C21 CONFIDET AND DOUBTFUL

Maliya POV

Cameron and I watched so many movies as the snow fell heavily outside. Cameron had turned the heat up multiple times throughout the day, but I was still cold. Grabbing a blanket, I leaned against the couch as we watched a movie about cowboys. Cameron made silly jokes throughout the movies. My time with him was comforting and very awkward at first. His jokes were funny, I had a hard time not laughing at him, but I wanted Aeron back. Cameron was very tense at first as he sat beside me on the couch, but slowly he relaxed.

That was until the sun started to set, and snow started to fall and smack against the windows.

Cameron had pulled back the cloth when I ate lunch. Now I watched the light outside start to shift into the dark. It was silent, the TV had gone silent as I looked at the dancing snowflakes.

Very slowly, I felt a shift on the other side of the couch and looked at Cameron, who placed the remote on the couch. Cameron turned towards me. His face turned serious as he looked away from me for a moment and then looked back up, "Did you tell Alpha what happened and who did it?" He asked. I frowned and slowly shook my head, "Don't you want them gone?" He asked and gave me such a confused look. I thought for a moment and leaned against the couch.

"It doesn't matter." I whispered and looked at him, "I just want to be with Aeron."

"But Jack is his Beta, you're going to have to see him someday." Cameron said and curled his lips in disgust, "He needs to pay for what happened to you; they all need to pay."

Cameron pouted as I kept my focus on the TV. I couldn't tell Aeron what happened; I didn't even want to think about what had happened. I tried to find entertainment in the movie Cameron had on.

But as the men started to shoot each other and hide behind bars, I found my eyelids falling, and slowly I fell asleep. My nose rubbed against Aeron's sweatshirt as I fell into a comfortable sleep.

But it didn't matter if I was comfortable or not, as I woke up from a nightmare. The windows were dark, and Cameron wasn't on the couch anymore. I took in a deep breath and touched my body as I turned around on the couch. I could hear low voices coming from upstairs. I could smell my mate and was eager to see him. I pushed off the blanket and stood up. I stretched my stiff muscles and started to walk up the stairs. I stretched my arms out as I got to the office and stopped as I heard them speak in hushed voices.

"I'll need you every day until further notice. When we have visitors, I'll want you by her side every second of the day unless I'm with her. And I'll also want you on your guard. I'll have guards stationed around the house as well. But none are permitted in this house without our permission." Aeron was saying."Of course, Alpha." Cameron said. There was an uncomfortable silence until Aeron spoke.

"You know who hurt her." Aeron didn't ask; he knew the answer. "She didn't even trust Dr Linn the way she trusts you. I can sense it, you helped her in some way, right?" Aeron asked.

"I'm sorry, Alpha, but I can't-

"You can!" Aeron said loudly in a low voice,

"You know what they did, you saw it, didn't you? And you didn't go to Beta Jack or me? If it wasn't for the fact that my Mate likes you, I would have killed you." He threatened.

I could hear something hit the wall and quickly covered my mouth, "I want to know, I want to know every-" Aeron stopped talking as I walked towards the door. His hazel eyes found mine as he closed his mouth. All I could do was stare at him with wide eyes. Slowly, I frowned and pulled my eyebrows together as I turned around.

Biting my tongue, I walked towards our room and pulled off his sweatshirt. Quickly, I closed the bedroom door. He threatened Cameron; he had gotten so angry over not knowing something. I could imagine how he would act if I told him the truth. I walked towards our bed and made a large wall between us with the blankets and pillows. I used one pillow and curled against it as I wrapped my body in a thin sheet. I held onto the pillow as tightly as I could and closed my eyes.

But, even in the dark, I couldn't fall asleep as I feared for the future ahead of me. Before I could wonder anymore, the door opened to our room.

Aeron walked towards the bed and softly sighed. He quickly destroyed the wall I made and pulled me into his chest, "I'm sorry, little mate." He whispered in my ear and kissed my cheek, taking in a deep breath, "I got a little upset." He added. I turned to look at his shadow outline. My hand reached to touch his face as I frowned.

