Chapter Text
The first face Louis sees after being a wolf for nine years belongs to Harry Styles.
It’s f*cking terrifying.
See, the thing about being a wolf is that almost every sense is fine-tuned to perfection. Louis can hear a branch crack from a mile away, smell hamburgers roasting at the diner from the middle of the woods, jump over a deep crevice like it’s a crack in the sidewalk.
But his sight f*cking sucks. Everything is gray and slightly fuzzy, squishing together into one colorless blob. Fortunately, Wolf-Louis never really noticed this (since you don’t really know what you don’t have until you’ve got it) until he’s tackled by a syrup brown wolf with a ground-trembling howl, and suddenly lying underneath him, stark naked and very unwillingly human, looking up into eyes a hue of green he doesn’t have a name for.
And, like, maybe he should be freaking the f*ck out and sprinting away to his den until he can change back or scratching the f*ck out of the-f*cker-who-tackled-him’s eyes. But he can’t. Or, well, he doesn’t want to.
Because it’s been so long, so long, since he’s seen eyes like that. Real, human eyes, filled with feelings and thoughts and worries and all that annoying other sh*t. And it’s hypnotizing and captivating in the best way.
It helps that the eyes are gorgeous, the color of the first plants after winter; it’s as if chartreuse, harlequin, and pistachio gave birth to a shade. Of all the colors in the world to see post-wolf, this isn’t too bad of one.
Whoever it is, they roll off of him immediately and began apologizing (“Sorry, sorry! I really didn’t mean to tackle you, honest, I just wanted to stop you running away, seriously, I’m so sorry”).
Also, the person is naked.
Also, they’re hot as f*ck. Like, maybe. Louis has been a wolf since he was eight, but he’s pretty sure tall, lean, muscular people with artfully curled brown hair and pouty lips and eyes are still considered hot. Oh, and f*ck, is that a dimple?
Either way, Mysterious-Hot-Wolf-Boy grins apologetically. “Sorry. Again! I mean, it really was an accident. But still, really sorry. I’m Harry by the way! Harry Styles. I work at the diner? Not that you would know that, because you’re, y’know, wolf, but. Sorry?”
He pauses to stare at Louis and that’s when Louis realizes that he can’t speak. That he hasn’t, for nine years. He can’t write either, and even if he could remember, it wasn’t like his second grade writing was legible in the first place. He feels a flare of panic in his chest as he realizes this, his fight or flight instinct kicking in.
Harry seems to notice, since he immediately says, “Oh god, sorry, can you... Can you understand me?”
Louis slowly nods his head. He’s crouched down though, ready to bolt at any second.
“Okay. Okay.” Harry seems encouraged by that. “Can you um, can you talk?”
Louis just stares at him. He could shrug, he should shrug, but something about that confirmation, Harry’s recognition that Louis is powerless in that way, is too terrifying to consider.
Harry takes it in stride, nodding and assuring him, “That’s fine. I, um, I have a friend who could help you maybe? ‘Cuz like, I’m kinda the alpha of this pack from town? We’re all like super chill, it’s not a big deal, but we have a Druid Emissary who could like, help you? He’s super chill too. Don’t worry. So… D’you wanna go?”
Frankly, Louis wants to scream at him, to tackle him and bark at him and run away. He wants to turn back into a wolf, to have a good-hearted tussle, or go back to his den, where he’s safe. He does not want to go into town, he does not want to meet this druid emissary (whatever the f*ck that is), and he definitely does not want to stay human for any longer then necessary.
Crouching there, Louis realizes he can’t do any of that. He never knew he was a wolf until suddenly, he was stuck in the body of one, for nine f*cking years. Even now, after a couple of minutes of being separated from that form, Louis can barely connect with the feeling of it. He can sense it, deep down inside, but it’s cowering away, refusing to surface. He tries to change back, think about his normal form, when he’s covered in fur and happy, but nothing happens.
He glances at Harry warily, who’s fidgeting and watching Louis carefully. If this kid says he’s kinda-the-alpha of his pack and his howl is strong enough to transform Louis, then he’s willing to bet that Harry is an alpha (which Louis figures means leader/boss man, not that he’d know exactly. He did his endangered species project on elephants, not wolves). That would make him hard to beat even if Louis were in wolf form, and as a human… Well, it’d just be best not take his chances.
