The warmth of oncoming summer had Darcy stripping off her cardigan and tying it around her waist. She didn’t plan to take everything off and shift, she wasn’t comfortable with that. Her mum said that was normal for her age and secondary gender. Wolves became more confident after puberty, especially those that weren’t omegas, she had told her. It didn’t make her feel much better.

Darcy didn’t like her wolf form for another reason, though. She found it so hard to communicate with other wolves in that form. Alphas and Betas just pushed everyone around and led. Those in the middle obeyed or were able to communicate through wolf behaviours. Darcy, as an omega, only had the option of obedience. She had little to no natural instincts when it came to wolf behaviours. When was she supposed to approach, or stay back, or move her ears in a certain way? She was considering a visit to a dog park to get some tips when a thick branch snapped behind her. Too loud for a bird.

Darcy jumped, clutched her chest and turned to see who was behind her.

“Found you,” Luca chuckled.

Darcy sighed and returned to her walking path. “You’re supposed to be looking for clues, not looking for me,” she grumbled. She sounded tired even to her own ears.

“I’m always hunting you, Darcy.” He was far too cheerful, it irritated her.

“Then why are we here?” she sighed again and threw her basket to the ground. “What’s the point of all this?”

“You’ve got a lot of attitude today. Is this all because I surprised you?”

Darcy snapped. She spun on her heel and yelled at him, “You had no right to do this!” She wanted to wave her finger in his face but her fists were balled up so hard she couldn’t open them. “But I’m not even that mad at you.” She sounded breathless. The realisations reaching her mouth as fast as they were manifesting in her mind. “Melody and Reece are my friends. And they gave me no warning. They’ve watched you bully me from day one at this stupid school, and they didn’t give me a hint of what I was turning up to today. Not even a text!”

“W-”

“At least I know to expect to be hurt by you! But them?” She sighed a third time and it turned into a frustrated groan. The thought flashed through her head that she should be charging him at this point. For every sigh he caused, he had to buy her a snack.

“It’s my faul-”

“I know!” she shouted. “And you really have a talent for it. Congratulations, you’ve managed to score a combo hit on hurting me. Double the damage. I’d give you a reward, but if I had anything left you would have already ripped it from me. I can’t even have friends.”

Luca finally had the grace to look ashamed as he admitted, “I took their phones.”

“What?” Darcy breathed.

“They didn’t betray you,” he said softly. “I didn’t give them a second alone to even try and warn you. I took their phones after the plans for today were made. I also have a friend in their pack.” He fidgeted a little from foot to foot with his arms over his chest. “I just wanted to spend some time with you outside of school,” he added.

Darcy was a forgiving person, but not for her bully. “You could have asked like a sane person,” she seethed.

“Then I’d have to get your name tattooed on me-”

“We agreed on t-shirts,” Darcy reminded him.

“And there was no chance in hell you would say yes.”

“And you think this has improved your chances?” she snapped.

A quiet laugh slipped from Luca. He tried to cover it with his fist and Darcy glared at him.

“You’re a lot sassier off school grounds,” he explained. “It’s funny, in a cute way.”

“You just- I got so riled up-” Her voice faded in volume with each word, her brain was short-circuiting once again. He always knew how to say things that raised her body temperature. “I figured I had nothing left to lose by… yelling at you…”

He snatched her basket up from the ground. “Why don’t we team up for the hunt and then you can yell at me some more?”

Another sigh, much quieter this time. She was tired, and hot, and had a few hours to kill.

“I might enjoy that too much,” she said. He laughed again.

He slid both baskets onto one arm and curled the other around her waist. She pulled a grumpy face at him and he grinned back. His scent was all around her, it fit perfectly with their forest surroundings. She wished she could mix the two together and bottle the combination.

He tilted his face down to hers, their foreheads almost touching.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. He was staring so deeply into her eyes she wanted to squeeze them shut, the intensity was too much for her fluttering heart.

She somehow found the courage to mumble back, “I don’t believe you.”

He barely held back another laugh and took her lips in his. She could feel his smile pressed against her. Luca kissed her gently. Darcy let her eyes close and her body relax. It was so draining to pretend she didn’t want him to touch and kiss every inch of her body. Her deepest, darkest craving was to attach herself to him like a limpet and never let go. He pushed her lips open softly and the taste of his tongue took the strength from her legs. A tiny moan escaped her and he chuckled against her mouth. Darcy flushed. Luca’s presence had an infallible affect on her blood pressure.

He pulled back and waved the baskets in front of her.

“Did you still want to scavenge or should we keep doing this?”

“S-scavenge,” Darcy answered. If they kept kissing she may faint. Her body was burning up. She could have fried an egg on her forehead. She turned back to the path and put a few steps between them before trying to inconspicuously fan herself with the collar of her dress.

Luca let her lead them through the forest, although she hadn’t even read the initial clue and had no sense of direction. They turned back on themselves more than twice. The walk was nice, though, and  he didn’t seem to mind that by the time the end bell was rung they still had empty baskets.