Cameron remained silent.

Eli was hit by the cold of the air and started shaking. "Cameron" He repeated, desperate for him to speak. "Please answer me."

Cameron blinked, slowly and lazily, until the glow faded – and regular sleepy eyes were staring down at him. "What's wrong?"

Eli's answer got stuck in his throat.

Cameron's eyes slowly moved down Eli's body. They looked over his neck, raked over his chest, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down slowly his gaze moved lower. Cameron's hand finally moved away, and a few drops fell on Eli making him flinch. His arousal twitched against Eli.

Eli drew in a sharp breath, apprehension and fear flushing through him.

Cameron's cheeks filled with red, and his breathing became unsettled. When his eyes made the long, halting journey up to Eli's face, there was a haziness in them. Their gazes met, and the haziness dissipated. Cameron's eyes widened suddenly.

"You're not scared of me" His voice was panicked. "Eli" It came out breathy, "Please don't be scared of me."

"Why were your eyes like that?"

"It's what I am." The words flew out of Cameron's mouth, and his eyes darted over Eli's neck. His chest was rising and falling sharply.

"Calm down a bit" Eli responded to Cameron's quaking body, sooner than his words sunk in. Why was he panicking? Cameron's erratic behaviour, coupled with what he had just seen, was alarming. Eli somehow managed to feel annoyed. Why was he the one doing the reassuring? "Cameron."

Cameron looked up.

"I'm the one who should be freaking out" Eli said shortly, "Stop that."

The fear faded from Cameron's expression. "I don't know if I like that tone directed at me."

"It clearly doesn't bother you too much" Eli said dryly, still feeling his arousal unaffected, tucked against him.

Cameron's cheeks turned red, but the more familiar, confident look returned to his features. "Nothing much I can do about that" He didn't even move it away, and a cheeky grin flicked across his face. "The visual is too good." His eyes darted down over Eli.

Embarrassment rose sharply in Eli. He reached down and pulled up his trousers, noticing the tremble in his hands, and felt the burning in his eyes. The pool on his stomach caused an erratic flash of disgust and self-loathing.

"I'm sorry" Cameron said quietly, "I didn't mean to upset you"

Eli sat up, and Cameron moved back to let him. Eli couldn't look at his face. He grabbed his shirt from where it was tossed and used to wipe up his stomach. By the time he'd finished, the overwhelming feeling that he'd done something bad filled him.

"I didn't mean anything by it" Cameron knelt in front of him, "I thought you'd get angry, and we could be like we usually are. I was just being an idiot, please don't cry."

Everything that had just happened ran through Eli's mind on fast forwards. He hadn't felt nervous, or scared – even if it was his first time doing something like that it had been okay. It was okay, because it was Cameron. The embarrassment overwhelming him turned into something sharper and more hateful – and the shame made him feel sick. The tears spilling over his cheeks were unstoppable. He felt disgusting.

"Eli" Cameron's voice cracked, "I'm so sorry. I wasn't making fun of you. Please don't feel bad." He wiped away Eli's tears, and uttered a dozen more reassurances that Eli couldn't take in.

Eli focused on the aching in his neck, and not the tired satisfaction in his limbs. He raised his eyes, blinking until Cameron wasn't just a blur. He was keeping himself calm, but he looked... scared.

You're not scared of me.

Cameron was right, Eli wasn't. Anxiety... insecurity... that hardly stemmed from what he'd seen. It wasn't until Cameron made light of what they'd done that Eli got upset. Cameron had said he liked him. It was supposed to be different now. It was supposed to mean something, wasn't it?

"I'm not scared of you" Eli looked away from the guilty expression gazing up at him, "But I want an explanation. I don't care if you're not allowed."

"Okay" Cameron agreed.

"Get the med kit first"

Cameron left the room.

Eli shut his eyes and took in a few deep breaths. He settled his nerves, and when Cameron reappeared he was much calmer. Cameron on the other hand looked like he was about to freak out. He opened the small green box, and took out white gauze. The gauze hovered over Eli's neck before he levelled Cameron with an exasperated stare.

"It's what I am" Eli repeated.

Cameron cringed, but stayed silent.