There is always the possibility, of course, that Harry would let Louis bolt away and not fight it, but even then there’s also the chance that Louis might not be able to transform back on his own. Which would leave him stranded alone in the middle of the woods, human and totally helpless.
So. It appears his best option is to go see this druid, whatever that is, and as soon as he can talk, demand to be switched back.
He nods carefully at Harry from where he is staring at him, and the boy lights up.
“Really? You’ll meet him? That’s awesome, mate. He’ll sort you out in no time. Not that you need to be sorted out. You’re perfect the way you are. I mean--sorry. Are you okay with me driving you? My truck is like half a mile away.”
Louis nods one last time, still on edge, and follows Harry into the woods.
♒
Two hours later, Louis is hunched over in the a booth in the back of Harry’s diner, sipping out of a full mug of hot chocolate and watching Harry and the cute, blond waitress who gave him his drink whisper heatedly from the kitchen.
Apparently they’ve forgotten that he’s a (were?)wolf and can hear everything they’re saying, loud and clear. At least it’s comforting to know that not all his wolfy skills are gone.
He takes a sip of his hot chocolate and keeps listening.
“But how on earth did you find him?” The blonde hisses. Louis is pretty sure her name is Perrie, if read her name card right. He idly wonders if she’s a wolf too.
“I was meditating again. It was a different part of the forest than usual, and I was up in a tree. He must have just missed my scent.” Harry scrubs his hands across his face.
“But we’ve been tracking his scent for months! And all of a sudden you just stumble upon him?”
“Well.. Yeah?”
“I don’t like it, Harry. It feels wrong. With Tulisa’s pack missing, we can’t take any risks.”
“Maybe you’re just being paranoid?”
There’s an incredulous pause from Perrie, and then she’s snorting and saying, “Yeah, Harry. Good plan. Don’t trust the gut instinct of the banshee.” Oh joy. Another thing to add to the List of sh*t Louis is Confused About. The f*ck is a banshee?
“Look, Pez, I know this sounds weird, but he--he feels important. Like, I just know. And if you had seen him in the woods, he was bloody terrified. He was trying to change back, I could feel it and he couldn’t run away even though he was trying, and just. Please believe me on this?” Louis ignores the twinge in his stomach and the heat on his cheeks when Harry says he’s important. The hot chocolate is making him feel very warm, that’s all.
Louis hears Pez sigh. “Haz. I believe you, of course I do. But, just be careful, alright? We can’t very well have our alpha going and getting killed.”
Harry pouts and mumbles, “I’m offended by the accu-”
He’s cut off as someone loud, blond, and boisterous smashes through the doorway. Back in elementary school, Louis would have adored him. Here now, though, he looks like a living embodiment of Louis’s personal hell.
“Oi! Harry! You best have a good reason for calling me because I’m ditching a date with Barbara f*cking Palvin to be here!” He shouts, ignoring the dirty looks the two patrons besides Louis in the diner shoot him.
“Niall!” Harry pops up, face looking like the f*cking sun just came out. “Thank you so much for coming mate!”
“Of course! Duty to my pack and all that dorky sh*t. Which is annoying as f*ck. Barbara Palvin, man.” Harry just beams, failing to reply, and drags him over to Louis.
“Okay, so this is, um.” Harry glances at Louis in a panic. “This is the guy I found. Who has a name. Which I will learn. Which is why you’re here?”
“Alright!” Niall claps Harry on the back, slides into the booth across from Louis, adjusts his snapback, and smiles jovially again. “So he was in wolf form when you saw him?”
“Yep.” Harry nods and rocks back and forth on his feet. “A caramel-ly color? Light brown, but some cinnamon highlights. His fur gets darker around his feet and snout. Really blue eyes, obviously, but gold when he shifts. About Zayn’s size. Fast, clever, had to tackle him otherwise he would’ve gotten away easy.”
Louis shifts uncomfortably at being discussed like he isn’t there. Not that there was anything he could do about it.
“And he shifted back as soon as you howled?” Niall glances at Louis then back to Harry.
“Yeah. Looked like he hasn’t done it much before. Normal human features, no contortions during the shift. It seemed like an average one for a beginner.”
Niall nods again, picking at something in his braces. “Right. So,” He turns to Louis, “Harry said you can understand me?”
Louis nods.
