𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞 ⸙

2.29༊*·˚

Liam sighed and shook his head. "Zayn, they need you to be you, not the you who thinks you should be a mirror image of your dad. I know that's hard to hear and you're probably nowhere near letting go of that, but you can't keep trying to be like him when it's an unrealistic goal."

Zayn swallowed thickly. "You think it's unrealistic?"

"Yes, and not because I don't think you'll be a good Alpha like him, I mean we're all different, and you're different. You need to look at this Alpha role with a fresh approach. You can't pick up where he left off because you're not him."

"I need to pave a new path" Zayn said quietly. He had ignored that realisation for a while. If he failed at being his father, he failed. But Liam told him it didn't have to be that way. "Do you think the wolves will let me do that?"

"Well, anything is better than how you've been acting"

Zayn needed the truth, and Liam dished it in large quantities, but Liam only wanted the best for him.

He didn't want to tear him down, he wanted to help.

"Liam.." Zayn shuffled uncomfortably. "I'm scared."

Liam kept as calm as he could, though he was stunned at how much Zayn was opening up about how he was really feeling. He expected Zayn to need a lot longer, and a lot more courage.

"Of what?"

"Of losing the pack. If I don't get it together now, they won't want me to stick around. They've lost their respect for me, their trust. They speak to me like I'm not worthy because l'm not. It feels like I've let them down too much to fix this."

"If the pack means this much to you, don't give up."

The pack, or what was left of it was Zayn's family, but he was right, he had treated them poorly, and if he continued, he would lose them and everything his father had worked towards for many years.

"Now that I'm close to losing it, I see how much it means to me. That's so fucked up."

Liam felt sorry for him. Zayn had a lot to deal with, but he had made life hard for himself.

"Write down that you don't want to lose them," he said, bringing his focus back to the apology.

They worked together for a few hours until Liam started yawning. He thought he'd be awake all night after sleeping for most of the day. He decided to shower before bed. being back in his own bathroom felt good. Zayn helped him bring his belongings back from the second floor. Lynx's  door had been left open, and he smiled happily at
them both leaving the room.

Lynx had asked if Zayn was joining them for a run in the morning. Zayn was surprised to be asked and replied in a very calm manner that he would be happy to join them.

Liam smiled all the way back to their bedroom. Zayn really was making the effort. Liam only hoped it would last enough to really change him.

He showered alone, and crawled onto his side of the bed, ready for another good night's sleep. Zayn still sat at the desk with a stubborn frown, rubbing his stubbly chin.

"You look tired" Liam said when Zayn suppressed another yawn. He usually yawned ridiculously loud to annoy him.

Zayn was almost shy in Liam's presence, like they were back at the beginning of their relationship.

"I just want to get this done for tomorrow." Zayn was now a few pages ahead with his apology.

"You can finish it in the morning and speak to your wolves from the afternoon. Rest now Zayn."

Another issue Zayn had to work on was switching off. He hadn't properly relaxed in almost two years because he felt like he couldn't when the pack might be under constant threat.

Zayn looked to his mate pulling the duvet to his chin. For days he had wanted nothing more than to be close. Don't push him away. He is the most important person in my life. Zayn left the desk and showered too. By the time he got into bed, Liam was only just awake.

"Can I lie close again?" Zayn asked and Liam nodded. His heart skipped a beat as he scooted across the mattress. Liam turned towards him, and their arms wrapped around each other. Like last night, Zayn nuzzled his face into Liam's hair, and their legs tangled.

Liam breathed deeply, loving how Zayn smelt after using his rosewood soap in the shower.

They fell asleep together, sleeping long and deeply and woke up in different positions, yet they were still wrapped in each other's limbs.

Zayn's face was against the back of Liam's neck, and his hands were under Liam's t-shirt, gripping him. Liam's hands were also under his t-shirt. Holding Zayn's hands. He woke feeling better than yesterday, and much happier.

*******

Zayn woke as soon as Liam tried to turn to face him. Zayn could have sworn he closed his eyes for five minutes, yet the sun was already up and trying to blind him through the window. Their alarm was set, but they had woken up half an hour before it went off.

"Good morning" Liam whispered, half asleep.

Zayn almost moved closer for a kiss but stopped before his nose brushed Liam's cheek. "Morning."

Zayn then remembered what he had to do later that day, and he was suddenly nervous.

Liam felt the kick of nerves in his gut too. Zayn tried to sit up, but Liam held his arms tighter around himself. "Just take it easy. Lie with me for a bit."

Zayn couldn't argue with that. He gladly curled closer to his mate, placing his lips innocently on the side of his neck because he couldn't rest them on his mouth.

Liam shivered at his warm touch. He missed Zayn's soft morning kisses and knew he would give in to his affection any day now. Zayn's alluring eyes were just too tempting for Liam's affection-deprived soul.