Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

APOLLO

T wenty-four hours later, both Apollo and his wolf were exhausted. He could barely lift his arms or sit up. He worked out, but… this was like a ten-hour plank session. He had no idea how many times he and River made love. No idea how he'd managed to get there or get her there so many times. And no idea how neither of them hadn't dehydrated and died.

She'd only been asleep for twenty minutes when a moan escaped her, and his erection twitched. The pain that shot through him made him wince. It surprised him that either of them still had skin left to hurt.

He slid to the edge of the bed and stood. The ceiling and the floor traded places, and he closed his eyes and leaned on the nightstand for support to keep from toppling over.

Not good. The world spun behind his eyelids, and he fought to stay on his feet. After several moments, he swallowed hard and went to the bathroom. Turning on the cold water, he stuck his head under the faucet and let the shock of the spray bring him to his senses. He gulped down several huge mouthfuls, scrubbed his face, and ran his hands through his hair.

Water dripped down his torso, and his muscles shook with fatigue. He wondered how often females went into heat. As much as he loved making love to River, he was pretty sure it would take him at least six months to fully recover from just one night of her being in heat.

River moaned in the bedroom and called his name.

The sound shot straight through him, making his wolf jump to his feet, ready to keep going.

Sorry, bud, said Apollo. The heart is willing, but the body is weak .

His wolf growled as both of them knew what came next.

Trust me. I don't want him near her, but this isn't about us. It's about her. She needs him just like she needed us. We have to do this for her .

His wolf snarled and then whined. Apollo felt the same.

He walked shakily back into his room and grabbed a pair of lounge pants from his dresser. Pulling them on without falling overtook more effort than it should have.

"Apollo," River murmured, pulling her face from the pillow.

Apollo sat next to her on the bed. Her skin radiated heat far greater than when they'd started.

Her eyes fluttered open, glassy and unfocused.

She looked over him and then frowned. "You're leaving me, aren't you?"

Her words punched him in the gut.

He swallowed hard. "You don't need me now, Kitten. You need him."

River reached for Apollo and pulled his hand to her mouth. She kissed his knuckles before rubbing them on her cheek.

"Maybe… maybe we just need to keep going a bit more," she offered. "Just a few more times, and maybe it will stop."

He chuckled. "Kitten, I don't have a few more times in me. I am more than happy to stay here and give you everything you desire with every other part of my body, but we both know that it wouldn't help."

"But we're mated now."

Apollo couldn't believe the words about to leave his mouth. He willed himself not to speak them even though they were true.

"It's not enough," he finally said. "I'm not enough."

She stared at him and touched his cheek. "Don't say that. I love you, Apollo. You're my mate. You will always be enough."

Apollo's chest squeezed so tight he couldn't get words out. She loved him. He knew she did. But for some reason, it didn't matter. The Moon Goddess decided that River's fate wasn't tied to him alone but to Ares as well. He'd tried so hard to deny it. Tried so hard to make it not true. But it didn't matter. In the end, she belonged to both of them. And no matter how many more hours he spent trying to relieve her need until she had Ares, it wouldn't stop.

"I'll be back," he said.

"Where are you going?"

"To get you something to drink." He stood, leaned over her, and kissed her head as his wolf tugged on his restraints, trying to get free and force Apollo to stay with her.

"Can I have a soda?" Her eyelids fluttered closed again.

"Of course." Apollo kissed her once more, but she was already asleep.

He picked up his shirt and phone from the floor before going to the bedroom door.

“Apollo?”

“Yes, Kitten.”

“I need you to know, really know. I’m glad you were with me first. That we bonded first. Even though we met second, doesn’t put you second place in my heart. You have every ounce of love in my body. You are my mate. My Alpha. And I am your Omega. No matter what else happens. I am yours. Always and forever.”

He looked at her for only a moment before slipping into the hallway before she could see the pain he couldn’t conceal in his eyes.

Every step he took from where she lay made his wolf go into even more of a frenzy.

We have to , he said over and over. She needs him.

His wolf didn't buy it.

Apollo wasn't surprised to see Cherry and Strider sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a large bottle of whiskey. They looked up as he entered. He made his way to the fridge and pulled it open. Grabbing a bottle of freshly squeezed OJ, he chugged it down, set the bottle on the counter, and wiped his mouth.

He splayed his palms on the counter and stared at it, surrounded by the feel, the touch, and the taste of his mate. His mate. River was his mate. But not only his.

"Well?" Cherry asked.

Apollo looked at her to find the bags beneath her eyes, deep as bruises.

"Call him."

Cherry nodded and pulled out her phone.

Apollo didn't listen as Cherry told Ares to get to the house. He went to the pantry and grabbed a six-pack of cola and a bucket. He filled the bucket with ice and then set all the items, as well as a glass, onto the tray.

He took a breath, pulled out his phone, and texted Bennett.

Pick up at the kitchen door.

His phone beeped almost immediately.

I'll be there in five.

He shoved his phone back in his pocket. "She's thirsty. She'll need the sugar. She's hotter than yesterday, so the ice will help, too."

He couldn't meet Cherry's eye, so he walked toward the back door.

"Is she… okay?"

Apollo nodded. "She's fine. I just…"

"What?"

"I don't understand. We bonded. She bit me, and I bit her, but still, I could tell she needed something else… someone else. She really does belong to both of us, doesn't she?"

When Cherry didn't answer, he stepped toward the door, but Cherry's words stopped him.

"Are you okay?"

Her face held none of the tough vibrato he'd always seen from her. Only the worry of a mother who loved her daughter showed.

"I'm fine," he lied before turning again.

"I'm sorry, Apollo. I'm sorry that this is happening to you and River."

He snorted. "Not Ares?"

She shrugged. "That cocky bastard can deal with it."

Apollo chuckled, and so did Cherry.

"Thanks, Cherry. Call me when the coast is clear to come back."

She nodded.

"Oh, and you probably want to move her out of my room before Ares arrives. I'm pretty sure that won't end well."

"Apollo? Thank you."

Apollo wondered how much Cherry had had to drink because, according to River, 'I'm sorry' and 'thank you' were not part of Cherry's vocabulary.

He threw her a weak smile. "The pleasure was all mine."

He walked out the door into the chilly evening air without another word. His bare feet soaked in the cool cement, sending a chill through him. He breathed deeply and then sat on the steps, waiting for Bennett.

He hung his head in his hands, and a tear dropped on the cement between his feet.