“Brilliant. I’m Niall, resident Druid Emissary, guitar hero, and Irish dude. Can you open your eyes really big for me?”
Louis rolls his eyes slightly but does as he’s told.
“And open your mouth and stick out your tongue?” Louis does. “And lift it up? Awesome. Can I see your hands?”
Louis unwraps his hands from around his hot chocolate and extends them. He has to shake back his sleeves a bit, since Harry lent him a jumper and some sweats before driving to the diner, and they are (unfairly) big on him. They also smell very nice. Huh.
Niall takes his hands and checks them out. His hands are warm and calloused, and it’s surprisingly nice to finally be touched. It makes Louis feels less alienated and alone.
Harry clears his throat loudly after a couple of minutes though, and Niall drops his hands and glances up at him. “Well mate, unless Louis hiding a bomb on his willy, I think we’re all good. There’s nothing that suggests even a hint of abnormality.”
“Cool. I didn’t think there would be. Pezza’s just being paranoid again."
Niall shrugs and stands up, throwing his coat around his shoulders. “Right. I’m gonna go try to convince Barbara Palvin to love me. Text me?”
Harry salutes. “Right mate. And um, pack meeting tomorrow? Here, 8:00am.”
“Swag. I’ll let the troops know. And um,” Niall drags Harry over to the door and begins whispering. “Are you just gonna take the boy home? Let him live with you?"
Seriously? Do they not realize he has ears? And apparently the ability to turn into a wolf?
He can see Harry playing with his bottom lip. “I guess? I dunno what else I’d do.”
“He’s cute. He’s mute and mysterious as hell, but hot. Even I can see that.”
“So?” Harry sounds indignant. “What’s your point?”
“I’m just saying Harry. Maybe wait til you know a bit more about him before getting attached?”
Harry punches Niall on the shoulder. “Get outta here, Ireland. Go make Babs deal with your presence.”
Niall snorts and punches Harry back before heading out the door.
♒
Harry tucks Louis is that night, which makes Louis feel childish but comforted. He bustles around the guest room, fluffing up pillows and humming under his breath while Louis watches him from underneath his mound of blankets. Even though he's a complete stranger, Louis feels oddly at home with Harry. Maybe it's because he Harry's the first person Louis met post-wolf-era, or because he’s an alpha. But something about him calls to Louis in a way he can’t quite explain. His brightness, his warmth is like a beacon to Louis. Something he can barely fight, and something he doesn’t quite want to.
He also likes his mom, Anne, whom he’d met earlier in the night. She was a pretty, dark haired women who had just laughed and shrugged when Harry had explained the situation to her, then offered Louis some of her yogurt. She had made Louis ache for his mother. He had blocked out most of the things from his past, most of it being too painful to think about, but he does remember his mom. His beautiful, sweet, lovely-
“Remember, I’m just down the hall if you need anything tonight.” Harry interrupts Louis’s musings, “Honestly, I don’t care if it’s just because you have a scratch on your back you can’t reach, tell me, yeah? And tomorrow we can introduce you to the pack and work on getting you to talk, and, y’know, figure out why you’re a wolf and such. But for now, just rest? I imagine it’s been a long day.” Harry folds the little blanket at the end of Louis’s bed on last time, before smiling and making to leave.
He flicks off the light and hesitates in Louis’s doorway for a second, silent and watchful. Louis feels a sudden bolt of panic, the need to thank this incredible boy who has been so kind to him. And before he realizes what he’s doing, he’s blurting out, “Thank you. And, um, I’m Louis, by the way.” (Which, what the f*ck, his voice sounds like that?)
Even in the darkness, he can see the way Harry smiles as he says, “You’re welcome. G’night, Louis.”
And maybe, maybe, remembering how to talk is a bit more worthwhile if he can get Harry to sound like that.
♒
It’s 2:17am, according to the clock on Louis’s nightstand, which doesn’t mean much to him, except that he hasn’t been asleep since 11:32pm. He can’t help it, the bed just feels too foreign, and his own skin itches with discomfort. He misses his fur coat and den and pile of leave he used to snuggle down in. Everything in this room is too clinical and human.
Unthinkingly, Louis slips out of bed and grabs his pillow. He pads down the hallway to the door Harry had shown as his own. Nudging the door open, he can see Harry sprawled in his bed, snoring slightly. He creeps across the room and slips into bed next to Harry, holding his breath as Harry snuffles and squirms a bit, but stays asleep. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, trying to ground himself. Just being in the presence of a slightly familiar scent is calming, and he can’t help it when he slips off to sleep a couple of minutes later.
