A day had passed and 'tense' was an understatement when talking about the atmosphere in the house.
Ashton was angry, angry the girl had found out and that Luke was being (or at least seemed to be) so indifferent about it. It made him glare at everyone but his girlfriend, because he knew he couldn't be mad at her. Unless she really did something wrong, but he doubted that. And after she told him about what had happened between her and Valeria after the revelation, he no doubt knew who to choose.
Luke was on his toes, avoiding Ashton at all costs and definitely avoiding him seeing him and Valeria together. He still went to the guest room, genuinely believing Valeria was scared of them and surprised by what had happened the day before. And so he wanted to soothe her, of course.
Then lastly Calum and Michael. Well, they had been kind of quiet. After Calum had kissed the youngest, they had gotten themselves lunch and stayed close to each other, cuddling a little and eventually having Michael fall asleep on the couch, on top of Calum. The Beta had almost coo-ed at how cute it was and had carefully placed the black haired boy in his own bed.
Once Michael had woken up that morning, doubt suddenly took over. What if Calum had just played with him and didn't like him like that or even at all? He would embarrass the boy in front of the pack and Michael would never live that down. But to his surprise, an arm went around his waist and pulled his body closer to another.
Though Michael's doubt didn't go away completely, he did turn around (pretending to be asleep) and cuddled closer to Calum. As long as he could have this, he would take it.
Michael almost fell asleep again, when Calum shifted a little. Afraid to open his eyes, he kept pretending to be sleeping, until he was sure Calum was asleep again. Or so he thought, really, because as he opened his eyes and looked up, his eyes widened at the sight. Calum was watching him, a soft smile on his face and his sleepy brown eyes happy. "Morning."
"U-uh, hi." Michael mumbled, getting a little flustered with the Beta's eyes on him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Calum bit his lip at the soft words of the boy in front of him, before moving a hand up to play with the black hairs on his head. "You're beautiful."
And if Michael wasn't red before, he definitely was now. He groaned lightly, burying his face in the other's chest. Calum simply chuckled, keeping his hand in the boy's hair and still playing with the strands. "I can't lie."
"'M not a girl."
"So? Beautiful can be used for guys too. Or at least in your case. I think it's just a compliment, just like handsome would be." Calum shrugged a little, his hand still in the boys hair but no longer moving. "But if you rather have me say handsome, I will."
Michael blinked at the Beta, his eyes slightly wide as he took in every word. How the heck had he never seen this side of him before? Calum was so nice and different and nice and just... nice. It was wonderful, nothing less, but it was just really suspicious. Michael just couldn't help but suspect a trick.
"It's fine." Michael mumbled, averting his eyes. Calum sighed quietly, putting a finger beneath the boy's chin and lifting his face a little, hoping they'd make eye contact. "Michael, I mean it. And... And strangely I know what you might be thinking, but I'm not tricking you. I genuinely like and care for you and I may not have shown that in the past, but I will now. I'm going to- I'm already trying to make it up to you and I'll continue until it's okay again."
Michael was speechless as he stared into the Beta's brown and caring eyes. His cheeks were still flooded with blush as he bit his lower lip at the words as it had started to tremble lightly. "But... I'm just the Omega of the pack. I'm nothing."
Calum frowned, shaking his head. "Michael, you're definitely not nothing. You're you and I couldn't wish for anything better. Sure, you might have a rough past, but I'm here for you, for in the present and the future. I won't let you down. I'll try my utmost best not to."
Michael swallowed the lump in his throat as tears threatened at his eyes. Another reason he hated himself. He cried easily. And as Calum's thumb rubbed his cheek carefully, while the Beta whispered the words 'it's all okay', he couldn't keep it in anymore. All his frustrations, insecurities, everything came out, along with the tears that had built up.
Calum frowned sadly at the boy's shaking form, pulling him against himself tightly and speaking soft and calming words. His hand went back to playing with the boy's hair, hoping it would have a soothing effect.
"Don't worry." Calum held the boy close, trying to find something in his head, hidden in all the memories he had. He wasn't sure if it did anything for the boy, but he tried it nonetheless, starting out soft, almost in a whisper. "Sometimes it all gets a little too much, but you gotta realize that soon the fog will clear up."
Michael's crying died down the moment he heard the Beta sing to him, tears still rolling down his cheeks and wetting the other's shirt, but he was listening. He felt his heart thump wildly at the soft and sweet voice singing to him.
"And you don't have to be afraid, because we're all the same." Calum looked down at the small boy in his arms, smiling comfortingly as he saw teary green eyes look his way. "And we know that sometimes it all gets a little too much."
Calum nuzzled his nose against the other's making a small smile appear on the boy's face, as the Beta continued, changing the lyrics slightly. "He would always tell himself he could do this. He would use no help, it would be just fine."
Michael noticed, a soft and short chuckle escaping him. It made the Beta grin widely as he sang the last few words he had planned to sing. "But when it got hard he would lose his focus. So take my hand and we'll be alright."
Calum took the boy's hand in his, smiling comfortingly at the still teary eyed boy. "You'll be alright."
