Venus sat quietly in the passenger seat, her stomach still fluttering from two days earlier. Zhao Xin had fed her a cracker with his fingers, and the touch had lingered on her lips longer than necessary. It felt too intimate. But she reminded herself that it was just a cracker, not a flirtation. Still, her body betrayed her, reacting to the light pressure of his fingers, his scent, his closeness. It was hard to believe that someone with such a tough, distant aura, an Alpha in training, he could also feel so gentle.
Zhao Xin offered her another cracker today while driving, but she shook her head. She didn't want his fingers near her again. His rule was clear, no touching, no kissing. She needed to remember that.
He opened his mouth and squirted some cheese directly into his mouth without care. Venus glanced away, trying not to be affected. But it was hard. The way he licked his lip afterward sent her nerves spiraling.
Suddenly, she saw a squirrel on the road ahead and shouted for him to stop. Zhao Xin swerved sharply, and the tires screeched against the gravel. She looked back to check if the animal had made it across and then turned toward him, her heart was racing rapidly. She raised her finger, the same one that had brushed against her lips, and scolded him for not paying attention. He said nothing but tossed the can of cheese into the back seat.
Venus felt annoyed. Without the cheese, her crackers were useless. She stuffed the rest of the food into her bag, which was already filled with medical books and basic herbs she often studied for her training as a medicine apprentice.
Later, Zhao Xin stopped at a fuel station and handed her the keys. She drove while he rested. Venus glanced at him while he slept, wondering what kind of dreams haunted him. She knew that something was bothering heavily on his spirit.
Zhao Xin had planned a future, he just wanted to attend Sichuan Werewolf Academy, later he wanted to serve the Shadow peak Pack as a strong warrior, honoring his late mother. But everything had changed after she passed away. He could still hear her laughter in the kitchen, see her dyed-blue hair (his father's favorite color), and recall how she smiled despite her illness. Blood infection had taken her—swiftly and without mercy.
He had shaved his head in solidarity when she lost her hair, but he hadn't been able to save her. Worse, he hadn't been there when she took her last breath. He had been at training, running drills with Li Tao and Chen Feng his childhood friends who relocated with him from Silver pack clan after his mother's death to Sichuan t. By the time he reached the infirmary, it was too late.
They drove in silence for hours. At a rest stop, they switched seats. As Zhao Xin took over the wheel, Venus looked out the window at the farmlands of southern wild territories of Yunnan. A pair of young wolves in human form were laughing near a tire swing, the boy pushing the girl with playful affection. Venus watched with longing. She asked Zhao Xin about his past relationships.
He told her there was a girl once, back when he was still in Silver moon, Lily, she was a beautiful human. They'd made promises and shared moments. But she had left him without any notice. That had been the end of that dream.
Eventually, they reached the campgrounds. Zhao Xin tapped Venus awake. She sat up slowly and saw the large wooden sign: "Shad pack Wilderness – Where Nature Awakens the Wolf Within."
Venus cringed. She didn't like bugs or forests or anything remotely wild. But Zhao Xin was already getting out of the car. She followed him into the registration lodge, where an old man with grey fur peeking from his ears handed them a site map and warned them to respect the pack land and keep their wolf forms hidden from humans.
Zhao Xin grabbed wood for the fire while Venus picked up some snacks, hot dogs, buns, and s'mores supplies. She knew they'd have a night full of tension. She also noticed some human girls near the picnic benches eyeing Zhao Xin with more than casual interest.
Outside, Zhao Xin leaned on the car while scanning the map. Venus teased him about detox drinks, but he laughed and reminded her he preferred nitrates. They drove to campsite 431, a semi-secluded area near the trees. Nearby, other wolves, both in human and partial form—played football or lazed in the sun.
Zhao Xin was quick to start setting up their small tent. Venus eyed the size skeptically. She insisted on her inflatable bed, and he refused to help, so she carried it in and inflated it herself, the soft whoosh of air filling the narrow space, made Julian question her strength even more.
Later, she gathered sticks while Zhao Xin arranged the firewood. As she bent down, a football rolled her way. She caught it instinctively. Her senses, sharper than most due to her Beta bloodline, kicked in. She tossed the ball back in a perfect spiral. One of the guys, grinned at her and asked her where she was from.
She told them she was from Kunming.
They invited her to hang out. She politely declined but could feel Zhao Xin watching her like a hawk. He reminded her that they weren't just tossing a ball, they were hunting, in their own way. She bristled at his suggestion that she needed nobody to watch over her.
Venus lit the fire herself. She didn't need an Alpha, or a male, for that matter—to protect her.
Venus had gone completely silent after he mentioned babysitting her. She hadn't spoken a word since crawling into the tent. He could sense her anger through the pack bond, even though it was faint between them.
The fire crackled softly. A group of she-wolves from the next campsite approached. They wore matching clan shirts and revealing shorts. One of them, with a streak of pink dyed into her hair, likely to mimic her wolf's unique markings asked if they could join him. Their fire had gone out.
Zhao Xin agreed. He helped move their chairs near the flame.
They were pretty, and clearly interested, but his mind kept drifting back to Venus. He could feel her presence in the tent, her restlessness, her emotional storm felt too obvious. Even when she didn't speak, she was louder than anyone else around him.
Zhao Xin, knew he had responsibilities, that was something he hated more in his life. But guarding his heart wasn't something he'd ever prepared for.