

A scent hit me like a fucking nuclear bomb to the face.

Billy!

The thought ignited a spark in my mind that shocked me – stunned me for just long enough to lose control.

The bike slid out from under me. I tried to correct, but overcompensated with the handlebars and kicked the front wheel to the side. The bike caught and pitched me off.

As I soared through the air, I heard it crash on the road. I swung aimlessly at the air as I landed hard on the side of the road. My shoulder bloomed with pain as I hit, rolling over in the snow. My ankle slapped a rock and pain roared through my leg.

I screamed as I came to a stop.

The pain, the frustration and the emotions of the day exploded out of my lungs and tore through my throat with a primal fury. My wolf was screaming inside me. The world felt like it was coming apart.

Billy’s scent!

It couldn’t be. I scrambled to my feet, inhaling deeply. My ankle was killing me – sprained and possibly broken.

I sniffed the air as I staggered back toward the road. But there was nothing.

Had I imagined it?

Impossible!

I grasped my shoulder and favored my right leg. My left was killing me. I found my bike lying on its side. Somehow it looked scraped up but not completely destroyed. But I didn’t care. Right now I had other things on my mind.

I stepped over it and tilted my nose to the sky and sniffed hard.

And there – there it was. It was completely faint, but it was there.

Billy’s scent!

“It can’t be…”

Ignoring my body’s pain, I lifted my bike and slid back on. It was still running somehow, but was really banged up and would need some bodywork.

Who fucking cares?

I throttled forward, keeping the scent in my nose. It led up the hill, which was covered in snow and trees. He was far, so I stayed on the bike as I tracked it, making sure not to lose the trail.

The scent grew strong and I scoured the road for a turnoff. Was he up there walking along on his own? There had to be a road or a driveway or something.

And sure enough, after another hundred feet or so, I came upon a driveway leading up the hill.

This is it, I thought, remembering the black sedan that had taken my beautiful omega away from me. I didn’t know what I’d find up there, but his scent was calling me, and I had to follow.

I turned my bike, gave it some gas and headed up the drive.

Billy, I thought as I pushed through the snow, through the pain. I’m coming, baby.