Your neatly groomed...parts

"I'm blaming both of you," Venus Lin Yue snapped, her tone low but fierce ignoring the fact that Julian was confessing to her. "For asking stupid questions. For making people think Gao Tianyu is cheating on me—or worse, that you and I have something going on. If you can't control your ego, Zhao Xin, stay in the den."

Zhao Xin folded his arms. "I already told you, I didn't ask to come to Kunming. Bai Lan dragged me here just like I was dragged into your boyfriend's little dominance game."

"I told you not to play that rank challenge, but no—your pride got in the way of your brain and your neatly groomed... parts."

"I never said I shaved them. I trim."

She looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "Same thing. You were supposed to stay away from me, and I from you. That was the deal. But you keep breaking it."

"How was I supposed to know he'd challenge me by asking about you during the full moon gathering?" Zhao Xin's voice rose. "Give me a break, Venus. I'm a teenage male wolf in heat season, not a monk. Yes, I think about you. I admit it. I got pulled into his alpha-posturing match over whose scent marks you more."

"You're crazy, Zhao Xin," she said with fire in her eyes. "Absolutely insane."

Drunk, maybe. But not crazy.

"I can't believe you and Gao Tianyu managed to make me the prize in your stupid dominance ritual," she continued. "You know the rest of the pack will be talking, right?"

He ran a hand through his hair, his thoughts spinning. "I don't care what the pack says."

Gao Tianyu suddenly stepped out of the elder's house, leading a trail of young wolves still buzzing from the moonlight challenge.

"Venus, come here," he called.

Venus glared at Zhao Xin one last time. "Just so you know, you're my least favorite omega," she growled, then turned to her friend. "Chen Zixin, take me home."

As she disappeared into the car, the drumbeats from the ceremony hut pulsed faintly in the background. The celebration was still going. And Lin Yue was probably wondering why Zhao Xin hadn't rejected Gao's comment about how he fantasized about Venus.

Zhao Xin moved through the crowd until he found Lin Yue. "Can we talk?"

Lin Yue brushed his cheek gently. "You're cute. If you're about to say sorry, don't. I know you were just throwing words to make Gao back off. You did fine."

"Thanks."

She kissed him on the lips. "My pleasure."

They stayed a little longer at the gathering, but soon Zhao Xin was too drunk on fermented wolfberry wine to do anything but stumble home. Someone sober enough offered them a ride. When they got back to Bai Lan's den, he tried to sneak in.

But Bai Lan was wide awake, standing in front of a spirit mirror, holding up her shirt to show her rounded stomach.

"I'm home," he mumbled, hoping to mask the scent of wine on his breath.

"I'm recording how big my belly is every day," Bai Lan said with a smile. "Your father—uh, your father will want to see it when he returns from patrol after six moons." She rubbed her stomach fondly. "Come record a message."

Zhao Xin waved at the mirror crystal. "Hey, Father. Hope you're hunting something important in the mountains. Peace."

It was strange having a father who was a powerful alpha but rarely present. Whenever Zhao Diwen left to patrol other provinces, he felt like a distant echo in Zhao Xin's life.

Before he could leave, Bai Lan asked, "How much did you drink tonight?"

"A lot."

"I smelled it the second you walked in." She pulled her shirt down. "Okay, I'm not the best person to tell you this, but maybe slow down a little with the wine. Or... don't drink at all."

"Did you?"

She smiled guiltily. "Yes. I'm not preaching. Just... don't let it control you. If Zhao Diwen finds out—"

"Tell him. What can he do? He's not here to punish me. Nobody is."

She shook her head. "How about I let you tell him?"

"Cool."

Life slipped back to its usual chaos. But before heading up, he turned. "You know where Venus is?"

"She's sleeping. Is something wrong?"

"I don't know," Zhao Xin said honestly.

"You want advice?"

He nearly said no, but she lifted her hands.

"My sister? She feels things deeply. She guards herself because she has to. But when she lets someone in... she really lets them in."

He nodded. "Thanks, Bai Lan."

"You're welcome."

Zhao Xin dragged himself upstairs, stripping to his shorts. As he walked past the bathroom, he remembered Venus's jacket. He'd found it on the ceremonial bench. He grabbed it and padded softly to her room. The door was cracked.

"Venus," he whispered.

No answer.

He pushed it open. Falkor, her dog, lay at the foot of her bed. Zhao Xin crept in, meaning only to leave the jacket on the chair.

But Venus's eyes were open, watching him.

"Go away," she said sharply.

He held up the jacket. "You forgot this. A little thanks wouldn't kill you."

"Fine," she said flatly. "Thank you for the jacket. Now please leave."

He draped it neatly. "You really want to hate me. But I think I know the truth."

She narrowed her eyes.

"I think you like me," he said before he could stop himself.

"You're dreaming."

"Maybe. But when you're ready to admit it, let me know."

The best part about having a pack-sister like Lin Yue was that he knew everything about your life.

The worst part about having a pack-sister like Lin Yue... was that he also knew everything about your life.

She showed up at dawn with two steaming cups of bitter root tea from the eastern herb garden. She handed one over and sat on the edge of Venus's bed.

"Want to talk?"

"About what?" Venus sighed. "That Gao Tianyu and I are constantly fighting, or that Zhao Xin drives me crazy?"

"Drives you crazy? That's new. You're usually the one guys lean on. You're like the pack's emotional healer."

Venus kicked off her covers. "He brings out the worst in me."

"Why?"

"I don't know. He doesn't take anything seriously. Well, except food. He only eats raw and natural stuff—refuses even wolfberries unless they're fresh. He leaves the bathing house a mess. Last week he left the toilet seat up on purpose, and I almost fell in!

Lin Yue chuckled. "He's gotten to you."

"Don't read into it."

"I won't," Lin Yue said with a smirk. "If you don't read into what I'm about to say."

Venus paused. "What?"

"It's about you and Gao Tianyu mating."

"We haven't." Venus said in a low tone that Lin Yue barely heard what she'd confessed.

Lin Yue sat up. She'd been so caught up in her own drama of flirting with two boys at the same time that she forgot to check in with her best friend. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing bad," Venus said, flopping back on the bed. "It's just... promise you won't tell anyone."

"I swear."

"We haven't mated yet."

Lin Yue blinked. "What do you mean? Like not at all?"

"No," Venus said from under the pillow.

"But I thought you did during the Fire Blossom Festival. Gao Tianyu planned this whole night, even borrowed silk bedding from the elders. You told me it was magical."