My hands tremble as I work on the buckle, and Ekton says, “If you really don’t want to ride on my bike, we can do this another time. I don’t mind.”

  I force myself to speak, because this is my chance to get close to the wolves, and I’m not going to blow it because I’m afraid. “No. It’s fine. I’m just really hungry.” Or really nervous about wrapping myself around the hottest guy I’ve ever met.

  He shows me where to put my feet and helps me on the motorcycle. He climbs on too, and the engine roars when he starts it. “Now for my favorite part. Hold on to me tight, Mia Maybee.”

  I grab around his waist and tuck my chest against his back. It’s a bit of a death grip, but when I inhale his scent, my body relaxes, because I feel safe. Wind whips around us, and I experience a sensation of freedom that makes me think of flying. Ekton drives slowly off campus, and even on the road, he must be going under the speed limit. When I glance down at the pavement rushing beneath my feet, I appreciate that he’s being careful with me. I focus forward and relax my grip a little more. When we get to a shiny silver building one would expect to be a diner, he pulls into the parking lot.

  I climb off and remove the helmet. He asks, “You doing okay?”

  I finger comb my hair quickly and say, “Yeah. I think I almost had fun.”

  Ekton’s smile makes me want to keep it on his face, so I say, “Thank you for being so cautious with me.”

  “You’re welcome.” After Ekton puts the helmet away, he grabs my hand. “C’mon.”

  I glance down at my fingers. He’s about to take me into where he works while holding my hand? I think I’m on a real date. A grin covers my face as we walk inside.

  The diner’s interior is classic silver, with booths and cushioned stools at the counter. A woman in a turquoise-blue uniform says, “Well, look what the cat dragged in.”

  Ekton says, “Darla, this is Mia.”

  “Hello, darling. Nice to meet you.”

  “Hi,” I say to her as Ekton tugs me toward a booth. He releases my hand when we get there, and red vinyl is cool under my bottom as I slide into my seat. We grab menus that were stuck behind a napkin container, and the plastic coating is slippery in my hand as I open it up.

  “If you like burgers, they’re really good here,” says Ekton.

  I set the menu down. “Perfect. That’s what I’ll have.” I glance up when Darla comes to take our order.

  When she leaves, I ask, “How many hours a week do you work here?”

  “About twenty.”

  “That’s a lot with school. You mustn’t have much free time.”

  He shrugs. “Someone’s got to pay for med school. And until lately, I haven’t had a need for extra time.” Ekton reaches for my hand. “But I hope that’s about to change.”

  I drop my gaze for a second, and when I glance back up, Ekton is staring at me. His lips are parted, and I wish I could reach over and kiss him. I say, “Me too.”

  Darla arrives, and I pull back when two drinks thump down. Ekton doesn’t let go of my hand, but as soon as she’s gone, I pull mine back to rip the paper off my straw. Ekton asks, “Want to tell me about your day?”

  I shake my head as I smile. “Let’s just say canoeing isn’t as easy as it looks.” He raises his eyebrows, and I add, “I didn’t fall in or anything, but I don’t think it’s my sport.”

  A laugh twitches at his lips, but he controls it. “Ah. Good to know.”

  Our burgers arrive, and the scent of the beef makes me salivate before I bite into it. Salty flavor mixed with the tomato and condiments is like heaven, and I let out a little moan of appreciation. After I swallow down the bite, I say, “This is so good.”

  Ekton smiles at me, and I’m so hungry that I keep eating instead of being polite. But he does the same, and we don’t talk again until all I have left is fries. I drag one through ketchup as I ask, “So what got you interested in medicine?”

  “I love science and helping people. I’m fascinated by how the body works and what we can do to fix things.”

  “Me too.” I dip my half-eaten French fry in ketchup again. “That’s why I love research. There’s so much we don’t know, and I hope to make a difference in people’s lives by figuring out ways to save us from the evils of humans.”

  “Humans? Evil?” Ekton’s eyes twinkle as he teases me. I imagine him holding a sick baby and the look of concern that would be on his face. What is it with me and reproduction lately?

