34. Put your lips all over mine.

Walking down the stairs, Zane thought of many things he had done wrong. How many times he had wronged Camilla, and somehow, the thought of her being a pureblood Blood Warrior didn't cross his mind. The young male didn't care about those things, because her mindset, fear, and pain was the only thing that actually worried him. Zane couldn't believe how close-minded he had been. For years, he dreamed of meeting his mate; his sins didn't wash over his mind- it was too late to regret. Going out with so many women, getting a little taste from everything that life had given him so easily seemed like a natural thing to do.
Until the day when Zane accepted Camilla as his mate.

On his way home, the young Alpha couldn't stop wondering if she would even question him and his decisions. The thought itself was outrageous; no Alpha alive would take someone doubting him with an easy mind. Zane didn't want to leash out on Camilla, to scream, or God forbid, streak her again, but everything had limits. So did his patience.
Sooner or later, she would start asking questions about how many women had shared the bed with Zane. The most confusing thing was that the young male couldn't answer the question himself. There were many, yet the feelings about his doings started to divide into two particular opinions. Part of him felt proud- being the favorite male among the pack females, even though he knew that his rank might be one of the most fundamental reasons why things were how they were. The other part of him felt ashamed for being a hypocritical piece of entitled ass. He expected his mate to be a virgin; she had to save herself for him while he changed women more often than his socks.

*"Why this has to be so fucking complicated? Just why? Why can't we claim her, see how she carries our pups, and live happily ever after without any problems? Sometimes I can't understand why people tend to focus on the past as much as they do. Isn't it easier to give in, accept the bond, and smile for the nice things that will come her way? I mean, she's getting rich on the spot, she will become the pack's Luna, ruling over everyone and commanding each person however she wants. Doesn't Camilla understand that she is to become the most powerful female in this pack? Where the fuck is her problem?"* Zane sat on the sidewalk and grabbed the sides of his head, groaning in annoyance. His wolf wasn't the best option if it came to sharing opinions, but he didn't have anyone else to talk to right now. Going to his parents was a huge no; they would destroy any thought Zane assumed to be reasonable. Times had changed, and the way he saw the world was absolutely ridiculous to his parents.

*"Well, look at you now. If I remember correctly, you were the one to talk shit about me just minutes ago, weren't you? Zane, you're saying that I'm the one who's a controlling twat, right? You can't see obvious things that are being put in front of your fucking nose, yet you're entitled enough to discuss who's sane from the two of us. You hurt the girl; she tried to explain everything she felt and reminded of everything you had done. And then, you're sitting here, playing the victim and trying to figure out obvious things. Both of us fucked up, and both have to redeem ourselves. Get your lazy ass up; let's head home and think of a plan on how to get her. And not just her body, we need to earn her trust first, only after that can we do something about the mating bond."* It was evident that the wolf had no intention of having a full conversation with the human side. As the last words left his lips, Xavier shut himself out, completely ignoring whatever Zane might reply.

Zane rubbed his eyes, pretending that this period of his life was just a mere nightmare. Within a couple of days, he would wake up, and everything would return to its places. Camilla would wake up next to him if he would be lucky enough, but for that- he has to get rid of Aiden. The young male started wondering if he would ever do such a thing to get whatever he wanted. Camilla was worth it, and a lot more, but that didn't mean that Zane wanted to become a murderer for that. Perhaps sending the male off for a couple of weeks should be a better idea? Probably he wouldn't mind leaving the territory to visit the allies packs from time to time. Not like anyone would ask for his opinion, the male has to do anything Alpha had told him to.

"I need a fucking drink," Zane growled as he stood back on his feet. Lately, everything had been too much- he couldn't remember the last time when he had some time off of everything.

Sure, he did spend a lot of time in his cabinet, hoping to forget Camilla. That didn't work; everything went downhill after Kaiden made him go out. Zane wondered if Camilla would leave her house tonight, how big of a possibility was for them to meet each other in a bar or club. What if he would go out, have a few shots with his friends, and return home as if nothing happened? She didn't have to know, right?

