My first assignment is to gather wolf feces. I grimace at the thought that I’m basically scooping poop. But I take the gloves, sample jars, bags, and pen with enthusiasm, because this is just the beginning of realizing my dream.

  When it’s time to go, I tuck my field kit into my backpack and head back to my dorm. As I walk, I’m fantasizing about being interviewed on a talk show, and I’m startled when a voice behind me says, “Mia May-bee. Maybe yes, or maybe no.”

  I turn with a smile to discover Ekton. “Well if it isn’t my favorite Sherpa.”

  “I saw you leave the science building. Is that what you’re studying?”

  “Yes. I’m a biology major.”

  He bumps my shoulder with his. “You make a cute little scientist.”

  I scowl, and Ekton frowns at me. “You don’t like to be teased, do you?”

  “Is that what you call it? Where I’m from, that’s making fun of me.”

  Ekton claps his hand over his heart. “You wound me. Do you think I’m the kind of guy who would insult you?”

  “Do I look the kind of girl who likes to be called cute?”

  We’re at the dorm, and he swipes his card to let us in. My skin tingles at the memory of his hand on mine the first day. He holds the door open for me. “Good point. How do you feel about sexy?”

  I squint my eyes at him, and he asks, “Beautiful?” When I don’t respond, he asks, “Smart?”

  I smile in spite of myself, because I’m enjoying his company. I say, “You’re getting warmer.”

  He keeps walking with me to the stairwell and hops in front of me to open the door. He blocks the entrance and gazes down at me to say, “So amazing that I can’t stop thinking about you?”

  I shake my head and push on his chest to get through. “You’re cute.”

  “Cute?” He climbs the stair beside me and matches my step. “Do I look like the kind of guy who likes to be called cute?”

  I grin at him. “No. I’ll bet you prefer hot.” I scan his body with my eyes. “Or sexy.”

  “Now you’re talking.”

  We’ve reached his floor, but he keeps walking with me to mine. He says, “Have dinner with me, Mia Maybee. I know a fantastic dining hall across the way. I’m sure you’ll love it.”

  He pulls on the door for me to enter my floor and blocks the entrance once again. “Please?”

  I am hungry, and if I said no, then I’d have to eat with the girls on the floor. Besides, let’s be real. I want to, so I say, “Sure. Can you be ready in ten minutes?”

  “Yes I can.”

  “I’ll come get you.”

  He winks at me. “I’ll be waiting.”

  I don’t hide my eye roll as I pass by him. And when I get in my room, I don’t hide my joy as I do a little dance. I stop quickly when I realize that he’s right below me and about to enter his room. I think I need to keep him guessing just a little longer.

  Three

  I’ve always been the kind of girl who believes in “what you see is what you get.” I’ve never worked hard at looking attractive for boys. But that was before I met a guy who makes my ovaries load their cannons in preparation for the act of procreation.

  I’m wearing my typical badass boots and leggings under a short plaid skirt. I switch out of my loose top to a fitted button-up blouse. I’d like to think I’m rocking the sexy schoolgirl look, but when I gaze at myself in the mirror, my curves scream fertile instead. I snort at myself. I’ve got sex on the brain.

  Of course, my mother planted that idea in my head when she gave me a box of condoms and told me college should be about more than classwork. I did fantasize that it would be different from high school and hoped I’d find a smart guy who wouldn’t mind a little field research in a bedroom. I smear on a greasy layer of lip gloss and push my glasses up my nose. You can do this, Mia.

  I grab my key, and my door slams behind me as I slip away before any of my floormates notice. I’m going to have enough questions to answer later as it is. Winter Valley U isn’t a big campus, and eating alone with Ekton will be noticed. Not that I mind, because for once I’m going to be the girl with the hot guy.

  My knuckles rap lightly on his door, and I glance down the hall at a group of guys joking around. I’ll never understand their need to punch each other. I turn back when Ekton’s door creaks open. He changed too, and I smile that he put on a button-down shirt like me. Although his appears as if it’s been wadded up in a ball in the corner of his closet. Somehow it works for me anyway, because my mind replays the vision of what he looks like in just a pair of shorts.

