Julian glanced up at her, a smirk tugging at the corner of his bruised lip. "If you came here to mess around, I'm not exactly in great shape. But if you want to do all the work while I lie back… I'm game."
"Put that ego to sleep, Zhao Xin. I only came to disinfect your wounds. Keep talking, and I'm out of here."
"Yes, Alpha-in-training," he said with a mock salute, shifting to the center of the low wooden bed to give her room. She was genuinely surprised when he tossed his ever-present phone to the side table. For someone who practically lived with his fingers glued to the screen, that was rare.
Venus knelt on the edge of the bed, careful not to touch his injured side. With a damp cloth, she began gently wiping the dried blood from the cut above his eyebrow. It was hard to ignore how close they were. If things were different…
No. She shoved the thought away. This wasn't about her feelings. Zhao Xin treated everything like a joke. Flirting, danger, life. She couldn't afford to let herself get caught in one of his games.
But her hands betrayed her. They trembled as she cleaned his wound, and she silently cursed her nerves. The only other time she had felt this on edge was during the Moonlight Trials, right before the final endurance run. Usually, she could shake it off. Focus.
"Why are you doing this?" Zhao Xin's voice was low and gravelly, sending a ripple down her spine.
She avoided his gaze. His eyes were too sharp, too knowing. If she met them, he might see everything she was trying to hide. Instead, she concentrated on wiping the blood from his lip.
"Because I don't want to see you get an infection," she muttered. "Don't flatter yourself, Lone Wolf. This is for my benefit, not yours."
He winced slightly as she dabbed ointment on the cut. She was careful—too careful. She wouldn't do this for anyone else in the pack. Not even her training partners. But somehow, with him, the instinct to protect and care was stronger.
"Your hands are shaking."
"No, they're not," she lied. "I'm just annoyed. And tired. And pissed off." And frustrated. Because despite everything, she wished he'd pull her closer. Just hold her for a moment. But that was a fantasy, and fantasies didn't survive in pack life.
She sat back and glanced over his battered face and chest. He looked worse than he had at the ritual arena. His ribs were bruised, and she didn't like the sound of his breathing.
"I'm not done," she said. "Take off your shirt. I need to check your ribs."
"If I get undressed, you might end up checking more than my ribs."
She raised a brow. "This is my 'not amused' face."
He grinned and peeled off his shirt anyway, flexing his chest on purpose. She stifled a yawn and focused on the red and purple marks scattered along his side. He'd heal fast, being half-transformed, but it still made her stomach turn.
"Want me to take off my pants, too? I might have some swelling… down there that needs your beautiful hands' care."
"Everything's a joke to you." She met his eyes for a second, then slid an ice pack beneath the waistband of his loose training pants. "There. That should help."
She stood and left without another word.
"What happened to you?" Old Master Luo Lan glared at Zhao Xin from the corridor as he shuffled toward the bathroom.
"I got into a fight."
"With what? A rockslide?"
Zhao Xin didn't respond. Bai Lan, Luo Lan's elder daughter, stepped out of the kitchen with a half-eaten sesame bun in hand. "What's going on?"
"Zhao Xin got himself beat up. Look at him. Looks like he picked a fight with a bear."
Bai Lan gasped. "Xin! What happened?"
"Nothing serious," he said. "Just a disagreement with some jerks from the rogue pack."
"You drove back alone like that?" she asked, concern flashing in her eyes.
"I managed."
"You always manage," Luo Lan muttered. "Until you can't."
Zhao Xin ignored them and headed into the bathroom. His reflection was worse than expected. He looked like he'd been used as bait during a rogue hunt. His cheek was dark with bruising. His lip was cracked. His ribs felt like they'd been pounded by a Shifter's paws.
And all he could think about was Venus Lin Yue.
She had come into his room last night, all fire and discipline, treating him like a soldier she had to patch up. She'd tried to act like she didn't care, but her hand had trembled.
She thought he saw her as a game. What she didn't know was… she was the one who made him nervous.
Soft footsteps approached outside the door.
"Zhao Xin? It's me."
He cracked open the door to see little Jerry xin standing there, holding a toy sword. The boy's eyes widened when he saw Zhao Xin's face.
"You look… scary."
"It's not as bad as it looks."
"Did you fight a monster?"
"Something like that."
"Did you win?"
"I think the monster did."
Jerry xin puffed his chest. "Can you teach me to fight like that?"
Zhao Xin chuckled. "No, kid. Fighting's the last thing you want to learn."
"But what if someone picks on me?"
"Use your words. And if that doesn't work, tell your mama."
"I'll be a tattletale then," Jerry xin grumbled. "No one likes a tattletale."
Smart pup. "Fine. Show me what you got."
The boy threw a couple of awkward punches. Zhao Xin coached him through a few more until his confidence swelled.
Then Bai Lan walked in.
"Zhao Xin! Are you teaching my son to fight and curse?"
"Not exactly—"
"Jerry Xin, go to your room. I need a word with Zhao Xin."
Once the boy left, Bai Lan sighed and leaned against the doorframe. "He looks up to you, you know."
"I noticed."
"I've been thinking. If anything ever happens to me or Luo Lan, I want Jerry xin to have someone he can call family. I was considering… making it official. Adopting you."
"I'm not packless, Bai Lan."
"I know. But still, it would mean something. To Jerry."
Zhao Xin nodded. "He's my little brother, blood or not."
She smiled faintly. Then narrowed her eyes. "And about you and my sister…"
"There's nothing going on," he said quickly. "Venus drives me insane. I could never—"
Bai Lan burst out laughing, holding her belly. "Oh Spirits, you actually thought I was serious? You and Venus? No offense, but you're so not her type!"
He froze. "Wait… you don't think there's something going on?"
She laughed even harder, letting out an ungraceful snort. "That's priceless. Don't worry, Lone Wolf. She'd eat you alive."