"You said mean things," I said and looked at him.

"I want to know who hurt you." He said and grabbed a handful of the sheets beside me, "I can't stand the thought of someone hurting you." He said. I rubbed a thumb over his cheek as I sighed.

"Aeron." I whispered, he leaned over me as 1 touched his face, "Oh Aeron." I sighed.

Every so slightly, I kissed his cheek and lay back on the bed. My arms wrapped around his neck as I pulled him into my chest. Aeron happily followed my lead as he wrapped his arms under my shoulders and held my head. I held him closer to my chest as I played with his hair. My legs shifted as they pushed against his pants. Looking up at the ceiling, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I wanted to stay in this moment. But I knew better than to hope for silly things.

***************************

A month and a half has passed. During that time, Areon had returned to his duties as Alpha, and Cameron and I had grown closer than before. Aeron usually doesn't come home until after sunset, and most of the time I was in bed.

It seemed we couldn't find a moment to spend together. Instead, every moment I was up was spent with Cameron. We cooked meals and watched TV together. Cameron was also helping with my speech and spelling. Some days, we would play games or he would bring weights for me to lift as we tried to make me gain a bit more strength. He taught me basic combat moves.

Even with everything we did together, I missed my mate. I missed our small moments holding each other. Each morning I woke up, he was gone, and every night he was missing. I wanted him with me, Liya whined as we thought of our mate. So tonight we decided to try to stay up. Cameron looked at me, confused as he handed me a drink called soda, "You are usually going to bed." Cameron said and looked at me, impressed.

"I miss Aeron," I said and sighed. Cameron snorted and then stopped himself.

"He didn't get home until midnight last night. The winter run was last night, you didn't hear the howls?" Cameron asked. I looked at him and frowned as I shook my head. Aeron didn't even say anything about a winter run. "You are lucky." Cameron snorted

"Why didn't we go?" I asked and stood up from the couch. Cameron looked at me, confused, and shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess Aeron didn't think you wanted to go."

He said.

"He didn't even ask," I said and shook my head,

"What has he been doing?"

"He's trying to find Serena's daughter."

Cameron said and sighed and lifted his hand, "Once she is dealt with, everything will get better." I only growled as I walked to the kitchen.

In only the short time since I've been in this house, I could see the weight I've gained. My body had filled out. My breast size had changed as I looked at the fat that filled my chest.

Cameron had snuck a bra over one day. I never asked him when he got it, as Liya and I took our time trying to figure out what to do with it.

Cameron said it was for my protection, so I trusted him. But I hated the tight piece of cloth. If anything, it pushed the breast up and closer. One day, I asked about it and he told me the truth. We were eating lunch two days after he had given me the bra. "How is this for my protection?" I asked as I ate a sandwich.

"The clothes Aeron's got you are for females in heat, I swear." Cameron grumbled as he shook his head, "Walking around in a see-through top without a bra is not good. What if a man saw you?" He asked. I looked at him, confused.

"Aeron didn't get me a bra," I said and looked at him, confused. Wouldn't my mate want to cover me?

"That is because Aeron didn't think of it. Since you've been gaining weight, you've been showing more." Cameron explained, "If the Alpha saw you dressed in a tank top with no bra around me, he would rip my eyes out." He said.

"I need more of them," I said and looked down at the black lacing. Cameron sighed and looked at me with an unamused face.

"I guess that means I have to go get you more." He said and lowered his sandwich, "Putting my life on the line for you didn't include bra shopping. You're only getting this because you're special." He said and finished his sandwich.

After the day Cameron came back with three new ones. It's been a few weeks now, and I've gotten used to them. I could adapt to change. Aeron should see that. But why didn't he ask me to go on the run? Did he not want me as his Luna? Liya softly whined as I looked in the fridge, my anger getting the best of me as I pulled my hair into a ponytail. "Aeron would spend more time with me if he found Morana’s daughter," I said. Cameron looked up and nodded.

"And if he doesn't, he won't?" I asked.

"I don't know, if I'm not mistaken, he will be here tomorrow so he can get ready for Alpha Kevin," Cameron said.