Harry was right. It’s been a long day.
♒
one week after
“And that, is why Beyonce and Blue Ivy will one day be the empresses of our world.” Niall clicks to the last slide of his slideshow with gusto.
“Fascinating, Niall.” Louis pretends to hide a fake yawn behind his fist. “I am amazed.”
“Ay!” Niall punches Louis on the shoulder. “Don’t disrespect the queen. Or pop culture. If you’re ever stuck somewhere without Harry or me, people won’t care if you know why the US is in conflict with ISIS. This is sh*t that gets you by, Lou.”
Louis shrugs and tries to look nonchalant. Everything he’s learning still feels irrelevant and otherworldly to him. He still feels so wolf on this inside.
It’s easier now that he knows what he truly is. Like Harry calmly explained on the first day, Louis was a pack-less werewolf who had accidentally transformed when he was younger and never figured out how to go back. (That was about as much Harry and Niall knew about Louis’s past too. He’d told them last time he was human was when he was eight and that was it. No need to share the painful details).
Louis had also met the rest of Harry’s pack on the first day. There was Liam, a buff, puppy-eyed guy and Zayn, a godly, quieter, clever kid. Niall was their “Druid Emissary”, which basically meant he was the human who knew all the complicated magical sh*t they didn’t. And Harry, as the alpha, was the leader, running the pack and its members.
The more Louis observed, the more he noticed Harry’s slight discomfort with the role. He was more soft-spoken than Liam and Niall, and always looked to the group for approval of his ideas. He didn’t demand or control, just requested politely. It wasn’t necessarily bad, but they seemed more like a team than a pack.
Louis, of course, saw no problem. If Harry had been his pack leader, he would have been thrilled. He was kind, and funny, and beautiful, and fair, and careful, and thoughtful, and goody, and just.
A cool guy. A good bro.
As it was, Harry was not his pack leader, because Louis is an independent wolf who don’t need no alpha. (Yes, there was a slide show on day 4 all about memes). However, Louis had no problem taking control of the opportunity and learning every ounce of information he could from Harry.
As if summoned by thought, Harry ducks through the doorway right then, pulling off a lemon and magenta scarf and nodding to the boys, “Hiii.”
Niall nods and chuckles, “Maaaate.” and Louis glances up. “Hey. Have you come to whisk me away from this torture?” (One thing Louis does remember: fairy tales).
“Would be a good alpha if I didn’t, would I? Kinda my duty to the pack.” Harry asks, plopping down in the armchair across from the couch. He grabs a tangerine out of his bag and starts peeling it, looking up at Louis from underneath his eyelashes. Niall, sees the fruit, yelps, and darts towards the kitchen.
“Weeeeell. Would saying yes imply that you’re being a good alpha as of right now?” Louis teases.
“Hey!!” Harry chucks a tangerine peel at Louis. “I’m the best damn alpha you know.”
Louis shrugs. “To be fair, you are the only alpha I’ve ever known.”
“Ha. So I have to be the best.”
“Yeah, but with that logic you’re also the worst. And the dumbest. And the funniest- Oh god, no, find me another alpha now, this madness can’t go on.”
Harry bursts into laughter, a little bit of tangerine visible from his mouth. It should be disgusting, but it’s cute and just - Harry.
Louis’s broken from his trance when Zayn comes clattering down the stairs. “Hey, did I hear Harry come home?”
“Yup!” Niall yells from the kitchen.
“Wait. How long have you been up there?” Louis asks, staring between Zayn and the stairs.
Zayn shrugs. “I dunno. I kinda fell asleep? ‘S why ‘ve got bedhead.” He gestures towards his hair. As far as Louis can tell, it looks like a better version of most of the styles he saw in Niall’s HOT IMPORTANT GUYS slideshow (day 2), but maybe that’s his years as a wolf talking. “Anyways. Haz, could you drop me off at Perrie’s house? I promised her we could go to the movies and make-out in the back row tonight.”
