...
The event was held outdoors, and my lake sides for simply many reasons.
Reason one being for ceremonial purposes they needed to be in the nature to perform these annual activities.
Reason number two, the older generations used to do it and now it was inherited generation after generation, and to be passed by to others in the future.
The activities consisted more on alphas and betas bowing down to the full heavy yellow moon, as the organiser of the ritual throws ashes of the 'sun' in the lake. Later on, the new omegas and Lunas of all the packs if the lands get inside the water till the water reaches their hearts and send prayers to the Lunar goddess.
It all takes less than half an hour to finish and after that they will all retreat to their cabins or spend a little time by the bone-fires that were currently being lit up.
Louis and Harry watch as the atmosphere changes, the lights slowly die down and the bone-fires and candles lighten the place with the warm fire colour.
This is the first year Louis attends, so Harry tries to explain to him every single detail in a little time. Louis nods in understanding.
The scene where the alphas and betas would stand on their knees has been covered with a green carpet, and the way inside the lake for the New omegas and Lunas has been lit by candles and covered in a soft petal field.
The money people pay for these rituals to organise was probably crazy. Louis knew the traditional way was probably more comfortable to proceed.
For a second he looked down...Harry noticed it and placed a hand on his back.-"You okay Lou?"
"Yeah. Just, a bit dizzy from the dancing thats all."-He said forcing a smile.
Zayn and Niall caught his eye on the other side of the area, the two of them having started a conversation with Liam and an old friend from collage.
Louis smiled. Hadn't seen his college friends in a while. He tried catching the attention and when he did, he gave his old friend a middle finger.
The friend laughed and showed him one back.
Harry watched as Louis casually had a understanding with the person on the other side of the pitch.-"You know him?"
"My old friend from collage. He's now apart of my business board, Tom Holland is his name. I think his mate is somewhere around here. Haven't seen them in so long."-Louis said trying to spot her on the crowd.
Harry smiled.-"He seems chill."
"He's a fine dude. A bit dumb, but he's a gentleman after all."-Louis described him.
Harry and Louis followed as the crowd moved to the green carpet, in front of the lake. The surface was smooth, lighted by the strong moonlight. Harry fell on one knee and nudged Louis to do the same.
Louis didn't get the clue.-"What?"
"You need to get down on one knee. All alphas and betas have too."
Louis pressed his lips on a thin line. He was a Luna for gods sake! He wasn't going to bow down, this was a ceremony about him too...He felt his inside puzzle, he wasn't himself anymore, this all pretentious acting has made him forgot who he is. He hated himself for doing this...for not walking down the petal aisle like very other New omega and New Luna, stealing the spotlight from all of them with his wonderful looks, and his graceful body.
He noticed as many from the crowd, mostly omegas that didn't participate at the ceremony stood up. He decided to do the same.
"I'll just stand. I'm not any of the genders that participate, so I'll just stand aside."-Louis mumbled his heart shattering with each word he spoke.
Harry gave him a narrowed look. Something was off with Louis he could feel it.-"Okay, just stand near me. The crowd is big, I don't want to lose you."
"I can function without your presence."-Louis said snarling at the alpha.
The organiser, a women, alpha, very rare combination, walked down the aisle with the sun ashes on her hands. She bowed down before the moon, as everyone in the bowing crowd that stood in one knee repeated the words of their thankfulness towards the Goddess.
After the ashes where poured into the lake, the omegas came one by one to enter the lake. Each of them given their time.
This year there weren't many. Probably because not many alphas got married.
There was only one Luna this year, the one of a far Western pack of England. She had long blonde hair that reached her waist, pale smooth skin and was wearing a very thin ceremonial drees.
These rituals used to be performed naked, but that requirement was removed with the centuries. For obvious reasons. The lake after powdered with the golden ashes of the sun, the prayers of the alphas and betas of all packs united, gave the lake of the goddess tears many benefits, that where used by the omegas. One of them being fertility. Once an Luna walked inside those warm charmed waters, everything about them was magical. They where the goddess themselves.
Louis felt the jealousy rise on his heart as he wished to be the one walking down those aisle of petals barefoot, with a thin cloth that revealed all his perfections, and with the glowing grace of his true self, his true scent getting everyone drunk with adoration. People around him whispering about his beauties, and his hopeful loving mate to watch his as he walks inside the lake...
His face was red, eyes almost ready to erupt into tears. He's lost himself to a world where omegas are no longer considered the most important people given by the Lunar Goddess. He lost himself to a world where he had to pretend to be something else in order for people to see his real self.
Harry still stands on one knee. Watching as this new Luna made her way inside the Lake. She looks like a fine Luna, not in his preferences, but she seemed fine. He looked up at Louis to feel his growing rage. What was his problem, he seemed off since the ceremony started.
"Psstt! Louis!"-Harry tried to catch his attention.
Louis ignored him, his eyes not for once leaving the Luna's body, she's now walking inside the water, the level of the charmed lake rising to her chest and up to her heart.
He feels his eyes blur out...a tear silently falling from his cheek. His own heart tugs into a silence. His eyes black out and his figure is unstable as he's about to collapse.
Harry who wasn't far from him, rises and runs to his side, having seen the whole thing happened before his eyes, he is now debating whether he saw it right or his eyes deceived him.
Harry catches him before he collapsed. His arms held him strongly. Nobody thankfully saw that, Harry retreated, Louis still on his arms, he tried to get him to a more silent place.
Hoping it was not a heart attack or something, he's heard that it runs on the family. And Mark died off a heart attack so he can't take any risks.
He tries to look out for Zayn, or Niall, or Liam, or any of his men, but they all where attending the ceremony.
