Chapter 10: Cooperation

Ran kept her face as impassive as she could but it was difficult to control the blood rushing to her head.

Ran glanced at Caph who smiled proudly, his hands in his jean pockets, unperturbed.

Did he realise how grave their situation had become?

They had to up improve their act and reassure Acamar of her obedience so that he'd calm down and not marry her off raashly!

Either way, it was an official engagement now.

Their act had to be flawless.

The First Shifting Ceremony passed by in a blur. The bonfire was lit and music blasted from large, ancient-looking speakers. Werewolves began to mingle and boisterous conversations echoed through the clearing. People were downing cups of cow's blood so they'd have enough strength to party through the night.

Usually, Ran would retreat from the clearing to her secret place to do some stargazing. But because of her uncle's announcement, people kept coming up to her to congratulate them. She noticed Acamar's eyes on her in the distance, dark gaze daring her to make a scene in front of everyone to get back at him.

Ran was tempted.

But she had to control herself.

11 more months.

She kept one hand in Caph's, distracting herself with the strange pulsing heat that passed between them, smiling fiercely as she faced the werewolves asking her questions.

Before she could explode from being asked when the wedding was going to be, Caph pulled her to the centre of the clearing and asked to dance to whatever bop was blasting incongruously through the dark moor.

Eyes followed them and howls of encouragement broke out among the werewolves.

Caph took her hand and pulled her into him. 'This is a much better distraction than just holding my hand, isn't it?'

Static crackled between them.

Ran was too distracted to reply him.

She found the electricity pulsing through her somewhat comforting.

Caph guided her with a lithe dexterity that made her wonder how he could predict her movements, anticipate them. He was all around her at once, his darkening blue eyes making a shiver travel down her spine.

She felt safe somehow, contained within the space Caph made for her.

The fury bubbling inside her turned into some kind of yearning.

He guided her through a dance too fast-paced to be ballroom dancing, their faces coming close every now and then before she was spiralling away from him, connected only by his firm grip on her right hand. Every time they whirled apart, she found herself missing him.

It was stupid.

He was right there.

She was already touching him.

What more did she want?

The quick pulsing music ended too quickly, and Caph tugged Ran into him for a final time. Their bodies clashed and the heat that overwhelmed her almost produced visible sparks.

He felt it too. Ran could see the pleasure in Caph's euphoric blue eyes as she took deep breaths to calm herself down.

This amount of exertion was nothing compared to her routine physical training, so why was she more breathless than she had ever been?

And the heat... The patrol from the Phoenix pack in charge of setting up this Gathering's bonfire must have made it bigger than usual or used too much fuel.

Ran felt her skin burning, the hairs on her skin prickling.

She forced herself away from Caph, surprised to find that she was actually reluctant to part from her sticky partner.

Control yourself, Ran, she told herself. For the pack.

Her right hand tightened around Caph's fingers. Thank you.

He squeezed back and met her coal-black eyes. No problem.

A calmer ballad came through the ancient-looking speakers but they forgot to dance. He was mesmerised by the flicking shadows of the flames in the abyss of her eyes and she was staring into his blue eyes now green in the yellowish light of the bonfire.

Caph had danced with many females before. This was the first time it had felt so easy, so...uncomfortably electrifying.

His skin felt hot too, and a suffocating itch rose in his chest.

He pulled Ran away from the bonfire.

Was it the climate? Septrion County was closer to the equator than Polemon County after all.

'What do you want to drink?' he asked, shattering the silence between them. 'Cow's blood?'

Ran scowled at him.

Werewolves drank blood the way humans drank protein shakes and energy drinks. Because it typically replenished depleted energy, offering her cow's blood was like an insult in this situation.

As if Caph was implying their dance had tired her out just because she was female.

He noticed her reaction and smiled indulgently. 'We did run all the way here from Punggol,' he pointed out. 'And you were busy doing Beta things all day.'

Ran blinked, unsure of how to react.

Was she...touched?

She shook her head. 'I'm fine.'

Caph tilted his head. She hadn't answered his question.

Ran scrunched up her face and closed her eyes for a moment. 'I mean, cow's blood is fine.'

He gave her a half-smirk and let go of her hand.

'Wait for me by the bonfire.'

They sat at the same log they roasted marshmallows a month ago, sipping metallic cow's blood. Ran examined Caph's relaxed expression. He was much too comfortable for someone who just had his engagement to a stranger imposed on him.

'Did you know he was going to make the announcement today?' she asked, her eyes narrowing. Anger began to rise in her again. 'Did he tell you?'

He shook his head. His eyes reacting to her emotions. He attempted to soothe her, 'He didn't but I suspected.'

His green eyes threatened to swallow her up. In a moment, she forgot the heat rising in her was anger—it turned into something else.

'If you were the Regent and you wanted to cement your leadership, you would do the same.'

Ran frowned. 'Why are you thinking from his perspective?'

Caph half-smirked. 'To predict what he'd do next of course.'

She pull her gaze from his green quicksand, eyes guarded.

'I gain more by cooperating with you,' he reassured.

Ran doubted that.

He looked into the bonfire, circling the rim of his empty cup. 'I don't want to marry a stranger either,' he said.

'Really?' Ran couldn't help the snort that came out. 'You don't seem to mind—the way you flirt with every female in sight.'

Caph smiled at her indulgently. 'Are you jealous?'

'No!'