Beta Bully (F/M) - Chapter 36 (Early Access) (Patreon)

Marco Polo

When Darcy returned to Luca at the edge of the pool, she noticed Reece was gone. She asked immediately where her friend was.

“He went off with someone,” Luca said with a shrug.

Darcy’s ears pricked up instantly, that was not like Reece at all. He definitely didn’t know anyone here aside from herself, Luca and Melody. He was no social butterfly, more like a grouchy caterpillar hiding in his cocoon.

“Who?” she asked.

“Uh, not sure.”

“You’re lying.” She knew instinctively. Another new soul-mate super power. She looked up at him with her most fearsome frown.

Luca pinched her cheek with one hand and sighed. “Sorry.”

“Don’t say sorry! Tell me who he went with,” she demanded. “He could be in danger.”

“I promise you he’s not. But it’s his private business, and I’ve already made him mad enough today without airing him out like that,” Luca said sincerely. He didn’t crack a grin and Darcy felt in her gut that he was speaking honestly. But not knowing who Reece was with left her feeling unsettled. “You can always ask him later,” he added unhelpfully. “For now, though, I swear he’s perfectly safe.”

Darcy gave in. She trusted Luca. But more importantly, she couldn’t see Reece allowing himself to get snatched up by some nefarious stranger without kicking up a Reece-sized fuss. As small as he was, he could get plenty of attention if he wanted to.

With one of her best friends tucked up in a guest bedroom (courtesy of Luca’s mother) and the other MIA, Darcy found herself lost as to what to do next. When she voiced the feeling to Luca, he laughed at her. She wondered when he had become so predictable to her.

“It’s a party, Darce, you can do whatever you want. Play in the pool, eat food, dance, talk to people.”

“Will you play in the pool with me?”

“Of course. C’mere.” His arms snatched her up around the waist and hoisted her into the air. He began to walk towards the water and a feeling of dread set into her.

“If you throw me in, I will tell your mother!” she hissed down at him.

“I’m eighteen now, what’s she gonna do?” But he had halted, with Darcy held up above his head.

She raised a brow at him, although she doubted he could see her face that well. “I’ll tell her you said that, too.”

“You know what? I think I’ll just gently lower you in like the loving soul-mate I am.”

“That sounds like it would be in your best interest.”

He lowered her down onto the steps where the water could only cover her feet. She slipped her sundress over her head and dropped it behind them onto the pool tiles. Luca had never put his shirt back on. A blessing and a curse. He stepped into the shallow end of the pool and Darcy waded in a little way until the water reached the frills of her bikini top.

The water was refreshingly cool and a welcome relief from the summer heat. Luca watched her bob about the shallow end with a strange expression on his face. She tilted her head in question at him and he grinned. She splashed him with a tiny handful of water and he returned the favour with a tidal wave that knocked her under.

He was very apologetic. She scored an ice cream out of his guilt. She ate it at the edge, allowing her legs to float behind her in the chill water.

“You look good wet,” Luca murmured into the shell of her ear. Darcy shivered and tilted her head away. She hoped passers-by took her red cheeks to be sunburn. “I knew that before today, though,” he continued. Suddenly, the water wasn’t cool enough to keep Darcy’s temperature down. “I can’t get the image of you in that changing room out of my mind.”

"Do you still have it?" Darcy whispered.

"The other swimsuit?"

"Yeah."

"Of course."

Darcy glanced about for eavesdroppers. "Later?"

Luca grinned. "Later," he agreed.

They didn't get to enjoy their couple time for long before the party attendees grew impatient for the birthday boy's attention. They dried off and walked loops around the party over and over as different people vied for Luca’s time. Darcy dawdled at his elbow while Luca received birthday wishes, cards, presents, fist bumps and hugs. She had become a growth at his hip that people smiled sweetly at while they spoke to him. That was exactly how she liked it, the outskirts of attention.

Luca's social battery never seemed to deplete. He made small talk with everyone who approached him, asked after their families and packs, thanked them for coming and for their gifts. Darcy was exhausted watching him. But it was also a source of pride for her, Luca really had grown in the last few months.

Eventually, though, the sun did set. With night came the announcement of fireworks, and all of the seats were laid out in rows pointing towards the back of The Pearl Claw's pack lands. Hot drinks and shawls were passed around the remaining guests and they settled in to watch the show. A text pinged through from Reece to let Darcy know that he and Melody were going home with their pack’s betas. She sent them her love with lots of heart emojis.

Luca pulled her into his lap and they watched the fireworks from under a heavy, woolly blanket.

When it was over, he wrapped his arms over the top of the blanket and stood, carrying her away from the party with slow and easy steps. Everyone they passed gave him a wave or a thumbs up and he grinned back like a lovesick fool. Darcy knew she looked no different.

Darcy dozed in the passenger seat of Luca’s car on the drive home the next day.

When he stopped at the bottom of her drive, a sinking feeling pulled her stomach to her feet. The realisation suddenly hitting that she had to leave her soul-mate to go home. His home wasn’t her home, yet.

She pouted and rolled away from the window, squeezing her eyes shut tight in fake slumber. The tickle of fingers grazing through her hair caused a shiver that blew her cover. Luca laughed and she cracked her eyes to give him her best sour look.

“I don’t want you to go either, Darce,” he murmured. “But your dad will kill me if I don’t give you back.” He popped her seat belt open and caught it in his hand when it flung back, laying it beside her carefully. “Soon we’ll be together all the time. I promise.”

“That’s a promise you can’t break. I’m rolling up to The Pearl Claw after graduation whether you want me there or not!”

Luca laughed. “That’s my girl!”

They kissed goodbye and a large hand groped her butt so hard she squealed. She jumped out of the car and slammed the door. Luca was still laughing inside when she turned away to hike up the long drive home.

She stumbled through her front door, backpack twice as heavy as when she left (Luca's mother had insisted she take a tower of tupperware boxes back with her since they had so much food left over), and slumped into her mother's arms.

"You look exhausted, sweetheart," she cooed, stroking her fingers through Darcy's waves.

"I am," Darcy groaned. The fatigue hit her harder now that the excitement was over.

"And a little tanned too," her mother added, stretching her arms out and inspecting the ever so light golden tint she'd gotten to her skin.

"A little. Is dad home?" Darcy asked, slogging her bag onto the kitchen table and letting the plastic boxes filled with food slide out.

"In the living room, he's barely shut his eyes since you left. He's been waiting for your call, mobile plugged in at his side all weekend. He was worried you might need him."

Darcy's chest squeezed inwards painfully at the image. While she had been enjoying herself and eating and swimming and watching fireworks, her dad had been worrying himself sick over her.

She ran to the living room, and just as her mother had described, her dad was sat in his armchair fully dressed. Bags under his eyes were his only accessories. He looked up at her entrance and smiled gently.

“Did you have a good time, Darcy?” he asked.

Darcy ran at him, leaping into his lap and throwing her arms around his neck.

“The best, dad. I love you.”