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It has been a whole year since Louis was here last time. The small town of Adora, where his pack has been located for centuries, hadn't changed even a bit. He places his suitcase with the few belongings he has in it on the pavement and looks at his house.
Even though it looked old he had still missed it. His mother always took care of the flowers in their front yard, watering and planting colourful ones adding some life to the greyish landscape. It looks well preserved, even though that house has to be at least one hundred and fifty years old. He looks at the little swing his father set up at the old oak tree they have in front of their house. He remembers it so distinctly; his father, Robert, had tied what little rope he could find and had put one of the old cushions his grandma had sewed when she had been young, for Louis to sit on.
The rope was still there, even though Louis doubted it could carry him any longer, but still, it was good to see it still there reminiscing the days he was young, innocent and so full of love for his family and life.
He lets out an exasperated sigh and grabs the handle of the old greenish suitcase in his hand. It was late in the afternoon, and his mum should be at home by now. He had sent a letter to her a few weeks ago that he would come home back soon even though he hadn't particularly said when. He had saved enough money working at his school's cafeteria for a train ticket and he had gone every day at the train station for the past four days to find a cheap ticket that would send him home.
He walks slowly towards the front door, his heart beating faster with each step since in a few minutes he will see the faces he had missed so much and hear the voices he hadn't heard in such a long time. If his pack was a little more modern, he would have been able to hear his mother's sweet voice through a mobile phone, but, the Imperium pack didn't believe in them.
To a lot of people, one year may not look as such a long time, but that wasn't Louis' case. He has always been so close to his family and would have never been separated from them voluntarily. Poverty and so little possibilities as an omega man, made him take the choices he had taken.
When his father died he had left behind his wife, Catherine, and his two kids, Louis and Noelle. Catherine, an omega, could find easily a job when her husband died and with him their only source of income. But, unfortunately, in their pack omegas and betas weren't paid equally as alphas.
Louis had been an excellent student at his school, and when he came of age he had been able to snatch a scholarship at one of the best universities in the country. Unfortunately, uni lasted four years, so instead of following his dreams, he had applied for a course a few towns away to become an assistant. The course lasted only one year, and since Louis had been a top student, his studies were covered by the course.
He rasps his knuckles against the hardwood and waits patiently for one of his family to open it. A few seconds pass until the door opens with a screeching sound that is definitely not good for the ears. He looks at the tired eyes of his mother and a big smile spreads on her face immediately. She tackles her son in a hug, kissing his face everywhere she can and cries at the same time.
"Mum... you're crushing me," the omega says, his voice muffled from her hair all over his face. It's calming breathing in her smell after a long time and he doesn't want to let go of her ever again.
"My baby, I missed you so much. Can't believe that you're finally here," she wipes quickly her tears away, the bags under her eyes more prominent than when he left.
He knows his mother must have overworked herself to the bone, providing for Noelle and herself. Their situation hasn't improved a bit since Louis left, but now that he has a degree he hopes he will change that.
She grabs his suitcase even when her son protests a few times, placing it in their living room and then she hurries Louis to their sofa. Its colour is a washed beige now, worse than before but Louis doesn't want to think about that right now. He is finally in his mother's arms and wants to enjoy that while he can.
"How are you?" He asks her as soon as he sits beside her. His mother keeps looking everywhere over his body as if she will find a scar or something else.
"Oh, same old," she waves him away pursing her lips slightly, "Tell me, how have you been, kid?"
"I'm fine mum, just a bit tired from the trip. I couldn't wait to get home and see you and Noe. Where is she by the way?" He looks around the living room as if he can get a glimpse of his little sister.
"She's out with Bertha and Chloe. They went to the ice cream parlour, poor girls have nowhere else to go in this goddamn place." Catherine huffs, patting her son's knee.
"How has she been?" He asks immediately. Louis knows that if he didn't ask about his sister's health his mother wouldn't tell him. He knew she did it to not stress him further, but there hadn't been a single moment that Noe hadn't been in his mind.
The male omega sees a slight hurt flicker in his mother's eyes, but she immediately smiles to push it away, "She's been a bit better these days. Her friends take her out when she finishes school, and I sewed her a dress a few weeks ago. We're doing our best to keep her happy."
Louis hugs his mum again, a few tears rolling down his cheeks when he thinks about the situation his little sister is in. Noe never spoke about her illness, being so brave for a little girl and encouraging her family to keep moving forward. Before Louis moved away she had promised that she wouldn't let her disease win, and until now she had kept it.
