Chapter 36

(Mabel's POV)

"Are you alright?" Zane asked, his voice cutting through the quiet of the night as we stepped out of the pack hospital.

"Yeah. Thank you, Alpha Zane," I answered, almost automatically. The words slipped out, but as soon as I said them, I realized the mistake.

Zane arched an eyebrow. "Did you forget already?"

My gaze shifted, unsure of what he meant. He smirked, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Just Zane. Say it."

I hesitated. The Alpha wasn’t supposed to be addressed like that, especially not when there were eyes everywhere. But Zane wasn’t giving in. His smirk deepened, and I felt the weight of his expectation.

I sighed and lowered my voice, scanning the area for any pack members who might overhear. "Zane."

His face lit up with a victorious grin. "Do you want to walk, or should I call a car? The packhouse is about fifteen minutes away, if we cut through the forest."

I didn’t understand why he was giving me a choice, but I wasn’t going to question it. "Anything is fine," I said.

"Then, let’s walk," Zane said. "I’ve been cramped up in that car for hours. A stretch of the legs sounds good."

I followed him into the woods, the familiar scent of pine filling the air as we moved deeper into the trees. Daylight filtered through the canopy, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace here—something I’d never experienced in the Silverwood pack. There, the night was my time. It was the only moment I could escape into the forest, away from prying eyes, and find herbs for my concoctions. But now, walking in broad daylight, I felt different. Almost free.

I thought about how I’d used the forest to hide. I wasn’t just gathering plants for medicine—I was hiding, blending in. After a long day of chores, I’d slip away, searching for herbs to mask my scent. It wasn’t just to help with injuries or illnesses; it was about keeping myself unseen, unnoticed. The forest was my only ally.

"Hey, Mabel," Zane’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned to face him.

"Yeah?"

"Why do you keep stopping to look at plants?" he asked, his voice casual, but there was a hint of curiosity in his tone.

I hesitated for a moment before answering, unsure of how he’d react. "That’s boneset," I pointed to a tall plant with tiny white flowers. "Its leaves and flowers help with fever and pain."

Zane studied the plant for a moment, then nodded, impressed. "Sounds useful. Should we pick it?"

I shook my head. "Not yet. It’s not ready. Once the flowers bloom fully, that’s when it’s most potent."

He nodded again, seeming to respect my knowledge. I liked that. He wasn’t dismissing me.

We walked a little further, the quiet of the woods broken only by the rustling of leaves underfoot. I stopped by a bushy plant with large, maple-like leaves. "Goldenseal," I said, touching the leaves gently. "It’s good for infections."

Zane grimaced, recalling something. "Is that the bitter stuff I tasted when I—"

"Yep," I confirmed with a half-smile, though I quickly bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. His reaction was priceless. But I couldn’t let myself laugh. Zane was... Zane.

Little by little, the distance between us closed. I tugged his hand, guiding him through the forest. Our fingers brushed, then interlaced. I hadn’t even realized when it happened, but I wasn’t about to pull away. Zane, on the other hand, seemed fully aware. I could feel the warmth of his hand against mine, a spark of electricity that I didn’t want to acknowledge, but couldn’t ignore.

Zane seemed to lose himself in the moment too, his eyes narrowing slightly as he inhaled deeply. "I can smell it," he muttered.

I frowned, confused. "Smell what?"

"Your scent," he said, his voice low and almost reverent. "I can pick it out among all the others, even with the forest filled with so many."

I stopped walking, my heart pounding in my chest. What did that mean? What was he saying?

"Let’s go," Zane said, breaking the silence. He tugged me forward, his grip firm but gentle. "Don’t want to waste any more time. We’ve already spent too long out here."

But I wasn’t ready to leave—not yet. The forest felt too much like a sanctuary to me. And the idea of returning to the packhouse, where work and responsibility awaited us both, felt like a weight I wasn’t ready to bear.

"Where did you learn all this?" Zane asked, shifting the topic.

"Diamond taught me," I answered, feeling a warmth spread through me at the mention of her name. "She was the pack doctor’s daughter in Silverwood. She left the pack after finding her mate."

"Your friend?" Zane asked, raising an eyebrow.

I smiled softly, remembering Diamond’s kindness. "I like to think so. She taught me a lot. Sometimes, I’d sneak into the library and read. No one noticed the books missing."

Zane’s gaze softened, and for a moment, I saw something in his eyes that I hadn’t expected—interest, maybe even admiration.

I could tell he was listening carefully, absorbing my words. I liked that. It felt... real. It felt like he was seeing me, not just the pack member, not just the girl in his charge, but me.

As we continued walking, I felt a connection growing. Zane wasn’t just the Alpha anymore. He was someone I could talk to, someone who might just care about the person I was, not just the role I played. And maybe, just maybe, I could be someone more than just the girl who hides in the shadows.

"Let’s go back," Zane said, his tone now lighter. "We’ll talk more later."

I nodded, though part of me wished the walk could last longer. But I knew the packhouse awaited. And reality, no matter how much I wanted to escape it, would always find a way back in.