“You should get it on in the front row instead. And if anyone gives you sh*t for it, just yell ‘Don’t lie to yourself - you know this is a better show!’ and flip ‘em off.” Harry giggles from the armchair. (And see, it’s things like that that go completely over Louis’s head. Niall never made a video about sex or whatever, and no kind deer took Louis aside when he was wolf and explained the changes he was going through. All he knows is that his willy has gotten a lot bigger then when he was eight; and dick is slang for penis, which is mostly thanks to SWEAR WORDS: A MAN’S BEST FRIEND, day 1.)
Niall cackles from the kitchen and Zayn just kind of stares at the wall. Louis’s pretty sure that most people would be blushing and mumbling at this point, but Zayn kind of just remains beautifully impassive. Incredible.
“What movie are you going to see?” Louis asks.
Zayn’s gaze snaps to him. “I dunno? Probably some romantic comedy Perrie’s into. ‘S really her choice.” His voice is colored with affection and warmth that Louis has never really heard from him, except when Zayn started talking about art on day 5.
“D’you need any money for food or drinks?” Harry calls out. “I can help, if you want. Like cover it or-”
“Haz, I love you, but I’m fine on my own. You’re not my sugar daddy.”
Harry blushes. “I dunno. I just, I’m willing to help out. I know that sh*t’s expensive and I might as well do something useful.”
“Consider my not-paying-you-for-gas as a good exchange, yeah?” Zayn crosses the room and grabs his coat off the coat rack. He claps Harry on the back and turns to the door.
“It’s barely a three minute drive anyway.” Harry mumbles under his breath, but gestures to Louis to follow, and together they walk to the truck.
♒
“So what exactly are they?” Louis bursts out as soon as Zayn has left the car. Harry laughs under his breath and pulls the car away from the curb. Louis watches Zayn and Perrie’s retreating figures in the rearview mirror as he waits for the response, the way they fit together effortlessly at they kiss and grin and greet each other. It’s sickeningly adorable.
“They’re mates.” Harry replies, flicking on a blinker. “They been gone for each other since they first made eye contact. Had that instant connection, you know? Magnetic. Zayn proposed a couple months ago, even though they both just turn eighteen, and they finally officially mated that night. And when they get married, they’re going to get tattoos of each other, which Zayn is already making sketches of.”
Louis whistles in disbelief. “Wow. So what does official mating mean exactly?”
“It’s when your mate bites the little spot right between your neck and shoulder on your left side. They have to break the skin, and if the connection is true, it’ll scar over as a symbol of everlasting love.” Harry sounds dreamy.
Louis laughs a little bit at the last part, the cheesiness of it all, but Harry glances at him, affronted. “Why are you laughing?”
“I dunno, ‘s a bit cheesy, isn’t it? Everlasting love, and all that. I mean, it’s just a bite mark.” Louis replies, looking out the window.
“I disagree.” Harry says. “A werewolf can heal incredibly fast. It takes true love to leave a scar. And it’s, it’s a nice thought, y’know? Cuz love can have such a power to hurt, but also such happiness involved?”
Louis shrugs and puts his feet up on the dashboard as Harry continues. “And most mated couples you talk to will tell you the mark is important in figuring out if they’re the “one”. Because you’ll already know and be able to feel it on the inside if they really are. The mark is just kinda proof to you and other people to know you’re really taken, like genuine physical evidence.”
“Oooh, possessive.” Louis teases.
Harry sighs exaggeratedly. “Louis, if there’s one thing you have to learn, it’s that werewolves are ridiculously possessive. Also, get your feet off my dash please.”
Louis sticks out his tongue. “Please. You should be honored to have these feet on your dash.”
“I should be worried about the hygiene of my car with your feet. Really Lou? No socks again?”
“Whatever.” Louis imitates one of the exaggerated hair-flips he saw Beyonce do in her music videos today. “I haven’t worn socks in a decade and I don’t plan on breaking that streak today.”
Harry sighs. “Fine. But you’re buying me air freshener.”
The car falls silent for a bit, Harry focusing on driving and Louis watching the trees flash by. Finally, he asks, “So do you, er, y’know, have a mate?”
Harry chokes a little, but replies with, “No. Resoundingly. I’ve never really seriously dated anyone, so. I’m still waiting for the right person.”
“That’s cool of you. I mean, the last relationship I made was with Suzie Tims in kindergarten, so I’m a bit out of practice.”
“Quit makin’ excuses, Lou! Own up to your flaws. Embrace your singularity!”