His first instinct was to release calming pheromones, to inside Louis and his inner-wolf that they would be alright and that he was there, to keep him protected.
Than Harry takes control over the situation. He wrapped his hands around Louis, holding him bridal style, his faint breathing falling on his neck, as a hand subconsciously tugged on his shirt.
Harry felt his heart melt. Louis was alright...at least it wasn't a heart attack.
He walked away from the event, it wasn't a long way to reach the cabins. Once he reached there, he found Louis' cabin and-entered inside not using a key, he just tore the very bendy-lock down and entered.
Louis was not awake yet. Se he gentle walked to the bedroom, placing him down on his bed, walking to the kitchen area and grabbing a bottle of alcohol, applying some on piece of cotton. He placed it under Louis nose and waited for the strong scent of the alcohol to reach his senses.
Louis flinched once his brain got reception. He woke up, his breathing quickening.
"Hey hey hey. Calm down...you're fine."-Harry tried to calm him down.
Louis was confused.-"What happened!"
"You fainted. Don't worry I got us away without creating a scene, everyone was to busy judging the new Luna to notice anyway."-Harry tried to laugh and cheer him up.
But Louis just sat up and brought his knees up to his face. Shrinking his size to hide his face away from Harry.-"I'm sorry...I need some time alone. Please go back to the ceremony, you didn't get to finish."
"It's not a big deal, I'd rather be here to help you."-Harry whispered placing a confronting hand on his back bringing the fist sized Louis down on a side snuggle.
They stood like that for a long while. Until Came back to earth again. His longing heart still ached.
Harry felt it, he could see it on his eyes. The broken heart as that Luna walked down the aisle. He even felt the shift on Louis heart when he entered the lake. It was all so vivid, Harry was trying to understand why he acted like that. The Louis he knew wound never let his guard down so badly...something serious must be going on and he couldn't put two and two together just yet.
"I'll go get some rest. You should too, the ceremony must be over by now. I'm not coming to the after party. But I'll meet everyone tomorrow morning before leaving."-Louis informed, trying to get away from the deathly sent of Harry. The calming pheromones he released still on air.
Harry looked down at him sadly, he didn't want to leave his side just yet. The night was young, they could have spent the rest of it talking and getting to know each other, maybe they could have snuggled a little longer. Louis knew how much Harry needed the snuggling for his touch craving. And Louis needed his drugging scent. But he kept pushing him away...
He nodded his head nonetheless.-"Okay, I'll sent one of the boys over to check on you. Try to get some rest alright, we'll talk about these later."
Louis agreed.-"I'm sorry for cutting this short Harry..."-He said regretfully as he rested his forehead on Harry's chest.-"I'm just not feeling fine...at all."
"Nono! I understand Lou! Or at least I try too. Don't feel obligated to give me explanations. After all we barely know each other so the least we can do Is respect each other's boundaries."-Harry reassured him.
Louis smiled thankfully.-"You have no idea how much I appreciate that. The understanding."
"I said I try."-Harry smiled widely.-"I'll go find Niall or Zayn now. You'll be fine Lou. Get some rest."
He said and stood up, Louis felt the unknown feeling of loneliness once the scent got away from him, the warmth of his body dropping as his warmth giver was leaving. He so bad wanted to reach for his hand and stop him midway. Tell him to stay. Spend the night by his side. But that would be too needy of him, and this was his leader after all.
"Goodnight Harry...and thank you for everything you did tonight for me. I hope I wasn't a burden."-Louis said and Harry reached for his hand.
"A burden? You literally weight feathers Louis! I'd do it anytime."-Harry said and kissed the back of his hand gently.
Louis heat up.-"Nighty..."
"Nighty."-Harry said and left through the broken door. Poor door.
After a short while, from the same door, a very concerned Niall came inside.-"Louis!! Louis! You okay! Harry just told me you fainted!"
"I did, but I'm fine."
"I need to call Zaynie!"-He almost screamed.
"Niall! Stop! I said I'm fine. Harry took great care of me."-Louis said also yelling. Than he sighted.-"I need you to get something for me..."
"Anything!"-Niall said softly obeying his Luna.
...
Harry didn't attend the after party either. He went straight to his cabin, that was just near Louis' one. He tossed and turned unable to find a still position. It wasn't even midnight and he was struggling already.
The insomnia had gotten worse these past few years for him. Maybe it was his dangerous job, or the many problems of his life...but his sleep was no longer the same.
He left his bed, putting on his sweater and his trousers. He put on a pair of sneakers and collected his hair in a black beanie.
No one, not even his men would recognise him like this.
He sneaked past his bodyguards and left for the hidden part of the whole town. He walked past Louis' cabin praying that he was having a good sleep in there.
Louis confuses him...He's like an angel...broken so hard to look like a demon. He hides so much and he's willing to know more.
He walked to the side of the lake he was earlier that day with Liam. It's hidden from most of the peoples eyes. The coast was rocky, Harry liked throwing rocks...this could help with his insomnia.
He walked his hands on his pockets, beanie pulled down to hide him from the midnight chilling breeze.
Walking and thinking. Walking and thinking. Walking, kicking rocks and thinking.
He finally makes it to the lake side. But before he gets any closer to the shore he stops dead on his tracks.
His eyes grow big and his heart starts beating faster...many emotions flow inside him at once. The sight in front of him very familiar, one he's pictured in his many dreams.
Deja-vu...
He recognises who it is...and every question in his mind now starts to make sense...every dot starts to connect...it all clicks at once.
His eyes cannot trust themselves...
He saw an angel...with clipped off wings...
In the lake under the golden Lunar moon...
He saw The Luna...
...