Cameron nodded his understanding.
“Although that doesn’t mean that a human sub can simply stop needing to receive a punishment, just because he happens to belong to a lion.”
Cameron’s attention snapped across to where Ellery was sitting, Kefir now curled up on his lap and snuggling contentedly into his shoulder.
“What?”As easily as that, all of Cameron’s hard work to keep his temper in check became pointless.Anger flooded back into his voice.
“Some subs really struggle to deal with guilt.Sometimes, they can’t get past something they’ve done wrong unless they receive some sort of punishment and closure.It’s not uncommon.”
“No.”Cameron wasn’t certain about a great deal, but right then, he was sure about that.There would be no punishments.No one was going to hurt Franklin.He was going to see to it that no one ever hurt his pet ever again—and especially that he didn’t hurt him himself.
Suddenly, unable to put off being alone with his pet for another second, Cameron moved to the edge of his seat.“We’re going to our room.”Standing up, he led Franklin out of the sitting room.
With every step, he expected to hear Arslan’s, or perhaps Ellery’s, footsteps behind them, rushing after him to set rules and limits on what they would be allowed to do together when they were alone, maybe even to stop them from ever being alone together.But the only footfalls he heard apart from his own were Franklin’s.
“If you want to hurt me, you can.”
Cameron had just turned to close the door.His back was to Franklin.That was something to be glad of.He could so easily imagine what expression passed across his face as he his pet say that.
Any response he might have wanted to make lodged in Cameron’s throat.All he could do was turn around and stare Franklin.
“If you want to…” Franklin cast a hand about as if he couldn’t think of the right word.“Whip me or whatever, you can.”
“You think I should punish you?”
Emotions flickered across Franklin’s face as their eyes met.There were too many, and they were far too complicated for Cameron to read.His pet’s scent offered him no better chance of understanding him.
Desire.Uncertainty.Fear.Lust.Sadness.Joy.
There was no sense in any of the signals Franklin was sending out right then.
A minute passed.Finally, Franklin spoke again.“No,” he said very softly.“I don’t think you should punish me.”
“Ellery was wrong,” Cameron said, success colouring his words as he remembered how to breathe once more.Arslan was right, Ellery was wrong, and everything would be fine if Cameron just did as the leader said.It wasn’t going to be as complicated as he thought, after all.
Franklin turned away from him then to look out of the window over the garden.“No, Ellery was right.”
The words were so quietly spoken, Cameron needed a lion’s hearing to catch them.
“Right?”he echoed.
Franklin didn’t even attempt to answer him.
Cameron caught him by the shoulder and spun him around.Franklin almost stumbled, but Cameron held him upright, one strong hand wrapped around each of his arms.“What do you mean by that?”he demanded.
“I said, he was right,” Franklin admitted.“A punishment would probably help me stop feeling so guilty.”
“But you just said…” Cameron’s pale blond eyebrows came together as he stared down at him in confusion.
“I said I’m not asking you to punish me.I shouldn’t have asked you to in the first place.”
Staring at Franklin didn’t convince the guy to make any more sense.
He fidgeted in Cameron’s hold on him, as if half of him wanted to push his master away and half of him didn’t.“I deserve to feel guilty,” Franklin finally muttered.
Cameron moved his hands to either side of Franklin’s face and held his head tipped slightly back, making him look up at his master.
Control.Patience.Talk to him.
