Sunscreen slicks against Sommy's skin as she rubs it in, the scent mingling with summer air. Her stomach is fluttering nervously-an old feeling she thought she'd left well in her teens. She was about to spend the day floating down a river next to Buchi.
She trots out of the RV to the sounds of vehicles making their way along Lago Creek. The very moment Buchi stepped from his truck, everything else in her world fell away. His gaze captured hers, and then his body, with urgent movements, pulled hers closer to a kiss deep into her soul. Her gut bursts in waves as instincts spark into being-to belong to, be lost to the hold.
"Get a room!" Zain's teasing call breaks them apart, dragging them back to reality.
Buchi smirks but doesn't let go of her hand. His grip tightens to the intensity in his gaze, matching the storm inside her.
"Come on already, you two!" Jessica's voice snaps Sommy fully back, and she turns to see their friends piled into the truck. Jessica dangles her bag with a knowing grin.
Buchi lifts Sommy effortlessly and helps her climb in before settling in behind her. She leans into the warmth of his body, his strong arms wrapping around her waist like he has no intention of letting go.
Timothy is behind the wheels, Zain riding shotgun with the guy responsible for driving the truck back. Their inner tubes had been sent ahead in a van, waiting at the drop-off.
"Anyone done this before?" Stephen asks, looking around. When no one of the girls raises a hand, his grin widens. "First rule of tubing—beer is mandatory."
He yanks a cooler closer and starts tossing out cans of cheap beer.
Jessica scrunches her nose. "Do I have to drink this?
"Nope." Oga snatches it from her with a grin. "You can wait till you're dying of thirst on the water. I'll be dragging a six-pack behind me."
Jessica rolls her eyes but grins at Sommy, who chuckles.
"Does everyone get a nickname with you guys?" Sommy asks, rolling her beer between her palms.
"Eventually," Stephen replies, popping the tab on his drink.
"So what's mine?"
"You don't need one. You're Buchi's Sommy.
She tosses her head back so that Buchi can meet her gaze. "My Buchi." The little potion bottle from the witch was safely tucked inside her bag. Though she did doubt she'd ever have to use it, she wasn't about to tempt fate.
Buchi leans into her, brushing his lips over her ear. "I'll be anything you need me to be.
The truck veers onto a dirt path, the suspension squeaking with each bump. Jessica peers around. "You guys do this a lot?"
Oga nods. "Every chance we get. You'll have to come visit us sometime."
Sommy hesitates. She doesn't even know where she'll be living yet. "Where exactly is home?"
"Lago Creek." Buchi's voice holds a quiet reverence, as if the name alone is sacred. And maybe, to him, it is.
"Firemen from Lago Creek?" Elena quirks a brow.
"Yeah," Buchi says. "We know."
Sommy smirks. "So whose nickname is ADA?"
The guys exchange glances before Oga says, "Nobody's."
"Well, that needs to change."
The truck draws to a stop alongside the crowd of the people from the van. After Timothy and Zain get off, Buchi says, "Wait here," to Sommy and the others. Stephen then adds, "Since we've got beer with us and the families are present, we should hang back."
Sommy hits Zain lightly. "Guess where these guys are from.
Elena groans. "As much as I want to vomit over the PDA, I think we just found our ADA."
Stephen raises a beer. "Hey, ADA, want a drink?"
Timothy catches a can mid-air, chest puffing slightly at the nickname. He opens it and hands it to Zain before another flies his way.
Buchi's watching Sommy with that unreadable expression that makes her heart stutter.
He leans in, a whisper against her ear, "Whatever you're thinking, the answer is yes."
A slow smirk spreads across her lips. "Should we sneak off down the river?"
His hand finds her bikini-clad hip, fingers pressing in possessively. "Done."
"I think Zain's going to say yes to Timothy."
"Good. He'd be miserable without her." Buchi strokes her cheek, voice dropping. "How far is Lago Creek from your pack?"
"Winter Valley is up north."
He nods. "Pa R's the alpha, right?"
"Yeah.
"He and my dad were friends. You can visit anytime you want."
Sommy thinks of who she'd actually miss. She'd been pulling back a little for a while. "Thanks, but I've already been drifting."
Stephen whoops at that, lifting Elena high in the air. "C'mon, girly, it's our turn."
Sommy laughs hard as Elena goes bright red with embarrassment, though she's pleased to see her friend so ruffled. These Lago Creek werewolves are already chipping away at their walls.
Buchi watches her as they reach for their tubes. "You never fit in with your pack?"
"Not really."
"Because you couldn't find a mate?"
She stammers. "How'd you guess?"
"Try being an alpha without one while your clan pushes you toward 'acceptable' options." He splashes their tubes into the water.
"Oh. So—"
"Yes, Sommy." His hands frame her face, eyes dark with emotion. "We've been waiting for each other."
The words wrap around her heart like a promise. She barely can whisper, "Buchi."
Their tubes tip precariously as he leans in, claiming her lips just before they both tumble into the water. Laughter bubbles up between kisses while they float downriver, wrapped in each other and the pull of destiny.
Dean's shout pulls them back. "Hey! We put a deposit down on those tubes!
Sommy and Buchi come up, and Oga and Stephen are holding their floats. Giggling, they swim towards them. As Byron hands Sommy her tube, he says in a low voice, "I have never seen our alpha this happy. Welcome to the pack."
The feeling spreads in her chest. "Thanks." She smiles, a little dizzy. "I feel like the luckiest girl alive."
Buchi laces their fingers together as they go with the current.
"So what happens now?" she asks.
There is pure mischief on his face. "We spend the week together and make sure you want to move to Lago Creek."
She doesn't hesitate. "I already know. I love you, Buchi."
His grip tightens. "I love you too, Sommy." He presses a kiss to her palm. "I'm your Buchi.