"I'm not going to freak out" Eli promised, "well, I'll do my best not to."

Cameron slowly lowered his hand away from the injuries. "I'm a ... well I guess the right word for it would be shifter."

Shifter was one of the things that Eli had seen a lot of in his internet research. Cameron's glowing eyes that were the same as the rogue stopped his immediate disbelief. "And that's the same as a Rogue?"

"No" Cameron answered sharply, his voice gaining sudden strength. "Those things are different, and everything I told out them is still true."

"So, the certain people that they're hunting are shifters?"

"Yes."

"Okay" Eli took in a deep breath, and released in slowly. Cameron watched what he did with a sharp, attentive gaze. "Your eyes can change colour. And these clearly aren't ... normal bites" Eli ran his hand over the oozing wounds. It wasn't a half circle of teeth intents, but rather incisions. "What else is there?"

"Changing isn't limited to just eyes and teeth." Cameron answered, sitting away from Eli and dropping his eyes to the floor.

Once again, the image of the rogue popped into his head. "So, like the- "

"Like a wolf"

Eli opened and closed his mouth several times before he could speak. "A werewolf"

Cameron groaned. "Don't use that word"

"It's the word used for people who turn into wolves"

"I hate it" Cameron muttered under his breath.

Eli lips twitched, but he managed to repress the smile before Cameron turned to him. It was a halting manner than he met Eli's gaze. "You were serious about not freaking out."

"It's hard to believe"

Cameron's expression went from nervous to a look that said 'seriously?' in the blink of an eye.

"Clearly something's up with you, but turning into a dog is kinda- "

"Wolf" Cameron corrected, with a miffed expression. "A wolf."

Eli couldn't completely stop the smile this time. "Turning into a wolf is a bit hard to believe. Can you do the eye thing again?"

Cameron sighed, and made a face like he was about to object, but turned his head away and closed eyes. Eli edged closer and drew his legs up underneath him.

Cameron's eyes flicked open.

Eli's heart skipped a beat, and it drummed through his veins like a silent message this is real. His iris was bright, luminous green and several shades paler than the usual emerald gleam, though there were still darker emerald flecks within the light colour. His pupil was slit, like a reptile. Not, Eli noted, like a wolf. "Can you become a wolf whenever you want? Can I see?"

Cameron tilted his head, gazing at Eli for a couple of long seconds before nodding. He stood up, drawing close to Eli as he did. His fingers brushed over the marks on Eli's neck, and he placed a small kiss on the corner of his lips. "Turn towards the wall" He murmured.

Eli moved around slowly. All the tension seemed to have drained out of Cameron. He was... different. Eli couldn't pin it down exactly. But something about how he moved, and the way he looked at Eli felt foreign. He covered his neck. It had started throbbing when Cameron touched it. Not in a painful way exactly, but it was hot.

Ignoring the heat, he steadied his thoughts. Images of the rogues' flashed through his head. Massive. Snarling... Did Eli really want to see that? He could take the eyes as confirmation enough without traumatizing himself.

"I changed my mind" Eli turned around.

A wolf sat beside the bed. Thick, curly fur so dark it was almost black covered its body. One paw rested on the bed, the top just an inch from Eli's leg, and the luminous eyes regarded him with the same quiet energy that Cameron had shown a moment ago.

Eli's heartbeat thundered in his ears. He was massive. He didn't know how big wolves were, but he was certain they weren't this size. It was closer to a bear than then a wolf. The apprehension of greeting the same creatures that had attacked him was gone. Rogue's were different, because Cameron's shape was just that of an oversized wolf.

Still, his hand shook as he reached out.

The wolf closed the distance, pressing it's nose into Eli's palm. "You're a werewolf. You're seriously a werewolf" he rubbed his mouth.

The wolf whined. He placed his paw against Eli's leg, and ducked his head into his hand. Eli pet him. "This is so weird" A nervous smile grew, and made his lips twitch upwards. The energy in his body was fuelled by adrenaline. He leaned in close to the wolf, taking in his shiny coat, his tall build, and gleaming eyes. "You are gorgeous."

