Cameron.

It was—

Eli rushed forward, meeting Cameron in the hall, throwing his arms around him. Cameron’s strong arms enveloped him, pulling him tight to his chest, holding him close in a way that promised he’d never let him go again. Cameron buried his face into Eli’s hair. “Thank god,” he murmured.

Eli whined. It just happened, with the relief pouring through him too much for words, but wanting to be expressed in some way by his body. Eli breathed him in, the scent of the pine needles, and Cameron. He buried his face into Cameron’s neck, pushing against him, instinct taking over, to nip his throat. Cameron let out a grumble from his throat, and dragged his fingers through the hair at the base of Eli’s neck, stroking him gently.

“Lord,” A woman said. “He’ll drive the boy’s wild giving off that scent.”

“Cameron, take Eli to your room.” Quint instructed.

“Yes sir,” Cameron agreed.

He didn’t try detaching Eli to make him walk, but instead scooped him up in his arms. Eli let out a surprised yelp, grabbing on to Cameron’s shoulders. Under other circumstances, he would have complained. But right now, his mark was aching so bad his body was trembling, and anywhere he touched Cameron just felt so much better.

Eli squeezed Cameron tightly, “I missed you,” he managed to get out.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Cameron said, his voice tight with tension.

Eli frowned. He was gently put down into sitting position on a bed, and whined when Cameron pulled free of him to sit back.

“It’s okay,” Cameron reassured. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“What’s wrong?” Eli asked, worried. He thought another second, “Beyond the obvious, I mean.”

Cameron touched Eli’s cheek, his thumb brushing along his cheekbone. “Does this hurt?”

Eli felt the tremble in Cameron’s touch. It was worry in his voice, worry and anger.

Was there a bruise?

“I’m not hurt at all,” Eli reassured him at once.

Cameron’s was trying to examine him, and Eli nudged his face against his hand to get his attention. It was his wolf eyes that met Eli’s gaze, his luminous green gaze intent, and hyper-focused on Eli. Cameron’s black curls were a mess, tousled beautifully to frame his handsome face, and Eli could only stare, as Cameron leaned toward him, worried as he cupped Eli’s face, and tilted it up.

“You aren’t sore?”

Eli shook his head, drawing closer to Cameron, reaching for him. Cameron was rigidly tense.

“What’s wrong?” Eli murmured, leaning into Cameron’s touch, edging closer and closer, until he was draping one of his legs over Cameron’s thigh, and touching Cameron’s abs. Cameron’s jaw clenched hard, his grip on Eli’s jaw tightening, making Eli groan as a flurry of shivers raced down his throat. It made his mark throb so hard he gasped.

Cameron’s luminous green eyes jumped to Eli’s mouth, and slowly, while he watched Eli’s reaction, he tightened his grip once more—

The door to the bedroom opened.

Cameron’s head shot to the entrance, a low, warning growl rumbling from his chest, as Quint stepped inside.

“You,” Quint said, “Are to keep in mind that your mate was in a car accident only a few days ago, and be conscious of his injuries.”

Eli pushed himself to Cameron, latching on to Cameron’s side as he glared at Quint. Quint crossed the room, placing condoms and a bottle of lube onto the bedside table. He didn’t even look at Eli, but kept his eyes on Cameron. “If you can’t guarantee that you’ll be careful, I’m going to separate you right now.” There was no leeway in his voice.

The idea of separating filled Eli with horror. He clutched Cameron closer.

“I’ll be careful,” Cameron promised, his voice coming out tense, shaking. There was hardly even the glimmer of control in it. But Quint seemed satisfied that he was telling the truth.

“Good,” Quint said, before leaving them, and closing the door behind himself.

“Cameron?” Eli questioned.

“Eli,” Cameron said, and it was clear that he was fighting for enough control over his wolf to even speak. “Please, stop, rubbing against me like that. I know your hurting but it’s taking everything in me not to try mate with you right now. My instincts are going nuts—”

“I want to mate right now.” Eli protested.

Cameron’s eyes shuttered closed, a tremble going through his body. “Eli,” he sounded like he was in pain. “I want to pin you down and mark every part of you, so that anyone who dares look at you knows that you’re my mate—god, stop—I want to make a mess of you—”

Eli ignored Cameron’s complaints and climbed onto his lap, wrapping his arms around Cameron’s shoulders. Cameron went utterly still, hands frozen on Eli’s hips. Eli felt Cameron’s hard dick pressing up between his legs.

Eli cupped Cameron’s cheek, “Look at me.”

He opened his eyes, gazing up at Eli.

