Liam felt Zayn close behind him, and he couldn't help but to feel irritated. He wanted to yell and cry and tell Zayn everything he disliked about him in that current moment, but wolves were close, and they had to be quiet and move quickly. They jogged over a narrow human-made path and down a steep slope. Liam almost tumbled headfirst to the rocks below, but Zayn grabbed his rucksack, pulling him closer.
When they were down the slope, Liam shoved him off and took the lead again.
"This way," Zayn said, moving left towards a stream. "The Packhouse is this way."
Liam followed him with a scowl. They ran along the stream for a while. Liam occasionally glanced to Zayn, waiting for the signal that they were safe, but that signal didn't arrive for miles.
"Alright" Zayn said, a little out of breath and with soaked shoes, "they don't smell close anymore."
They pulled away from the stream and entered the thicker part of the forest where the trees were knobbly and twisted. Dashes of orange scattered Liam's vision, and brown and red leaves covered the woodland floor. The start of autumn was a magical time for the forest. Thick blankets of green moss covered the rocks and roots of ancient trees, colours of greens, yellows, oranges and reds stretched as far as Liam could see. The sun peeked through the branches, casting golden spotlights all over the ground.
Liam wished he could enjoy the sight, but he was more focused on his anger towards Zayn. At least the fresh air calmed him. It had rained through the night, and the sweet smell of life eroded all around him.
They passed a huge oak tree with thick distorted branches spreading out like a giant wooden hand clawing from the earth. Liam would have loved to climb it, yet his days had taken a more serious turn. He could not forgive Zayn so easily. If he did, Zayn would never learn that the consequences of his actions hurt Liam tremendously.
"How far away are we from the Institute?" Liam asked, feeling Zayn's eyes on him.
Zayn hated when he called the Packhouse 'the Institute', but Liam felt as though it wasn't his home, not right now.
"Just over a mile." Zayn could tell judging by the smells, and he knew the woods very well. The silence dug into Zayn like a blade to his throat. He knew he had a lot of apologising to do, but his words would not come, and that seemed to anger Liam more.
When they were only half a mile from the Packhouse, a permanent frown sat between Liam's brows. His lips curled into unfamiliar sadness.
"What were you doing far from the Packhouse?" Zayn asked eventually.
Liam not only kept his hands to himself, but he made sure at least a metre was always between them. His hostile behaviour churned Zayn's stomach. Now Zayn understood how much it ached.
"I was looking for you, and partially running away. I don't feel wanted there." Liam thought back to the Omega Wolves in his safe space.
"Who is making you feel unwanted?"
"You."
Zayn tried to make eye contact. Liam only stared ahead with his stubborn frown.
"I don't mean to-"
"But you still do it, don't you? You still belittle me in front of your pack, teaching them that it's okay for them to do the same. You have no idea how much that separates me from you and your pack."
Our pack, Zayn thought sadly. "I just got angry."
"You always do," Liam muttered.
"I'm sorry."
"That's not enough this time."
Liam's sourness pressed the cold blade harder against Zayn's throat. "What do I have to do?"
Zayn's deep voice sounded small in the big forest. Liam then looked at him, and the clear disappointment stirred his wolf within. Zayn was brittle under such a miserable stare.
"Get your fucking act together. If I weren't tied to you by this bond, I would have broken up with you for the way you treat me. But unfortunately, I can't leave you because in some twisted way I love you too much. You decide if this is a curse for me or not. Most humans would dream of having a soulmate, I know I did, but this is not what I imagined, and it's your fault."
The Packhouse soon broke through the trees. Zayn felt relieved until he saw the birds swarming the field.
"I can change," he said glumly, thinking of Niall.
"I've heard that before, but you never show me that you can." Liam not once rose his voice. He wanted to yell, though he knew that would push Zayn further into his shell.
"How do I know it'll be different this time?"
"Because I really mean it."
"Really?"
Zayn nodded.
"I don't believe you."