*

"I told you I don't like that word" Cameron grumbled. He leaned back against the table, and had his arms looped around Eli's waist. They'd separated and then come to school early, where Cameron dragged him into an empty classroom immediately.

"I didn't hear any complaints" Eli shrugged with a coy smile.

"At least you didn't freak out. It would have been hard to stay calm in that form."

"You were different even when it was only your eyes that changed."

"My instincts are a lot stronger, letting that side come to the surface even for a moment is only possible because I let go of my control. I wouldn't have agreed to shift if I'd been thinking clearly. I also wouldn't have done this" Cameron traced the most prominent of the bites. Shivers raced over Eli's skin, and triggered a shudder to go down his spine. Cameron offered a wry, small smile. "Sorry"

"You know how hard it is to hide these?"

"Why do you need to hide them?"

Eli shot him a look, and Cameron met it with one that clearly didn't see the problem.

"First of all, Noah will kill me"

Cameron's expression twisted into a scowl.

"Second, my dad and Jenny will probably think that I'm being bullied."

"Tell them I left them"

"And die of embarrassment?"

"Being with me is embarrassing?" Cameron challenged.

Eli raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I see" Cameron said with a bitter smile, "That's why we're here, where nobody can see you with me"

Eli blinked. His tone was probably meant to be joking, but there was an underlying layer of coldness that make it come across as brisk. Hurt. He sounded hurt. A pang went through Eli's chest, and guilt made him regret not correcting Cameron the moment he'd suggested that Eli found him embarrassing. "I thought you wanted to be here, alone, where nobody can see us." He trailed his hands up Cameron's arms, around his shoulders and then slid forwards against him, so their bodies were touching, and their faces only a few inches apart.

Cameron's hands found a place on his hips, and his gaze flicked down. Then returned after a split second, with a brighter gleam in his iris.

Eli's teasing mood changed when he met them. It was hard to put into words what he felt, but the attentive waiting that left the next move to him, made him pause. If Cameron initiated something right now, he wouldn't mind. In fact, he was sure he'd like it quite a bit, classroom or not. The desire to connect mentally as well as physically, burned through his body with an intensity that alarmed Eli.

"My dad doesn't know I'm gay" Eli said instead of kissing him.

Cameron's expression flickered to surprise, then softened.

The door handle rattled.

Eli jolted away from Cameron, who place a quick peck on the corner of his mouth, and captured his hand giving it a squeeze, before he straightened, and fixed a look of indifference on his face. "Time to face the music" He muttered.

He shot Cameron a quizzical look, but Miss Davis striding into the room dashed away his chance of an answer. She looked sharply between the two of them. Her spine straightened, and she focused a withering glare on Cameron.

"Something wrong?" He asked.

"Eli" Miss Davis didn't look away from Cameron, "Please excuse us."

He nervously glanced at Cameron, who clearly knew what her anger was about, and didn't seem to care. Or if he did care, it didn't show. Cameron tilted his head toward him, "I'll catch up with you later."

Eli wondered out into the hall, hesitating a long moment outside the door. He couldn't hear any yelling. He noticed a few people staring at him, and decided to stop hovering. Sinclair was nowhere. Zack was joking with the soccer players that were friend with Oliver, and by association Eli didn't like.

Laura and Evan were chatting at an otherwise deserted lunch table. As Eli drew near, he saw the chatting was just Laura talking. Evan didn't contribute, but at least his eyes were focused on her, so he looked like he was listening.

Their heads suddenly turned up together.

"That fucking idiot" Evan hissed.

Eli stopped his approach. He was only about a step away now. "Excuse me?"

Laura let out an airy laugh. "This will be fun."

"Fun?" Evan repeated, "He's dead."

Eli, hearing the bite in Evan's tone, suddenly realised something. He'd been too caught up with Cameron to think much about anything else, but now that he was facing Evan it occurred to him: they were brothers. He had to know about Cameron, right? Eli also realised he didn't ask about how Cameron was a shifter. Was he bitten? Was it genetic?

Evan looked sharply at him. "He told you too?"

"There's no way he did" Laura rolled her eyes. Eli looked at her. She hung out with Evan all the time. She'd caught onto the sentence just now. She was in the know about them. Her eyes widened. "Evan, you're about to become an only child"

Eli was caught halfway between admission and denial. "He won't be in that much trouble."

