Falville Bank reports account filed under Blaise LeVieux hacked and all money within drained.
Research shows evidence that concept of home concerns people more than an actual building.
Camille sat opposite Pandi Yaruban, for once feeling completely at ease with the psychiatrist he had been coming to for Noah-insistent therapy.
It helped immensely that the man was a beta who had opened up about his own terrible past before he asked anything of Camille. Pandi (he insisted that Camille call him by his first name even though he was nearly a decade older, like Camille's friend Zay) had a smaller build than an alpha and never did anything remotely threatening. He was the only person Camille trusted outside of Noah and Darius' family to let him stay safe, and it had taken a lot of work to even get there.
Camille had not wanted to see Sario and Rowan for weeks after his kidnapping. Subconsciously, he had blamed them for allowing Blaise to grab him right off their back step.
Pandi had talked around the issue until the root was exposed and then sat with him through a couple painful sessions until Camille had forgiven Sario and Rowan and acknowledged their blamelessness in the matter. And now Pandi set his notebook aside, folded his sun-darkened hands together in his lap, and looked right into Camille's eyes. "You're excited?"
Camille nodded. "Yeah, I think I am. I know it's been forever since I felt anything strong and didn't break down in tears, but I've been pretty okay."
Pandi smiled, the curve of his lips gentle and reassuring. "That's good! May I ask if there's a special occasion that's triggering this excitement?"
Camille smoothed the top of the pillow sitting in the chair next to him. "My best friend Rowan's getting married later today."
"Ah." Understanding dawned on Pandi's face. "And you're feeling excited for him?"
Camille nodded again. "I'm glad I can go and love him the way he deserves today. He's been by my side through everything since the moment we met, and I feel like this is a very small part of the repayment."
Pandi raised an eyebrow very slightly, but Camille caught it. "Repayment?" he asked, like he was seeking a definition.
Camille hesitated, pretty sure that Pandi did not approve of the word. But he spoke anyway. "Yeah, repayment. He's looked out for me for so long that it feels like it's about time I try to do the same. You know, like return the favor?"
Pandi nodded slowly. "So, Camille, that's not repayment. It's friendship."
Now it was Camille's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Say what?"
Pandi chuckled under his breath. "What you're describing, wanting to help and protect your friend in the way he did that for you, that's part of the basis of friendship. Good friends want to help each other and see each other happy."
"Well, yeah, of course." It felt very obvious. "That's why I'm going to his wedding."
"Uh-huh. But you need to be able to tell yourself that you're doing it because you're Rowan's friend, not because you owe him for stuff he did in the past."
Camille pulled at the corner seam of the pillow, breaking eye contact with Pandi. "But I feel like I do," he said quietly.
"It's better than blaming him for something out of his control, but it's still not good. But if that's what gets you there, I'll let it be for now since our time is almost up. But be prepared to talk about it next time."
Camille nodded, looking back up into Pandi's eyes. "Thanks, I will be."
Pandi smiled. "That's good to hear." He put his hands on the armrests of his chair, the sign that he was going to get up. He did it every time to give Camille warning and to limit the threat he might pose to Camille's mind. The only person that beat Pandi in that intentional respect was Noah, who was always lowering himself to keep Camille comfortable.
Camille stood up at the same time Pandi did. "Thank you. I'll see you next week."
Pandi nodded and opened the door for him. "Have a wonderful time at the wedding."
Camille smiled and nodded. "I'll do my best." He headed out into the waiting room.
Noah instantly hopped up from the chair he was sitting in, like he had been utterly bored without Camille and could not wait to be close to him again. He held out his arm, and Camille took it like they were an old-fashioned couple.
A few of the people in the waiting room gave them judgmental side eyes, but it happened every time. Pandi said it was because some people thought that if gay people went to therapy that it would "fix" the gay "problem".
Camille had laughed aloud at that, which had brought a very brotherly smile to Pandi's face. It had been the first time he had laughed in a therapy session.
Noah kissed Camille's temple with warm lips. "You good, angel?"
Camille beamed up at him. "Never better." And it was true. He was happy again, and it did not scare him this time. He did not feel like he did not deserve Noah's love anymore. It had been Blaise's work that had convinced him that he was unlovable, but Pandi had helped Camille throw all that garbage in the dumpster. To be fair, Camille still went into that dumpster sometimes, but he knew how to get out now. And Blaise's name no longer set off the panic it once had. Camille had never felt more powerful and free.
"All good to go back home and get ready for the wedding?"
"Yup."
Noah's lips curved, and Camille caught a flash of his perfect white teeth. "You're adorable."
Camille tipped his head. "Like that's new information."
Noah shook his head with a little laugh. "I'm still shocked every time you're sassy."
"Not in a bad way?"
"No, never in a bad way," Noah quickly clarified. "It's good. It means you're really comfortable with me. I like it when you return my teasing. It helps me know I haven't crossed a line." He opened Camille's door for him, carefully shut it, and jogged around to the driver's side. "Anyways, you got an outfit picked out?"
Camille pursed his lips. "Yeah, I think so. I need to make sure it matches yours."
"I'll wear whatever you'd like, angel. Change it if you want." Noah started the car and began the drive back to their home.
"Mm-kay." Camille watched the city go by as they drove, clocking out until they pulled into their driveway. Then he unbuckled his seatbelt and smiled as Noah ran around the front of the car to open his door. "Thank you, milord," he said as he got out.
"Anything for you, my princess," Noah replied with a look that said they would already be fucking if not for the fact that they were still outside.
