.51. Destroy the whole bloodline.

Sitting in the office, Zane overheard how Kaiden attempted to invite himself inside once again. The young Alpha cut himself off, ignoring everyone and basically moving into the office. The male decided to replace worry with more work than usual- the last thing or person Zane wanted to think about was Camilla.

Of course, he had his people around, observing his mate and making sure she was safe. As the first week went by, Zane decided that it was better if Camilla wasn't around anymore. Living under one roof with him was more dangerous than being away from him. For as long as Camilla seemed happy and healthy, for Zane, nothing else really matters.
She hadn't met up with the Vampire anymore- one of his spies did mention him once, but only in the context of Camilla explaining to him why they couldn't be friends. The young woman found a job in the bakery, two towns away from where Zane's pack was located. Camilla blended in among humans to provide some sort of safety for herself.

Refusing any alcohol intake has been the best decision Zane made, of course, with the help of his friend. Since the last time Zane had a shot- the male noticed how much calmer he had become. The young Alpha didn't go through surprising anger outbursts and didn't last out on the pack members. The only thing Zane did was put all of his attention and focus on making his pack better, stronger, and bigger. Aside from that, he often checked if Camilla was still safe, how her life went by and if she didn't lack a thing. Xavier was pissed at his human side- letting go of their mate so quickly didn't seem like a thing that would please the wolf. Not that Zane cared about his wolf, the main focus was on Camilla and the pack's well-being. If she ever decided to come back, Zane wanted to prove that he did everything he could to make it feel like home. The previous servants and maids left his house a week after his mate left- the young Alpha had to be more responsible- cooking and cleaning for himself seemed like the best first move towards accomplishing the goal.

"Zane, open the door; we have to talk. You can't avoid everyone for the rest of your life, come on!" Kaiden knocked on the door nonstop. If anyone, he wasn't a person to stop if he had something on his mind. At times, it did piss Zane off, but most of the time, he was grateful for the friend Kaiden was. Plus, being that stubborn was quite a good quality for Beta.

"Can I please finish the paperwork I just started reading? Whatever you came here for, we could discuss it while having lunch. How does that sound?" The Alpha didn't raise his eyes from the papers in his hands- Zane attempted to gain more alliances and perhaps extend the pack territory.

"Lord, have mercy, who the fuck are you, and what did you do to my asshole of a best friend? Open this door, and I will kill you, imposter! Lunch will be ready in a while; I'll cook something while you're still busy." Kaiden's reaction made Zane chuckle- his best friend has been a little over dramatic for the last couple of days.
No one in the pack expected for their Alpha to act as Zane did lately. Everyone was so used to his short temper and anger issues- it was hard to say that their Alpha wasn't replaced. And even if he was- now, he was a better, more understanding man. Perhaps when Camilla took away his privilege as a mate was the best thing that ever happened to him and wolves surrounding the male.

When Zane finally finished the paperwork, he glanced at his phone's screen. Sorting everything out took him nearly an hour, now he could head downstairs to the kitchen. The Alpha hoped that his best friend wouldn't burn the kitchen down- that overly confident man knew how to make sandwiches and poke a slice of bacon on the knife.

"Do we have only bacon, or should I cook something quickly? We both know that the amount of meat you prepared isn't enough for two grown men." Zane chuckled, leaning against the doorframe. His voice startled Kaiden, but the male quickly brushed it off.

"I would cook something more if I knew how to do that shit. We both know that my mother was too busy shopping and running around the beauty salons to teach me basic skills. I know how to fight; that's about it." Kaiden shrugged his shoulders, feeling a little better as he watched Zane approaching the refrigerator.

Sometimes both friends acted like ex-lovers, always staying around each other and using any chance to tease and laugh at each other. It didn't matter, though; it was part of the magic in their friendship. Kaiden carefully stacked the bacon on a plate while Zane mixed some ingredients- he was making waffles. Any other day the Alpha would keep lecturing his second in command about unhealthy foods and the little pancake addiction Kaiden had. Today, since the Beta already put effort into cooking something- Zane had to come up with something fast.

"So, how have you been doing?" Kaiden did his best to sound unbothered, yet the worry in his voice was clear as lake water.

"Been better, still trying to improve and all that. As usual. If you're wondering about Camilla- she's doing great. I anonymously bought the bakery and promoted her, offering a lot more money. I like to know that she won't lack a thing, and by the end of the day- she deserved it because she is the most hard-working employee there. She moved to a better apartment last week, keeps avoiding Vampires, and everything seems to be okay," Zane smiled. The Alpha didn't register how a smile grew on his face whenever he spoke about Camilla, nor did he know about the sparks of admiration dancing in his eyes. Even though she was far away- somehow, she still felt close.

"That's good; I'm glad to hear that things are improving. You became a lot calmer, won't lash out at everyone, and seems that even your mood gets better by the day. When was the last time you shifted?" Kaiden leaned against the kitchen counter, observing how Zane cooked their lunch. Aside from the change in his friend- the young Beta couldn't stop staring at the technique Zane used. Perhaps one day, Kaiden will memorize everything Alpha did and cook the dish for his own mate.

