.44. A plush toy for mate.

Zane was sent to the pack's hospital, his father- the previous Alpha, furious at the whole world. Camilla found herself stuck in a situation that seemed to have no way out of it. She still thought that Zane didn't deserve even a tiny bit of her better side, yet the young woman kept worrying over the state of his health.

The first couple of days were the worst- his wolf reused to cooperate and help the process of healing- that damned animal acted as if he had left Zane. Only when Eden lost whatever cool she had, right next to Alpha's bed, and took over the control to yell at Xavier, things finally changed. The wolf was able to acknowledge the importance of his effort, especially during such a difficult time. Both of them were assholes- each a specific kind of one, but that didn't make Zane or Xavier less of their mate than they were.

Camilla visited his hospital room, once again staring at the male. She couldn't understand what or why had happened. No one would give her answers, yet many people, especially staff members, kept giving her dirty stares. Did those people actually think that Camilla was the blame for what happened to Zane? Even if something about her was the core issue- he had to do something to deserve the punishment; otherwise, the young woman would be the one who deals with that. Suddenly, Camilla feared that the dumbass had taken the blame on himself- no matter what she supposedly did, and that ate her up. Would Zane be stupid enough and put himself in such great danger to get her ass out of trouble?

As usual, she spent a couple of hours in his room and left without saying a word. All this time, she kept thinking about things she might say or do, but Camilla kept failing over and over again. Whenever she came face to face with Zane, even though he reminded more of a dead body than a healing person- she became speechless. Sometimes Camilla wrote paragraphs before going to the hospital, but she couldn't speak even with those. The young woman made her way towards the bedroom- his bedroom. Camilla spent last nights in his bed, missing the alluring scent and his voice. It seemed stupid even for her; after all- Zane had hurt her more than anyone else had. But Eden kept reminding her that the heart wanted what it wanted, and her heart wouldn't follow the logical thinking.

She took a quick shower, grabbed one of Zane's shirts, and went to her bedroom. Camilla didn't hang around his room as much during the day since she needed his scent mostly to sleep. The young woman expected a special guest with some great news, so she didn't have much time to waste anymore. Aiden promised Camilla to take her out and share the first good thing that had happened in years. The warrior knew how stressful her life had become and how much she needed some rest or fun. At first, she didn't agree to go out- the young woman felt like she had to stay near Zane, but Aiden held too many cards against her. If he didn't mention going to an amusement park, she wouldn't agree as fast as she did. Camilla daydreamed about the amounts of cotton candy she would get; the young woman wanted to bring home as many plush toys as she could. The invitation was like a fresh breeze of air- the last time she saw the place was long ago when her parents were alive. She missed the place as much as she missed the memories made around there.

*"We should bring a plush toy for mate,"* Eden suddenly spoke up, eager to convince Camilla that her idea was great.

The young woman smiled and nodded her head as if the voice came from an actual person, standing next to her, rather than someone living in her head. She grabbed a few pieces of clothing and quickly got dressed, hiding the shirt under an oversized hoodie. Mate or not, she still hid the fact that she was the one destined for the pack's Alpha.

*"Aiden's here,"* Eden warned Camilla, unintentionally encouraging her to grab whatever stuff she needed and go downstairs. The young woman loved her privacy, so she didn't allow anyone to get into her room, nor did she want to make her friend wait on her.

Camilla left the room, locked it, and ran downstairs. Aiden stood by the staircase, reminding the perfect scenarios girls came up with whenever they spoke about prom night. If Camilla's life didn't turn upside down, she would consider getting together with Aiden, or at least try to.

"Hey there, stranger," she grinned, jumping onto him. The male caught her last moment, laughing like a maniac.

"Well, look who's in a good mood finally. Didn't expect to face the happy Camilla; thought you'd be grumpy. But I do love the change, a smile suits you. Ready to go?" Aiden let go of Camilla and playfully bumped into her shoulder.

The young woman opened her mouth, about to answer the question when a woman ran at them. She seemed rather distressed, dressed as one of the maids. "Luna, are you going somewhere?" The woman instantly questioned Camilla. For some reason, she didn't seem like someone who might be trusted. Many of the maids around Zane's house were like that- looking for a loophole to start trouble.

Camilla eyed the woman and smirked, turning her full attention towards the woman and spoke: "You do realize how you addressed me right now, right?" She answered with a question of her own.

The maid nodded her head eagerly, unaware of what Camilla was trying to say. She was the Luna to be, and everyone around there knew it. Perhaps it was about time for all servants, and maids acknowledge her future superiority.

