Chapter 30

Mabel’s POV

I sat stiffly, my hand trapped in Zane's, feeling the remnants of his earlier touch. His rough, calloused fingers had lingered over mine, the same hand that had—unbelievably—licked the herbal paste from my wrist earlier this morning. I couldn't help the slight curl of my lips, trying to suppress the grin that threatened to break through. It had been oddly comical, seeing this terrifying Alpha act so... human. So...childlike.

He seemed pleased with himself, as though he had conquered some mighty challenge. "Look at that," Zane said, his voice oozing satisfaction. "Healing like magic. Told you saliva works."

I didn’t argue. He was right. The bruises had faded faster than any I had before. Maybe it was just his werewolf saliva, not mine. But... I didn't mention that. I just nodded, silently marveling at how quickly everything seemed to shift between us.

Zane moved closer, his fingers brushing lightly over the bathrobe I was still wearing. "Let me check the rest."

The rest?

My eyes darted to his, my breath hitching in my chest. "What rest?" I asked, a tightness in my voice.

Zane’s hand reached toward me, and I instinctively pulled away, an action he immediately noticed.

“Problem?” he asked, raising an eyebrow, the confusion clear in his expression.

I bit my lip, hesitant. "Can I at least...wear underwear?" My voice was quieter now, unsure.

For a moment, Zane’s expression remained blank, before realization slowly spread across his face. His gaze dropped, and my lack of underwear seemed to stir something in him.

His jaw tightened, and he cleared his throat. "Why?"

It took me a second to process the question. Why? Why did he think I didn't need underwear? I was in a bathrobe, for heaven's sake! The whole situation felt... exposed. He wanted to check me over, probably remove the robe again, and I would be left completely vulnerable.

I didn’t answer at first, not trusting my words. What did he mean ‘why’?

Zane’s voice broke through my thoughts, teasing, “You uncomfortable without any?”

I nodded, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. I could already feel how this would go.

"Don’t be." His voice was surprisingly casual, as though we were talking about the weather. "I’m not wearing any either. Want to see?"

Before I could process what he said, Zane stood, unbuttoning his jeans with a playful smile. Panic hit me like a freight train.

“No!” My voice squeaked out louder than I intended. “I believe you.” I didn’t need to see anything more.

He laughed, a deep sound that sent a wave of heat to my face.

"Never met a girl so shy," he muttered, clearly amused.

A tiny part of me felt mortified. Had he really never met a girl who hadn’t seen a man naked? The thought made my stomach churn. But then another thought crept in... Did that mean no one had seen me either? And if no one had seen me, did that mean I was...untouched?

Zane chuckled under his breath, as though reading my mind. "Is it possible you've never seen a guy naked?" His words were teasing, but there was something else in his voice—curiosity? And then, an unfamiliar heat spread across my skin.

The grin on his face faded slightly, and his wolf’s voice rang in his mind.

‘Stop. You’re scaring her again.’

‘What? I’m just having some fun,’ Zane shot back, though his hands stayed rooted at his sides. For now.

‘Focus on her, idiot. She's terrified.’

I glanced at him, catching the sudden shift in his demeanor. He was still amused, but his eyes were softer now, almost... apologetic. I swallowed hard and pulled the robe tighter around me.

"I'm sorry," Zane muttered, raising his hands in a surrendering gesture. "Didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Just... practical reasons."

I arched an eyebrow. Practical reasons? Was this the same man who had just casually offered to strip in front of me? But I didn’t ask. I didn’t want to know.

"They tear whenever I shift," he continued, his tone lighter now. "It's easier this way. Saves money."

Still skeptical, I didn’t buy it. I wasn’t naive—I'd seen enough to know that werewolves usually had a lot of clothes. Maybe Zane had a different... lifestyle?

I shifted uneasily on the bed, wishing he would just get to the point already. "Fine, whatever. Can you just...check my injuries, please?"

Zane smiled softly at my request. "You got it. Arms and legs first. Anything else, just say the word. I won’t make you uncomfortable."

I hesitated. "Only to check... right?" The thought of him getting any closer, doing anything more... it terrified me.

He seemed to get it. His eyes softened, and he didn’t push it further. "Just checking." He gestured to the bag on the floor, already pulling out supplies.

I was surprised at how gentle his touch was as he worked, applying the bandages, spraying the pain-relief spray with care. He wasn’t rushing. It felt... normal. Safe, even.

"Not an expert," he said, glancing at my wrist. "When we reach the pack, the doctor will fix it properly. This is just to make it more bearable for now."

I felt my heart squeeze. It was simple, but there was something about the way he said it that made me realize just how much he cared. It wasn’t just about the physical wounds—it was about everything. He wasn’t doing this because he had to. He wanted to. And that, in itself, was enough to make me feel a little more at ease.

"Thank you," I whispered, unable to hide the smile that tugged at the corners of my lips.

His grin was wide and genuine. “Anytime, Mabel. Now, where’s the next injury?"

Before I could respond, there was a knock at the door. The sound was abrupt, pulling us both from the moment.

The door opened, and a cart piled high with food entered the room. My stomach growled at the sight, reminding me how starved I was. The aromas hit me immediately—gravy, bread, meat... I didn’t care what it was; I just wanted it.

Zane’s eyes softened as he watched me, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. "Go ahead. Pick whatever you want."

I swallowed hard, trying not to embarrass myself by devouring everything in sight. My stomach rumbled again, louder this time.

"Anything I want?" I asked cautiously.

Zane’s gaze darkened for a moment, but then his face softened. "Anything you want. On one condition."

I froze. "Condition?"

He chuckled at my nervousness, clearly seeing how I flinched. "Just one condition. Tell me your name."

I blinked, trying to wrap my mind around it. "My name?"

"Yeah." Zane’s voice held a teasing edge, though there was something warm in his eyes. "I’ve been calling you ‘hey’ all day, but you know... it’s not working for me anymore."

Mabel. I said it before I even thought about it. "Mabel."

“Mabel,” Zane repeated, the name rolling off his tongue with a new kind of warmth, like it belonged there.

His smile widened, a genuine light in his eyes now. “Mabel…” he murmured again, as though testing it.

I nodded, feeling a strange sense of calm wash over me. If this was what it took to get to know each other, maybe we were one step closer.

But when Zane’s thoughts wandered again to what was next, I found myself wondering how much further we had to go before things started to feel... real.