Beta Bully (F/M) - Chapter 30 (Early Access) (Patreon)

Meet and Greet

The day flew by. And not a moment felt real or cohesive to Darcy.

It wasn’t until Luca slowed to pull onto the long drive that lead into his pack’s lands that the nerves returned, striking her right in the chest. The last few months had disappeared so quickly, clearing like the fog on MYSTIKA’s logo. Ever since that old crone had revealed her secret to him, Luca’s presence had become an accelerant to Darcy’s life. Nervous energy filled her into a taut balloon.

And then there was the guilt. He still didn’t know that she had already reached mate maturity. He thought she was seventeen. She had to confess before it was too late. Definitely before his mate maturity hit.

The car rolled to a halt behind a wide, red-brick building with unruly bushes lined around the base. Darcy made no move to get out. She didn’t know if she could, her nerves were holding her hostage. Luca unbuckled his seatbelt and grinned at her. He was excited. Darcy smiled weakly back and watched him hop out of the car. There was a noticeable spring in his step. It was cute.

Luca collected her backpack from the trunk and helped her out of the passenger side. Darcy instantly began snooping at everything she could see around their parking spot.

A sense of familiarity struck her at how similar his pack lands were to her own. Darcy supposed she should have expected that, there are only so many different ways you can style the commune look. Acres of land, partly taken over with woodland and partly with small homes. The titled members of the pack shared a big home; including the omega if they were not mated, and old enough to take their position as the alpha’s assistant. That wouldn’t affect Darcy, as her mate was titled, too. She would always live in the big house.

She wondered if the red brick building was the titled members’ house, or some kind of pack meeting building. In her pack, meetings and events were held in the titled members’ house as it had a large enough hall room that the alpha didn’t see the need in building somewhere else to hold meetings. Melody and Reece had told her that in their pack they had separate buildings, because Ashen Fur had exploded with a six-year baby boom. She had no concept of how big other packs actually were, she just assumed they were all similar sizes.

A hand taking hers roused her from her thoughts. Luca ushered her forward and walked her around the side of the red brick building. A mixture of different coloured flowers were blooming from the untamed bushes following them round. It was beautiful in its wild way. Darcy glanced up at Luca. He was beautiful, too. The bright summer sun was glimmering off his golden skin. A Greek god basking in his world. Darcy had no doubt she would simply burn under the same circumstances. His size protected her from the heat, and she walked in his shadow gratefully.

They turned the second corner and Darcy knew for certain they were heading inside. It unleashed something inside of her. As though a countdown had begun.

“Luca, I need to tell you something,” she blurted.

He stuffed a hand into his pocket and pulled out a small set of keys. The rattle of the metal scolded her.

“We’ll be alone properly soon,” he assured her. “I just really want you to meet my mum first.”

As he unlocked the door, Darcy fiddled with her clothes and smoothed her hair. She hadn’t thought about introductions, so absorbed in her own problems. The problems she had created, she should say. There was always the concern, being an omega, that others might judge you for it. Darcy prayed to anyone who would listen that Luca’s mother held no discrimination against them.

Luca strode through a wide entranceway with lots of doors, and pushed through one with his shoulder, never letting go of her hand.

They entered a hall-like room with wooden floors and high windows. It was filled with people and storage boxes. Before Darcy was entirely in the room, she could pick out Luca’s mother. Golden curls bounced in a high ponytail as she bossed the crowd about like an air traffic controller. Her muscled arms commanded complete control wherever she pointed, and the people of the room lugged boxes of party decorations and plastic cutlery wherever her finger led.

“Mum!” Luca called with his free hand cupped around his mouth.

His mum’s head snapped around, ponytail swinging at a slight delay, and she grinned widely. It was Luca’s grin. Full of confidence and courage. Relieving for a friend and terrifying for a foe. She waved away a couple of people looking for her opinion on items in their hands and jogged over.