"If you address me as your Luna, why are you asking me questions? It's quite bold of you to think that I owe you answers or explanations about things I do. Are you my mother? No, I don't think so. Are you a prominent figure in my life? Yeah, that would be another no. I used to work here, and one thing I knew, and you should learn, was how to respect those who stand higher than you do. I wouldn't see a question as an issue, but since you already accepted me as your Luna- it's about time to do the dishes and get your nose out of my ass. How does that sound, sweetheart?" Camilla grinned, motioning towards the kitchen.

The young woman managed to leave the maid and her friend speechless; none of them ever heard her talking like that. Power finally radiated off the woman, and the young maid had no other choice but to excuse herself and run to the kitchen.

"Feisty, I like that," Aiden grinned, offering Camilla his hand.

"People change," she shrugged. "But not around here- most wolves I know, the servants included, are first-class assholes. I moved in a while ago, and Zane told everyone that I am his mate. The way she acted- that's how everyone around here keeps acting. As if I was lower, a part of their fucking property and they had rights to order me around. I wouldn't have any privacy if Zane didn't let me lock the damn door." Camilla sighed, finally accepting that the amount of freedom and privacy she had was all thanks to her mate.

"Let's drop the topic; I don't want to ruin your mood before the real fun starts. Let's go; I can't be out for too long." Aiden opened the door for Camilla and followed her lead, leaving the Alpha's house.

The young male still feared driving around with Camilla since that accident happened- he had a completely new outlook on life. He would be more careful around her and with her in his car. No one wanted the same thing to happen once again, especially Aiden. He couldn't get rid of feeling guilty about everything that happened, even if it wasn't his fault in the first place. After reminding Camilla about the importance of seatbelt, he finally started the car.

The drive wasn't supposed to take as much time as it did- it was Friday, and most pack members headed to the same place as they did. The amusement park was a known place for young couples and mates to have date nights. As romantic as it might seem- Aiden's idea about going there wasn't anything near romantic. The male needed a relaxing place where Camilla would feel comfortable enough to talk. He had two things to discuss, and for the whole car drive, he couldn't decide which one is more important.

"And we're here! Fucking finally," Aiden groaned after nearly an hour wasted to find a parking spot. The place was packed, and it seemed that many people from other packs visited it.

"Yeah, took a while, but the most important thing is that we didn't give up. That can mean only one thing- it's cotton candy and plushies time!" Camilla jumped out of the car, throwing her hands up in excitement.

Aiden laughed at her behavior and followed his ecstatic friend. For most of the evening, he acted as her bodyguard, following Camilla and watching over anything she did. Aiden had to admit that she was pretty great at some games- Camilla dragged a bag full of plush toys behind her. Despite the number of things she had won, the young woman kept eyeing all booths they passed. If she noticed a plush toy she wanted- she would keep on trying until she got it. Currently, Aiden was watching how she threw darts at the target, attempting to win a huge black wolf for Zane.

"Are you sure that he will like it?" Aiden cleared his throat, wondering what was the reason why Camilla kept trying. He wasn't the biggest fan of their Alpha, yet the young woman didn't know even half of the things he did. Most of them connected to her, but in time Aiden would speak up- as soon as she's done trying to bankrupt the poor booth owners.

"Positive as Hell. I will get the wolf, and then I'm done. Just let me finish this, okay?" Camilla's answer made the young male chuckle. She had no idea how bad she was, so Aiden had no other choice but to jump in and help. They would have to return home soon, and he still needed time to talk to Camilla in person.

Aiden stood next to her, bought two sets of darts, and popped the colorful balloons, missing one. The booth owner applauded him and asked which would be the prize Aiden would take home. Of course, he chose the wolf Camilla tried to win so desperately.

"Thank you, I suck at throwing darts," Camilla groaned, holding onto the wolf for her dearest life. She handed Aiden a toy in return- a cute fox. The male gladly accepted it, smiling at the plush toy, well aware of who would hold it soon enough.

"Let's go to the car, leave your prizes and go for a walk before we have to return. I have something I need to talk about. It's pretty damn important." Aiden locked eyes with Camilla, explaining how he didn't try to imply anything wrong since the young woman seemed to start panicking. Her body relaxed instantly, and Camilla nodded, happily following her friend.

Aiden brought her to the seaside; it was a pretty fantastic view, but definitely without any trace of romance. At first, Camilla feared that Aiden might try to ask her out, but the question wasn't the thing that worried her. The possible reaction she might have feared the young woman- at this point, Camilla didn't have the slightest idea of with whom she wanted to end up. Aiden was way too quiet, so Camilla nudged his side, encouraging her friend to speak up. The male pointed at an old log and offered her to sit down.