“Hey! You’ve been around for a lot longer then I have, I would check yourself Styles. You have a dimple and still haven’t found anyone to date?”
Harry makes a weak little growling sound in the back of his throat and Louis flicks him on the head. “I’m just saving myself for the one. You gotta earn this dimple, y’know?”
Louis laughs and shrugs. “Suuure. So, whaddaya have planned for today’s lesson, boss?”
“Ehh.” Harry maneuvered the truck onto a mostly overgrown road. They were now driving into the heart of the forest. “I think you’re ready to try a full transformation again, don’t you? I mean, you’re control has been pretty good this week, and we definitely want to you to try to shift before the full moon, otherwise it’ll be really painful, but it’s probably going to take several practice lessons before you can..”
Louis nods, biting his thumbnail. “Cool.” He’s failed to mention so far to anyone in the pack that he plans on turning back to wolf as soon as it’s convenient. Life as a human is fun and stuff, but there’s no way he can survive as one. It’s not logical, who is going to employ someone who missed more than half of their childhood education because they were a wolf by accident?
Exactly. No one.
He knows deep down that he needs to let Harry and Niall know soon, before they waste anymore time and slideshows on him. But it’s nice, for once. To be cared for by other creatures. To have friends to laugh with and food that’s not bloody to eat and someone to sleep next to. Even if they technically don’t know you’re there. (Louis has been sneaking into Harry’s bed every night since he got here, and sneaking out in the morning. The latter still doesn’t know what Louis is doing, and he plans to keep it that way. He just gets lonely, that’s all. It’s not weird or wrong or anything.)
Harry jerks the truck to a halt in a little clearing. They’re completely surrounded by dark trees here, except for the tiny path they had come from, and Louis would feel nervous, if he wasn’t with Harry and didn’t have a lifetime of expertise of surviving in the woods.
They hop out of the trunk, Harry grabbing a little chain with a compass on it, (just in case they ever do get lost) and walk to the center of the clearing. The trees are tall enough here that the meadow is already bathed in shadows, and the faded red of Harry’s truck provides a strange contrasts to the mossy green of everything else.
“So.” Louis turns to look at Harry. “How do I wolf-ify? Do I just need to get really angry and yell ‘Wolf smash!’ or…?”
Harry smiles in spite of himself. “No necessarily. Although don’t joke about it, because times of high emotion are when your most susceptible to involuntary shifts.”
“Ah, of course. Now could you say that to me this time, and not your English professor?”
“WHEN YOU MAD, YOU GO WOLF.”
“Wow Harry, you are the most clever human being in the world. Your sense of humor amazes me. Thank you for the explanation”
That makes Harry actually laugh and flush, which makes Louis smile a little bit. God, he’s a sap. When Harry recovers, he says, “What it means is that when you are feeling stressed or scared or angry or turned-on or even sometimes really happy, your loose touch with the logical human side of yourself and it means your wolf can take over much easier.”
“Wow. Is that why you’re obsessed with yoga? So you don’t feel things? It all makes sense now.”
“Nooo. I’m ‘obsessed’ with yoga, because it’s a terrific workout for the mind and body and really helps my flexibility. It also soothes me and helps me think clearer. But it helps. Anyway, the point isn’t to not feel emotion, it’s to feel emotion and control.”
“If I master this, do I get the ability to move things with my mind? Because that would be the sh*t.” Louis waves his arms around his head in an imitation of a superhero.
Harry grins his dorky-cute smile. “I honestly do not know. Who am I to say to you can’t defy the basic rules of Earth and society? Go for it.”
Louis cackles and jumps on Harry’s back as payback for his snark. “So. Tell me Curly,” He pats the bird’s nest on his head, “How does one become a wolf without getting very emotional?”
“Well… Like this.” All of a sudden, Louis is lying horizontally on Harry’s back with a mouth full of fur. Because Harry is a wolf. Okay. Louis rolls off of Harry’s back and falls in a pile of leaves, glaring up at him. It’s oddly reminiscent of when they first meet.
Standing up, Louis dusts himself off quickly and faces Harry. He’s more beautiful then he remembers, since Louis has human eyes this time around. For one, Louis can properly see the color of Harry’s eyes when he’s not on two legs. They’re bright red (the color of an alpha, something Louis learned on the first day), which is surprising, but not in a scary way. They have tints of orange and shine bright, observing Louis carefully. As Louis watches, they slowly fade back to the soft green he’s come to love so much.
