Chapter 23: You're My Enemy

By the time they had spoken to all the pack elders, it was already past midday.
Ran was frustrated.
Usually, she was much quicker—she had to be, if she wanted to visit every member of her pack.
But this time, Caph was with her and he didn't just tag along like she hoped he would. He tried to strike up conversations with the pack elders as well.
The Eridanus elders were very curious about him. They had heard about his college shenanigans and wanted to know more about it.
Ran was perturbed by how comfortable he was sharing such an embarrassing story.
Then again, she thought, he probably did worse things back home to have gotten himself sent here in the first place.
This made her pissed.
Like Caph pointed out, it was a Sunday. Most packs no longer practised this kind of greeting anymore.
Yet he came along so willingly.
He mimicked her perfectly.
He knew exactly what to say to cajole her pack elders into finding him respectable.
He was good with words.
No wonder even his father couldn't control him.
Hair prickled on the back of her neck as they left the settlement. The pack elders had crowded around to bid Caph good-bye.
Yes, Caph! Not her, but Caph.
It had taken the pack elders a full year to become that comfortable with her and they had watched her grow up.
For the longest time, things were awkward because they blamed the rogue attack on her father and wanted to talk about it among themselves but Ran's presence made that impossible.
Until one day, she told them she also thought her father could have focused more on combat training to prevent something like that.
After that, they began to open up and share advice on pack politics with her.
But what she wanted was respect—not pity.
And she didn't get it easily.
The way Caph did.
After a quick lunch, Ran brough Caph to the supermarket.
She spoke to the manager, who bowed to her and greeted his Beta with a wolfish grin. The manager, Lot, gestured at a nearby mountain of boxes in response to her question. The boxes were packed full with groceries.
'Aren't we visiting the rest of the pack next?' Caph interrupted.
She hesitated. 'We are.'
Ran handed him half a stack of the grocery lists in her hand. 'We're gonna to deliver their shopping to them. Check that the items are correct and load them into the truck.'
Caph shuffled through the papers. 'Can't you get a regular member of your pack to do this instead?'
Ran decided he was complaining because he had too few grocery lists and too much time.
She handed him more.
'Get started. I'll join you after I finish my conversation.'
She gestured at Lot. He had interrupted them.
Caph gave him a half-smirk. Lot's dark eyes gleamed in amusement.
Ran felt annoyed.
When she started reviving the practice doing rounds on Sunday, her pack members had been very uncomfortable with it and didn't want to impose on her. After all, the Regent Alpha discarded these practices because he said they made the pack lazy and complacent.
Ran had to plead with them to let her help out. When they grudgingly relented, the only thing they'd let her do for them was buy groceries.
It took time for them to trust her as Beta and see her as heir of the late Alpha instead of a pitiful orphan.
'He's reliable,' Lot said to her. 'He'll make a good Alpha.'
Her expression hardened as she followed Lot's gaze.
Ran stalked over and began to check the boxes as well.
Caph smiled at her. 'And I thought you decided to use the truck because of your tired partner who didn't get to sleep last night.'
Ran felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't known he didn't sleep the night before. Was she too harsh on him?
Her coal eyes narrowed. 'No way, that's your own fault. Nobody ordered you to stay up all night.'
He grumbled, 'You're so nice to your pack but so mean to me.'
She lifted a heavy box effortlessly in her slender arms. 'That's because you're my enemy.'
Caph watched her drop the box and slide it across the bed of the truck.
Enemy?
He was her enemy?
Didn't the fake arrangement between them make them allies against their families private agendas?
She'd let him hug her just now.
Why was he suddenly her enemy now?
What did he do?
He even washed a pack elder's smelly feet like he was asked to!
He was also giving up his free time every evening to learn about her father's plans for the pack.
Why would he be her enemy?
It was obvious he was on her side.
Right?
He stared at the item he taken out of one box. Dog food. He double checked the list. It was there on the list.
This box belonged to a werewolf with a pet dog.
He was only obediently putting up with Acamar's monologues and her nightly lectures on pack politics because he wanted to help her become Alpha.
He put the dog food back into the box.
Ran was back. She snatched the box from him without asking if he was done.
She didn't have to.
She knew instinctively.
Because they were bonded.
She still hadn't realised they had a connection.
If he didn't tell her directly, she would never come to that conclusion on her own. She was that kind of person.
Caph wondered if the dog was the werewolf's pet or a child.
He smirked to himself. He was curious about this werewolf.
It was like a human trying to raise a monkey.
They finished loading up all the groceries. Ran said goodbye Lot, started the engine and reversed out of the carpark. Caph turned to her. 'Ran,' he said, 'I'm not your enemy. We're bonded mates.'
She frowned at him, puzzled by his sudden declaration.
'What are you talking about?'
This time, she didn't look at him, hostility emanating from her.
'You said I'm your enemy,' he said, hooking his hand behind the headrest of the passenger seat. 'I'm not. This thing we have between us, it's the irresistable bond between destined mates.'
She snorted, pulling the truck into the front yard of the first house.
'Listen carefully, Caph.' Her voice was sharp. It pierced the air between them like a lightning bolt. 'There is no destiny between the two of us. I lied about Acamar asking you to come along with me today. I just wanted to see how desperate you are to become Alpha of Eridanus.'
'What?' He was taken aback.
She was definitely misunderstanding something.
'I don't—'
'You jumped at the chance to pander to my pack members even though you were so tired and frustrated about something. Admit it! Even someone like you who has everything can't resist the opportunity to be Alpha.'