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Chapter 7: First Date

Author: Rowyrn Kafka
last update Last Updated: 2022-04-15 14:01:39
Ran led Caph into a study room and shut the door behind him. Books lined the walls and framed the windows. A large black-wood desk stood in the middle of the room.

He had never seen a werewolf own that many books. His eyes fixated on some ancient-looking books.

'That's my father's collection of werewolf literature,' she said.

Caph's eyes widened.

Werewolves had no affinity with books. They certainly didn't make a habit of writing them. They were an animalistic species after all.

Ran leaned against the edge of the black-wood desk. 'He's not like my uncle.'

Caph smiled. 'Your father–'

Ran's expression had changed. The warmth in her voice was gone and her black eyes were hostile.

'My father isn't a bad Alpha, he just had a different way of leading the pack. He worked the hardest in all of Eridanus. Just because he read books and spent a lot of time staring at maps doesn't make him weak.'

As Ran's pretend boyfriend, Caph would have to train under Acamar to become the next Alpha. There was nothing she could do about that.

He would hear many disparaging stories about her late father.

Just the thought of that made bile rise in her throat.

She couldn't be there to defend her father. Most likely, she would be ordered to hand over the practical duties of Beta to someone else—like the Delta who assisted her—and practice the soft skills of being pack Luna.

Socialising, improving pack relations and choosing what to wear.

How pathetic!

She could handle socialising and improving pack relations but what was the point of clothes?

Ran never understood why fashion mattered in werewolf politics. Most of the time, the stronger one wins.

She already had seven sets of t-shirts and jeans which she routinely rotated like clockwork.

As Beta, strength and efficiency was all she needed. When she became Alpha, fashion would matter even less. What was the point when she would have unquestionable authority over her pack?

There had been no need to make life harder for herself by deliberating over what to wear.

Caph watched all these thoughts flash angrily in her coal black eyes, his signature half-smirk on his face.

'I study sociology,' he pointed out.

Ran blinked, disorientated for a moment. Had she just bared her soul to Caph without realising it?

The tips of her ears blushed and she averted her gaze.

But Caph caught it again, drowning her in a sea of blue as he stepped forward.

'And what you wear, Ran,'—his voice turned husky—'is how you make werewolves of other packs bow down and pledge their loyalty to you.'

The hair on the back of her neck prickled.

He smiled. 'I look forward to our first date.'

Ran gritted her teeth and cursed inwardly.

After giving Caph a tour of the manor, Ran was told to get ready for the party her uncle had insisted on hosting.

What was the big deal? She could get ready in 5 minutes.

She decided to spend the next 55 minutes napping on the couch.

'You can't wear that for a date!' Cass protested when she walked past Ran's room.

Ran had just put on the pair of black jeans she wore to every formal occasion.

'Why not?' she retorted. 'It's my formal clothes.'

And it's only the 100th birthday party for the Alpha of the Phoenix pack.

That made it a casual event, right?

Her cousin dragged Ran into her room and forced her to choose something from the side of Cass's wardrobe that housed dresses.

Ran made a face. 'It'll be hard to run in a dress if there's an emergency.'

Cass snorted. 'There won't be emergencies. Come on, this is not work.'

'It is,' she almost said. She swallowed the words.

Only two people needed to know this public date was just another assignment she needed to complete.

Her cousin wasn't one of them.

'Try this one.' Cass thrust a dress at her. Then another. And one more.

Aftering trying on three dresses in various shades of blue, she was ready to combust.

'Why does it have to match his eyes? Mine are black!'

Cass grinned at her indulgently. 'But his eyes are.'

By the time she was ready to go, her uncle and aunt—even Caph—had gone to the restaurant to prepare for the event. Ran and Cass had to make their way unchaperoned.

Actually, that was the only good that came out of Cass's meddling.

The celebratory meal had already begun by the time they reached the werewolf-run restaurant. Caph walked over to greet her as she burst through the door awkwardly.

He bent down to give her a hug and whispered into her ear, 'You're late.'

She smiled the calmest smile she could master and asked politely, 'Did you wait long?'

Caph pulled back. 'Yes,' he replied. 'Your uncle almost sent me to pick you up.'

Initially, the plan had been for Ran to introduce Caph as her official boyfriend to the werewolves from the other packs present there. But because she was late, Caph had introduced himself without her.

He followed her now to greet the people he had already met.

'Happy 100th birthday, Alpha Phel.' Ran bowed to the old hunch-backed man. He held out his hand, so Ran wriggled hers free from Caph's to take it.

But Caph stopped her, squeezing her hand tight.

She glared at him and pulled harder.

He had more strength than he looked.

'Forgive me, Alpha Phel,' he said to the leader of the Phoenix pack with a bow. 'This is the first time she's allowed me to hold her hand, so I don't want to let go. Do you might shaking her other hand?'

The old man guffawed. His eyes sparkled. 'It is good to be young and passionate!' he rumbled through his beard.

Ran took the old man's other hand. His grip was authoritative, firm despite his age.

'I wish both of you peace and happiness,' he said.

Ran bowed once more. 'And I wish you a healthy and prosperous long life.'

Phel patted Ran's shoulder. Then, he took Caph's hand.

A knowing look passed between the two of them. They conversed wordlessly. For a moment, Ran thought Caph looked at Phel like he was his own grandfather.

'Take care of her,' the Alpha said to him.

Caph smiled. 'I will.'

They greeted Acamar last so that he would notice that they sat together, inconspicuous at the back of the restaurant.

The Regent nodded approvingly at Ran.

She smiled at Caph and leaned to whisper in his ear for her uncle to see.

'What did you and Phel talk about?'

Caph smiled back, his blue eyes flickering over to the Alpha of Eridanus.

He leaned over to whisper back, 'You.'

When Acamar turned away, Ran scowled. 'I'm asking seriously.'

Caph blinked innocently. 'I answered seriously.'

Ran shook her head. 'You act really well,' she grumbled brusquely. 'Too well.'

He couldn't believe she just praised him.

'You too,' he said and smiled indulgently for good measure. 'If you keep making such advances, I'll be seduced for real.'

The Beta of Eridanus leaned away from him and frowned.

'Just reminding you that I will consider every interaction between us a part of our arrangement. Don't get involved with me. I don't like men like you.'

Caph examined the serious expression on her face and fell into the endless depths of her dark gaze.

He reached out one hand to tuck a strand of black hair behind her ear.

Where his fingers touched her skin, it burned. Static jolted up his hand and hummed within his body. Instinctively, he found himself leaning towards her.

She leaned as far back as she could.

'Aren't you the one who's getting confused?'
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