“Luca!” She pulled him into a hard hug and he squeezed her back. “And you must be Omega Darcy!” She yanked Darcy into her arms. Luca’s hand was still clasped around hers, leaving her tangled between the two like a scene from WWE. “It’s great to meet you.” She released her and Darcy stumbled back a step.

“It’s lovely to meet you too, ma’am,” she replied.

“None of that,” his mother said with a finger wag. “Call me Sonia.” Darcy smiled at her warmly and Sonia reached out and squeezed her cheek between two fingers. Luca batted her hand away with a light touch and Darcy’s face was released.

“Mum!” he groaned. “Don’t touch her like that.”

“But she’s so sweet, I could just wrap her up with a bow! You weren’t kidding about her being small, huh?”

“That’s what you told your mother about me?” Darcy gasped.

Luca was quick to defend himself indignantly. “I told her lots of great things!”

“That’s true, Omega Darcy,” his mother vouched with a hand over her heart and a wink. “He also talks about how pretty you are, and he’s right about that, too.”

“I won’t be telling you anything any more,” he grumbled. His cheeks were adorably red. As were his ears.

“I’m sorry you got lumped with my silly son. I am wishing you the best of luck with him,” Sonia teased.

“Any advice for me?” Darcy asked, only half-joking.

Sonia leant in close and stage whispered, “He’s got my hard shell, but his dad’s insides. Soft as anything. Be firm with him, don’t be afraid to put him right, and you’ll find he’s actually a really soppy kid.”

“Thank you, Sonia,” Darcy whispered back.

Luca rolled his eyes. “Yeah, thanks, mum.”

“If you ain’t working, get walking,” she said to him. She huffed an enormous box of inflatable toys into the air and strutted away with it above her head.

“Come on,” Luca laughed. He pulled Darcy away from the party prep chaos and back to the main entrance. She trotted along next to him happily and resisted the urge to hang off his arm like a little girl.

His mum had liked her, she was sure of it. Now she just had his dad to impress. Plus his friends and his alpha. The alpha would be an important connection, given she would be working alongside him every day for the rest of her life.

Luca took them through another door that opened up to a steep staircase. They began to climb.

“Are we going to see your dad?” she asked.

“Uh, no,” Luca answered. He looked away and his feet slowed to a stop. Darcy did the same, she remained one step behind. When he looked back down at her, his expression was uncertain. “My dad died.” Darcy’s mouth and throat dried up instantly, so did her feeling of success from meeting Sonia. “I want to take you to him at some point, but not today.” He forced an awkward smile. “The pack graveyard doesn’t exactly fit the vibe I want for my birthday.”

“I’m sorry,” Darcy croaked. “I didn’t know about your dad.”

“It’s fine, I don’t talk about it much.”

They continued up the stairs, slowly and silently. If he didn’t talk about it much, Darcy wondered if he needed to talk about it. She wanted to be his ear for everything he wanted to say.

When they reached the top, Darcy asked, “How old were you?”

“Last year of middle school.” he answered. For a few moments of silence, she thought he was annoyed that she had asked. Then he continued, “I went a little off the rails when it happened. Got in trouble so often I’m surprised the teachers didn’t cheer when I left for high school.”

“You were having a difficult time,” she offered quietly.

They followed the hallway straight down.

“That was my problem, not theirs.” he said. “Not the people in my class, who had to put up with my aggressive attitude problem. Most of all not my mum’s, when she didn’t need all that stress on top of losing her soul-mate.”

“I’m still sorry it happened.”

“Let’s not talk about sad shit any more.”

Darcy pulled on his arm, forcing him to look her in the face. “I don’t mind if you do want to talk about sad shit,” she said with her firmest tone.

Luca cracked a grin. “It’s weird hearing you swear, Darce.”

“I meant it.”

“I know.” He pulled her in closer to his side in a half-hug and kicked the nearest door open. “Welcome to my room, Darce.”