Eli pressed his forehead against Cameron’s. “I’m not injured,” he said. “But your mark is throbbing so bad I’m going to go crazy if you don’t do something about it.” He rolled his hips, grinding Cameron’s dick against his behind. Cameron’s eyes flashed, the last of his control dying. In the blink of an eye, Eli was flipped onto his back, and Cameron was on top, his mouth on Eli’s as he pushed his tongue in, for a dominating kiss.

Eli gasped his surprise, giving in immediately, his body trembling at the weight over him. Cameron propped his body up on one elbow, his free hand tugging the zip of Eli’s hoodie down in one smooth tug. The hoodie fell open, and Cameron’s fingers slipped under the collar of Eli’s shirt, tracking a path along his collar bone, and circling back to lightly touch his mark. Eli jumped at the contact.

Cameron broke the kiss, lifting up enough to stare down at Eli as he stroked the mark, driving him crazy. “Where are you hurt?”

“I’m not,” Eli whined, barely able to breathe. His back arched, and he reached for Cameron’s sides, tugging on him to come back. Cameron only half complied, kissing his cheek, and his jaw, and then soft spot just behind his jaw, and under his ear. Heat tightened Eli’s abdomen.

“Where?” Cameron asked him again.

Eli’s eyelids were heavy, “I healed,” he murmured. “I’m all healed.”

Apparently that wasn’t a satisfying enough answer for Cameron, and despite Eli feeling clearly how close Cameron’s wolf was to taking over, it was held back enough to drive Eli mad. Cameron was on top of Eli, but he was holding himself up, not giving in and letting Eli feel any friction from physical contact. He touched Eli, but only in the lightest of caresses, and the way his gaze checked every inch of bare skin as it was uncovered told Eli he was looking for bruises.

Fine, Eli thought, his gaze glinting up at Cameron, who was concentrating on whether Eli’s thighs had any marks, by touching them all over. Eli hiked his leg up on Cameron’s hip while his hands traced a path down Cameron’s torso, till he reached between his legs. Cameron’s weight shifted up, and his face pressed into the crook of Eli’s neck, trying to distract Eli by kissing his neck and massaging the mark.

It practically turned Eli’s body to mush, but he held out with a shudder, working open Cameron’s jeans, and then tugging the waistband on his boxers down to reach inside. He wrapped his fingers around Cameron, rubbing with his palm, making Cameron sigh against his neck.

Eli nudged Cameron’s hips with the leg he’d draped around him, making him move against Eli’s palm. He also whined, turning up his chin to expose his throat, encouraging the wolf until he felt a pinch of pain, from Cameron nipping his throat.

Very purposefully, Cameron snagged Eli’s underwear, tugging them down. He sat up, moving Eli’s legs so he could get the underwear off and toss them aside, leaving Eli with his bottom half exposed and his shirt caught around his ribs. Cameron was still dressed, the only part of him exposed was the part Eli had been stroking.

Cameron placed a hand on Eli’s shoulder, stopping him from sitting up, and took the bottle of lube from the bedside table. Eli squirmed. Cameron knelt between Eli’s legs, his erection pressing against the inside of Eli’s bare thigh.

“Cameron,” Eli panted, “You’re driving me insane.”

Cameron, the absolute bastard, grinned.

Eli glared up at him. “You’re doing it on purpose!” he accused.

Cameron, while squeezing the lube onto his palm, shook his head. “I had to make sure you weren’t injured.” He tossed the bottle aside, and it bounced off the bed sheets, then down to the floor. He stroked Eli’s behind, before pressing his fingers inside in a careful but practiced manner. They were slick going in, and Eli found himself gripping the sheets by his head, immediately losing the will to argue with Cameron.

“I told you I’m not,” Eli grumbled. He lay his head to the side on the pillow. Cameron leaned over him, pressing soft kisses along his neck.

“Right,” Cameron murmured against his skin, “You were also giving off enough pheromones that I was getting antsy just picking up the scent when you were in the car. Wolves aren’t exactly rational in that state.”

Eli sucked in a sharp breath as Cameron’s erection bumped up against his. “You seem plenty rational to me,” He said. But his heart wasn’t in it, because Cameron took his fingers out, which meant he was finished preparing Eli. Eli wrapped his arms around Cameron’s shoulders, nuzzling his throat, peppering everywhere soft with kisses and little nips.

Cameron chuckled. “Aren’t you being cute today?”

Cameron looked down, lining them up, and eased himself inside of Eli. Eli lifted his hips to meet Cameron, and he slid deep inside him easily, smoothly, all at once, so that he was hot and filled, and moaning.