Okay, so I had a bit of time to do another upload, but next upload will be on the 26th of May. I promise there will be an update on the 26th of May. I'm going to go drown in stress for the next month. Lots of love<3
•••
Louis woke up again a few hours
later with a weight on top of him, and hair tickling his nose. He inhaled deeply and smiled when he recognized the scent of his omega. He moved the curls away from his face, pushing them away from Harry's face in the process. Little snores, and purrs still filled the room and Louis did not have the heart to disturb his omega's slumber.
He gently rolled them over which earned a tiny protest from Harry. He scented the omega until he settled again and stood to his feet quietly. The lack of warmth made Harry whine so Louis scented the thick blanket and draped it over Harry's body.
He cooed when Harry snuggled into the blanket, inhaling deeply before letting out a pleased hum. He entered the ensuite and got cleaned up before padding out of their bedroom and heading towards the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea and some breakfast for everyone.
As he entered the living room, he heard a pair of small footsteps moving towards him. He paid no mind to them as he put the kettle on the stove until a pair of hands wrapped around his leg. He looked down to see Harlow looking up at him with a sleepy smile. "Good morning!" she exclaimed happily.
"Good morning, Harly," Louis said, his voice still filled with traces of sleep.
"Where is mama?"
"He is asleep."
"Can I wake him up?" she asked with hopeful eyes.
Louis was quick to negate, and shut the idea down. "No, he is tired. He needs to sleep. He will wake up on his own."
Harlow looked at the stairs hopefully before relenting with a nod. "Hungry," she mumbled when her stomach grumbled.
Louis chuckled. "Take a seat. I'll make us some pancakes," he said with a decisive nod. "Now, they may not be perfect, but it's the taste that counts," he emphasised as he stirred the batter that was a bit lumpy. He greased the pan before adding a dollop of batter.
The first pancake was a disaster, but at least it tasted good. He plated two good stacks of pancakes, although not perfect, for his omega and daughter. He plated the more burnt and inedible ones on his plate. He did not want his omega or child to eat burnt food, and if that meant he had to, he would. He pulled the bottle of syrup, chocolate syrup, and butter on the table. Harlow drizzled syrup on her stack of pancakes and cut into it skillfully.
Halfway through their meal, Harry emerged from the bedroom with a cute pout, his fingers rubbing at his eyes. "Why are you pouting this early in the morning, dove?" he asked.
Harry huffed out a breath, and gravitated towards Louis, but was stopped by Harlow who held her sticky hands out for a hug. "Finish your food and then wash your hands, Harly. I will give you a hug after that," Harry mumbled, his voice sleep rough. Harlow pouted, but obeyed his mother's words.
Louis stood to his feet and winded his hand around Harry's waist, pulling him to his side. Harry hummed happily as Louis placed a kiss on his temple. "You did not answer my question. Why were you pouting?" Louis whispered into Harry's ear.
Harry pressed himself further into Louis's side, shielding himself from the nippy air. "You were not there when I awoke," he mumbled.
Louis pulled a chair our for Harry before pushing the omega onto it gently. "You were tired. I came to make breakfast. Harlow was hungry," he explained.
"You should have woken me up. I would have made something. You did not have to go through that," Harry said, a hint of nervousness, and alarm observable in his eyes.
Louis placed Harry's plate of pancakes in front of him before tilting the omega's chin up to lay a chaste kiss on his lips. "We are equals, dove. Let me take care of you," Louis said as he moved to resume his seat.
Harry followed Louis's movements until his eyes landed on the half eaten burnt stack of pancakes on his plate. He looked down at his own perfect stack before pricking a few with a fork, and wordlessly placing them on Louis's plate. "I can't eat all of it," he fibbed.
Harry smiled when Louis dug into the fresh pancakes, knowing the alpha kept the imperfect ones for himself in order to provide him and Harlow with edible ones. Harry looked around the table as a small conversation about what school was like brewed between Harlow, and Louis. He was overwhelmed, never having experienced the feeling of family with Arnold before. The juxtaposition fell in Louis's favour. The alpha never used his status or his money to get what he wanted. He never attempted to buy his way into their hearts.
He had never seen Harlow smile or laugh in a place they called home back in America. Louis was different to Arnold in every possible way which is why it made regret bubble within him. Regret was a difficult, and soul crushing emotion to face. Words fall out in the heat of the moment and once given time to reflect upon, guilt, and the weight of your words truly sink in. Harry felt that same gut wrenching feeling in him. He yelled at Louis, and eventhough it was to convey his fears, he felt horrible for even letting his mind stray to the thought that Louis might be like Arnold one day.
The pancakes Louis had so lovingly made felt like rocks going down his throat because of the guilt that crept over him. Louis suddenly halted his conversation with Harlow, and turned to face Harry. Harry snapped out of his thoughts when Louis called his name. "Are you okay?" Louis had his eyebrows pinched togethe, lips pressed together tightly.
