Holding out his hand was a bold move, but Zayn needed Liam, especially when grief clutched him tightly. Zayn wasn't thinking correctly. Even if he were, Liam would still be the main attraction among his thoughts.
Zayn's breath hitched when Liam stretched out a hand to touch him too. Zayn had observed Liam over the past few days. His mate was shy, timid, and clumsy. He stuttered on his words, tripped on air, and lived in his head more than the real world. He doubted that Liam would be confident enough for a handshake, yet here he was, centimetres away from touching him.
He feels it too. He might not know what the feeling is yet, but he knows there's something there, Zayn thought, zoning in on their fingers, so close, the tips tingled.
Liam moved closer and closer and-
Zayn's spine fizzed when their fingers smoothed over one another. His heart stopped. His lungs refused to inhale. The air no longer moved around them. The world darkened, and their fingers were in focus like a spotlight above shined only on them.
Liam's fingers brushed over Zayn's hand and to his palm. Zayn curled his fingers around his mate's soft skin. Liam's hand looked tiny compared to Zayn's, and fragile, and unscathed. Zayn's skin was tough and hot and covered in small scars.
Liam's eyes lingered over his bruised knuckles as his grip on Zayn tightened.
The handshake lasted only a few seconds, but to Zayn, it lasted forever.
Even after Liam let go, Zayn's palm tingled. He looked at his hand, expecting Liam's small fingers to have made an imprint on his skin. His hand cooled immediately, and Zayn fought with himself not to lean across the table and take Liam's hand back.
While they sat in the library, Zayn fought a mental
battle to stay seated. The anger that streamed from his body only moments ago, was now calm. What he did to Jaiden was like a distant dream. Going to the library was the right decision. As soon as his eyes met Liam's, Zayn's world filled with colour again. Brown eyes were the only things he wanted to see.
He perched on the armchair opposite his mate who sat crossed-legged on the couch, propping notebooks on his lap. Liam twirled a pen around his fingers and softly chewed on his bottom lip. Zayn's heart burst every time he saw his deep dimples.
Zayn sat with his back against the cushions, an elbow on each armrest and his fingers connected. He stared at Liam so intensely, Baela kept texting him to tell him to stop otherwise he'd freak the human out.
Zayn eventually blocked her number.
Baela got the gist and stopped worrying, leaving her Alpha to his fate of scaring the human away before anything happened between them. Though Liam was so into his studies, he didn't notice Zayn's desire-filled eyes. Liam glanced at him occasionally, and every time he did, Zayn was already looking,
"So, Liam" Baela said, bored of pretending to look at rocks and volcanoes on Liam's laptop. "Have you always lived in this town?"
Zayn crossed his arms, thankful for Baela being with them. Zayn was excellent at creating awkward situations. He didn't know how to hold a conversation unless he was yelling at someone.
"Yes" Liam said with a little smile. "I was born in the hospital five miles from here"
"What year?"
"Two thousand and five."
"And that makes you... eighteen." Baela seemed surprised by that.
"I look younger, I know."
Zayn wasn't sure if Liam spoke quietly because they were in a library, or of Liam was naturally quiet. Zayn liked the sound of his voice; the softness to it soothed him.
"Have you both.." Liam's voice trailed away, and he glanced to Zayn and pursed his lips. "N-Never mind."
Zayn glared when Baela frowned at him. She dropped her scowl immediately.
"Were you going to ask about the institute?" Baela whispered.
Liam nodded, his cheeks turning pink. "Sorry" he whispered back.
"It's okay. We just cant talk about it here."
"I understand" Liam said, but Zayn doubted he did. Liam was just polite.
As they sat in comfortable silence again, Zayn wondered about the problems he would face because of a human mate. Would he tell Liam about him being a werewolf? Would Liam accept that part of him? Zayn wanted to take Liam back to the institute, secure him in a room and tell him about them being mates. Zayn would keep him there until Liam learned to live with it.
Something about making Liam understand didn't feel right. Zayn didn't want his mate to love him because of some stupid wolf bond. Zayn wanted Liam to like him for who he was, which right now, was a horrible thought.
Zayn knew he was a terrible person. He used his grief and anger to get him what he wanted. At least now he could decide how his relationship grew with Liam.
Zayn was familiar with how life could crumble in a single day. Dealing with sudden change was often hard and sometimes painful. Zayn didn't want Liam to deal with that too. Zayn had to protect his mate at all cost, including his mental state.
The hours went on and on. Zayn barely said a word, and Baela tried to ask Liam questions, though he wasn't so big on talking either.
Maybe we are more similar after all, Zayn thought. Their appearances were very different. Zayn was very tall and very lean and stocky, while Liam was short and small.
Everything Zayn wore was black, while Liam wore a colourful hoody, shoes with bold colours and a bag with a colourful Aztec design all over it.
