32. Thank you for letting me borrow it.

"Should I check if you have a fever? I mean, have you lost your mind? Alright, I get it, you're trying to get your point across, but this is no way to do that. Listen," Camilla pushed Zane away and stepped aside, turning her back to the young Alpha. She took in a deep breath and sighed loudly, her eyes focusing on her bare feet. The thoughts rushed in her mind, making it hard for the young woman to decide what should be the best thing to say first.

Only now, when Camilla's eyes we're forced down, Zane noticed that she wasn't wearing her shoes. It was an odd view to see, everyone around the pack spoke about Omegas inability to shift, yet pack members usually walked around bare feet only after their shifts. Zane wanted to ask what happened and if her feet weren't freezing, but he restrained himself. She was about to tell him something important, and escaping the topic might make the things between them go down- if any things were happening, in the first place.

"Listen, Zane. You can't just come here and act like you own the place. Alright, we get it, you're the Alpha, the leader and probably the most powerful wolf within miles, but it doesn't mean that you can do whatever you think of. This is my home, the only place where I can enjoy a little privacy, and you're invading my personal space with ease. You have to make up your mind because I can't tie myself to someone who has no idea what he wants. One day you hate me, the next day you act as if you care only to reject me the day after. When I finally find out that I was supposed to accept the rejection, you suddenly change your mind and take it back.
On top of that, you won't let me reject you- maybe that would be easier for both of us. That's way too many things happening at the same time. You can't walk into someone's life and assume that they will accept each of your temper tantrums. I want a stable experience with someone who sincerely cares for me. And not because I'm the supposed to be mate, but because I'm me. The silly Omega girl Camilla that everyone hates so much. I want to be me, and there's no way I'm changing a thing about myself or my beliefs. You have time to think about what I said so; please go. Just go and don't look back until you make up your mind. I still want to leave; use your time wisely." Camilla's voice was low and hoarse; it sounded as if she was crying. Zane couldn't turn his back to the young woman, especially if she seemed upset.

*"We can't leave mate; we have to stay here and take care of her. We could make her some pancakes since I have no idea if she had eaten anything today. I mean, you're a shit cook, but pancakes you make are pretty decent. Watcha' think?"* Zane's wolf teased him purposely, his voice laced with amusement. If Camilla weren't around them right now, the young Alpha would leash out on the beast inside him.

*"I'll try to ignore your compliments about my cooking skills, but I'm pretty sure pancakes won't brighten her mood. Maybe she wants chocolate and flowers? Girls like those things, don't they?"* Zane decided that working together might bring much better outcome than them arguing. Camilla still stood quiet, probably waiting for his reply or any other action. What if she genuinely wanted for him to leave? Since they met, it has been tough to stay away from her, and if Zane succeeded in that- he couldn't sleep.

*"Yeah, they do, but there's this thing. We literally know nothing about Camilla. Well, aside from things that our parents told us or we found out accidentally. She's our mate, and we should have asked her questions about her likes and dislikes rather than rejecting the perfection in front of our eyes. Do I need to point out how this is your fault? If you wouldn't have such a big mouth, we could be laying next to her now, holding and protecting our mate. But no, you had to show off your stupid ego and reject the girl. Fucking pick. Make her pancakes, or a sandwich, since you're too big of a pussy to admit your feelings."* Alpha nearly burst out in laugher, noticing how many things in common his wolf and mate had. Both of them were hot-headed and sassy, making his day more interesting than it usually was.

Zane wanted to keep on discussing the things his wolf assumed, but the beast was sneaky enough to block his human side to deal with Camilla. It wasn't that he didn't want to meet her or introduce himself properly, but the powerful Alpha wolf was truly afraid. He had wronged his mate in the past, terrified of the idea of facing her for the first time.

"Have you eaten anything today?" Zane blurted out, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

At first, Camilla didn't react, trying to process why was he concerned about her eating habits. Would he remind her how fat she is? Would he laugh about her inability to stop eating or losing her weight? What was about the sudden question that made the young Alpha so nervous and uncomfortable?

"Not important." Camilla huffed, trying to wave the question aside. What she didn't think of was Zane's dominant nature. As Alpha, he wouldn't let anyone get away from the questioning, especially his.

"Please answer my damn question; I'm not in a mood to fight or argue with you about food. Camilla, this is ridiculous, stop acting like a child. All I did was asked a simple question." Zane pinched the bridge of his nose. He could feel how the frustration grew in him, despite trying to keep calm. He wasn't used to someone ignoring him, cursing him off or trying to defy whatever he did. On the bright side, he did understand that everything Camilla did or said was something he earned by his actions. There was no one else to blame but himself.

"I'm not trying to pick a fight with you; I'm really not. I don't remember, alright? The day, so far, has been quite eventful and food didn't seem like a priority for the time being. Probably I did, but as mentioned, I don't remember." The young woman felt how her cheeks flushed, suddenly becoming extremely shy. She never felt relaxed around the Alpha's son, and since he took over his father's title, it became harder to feel like she belonged.

