#camvid

Max had never been all that fond of Cameron Campbell. The man reeked of trouble wherever he went. The fact that he kept coming and going, along with the FBI constantly asking for his whereabouts, only made Max dislike him even more.

The man was a criminal, he was one hundred and fifty percent sure of it.

And yet David didn’t seem to see that. David adored Mr. Campbell, looked up to him, praised him. It made Max want to punch the redhead in the eye. The fucking idiot did anything the larger man (an alpha, Max later realized), wanted him to, no matter how strange it was.

God, how Max had wished David would just open his eyes one day, and see Cameron Campbell the way he saw him: a conniving con artist who cared about no one but himself.

Then, that day came.

It had been the day Campbell had tried to frame David for his crimes. The day Max had easily seen through the older alpha’s charade and foiled his plans in a matter of minutes.

The day David’s heart shattered.

Max felt stupid at not having realized it before. The excitement with which David prepared that last dumb activity proposed by ‘Samboy Kidwell’ (What was it again? Self Dummy Woodcarving? Some shit like that.) should have given him enough of a clue that he had something important to say. Something big to tell everyone.

And in the end, it was ruined before it had a chance to start.

Max had successfully foiled Cameron’s plans and saved David from being blamed for countless crimes. David had overheard Campbell’s confession, the FBI got even more proof that the guy was a piece of shit, everything turned out for the best.

At least, that’s what he had thought. Until later in the day.

It didn’t go unnoticed. David was hurt my Campbell’s actions. He was deeply hurt. The omega man did his best to hide it from the children, to be as joyful as he always was, to try and make everyone excited about the camptivities.

And concerning the other kids, it did work. But Max? He was sharper than that. He could see through is mask. And by dinner time, it had even started to break.

Whatever David had meant to tell Cameron, he needed to tell someone else about it. He had been ready to tell it, and now it was tearing him apart.

So when the counselor pulled Gwen over and lead her to his cabin while the campers ate dinner, Max knew he had to follow. He had to know. Whether David wanted him to or not.

He had sneaked out of the cafeteria room and made his way over to David’s cabin, making sure not to be spotted. He had pressed his ear against the door, wanting in on the dirt.

David was crying. Not that usual whiny crying of his, it was different. It was desperate. Hopeless. Miserable.

Gwen was there by his side, comforting him the best way she could. Max had barely managed to listen to what they were saying, but he had caught enough of the conversation to fully realize what was making the redheaded counselor so upset.

David was pregnant. He was carrying Campbell’s child.

Max had let out a loud curse before running away from the cabin, heading straight to the pier to have some alone time.

It had infuriated him. Just the previous month, his parents had sent the counselor their consent for him becoming Max’s guardian. Which, after also getting Max’s consent, David had accepted.

But that? That changed everything!

David wouldn’t be able to look after both him and the baby alone! It was more than certain he’d have to make a choice, and Max knew David would never get rid of that baby, regardless of who the father was. The omega would never forgive himself if he even as much as thought such a thing.

The only other option, the one Max knew David would certainly pick, was for him to be given up. To be abandoned again. Just like his parents did before, David was sure to turn his back on him now.

He had been sure that was what was going to happen. Absolutely sure.

So when David had come out of nowhere and had pulled him into a hug, he had been too surprised to be able to react the way he usually did, with screaming and insults and kicking.

The tears were still fresh in on David’s cheeks as he had whispered to him lovingly. “I’m not going to abandon you, Max. I’ll find a way. I’ll work it out. I promise.”

Max didn’t know why he had cried. Why he returned the hug. Why everything seemed to make him so scared.

But David’s words, for some reason he couldn’t fathom, gave him hope. Made him believe that everything would be alright. David would work it out. He always did.

That was how Max had ended up in David’s bed, head gently pressed against the counselor’s still flat belly as the young man slept. Max, however, couldn’t bring himself to fall asleep, a thousand thoughts racing through his mind as he felt David’s warmth against him.

At first, he had felt jealousy towards the lifeform growing within his guardian. After all, that would be David’s biological child. Something Max wasn’t. That baby would be more important to David. Closer to him than Max could ever be.

Now, though, as he mused over it in the dark, his thoughts differed. He and that baby, he just started to realize, were more alike than he had at first thought. Just like him, that child has a father that will never care about them. That will never be there when needed. Also, they’ll both have David. Biological child or not, David will give them both all the unconditional love a parent can give. The omega wouldn’t leave any of them behind, Max was no longer doubting that.

They would be a happy family. No matter what got in their way.

His thoughts were interrupted by the slow creaking of a door. He remained still, frozen in place. Someone was walking in the cabin, but he wasn’t sure who. Gwen, maybe? Perhaps she came to check in on David? After all, omega pregnancies were complicated. She had good reasons to be worried.

A dark figure approached. Tall and bulky, it loomed over them like a predator eyeing a prey. Max looked up at the intruder, and instantly his fear was replaced by anger. His alpha instincts kicked in, and he positioned himself over David’s belly, staring the intruder right in the eyes, daring and threatening.

“Get. Out.” He whispered harshly at the much bigger male.

Cameron Campbell stared him down, hunting knife still firmly held in his hand, ready to strike any second. Max was aware of the dangers of facing a much bigger alpha than him, let alone armed. But he couldn’t just lie there and do nothing.

He had to protect David and the baby.

Campbell didn’t seem bothered by Max’s warning, slowly hunching over then, eyes fixed on David as his grip on the knife grew firm.

Then, he froze. His nostrils dilated as a new scent invaded them, a scent Max had grown used to due to being around the young counselor for so long. The mixture of pine, wet dirt and a sweet, oh so very sweet, new smell was for the first time being sensed by the man.

Blue eyes widened, their gaze landing on the sleeping omega’s abdomen, still under the protection of Max’s body. Could it be? Was it…?

“Is… Is that…?”

Max’s eyes narrowed into thin slits, menacing.

“Out.” He whispered again, making sure not to wake David up. The last thing his guardian needed was to have a scare in the middle of the night.

Campbell looked to the side, noticing something in the corner of the room, illuminated by the moonlight. It was the mannequin David had done of himself, for the camptivity picked by ‘Samboy’. It stood there, still with the exact broad smile David always wore, holding something in its wooden arms. A bundle, made of straw.

The knife fell to the ground.

Blue eyes were wide with realization as the older alpha took a step back. He had almost killed a pregnant omega. And with his child, no less. An attempt highly punishable by law. If he got caught, he’d spend the rest of his life in prison, only because he intended to kill David. All his other crimes combined wouldn’t give him as much of a hard sentence as that little attempt.

Max’s gaze followed the man’s every move, eyes barely blinking as he stared him down. He gave zero fucks about Cameron being the father. If he laid one finger on David or the baby, Max wouldn’t rest until he had the man’s head embalmed and placed over the fireplace.

But, he soon found out, he didn’t need to worry. For with one last, fearful glance at David, Cameron ran out the door. Away from there. Away from David. Away from his responsibilities. Like the coward he was.

The adrenaline rush dropped, and the tension in Max’s body decreased. Careful not to wake David, the young boy got off of him, retreating back to his initial position, with his head gently pressed against the counselor’s belly as he started to calm down.

At that moment, all he felt for Cameron Campbell was hatred. Hatred for what he had done – plus what he had tried to do - to David. And the fact that he ran from it all.

Max knew then, as he lied there beside David, with his forehead against the omega man’s abdomen, that he would have to take the lead. He was an alpha after all. And with Campbell running off, he was the next alpha in their little ‘family’.

And he was more than determined to do his job as an alpha: to protect his family. To protect David and his child.