"What's with the scarf?" Niall wrinkled his nose with distaste. The five boys were having a quick breakfast in Liam's kitchen, taking advantage of the short minutes they had together before they all went their separate ways -- with Liam, Zayn, and Louis rushing off to training, Niall heading to the infirmary, and Harry going out on another arranged meeting with Nick. Everyone besides Zayn and Niall had already finished eating, but they were all content to wait, still having a few minutes to spare before their days truly began.
The bright blue bandana tied around Harry's neck hadn't gone unnoticed.
"I was about to ask the same thing," Zayn laughed. He stood abruptly from his seat at the kitchen table, the legs of his chair screeching loudly as they scraped against the hardwood floor. "Looks like something my mum would wear, if you don't mind me saying."
"Actually, he does mind." With a strong grip on the back of the younger boy's chair, Louis dragged the chair toward him so that Harry could sit even closer to him. He curled his arm protectively around the omega's waist, narrowing his eyes at the dark-haired boy over the counter. "I think he's lovely, and I think his scarf is lovely."
Harry smiled at the sweet comment, and his heart swelled at Louis's clear determination to protect him, even from their innocent, joking friends. He leaned happily into his alpha's side, sighing contentedly at the instinctive relaxation that spread through his body. Louis's touch had always had an inexplicable effect on him, but since they mated two nights before, he felt like the simplest touch from the alpha could put him to sleep anywhere and everywhere.
"Only because you've got one to match," Liam teased, eying the gray and black scarf that decorated the other alpha's neck. "You two honestly look like a pair of grandmothers."
"That's a bit bloody offensive, Liam," Louis quipped, squeezing his omega's hip reassuringly as Harry turned his head to hide his flaming cheeks -- and his guilty smile -- in Louis's neck.
"Christ, Lou. Settle." As soon as the words left his mouth, Niall's hand froze in mid-air, his spoon just inches from his face. He eyed the pair suspiciously, and then his gaze flicked back down to Harry's neck. The spoon clattered into his nearly-empty bowl. He inhaled sharply, standing up so quickly that he nearly flipped the table. "You didn't!"
A bit roughly, he grabbed Harry's shoulder to make the omega face him fully, and Louis growled protectively, his eyes narrowing at the Irish boy. He took a deep breath, calming his wolf, and kept a secure hold on Harry's waist. The sight of someone else (even a beta, and a friend, like Niall) touching his mate set every hair on his body on end.
Maybe the scarves weren't their brightest idea, but what else could they have done? They had spent the entire day yesterday lounging in Harry's bedroom -- and hiding from the rest of the world, including their friends -- and soaking in the first twenty-four hours of their mated lives. The outside world presented too many problems that they weren't willing to face, but today, they finally had to return to their real lives. Louis had suggested the bandanas (secretly loving the idea of "claiming" Harry with a scarf around his neck, especially knowing that his fresh mate mark lay hidden beneath), while Harry had snuck into the infirmary for a scent concealer that would mask their obvious, newly-mated smells.
They should've known that some simple scarves and scent suppressants wouldn't be enough to hide something like this from the other boys.
Harry coughed awkwardly and adjusted his bandana, avoiding his best friend's gaze. He had never been a good liar, and his lying skills were even worse when it came to Niall. Without a word exchanged between them, the Irish boy saw right through him.
"Holy fuck!" Niall whirled around, his eyes widening as he turned to face Liam and Zayn in the kitchen. Pointing an accusatory finger at Louis and Harry, he exclaimed, "They fucking mated!"
Zayn spat his tea all over the floor. Liam's jaw dropped. "No, you fucking didn't."
"I, uhh . . . ah, well, we . . . um, I-I . . ." Harry tried to explain.
Louis's heart swelled. Harry's innocent rambling always managed to touch the softer side of him. As much as he wanted to jump to his omega's aid with his inarguably superior skills of lying and denial, he was already too late. Harry's flustered stuttering and rosy cheeks had given them away.
Instead, he pressed his lips firmly against the side of Harry's head, shushing him softly to soothe him, before responding confidently to their friends, "Yes, we did. Any problems?"
"I can think of a few," Zayn responded coldly, crossing his arms over his chest.
Louis's intense glare turned even harsher, and his wolf howled angrily at the misconceived implication of the beta challenging him for his mate. He stood abruptly from the table, releasing his hold on Harry and stalking across the room to stand in front of the dark-haired boy.
"Care to elaborate?" he growled, his voice vibrating deep in his chest. His vision flashed red, and all of his attention had zeroed in on Zayn, who suddenly seemed to pose a serious threat to him and his mate.
The beta shrank back from the alpha's heated stare, and he instinctively dropped his gaze to the floor, knowing that holding eye contact would only provoke the older boy further. Liam and Niall shared a surprised look. Louis had always been protective of Harry, willing to go to great lengths to keep any harm from coming to the younger boy, but this behavior exceeded anything they had ever experienced. They had no idea how to proceed.
Luckily, Harry did.
"Lou," he whispered gently, his fingers digging into the flesh of the alpha's arm. "It's okay."
