After food, exhaustion immersed them all. Leo had curled up on a bed and had slept for almost thirty minutes. Liam offered to help his parents wash and get changed, but they insisted that he rest because he was injured.
Omega's helped them instead, and Zayn tucked Liam into the bed opposite his father.
He sat on the side, leaning over Liam, making sure he was comfortable. "I'll see if Thea has medics. Your mum has a bad cough, and your ankle might need some support."
Liam pulled the duvet to his chin. Now that he was lying down with a belly full of vegetable soup, his limbs were heavy, and his eyelids wanted to close.
"I should get Thea and tell her about dad. She might be a mega bitch, but she needs to know her brother is alive."
Liam nodded. "So, you understand why I need to tell Harry about what his parents were really up to?"
Zayn nodded. "You can tell him, but I'll be there. I don't trust him enough to be alone with you under the circumstances.
"Fine, but don't spend the whole time glaring at him."
"Okay, I will."
Liam chuckled and reached out for Zayn's face. Zayn bent his arms on either side of his waist, so Liam could cup his cheeks.
"Don't forget to rest too," he whispered.
"I'll come straight back after seeing Thea." Zayn didn't often admit that he was tired. He liked to push through and give the impression that he was some immortal werewolf machine. "I could always sleep in the car."
"Well, as long as you rest at some point. You ran all through the night last night."
"Fine. I'll rest when I'm back. The Omegas will stay in the meantime."
Liam knew he wouldn't sleep without Zayn right next to him. They had a traumatic time apart.
He opened his mouth but hesitated and smiled instead. "Don't be gone long."
"I won't." Zayn leaned closer and their lips brushed. His eyes fluttered closed, kissing him for longer. The gentle affection was enough for his deprived soul, for now.
Zayn then hugged him, burying his face into the side of Liam's neck. Liam's arms coiled his shoulders and squeezed him tightly.
"Get some sleep," Zayn whispered, reluctantly pulling away. He wanted to slide under the duvet and hold him for the rest of the day, submerged in his sweet scent.
When he turned around, his father quickly diverted his eyes, but he didn't hide his endearing smile. Zayn helped him through the room. His father was very weak on his legs and used most of Zayn's strength to get him from foot to foot. He didn't have any shoes or socks, but Xavier assured Zayn that his feet would be fine.
They slowly wandered the corridors, looking for Thea.
"I don't know how Thea will react," Zayn admitted.
"There will be some tears I'm sure. How did she handle my death?"
Zayn's eyes flicked to his dad, still struggling to believe that he was really there, right next to him, with a breath in his lungs and life in his eyes. "She hates me."
Xavier frowned. "Did she blame you?"
"The whole North blamed me."
Xavier's scowl darkened. "That's exactly what Mira wanted. I'm glad she's dead."
Zayn agreed, stopping when he heard voices from a room down the hall.
"Sit me on this bench, my legs are struggling."
Zayn did as he was told and approached the nearby door, knocking loudly only once.
"What is it?" a voice asked from inside. Zayn glanced to his father who nodded for him to continue.
Zayn leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. "It's Zayn."
"What do you want?" Thea asked bluntly.
"I have someone here to-"
"If you're trying to sell me a Beta, you can think again. Your wolves are probably wanting to spy on me."
Zayn sighed. "I'm not."
"I'm busy. If it's not important, go back to your human mate."
Rage boiled in his veins. He felt angry eyes burning into the back of his head.
"Thea, I have something very important to-"
"And I said I'm busy. You're lucky I'm even letting you stay here, now do it quietly. Your human and Rogues are stinking out the place."
"Zayn" his father's voice grumbled behind him. When he turned, Xavier was silently seething.
"Take me to her."
Zayn aided him from the bench, muttering, "I told you she hated me."
Xavier was so angry, he did his best- with Zayn's help- to storm into the room.
Thea slammed her books down when the door creaked open.
"Zayn!" she yelled, "Will you just-"
Her yells dried up immediately when she saw that Zayn wasn't alone.
Her green eyes narrowed, recognising the face. She looked Xavier up and down until suddenly, the realisation flooded her face. She lifted a hand to her heart. Her eyes sparkled wide, and her mouth gaped open.
"X- Xavier," she stammered, stepping towards them.
"I was trying to tell you," Zayn said, glancing to his father. His anger had simmered at the sight of his sister. "He was in the caves."