"I can't wait to see her. Has she cut her hair or has she raised it even longer than she already had?" Louis asks after a couple of seconds, giving his mother a wet laugh. He wants to change the topic because he is sure his mother has been dealing with that stress alone for a long time now.
"She's actually raised it even longer. I wanted to cut it a few months back, but she absolutely refused, saying that her hair was the only thing beautiful about her."
Louis narrowed his eyes, "Are we talking about the same girl?"
"I know, right?" His mother smiles but then furrows her brows as if she remembered something.
"What is it?" Louis asks immediately.
Catherine takes a deep breath before she speaks, "Uh, you know how she turned sixteen two months ago?"
Louis knows. He had made sure to buy her a shirt with his savings. He had received back a letter with one hundred thank you's in it. It was hard for them to find, let alone buy new clothes especially in their pack which was as if it was isolated from the rest of the world.
He widens his eyes in realisation when his mother keeps giving him a knowing look, "Did she present?"
Catherine gives him one court single nod before Louis continues, "Is she an alpha?"
"How did you know?" His mother asks after a gasp.
Louis smirks, "It's not that difficult to not know, mum. Besides, the house leaked of an alpha's scent when I entered. I didn't say anything at first because I was hoping you had found someone special."
"Ugh," Catherine rolls her eyes, "As if. I am too busy making sure we have something to eat to deal with all that."
Louis gives her a fond smile and takes her hand between his, "Mum, you know you still have time, right? I know after dad died you only focused on raising Noe and I, but you have a life of your own too. One day Noe and I will find our own mates, and I don't want you to stay here all alone waiting for our visit once a week."
His mother's eyes well up, and he gives her a quick kiss. Catherine is a warrior, and Louis is so proud to call himself her son. She is an omega that kept moving forward when her alpha died. A lot of people had been worried of how they would continue with their life after the alpha of the house died, but his mother proved everybody wrong by being able to raise her children on her own.
She squints her eyes at her son after a minute and then she grabs the collar of his shirt and exposes his collarbone.
Louis is startled and moves back but she gets in his face stepping closer, "Louis William Tomlinson, was that your way of telling me you found a mate?"
Louis widens his eyes, "What?! Mum, no! I was just thinking about you, there was no malice in my intentions."
The woman eyes him up and down, "Should I trust you?" She raises her eyebrow.
The male omega laughs, putting his hands on her shoulders and massaging them. "Relax, please. I promise I haven't found a mate. Besides, you would have smelled them on me if I had. And, I really didn't have time, what with my course and job. I only had time to study, eat and sleep. Couldn't even if I wanted, which I don't."
"You're nineteen, kid. There is no better time than right now." She rubs his arm.
Louis scoffs, "Where do you suggest I find one, mum? Here? Never in a million years. Alphas of Adora think that omegas are only good for breeding and cooking. Dad was one of the few exceptions."
Catherine opens her mouth to talk but then presses them together and just nods. She can't even say that Louis is wrong because he isn't. She more than anybody else knows that Louis is right. Either way, that doesn't mean that she isn't hoping that her son someday will find someone suitable for him.
Louis knows his mother wants to find the proper words to give him a reply, but she can't. So he spares her the trouble and gets up from where he is.
"Do you mind if I go to my room and rest for a bit? I'm knackered," he says with a sigh, rolling the sleeves of his shirt. It's hot in there.
Adora is a city where rarely rains, eleven months out of twelve there is hot and people don't even own coats or cloaks. That's a good thing though since they don't have the money for wood to keep them warm if it ever got cold.
"Sure, baby. I'll make you a sandwich and bring it to you. Go rest." His mum gets up with him and pats his back.
"Thank you," Louis says with a tight-lipped smile, "If Noe comes, please tell me immediately. I have a small gift for her."
His mother shakes her head in fondness, and just hugs him again, feeling so proud of him, and so proud of herself for raising a son like Louis.
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The Styles house pack is situated just outside of the city. It's the home of the six members of the council, Harry Styles the son of the ex-leader, being one of them. Imperium is one of the strongest packs of their country, alas poor.
Their main source of income is their earth products, in which most of the pack is employed in that field, and their river. They're specialised in fighting too. They're strong and do not fear if rogue alphas threaten to attack.
Harry is currently on the first floor of their house, walking down the hallway to their meeting hall. Niall, his soon-to-be second in command is walking beside him. Even though the boy moved here a few years back from Ireland with his family, meaning that he is not local, Niall has proved to be one of the most loyal friends to Harry alongside with Liam.