Louis exhaled, leaning back against Harry's chest. He hadn't even noticed Harry move to stand behind him. The comforting presence of his omega brought him back to the ground, anchoring him in reality. He blinked once, and the rigidity in his body snapped like a rubber band, his rage settling like dust after a windstorm.
"Jesus, Louis," Niall breathed. The air hung heavy in the world, the thick tension locking them all in place. Time passed slowly, seconds stretching out like hours.
"Sorry, Z," Louis said finally, guilt flashing across his face. He took another deep breath before reaching behind him to wrap an arm around Harry, anchoring the younger boy to his back.
Harry rested his chin on the older boy's shoulder, linking his arms around the alpha's front. "It's a lot," he said quietly, although all of the boys heard him loud and clear. "Too much going on."
"I just can't believe you mated." Liam was shaking his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Louis furrowed his brow. "Why not?"
"Because Harry's engaged!" Liam insisted, his eyes nearly bugging out of his head. He gave Louis an accusatory glare. "How could you be so selfish? How could you claim him knowing that he's set to marry another alpha?"
Louis growled again, the mere mention of Nick making his fists clench tightly at his sides. Harry kissed his shoulder soothingly. "Clearly that's not going to happen."
"Clearly," Liam echoed, disbelief clear in his tone. "And how exactly are you planning to break that to your father? And to yours?" He directed his last statement to Harry.
"My father doesn't deserve any explanation," Harry replied coldly, speaking up confidently for the first time in a few minutes. "I mean, honestly. It's not like he asked for my opinion when he used me as a military trading piece."
Liam's face softened. No one aside from Louis knew that Harry's father tended to get physical with him, but it was common knowledge that the man was a royal asshole. "Sorry, Haz," Liam apologized. His eyes flicked to Louis, half-expecting the alpha to rip his throat out for making the younger boy upset. "I wasn't thinking."
"It's okay, Li."
"We're so late," Zayn announced suddenly, twisting his wrist to show Liam his watch.
The alpha cursed. "Oh, fuck. Come on, Lou. We've got to go now, or we're dead meat."
Niall laughed. "That's what happens when two of your best friends mate without telling you."
Zayn made a noise of agreement. "And they think they can hide it from you. Seriously, you two better hope that Nick is dumb as a rock."
"Have you seen the size of his head? No way he's smart. A head that big has to be full of nothing but air and arrogance -- if he actually had a brain, it would be too heavy to hold up."
Liam snorted, still holding the door open, waiting for Louis. "Is that a bet?"
"If he ends up proving his intelligence somehow, I'll get on my knees and suck his cock."
Ignoring their inappropriately-comedic friends, Louis brushed his lips over Harry's. "Be good," he said softly, trusting that Harry understood the unspoken don't do anything to put yourself in harm's way. "I love you."
"Love you," Harry echoed, barely resisting the urge to cling to Louis and beg him not to go. He felt painfully lost as soon as Louis's hand left his waist and the alpha rushed out the door.
/
Harry was seriously considering ripping his own hair out. Nick had spent the entire afternoon droning on and on about military strategy, and he had no way to escape. They were sitting at a table outside one of the small restaurants in the main square. Harry had just nodded along and sipped at his tea while Nick spoke, apparently not needing any verbal responses from the omega. He kept glancing wistfully at the infirmary, knowing that Niall would be puttering about in the back room for his afternoon shift. His father had ordered reductions to his work schedule to accommodate the courting process, and after just a few days, he already missed working alongside his friend.
"It's a nice scarf," Nick complimented him unexpectedly, eying the blue bandana. "Is it new?"
Harry's fingers flew to his neck, and he thumbed absentmindedly over the soft fabric. He shook his head. "It's not new," he replied. "Just, um . . . lost it for a while. Forgot how much I like it."
"Well, it suits you."
"Thank you," Harry responded politely, but his voice was distant. His mind was somewhere else.
His mind was with his alpha.
He wanted to hear Louis talk about military strategy. He wanted to hear Louis talk about his lovely childhood and his plans for the pack once he became the Head Alpha and how Liam would never beat him in sparring. He wanted to hear Louis laugh, and he wanted to hear Louis moan his name. He wanted Louis to tell him how much he loved him, and he wanted Louis to hold him. He wanted to fall asleep in Louis's arms.
Harry pursed his lips outward into a pout, focusing a bit too hard on the tea in his cup, which had long turned cold. Nick didn't notice.
"I have to meet your father and the council," the alpha announced suddenly, standing from his seat at the table. "There are some details we need to go over briefly, but the matter is urgent."
Harry hummed, feigning curiosity. "Urgent, huh? Details for what?"
"Nothing that you need to worry about," the alpha replied dismissively. Harry shrank back into his seat like a kicked puppy, heat rising to his cheeks at the rejection. Nick checked his watch. "I'll be back in ten minutes. Wait here for me."
"Okay," Harry replied simply, looking back down at his tea. He heard Nick's footsteps move away. He didn't look up again.
"Harry."
He was losing his mind. Just a few painstaking hours away from his mate, and Harry was losing it. He could actually cry with how lost and empty he felt -- like his heart had shattered inside of his chest, and every piece was screaming out for his alpha.
