Beast Beloved

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"You ever wish you weren't a werewolf?" Eli sat on the edge of the bed. Cameron was laying back as relaxed as he could be.

"Shifter."

Eli shot him a look.

"Yes."

Eli reluctantly turned his back to the window. "Why?"

"When I was twelve there was a primary school trip to this adventure centre in the next state over. At the time Quint wasn't on good terms with the pack in charge of the territory the place was in, so I couldn't go." Cameron told the story quickly and dispassionately.

"That was enough to want to change?"

"There was also the first few times I shifted." Cameron added, "I don't even remember how old I was, but feeling my bones and muscles snapping was more then enough to put me off. Oh, and there was this time Oliver came back from training and my poor werewolf nose could hardly stand the stench." Cameron's tone, and the fact he used 'werewolf' was enough to make Eli think he was trying to draw attention away from what he said first.

"Your bones break?" Eli thought about the time in his room. How would he feel if Cameron asked him to break his bones to prove himself? "You should have told me-"

"It's not like that anymore" Cameron rose up on his elbows, "It's just... pins and needles at most."

"If I ask Oliver will he tell me the same thing?"

"Eli" Cameron groaned. He sat up fully and joined Eli at the end of the bed. "It's a normal part of my life now, and at your house I was too freaked out to feel any pain."

"Would you like me if I was a werewolf?" Eli asked.

Cameron studied him with a worried look for a moment, which then turned into a contemplative one. "Yes. I would like to see you on all fours."

"Hey" Eli's cheeks heated up.

Cameron flashed a smile. "That's not what I meant, but that sounds good to. But I mean as a wolf. I bet you'd have fur would be a few shades lighter than your hair" He played with a few blonde strands at the nape of his neck, sending a small shiver down his back as his fingers brushed against his skin. "And you'd be slender. Like you are now."

"No way, I want to be fat like you."

"Bulky" Cameron said pointedly, "And strong."

Eli smiled at his tone. "Don't forget muscly."

Cameron looked pleased that he'd finally complimented him. "That too."

There were a few beats of silence, which Cameron broke with a more serious expression. "Are you scared?"

"We saw one earlier." Eli answered, "Of course I am." He looked at the curtains once again, "I just hope this works. I don't think I'll ever be able to relax knowing they're out there."

"I hope so too." Cameron leaned his chin onto Eli's shoulder, and gazed outside with him. "If it doesn't, we can just move overseas. Packs in other parts of the world aren't been plagued by them. It's not the end if it doesn't work."

"I can't imagine being able to convince my dad to move overseas." Eli leaned back against Cameron, letting his body heat warm him up.

"I'll kidnap you." Cameron reassured.

Eli smiled lightly, "And what about your parents? Would they approve of you going overseas?"

"They'd understand." Cameron wrapped his arms around his waist, and guided him back onto the bed. He lay them down so both were able to watch the window. Cameron must have realised Eli would be even more uneasy if he couldn't see it. "I'm not sure mom would approve of the kidnapping part though."