"Y-Yes, yes, I'm alright," Harry rushed out, wincing when his words did not sound convincing to his own ears. Louis gave him a look of disbelief that had him slumping in his chair.
"Harly, why don't you go and play with your toys for a bit since you're done eating," Louis addressed the small omega who instantly started pouting as she was reminded of her mother's promise, but Louis had that look in his eye that had Harlow jumping off of her chair and washing her hands.
"Please don't hurt mama," she whispered once she turned back to the couple who sat in absolute silence.
Harry held his hands out for his daughter, heart sinking in his chest because she always used to beg and cry, pleading with Arnold not to hurt him, but she only ended up getting caught in the crossfire. "Oh baby, no. Louis would never hurt me. He is not like papa. Louis would never do that," he soothed her. Harlow mumbled a string of incoherent words before dashing up the stairs.
He sat back nervously as Louis set his cutlery down and faced him. His hand shot up to touch the failed bond mark that stood as a horrid reminder of what had been done to him. Louis's eyes flashed red again and he gulped, averting his gaze from the alpha as he stood to his feet. Louis's scent intensified as he drew nearer to Harry who focused intensely on his plate in an attempt to avoid whatever was to come.
Instead of brash words and touches that left his skin burning in a painful way, he felt a calloused hand stroke his cheek before his chin was slowly tilted upwards to face a pair of piercing blue eyes. "What is troubling your mind, dove?" Harry pressed his lips together tightly, feeling guilty and foolish. Louis tilted his head to the side. "Did you know that your sweet scent gives you away?" Harry sucked in a deep breath, but did not let it out.
Louis ran his thumb over Harry's lips making the omega's eyes flutter shut as he leaned into the touch only for Louis to retract his hand. Harry whined, the same whine Louis had heard twice before now. A tear slipped past Harry's eyes. All he wanted was his alpha's comfort, but Louis kept pulling away at the last second. "I need you to tell me what is wrong," Louis stated firmly.
He was teetering on the edge of giving in and wrapping his arms around the tearing omega. His resolve cracked when Harry let out a hiccuping sob. "My poor dove," Louis cooed as he finally sank to the floor, bringing Harry down with him. "Tell me what is bothering you. Tell your alpha, darling," Louis coaxed as he ran his fingers through Harry's hair.
Harry fisted Louis's t-shirt and rubbed his nose in the material in an attempt to get his scent on Louis. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Harry repeated like a broken record, confusing Louis to no end.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Louis mumbled against Harry's hair, scenting the omega in order to calm him down before his distressed pheromones agitated Harlow.
Once Harry was considerably calmer, he looked up at Louis with red rimmed eyes. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you this morning. I know you are not like him. I-I should not have done that. I should not have said what I said. I'm sorry. I'm sorry alpha, please forgive me." Harry lowered himself until he was able to press his cheek against Louis's thigh.
Louis's breath hitched at the action. It was not commonly practiced among modern wolves and those who did it were rare to find. When apologising to their mate, ancient wolves pressed their cheek against their mate's thigh, seeking forgiveness. The practice slowly faded away until it was never seen or heard of anymore. Louis's first reaction after his momentary pregnant pause was to cradle Harry's head against his thigh. "You have nothing to apologise for, omega. You have your reservations. You were hurt, my sweet flower. Someone who was supposed to love you, who you entrusted your child with, hurt you. I was never angry with you." Louis soothed the omega, carding his fingers through Harry's sleep mussed curls.
Harry whined lowly when Louis stopped his ministrations. Louis pressed his lips together as a blinding smile threatened to rise to the surface. "I'm sorry," Harry said again.
Louis let out a sigh, knowing that the omega would let the guilt weigh down on him until Louis accepted the unnecessary apology. He pressed his nose against Harry's hair and scented him. "You are forgiven."
Harry rubbed his nose against Louis's joggers. "Thank you," he hiccuped, lifting his head. "You are too kind to me," Harry said thoughtfully.
"Only to you my dove." Louis smiled down at Harry. "How about we move to the sofa so I can talk to you hm?" He hummed as he waited for Harry to move his face from his lap. He stood to his feet as Harry nodded and held his hand out for Harry to take. Harry placed his larger hand in Louis's and stood to his feet. He led them towards the living room and made himself comfortable on the sofa before patting his lap for Harry to sit down. Harry placed himself on his alpha, facing him and allowed Louis to remove his prosthesis.