To the eye, they were different. But they were both
quiet and could both concentrate on one thing for a long time, which surprised Zayn. Liam seemed like a scatter brain when he didn't have something important going on.
Zayn was eager to know what else they could bond over. Liam was chosen to be with Zayn for a reason. They would be suitable for each other, and Zayn was excited to get to know him and to learn why their souls matched so perfectly.
"It's getting quite late. Do you usually stay for this long?" Baela asked.
Zayn could barely believe that it was almost nine in
the evening. Time had flown for him.
Liam nodded. "I just like to read" he said with a smile.
Only Zayn could see his smile wavering because he
stared so hard. He narrowed his eyes.
"Do you not like reading at home?" he asked before he could stop himself. Zayn sounded harsher than intended.
Liam's eyes snapped to him like he forgot he sat there. Zayn barely moved or spoke the entire time they sat in the library. Liam would have a tough time getting to know him.
"Not really" Liam fiddled with the ends of his hoody sleeves. "I should p-probably go now. I need to get up early tomorrow," he mumbled and crammed work into his bag.
"Oh, sure" Baela looked to Zayn, willing for him to say something. Zayn's tongue tied in knots. "We'll walk you home," she said quickly.
Liam paused, astounded. "You really don't have to."
"There's two of us who are walking home together
anyway. The least we can do is make sure you get home safely too." Baela's smile brightened her green eyes. She smoothed her dreadlocks over one shoulder and stood up. "Don't object. We'll ony follow you to put our minds at rest."
Liam chuckled, and Zayn felt light and warm at the sound. Though Liam didn't realise that Baela wasn't joking, Zayn would guard his house all night if he could.
They left the library together, and Zayn walked behind them. His eyes were on the back of Liam's head the whole time. As they went down the steps, Zayn's eyes ran up and down Liam.
He quickly looked elsewhere to distract himself from heated thoughts.
Zayn knew where Liam lived but let the human guide them. When they were almost there, Zayn fell into Liam's stride, walking next to him. He purposefully walked too close, and Liam's shoulder brushed against his arm.
Zayn's mind ruptured fireworks every time a part of them touched. He thought and felt nothing else. Their fingers touched once, so Zayn was weak at the knees when they stopped at Liam's home. His eyes were dilated and hungry for affection.
Liam's scent masked the forest next to them. The sweet smell overwhelmed Zayn's nose and made his wolf claw for freedom.
"Thank you for walking me home," Liam said quietly
and smiled cutely. He rolled from his tiptoes and back onto his heel.
Zayn couldn't take it anymore. He stepped forward and wrapped arms around Liam, crashing Liam's face
into his chest. Zayn squeezed him tight, not caring that Liam had frozen against him and didn't hug back.
Zayn buried his nose into Liam's brown hair, lapping
up his scent. His heart thumped hard and he didn't
care if Liam could feel it against his face. When they
were so close, Zayn worried about nothing other than the short human, his smile, and his happiness.
Baela cleared her throat when Zayn hugged long enough for it to be weird. She dared to tug on Zayn's arm, and he looked at her with such a glare,
Baela slivered back.
Let go, Baela mouthed as Liam's head was stll squished into his chest.
Zayn reluctantly unclamped his arms, wishing to see the desire in Liam's eyes too, but he only saw confusion among the brown.
"Um," Liam said, stepping away until he tripped on the curb and his back pressed against his gate. "I-I... I didn't t-think you were a hugger." He chuckled nervously.
"I'm not," Zayn said bluntly.
An awkward silence fell between them.
"He's kidding!" Baela forced a laugh. "Zayn's full of surprises," she said, linking an arm around his and watching Liam awkwardly wave before running down his front garden path and through his front door without looking back.
When the door shut behind the human, Zayn shoved Baela away. "Don't touch me," he grumbled.
"I thought you liked hugs now." Baela lifted a hand.
Zayn smacked it away.
He leapt towards her with a growl and Baela jumped back onto the cobbles. "You dare speak of what just happened, I'll-"
"I just saw you hug your mate. There's nothing odd
about that."
Zayn frowned. "Keep your mouth shut, Omega." He
stormed in front, disappearing into the darkness of
the woods.
He felt Baela staring at him and spun to call her out on it. She was smiling. Zayn didn't know why. Nobody ever smiled after he snapped.
Wolves always bowed their heads and ran with fear. He darkened his eyes. "Not scared?" he asked lowly.
"I'm actually terrified, Alpha" she admitted. "But hugging your mate.. that's huge progress."
"He didn't hug back."
"Because you scare him too. It won't always be like that, though. You are frightening and speaking to you this way feels all kinds of wrong." Baela sighed. She was speaking out of term but felt her Alpha needed to hear her words. "You've always been tough on people, but I've never seen you being this tough on yourself. You've been through a lot this year. Alpha, you really deserve Liam right now."
Baela walked on, leaving Zayn's bewildered eyes to follow her.