"For fuck's sake, Zane, grow a pair! You're a man, the Alpha, and you are the one who makes the decisions. About your life, and later on, hers too. Be a man of your fucking actions, and do whatever you want to do!" The young male encouraged himself, stomping his feet against the concrete.

Within a few minutes, the enraged male arrived home, heading straight for the bedroom. At first, he thought that changing into more comfortable clothes would be enough, but after noticing himself in the reflection of the mirror, Zane changed his mind. First, he took a long, relaxing shower. There was no reason to rush- an Alpha would arrive fashionably late, and perhaps, if Camilla headed to the same place as he intended- she would be there upon his arrival. It took more than twenty minutes for Zane to decide what he would wear. A suit or a pair of sweatpants didn't seem to be the right choice for someone in his position going for drinks. Within a few hours, Zane left his house, wearing a pair of dark jeans, a white v-neck, and a black zipper hoodie. Outfit of choice reminded him of the days when he still attended school. So many women had fallen head over heels only because of his looks and sense of style. All of them, but never Camilla.

He approached his car, opening the driver's door, and sat in it. Zane gripped the steering wheel, silently cursing himself. The young male wanted to clear his mind, avoid any thought of Camilla or her appearance, yet she overtook his mind. No matter what he thought or where his eyes landed- she was everywhere.
"Damn it, get her out of your mind for one evening!" Zane yelled out loud, unbothered by the fact that someone might hear him. Everyone around the pack most likely had heard about his and Omega's encounter at the club. Rumors most likely started spreading about them; some might be accurate, while most would be lies.

*"And you still wonder why she never had even a bit of sympathy towards you? You're a showoff; you didn't show even the slightest care or concern about anyone but yourself. Camilla is everything you are not. She had shown more compassion and care for the ones that surround her than you ever could. Remember Stacey? One of the first women you had, she hated Camilla because of her rank. Guess what Camilla did? She bowed her head to show respect for someone who was, and would never be anything. Stacey doesn't have a rank, yet she was sure that she'd become your Luna if you two sleep in one bed. Since the very beginning, she was outstandingly rude towards the staff, yet you never noticed such things because you're so full of yourself. That one time when you argued and left, Stacey ran after you, but disappeared after a while, remember? She fell, the fall was pretty bad, and she was left injured, crying for help while you ran away to find your next snack. You didn't care, but the Omega you hated so much back then- she was the only one who helped. Other servants and staff acted as if they didn't see a thing since the woman was so awful towards them, and you basically got rid of her. Why should they care? Then again, you didn't notice how the mean girl Stacey started smiling more; she became kinder and gladly waved at Camilla whenever she saw her at school. It's not your bravado that makes a difference- it's people, pure heart, and kindness. For some reason, I feel like you're about to fuck up- biting off more than you can swallow if you'll leave the house tonight. Think Zane, don't be stupid, and don't lose probably the last chance you have. Whatever you did right will fade as soon as you make one mistake. Are you ready to go for such risk?" Xavier spoke coldly. The bitter undertone of his voice made the young male feel like he wasn't talking only about Camilla. He felt as if Xavier was bidding goodbye to Zane. Yet, would the wolf actually do that? Would he easily give up on the half of himself to follow Camilla? How would he prove anything if he would disappear? His words made more sense than his behavior.

*"Let's avoid the part where you start lecturing, threatening me, and acting like a fucking woman, alright?"* Zane had enough. Getting attacked repeatedly, lectured, and one from two always reminded how easy it was for them to leave, which made Zane feel frustrated. And all he truly wanted was to have a few drinks with his friends.

*"You do you." Xavier whispered before his voice faded in the distance.

Zane sighed, turning the key and starting the car. First, he wasn't sure where exactly he would go, so instead of aimless circling the town- he called his best friend. Zane couldn't reach Kaiden using mind-link, probably because the male was out drinking. The patrol wolves were doing their job, the pack was under the protection, and if anything would happen- hundreds of warriors were ready to jump right into the fight.

