TWENTY HUMAN YEARS LATER.
Paws crunched in the snow, making big tracks across the field as Zayn and his pack returned home from a long run. They skidded to a halt by the garden and changed into their human form so they could climb over the fence and run into the house before getting too cold.
"Jason," Zayn breathed, "I noticed how you joined the run three miles after we started. If you're late again, you can run by yourself for a week."
"Sorry Alpha," Jason said, resting hands on his knees to catch his breath.
"How did we do for time?" Zayn asked his dad who stood with a stopwatch.
"You're half an hour later than last week, but that's probably due to the snow and the fact that you're still ill" Ares shut the back door when an icy draft blew in.
"I'm not ill" Zayn said, trying to suppress a cough.
"You've spent the past four days in bed with the flu. This run will either help you or make you worse."
"I'm fine." Zayn moved through his pack and towards the stairs. Only when he was away from everyone, he unleashed a phlegm-based cough which grated his throat, then sneezed and blew his nose till it felt and looked red raw.
When he entered the bedroom, Liam was putting on some woolly socks.
"I heard you coughing your guts up," he said and pulled his head through a forest green knitted jumper that Athena made him a few winters ago.
"I'm fine." Zayn disappeared into the bathroom, and Liam rolled his eyes.
In the passing years, he learnt that Zayn is very stubborn about his health. Even on his deathbed, Zayn would probably convince everyone it was just a cold.
"You're getting into bed after your shower" Liam thought.
"I need to get on with my day. I'm getting better."
" You have nothing to do today. At least relax a little. Going on a ten-mile run wasn't a good idea."
Zayn popped his head out of the bathroom,
waiting for the water to turn hot.
"Will you stop worrying. You haven't been ill since your human days; I think you've forgotten what it feels like to have the flu. I'm not dying."
"And I think you forget how I can feel what you're feeling. You're ill, so stop trying to be tough and just wait it out like everyone else." Liam crossed his arms with a raised brow. "I just want you better."
"Li, I know what I'm doing, so just let me get on with it." Zayn shut the door, leaving his mate to stand by himself in the bedroom.
"Love you," he thought and listened to Liam's chuckle.
"I'll be back in fifteen minutes. If you're not in bed when I return, there will be consequences."
"You're all talk and no bark Liam Payne." Zayn turned and almost jumped out of his skin when his mate was in front of him.
"Don't test me," Liam said, smiling through his fake annoyance.
"Jesus." Zayn covered his heart and sat on the side of the bath. "I hate it when you do that."
Liam rested his hand on Zayn's forehead with a frown.
"You're burning up again. Get in the shower please."
"You're so bossy when I'm ill."
"Oh, so you are still ill" Liam pulled him up and guided him across the bathroom. "Please, I'm so restless when you feel like this."
"I know, I know," Zayn mumbled and turned, stealing a kiss.
Liam blushed and squeezed his shoulder, feeling the same spark of affection that he has felt for years.
"I'm gonna see if Haz is coming to the bonfire tonight. I'll see you in bed in fifteen minutes, okay?"
"Yes, fine," Zayn sighed barely having time to blink before his mate was gone again.
Liam landed outside his brother's room and knocked on the door. He waited for a minute or two, before lifting his hand to knock again, but the door swung open, and Harry glanced up with messy hair and trousers.
"Hey," Liam said as Harry leant against the door frame and he spotted someone else in his room.
"Olivia is here by the way" Harry yawned, and Olivia waved at Liam from the bed.
"Can I talk to you for a minute," the God said, now looking irritated.
"What's up?"
"In private."
Harry stepped into the hallway and shut the door behind him.
"What are you doing?" Liam hissed. "She's not allowed here."
"Why not?"
"You know why. She's a human and can't know about any of us. This house is where we don't have to hide. What if she saw Micah's wings, or me teleport, or Louis' wolf?"
"Then I'd tell her everything. I think she'd understand."
"Haz" Liam started to fidget. "I know you like her, but it's too dangerous."
"You're right; I do like her. Why should I get to watch you be with Zayn forever and I'm not allowed to date, anyone. I can't be with a human because they can't know that I've been a nineteen-year-old for twenty years, and I can't be with a werewolf in case they find their mate while I'm with them. I don't want to be alone Li. It's unfair."
"It is unfair, but you never pick anyone we can trust-"
"Why can't you trust Olivia ?" Harry had woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
Recently, he has been in a rebellious stage, feeling too frustrated about being the only human in the house.
