Beast Beloved

Chapter Thirty Five

"A gun?" Cameron blinked awake. He squinted at Eli. "What are you planning?"

Eli smiled at the distrustful look. "I wasn't sure how to wake you up."

"Shooting me was the plan?"

Eli chuckled. "Let's go upstairs." He tugged his hands, making sure he didn't just go back to sleep. He called goodnight into the kitchen, and Cameron copied him with a yawn. The puppies woke up when they came in.

"Why are they on the bed?" Cameron groaned. He let go of Eli, and crawled over the sheets, releasing a low rumbling growl that sent them all scrambling onto the ground. Brown was the only one who held his ground. His hair stood on end, and his lips drew back as he snarled.

Eli plopped down between the two of them. "He's cuddly." He told Cameron, scooping up the dog. Cameron's eyes flashed in irritation at Brown. Eli smiled. "But, just for you, I'll put him in his own bed."

Brown complained, but Cameron looked so happy about it that Eli didn't feel bad for long. "You get more jealous over dogs than actual people." Eli snickered as he flicked off the light.

"His scent is always on you." Cameron trapped him under his arm and snuggled against him. "it's annoying."

"He's here for good, so you'd better get used to it." Eli chuckled, his chest warming at his words. Even the possessive side of Cameron, which manifested in irritation at sources that weren't himself, were endearing. The fact that he never lied to him, apart from hiding the werewolf thing, but that was understandable, was endearing. He always paid attention. He was fun to spend time with.

"You have a serious thinking face right now" Cameron told him.

"It's pitch black."

"Wolf eyes. What are you thinking about?"

Eli noticed that his voice was just as sleep laden as it had been downstairs, and got the feeling he was about to drift off any moment. "I was just.... thinking about what I don't like about you."

"Oh yeah?" Cameron said tiredly, his tone implying he didn't believe him for even a moment. "What's on the list?"

Eli ran his fingers over the warm arms wrapped around him, feeling so comfortable and peaceful that he didn't even want to give into the tug of sleep, so he could continue to appreciate how he felt right now. "Everything" Eli said softly.

He felt Cameron smile against the back of his neck. "I knew you were going to say that." He was pleased with himself. "But it sounded nicer from you than it did in my head. You know... if you really want that mangy creature on the bed I don't mind. Actually, I do mind a little, but if you want him it's okay."

"I'm just about comfortable enough as it is."

"Just about" Cameron repeated with another smile.

They talked long into the early hours of the morning, until their words degraded him to single words, and from there into hums. Eli was too far gone to even move when Brown snuck under the covers, and joined them for the night.

*

Arthur, Cameron's father, was the shifter who'd held Cameron back at the hospital. His father had seen him cheating on his son at their first meeting. Even if his attitude was nothing but friendliness and smiles, Eli couldn't bring himself to meet his eyes even once. Mary was the same. She was the image of a doting mother, but he'd experienced first-hand how she really felt about him before, and couldn't stop an immediate pang of dislike upon seeing her again. He was surprised that his aversion to the shifters who ganged up on him last time he was here hadn't abated even slightly. But with Mary his dislike was followed by guilt at thinking badly of Cameron's mother.