  “We’re ruining our planet. We continue to make decisions and invent things that only hurt our existence.” I feel my passion building pressure like lava in a volcano, but I tamp it down. Ekton doesn’t want to hear my rant about the future of our race. I reach for his hand as I shake my head. “Not all humans are evil.”

  His warm fingers wrap around mine as he says, “No, Mia Maybee, not all of them.”

  Six

  After we finish dinner and get back outside, it’s dark. There’s a chill in the air, and Ekton pulls out the sweatshirts he brought along with the helmet. He hands me one. “Here. It will be huge, but you’ll stay warm.”

  The cotton is thick and slides over me like a soft embrace. When I detect the odor that’s Ekton on it, I want to claim it as mine. I glance down to find it hits my knees. I ask, “Perfect fit?”

  He lets out a low noise that’s a bit like a growl and says, “You look good in my clothes.”

  I know I’m being ridiculous, but his words make me think he wants to claim me too. The strap to the helmet clicks under my chin, and I say, “Ready.”

  This time when I climb behind Ekton and hang on, I’m more comfortable. He reaches back and tugs my hips forward so that more than my inner thighs come in contact with his body. Heat and firm muscles press against me, and my trembling returns. I’m grateful when the engine rolls over and the vibration hides my apparent lust for this man.

  As we travel along the highway, Ekton stays with the flow of traffic, but I’m not scared, and when he pulls off to a side road, I yell, “You can go faster.”

  He speeds up, and I tip my head back to let the wind flow over my face. My grin is huge, as if I’m on a carnival ride. The bike slows, and we turn down a dirt road. The road is eerie in the darkness, and I grip Ekton tight. He places a hand on mine and says, “Nothing’s going to jump out at us.”

  I speak loudly too. “I know.” But I guess he thinks I’m afraid of the wolves. And I suppose I should be, considering they’re wild animals. This city girl is realizing how naive she’s been. What if I’d actually encountered one on the island?

  We stop at a house at the end of the road. It’s lit up, and I notice the lake beyond it. Moonlight is shining and gives enough light for me to make out a dock. When Ekton turns off the bike, the silence falls on us, and I’m aware of my breathing. I ask, “Where are we?”

  “My brother’s house.” Ekton lifts the helmet from my head as I frown.

  First I meet his coworker and now his brother?

  He says, “Don’t worry. He’ll love you.”

  I suppose this is Ekton’s town, and it would be close to impossible for us not to run into people he knows, but it still feels a bit serious for a first date.

  Ekton’s knock is accompanied by him opening the door at the same time, and he calls out, “Esher!”

  A TV is on with a sports game, and a hand lifts up above the large couch. Ekton grasps my fingers, and I follow him as he walks toward his brother. We step in front of the couch, and his brother mutes the television when he notices me.

  “Esher, this is Mia.”

  A man who I guess is in his late twenties stands up and reaches the same height as Ekton as he extends his hand to me. “Hello, Mia. Nice to meet you.”

  The intense warmth I notice with Ekton wraps around my fingers, and I say, “Hi. Sorry to barge in on you like this.”

  “No worries.” He turns his gaze to Ekton. “What are you two crazy kids up to?”

  “We’re going down to the dock to listen to the wolves.”

  His brother nods as if we’re conducting serious business. It’s odd, and I wonder if maybe Esher doesn’t approve, so I say, “I was curious and—” I turn to Ekton. It’s like they’re having a silent disagreement in front of me or something, because he’s got a strange look too, and they don’t even seem to have noticed I stopped mid-sentence.

  Ekton places an arm around my shoulders. “Thanks, bro.”

  I have no idea what just happened, but I let him lead me through the sliding doors that go out back. When we get outside, I ask, “What was that all about? Should we not be here?”

  “It’s nothing. My brother’s kind of weird sometimes.”

  Our feet clomp over the wood-plank walkway that goes to a rectangular dock, and I notice two chairs. The water is like glass, and the moon shimmers on it. It’s romantic, and I ask, “Is it a full moon tonight?”

  “Close. Tomorrow night.” Ekton sits in one of the chairs, and I do the same. “It’s perfect for what we’re here for.”

  “And what’s that?”