Michael let out a soft breath, which sounded slightly like a huff. His smile was a little wider now, but his tears threatened to spill again. Though this time, it was for a different reason. The black haired boy simply moved his free hand along his eyes, wiping away anything that was there, before looking up at the Beta again. His small smile was slightly teasing as he spoke. "Didn't know you listened to Shawn Mendes."
Calum chuckled, shaking his head lightly. "My sister always listened to him. And she'd turn on the music so loud, the whole house could listen along. Hence why I know the words."
Michael smiled sadly, squeezing the Beta's hand softly. "You must miss her."
Calum returned the sad smile, avoiding the other's eyes as he nodded. "I do. A lot."
The black haired boy cuddled closer to the other again, trying to comfort the Beta. Calum took it gladly, using his free arm to hold the boy close. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine." Calum whispered, thanking whoever was up there mentally that his voice didn't crack with the few words. His heart was hurting at the moment, because of two reasons. Firstly he just couldn't believe Michael was in such a dark place and had been for a while, most likely. And secondly, only now he was reminded of how much he missed his family. He had managed to push it away mostly, but now, now he was reminded. And it hurt.
"Maybe we can visit them sometime. After all, two against one is better, right?" Michael proposed quietly, feeling the Beta's sadness wash over him like an all too familiar wave. He didn't know why he felt so strongly nor even why he felt it, but he did. And it made him sad too and all he wanted was to make the Beta better. "It might help."
Calum shook his head, his eyes clenched shut as he tried to stay strong. He was a Beta, he couldn't cry. Beta's were supposed to be strong and an example for the rest of the pack, just like the Alpha. Beta's had to take care of the others in the pack, putting them in the first place and themselves last. The pack before anything.
"Calum." Michael spoke quietly, watching the Beta with worry. It was as if he knew what he was thinking and he was definitely disagreeing. He saw how the Beta was holding himself back, trying to appear strong, while in reality, he was about to break down. The black haired boy frowned, carefully laying his free hand on the Beta's cheek, forcing his eyes to snap open and sadly stare into Michael's green ones. "It's okay to cry. To want to cry. Yes, you're the Beta, the example. But what kind of example would you be if you kept everything in? If you bottle everything up and stay with your strong front? You'd tell others to do the same and it isn't healthy. It's okay to cry."
And really, Michael had thought that seeing the Beta struggle like this was a sad sight. But he hadn't seen the thing that happened next just yet.
Calum's heart shattered, finally, as the tears started to leave his eyes. He shut them tightly again, mentally telling himself to stop. To stop being weak, to stop the tears, to stop it all. But the voice in the back of his head told him it was fine. That Michael was right and that it was okay to cry. To let it all out. To become better after it all.
"That's it." Michael mumbled, pulling the crying Beta close to himself and running his hand through the other's hair soothingly. "Just let it all out."
The black haired boy sniffled, clenching his own eyes shut as well, willing himself to not cry at the moment. He had to be strong until Calum was ready to be strong again. Right now, Calum needed this. And no matter their past, no matter what Calum had done to him, Michael accepted it and let Calum cry his heart out. Because that's what pack-members do for each other. No matter what, you care.
Downstairs in the same house, that sentence was a bit... well, also necessary. But Ashton didn't mind it at the moment, because he was angry. Still very angry the girl had found out. She was now officially a threat to them. Because after all, who knew who she'd tell? What she'd do? Anything.
So when he noticed Luke helping the girl to the kitchen -even though Ashton knew her ankle was pretty close to fine again- he followed them and took Luke by the arm once the blonde had let go of the girl. "What are you doing?"
Luke's eyes widened at the question, that sounded quite the bit like a growl. He then pushed Ashton off and pushed him away from the girl a bit. "Helping her out, obviously."
Ashton huffed, glaring at the blonde with crossed arms as he spoke lowly. "Like she needs it. And why does she even accept it? Already done with being scared? She's not to be trusted now, Luke."
The blonde narrowed his eyes at the Alpha, knowing full well it was dangerous, but he had planned to keep her close. Not because of the soulmate-thing (maybe a little, but like said before, the pack before anything), but because of another reason. If he was nice to her and showed her the safe side of the werewolves, she might not talk. She might keep the secret if she decided to leave and never return. Sure, that decision would make him sad, because she was still his soulmate. But as a soulmate you accept the other's decision. Just like with the pack.
"What I'm doing, Ashton, is keeping her close so she sees we're safe. That we mean no harm. That she sees no reason to betray us in case she leaves. She already knows and that's not something we can turn back. So we have to make sure now she keeps the secret. And with acting like you are, we won't assure that."
Ashton pursed his lips, knowing Luke was right. And he hated being wrong. But he accepted it. It wasn't like he could help it. But that he was wrong didn't mean he'd act differently to the girl. With the way he acted, he meant to show the girl she shouldn't fuck with them, because he wasn't about to accept that. And that he would do anything to ensure his pack's safety.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be doing what you should actually be doing. Meaning being nice to her." Luke huffed, turning around and walking back to the girl. Ashton let him, turning around too and walking away. He wasn't going to let a girl ruin everything and he wasn't done watching her. His pack was the most important thing to him and he wasn't going to stop at anything to keep his pack here and safe.
This was his pack and nobody should dare to try and change it in any way.