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Walkies II - Luca POV

Puppy. Luca’s soul-mate was a puppy.

He hadn’t been able to hold back from peering around the tree trunk at him. He couldn’t believe he even had to walk around the tree to find him. The urban myth was true then: omega actually got smaller in wolf form than their human form.

A tiny, fluffy puppy had been cowering behind the bark. Black eyes watched him warily amongst the softest brown fur Luca had ever laid eyes on. This was not the fur of a wolf that ran wild. Darcy looked domesticated compared to every other wolf Luca had known. The kind of dog you’d carry in a handbag.

And now he was laid out on his side on the one puny patch of grass amongst all the dirt, leaves and tree roots. Sunning himself with his eyes closed and feet extended out, presenting his delicate toe beans to the air. His soft belly was an ever so slightly lighter shade of brown than the rest of his fur and it beckoned Luca over. Darcy wouldn’t take well to him nuzzling into it, he could already sense it. He still approached, though.

Stood over him, Darcy somehow shrank even further within his shadow. He puffed a breath out, pulled in his sweet little feet and rolled out from under Luca, back into the sunshine. Despite the huffing, Luca wasn’t reading any actual annoyance from Darcy’s body language, so he followed him across. Darcy jumped up, ears pricked and his butt wiggling just a little, but Luca could tell he was having fun. He ran through his back legs and Luca gave chase, slowly and gently. Pretending to take a nip at his feather of a tail and following him round and round the green.

Darcy toddled to the shaded section of the grass, panting. Luca followed, watching his tiny tail bounce ahead of him. When he stopped, Luca stopped right behind him. When he sat, Luca did too. When he growled at him, Luca jolted with surprise. It was quiet, but had a defined rumble to the tone. A real omega growl. He wondered how many people in the Pearl Claw had ever heard one. Luca wiggled backwards, giving him some space, and Darcy spun on his tail and dove straight back into his fur as though the growl had come from someone else. It was precious.

He was hiding in Luca’s stomach and nervously pawing the ground, so Luca nuzzled the top of his head comfortingly. Hoping he would take it the way he intended.

After a few moments, it seemed to have worked. Darcy turned away from him again, but kept himself sat almost in his lap. And then he stayed there. Luca looked between him and the forest a few times, wriggled his hips to keep from cramping up, and tried to enjoy whatever it was Darcy seemed to like about doing nothing. His body was itching to run wild.

Dark eyes glanced back at him and he took his chance to suggest they get moving again. Luca bumped the back of Darcy’s head with his nose and he reluctantly raised his back legs.

After a few timid steps forwards, the shivers of restrained energy burst out and Luca couldn’t hold back at Darcy’s pace anymore. He leapt over him and into the undergrowth ahead, ripping bushes and branches with his body.

The best part of running in his wolf form was pushing himself faster and faster until the wind was whipping through his fur and cooling him as quickly as he could sweat. It was the only way to truly clear his brain. That, and kissing Darcy.

A collection of scents halted him in a skid of dirt. A patrol squad were ahead. He recognised the scents enough to know they were guards, but not enough to name the group members. Either way, he didn’t want them running into Darcy without him.

Luca hesitated for a moment, sniffing experimentally to check they were definitely heading in his and Darcy’s direction. Confirmed. Luca turned back on himself and rushed back to the tiny wolf picking his way through his trail.

He looped Darcy, giving him a once-over with eyes and nose, before taking his place at his side. Darcy moved in line with him and it brought a prideful gait to his walk. His soul-mate was matching his step, walking at his side like a natural.

The patrol squad burst into view, making enough noise to scare away every bird in a mile’s radius. Luca frowned disapprovingly. They all put the brakes on at the sight of him. Behind them, a much larger wolf followed leisurely. Beta Oli entered the area and pushed them aside to take the helm. His eyes were on Darcy in an instant, and the rest of the group were all staring without shame. Beta Oli sniffed in his direction and Luca felt his shift backwards in response.

Beta Oli closed the gap between himself and Luca and tilted his nose in an awkward greeting. In wolf form, communication was made through small movements and sounds. It wasn’t all that eloquent, but it got the job done.

