Chapter 40 – CAMILLE
CAMILLE
As we enter the packhouse, I spot Zane in Dean’s office, bent over the desk, and methodically packing files into boxes.
Each movement is perfectly efficient and careful, with colour-coded labels affixed to each file matching a list secured to his clipboard.
Typical Zane. Even in the midst of personal tragedy, he’s more organised than a wedding planner.
Jax's hand tightens in mine as I adjust our course away from the basement door. I can feel the tension radiating from him, his wolf prowling just beneath the surface. He doesn’t want to speak to Zane or hear any bad news that might ruin this moment, but I need to know what’s coming next.
Whatever Zane decides could determine our future.
“Do you need any help with anything? I’m so… sorry, Zane. If I’d suspected who it was, obviously, I would have come to you and let you deal with it.”
Jax says nothing, but his expression is one of sympathy. He knows the big male is hurting, even if he knows his father was the bad guy in all of this.
Zane sighs. “Then you would have been doing the wrong thing.” He looks me straight in the eye. “You did the right thing. You too, Jax.”
Zane rests his hands flat on the desk as he stares out the window. "I was hoping to speak with you both before I left." When he turns back to face us, his expression is serious, borderline grim. “You should hear it from the horse's mouth, since I consider you to be a friend.”
My stomach clenches. Here it comes.
"I'll be making my report to the council when I return.
" Zane closes a box then reaches for another and scrawls a series of numbers and letters on it, referencing the case it relates to.
His movements remain steady, giving nothing away.
"About the incidents here. About your part in them, and your wolf. "
Jax goes completely still beside me.
So, I squeeze his hand harder, anchoring us both.
“As you know, people have been asking questions about your control, about your suitability to even live within a pack, or in close contact with humans.”
Zane takes his coat from the back of his chair and slips his thick arms into the sleeves, his gaze, once again, drawn briefly back to the window.
"I'll be recommending no further action be taken." He pauses, fixing me with a stern look. “For now, but I’ll be keeping a close eye. Expect some visits. But I’m not requesting an assessment at this point.”
The words hang in the air. I'm not sure I heard correctly. From Jax's sharp intake of breath, he's equally stunned.
"What?" Jax's voice is rough.
Zane gives us his full attention now. "Your wolf has stabilized remarkably. Even now, I can feel it. There’s no aggression. The difference between the wolf I first encountered and the one standing before me now is significant."
His gaze drops to our joined hands, then back to Jax's face.
“I saw you in the dining hall. A male bumped into Camille, and you smiled at him.” Zane shakes his head, almost laughing. “That’s quite a turnaround.”
I can’t believe it. I’m afraid to speak in case he changes his mind.
“The presence of your mate, and her influence over your wolf’s demeanour cannot be dismissed.”
Jax lifts my hand to his lips and kisses my palm without breaking eye contact with the man handing him what is, essentially, a stay of execution.
"Once you're properly mated, I expect that stability to increase further, so I’ll come back to ensure it persists. But the council respects mate bonds. They won't separate a mated pair without extraordinary cause, especially if keeping you together allows your wolf to heal."
My eyes brim with tears. I can’t believe this is happening. If Zane wasn’t my boss, and perpetually grumpy, I’d hug him.
"But I almost killed… your father," Jax points out, like he's trying to talk Zane out of giving us good news. “Why would you help me?”
Zane sighs and holds his hands up.
"Yes, but in defence of your mate. After he attempted to murder an enforcer." Zane's tone is matter-of-fact. "Both things that would typically be rewarded and praised by the council if they didn’t involve my father."
Relief floods through me so fast, I feel lightheaded. Jax holds me tightly, and I wrap my arm around his waist, supporting my jelly legs.
"You'll be discharged into Kain's care," Zane continues, returning to his packing as if this is a minor detail.
"Kain?" I ask, looking to Jax for an answer, but he’s equally perplexed. Kain has a new pack to run. He’s hardly going to have time to continue his work with the enforcers.
The door opens, then Kain himself enters, still sweaty from the competition, but already carrying himself with alpha authority. Grass stains and dirt cover his clothes, and there's a bruise forming on his jaw, but his eyes are bright with victory.
Zane nods at him. "I was just explaining the arrangement."
Kain turns to us, and there's understanding in those intense eyes. One catches the light differently than the other. I'd noticed it before, but now, I can see it clearly. An old injury, maybe.
