Darkest Powers Bonus Pack 2

FourWe didn’t spend much time at the mall. Chloe seemed eager to get going and I wasn’t keen onstaying. Chloe suggested we take the forest route back while Simon and Tori went by road. I sure ashell wasn’t arguing. Before we started dating, I’d gotten the impression—from movies and stuff—thatthe guy was usually the one suggesting things like a private walk in the woods, and the girl might wantto sometimes, but not as often as the guy did. But half the time, Chloe was the one suggesting it,which was nice. Really nice.When Chloe told them we’d take the forest route, Tori rolled her eyes. Simon grinned and shot me athumbs up, which had Chloe rolling her eyes. In the beginning, she’d get embarrassed about stuff likethat, and she’d change her mind, but I’d put a stop to that fast. We were going out; no one expected usto just walk around holding hands. No one other than her aunt, that is.Once we got to the forest, we did hold hands, Chloe sliding hers into mine, twining our fingers, andif there was any knot still left in my gut, it slid away. When we’re alone like this, I know everything’sokay and I feel like a moron for worrying.“Straight home then?” she asked as we walked along the path.I snorted.She looked over. “Ah, so you have other plans. I bet I know what they are, too.”“I bet you do.”“Yep. A long, peaceful walk in the forest. Fresh air. Exercise. What more could you ask for?”“I can think of a few things.”Her brows lifted. “Like what?”“What you brought me into the forest for. This.”I grabbed her by the waist and swung her around to face me. As I bent, I closed my eyes . . . andkissed air as she ducked out of my grasp. I opened my eyes to see her dancing backward along thepath.I made a noise in my throat.“Don’t growl,” she said. “Aren’t you always complaining that you don’t get enough exercise?”I lunged. She backed away.I let out another growl and crossed my arms. “Better watch out. I might decide the prize isn’t worththe effort.”She grinned, blue eyes sparkling. “Oh, you know it is. And you know it’s never as sweet as whenyou have to work for it.”She wheeled and ran. As I went after her, adrenaline pumped through me like liquid fire. There wasnothing quite like a chase, and one that ended with this reward was the best chase of all. Chloe knewthat. I was part wolf—an idea I was finally starting to accept. Running and chasing wore off therestless gnawing in my gut. I don’t hunt animals yet. I will. I can feel the urge, when I cross their trailsin wolf form, but I’m not ready for that. These mock-hunts with Chloe do the trick for now.A month ago, my dad caught us goofing around, Chloe running and hiding, while I chased andstalked. He took me aside for a talk and said he worried we might be tempting instincts we weren’tready to handle. He meant sex, of course, but something else, too.“Chasing humans is dangerous, Derek,” he said. “That’s one of the challenges a werewolf faces.When you chase, you chase to hunt. To kill.”Except I didn’t. There was no doubt, no question, no concern. I never chased Chloe and thought ofher as prey. I thought of other things, sure—that was part of the fun of it—but I had that under control.We both knew we weren’t ready for sex. But Dad’s other concern was groundless.