Welcome to Wolf's arc which has one of my favourite titles. I'm shocked at myself for not using or coming up with it sooner. (I started it back in maybe December 2021 and came back to work on it more in January 2022 when it was announced that TLC is getting a movie!)

I know you all love couple content so here are 10 chapters of couple fluff, chaos, and food. I'm glad I picked Valentine's Day to finish this chapter off since the Kaider wedding novella was announced today.

[Also, Happy 5th Anniversary to this story!]

Hungry Like the Wolf: Part One

This isn't the first time Winter's had to fend for herself for dinner. Levana is working late and Cinder went to work after school and was planning to go to Kai's place after. At least Winter didn't have to worry about portioning or food getting cold so she ordered a lot of takeout for herself. She would've driven for the sake of going out into town but Cinder took their car.

As she waited for her dinner, she opened her laptop on the kitchen island to video call Jacin. Another benefit of ordering in. It meant more time for her to chat with Jacin before he had to meet Andromeda Academy's curfew which was in a few hours from now.

He picked up as she answered the door to get her food and pay, so she just heard Jacin calling for her.

Jacin Bae: Wow. That looks good. Wanna share?

Winter smiles as she puts her takeout bag next to her laptop. He doesn't even know what she ordered yet. Oil seeps through, staining the company's logo as she takes out her food. It's so warm that the container's sweat, the spice-filled scent fills her lungs as she crushes the bag and pushes it to the side. She opens the plastic utensils that came with her food before popping open the first container. Her mouth has never watered more before as her stomach grumbles.

Winter glances up at Jacin on her laptop and her brows scrunch a little. She waves a little on the screen, even picking up a spoonful of her pork fried rice and teasing Jacin with it but no response.

"Did you freeze?" Winter asks, putting her food down and waving to the screen.

Jacin Bae: No, I'm just staring at you.

Winter's cheeks heat up and Jacin exhales a laugh so quick that she would've missed it. She opens a napkin to wipe her face despite not having eaten anything yet. If Jacin ever flirted, it was with fast quips he would say so casually and, out of context, seem like a normal conversation. Just that comment alone reminds Winter of when she and Jacin were in their label-less will they/won't they stage.

She hopes his internet is bad that he doesn't catch her blushing, but he does notice her smiling because he mirrors it.

Jacin Bae: I like seeing you happy, Trouble.

"I'm always happy when I'm eating," Winter responds.

Jacin Bae: What'd you get?

"Ordered from New Beijing. I made sure to get some egg rolls too." Winter opens her takeout container, the lid cracking in her fingers. All the fried and greasy food makes her smile grow. "I should take you next time you're here."

Jacin Bae: Wow, now I'm hungry. I haven't eaten yet, actually.

Winter looks back up at him and frowns. "It's almost midnight where you are. Go eat something."

Jacin shrugs and she points her chopsticks at him before snapping them in half. She'll probably call Iko or Kinney to make sure Jacin eats something, or she'll order something and have it delivered to his dorm. Maybe she'll find a place like the restaurant she got her food from. Now that she's thinking about it, she should get him some food so they could eat together.

Jacin Bae: I'll grab something before curfew and eat in my dorm. Or I could take whatever's in my mini-fridge and wait till morning.

"It's truly amazing how a teenage boy could eat such trash and not face repercussions," Winter tells him.

She remembers Jacin and Kinney could scarf down the greasiest burgers with no vegetable toppings and be more than okay to eat more or all the fries while downing a soda. Winter could eat half a burger and later pass out only to wake up with acne. Cinder would usually eat the rest of her burger and her fries, claiming she didn't want them to go bad.

Jacin Bae: Says you. Are those any good?

Winter takes a bite of her spring roll without dipping it to get the taste before the sauce enhances the whole experience. The shell outside was shockingly still crunchy despite the steam trapped inside before she opened the lid. Vegetables turn to a gooey mess in her mouth and she can't distinguish anything which, upon tasting and looking inside the roll, should alarm her but she isn't concerned. Should she be worried that she can't tell the egg from the vegetables? If she wanted to be more dramatic, she'd give herself the whole experience on the first bite, and nearly have to pick up her dropped jaw from slobbering over the countertop and her keyboard.

"This tastes kinda fake, like the chemicals I'm not supposed to know about but I love it," Winter says. "Should I be concerned that this tastes like something you would make?"

Jacin Bae: Spades, Winter, that's not a good thing. It's amazing how a teenage girl could eat such trash and not face repercussions.

Winter grins. "Says you."

Winter moves a spring roll around her container and gasps when she pulls out a roasted ghost pepper from the corner. It's charred and wrinkled as she twists its stem with her pointer finger and thumb.

"Oh my stars…" Winter mutters.

Jacin Bae: Eat that.

"Are restaurants even allowed to include these? That pepper just screams suck my spades. I'm not eating this."

Jacin Bae: Why not?

"Ugh, fine! My body won't be able to handle this but I'm half-brown so I can manage."

Jacin Bae: I didn't even tell you to do it.

"You literally did."

Winter takes a bite of half the pepper and doesn't have time to process it in her mouth. She calmly spits it out into a napkin, crumples it, and puts it to the side. Her tongue is humming, vibrating as if it's about to explode. Her leg shakes against the stool and she breathes through the plastered smile as she looks at Jacin. His face is etched with concern as he looks at her through the screen, but she thinks he's impressed with her high spice tolerance.

"I'm dying," Winter calmly states.

Jacin Bae: But you look so alive.

Winter scoffs. "It's not that spicy."

Jacin Bae: You're sweating.

Winter nods, now feeling sweat pricking on her temple as he pointed out. Her body shakes as the burn starts heating up in her mouth. "I think I'm chewing my tongue. I ruined my palate and my digestive system. My colon is rattling. This food fights back."

Jacin Bae: If it helps, you're hotter than the pepper.

Winter huffs as she puts her hands on her knees. "Good one."

Since I usually update this story on Saturday, Selfie Saturdays, which I will be using from now on if I remember, I'll be updating tomorrow!