He was met with two blank looks.

"Will he?"

Laura scooted over, and patted the spot next to her. "He really is"

Eli slowly lowered into it, wondering if he should have played innocent. But they knew as soon as he walked over that something had happened? He ran his hand along his collar, finding it still up and covered.

"It's your scent" Laura noticed his checking, "It's all..." she crinkled her nose.

"Cameron" Evan finished for her.

He ducked his head down, but could only catch a whiff of his mint body wash. "I was just with him; do I smell like pine leaves?"

"No" Laura chuckled, "It's not something you can pick up on."

Eli glanced at her. "You're a... werewo- shifter too?"

"Yeah"

"Laura"

"He knows" Laura shrugged off Evan's warning tone. "No point in lying."

The final bell for the morning went off. Eli wanted to stay, but Laura promptly hopped up. "Welcome to the family" she called over her shoulder.

Evan took in a deep breath, and stood up too. "Avoid Oliver if you can."

*

As the morning went on Eli grew more restless. It started out as an itch that made him squirm, and from there it became an uncomfortable tension in his core. He couldn't keep still for more than a few seconds before he had to move. He was hot. He was really, really hot.

"Did you hurt your shoulder?" Sinclair cast him a wry look over the book in front of her. He felt like her voice was louder than necessary, given the silence in the library.

"No." Eli stopped his hand. He'd been rubbing the mark. He peeked underneath the collar. He'd rubbed it red. He couldn't see the actual bites, but he wouldn't be surprised if he'd opened the wounds. "I'm going to the bathroom"

The substitute teacher watching over them didn't even look up as Eli left. The cool air in the hallway relieved the overwhelming heat cooking him on the inside, and the frigid water from the tap on the back of neck elicited a long sigh of relief.

He examined his flushed cheeks in the mirror, then peeled back his collar. The bite marks were surrounded by a small smear of blood, and the skin around it was raw and pink. He probed the skin gently, and discovered it was searing hot. He dashed more cold water onto it.

Eli: Are you in trouble?

While he waited for a reply, he slid down the tiles. Not the most sanitary thing to do, but the cold tiles felt good against his back. He checked his phone. No reply. It wasn't even read.

He was probably in class.

Eli slid his head between his knees, taking in panting breaths.

When did he ever not reply just because of class?

His phone pinged. Eli jumped and pulled it up.

Did you fall in? I brought your stuff to the cafeteria.

He squinted at it. What? Oh. Sinclair. Eli looked at the time. He'd been sitting there for twenty minutes. He pulled himself up. When he looked at the mirror his reflection blurred, and he stumbled against the counter.

Eli closed his eyes and took in a few steadying breaths. Closing his eyes just made him dizzy. He made it to the hallway, before overwhelming vertigo made him sink into the nearest bench. The discomfort hit him like a blow to the stomach. He squeezed his eyes shut again.

"Eli? Not the best place to sleep." Noah's voice broke through his haze. "You okay?" Eli peeled his eyes open. Noah had the back of his hand pressed against his forehead. "You've got a temperature. Come on, I'll drive you... ah" he caught himself, "I'll give Jenny a call to come get you."

"I don't feel good" Eli agreed.

Noah sat into the crook of his legs and tapped at his phone for half a second. "Do you want any water?"

Eli shook his head, returning to his side and letting his eyes drift shut again. He wanted to fall asleep, so the tension curling up his spine would disappear into oblivion. "I'd love a cup of tea" He muttered.

Noah chuckled. "I'll see what I can do"

"Two sugars."

"And hot enough to burn the back of your throat without scalding your tongue. I know."

*

Eli blinked awake under a mountain of blankets. His own, as well as Noah's were heaped over him. He immediately reached for his phone. The message still hadn't been opened.

His bedside table was crowded with empty mugs, and his desk chair was pulled right up to the bed. He shivered as he got out from under the covers.

Downstairs Jenny and Noah were by the fireplace, stoking a blazing inferno. It wasn't nearly as cold down here.

