.23. I've never seen a perfect.

The days went by; young Alpha-to-be canceled the party of the year. Zane's father haded him the Alpha title and moved out of their mansion. His mother visited the young male time by time to check if he was doing good, especially with the stress of pack on his shoulders. Kaiden became Beta, but unlike Zane- his behavior never changed. Zane spent most of his days in the study, sending some of his pack members to check on Camilla. She was still restricted from leaving the Blood Warriors territory, and now, when Zane became Alpha, another problem appeared. He had to deal with the paperwork from zero, whatever his father started had to be annulled. Most of the pack members began getting used to the new system. He did promise to get rid of Omegas but never did so. There was something wrong about his views and change of mind- as Kaiden saw it. His best friend couldn't understand why Zane changed his mind shortly before stepping up. He went missing in the middle of the night, walking around the hospital in his wolf form.

"Dude, you have to stop whatever you're doing and chill the fuck out. You're digging yourself a grave using paperwork as the fucking shovel. You don't sleep; I haven't seen you have a proper meal in days, and I won't start with a topic that includes women. You changed, and not for the best. I get it- responsibilities, you're the deader and shit, but this has to stop. You need to hook up with someone or just find that damn mate of yours. I don't see you going out enough to find her or even talking about the possibility. As a matter of fact, you have avoided any female in this pack like they had deadly diseases. Is there something wrong with your brain, body, or dick? Or... Are you gay?" Kaiden leaned closer to Zane, hovering over the large desk, a mischievous grin on his lips. His intention was to piss off his friend and find out what was going on. Zane knew how to hide his emotions or thoughts, but Kaiden knew for sure that Zane would spill the tea in anger. Some humans and wolves had to get drunk, but his best friend just had to be angered. And it's all that it took to get out any kind of information.

"You're an idiot, Kaiden. A true, first-class idiot. I have so much work because your lazy ass would never appear on time or actually think about fucking responsibilities. Honestly, if you won't change your attitude, I'll be an Alpha without a Beta or choose someone in your place. I need help, not some childish asshole who keeps on ruining my day. We're responsible for the whole fucking pack, not only about the women we want to sleep with. As to your question- no, I am not gay, very much straight. I don't have time to look for my mate for the same reasons why I have so much work and why I almost moved to live in the fucking study. Just quit the complaining, I will relax and probably go out as soon as this bullshit settles. We have nearly fifty Alphas visiting the pack in two weeks, along with their mates and Betas. We have to train the patrol and warriors since most of those guests will ask for alliances. The neighboring packs have suffered greatly from rogue and hunter attacks, and ours will be next if we won't do anything. We are an easy target now since my father stepped down, and I'm locked in here. Dude, you have a fucking week to think will you work and give your best for the good of the pack or go down to Gamma. It's sad to see you go, but the pack comes first. The pack will always come first." Zane spoke fast, sounding like a man who was desperate enough to lose the last hope he had.

Kaiden stared at Zane, repeating hos words in mind as he did. He knew that becoming a Beta would come with many responsibilities, but he didn't think that those would start so fast. He was still too young, too wild and crazy to settle down. Kaiden wanted to go to parties and enjoy his freedom before the actual life as someone's right hand started. Was that really so bad? To live life as he wanted to, not follow someone's commands? Everyone had the time in their life when all they wanted was freedom. Before becoming a Beta, Kaiden couldn't get enough freedom- his parents tried to control each of his moves. Now, for those reasons, Kaiden moved in with Zane. The realization hit him harder than a wall of bricks- the time of his careless days had come to an end. It was about time for Kaiden to end his reckless attitude and take up the responsibilities.

"I get where you're coming from, man. And I'm sorry, it's just that you know how my parents are. You know how strict and controlling they have been for the last couple of years. Ever since you announced that I'd become a Beta, they saw some sort of opportunity in me. I am not the serious type of Beta, I am not an extremely reliable and loved dude, but I can try. And I will try my best because I don't want to let you down. You put so much trust in me, so many years of me being an annoying piece of shit. I'm sorry for leaving you alone with all this work; I promise to do better. Give me one last week to feel like a teenager I am. After that I will change, I won't let you down under any circumstances. I will become the Beta to be proud of," Kaiden promised whatever he could. He wanted to keep his place next to his best friend and support Zane whenever that was needed, but at the same time, he wanted more time for himself. Kaiden wasn't a bad friend- he was there when Zane felt angry, or someone let him down, being the support system the young Alpha needed. They were inseparable since early childhood. As much as Zane hated coming up with a set of rules- he had to. His friend had to understand that with great power comes even greater responsibility.