  “You’re checking me out.”

  “I—” I wince for a second as my face heats up.

  Ekton scans me with his gaze and then waggles his brows at me as he holds the stairwell door open. “Thanks for permission to do the same, Mia Maybee.”

  I’m in way over my head with this guy. “Sure. Any time.” I jog down the stairs as if I can leave my embarrassment behind.

  When we get outside, Ekton asks, “How’s college life so far?”

  “Good. I like my classes and my job.” I realize I know next to nothing about the man beside me, and I ask, “What about you? How are your classes this year?”

  A guy is approaching us, and I recognize him as one of the shirtless dudes. He says, “Ekton.” And Ekton nods at him as he says to me, “Not bad. But my eight a.m. lab is killer.”

  “Are you a science major too?” I notice that Ekton isn’t like most tall people who don’t account for my short legs, because he’s walking slowly.

  He says, “Chemistry, pre-med.”

  “Really?” I knew he had to be a good student to be in our dorm, so I shouldn’t be surprised. We turn off the main sidewalk to go toward the dining hall. “What kind of doctor do you want to be?”

  “I don’t know.” He holds the door to the cafeteria open for me, and it occurs to me that this is a usual gesture and not something he does to impress me. He says, “Pediatrician maybe. I haven’t decided.”

  We swipe our cards through the reader that lets us through the turnstile. A plastic tray is slick in my hands when I grab it, and it thumps onto the shelf in front of the food on display. I ask for the pasta and move over to the salad bar before we make our way to a table.

  Ekton sits across from me and asks, “What are your career plans?”

  “Research. Genetics.” I twirl my fork in my spaghetti.

  “Like finding cures for diseases and things like that?” Ekton takes a bite of chicken. I notice how straight and white his teeth are.

  “Kind of. I want to work on ways to make humans more adaptable to the world as it changes.”

  “That sounds interesting,” he says.

  I’m excited about my research but can’t share too much, so I say, “I think so. I’m working on a project that studies animals and how we can introduce some of their traits into our genome.”

  Ekton swallows milk and asks, “Do you mean like mice and rats?”

  “Oh, no. Bigger animals, like lions and tigers and bears.” My glass of water is cool on my palm as I grab it.

  He frowns. “You don’t have them in cages or anything like that, do you?”

  “I wish. No, we don’t have the right facility for that here.”

  “You’d want to work with animals that live in cages?”

  His voice is cool, and I wonder why he’s acting like it’s not something that’s done. “It’s more like sanctuaries, and yeah. There’s so much we can learn from them.”

  His fork clatters on his plate as he sets it down. “You don’t see anything wrong with keeping animals in captivity to be poked and prodded for research?”

  Uh-oh. “It’s not like we hurt them.” I sigh. “Look, it’s for the good of the human race, and the animals are well cared for. They’re actually safer in the lab than they are in their natural habitat.”

  Ekton snaps back, “You’d be safer in a cage too.”

  “Whoa. Look, I’m not involved in any of that. I’m still just studying scat and stuff, okay?”

  He sighs and lifts his drink. “Sorry. You surprise me, Mia Maybee.” I feel about six inches tall in his gaze. He says, “I’m probably just touchy because of the wolves around here. I can’t imagine someone keeping them locked up, that’s all.”

  He begins filling his tray with his dishes and says, “I’ve got to study. You about ready to go?”

  My stomach sinks. I think we just broke up before we even started dating. I sigh. “Sure.”

  When we get outside, I decide I might as well salvage something out of tonight, and I say, “Tell me about the wolves. I’ve heard they’re pretty special to this town.”

  Ekton glances at me to say, “They are. Did you know that they’ve lived here since before Winter Valley was incorporated?”

  “I didn’t. Have you ever seen them?”

  “Sure. I grew up here. They’re beautiful animals.”

  “They live by Silver Lake, right?”

  “Yup.” He stops, and I turn to face him as he says, “I think if you saw them, you’d understand how I feel. They have personalities and an intense loyalty to one another.”