"Because..." Liam was thinking carefully about his word choice.
"Well?"
"Because n-nobody likes her."
Harry rubbed his eyes and clenched his jaw.
"Li, you're my brother, and I love you, but let me be happy for once."
"You're not happy," Liam said quietly crawling back into his shell. "Everyone can see that you're struggling, but you won't talk about it, you just act out, and it isn't like you."
"I'm too tired to argue, I'll see you later." Harry returned to his bedroom, shutting himself away from those who care about him.
Liam teleported to the kitchen, surprising Ares who almost dropped his pizza.
"I'm never gonna get used to that," he chuckled.
"You okay?"
"Olivia's here."
Ares groaned and dropped the tray onto the counter. "Everyone, there's an oblivious human upstairs, so don't let her get suspicious."
Louis walked over with narrowed eyes. "Is that Olivia ?" he asked with a mouth full of food, and Liam nodded. "I hate her."
"Don't we all" Ares said, earning a scowl from Eirene. "What? You can't deny that Harry has picked some awful people. I mean, he dated Alya."
"There's something wrong with him. He's lonely," Eirene said.
"We'd help him if he didn't spend all of his time pushing people away." Louis rested his chin on his hand, looking glum. Even after twenty years, and watching Harry go through a few disastrous relationships, he is still hopelessly in love with the human.
"He'll grow out of it, as long as we're here for him when he reaches rock bottom, all will be okay" Ares said.
"We do need to have a word with him though. He can't keep bringing humans into this house without telling us." Eirene looked thoughtful. "He's reaching out and showing us how he feels isolated by breaking the rules."
"I'll talk to him," Vincent said behind Liam, making his son jump. "He won't reach rock bottom. I won't let that happen."
"Neither will I" Louis added. "Though can you tell him not to bring Olivia to the bonfire? I'll end up accidentally knocking her into the fire-"
"Okay," Ares frowned, holding up his hands. "Don't do that."
"I said accidentally. I can't control me feet sometimes."
Everyone chuckled, but hearts ached for Louis. The Beta wolf's heart clearly broke whenever Harry dated someone. They understood that the human couldn't be single forever all because a werewolf has a burning crush on him.
"I'll tell him not to bring her," Vincent said, patting Louis' back and turning to Liam, but he had already disappeared into his bedroom.
Zayn was curled under the duvet wearing thick joggers, a jumper, and a hat.
Liam could see him shivering.
"Going for a run was a bad idea," Zayn mumbled, watching his mate lie next to him.
"Yeah no shit! Just a few more days and you'll be okay again."
"I hope so. I hate winter." Every couple of years, Zayn get's sick, and it's always in the coldest season. He shuffled closer and rested his head against Liam's chest, feeling his warmth and listening to his heartbeat.
"Did you sleep okay last night?" questioned his mate.
"Not really. Do you mind if I take a nap?"
"Of course not." Liam sank further down, letting Zayn's head rest against his shoulder. He could feel the werewolf's ill body trembling and hoped with all his heart that he would start to feel better soon. "I'll be right here when you wake up."
When a mate is ill, it is difficult for the healthy wolf to concentrate on anything else. Liam needs to be with Zayn every minute of the day. He has to take care of him because Zayn craves Liam's comforts more when he's not feeling right.
Liam closed his eyes when the sun poked through the clouds and into the room. His eyelids were heavier than usual, and maybe he should use this as an opportunity to sleep too. He'll need it if he's going to be up late at the bonfire.
"I forgot about that" Zayn mumbled. "What time are people getting here?"
"Not until much later. Don't worry. If you're not up for it, you don't have to go." Once a month, Ares arranges a get together between everyone's packs and their families. It was nice to get to know everyone over the years. It took Liam a while to want to go to one.
Everyone wanted to talk to him, take pictures with the God, and ask him every question they could think of, and the one enquiry he has grown to hate is 'can I see your powers?. It got bearable over the years as they became used to him, but sometimes he wanted to be left alone.
"If we're just sitting by the fire, I don't mind. It'll be warm, and dad has bought a lot of garden heaters now."
"And there will be a lot of food."
Zayn chuckled softly, moving his face harder against Liam's neck.
"I'm looking forward to that part"
Liam smiled, pulling the duvet up to their chins.
"Sleep now, your body needs the rest," he whispered, pressing his lips against his hot forehead.