"One week, man. Just one week and you're sleeping in this damn study the same as I am if needed. Don't ask for more time or opportunities because there will be none. I love you, man, you're my best friend and the only person, aside from my family, I truly trust. But this has to come to an end. The pack is counting on you; they need you as much as they need me. And in time, they will need their Luna and Beta female. Step up your game, stop fucking around like a horny teenaged, and take the control. You might meet her one day, and I don't want to see you broken because of the rejection. Trust me; she will reject you if you'll keep on fucking around." Zane sighed, covering his face with palms.

There was too much going on in his mind; only after lecturing his best friend did the male remember his own mate. She was somewhere out there, probably waiting for him, but Zane was stuck in the study. Sometimes he wanted to drop everything and look for her, yet it was impossible after noticing how the paperwork piles kept growing. Zane didn't want to introduce his mate to a pack that was in a state of mess. He wanted to finish his work first and then think about her. She would come to his house to see that he's been waiting, getting ready for his Luna. Zane moved to a larger room, cleaned out half of the closet and drawers. His mate will share the same bedroom, same bed, and closet with him- the young male had to make sure that she won't lack any space. He might, as well, bring her in today, but the work was holding him back. Zane could only imagine how his Luna-to-be would look at him after seeing the piles of paper everywhere. She would think that he isn't a serious Alpha, most likely a type who can not lead a pack as he's supposed to.

"Earth to Zane!" Kaiden yelled in his ear, making the young male jump a little.

"Why the fuck you had to scare me like that? I'll have a goddamn heart attack one day, all thanks to your stupid ass," Zane groaned, standing up from the chair and stretching his muscles.

Both men made their way to the dining room, talking about things that didn't matter at all. They avoided any drama about titles, ranks, and work. At this point, they were just childhood friends, laughing and enjoying the little time together. Zane missed the careless days they spent in the school- the football practices and boring lectures. There was some sort of melancholic beauty in those memories.
Months ago, the thought of school made him sick, but now he wanted to go back there, even if for a day. Meeting his friends, laughing, and just being young were the things he missed most. Kaiden nudged his side, once again bringing Zane back to reality. They weren't alone; a group of women stood in the dining room, all eyeing Zane like hungry hyenas.

"Ladies," Zane nodded his head, acknowledging their presence.

"Alpha Snow, Beta," all women replied in unison. They bared their necks and kneeled, showing the utmost respect towards superior.

They passed women as if there was no one, both too lost in the memories of earlier years. Zane didn't have time to think of women running around him, especially ones that eyed him like hungry animals. Kaiden, on the other hand, was very much observing. He watched how women frowned and smirked, enjoying the defeat on their faces. This was just another group of them. For the past few days, a couple of groups visited the Alpha's mansion. All of them hoped to meet Zane and end up as his Luna, but only these had the chance to stand in front of him. Whenever they understood that the new Alpha wasn't their mate- all women turned bright red, boiling in anger. Some stomped out, yet some stood on the spot frozen.

"You're free to go, ladies. As all of you see- the Alpha is safe and sound. He does leave the office on certain occasions, and his life isn't under any danger. Please do tell that to your friends so they would stop coming or we will have to organize a serious meeting for women only. Running after Alpha is low, none of you are his fated mate- he would scent it if any would be. Give a guy a break and keep the little self-respect you have and leave the house on your own." Kaiden crossed his arms in front of his chest and glared at the women. Zane had never heard him sound so serious and dangerous. He wasn't just threatening those women; he promised them all to face consequences if they didn't leave.

Zane smiled, shaking his head gently and threw an arm around Kiaden's shoulders. "Thank you, buddy," he added and pulled Kaiden towards the kitchen. Both men laughed as women stomped out of the house one by one, all of them cursing the world. Only now, Zane understood how hard it truly is to be an Alpha without his Luna. Many women would kill to stay by his side while he didn't know which one was supposed to stand there. He wasn't ready for a mate, nor was the pack. First- they had to make sure the pack was good on its own; only then Zane could think about a woman whom he had to find.