"My last role specialized in rehabilitation. Bringing wolves back from the brink of feral," Kain says simply.
I look at Zane, struggling to see where this is going, but he doesn't meet my eye.
“And I've seen wolves far more gone than Jax recover with the right support. Structure. Purpose. Pack,” Kain says, raising a hand to cut Jax off before he jumps in to defend Dean and his pack. “And while I can see that you have those here, I think your wolf’s problem, in this case, is remaining where those painful memories are. He can’t get peace when he remembers every day. ”
Jax doesn’t argue with that.
"Honestly," Zane interjects, stacking the final boxes. "I doubt you'll need much rehabilitation once your wolf gets some distance and a fresh start. But Kain will work with you, and document it to keep the council off your back."
It will be good for him. He already feels lighter just considering it.
“Especially, with a new job as beta to keep you busy.” Kain extends a hand to Jax, who looks stunned but proud, as he takes it, and shakes it hard. “Good. If that’s all agreed, I’m going back to join the party.”
Kain waves farewell and heads back out the door, already settling into his new role.
Through the window, I see Raven approaching, his expression dark with intent. He's probably been looking for me since the announcement, ready to make one last play, but Zane spots him too.
"Raven," he calls out sharply through the open door. "Get the car loaded. We leave in ten minutes."
Raven stops. "But I need to…"
Jax growls loudly, making sure Raven knows he’s there.
"Now." The authority in Zane's voice could cut steel. "Unless you'd prefer I include your behaviour in my official report? The inappropriate advances toward a colleague? The deliberate provocation of an unmated male?"
Raven's face goes pale. He shoots one last glare our way, but obeys, grabbing boxes left in the hallway with poor grace before stomping toward the parking area.
“Jane left immediately after the pack run. You’d think he’d have more important things on his mind,” Zane mutters.
Jax is still visibly enraged at Raven’s presence and I squeeze his hand, trying to get him to calm down before Zane rescinds his decision not to require an assessment of Jax’s wolf.
“Not completely stable then,” Zane quips, taking in Jax’s protective stance. “But I don’t blame you. Not after how he behaved.”
Zane drags a hand over his face. "My father won’t be returning as alpha, even if he recovers. Despite the fact he needs to be punished, he… he’ll never be the same wolf again. I’ll take a leave of absence to help sort out the pack and whatever happens next, but contact me if you need anything."
For the first time since everything happened, I see a crack in his professional armour. Just a flicker of grief in his eyes before it's locked away again.
"I'm sorry," Jax says quietly.
Zane nods once, accepting the apology without elaborating. "Take care of each other. Build something good with Kain. Make the most of this second chance. Not everyone gets one."
He crosses to the door and turns back with a grim smile. "And try to avoid choking any more of my staff when they come to retrieve the stone from the bottom of the lake. The paperwork is a nightmare."
The unexpected humour catches me off guard.
"Zane," I call as he heads for the door. "Thank you."
Through the window, we watch him supervise the loading of the car. Every movement is efficient and controlled.
Lynn appears next to him and touches his arm gently, looking up at Zane's who stands frozen to the spot, staring down at her.
She starts to walk away, but at the last moment, she turns back, and wraps her arms around his waist. Something passes between them as they stand there, and his hands come up briefly to wrap around her before, with one last deep breath, they part.
As he steps back, Lynn gives a small shrug and a sad shake of her head, then disappears again into crowds moving toward the distant sounds of celebration. There's music and laughter, carrying on the evening air, and a party for the winners that we should really attend.
But suddenly, the air is thick with tension.
Here, it's just us.
And there’s nothing holding us back anymore. We can be together without fear of separation.
Jax’s lips curl up into a dangerous smile as he crowds me toward the door, walking me out of Dean’s office, backward, toward the basement.
“Come here,” he demands, but I shake my head playfully, keeping just out of his reach, as he tries to pull me to him.
His nostrils flare as frustration colours his desire. “You’re mine, Camille. All mine. And I want my mate.”
I quirk an eyebrow, voice dropping to that tone I know drives him crazy. "We're not mated yet, Jax."
His eyes darken immediately, pupils dilating, as a low growl rumbles in his chest.
“Don’t like that?” I step closer, trailing one finger down his chest. "What are you going to do about it?"