  I gaze into the eyes of a man who’s gentle and kind. Of course he cares about the welfare of the wolves. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so callous. Sometimes I let my passion for research take over. I think I understand what you’re saying.”

  Ekton takes my hand and begins to walk again. “Did you know that when wolves mate, it’s for life?”

  His touch sends electric currents through me, and I give him a little squeeze. “That’s pretty amazing.”

  He squeezes back. “Imagine taking a wolf away from his mate. He’d never want to be with another and would mourn the loss for life. Would you want to do that, Mia Maybee?”

  Oh god. I never considered such a thing. The research Dr. Sand is doing could save our whole race. But my tender feelings have no place in science, and some day I may have to. I shake the thought for now. “No. I wouldn’t want to.”

  We’ve reached the landing by his floor, and he lets go of my hand to touch the tip of my nose. “Good. See you ‘round, smart girl.”

  I smile back. “See you.”

  I climb the stairs to my floor slowly as I wonder if I’ll ever have to decide the fate of the Silver Lake wolves.

  Four

  The rec department at the university lets us check out bikes for the day, and I decide that would be a great mode of transportation for the three-mile trip to Silver Lake. Once I get there, I can rent a canoe and paddle out to one of the islands the wolves are known to frequent.

  My plan sounds simple, but the reality is not. I’ve never set foot in a canoe, and I stand on the shore, watching the couple who are preparing to leave. The cord on my lifejacket zings as I tug it tight and study how the man pushes the canoe over the sand and into the water. He steps in, sits, and then shoves off with his paddle so they glide. Got it.

  My boat scrapes against the ground as I drag it toward the water. I’ve already put my pack in and remembered to place my phone in a sealable plastic bag to keep it safe from moisture. The water is cold on my bare feet, and I sure hope I don’t capsize the boat, because I won’t enjoy the swim.

  Once I get the canoe almost all the way in the lake, I attempt to get in the boat the way the man did. I let out a little squeal when it rocks with my movement, and the bones in my butt thud hard on the seat when I fall to it. Okay, Mia. So far so good. I take the paddle and stick it into the water until I hit the sandy bottom. Pushing, I manage to get the canoe to move forward. Yes!

  Using both hands, I stroke the oar along the side of the boat, and it works. Kind of. I veer off to the left and realize I’m going to have to switch sides to go straight. After a bit of practice, my path becomes less erratic. I stop for a moment to wipe the sweat on my forehead with the sleeve of my shirt. This is exercise.

  I gaze out toward the island I located from the shore. According to my map, the wolves utilize it, and I should be able to find some scat. If I’m lucky, bits of fur too. The cotton of my shirt scrapes against my arms as I shove up my sleeves to get back to the business of water travel.

  A half hour later, I’m convinced an exercise program will be in my future, because my arms are already like jelly, and I’m still not there. It looked a lot closer from the shore. I glance back to where I started and see I’m not nearly as far as I would expect. I sigh and get back to it.

  I want to cheer when I finally get close enough to the island that I’m sure I’ll reach it. I notice an inlet that appears to be a good place to beach the canoe so I can explore, and I paddle my way to it. I realize I’m going too fast when I get there and the boat jerks me forward when I hit land. I scramble out, and my arm muscles are like noodles as I drag the canoe up onto the dirt as far as I can.

  I lift my backpack out of the canoe, and water drips from the bottom. It never occurred to me that there’d be a puddle in the boat, and I sigh as I wipe the bag over my jeans. But it doesn’t appear soaked, and not much is inside that could get ruined. The zipper hums when I open it to retrieve my functional ankle boots and socks. Excitement is coursing through my veins at my first real field trip. This is just the beginning of me making a name for myself in the research world. I envision an award ceremony, with me giving a modest speech. When I’m ready, I hoist my bag onto my back to begin my exploration.

  The woodlands are not thick, and it’s easy to push my way through the brush. Twigs snap and catch on my clothing as I walk. Bugs buzz around my face, and I swat with my hand to get them out of the way. But it doesn’t really work, and I sputter when I breathe one in. Gross. I swallow hard to chase it down and kill it with stomach acid as I placate myself with the idea that it’s just protein.