"Yo, Alpha, it's been a while. Anything I can do for you?" Kaiden picked up the phone almost instantly. Zane could hear many voices in the background and a rather loud giggling of women. He chuckled, suddenly feeling way better, his mood brightened, and the corner of his lip lifted. At that moment, Zane understood that the company of friends was the one thing he really missed and needed. He was doing the right thing.

"Matter of fact you can. Send me the address to the place where you are right now, and I'll drive there. I need a couple of drinks." The smile on his lips grew wides as he overheard people cheering and yelling out his title. Leading a pack that felt the pride of their leader was a real blessing. Everyone, including his best friend, was more than happy to have a chance of spending some time with him. Since taking over the title, Zane had little to no time to party or go out with his friends.

"We're at the cave; feel free to stop by. There's shitloads of women here, all of them eager to meet you. I'll order some shots for you, the regular?" Kaiden laughed, deep down, hoping that he's getting his best friend back. Zane's behavior had been odd; lately, he hasn't been himself, which truly worried many people around them. Mostly women, she-wolves didn't like it when the chance of seducing Alpha was taken away from them.

"That would be great. I'll be there in ten." Zane announced and ended the phone call, throwing his phone to the back passenger seat. He wouldn't take the annoying device with him. This night would be about the things Zane had missed and a good time with his best friends.

As promised, after ten minutes, Zane entered the nightclub. He scanned the faces surrounding him. Some eyed Zane with envy, lust flashed through the eyes of females, and the rest of the wolves cautiously parted their way for the Alpha. Surprisingly, a few humans lingered in the crowd of wolves, but even those stared at Zane in awe. It was clearly visible that the aura he carried was more dominant than any other, the same with his frame- such a tall and muscular male attracted a lot of attention. A cocky grin appeared on his lips; for the first time in weeks, Zane felt like the same cocky bastard he was in the eyes of society.

"Zane, we're here!" Kaiden yelled over the music, waving his hand from the balcony.

The Alpha's eyes travelled there, a new wave of excitement overtook him as he made his way upstairs. Many women bumped into him, trying to justify the action by saying it was an accident, but everyone knew that their attempts were intentional. The male nodded at each of them and kept climbing the stairs.

"Looks like driving here took you less time than getting upstairs. Man, those women are drooling all over you, I might become a little jealous over you." Kaiden laughed, approaching Zane and pushing a glass of whiskey in his hand almost immediately.

"Yeah, they're a little... yeah, a little." Zane chuckled, taking a sip of his drink, enjoying the sour taste of whiskey.

It didn't take too much time for Zane to get lost in the count of drinks he had. Getting drunk was hard for wolves; they didn't take alcohol as humans did, so most wolves needed to drink at least five times more than an average human would. The company of friends kept him entertained, some females tried to get closer, and a couple managed to do so. After the fifth bottle of whiskey, Zane found himself in a situation he wouldn't have predicted before. He sat on a large leather seat, legs spread wide, and two females were comfortably sitting in his lap. The young Alpha took a double look at them, wondering when they had approached them and how both ended up in such comfortable positions on his legs. Someone handed him another drink, and Zane didn't feel like rejecting it or getting back home. No matter how wasted he would get- he will enjoy the night to its fullest. Not that Camilla could be anywhere around, she wouldn't find out.

Zane emptied the glass, signing in content. Suddenly, his eyes grew wide as he remembered the low Omega, who was stuck with him for the rest of her days. The young male was about to stand up, maybe even try to get out of there, when the blonde she-wolf leaned closer to his face. The woman wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled Zane closer, and whispered: "Put your lips all over mine," before their lips collided. The woman pushed her breasts to Zane's chest, grinding herself against him. Everyone around them could smell her intense arousal, yet none noticed the state of shock on their Alpha's face. All of them thought that it was just another game; they finally got their Alpha back.

"I can't believe you. Aiden was right. Have fun rotting in Hell, Alpha."