"About three weeks ago. I can't let Xabier out; for now, the idiot is on edge. If I did- he would run off to Camilla, and that isn't something I will let him do. She needs space, and so do we. At least for a while, I'll just keep on waiting until she's ready to come back home. Even if she wants to be a regular pack member, I will take whatever I get." Zane focused on the waffles. Lately, he noticed how easy it was to focus on things he did rather than wait when someone would do it all for him. Even his parents noticed the change.

What Zane didn't know was that Camilla was fully aware of the situation. Zane's mother did everything she could to find her and keep in touch. The young woman knew that she was being watched, yet it wasn't why she refused the Vampire's friendship. He confessed that the only reason why he wanted to be friends was her blood- so, obviously, Camilla didn't want to do anything with the male. She knew that Zane bought the bakery and made her manager, but never refused it. Even though he crossed all lines, she still thought that it was rather lovely of him to look after her. If Zane didn't care- he wouldn't send out his men to make sure she's safe. If he didn't feel anything for Camilla- he wouldn't respect her choices while helping her earn money for necessary things. And if Zane didn't want to do anything with her- the male wouldn't change even the slightest bit.
If anyone else told all those things to Camilla, she wouldn't believe it. Yet, his mother had always been more on her side than her son's. If the words came from that woman- she spoke the truth and nothing but the truth.
Another thing that Zane didn't know yet was that Camilla missed her home. Even more than the young woman would ever admit. She missed Zane and those rare yet sweet moments both shared as true mates.
Camilla planned to go back home, but she didn't know when- Zane's mother knew that the young woman would return, keeping it a secret.

"Alright, I get you, but still- won't it be worse if he just breaks free and wouldn't let you get the control back? What then?" Kaiden raised an eyebrow, genuinely worried about possibilities and consequences to come.

"He won't. That bastard knows that we both fucked up, and this was the price to pay. He will sit his ass down and act as a decent wolf while I will keep improving myself both as a leader and a man. In time, I might improve as a mate, but for that, I will need Camilla around." As they spoke, Zane stacked fresh waffles on two plates, handing one to his friend.

During lunch, they didn't talk; the occasional words that left both males were about food. Zane had more time to think, not only about Camilla but about other pack business. Within a few weeks, he would meet one of the most known Alphas- Valentino. They were approximately the same age, yet while Zane tried to become more humane and understanding, the other Alpha was a real tyrant. Perhaps if they managed to come to reasonable terms and become allies- both packs could grow stronger and respected. Kaiden, as always, let his mind wander around the clouds. He wanted to talk more, ask many questions, and see if Zane would ever change his mind about the decisions he made but chose to stay quiet. Being the best friend and second in command at the same time was difficult. His mind said one, and heart screamed the complete opposite. Kaiden's mind was all for Zane's change and attempted to improve, yet his heart laid next to Camilla- hoping that she would come back. It wasn't just because of the Alpha- no matter what, the male knew that both of them would be happier if around each other.

"These waffles are so good; you must give me the recipe. But, aside from that- do you have any more plans for some changes to make before Valentino arrives? I heard he's an asshole." Kaiden scoffed, showing off his disgust towards the infamous Alpha.

"First of all, the recipe isn't mine; it's Camilla's. Second- not sure; I planned a couple of things, but all of them are more than manageable so that I won't need any help. Asshole or not, Valentino would be a great ally; besides, he still has his mate around, unlike me. Pretty sure I'm more of an asshole than he is or would be. Don't think of saying any shit or hinting at something; he will bring his son along, so best behavior. Okay?" Zane kept stabbing the waffle with his fork, silently getting jealous over the other Alpha's success with the mate. Zane also wanted a family, but bringing that bit up was his worst mistake. Not only did he trigger and scare Camilla, but he also lost his temper and mate afterward. If only he kept his mouth shut and let things go on slowly. No wonder his mother always spoke about how rushing was the worst thing to do.

Kaiden nodded his head in agreement and stood up, bringing his plate to the sink and washing it after himself. Like Zane, the male got used to keeping the place tidy by doing everything on his own. Kaiden ended up eating the last waffle on Zane's plate, as slow as never- savoring each bite he took. The Beta's excuse was that they couldn't let any food go to waste, but in reality, Kaiden would gladly get overweight if he would get to eat those waffles each day.
Both men silently left the kitchen, heading for the staircase. Zane would return to his office while Kaiden would grab some books in the library and bring them to Zane's mother.

Before they could bid their goodbyes, the front door flew open, and a frantic looking male ran inside, calling out for Zane.

"Alpha! Alpha! She was taken, the Luna was taken! Vampires, so many bloodsuckers- they surrounded her and took her. Melissa is on her way; the witch knows where their coven is! Hurry!"

Zane didn't ask any questions; it was the perfect moment to let go of control and let Xavier lead him. The Alpha shifted in the middle of his living room; Kaiden watched him wide-eyed. Perhaps it was that Beta didn't see him shifting for a long time, but it seemed like Zane had become twice as big as before. And Zane's wolf was giant compared to any other Alpha as far. The wolf growled in a warning for everyone to get out of his way and bolted outside of the house. For once, Xavier and Zane decided to work together- they would rather die than let anyone hurt Camilla. And right now, they were on their way to destroy the whole bloodline of any Vampire that touched his mate.