Chapter 18: She's Mine

Ran stared at the mark Caph made on the back of her hand. It had already begun to fade.

'It didn't hurt, right?' he asked.

His blue eyes were glowing, his lips smiling at her. She was mesmerised by the sound of his breathing.

When she didn't answer, he straightened up and took a step back, looking very pleased with himself. 'You didn't do anything wrong tonight. So don't worry.'

Her ears turned red again.

He wasn't doing this because he liked her! He was just distracting her from what happened.

How could she of all people mistake his playboy habits for actual feelings?

She berated herself with a low growl.

Caph turned when he heard it. 'Hungry? I'll get something for you to eat.'

She didn't correct him.

He returned to the ballroom to get plates of food for her and to report to Acamar. Just as he had predicted, the werewolves had been baffled by what happened and had decided to pretend the incident never happened. Most of them crowded around tall cocktail tables, eating food from the buffet and discussing pack politics.

Dingo came up to him as he was spooning gravy over a large piece of steak.

'Is Ran okay? Is she upset by what I said? I didn't mean to insult her, I just—'

Caph interrupted loudly, drawing attention from the tables nearby, 'I accept your earlier congratulations of our betrothal. I'm sorry you feel like such a wet blanket for letting her go but please don't talk to her again.'

For the second time that evening, silence fell over the ballroom.

Caph smirked at Dingo. 'She's mine.'

Everyone watched him leave with a tray of food in each hand.

He caught Acamar's approving gaze on his way out. The Regent Alpha gave him a slight nod of thanks.

Ran expected her uncle to storm into her hotel room to reprimand her when the Summit ended but he didn't. When he came, he simply wished her good night.

Even on the flight home the next day, Acamar did not talk about it, did not rave about how she disgraced Eridanus by starting a fight during a Red Moon Truce.

It was like Caph had said.

The incident was purposefully forgotten.

When they returned to the manor, it was already evening but the main hall was filled with pack members eager for news about the Summit. Cursa and Cass were handing out drinks while Nugo wove through the crowd chasing after the kid who had his First Shift Ceremony at the previous Full Moon Gathering.

Even though the Internet existed and Eridanus werewolves could chat with their friends from other packs online, the Red Moon Summit was where love gifts were exchanged and pack members received heartfelt tokens of friendship from other packs.

Acamar was sharing news from their allies and Ran was handing these gifts out to the pack members when the doorbell rang.

The commotion stopped for one second as Cass went to open the door, then resumed almost instantly.

It was probably just another pack member, late to the impromptu gathering.

But then, Cass returned to the hall alone, her face pale as a sheet. She walked right up to Ran.

'It's Dingo. He's...back.'

Acamar's expression turned dark and pack members began to mutter in confusion. Everyone in Eridanus who had fought in the rogue attack ten years ago thought that Dingo had died. They had searched for him for days, weeks, before they had to declare him dead.

Now that he turned up on their doorstep alive and well, they should be ecstatic. But Acamar exuded hostility that forbade any form of excitement.

'What does the Alpha of Leo want?' Caph asked warily.

Hisses and snarls burst out. Alpha of Leo? That punk didn't die? Did he run away when the rogue attack happened? Betrayed Eridanus?

Cass glanced uncomfortably in the direction of the door, then back at Ran. 'He wants to talk to Ran. Alone.'

How dare he turn up at his ex-Alpha's house like he's still a member of the pack!

Ran's fingers twitched. Anger raged through her.

The Red Moon Truce was over. She could give him the beating he deserved.

But Caph's electric touch on her shoulder jolted her from the fury that momentarily consumed her.

That incident should not be mentioned.

'Tell him to say his piece here,' Ran told her cousin, 'in front of everyone.'

Cass dipped her head and left to relay her Beta's instruction.

She came back with Dingo. He looked dishevelled.

Sweat dripped from his hair and his t-shirt clung to his drenched torso. He was still breathing heavily.

Ran was speechless. He shifted into wolf and ran from Middleton to see her?

Why?

There was fire in Dingo's chocolate eyes.

He wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

'I'm here to apologise,' he said.

She folded her arms.

'Go ahead,' she replied. 'I won't accept it though.'

Dingo stared at her dumbly. 'What?'

Ran smirked. 'You heard me.'

'Even though I left my pack and ran across the continent to see you and tell you I didn't mean to offend you when I—'

'The time for truce is over,' Ran said. 'You should have apologised for your insensitive comments then instead of coming all the way into enemy territory.'

Dingo shifted from one foot to the other. 'We're not enemies, Ran.' His voice was low. Threatening.

Not yet, his eyes said.

'I came to offer Eridanus an alliance with Leo. Considering how you once wanted to marry me.'

Ran met his gaze with her own mocking black eyes. 'You abandoned Eridanus at our lowest ten years ago but you want to be friends now that we've become powerfu?'

She wanted to laugh.

Dingo opened his mouth to refute her.

But she spoke before he could, her voice raised and commanding, 'You ran off to Leo to marry their Alpha's daughter. You were greedy and ambitious, you did not want to be Alpha of a pack on the brink of ruin. Eridanus was weak then, but now that we are strong, about to ally the purebred Cassiopeia, you want to come back?'

Ran pointed at the door.

'Dingo, I denounce you as traitor of Eridanus. You are forbidden from ever setting foot in our territory.' She turned to her pack. 'If anyone sees this traitor anywhere on our territory, kill him.'

In a lower voice, she said, 'If you come here again, it will mean war between Eridanus and Leo. Think carefully about what this will mean for your pack.'

His chocolate eyes were filled at once with indignation, then grief, and then remorse. But Ran was done with him. She had no affection left for him.

He no longer meant anything to her.

Dingo turned to Acamar. He was the Alpha right now after all, not Ran.