40. His scent.

After promising Zane another chance, Camilla couldn't stop to wonder if she made the right decision. Deep down, she couldn't get rid of the feeling that the male would force her to stay no matter what her decision would be. The new Alpha already went out of his way- chasing her even outside his territory and forcing a mark upon Camilla. She didn't want to feel like someone's private property, but Zane had a way to make her feel like one. Camilla dreamed about a bright future, far away from the damned pack, and many adventures that would happen at the right times. She used to keep track of the best universities, thinking about all possibilities she would face with an excellent education. Now, it all felt like an unreachable goal. Unfortunately for Camilla- she was forced to go back to school since she missed a lot of it. For the whole night, she couldn't close her eyes, wondering how things would work after the pack finds out that she was supposed to be their Luna.

Her alarm rang before Camilla managed to fall asleep. The young woman rolled out of her bed, thankful that the Alpha didn't try to force her to spend the night in his bed. She knew that the dark circles under her eyes might be the size of a planet, but Camilla couldn't care less. All she wanted was to go to that damned building, sit through the day, perhaps take a nap, and get back home. Well- Zane's home. The only thing that truly worried her was the possible appearance of Alpha. She had enough enemies before Zane decided to start picking on her, and Camilla didn't need to do anything to become the most hated wolf in the pack. The young woman could only imagine the hatred as soon as they found out who had marked her and taken her in. Camilla sighed, trying to get rid of negative thoughts before they ate up her sanity. Lazily, she walked to the bathroom to brush her teeth and take a quick shower.

By the time Camilla was done, wrapped in a warm towel- she had to face the man, who she really didn't want to see today. Zane sat on the edge of her bed, a tiny box in his hands. As soon as she left the bathroom- his eyes instantly glued on her, silently watching the young woman. Camilla wanted to feel surprised, but she couldn't- the young woman knew that Alpha would appear sooner or later. His jaw clenched, and nostrils flared; for some reason, Zane seemed to be angry at her even though she didn't do a single thing to challenge him.

"What is it?" Camilla groaned, leaning against the doorframe. Unknowingly the young woman rolled her eyes in annoyance. She promised him another chance, not complete control over her life, where the male could walk into her taking a shower whenever he wanted.

"Please, for fuck's sake, get dressed," Zane spoke up, a low growl forming in his chest.

"Am I distracting you, Alpha?" The truth was that Camilla had no idea how dangerous game she was playing. Messing around with Alpha was one thing- she could get through with many doings since he was her mate. But- throwing a piece of meat in front of a starving wolf wasn't the most brilliant idea one might have. Zane's gaze seemed to be heated enough to set her skin on fire. The young woman blushed and ran into the closet. All it took was for her to notice how genuinely lustful and full of need the Alpha's gaze was.

Camilla tried to reach the top shelf; it didn't matter which shirt she would wear, for as long as it was something more than a towel covering her body. Her heartbeat fastened; the young woman feared that Zane might follow her- she did challenge him, after all. Her fear was confirmed when a large frame leaned against her back, nearly pushing Camilla into the shelves. She turned around to face a grinning Zane.
He placed one of his hands on her waist and reached for something. Still holding onto Camilla, Zane handed her a baggy t-shirt which seemed to be worn a couple of times already.

"Could you please leave and give me some privacy as I change?" Camilla whispered, trying to look anywhere but at him. The words leaving her lips seemed to amuse Zane since the male chuckled.

"Why, am I distracting you?" The young Alpha did his best to avoid laughing at her facial expression. Camilla quickly understood how Zane used her own words against her- that cocky bastard. He leaned to her ear and whispered: "Wear this and don't think about choosing anything else. I'll wait in your bedroom, and I will check." Camillas cheeks burned in embarrassment, but the young woman could swear that Zane left with the cockiest grin all over his face.

Simply to avoid more arguments or fights, Camilla decided to wear the shirt Zane had handed her. It was an old, baggy t-shirt with a band logo on it. Usually, the young woman would silently praise Zane for his excellent taste, but there was a but. It was his shirt- now, wherever Camilla went, everyone would catch on their Alpha's scent. She had it all- his mark, clothing, and the dumbass rubbed his scent all over her as soon as he got the opportunity. It was his way to show off dominance and the fact that Camilla was claimed. Any wolf within fifteen miles radius could scent Zane on her. And perhaps no one will be dumb enough to mess with her today- since she's the Alpha's *property* now. The young woman sighed in defeat- the more she tried to reject Zane in one way or another, the more he wanted to prove her something. At times Camilla couldn't keep wondering what was wrong with the young Alpha and why he couldn't let go. He did once, yet soon enough, crawled back like a scared pup. Whatever men thought- the young woman had no idea what happened in their hectic minds, and it was way too early to try and figure it out. She let out a deep breath and returned to the bedroom.

The young Alpha, of course, sat on her bed, a wide smile all over his face. Zane stood up and proudly watched Camilla before approaching the young woman. "The shirt suits you better than it does me," he added, slowly wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her in.

