For the rest of the day, Liam and Zayn spent time with each.other. Zayn greeted the opportunity to relax with open arms. Simply lying on the bed with Liam was his favourite pastime. Hours flew by when they were together, talking about anything and everything, and occasionally kissing.
"So... you grow as a human in the womb?" Liam asked.
Zayn nodded.
"When do you turn to your wolf for the first time?"
"Not until we're five. The transformation is very painful."
"Do you remember when you first turned to your wolf?"
"Yes. I had done something bad that day. I don't remember what it was, but I wanted to run away when mum shouted at me, so I willed for my wolf and I shifted. The pain freaked me out so much, I actually ran away and they didn't find me for days."
"Seriously?" Liam asked, crossing his legs on the bed. Zayn lay near, and on his side with his chin propped on his palm.
"Luckily, I ran north. Junes' pack found me first. I was just a pup. Enemies would have loved to find me."
"It sounds like you were a handful," Liam chuckled.
"I was. When they took me home, I was in my wolf form for a full two weeks because I refused to shift back. That sort of pain for a child is... a lot. But it makes us stronger."
"Is shifting back as painful as shifting to your wolf?"
"Yes. That's why Ni isn't too bothered about breaking his arms. We break our bones all the time while shifting. The only difference is that they're put back together instantly after we return to human form."
"How are bones able to do that?"
Zayn shrugged. "How are your bones not able to do that?"
Liam chuckled and Zayn reached out a hand. Liam took it and snuggled close to his warm body. Liam had formed a pattern. They would hug for a while until Liam got warm, then they'd find something else to do until they hugged again until Liam got warm again.
Zayn rested a hand on Liam's chest and studied his face with those intense hazel eyes.
"What were you like as a child?" he asked. His deep voice spoke softly.
"Pretty curious, I think. I liked going on adventures with my parents. We'd find a new camping spot almost every weekend. My dad enjoyed running, and he used to do races quite often. I used to run with him sometimes and I think that's why I stuck with it." Liam smiled at all the fun memories.
"We used to have games nights pretty much every week. Sometimes a few times a week. They'd take me to the library every Thursday after school. I think they could tellI was obsessed with reading, even when I was young enough to barely read."
"Do you miss the freedom of being in Ethdellin Town?" Zayn almost asked if he missed his parents. Of course he does, Zayn scolded himself.
"Not really. I miss the library, but that's all. I don't even miss college." Liam smiled. "It was pretty lonely before. The only time l ever spoke was at work, and that was because I had to speak."
"And now you have a full Pack around you all the time."
"I do. It's nice."
Zayn ran a hand through Liam's brown wavy hair. "Do you want to see my wolf again?"
"Yes." Liam wouldn't ponder over whether he was ready to see a wolf. After being around them over the weekend, even the thought of wolves didn't terrify him quite as much.
"Really?" Zayn wasn't sure if he was saying that just to please him, or if he was finally getting used to the idea that part of him was an animal that could snap him up in one bite.
"I need to get to know that side of you."
Zayn agreed and peeled himself off the bed to pull back the plastic sheet covering the window. Bright lights flooded the field. Almost fifty Wolves trained below. Metal sheets covered the fence, so humans walking by couldn't see the overgrown wolves play-fighting.
"I can shift here, and we can walk down to the field together. I should probably train with my pack," Zayn mumbled, rubbing his chin.
Liam had noticed Zayn was more involved with the pack after being at Sea Claw Packhouse. Zayn was attending meetings, organising the meetings, and thinking on behalf of the future of his pack.
"Yes, I-I wouldn't mind watching you train, if that's what you want to do." The thought of being around more wolves than just Zayn was a little daunting, but Liam was eager to be comfortable around Zayn's pack too, knowing that would put Zayn at ease.
"You should wrap up warm, then. I know the wolves slashed your coat, but you could layer up my hoodies?" Zayn stared intensely.
Liam knew he wanted to drown him in his scent. "Okay."
Liam was already wearing one of Zayn's black hoodies. Zayn shoved another one over his head, then slipped his burgundy bobble hat over his ears, then wrapped a black scarf around his neck.
"lf you get too cold, we will go inside right away."
Liam simply smiled, already feeling his cheeks turning rosy. Zayn tugged playfully on the scarf, then crouched and started shifting into his wolf. Liam cringed at the sound of bones cracking and the quiet wincing. Zayn tried to put on a brave face but breaking every bone in the body wasn't for the faint-hearted.
