Venus Lin Yue sat across from Zhao Xin at the wooden table inside the moonlit courtyard of her aunt's pack house. The scent of fried corn fritters drifted through the air, and Venus popped another into her mouth while Zhao Xin's sharp blue eyes tracked her every movement. She offered him one, holding it out with a small grin, but he shook his head. He didn't speak, only raised an eyebrow in silent refusal.
She didn't push further. Instead, she ate it herself, murmuring to herself that it wasn't worth wasting a perfectly good fritter on someone who wouldn't appreciate it. Tracy, one of the omegas assigned to meal duty, returned with steaming plates of roasted chicken glazed with wild Sichuan herbs. Zhao Xin, who rarely showed emotion, let out a low appreciative growl after the first bite. He had missed his life back at Sichuan, the food that was brought at the table made him ate in gusto. He even reached across to take a wing from her plate when she said she was full. That small gesture reminded her of how bonded pairs in the pack, how often shared meals it was instinctive and natural, but Julian doing it, felt kind of arousing to her.
Venus hadn't expected the night to feel like a date. Yet when they'd trained earlier in the sparring yard, leaping and shifting in rhythm beneath the moonlight, something inside her had stirred. When Zhao Xin nearly toppled over and braced himself on her, she had felt the heat of his body and the deep strength that simmered beneath his skin. It wasn't just attraction between them, it was a pure connection. A pulse, like a heartbeat shared between wolves.
After dinner, Zhao Xin walked her back to her family's house. The silence in the air between them was covered with a thick tension. When they reached the entrance, she thanked him for the evening, her voice unusually low, unsure if she should admit that—for the first time in moons—she hadn't felt the shadow of grief, that she'd felt she was whole.
Just as she turned to go inside, Zhao Xin stopped her with a firm yet gentle grip. He reached into the back of his old motorbike bag and pulled out a leather-wrapped object. Inside was a worn qi ball used in pack rituals, marked with the symbols of the southern wolf clans. "It's from my grandmother," he said. "She gave it to me when I completed my first transformation. I want you to have it."
Venus hesitated, touched beyond words. She hugged him, and to her surprise, he hugged back, his arms were surprisingly warm and solid around her. Her wolf stirred inside her, sensing safety. Desire. It was dangerous territory to her.
Their eyes met, glowing faintly in the dim porch light. His hand brushed her cheek. He leaned closer, and in a raspy voice, admitted he wanted to kiss her. Venus didn't step away. Instead, she challenged him with a quiet smirk, knowing he wouldn't back down. His fingers curled around the back of her neck as he lowered his lips to hers. The kiss started slow, testing, then deepened until her thoughts turned to fire.
She felt her control slipping out of her, her wolf urging her forward. Julian kissed her, he kissed like a warrior, it was fierce, focused, and reverent.
When they finally parted, both of them were breathless, Zhao Xin murmured that they might be more compatible than they thought. She agreed, barely able to speak. But then, with a twist of his lips, he made a joke. Something about taking a photo of them kissing to post online and provoke her ex-mate, Gao Tianyu.
Her body went cold.
She immediately stepped back, the warmth that has just happened between them seconds ago vanishing. It had all been a game to him? A joke? With a glare, she pushed open the door and disappeared inside, vowing not to let herself fall for a rogue wolf with a broken past.
Zhao Xin cursed himself when realization of what he'd just uttered hit on him. He hadn't meant to hurt Venus Lin Yue, but kissing her had unraveled him. That kiss made him want to throw away every wall he'd built since arriving in Kunming. But he couldn't afford to lose focus. He was the son of the pack security leader, Zhao Diwen. His future was already written in stone, and it didn't include emotional entanglements.
He left the qi ball wrapped in red cloth at her door before dawn, knowing it was a poor offering after the damage he'd done.
Later that morning when they went back to their home, the journey between them had been quite, Bai Lan waddled into his room, her pregnancy was nearing the final moons. The pup inside her was Julian's sibling, and Julian Zhao Xin had mixed feelings about the life growing in the pack house. Falkor, the dog he often trained, bounded in with the chewed remains of the qi ball, slobbering proudly on the torn cloth.
"She used it to play fetch," Bai Lan chirped. "Isn't that adorable?"
Zhao Xin groaned inwardly. Venus knew how to send him a dissatisfied message. Loud and clear.
Bai Lan mentioned her upcoming moon-blessing ritual. It was like the ultrasound session which was equivalent for werewolves. where the healer would interpret the pup's aura. She wanted Jerry xin, Venus and Julian to come. He didn't want to, but eventually gave in.
When she left, he heard Venus return from morning drills. She limped slightly, her foot was bruised. He found her later in the common room, soaking her ankle in ice while Chen Zixin and Liang Zao watched something on the screen.
He walked up to her, nerves coiled in his gut like a snake. "Venus," he said, voice low, "Can we talk?"
"There's nothing to talk about." She didn't look at him, she openly refused his offer of talking to her, she knew there was nothing good that was going to come from that talk.
That morning, Venus stood at the edge of the training grounds, watching the younger wolves spar under the guidance of their mentor, Zhao Wei. The sun cast long shadows, and the air was filled with the sounds of exertion and encouragement.
Luo Peng approached her.
"You're leaving," he stated, not as a question but as a fact.
Venus nodded. "Yes father."
Luo Peng placed a hand on her shoulder. "Remember, the bond of the pack is eternal. Wherever you go, you carry us with you."
Venus had decided to attend the healing competition, she prepared to depart, Lin Yue approached, her eyes filled tears, as her best friend, she was going to miss her and with determination for trusting Venus was going to do it.
"Take this," she said, handing her a small pouch filled with herbs.
"For protection," she added.
Venus accepted the gift, their hands brushing briefly before hugging.
"Thank you," she said, her voice thick with emotion.
As she turned to leave, Venus's pack members gathered, their howls echoing through the mountains, giving a farewell to one of their own.
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