"Harry, for fuck's sake."
Harry's head snapped up. He would know that voice anywhere, and it wasn't inside of his head. He shifted in his chair and caught sight of Louis, standing just inside the door of the infirmary, frantically gesturing for him to come inside. He glanced back at the Head Alpha's house, torn between trying not to make Nick angry (or suspicious) and obeying his alpha.
Harry stood from the table and quickly crossed the main street, leaving his cold tea behind.
Louis tugged him inside of the building as soon as Harry was within reach, gathering the omega to his chest. Relief washed over Harry, and he slumped weakly against Louis's body, trusting his mate to support his weight. "I missed you so much," he whined, burying his face in Louis's neck to surround himself in the alpha's scent. He hated how needy and dependent he had become; he was sure that Louis would quickly get annoyed with him, but the alpha didn't seem to mind.
"I know, sweetheart," the older boy cooed, carding his hands through Harry's curls. "I missed you more. Had to see you. Are you okay?"
Harry nodded, pulling back from the embrace. Louis took his hands, tangling their fingers together just to maintain contact. "Are you?"
Truthfully, Louis had something weighing on him. He thought that training would take his mind off of the subject, but it had only intensified his worries. He didn't want to burden Harry with his stress just yet, but he needed some information.
"Lou?" Harry's face had contorted with concern as he studied the thoughtful expression on the older boy's face. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, baby," Louis assured him quickly. His mind flicked back to Nick, and he glanced at the closed door that shielded them from the main street. "How long do you have?"
"Ten minutes."
Plenty of time to get some quick answers, but not enough time to be with Harry. "I never asked you about your nightmare. Can you tell me about it?"
Despite his confusion, Harry trusted Louis. He nodded, admitting, "It was about Nick. And my father. I-I don't exactly remember the details, but Nick was trying to take me away from you."
Louis hummed thoughtfully, constantly tracing circles on the back of Harry's hands with his thumbs. He tucked the information away, hoping that one of the other boys would find it useful. It was Niall's idea; after Louis had mentioned Harry's bad dreams, the Irish boy had requested the details, claiming they might be useful.
And Louis would follow any loose lead to keep Harry away from Nick.
"I hate how he talks to me," the omega confessed suddenly, his voice cracking. His green eyes had gone a bit glassy. "He acts like I'm a child. Like I don't have a mind of my own."
Louis's chest tightened, and he sighed brokenly. He framed Harry's face with his hands, locking eyes with the younger boy. "Oh, sweetheart. Just a bit longer, I promise, and then I'll never let him near you again. We're going to get through this."
Harry sniffed, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill over. "How?"
"The boys are helping me figure it out. We'll find something to stop my father's bullshit arrangement. You're not going to have to see him for more than a couple more days."
"Can I help, too?" Harry asked, his eyes wide and hopeful.
"You already have," Louis replied honestly. He trusted Niall with his life, and even if that plan fell through, Liam was using his family's military connections to dig up information on Nick. "I don't want to give him any reason to hurt you. If he finds out that we're looking into his background, he'll come after me or one of the other boys instead."
"What if he finds out we're mated?" Harry fretted, chewing hard on his bottom lip. "Oh, god, he'll be so angry --"
"And he'll have the pleasure of dealing with me directly," Louis interrupted, grinning. The idea of beating the other alpha to a bloody pulp sounded frighteningly appealing.
Harry smacked his arm, opening his mouth to reprimand the alpha for his violent tendencies. Louis cut him off by kissing him hard. Harry gasped in surprise, but he melted in the alpha's touch, lifting his hand to cup Louis's jaw as their mouths moved in time together.
When Louis pulled back a minute later, Harry's eyes were a bit dazed, and he smiled, satisfied. If Nick looked too closely at the omega's reddened lips, it would be clear that he had been kissed -- Louis couldn't bring himself to care.
"Now go, omega, before you're late," he instructed, a twinkle of amusement sparkling in his blue eyes. He smacked Harry's bum playfully as the younger boy started to walk away, and Harry tried to glare at him over his shoulder.
He couldn't even pretend to be mad, though; instead, he ended up running back to press his lips against Louis's again. Louis smiled into the kiss, wrapping both arms around the omega's back to hold him close. With two fingers under his chin, Louis tilted Harry's head to deepen the kiss, licking tenderly into the younger boy's mouth. Harry sighed softly, and everything was perfect.
The alpha pulled away a few seconds later, pecking his omega's lips one last time. "Seriously, Harry, you need to go." Louis patted his hip gently. "I'll see you tonight."
Harry pouted, but he obliged. He held tightly to Louis's fingers as he walked away, until the distance between them grew too much even for his long reach. The lock clicked softly behind him as he left, returning to the bustling street and the alpha who would never claim him.
Admittedly, Louis found it difficult to calm his wolf to the idea of any other alpha laying a finger on Harry. But he didn't have the authority to fight his father directly, so he needed leverage. He would be damned if he didn't get it.
Harry would never belong to Nick. By some miracle, he had chosen Louis, and Louis wasn't ever planning to let him go.