"So, about that week. And no, even though I know what you're thinking- I won't ask for more time. I was wondering would you accompany me for the last time. In the name of good old times, we could go to a party or a club, maybe? We haven't had time to go out since you know what happened. Perhaps you just need to take your mind off those things and relax. Then we can jump into the work with new strength, together. What do you think?" Kaiden sounded hopeful as he sat next to the kitchen counter. Some staff members rushed into the kitchen, setting plates in front of both men.

Zane turned to the older woman and smiled, asking her if he could get a glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee before their dinner was served. The lady returned his smile and instantly got to the work. Zane eyed Kaiden, but after noticing that the spark in his eyes still burned, he sighed.

"I guess we could. One party and I'm out, dude. I didn't celebrate my birthday for a reason. And you're right- it's been too long since the last time we went somewhere together. As friends, we should spend more time outside this damn house," Zane stated, smirking after noticing the million-dollar smile on his best friend's face.

There were many things they did together; most of them were for Kaiden to feel true happiness. His life wasn't quite as easy as everyone thought, and Zane was there to cheer him up. Both young men faced battles of their own, somehow always finding support in each other. If that wasn't true friendship, Zane didn't know what it was.

"Oh, and speaking of you know what- someone should go to the hospital and check how she is. I'm sure my mother keeps visiting her each day, but she hasn't spoken about it for a week. Need to make sure that she's alright," Zane added, sliding a hand in his pocket and reaching for a phone.

"You don't know, do you?" Kaiden nearly choked on the water he was drinking as his eyes went wide. "I don't understand why you are so obsessed with the state of her health. You have never been her friend, and it doesn't seem like you will ever be. Man, you're spending days working on the paperwork to get her out of here, yet you look worried. Even her friend, whatever was his name, doesn't give a fuck about her. Dude found himself in a pretty comfortable place after becoming quite popular. So why are you so worried when no one, besides your parents, is? And they do have a legit reason to worry," Kaiden wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his sweater and glared at Zane. It was clear that the young male changed a lot during things that happened previously, but not enough to love Omegas suddenly. Or was it exactly that bad?

"I don't know what?" Zane raised an eyebrow at his best friend. His eyes scanned the kitchen, making sure that no one was listening to their conversation. He had no intention of moving the whole deal to his study to avoid curious individuals.
"As for why I am so worried- I truly am. I treated her like shit, abused her, and because of me, she is trying to escape. That evening, when I saw as much, I could see nearly broke me. I've never seen someone in such a bad state, even after rogue attacks. First came the frantic voices of the doctors, which still haunt me in my dreams. And then the opportunity to see her after the surgery. I know that it was a fighter lying there, but I didn't put any hope on her back then. She survived the crash and surgery- despite being Omega, that woman is strong. But that view in the room, dude, it shook me to the core. She looked lifeless, stuck between life and death. I couldn't go back there as much as I tried- I couldn't look at someone in that state without feeling guilty. My parents care for her; they promised her late parents to take care of the girl. But it all ended with their son abusing the girl they were supposed to protect. Damn it; there must be something about that bitch. She was the Alpha's family favorite but never took money without earning it. For her seventeenth birthday, my mother bought her a piece of expensive jewelry, but she gave it back as soon as it was opened and left a note in the box. Can you imagine a woman getting fucking expensive gift and giving it back just because it's too pricey? I mean, maybe I do feel way too guilty for all that shit I did in the past. She isn't too bad for an Omega." It took some time until Zane could form a decent sentence without sounding like an idiot. His thoughts were rushing, and the biggest problem was that he didn't know why he was doing all of that. Of course, there were some reasons why he admired Camilla. But he had no idea why he tried to protect and hide her while making sure that she leaves as soon as possible. Maybe it was part of his beast's possessive nature- feeling jealous of any male close to women who were kind of his family—especially Aiden, oh, how he hated that male's guts.