Liam backed away until he felt the bed at the back of his thigh. The transformation was so bizarre to Liam, he couldn't look away.
He was soon staring into the red eyes of Zayn's Brownand Black wolf. Zayn stood and his ears flopped forwards.
He nudged Liam's hand with his wet nose. Liam smiled and buried his fingers into Zayn's fur, ruffling his head.
Immediately, Liam knew that he could trust him. The bond had given him that reassurance.
Zayn rubbed his head against Liam's thigh and Liam was soon crouching to rub his neck. Zayn liked it when Liam scratched him on the top of his head. The first chance he got, Zayn licked Liam's face.
Liam scrunched his nose, but he was comfortable around such a large animal. Liam thought he would fear dogs for life. Zayn had torn through his terror and Liam was grateful.
"You're actually kind of cute," Liam said and Zayn stopped fussing immediately. "W-When you're not growling."
Liam could imagine Zayn's dislike for the word. He could picture a stubborn frown if he were in his human form.
Zayn was just happy that Liam was so interested in his wolf. The first time Liam saw his wolf, he had never seen a human more scared. Liam was ready to run a million miles just to be away from him. Now, Liam was content with his fingers buried into his fur.
Zayn edged towards the door and Liam followed him down the corridor and down the stairs. Zayn's large claws scratched each wooden step. Liam felt strange to be sharing a staircase with a huge wolf in a building he barely knew. He was patiently waiting for the day where everything felt normal, even Zayn's glowing red eyes.
When they neared the back doors, Liam rubbed his hands together, already feeling the cold winter air seeping through the layers of hoodies.
Solana sat by the door on a bench as Zayn sprinted off to join his pack. Solana greeted him with a smile and offered Liam some of her warm drink. "Getting used to the wolves?" she asked.
Liam nodded, sitting next to her. At first, he glanced anxiously around, scared to connect the gaze of any other wolf because he struggled to make the connection that they were werewolves, and the humanity within would stop them attacking.
The longer Liam sat, the more he relaxed. The wolves were familiar with him. They know me, he reminded himself. Liam's eyes followed Zayn's wolf up and down the field. His wolf was bigger than everyone around him, and other wolves were quick to dart out of his way if he charged too close.
Occasionally, Zayn would turn to look at Liam, and Liam would think about waving until he remembered that Zayn couldn't wave back. So Liam sat next to a silent Solana, watching werewolves train.
My life is crazy, he thought, smiling to himself until he saw a face that planted fear into his very core.
Harry stared glumly from the bench on the opposite side of the door. Liam's heart soared with panic, until he remembered that Zayn would rip Harry to shreds if he looked at him in an odd way.
The longer Liam stared at him, the more he noticed how sad Harry looked. Sad, and tired, and fearful of the field full of wolves.
Liam soon felt obliged to speak to the only other human in the institute. The bravery had risen from a place Liam didn't find often. Their current situation gave him more of a chance to connect to his former bully.
"Hey," Liam said timidly. Harry didn't even turn his head.
"Um... h-how are you?" Harry didn't answer. Liam followed his gaze to the wolves. His eyes caught Zayn instantly as he roughly fought with a black wolf with silver swirling eyes.
"It's weird, isn't it?" Liam fiddled with the ends of his hoodie sleeves. "I-looking at wolves like this after- you know."
Harry then looked away from the field and stared blankly. "Fuck off Liam."
Liam should have expected such a response, but in the back of his mind, he always hoped that one day Harry would see that they went through the same pain. They could relate on un comfortable levels. Liam was okay with talking about his parents, but Harry's mind was still torturing him about his father's death every single day.
Liam didn't try to say anything else and turned back to face the field. Solana was watching him. Her dark eyes flicked to Harry, and her jaw tightened.
"That boy will get what's coming to him if he's not careful," she muttered. "Zayn will protect every inch of you, even your feelings."
Liam's eyes shadowed his big wolf trotting proudly through the wolves. He didn't doubt that, not even for a second. Zayn was very protective of him, and so far, had made that very clear.
Liam only worried about the lengths Zayn would go to in order to guard him. Liam had lived with Harry and his foul behaviour for years. He could cope with his bad attitude, but Zayn could barely cope with one nasty glare.
Liam worried that one day, a nasty glare would cost Harry his life.