"How?" she whispered, taking another step closer.
"Mira and Jaiden, that's how." Xavier and Thea hadn't been the closest of siblings but seeing him alive clearly meant a lot to her.
Thea's hand hovered over her red lips before she suddenly rushed to him, engulfing him in a hug. Xavier did his best to hug her back, but he was still displeased.
"The way you just treated Zayn, why?" he asked into her blonde curls.
Thea looked stunned to be asked. She struggled to find an explanation.
"Zayn's mate was taken from him, he has spent sleepless nights trying to get him back and you barely let him stay for a few hours. Why are you treating him this coldly?"
Zayn suddenly felt hypocritical. He hadn't wanted Thea and Brandon to stay when his mother wanted them to visit, though if they had gone through what he and Liam went through, he would have allowed them to stay for as long as they needed, or rather, Liam would have let them stay.
"I.." Thea's teary green eyes flicked to Zayn, and they hardened into the emeralds he knew too well. "He killed you."
"No, Jaiden and Mira killed me with humans. Why would you think... oh, you thought Zayn actually killed the Bedlam's Alpha's mate when he dropped her off the roof?"
"No" Zayn muttered, "she knew who Jiaden was."
Xavier's glare boiled. "Then why would you say that?!"
Thea tucked a blonde ringlet around her ear. Her tears dried as quickly as they appeared, but her hands still trembled. "How are you alive?"
"How is Zayn responsible for my death after you knew he was set up?"
Zayn stayed silent. Looking between his father and his aunt. He expected more sobs and another emotional breakdown, not tension after so long apart. They had never been close as brother and sister, and Zayn's father always hated those who didn't give his son the time of day, especially family.
"Zayn and I have never seen eye to eye, you know that" Thea said carefully.
"Zayn has had the worst two years of his life. The least you could offer him is some damn hospitality." Xavier stood up straighter. He towered over Thea, but he was frail and thin.
"Order enough cars to fit thirteen. We're going, now." Xavier couldn't storm away without Zayn's assistance, so Zayn took the liberty of slamming the door behind them. He paused before marching down the corridor.
"Are you sure we should leave now?"
"Yes. The rest can sleep in the car. By the sounds of it, our Pack needs us at home."
Zayn returned to the bedroom as fast as he could with such a frail person clinging to him. Liam was still awake, and the humans were only just leaving the bathroom with fresh clothes, clean hair, and clean skin.
Spenser had a shaved face, showing off
the cheeks he gifted Liam. His long wavy hair was pulled back into a ponytail.
"We're going," Xavier announced, which startled Leo from his sleep. "Thea has made it clear that we are not welcome."
Liam quickly scrambled out of bed.
"Really?" He stifled a yawn and rubbed his stinging eyes. "I thought she'd be pleased to see you."
"She was, but not before giving Zayn an earful, even after everything he has been through. And the uncertainty at home is making a lot of you anxious. The Pack needs their Alpha."
Zayn noticed the Omega's looking at both himself and his father. What would happen when they returned home, and his father regained his strengths? Zayn never wanted to be Alpha. His father was never meant to pass the role to him so quickly, but would he want it back?
"Let's go."
Omega's took over helping his father, so Zayn could carry Liam, but first, Liam limped to his parents and hugged them tightly now that they were clean.
Before, the smell was bad enough to make his eyes water. Now they smelt of the same floral soap that Xavier had used, and they looked much more comfortable in fresh clothes.
Zayn picked Liam up, this time, bridal style. Liam wrapped an arm around Zayn's shoulders and linked his fingers for extra support. Despite Zayn's exhaustion, he could still carry Liam like he carried a stack of books. Liam kept looking at Zayn as Zayn carried him.
"What are you looking at?"
"You" Liam whipsered then kissed Zayn's cheek oh-so-softly- and tucked his face in the crook of Zayn's neck and closed his eyes.
Cars were waiting for them outside the Packhouse. Thea and Brandon were not. A hundred wolves stood when they saw Zayn, but already, he could feel the attention shifting to his father.
"We're traveling home in cars," he stated, looking at the many glowing eyes. "I know you can keep up. Your protection won't be forgotten."
One howling Omega was all it took for the rest to join in. An exhilarating chorus of howls resonated in the grey skies, and Zayn felt shivers surging down his forearms.