This time she didn't refuse the male; for some reason, his touch was somewhat more comforting than disgusting, as it used to be. Camilla wouldn't admit it out loud, but she did start to enjoy Zane's company. Especially now, when he didn't change women as often as socks, and his attitude towards her changed greatly. She leaned her head against his chest and inhaled the male's intoxicating scent, smiling to herself. "Probably because you're way too muscular for it, while it looks like a bag on me," she whispered in response, closing her eyes and enjoying the moment both shared. The young woman appreciated how Zane managed to make a simple hug feel like an intimate experience without touching her in inappropriate places. The Alpha managed to do everything Camilla loved, and she didn't need to tell him a thing about herself.

"Perhaps," Zane chuckled, wrapping the other arms around her waist and holding the young woman in a tight hug. Deep down, Zane hoped that Camilla could understand how he felt and the things he would do for her just by the way he hugs her. However, within a couple of minutes, he finally let her go, admiring the frown on Camilla's face. It wasn't about how cute she seemed, but the fact that she admitted hatred for losing contact they had. Zane ruffled her hair and took her hand in his, slowly walking towards the door.

"Where are we going?" Camilla finally regained her senses and raised an eyebrow in question. The young woman completely forgot about school or responsibilities whenever Zane was that close.

"I'm driving you to school today, love. I had to move a couple of things in my schedule to take you there and pick you up later on. Hope you don't mind that I've planned a surprise, but- after school, of course." Zane grinned, looking down at his confused mate. One thing the young Alpha knew for sure was that Camilla was genuinely unique. She never bothered to hide whatever she felt- her face gave off any emotions the young woman felt. She was easy to read; it made Zane's task to make her fall in love with him even more manageable.

"I don't want to go there. Can't I stay here and do some sort of homeschooling?" Camilla whined, stomping her feet like a toddler.

"Yeah, I wish, but no. It would be best if you had an education, and honestly- I won't be able to work if you're home. I'll keep on thinking about how close you are and end up running to you. Your hugs are one addicting thing; I bet your cuddles are even better. We should test my theory later on- perhaps while watching a movie." Zane teased the young woman. Again, her face gave out all she felt, yet this time her cheeks burned as bright as a traffic light.

"School it is," Camilla mumbled under her breath.

The Alpha led her through his house, some servants and Omegas crossed their path- all of them whispering something to each other and bowing their heads. Zane didn't let go of her hand even for a second until they reached the driveway and the young male opened the car door for Camilla. She smiled, thanked the male, and sat in the car, waiting for Zane to sit in the driver's seat. Oddly enough, he didn't start the vehicle, just simply eyed Camilla.

"Is something wrong? Is there something on my face?" Camilla laughed nervously, wondering why Zane changed his behavior so suddenly. Her thoughts became wild beyond extents- even stopping to a theory where Zane would try to kill her.

"No, everything's fantastic. More than just amazing, I'd say as perfect as never. But, I do need to do something before we leave the driveway," Zane grinned, looking out of the window. His behavior didn't make any sense to Camilla.

"So? Do it; I can wait or just take a bus to the school. You really don't have to go out of your way just to take me there. I'm a big girl, Zane; I can take care of myself," the young woman smiled, encouraging her mate to deal with more important matters. The thing she didn't know or even think of was that Zane had nothing more important than Camilla. He had screwed up things multiple times, and the young woman became the center of his universe soon after. He would keep on pushing himself just to make her happy.

"Well, if you insist," Zane turned towards Camilla, placed a hand behind her neck, and pulled the woman closer. He didn't force a kiss on her, for a moment holding their lips just inches apart. "Camilla, can I kiss you?" The male swallowed loudly; his eyes were flickering between her eyes and lips.

Camilla licked her lips and nodded her head, ignoring any thoughts rushing in her mind. It wasn't a crime to kiss your own mate, so why shouldn't she do that? The smile on Zane's face grew wider if that was possible, and the next moment Camilla felt the softness of his lips pressed against hers. She closed her eyes and gave in, enjoying the mix of roughness and care in whatever the Alpha did. They lost track of time, holding onto each other and afraid to let go. Camilla broke the kiss only when she was utterly breathless yet grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"Fuck it," the young Alpha hissed under his breath, leaning closer to Camilla and grabbing her hips. Zane literally lifted his mate onto his lap; the woman straddled him. His lips left soft kisses along her jawline and moved down her neck- towards the Alpha's mark. Camilla threw her arms around his neck and tilted her head, giving him more access. Zane couldn't help himself but smile, noticing how the young woman seemed to become a little more comfortable around him.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and Zane knew that there were limits he couldn't cross unless she was ready. "I should take you to school before I change my mind and take you to my bed," he teased Camilla.

Zane didn't expect her to laugh it off; she didn't seem to feel threatened. Camilla gladly got back in her seat and watched how the Alpha started the car. The drive to the school was one of the best times they spent together- conversations, jokes, and a lot of laughter. The young Alpha parked in the reserved spot and Camilla breathed out in relief, noticing that no one was around the parking lot. She wasn't sure how everyone around there would react to see them together, especially since Zane didn't attend the school anymore. They shared a quick kiss, and Camilla nearly bolted out of his car- the Alpha yelling out to remind that he would pick her up later on. A smile crept on Camilla's lips- she did enjoy his effort and affection. He still was the same old Zane, but the young woman felt like he would change for some reason. Not for everyone else, but for her. Thankfully, her day went on rather quickly, and nobody tried to approach her. After the last period, Camilla left some of her books in the locker and headed towards the main entrance, happy to see Zane again.

"Hey, you! Where the fuck do you think you're about to go? You have some explaining to do!"