"I do get your point after hearing this, but I still can't put two and two together. Feeling guilty is one thing, but protecting her and doing everything to get her out is another level of weird. Why do you want her out so bad? I mean, if the council wants her to stay, why not live with it? She won't get on your nerves anymore- no school for her. Then her rank- thanks to that she can't approach your mansion without being a servant. And I'm sure you wouldn't take her in as one of the workers, right?" Kaiden kept questioning Zane. Even though his friend pointed out some good arguments, the whole situation still seemed way too suspicious. The new Alpha acted as if he was obsessed with her without noticing it himself.

"She wanted to leave before," Zane sighed, hiding his face in his palms. It took way too much strength not to break down in front of Kaiden. The Alpha has done a lot of awful things in his early years, but this one wouldn't stop haunting him. "She wanted to leave before the accident happened, before that fucking car crash. If only the guard could be a fucking guard for once, I fucking hate his guts. That prick couldn't stop thinking about fucking her when she needed him the most and ended up getting taken to the hospital by ambulance. I hate this shit," Zane looked up at his friend. Both men sat in silence; soon, they were served dinner. After feeling full, Kaiden kept pressuring Zane to go out. As much as he didn't want to- Alpha agreed, knowing that he needed some time to get his mind off everything.

"Alright, meet me in twenty then and find out if anything interesting is happening around here. Maybe we could go to a club or something. I wouldn't mind getting shitfaced," Zane laughed, slowly making his way upstairs.

The young male took a shower and quickly chose something simple to wear. He decided that black jeans and a simple black v-neck would be the best option. He didn't want to stand out, nor look too dressed up. Since he took over the pack- aside from piles of paperwork, he had to do more training, making him gain a lot of muscle weight. He was quite taller than other men, but his shoulders were now broader and muscles a lot bigger. He did seem intimidating for those who didn't know him. Zane looked at his reflection in the mirror and smirked. Who was he trying to convince that he would blend in? Maybe only himself, but others would feel his dominant aura from miles afar. Even a stranger would notice that he's an Alpha without second-guessing that. It felt as if he had a tattoo "ALPHA" all over his forehead.

"You ready?" Kaiden rushed into Alpha's bedroom without knocking. He was short of breath, so he definitely ran to Zane's bedroom.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Zane smirked and grabbed his belongings. He made sure that he had his wallet and phone. They decided that a pack member could drive them to the club since both males felt the need to get drunk. Kaiden did whine about sitting in the back seat, but Zane calmed him down by reminding him that drunk driving was nowhere safe. They wouldn't want to run over someone just because they got too intoxicated.

"Yeah, you're right. Anyway, we're here, buckle up buddy, this is going to be epic. Jessica is hosting this party; she nearly jumped out of her damn panties when I told her that we're crashing it. You should have seen her face- fucking priceless," Kaiden laughed, getting out of the car. Zane didn't show a lot of emotions lately, so the best he could do was smirk and chuckle. He didn't felt entertained by the female, rather how his friend spoke.

"Whatever, as long as I get some whiskey in my system, I'm good. Lead the way, Prince Charming." Zane shrugged his shoulders and turned towards his driver. "Joseph, you can take a couple of hours off. I'll call you when you're needed to be here. Spend some time with your wife; I know she's waiting." Zane smiled at the driver and followed Kaiden inside the club.

His eyes roamed over masses of shifters and humans grinding their bodies together. For some reason, he felt disgusted by their actions. Kaiden dragged him to the bar, almost instantly switching his attention to the party host who was smiling at Zane. Unfortunately for her, Alpha didn't even side glanced at her. He ordered a glass of whiskey and emptied it in seconds, instantly ordering another one.
After a couple more drinks, Zane felt like he noticed someone familiar, but couldn't believe his eyes. He nudged Kaiden's side to gain some attention.

"Dude, the fuck is wrong with you, I'm trying to get laid here," Kaiden snarled.

"Do I see what I think I do, or is this some sort of fucked up mind game? I've never seen a perfect, but I think I do now. Please tell me it's my mind being a vengeful cunt. " Zane gawked at the person dancing in the middle of the crowd. Strong arms wrapped around her waist, nearly sending Zane into overdrive. If that was true- he knew who they were.

"Shit, I forgot to tell you. I mean, I tried, but I got quite distracted when we spoke, and it slipped my mind. She's been out of the hospital for a week." Kaiden scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Camilla."