  While I’m scouring the ground for scat, I’m not finding any. “Really, wolves? Don’t you guys poop?” I trip over a root and go down. “Shit!” I glance at my burning palms, but they’re only scraped, so I get up and slap the dirt off my knees. I flap my hand at another group of insects. “This is not very glamorous,” I sigh as I trudge along.

  Two hours later, all I’ve managed to collect are bug bites, a hole in the knee of my jeans, and a meal’s worth of bugs that I’ve inhaled through my nose and mouth. In short, I’ve failed. I return to the canoe and plop down to the ground to eat my lunch.

  So much for my fame and glory. I can’t even collect poop. Salty turkey flavor comforts me as I chew, and it occurs to me that Ekton must know this lake, and I’ll bet he’d have an idea where wolf scat might be. Cola fizzes on my tongue, and I welcome the sugary sweetness that races to my bloodstream. I’m exhausted, and I still have to canoe back to land. I really should have thought to ask for Ekton’s help before I tried to become an explorer. When I get back to the campus, I’m going to go find him, because this fieldwork stuff sucks on your own.

  It’s past dinnertime by the time I get to my dorm. I’m so tired that I don’t entertain the thought of stairs and take the elevator to the second floor. I shuffle slowly toward Ekton’s room. I’m almost there when he calls from behind me.

  “Mia Maybee, are you coming to see me? Yes? No? Maybe?”

  I turn to him as he chuckles at his own joke. The sight obliterates my crappy day in an instant. He’s fresh out of the shower, and a towel hangs low on his hips. I let my gaze travel the lines that lead downward and snap it back up to his face to answer. “I am. I need your help.”

  He comes closer and reaches for my hair. When he pulls out a stick, he inspects it before giving me the once-over with his eyes. He frowns as he asks, “What on earth happened to you?”

  “I was doing a little field research, but it didn’t go so well.”

  “So I see. So how can I help you?”

  You could let me lick that drop of water running down your chest. I shut up my inner voice. “I need wolf poop.”

  He grins and shakes his head. “Wolf poop. Do I want to know how you tried to get it?”

  “No. You really don’t.” I sink to the ground because my legs are close to giving out. Mia Maybee doesn’t fail, and admitting it is hard for me. I blink to hold back my tears of frustration.

  Ekton crouches down across from me. The scent of soap with a hint of him floats toward me. “I’ve got an idea. I can’t promise any poop, but I can promise you’ll learn something cool about wolves.”

  I swipe at the tear that fell. “Okay.”

  “Go get yourself cleaned up, and come get me when you’re ready.” I nod, and his brow knits. “Did you eat?”

  I shake my head in response.

  “Uh-oh. You’ve stopped talking. Don’t worry, I’ll feed you too.”

  “You will?”

  “Yes, I will, Mia Maybee.” He offers me a hand and helps me up. He winks and asks, “Say yes?”

  I smile at his kindness, because he’s made me feel better. “Yes.”

  Five

  After a few ibuprofen tablets and a hot shower, I feel ten times better and even manage to take the stairs down to Ekton’s room. When he opens the door, he’s holding two sweatshirts. I ask, “Should I go get a coat?”

  “No. One of these is for you.”

  It’s a silly thing, but I like that he wants me to wear something of his. He takes my hand when we get to the stairwell, and I ask, “Where are we going?”

  “First we’re going to the diner where I work to get you dinner. And then when it’s dark, we’re going to Silver Lake.”

  “What do you do at the diner?”

  “I’m a cook.” He leads me toward a motorcycle, and I stiffen with nerves. Ekton glances down at me. “Have you ever ridden on a bike?”

  I shake my head, and he takes my other hand. “I won’t scare you. I’m a safe driver.”

  I nod, and he smiles at me. “I’d say you’re cute when you get speechless, but I’m told I shouldn’t call you that.” A compartment on the bike clicks open, and he pulls out a helmet for me.