"Liam" Zayn sighed and reached for his arm, but Liam jolted away from him like his touch was disgusting.
"No" Liam said sternly, still, his voice was not loud.
"You don't get any of me until you stop picking when you want me and when you don't. Love me always, or not at all. If you don't change this time, I will figure out how to live without you."
Zayn felt the cold emptiness seeping in. Their bond was stretched to its limits. If he messed up again, Liam would leave and never come back. It would hurt, of course, but Liam's mental strength was beyond what Zayn could only dream of having. Liam would cope with living apart if he had to. The thought quivered Zayn's lip, but Liam didn't see. He could barely look Zayn in the eye without showing his frustration.
"I promise I'll change." Zayn desperately followed him down the slope and onto the wolf-made path leading towards the gate.
"Don't make promises you can't keep."
With that said, Liam pressed on, waiting in front of Zayn for the gate to open. He didn't want to be back at the institute, but at least he was returning with Zayn instead of sulking back because he was scared to be alone in the woods.
Liam marched down the pebbled path. Zayn didn't try to stop him again or speak to him. He didn't even follow Liam inside but diverted to the field instead. Liam held his head high, though he was slightly shocked that nobody had noticed he had gone.
Baela was storming down the corridor with the home phone as he passed the games room.
Wolves watched Zayn walk past the window before they started whispering.
"You were gone?" Baela asked, staring wide eyed at his jacket and rucksack.
"Yes. I found Zayn." Liam passed her with a solemn look.
"Liam! You can't leave like that without telling us! Zayn would have killed someone if he returned to find that you were gone and none of us knew where or when you left."
Liam frowned. "I'm not responsible for him anymore."
Baela followed him down the corridor. "What happened?" she asked. "I'm glad he's back, but did you um... lose it like I did? Did you argue? I hope you gave him a good telling off at least."
"Baela," Liam said gently, stopping by the stairwell. "I made it clear that I want nothing to do with him until he changes. He thinks that I think he can't change, hopefully that'll light a spark in him again."
Liam's head started to pound. "He's devastated about what happened, I know that much. I didn't ask why he didn't come back last night, and I don't think I care right now."
Baela nodded. "Go and get some rest. We will make sure he doesn't leave again, even if we have to pin him down." She smiled and opened the heavy wooden door for him. "I suppose I'll have to face him soon too. I punched him in the face, I doubt that'll be taken lightly."
Liam agreed with a low hum. "If this helps, you left a bruise."
"That does help actually." Baela shut the door behind Liam, and he saw her smile drop. She was worried, but Liam doubted that Zayn had the energy to be mad. He had no right to be mad, not after what he had done.
Zayn entered the bedroom fifteen minutes after Liam. He froze in the door when Liam was shoving clothes into his backpack.
"W-What are you doing?" he asked, anxiously looking down the corridor. He didn't want to face his mother yet.
Please don't leave he wanted to say.
"I'm moving to a different bedroom," Liam said with a heavy heart. "I hope you know why I can't forgive you yet."
"You don't have to move bedrooms. I can sleep on the couch."
"No. I want a few days away from you, this building is big enough to avoid each other. It'll be good for us." Liam zipped up the bag and slung it over one shoulder.
There was an empty Omega room on the second floor that Liam would stay in, and the room was surrounded by the Omegas that were a part of his running team, so he knew they wouldn't mind him being there.
Liam didn't know how long he would need to stay away from Zayn until he realised how lonely his life would be with nobody in it, especially without him in it. He hoped he would only need a few days for Zayn to get it together, but he was prepared for it to take longer for Zayn to see what he was really missing. Liam was prepared to help Zayn in any way he could, but only when Zayn showed him he was ready for the help.
"Oh," Liam said after leaving the room. Zayn's shattered eyes cut his heart so deeply, Liam could only stare at the wooden floor. The tension between them didn't sit right, like it wasn't meant to be. Liam doubted soulmates were ever this angry at each other, but Zayn Malik was a broken soul.
"Please tell your Omegas to get the fuck out of my library"