Zane walked in front of her, extended his arm and patiently waited till she would take it. The male squeezed her hand gentle enough to avoid hurting her, reassuring Camilla that he didn't have any bad intentions. He lead the young woman to the kitchen and placed his hands in her armpits, lifting her and putting the woman on the kitchen counter like a child. Zane grinned, noticing how truly tiny Camilla was, compared to him.

"You sit here, and I'll cook something for you. Hope you like pancakes, because that's legit the only food I can cook without burning the place down. I'll ask you where the products are, and you guide me, okay? And don't worry, I'll make sure to fill your fridge and pantry tomorrow morning. But first, let's fill that tummy of yours." Alpha pecked her cheek and rushed to the kitchen cabinets, determined to find a pack of flour. Camilla could swear that she noticed a warm emotion flashing in his eyes. The young man looked at her with so much love; everything felt surreal. But, just like all good things in her life- it was a brief second, Zane managed to hide whatever he felt way too quickly.

Camilla couldn't move a muscle, even if she wanted to. The young woman froze in shock, her eyes widening and jaw dropping nearly to the floor. Whatever happened to Zane must have left a significant influence on him, she knew how he did things, especially after working in his parent's mansion for so long. The Zane she knew was a careless and rude boy, changing girls more often than he changed his socks. He was nothing similar to the caring man in her kitchen.
Whenever he invited a girl over, they headed straight to his bedroom. There wasn't anything polite about their meetings; no one greeted the people around them. After a couple of hours, the woman would sneak out of his room, flushed and a look of shame usually plastered all over her face. Not even once Camilla had seen him putting effort into someone's comfort or needs.
He lived by a simple rule- the girl arrives, they fuck, and she leaves. Nothing less or more. So watching how Zane struggled to find all necessary things to cook something must have been a once in a lifetime experience.

"Babe, do you mind telling me where I can find a decent bowl to make the batter?" Camilla still stared at his back as the male tried to overlook all cabinets. She wanted to jump off the counter and help him, yet the idea of seeing him struggling amused her more.

"Left bottom cabinet, it should have only bowls in it. If not, I need to go to the spare room and look into the boxes I packed." The young woman's eyes followed each of his movements. She wouldn't admit it, but Zane did have a nice body. The way his muscles tensed and relaxed underneath his shirt made the blush on Camilla's cheeks brighter than a traffic light.

"Thanks." The young Alpha could feel her eyes on him, but pointing that out wouldn't be a great idea. He enjoyed the fact that Camilla was looking at him, silently hoping that she might notice something she liked and would like to keep. As much as he tried to fight the mate bond a while ago, he didn't want to make the same mistake again. Zane needed Camilla, and she needed him. It was easier to be friendly and caring; the change in his attitude brought a change in hers.

Camilla had to admit, despite the doubt, he did move pretty quickly around her tiny kitchen. Zane threw all products in the bowl and mixed them together. While he was preheating the pan, the male found some berries in the refrigerator. It didn't take too much time when Camilla noticed a plate which he held at her. The pancakes were delicious, especially with the mix of berries Zane added. They ate in silence, looking anywhere but at each other. He even did her dishes as soon as they were done.

"I'll clean up, don't worry, go take a shower and get ready for bed. I'll wait for you in the living room so we can talk a little before I leave." Once again, the soft lips pecked Camilla's forehead, sending a wave of pleasurable shivers down her spine.

Camilla gladly did as she was told to and lazily walked to the bathroom. She did need a shower; the young woman probably rekt of a wet dog.
She stripped out of her clothes way faster than Flash himself and jumped into the shower. She still had some concerns about Zane's impulsive nature; he could try to watch her or even join her in the shower. But he didn't, all Camilla heard was the desperate cussing coming from the kitchen. She wrapped herself into a large towel and ran to her bedroom.
Camilla opted for one of his hoodies and sweatpants since the male was so generous to allow her to use his clothes.

A deep, low growl coming from the doorway nearly made Camilla jump.
"Sorry, I didn't intend to scare you, it'just that you're looking so damn hot in my clothes. It's hard to look away. Not that you don't look hot in your own clothes." The young woman sighed in relief, happy that no one besides Zane decided to invite themselves in.

"Yeah, thanks for letting me to borrow those, it's getting pretty cold outside." Camilla didn't turn around; she knew how doomed she would be if their eyes ever met. It was easier to avoid whatever he did. However he acted or looked. Camilla knew that her life without Zane around would be so much more comfortable, yet then again- she needed him because of their mating bond. Now, fighting against their closeness was nearly impossible.


"I never said anything about borrowing those. In fact, I want you to wear my clothing each day, every day. I like the thought of you carrying my scent, so all those shitheads can fuck off. Now, let me kiss it better, I did promise to do so, after all." Camilla opened her mouth to protest, but Zane was way faster than she was.

Before the young woman could register that happened, Zane's soft lips were gently pressed against hers. The feeling was unforgettable, the way how he managed to kiss Camilla with both passion and love sent her to the cloud nine.