"The members are waiting for your coronation, alpha," Niall says as they walk. "We have a few crucial topics to talk about today, in which we cannot proceed without your authorisation."
"Good," Harry says, chin up and his back straight. His hair was cut short just a few days ago. An alpha with long hair can't be taken seriously by the eldest members of their pack. The last thing Harry wants is for somebody to doubt his abilities as a leader, not even for something as unimportant as hair.
The door opens and closes with a thud, all four alphas in their room getting up and bowing their heads in his presence. He motions for them to sit down and sits in the head of the table.
Liam comes to his side bowing once again before he puts in front of him the papers Harry will sign alongside his father's name.
"With the deepest respect and pleasure, we accept you as our leader alpha Styles." He pats Harry's shoulder and the latter one nods once.
"From a young age, you have shown to be one of our most fearless warriors, with the ability to lead us where victory is certain. The eldest members of our pack did not hesitate to nominate you as our next Leader, hoping you will continue what your father left behind. In sorrow and sadness, we will always remember his name as one of the most capable heads this pack has ever had." Liam continues.
He brings out the Sacred Manual, filled with pictures and signings of ex-Alpha Leaders Imperium has had. The brown-eyed alpha opens the manual to the designated page, and Harry looks at his father's picture at first as well as his signature at the side.
He sees his picture too beside Desmond's, far younger than his father had been when he had taken that role.
"Is anyone here against this decision? Speak now, and elaborate your reasons."
Silence fills the room, where no one dares to say a single word. Harry looks at each of their faces, waiting for a minuscule sign that might show opposition, but he sees none.
"Very well," Liam continues. "Before we sign as a tradition, I will read to you the oath one must take before our Leader takes such responsibility."
All of the members, including Harry, bow their head and clasp their hands on top of the table in respect of the oath.
"A leader is one who has love for the tradition of their pack. A leader is one who no fear is shown in their eyes in front of a threat. A leader is one who vows to put his pack's problems before their own. Harry Edward Styles, son of Desmond Styles previous Leader of Imperium, do you accept to take this role and guide us to wealth, safety and richness?"
"I accept," Harry immediately responds, no doubt shown behind his words.
"Please, alpha," Liam displays the Sacred Manual in front of him. "Sign here."
Harry takes the pen on his table, signing his initials while his left hand is over his heart.
The members of the council stand up and say in unison, "Long live, Harry. The twenty-eighth leader of Imperium, and may his wisdom bring us prosperity."
All of them get in front of him to bow and shake his hand before sitting in their designated seats once again.
"Before you go," Harry announces, "I have a few decisions to make, in which I hope I will have your acceptance."
The green-eyed alpha gets up and walks towards where Niall is sat, "I have thought about this for a couple of days," he says putting his hand on Niall's shoulder, "And I have decided that Niall would be an amazing choice as a second in command. If I were to not be able to attend to your needs, you may go to him and word your troubles."
"We accept," Troy, one of the youngest acclaims.
"Very well," Harry continues. "And now for the fighting classes, Liam is an excellent choice. His amazing skills have always stood out amongst others, so I certainly know you will not feel any displeasure in this decision either."
Liam looks at him with wide eyes, and Harry nods his way in reassurance.
"My decisions for this first meeting are the above mentioned. We will have another one on Saturday to talk about other points to discuss. I wish you a good day. Niall, you may stay."
All the rest of his men bow before they leave. He waits until he is alone to talk to Niall. He sits on his chair once again, and Niall stands up with a small notebook in his hand.
"Talk to me, Niall," Harry says as soon as the Irish Alpha stands up.
"Regarding you not having a mate yet," Niall swallows, "We have thought of a temporary fix to the solution."
"Proceed."
"Until our Leader finds a suitable bond-mate, we have thought of hiring an assistant for you. They will help in fixing meetings with your council, with your pack. They will help with arranging meetings with neighbouring packs. They will help with arranging documents and problems of sorts."
Harry looks out the window, pensive, "You think we have need for an omega to do such arrangements?"
"Affirmative, alpha. Of course, as I said 'til you find your own mate as you know this duty will pass to them then." Niall shows the notes to his leader.
"Very well. Spread the word and prepare a few flyers. By the end of next week, we must have found one. Hopefully a capable one."
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Am I really starting a new book when I already have two other ones going on? Apparently, I am.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this first chapter. I know it may not look very exciting, but I promise it gets so much better. Give it a chance, pretty please :P.