"So, what is it?" She sighed, unable to wait for more. The curiosity literally took the best of Camilla at times.

"I have two things I wanted to talk about, both are pretty important, but I don't know where to start. First of all, please promise to still be my friend- no matter what happens, I don't want to lose you," Aiden stared in the distance, his eyes suddenly looking as if a heavy load of regret washed over him.

"Promise."

"Alright, the first thing is a pretty personal matter, and you will be the first one to find this out. I met my second chance mate," Aiden bit on his lip, silently wondering if he did the right thing. Perhaps Camilla had too many things to worry about, and his new mate wouldn't, and shouldn't be one?

"Wait, you did? Oh my God, Aiden, I'm so fucking happy for you! How is she? Is she from the pack? Is she nice? Do I need to kick some ass for my bestie?" Camilla couldn't stop grinning like a maniac. It was about time for her closest friend to find happiness; Aiden deserved that and way more.

The male smiled, thinking of the wonderful woman that happens to be his second chance mate. "She is amazing, but not from the pack. She's a fox shifter, actually- that's one of the reasons why I wanted to talk. Kinda thinking about bringing her in to live with me, but not sure how the Alpha would feel about that. Her name is Ava, and she's one of a kind. I'm sure you would love her."

"Leave that to me; I absolutely support bringing her in as long as she is willing to. If Zane acts up- I will deal with it; I'm his mate after all. Unfortunately." The last word left Camilla's lips as a mere whisper, full of pain and agony.

"That's the next thing I have to speak about. Please, don't cut me short and listen. There are a few things you should know about that arrogant fucker. I know how he used to treat you in school and outside. Zane made way too many goddamn mistakes, but it doesn't mean that he's not trying. I am not on his side; sadly, I'm not on yours either- my position is as neutral as it can be. I am here as your friend, not a partner in crime or ally. You make the judgment by the end of the day, but if there is one thing I can ask for- don't let him off the hook early, even if the information will change the way you feel or think. Don't get me wrong- I am not his biggest fan either, but he's been trying more than his whole, damn lifetime. You see- the idiot understood what he did wrong and how he mistreated you after facing you in that cell. I helped him to confront the lying pigs that tried to set you up. Since that day, when you woke up- Zane swore to keep away from you. Living under the same roof as your mate yet maintaining a distance might seem like the worst punishment ever, right? He did things for you, Camilla, little things. And those little things had an excellent effect on you, even if it wasn't him around you. Ever wondered how an airhead like Kaiden noticed so many things about you? That's because it wasn't him- it was Zane all along. He would stand in a safe distance, watch over you and order Kaiden around like a little kid. The flowers, notes, and even things like a hot bath in the morning were his doings. Zane might seem like an asshole, but he did go out of his way to make sure you're comfortable around there. He skipped more meals than a grown wolf should, just to pretend that he wasn't home. I know many things that happened around his house, some of my friends work around there. The oldest maid used to be a family friend- she told me more than needed. The Alpha refused many of his favorite meals because those are your favorites as well, and he thought that you need them more than he does. Zane did everything to get you back in the previous shape. Then came the nightmares- sometimes he wouldn't sleep at all to avoid them. Sometimes, he would wake up covered in sweat and screaming in terror. That's the reason why he often slept in his office or in the attic. See, a grown-ass Alpha wolf as himself wouldn't have a problem going through the council's punishment, but since the idiot was too weak at the time- he couldn't stand more than forty. You probably wonder why he ended up in that position. Well, some men came to his house; apparently, someone had told the council that Zane is mistreating his mate. He could easily say no, sure that you would be too scared to snitch on him. But no, he told them right in the eyes that the rumors were right. So, therefore, he had to endure that shit punishment. I don't know how you feel about him or what you think, but it's all about you, Camilla. You have a lot of thinking to do, and I should head back home as well. Let's go before it gets too late." Aiden helped Camilla up, and both headed for the car in complete silence. Aiden did feel better after telling her everything her mate had done for her- sometimes, Zane wasn't as bad as everyone thought. Camilla didn't utter a word; she kept staring at her feet and moved like a robot.

The drive home was as quiet as their walk back to the car. Camilla gathered all her plush toys as soon as Aiden parked in front of the house. Without any questions, she promised her friend to take some time to think and bid her goodbyes, disappearing into the huge house.