Hello. Darcy? Interesting. You?

Beta Oli was asking if they were okay, and showing surprise at Darcy’s presence.

Hello. Yes. Fine. Darcy? Stay away.

Luca didn’t care if he was read as being rude, they were all showing too much interest in his soul-mate and in his opinion, Beta Oli should be setting an example for the others.

Understand. Sorry. This area?

Yes. Luca confirmed they were walking the area. You? This Area?

Me. Fine. This area? Yes.

Alpha?

Beta Oli rolled his eyes at Luca asking how Alpha Nico was. Apparently he was in one of his ‘I’m so busy that I’m going to take it out on anyone who dares to approach me’ moods. If he would allow Beta Oli to assist him more, maybe he wouldn’t be so busy. Not that it was Luca’s place to suggest, but Beta Oli clearly wanted to help his alpha and dear friend.

Patrol. Okay?

Yes. No danger.

Luca allowed his eyes to drift from Beta Oli for a moment, and a flare of anger heated his sweaty fur. The whole patrol squad were openly and gormlessly eyeing up Darcy. Their stares were intense, and he could suddenly feel Darcy burrowing into his side. Hiding from their shameless gawking.

Luca’s lips trembled, battling between baring his teeth and running the risk of spooking Darcy, or settling on a simple glare, which might not radiate the level of aggression he felt towards every single bonehead milling around behind Beta Oli. He looked back to Beta Oli, who tilted his head in question.

Them. Stay away. Omega.

Before Beta Oli could take any action, Luca turned his furious gaze on the idiots lined up behind him.

Stop.

A flutter of nervous energy ran through the group at his command.

Omega. Mine. Stay away.

All of them looked away immediately, but they continued to steal quick glances at Darcy when they thought he wasn’t looking. Tomorrow, when Luca was back to work, he would be having words with all the guards about keeping their eyes and noses to themselves.

To see an omega in wolf form was a rarity, but his soul-mate was not a carnival attraction. He deserved to be respected out in the wild. Otherwise he might never settle into his wolf form. And that thought was crushing to Luca.

Darcy lowered himself to the dirt as though begging, and it snapped his heart into two sharp shards. He moved his paw over him to cover Darcy completely with his body, and lowered until he was pressed to his back. Hiding him in his golden fur.

Beta Oli smiled. Luca didn’t return it, he was furious. The stupid guards had made Darcy upset and probably set back any progress they had made on their walk.

Sorry. Beta Oli repeated. Patrol. Goodbye.

Goodbye.

That’s right, he thought, go back to your silly little patrol and away from me and my mate.

Once they were out of sight, he lifted himself from Darcy and paced around him, shaking his fur violently in an attempt to calm down. He puffed out a long and slow breath, then heard a different rumble.

This time, it wasn’t a growl from Darcy’s mouth, but his stomach. He sniffed at him, checking he was hungry and not unwell. Darcy huffed back at him and he knew he was fine. They took off back to their clothes, dressed themselves, and headed into the pack centre to pick up lunch.

The silence that followed them on the errand was comfortable, but Luca was burning with curiosity about Darcy’s thoughts on the walk.

“Did you enjoy it?” he asked as he spread the lunch they’d bought over the coffee table.

Darcy hesitated. “The scenery was nice,” he answered slowly.

“What about the run itself?” he pushed.

“I’m sure the exercise did me good.”

He stopped faffing with the sandwiches. “But did you like it?”

“I don’t know if that’s the word I would use.”

Luca sighed.

“It’s not your fault, Luca. I’ve never had that connection that you have with your wolf form. I’ve always known I was odd for not having the built-in instincts. It makes my wolf form almost… exhausting. Because I have to think so much to make up for the lack in natural cues.”

He forced a smile. “Well, thank you for giving it a shot. I had a really good time.” And he meant it, he’d had a blast playing in their most natural form. “Movie?” he suggested. It was supposed to be a self care day and he had wasted half of it with his own selfish wishes. At least they couldn’t go wrong with tv and food.

“Sure. You pick, I just want to cuddle on the sofa with background noise.”

Luca almost sighed with relief. “Perfect.”