Jenny spotted him, and rushed over. She ushered him into the chair next to the fire and started marching over all the throw blankets. Eli couldn't help but snicker. "I feel better"

"You still have a temperature" Jenny dismissed his assurance, "If you don't feel well, tell us. It's dangerous to pass out in school."

"I'll try limit myself to outside of school from now on"

Jenny's lips pulled down into a tight frown.

"Or not at all." He corrected himself. He sank back into the chair, and let himself relax. Well, he tried to relax. His muscles wouldn't let him. The discomfort, and the desire to move was overwhelming.

"Don't mind her" Noah said when she left the room, "She got annoyed that you kept leaving the bed to make your own tea."

"I did?"

"You don't remember? Well, yes. You did. Apparently, she wasn't making it right." Noah shrugged, and eased himself down into the couch.

Eli flicked his eyes over him.

"In case you don't remember, you did give me an earful about behaving like a dickhead, and then trying to suddenly be a good person."

Eli shrank down.

"It's okay" Noah said with a low sigh, "I haven't been acting like an older brother."

He didn't sound angry, but Eli recalled the night at the party, and didn't say anything. His silence didn't seem to bother Noah, but it fuelled his urge to move to an unbearable level. As he stood, Jenny came back into the room with a cup of tea.

"I'm going back to bed" Eli said, "I'm exhausted."

Jenny frowned at the tea. "Okay"

"Is that for me?"

"If it's acceptable"

Eli took a sip. It was way too sweet. "Delicious."

He flopped back on the bed. It was 8.30. The message was still unread. Ah. Right. Cameron didn't have his phone.

Eli groaned at the sudden realisation. He'd have to wait until school to see him. He pressed his nose to the corner of his collar. He couldn't detect anything. He titled his head, and seized the pillow he'd been using last night. The moment he inhaled the smell he felt stupid and threw it away. But the after taste of pine needles and outdoors was on his tongue.

The marks on his neck were burning.

Eli was sure that it wasn't his imagination. That the overwhelming need to see Cameron had something to do with them. He was a werewolf. That was a mythical thing. It was possible the bite was causing this heat, right?

A bang came from the window. Eli jerked up. He moved across the room with rushed steps, and looked out. Cameron waited underneath. He was tossing a small stone between his hands.

Eli's heart rose into his throat. He opened the window and stepped back. His shoulder burned. The heat smacked into him full force, and the discomfort exploded in his stomach like violent butterflies. The dizziness in his head turned his vision hazy.

Cameron climbed over the ledge.

Eli vaguely recalled the questions he still hadn't asked; about the others, about how he became a werewolf, about how much trouble he was really in – about the marks on his neck. But it was enveloped by the burning need coursing through his veins.

"I'm- "

Eli kissed him. Cold droplets scattered across his cheeks, and Cameron's soaked clothes squelched as Eli squeezed the ends. Water covered his hands, and the chill from his wet clothes transferred across to him. It was almost a relief to have something help cool him down.

A sound of surprise left Cameron's throat. He caught Eli's sides, and he had a feeling the response was automatic rather than controlled.

Finally, a relief for the discomfort shuddered through him. He relaxed against Cameron, and when he pulled back Eli could restrain himself from jumping on him again. He blinked. He held himself back, but he was still tightly pressed against Cameron, who was sitting on the ledge of the window.

"That was a nice greeting" Cameron murmured, placing a small kiss on the corner of his mouth. Eli leaned in, turning it into a proper one. Cameron chucked. "But," He pushed Eli back a step, "I am soaked." His eyes were crinkled in the corners, "And you weren't feeling well so I'd rather not get you wet"

"It's fine" Eli nuzzled his, jaw and placed a series of kisses down his neck. "If it bothers you that much, you can just take everything off" Eli breathed in, surrounded by the smell of the outdoors, and fresh air. He caught the zip of his jacket, and tugged it down.

Cameron let out another surprised hum, and Eli felt the vibration against his lips. He pulled his arms from the jacket, and let it fall to the ground. "Are you sure you feel okay?"

Eli nodded. His skin was on fire, and the sensations and touches he'd experienced last night was racing through his mind. Cameron had made him feel good. He wanted to return the favour. The mark ached painfully. He needed Cameron to feel good too.