A small moan slipped past his lips when Louis massaged his soar back. "Hm you like that don't you?" Louis asked with an amused smile as he continued to push his fingers rhythmically against Harry's back. Harry nodded as Louis continued his ministrations. "But we still need to talk," Louis added as he continued to massage the soar skin. Harry cracked his eyes open, his pupils hazy and unfocused, pliant for Louis. "I understand that you think you messed things up with me by being scared and guarded, but I knew what I was getting into when I asked you on that date..." Louis pressed down on Harry's shoulder blades making him arch towards Louis. "It will take time, but I am and always will be completely yours."
"I have been in a relationship before," Louis said and Harry tilted his head, his bottom lip vanishing behind his pearly white teeth. "He was.....he was not very nice. I was very different back then. I was not cruel. I was bubbly, a class clown. I was bullied for being shorter than the other alphas and I was very insecure about it. I never thought an omega would look my way, but then there was this one omega. He was the most popular omega in my school. He had alphas falling over for him, worshipping the ground he walked on. I was shocked when he walked my way one day. I had a crush on him like everyone else—I like the most beautiful omega in the world now. This omega flirted with me and I was so awkward. One day, I finally worked up the courage to ask him out. He accepted and I was so happy," Louis explained, pausing momentarily to lick his lips and observe Harry who hung to his every word.
"So we started dating and I felt so lucky. I was completely oblivious to the snickering that went on behind my back. On our one year anniversary, he asked me to come to the school science lab and I did. As I opened the door, a bucket of freezing cold water with seaweed fell on me. I can still remember their laughs echoing through the lab. My "boyfriend" stood among my bullies with a smirk on his face. Turns out, he was dared to date me. I gave my whole heart to him and he shattered it. After that, I was different. I was very different. The next time I was shoved against a door, I beat the guy up and left him with a broken rib. Nobody talked to me and nobody touched me. I scared them to their core. You could smell the fear in their pheremones. They left me alone, but I never truly let myself feel again.....until I met you, dove." Louis traced the tear that fell from Harry's eye with his own before smiling softly.
"I know you might want that old side of me for yourself, but I must apologize to you because I cannot give that to you," Louis said as he wiped away the stray tear.
Harry shook his head, clearing his throat. "While the old you sounds fantastic, I like you just the way you are. I wish I had met you all those years ago. I think that even then I would have liked you," Harry's slow drawl made Louis's lips quirk upwards. Louis could see it. Louis would have pinned over Harry even back then when he was a young lad.
"I hate that he hurt you–that they hurt you. You did not deserve that. You deserve to be loved." Harry nosed along Louis's collarbone leaving his scent behind on the alpha while simultaneously soothing him.
A small patter of footsteps interrupted their conversation and a head of curls made an appearance before Harlow came running towards them. She stopped once she was able to see Harry and Louis clearly. She tilted her head in confusion and Harry hid his laughter in Louis's neck. "Why mama on your lap?" Her childish curiosity making Louis smile at her fondly.
"Because he's my baby," Louis replied gently.
"But mama is not small."
"Mama is not that kind of baby, Harly. Sometimes, when you care about someone deeply, you have this urge to spoil them and love them. Calling your mama 'baby' means that I love him," Louis spoke cautiously.
Harry felt his heart beat faster as his palms became sweaty. When he pulled back, Louis was already watching him. "Do you mean it?" The grip Louis had on Harry tightened.
"With all my heart." He pressed his forehead against the omega's own. "I love you."
Harry's heart swelled as his vision blurred with tears of joy. "I love you too," he whispered, not trusting himself to speak any louder. Harry never thought he would be saying those three words ever again, but then Louis waltzed into his life and the alpha did not try to change him or poke and prod, he simply blended in seamlessly and became a irreplaceable part of Harry's and Harlow's life.
Harlow chose that intimate moment to run towards them. "I love mama and dada too!" she exclaimed, a dimpled smile falling into place when all the attention turned towards her.
Harry's mouth parted in a silent gasp. "What did you say Harly?" he questioned. She frowned, going over her words before repeating them.
Louis watched his omega, internally sighing having forgotten that Harlow called him 'dada'. "She called me dada the other day in the office when that omega walked into my office," Louis explained. "I was shocked too," he added.
Harry smacked Louis's bicep playfully. "How could you forget to tell me?!" He exclaimed incredulously. "My child-"
"Our," Louis corrected and Harry's arms clung to Louis's neck in a crushing hug. Louis ran his fingers along Harry's spine, slipping them beneath the soft t-shirt he was wearing. Harry's muscles twitched beneath his touch.
Harlow climbed onto the sofa and hugged Harry and Louis as best she could, wanting to be included in the little hug. One of Louis's arms left his omega in order to hold his child. "My sweet flowers. So precious," Louis mumbled into the crook of Harry's neck, placing a soft kiss there.
The day progressed in that manner with Louis showing them his undivided affection. When Louis slept that night, on his own bed with Harry curled into him, he could not help but smile because he lucked out.