"Uh-uh. I have outfits to coordinate and I'm not going to a wedding without doing at least some light makeup." Camille walked past Noah into the house and went straight upstairs, knowing that if he turned around and saw Noah's puppy eyes he would cave. After spending about an hour and a half comparing different combinations of outfits in their closet, Camille laid out his final choice and called Noah up to change.
Noah shut the door behind himself, even though they were the only ones in the house, and said pleadingly, "Please?"
Camille rolled his eyes. "You're insatiable."
"You didn't let me do anything last night," Noah whined.
"Because I'm not going to therapy with hickeys all up and down my neck," Camille retorted. "And the same applies to the wedding."
"Dammit," Noah swore softly.
"No swears," Camille said over his shoulder. "I don't think you're getting laid tonight."
"Oh, come on! I've been so good!"
"Other than pestering me incessantly for sex and swearing."
"I'm sorry, okay? Please?"
Camille pulled his T-shirt over his head and started changing into the outfit he had selected for himself. "We'll see how you behave during the wedding. You're lucky Rowan and Darius decided not to have a wedding party because otherwise we'd both be in it and a lot of the things I know you're going to try tonight would never fly."
"I won't try anything," Noah replied sulkily. Was he pouting? Cute. "I'll be so good you'll wonder if an alien replaced your boyfriend."
Camille laughed and finished buttoning his blouse. "I'll reconsider my earlier verdict if that's the case."
"This feels like manipulation," Noah muttered as he went to the mirror in the bathroom to tie his tie.
"Maybe it is," Camille replied coolly.
"That can't be therapist approved."
"Do you think I talk about our sex life in therapy?" Camille flicked Noah's forehead as soon as he exited the bathroom. "Pervert."
Noah's eyes went wide, and he held up his hands in his gesture of surrender. "Did I do something unspeakably horrible to you in your dream last night or something?"
Camille smiled. "Nope. You were perfect."
Noah sighed, clearly exasperated, and went to pull on the dress pants Camille had picked. "God, what did I do to deserve this?"
"We both know you don't believe in God, so why are you asking for help from someone you don't think exists?"
"You're a menace, you know that, right?"
"I do my best."
"You're impossible."
"And adorable."
Noah sighed again. "This is gonna be a long evening, isn't it?"
Camille headed into the bathroom to do his makeup. "Is it ever not when we're in public?"
"Touché."
"Look at you with the French."
Noah perked up like a puppy expecting a head pat. "I'm getting better, right?"
Camille smiled as he uncapped his eyeliner. "Better is a relative word. But yes, your pronunciation has improved, if that's what you're curious about."
Noah smiled, as if the compliment was all he needed to improve his mood. "Okay, you ready to go in like 20?"
"Should be."
– – –
The wedding was beautiful, as Camille had expected.
Rowan was radiant in white. He was quite obviously pregnant, but no one who was there gave a shit about that. He was happy, Darius was happy, and that was all that mattered to the Holt in-laws.
During the reception, Camille and Noah mingled ever so slightly, but it was mostly Noah who did the talking since he was more familiar with Darius' family.
Camille saw Sario and gave a little wave that the dark-haired boy returned with a giant smile. When he looked back to Noah, he saw his boyfriend talking with someone he instantly pegged as an omega.
"You look great when you clean up," Noah was saying.
The man who Noah had complimented just shrugged. "I don't usually have much occasion for it." He suddenly turned on the flirtiness. "Do you really like it, baby?" Wonderful, a pick me trying to steal his boyfriend.
Camille knew Noah would never cheat on him, but he could not deny that this was making him feel a little insecure. He pushed someone aside as politely as possible and grabbed Noah's arm, directing a withering glare at the flirting omega. "Go find someone else's boyfriend to flirt with."
The omega's eyes went huge, and he glared at Noah. "You were supposed to tell me when you got a significant other so I didn't make them mad." His eyes darted back to Camille. "I am so sorry. We're friends, and that's a long-running joke. I promised I'd stop tease-flirting with him if he ever got a significant other. It's nothing serious, I promise."
Noah had his arm around Camille, like a hug could hold back his jealousy. "And if it makes you feel any better, angel, Marlowe's a beta."
Camille let out a breath he had not realized he was holding. "Ah, sorry for the misunderstanding. I didn't mean to snap at you like that."
"Oh, you totally did, but I'm so here for it. Don't hesitate if you think someone's hitting on your man." The beta, Marlowe, patted Noah's arm. "Keep this one. I like him." And with that, he turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Noah guiltily looked over at Camille. "Please don't be mad."
"Why would I be mad? You didn't do anything wrong. I overreacted." Camille pressed a gentle kiss to Noah's cheek. "I'm not going to get mad at you for having friends. That'd be psychotic."
Noah chuckled and pulled him closer. "Great to hear." After a pause, he asked in a whisper, "When do you think we can leave?"
Camille snorted. "Just cause I'm not mad doesn't mean I can't still see right through you, monsieur."
Noah bit his lip, a rare expression of nervousness. "You know I don't do well in the self-control department when you start using French on me. I'm not the strongest alpha out there."
"No," Camille agreed, "but you are the best one I could ever imagine sharing my life with."
Noah bent down and spoke directly into Camille's ear, his hot breath tickling the skin. "Just so you know, tonight I'm going to give you a reason to marry me."
Camille felt a shiver of anticipation rush through his body. "You're impossible, ma moitié."
"I love you too, angel."