  He leans toward me and places his hand on my leg as he whispers, “Just listen.”

  So I do as I lean against his shoulder. Peepers sing their song as Ekton’s thumb strokes the denim on my thigh. It’s a lovely sound, and I relax even more. Until a howl makes me jump. It’s long and low, and it tugs at my heart as if the wolf is sad. But just when I’m about to ask about it, a higher-pitched one comes from a different direction. I imagine it’s a female answering, and the weight of my sorrow lifts. When they both join in to sing together, I grab Ekton’s arm as I whisper, “How beautiful.”

  Ekton grips my jaw lightly and turns my face toward him. Moonlight shines in his eyes, and he asks, “Pretty amazing, right?”

  I nod. “Is it a male and a female?”

  “Yes. They’re calling to each other.”

  Ekton’s face is close to mine, and I lean in a little closer as I ask, “Are they mates?”

  Now he whispers as he glances down at my mouth. “Yes.”

  His lips meet mine, and I grasp onto his shoulder. It might be because I’m falling for this guy, and I hold on tight as we nip at each other. More howls sound as I drink in the flavor of Ekton. Just lips aren’t enough for me, and I test him with my tongue.

  Now I’m sure he growls as he pulls me into his lap. Our kiss breaks apart with the movement, and he sighs. “Oh, Mia.” This time he lifts my glasses off my face. I tingle, because he means business, and when he kisses me again, neither of us are shy as we taste each other recklessly.

  The intensity of our connection is overwhelming, and I push myself away to catch my breath. “Wow.”

  “Are you okay?” asks Ekton.

  I nod and gaze at him as I say, “I think our pheromones are compatible.”

  His body shakes under me as he chuckles. The softness of his sweatshirt scrunches in my hand as I pull him back for more, and his laughter stops abruptly when I let my hormones take control.

  I’m not sure how long we make out, but my lips are swollen when he stops to suggest we get back to school. We walk back to the driveway by the side of his brother’s house. Ekton slips his arm around my shoulders, and I lean against him. His bike is bathed in yellow from the light over the door, and before we get to it, Ekton stops to turn to me.

  I place my hands on his chest as I gaze into his eyes. “That was really incredible.”

  Ekton licks his lips as he grips my hips lightly. “Yeah, it was.”

  “I meant the wolves.”

  He grins. “Tell me, Mia Maybee, can you imagine one of them calling to a mate and not getting an answer?”

  I shake my head as I stand on my tiptoes, and he wraps his arms around me in an embrace. Maybe studying a mated pair is the answer. What keeps them together for life? Oh, this is good. “No. I understand why you care so much about them now. Thank you, Ekton.”

  He gives me a long, slow kiss. “You’re welcome.”

  Seven

  After my horrible experience with canoeing out to the island for samples of the local wolf DNA, I decided to try the areas around the lake that were easier to canvas. I’ve found plenty of questionable scat, but none of it is wolf. I’m pretty sure all that I gathered today will be the same. I trudge down the hall to the lab. My footsteps echo as I stomp. Bits of dried mud flake off, and when I turn around, I notice I’ve left a trail on the pristine floor. But I’m so frustrated, I don’t care.

  I push my way into the lab, and Andi looks up from a microscope. My scowl makes her ask, “No luck?”

  “Nope.” My bag drops to the floor with a thump.

  “I’m sorry. I know you wanted to have something good to report to Dr. Sand.”

  We have a video conference call in a few minutes, and my stomach is queasy as I think about it. I don’t do failure well. I shrug. “It’s okay, but I swear they must be hiding from us. I heard them loud and clear the other night, so why can’t I find any trace of the elusive Silver Lake wolf?”

  “You heard them?” Andi blows a strand of hair out of her face. “Where?”

  Thinking about my first date with Ekton makes me smile. I’ve only had stolen bits of time with him the past week due to our schedules. It usually involves studying together in one of our rooms, and not much gets done, because the two of us can’t stop touching each other. When we’re not together, I spend more time than I should reliving every moment I’ve spent with Ekton Wakefield. I’m looking forward to a whole evening with him tonight. “My boyfriend is from here and brought me to Silver Lake to hear them. It was pretty amazing.”

  “I wish I’d heard it. I’ve been told it’s almost like they’re singing when they do that.” Andi opens her laptop, and keys click as she prepares for our call.

  “Oh, they definitely are.” I recall how the male’s call made me sad. “Next time I’ll record it for you.”

  A chime sounds from the computer, and my stool scrapes on the floor as I drag it over to sit next to Andi in front of the screen.

  Dr. Sand doesn’t know we can see her yet, and she appears harsh, with her hair pulled back and no makeup other than her signature red lipstick. She looks intimidating before the smile appears. “Good afternoon, ladies. I’m looking forward to hearing what you have for me today.”

  Andi glances at me, and I clear my throat. “Hi, Dr. Sand. I’m so sorry to report that I haven’t had any luck finding wolf DNA to study.”

  “Why not?” Her smile falls so quickly that I wonder if it was even real.

  “I’m not sure. I’ve been to all the known places they frequent, and I’m coming up empty. It’s like they don’t exist.”

  “I’m not surprised,” says Dr. Sand.

  I ask, “You’re not?”

  “No. I suspected they’d take measures to conceal themselves. They have been under the radar for a long time.”

  Great. She sent me on a fool’s errand. But I keep my annoyance to myself.

  Andi says, “I emailed you my report, but nothing exciting has come up in my findings this week.”

  “Yes. Thank you.” Dr. Sand takes a deep breath and presses her fingers to the bridge of her nose. “I don’t suppose either of you have any ideas about how we can get close to the wolves?”

  I sit up in excitement, because maybe I can redeem myself. “I do. I have a friend who took me to the lake to hear the wolves howl the other night. Perhaps he can help.”

  I replay one of the first conversations Ekton and I had and immediately regret my offer. I don’t think he’ll be agreeable to helping me find one. I scowl and Andi glances at me.

  Dr. Sand says, “Fantastic, Mia. What we need is firsthand information from you on where they actually live. Do you think you can find that out?”

  I’m not sure how I’m going to do it, but I’m pretty confident no isn’t going to be the right answer, so I say, “Sure. I’ll see what I can do.”

  My mentor has a big smile, and I think it’s real this time. She says, “Mia, you’re proving to be a valuable asset. I knew I could count on you.”

  I give her my fake smile and try to listen as she and Andi discuss other research matters that pertain to our project. But my queasy stomach has turned to full-on upchuck mode, because I’m pretty sure I know what Ekton’s going to think of my request.

  When the call is over, Andi says, “Mia, I think we need to talk.”

  “Sure.” Fantastic. My day just keeps getting worse and worse.

  Her brow knits, and I guess she’s trying to find the right words. Probably to fire me. She says, “Something’s wrong. As soon as you offered your boyfriend’s help, you seemed to regret it. What’s up?”

  I rake my hands through my hair. She’s good. Although, my fidgeting might have clued her in. I know I should be making research my first priority, but Andi’s been super nice to me, and she deserves the truth. “He’s kind of protective of the wolves. I was talking about how I wanted to study big animals, and he got all prickly about the captivity thing. We’ve gotten past that, but I don’t think Ekton’s going to want to help me when it comes to invading the wolves’ habitat.”

  “Yeah, not everyone is willing to put humans before animals.”

  Her voice is sad, as if she’s one of them, and I ask, “Are you?”

  Andi gets up and walks across the room, then she turns and leans against a counter. “I don’t know. I used to be all for it when I was your age. I mean, there’s so much good we can do by studying them.” She gets up and comes to me to grip my arms lightly, and the chill of her fingers cuts through my shirt. “I’m not a good person to ask. I’ve become jaded with what I’ve seen.”

  “But you’re the best person to ask. You live here and have seen the wolves. Tell me.”

  “I’m not sure you want to know what I think.” She drops her hands and turns to walk away again.

  “Andi?”

  “Look. See what you can find out. Don’t let me stand in the way of your dream because mine isn’t what I thought it would be. Okay?” I frown at her, and she glances at the clock before she says, “You should go. I’m ready to call it a day.”