When Harry deems that Louis isn’t going to run away screaming, he slowly approaches and nuzzles Louis’s limp hand. In wolf form, he only comes up to Louis’s waist, but still has the dorky giant paws he has as a human, and soft brown hair, which is almost wavy.
Louis lifts up his hand and scratches Harry behind the ears, giggling, and the wolf’s eyes flutter shut. He can hear a happy rumbling sound emanating from him, and mutters, “You’re not even that wolfy, are you? Just a big ole kitty in disguise.”
Harry whines a little bit at that, and nudges his snout against Louis’s stomach, but doesn’t fight back. It gives Louis the confidence to sink to his knees, until he’s face to face with Harry. He scratches a bit lower, around the neck area, and Harry’s ears flick back in pleasure. It makes Louis laugh again, more to himself this time, and press his forehead and against Harry’s giant one.
It’s crazy how connected he feels to this giant dog, furry and huge and adorable. He seems so gentle, soft with the way he curves into Louis’s scratches, but enthusiastic and his tail wags wildly behind him. It makes Louis ache for his normal form, the one he really belongs in. He misses being a wolf, misses only ever thinking about food and shelter and running. It was so easy, so detached.
He doesn’t even realize he’s talking until he hears himself say, “How do you do it? How do I go back?”
In a couple of heartbeats, Harry is human again. He’s naked, but looks calm and if he still had a tail, Louis bets it would still be wagging. He watches, entranced, as Harry picks up his shredded clothes from the ground, observes their destroyed from, then shrugs and tosses them back down. “Mum’ll kill me for ripping another set of clothes. But whatever. It was totally worth it for your face.”
Louis gives Harry two minutes to bask in the moment, and then goes for the ball smack. A small tussle ensues, which ends with Harry straddling Louis on the ground, victorious. Being short sucks sometimes. Damn.
“So you wanna know how to shift?” Harry flicks some hair out of his face. “Easy. Ish. All you need to do is to find your inner wolf and hand over the steering wheel. Just make sure your feet never leave the brake or gas.”
“No, please Harry. Give me a more obscure example.” Louis snorts from below.
Harry hands jab into Louis’s sides, which is no awful ticklish go away you goddamn fiend.Louis starts bucking wildly, trying to escape, but Harry hangs tight, stopping his cruel tickling to capture Louis’s wrists so he is well and truly incapacitated. Finally, Louis gives up and stays still. He’s pretty sure his dick is hard right now, which is confusing as hell, and that Harry’s might be too, (if the uncomfortable bulge in his pants is anything to go by) which is even worse. Human bodies are dumb as f*ck.
“So? How do I do it?”
“Close your eyes.”
“No f*cking way. You’ll just tickle me again.”
“Pinky promise I won’t.”
Louis keeps a watchful eye on Harry as he extends his pinky and wraps it around Harry’s. Of course his are f*cking huge, probably the size of Louis’s pointer finger. f*cking Harry Styles.
“Okay.” He closes his eyes. “Now what?”
Harry clambers off Louis. “Stand up. Remember what it was like being a wolf. There’s part of you inside that still is, so try to tap into that. Remember how it felt, smelled, tasted. Hold onto it.”
He has no goddamn clue on how to “hold onto” his inner wolf, but he tries anyway. He remembers how he didn’t think too much once he was wolf, just lived. He remembers how his coat felt in the rain, slick and heavy. He remembers the bolt of adrenaline that came with the scent of a deer. He remembers what it was like to run, to bound across fields with nothing in his way.
He feels something click into place, not perfectly, but snap somewhere it’s used to being. He forgets who Tyra Banks is, why Childish Gambino is great. He breaths in and smells more than he has for a week.
Distantly, Louis can hear Harry calling his name. His eyes snap open, and he’s met with Harry’s face. His blurry, grayscale face.
With a thrill that zaps through his entire body, Louis thinks that he’s done it, he’s transformed. Then he catches sight of his pasty, human (admittedly with very impressive claws) hands. The wolf inside him that he had been so close to connecting with sinks back away from disappointment, taking the sh*tty vision and talons with it.
“Dammit.” Louis is yanked back into normal consciousness, and kicks the ground in frustration. “I thought I f*cking had it!”
“Hey.” Harry lays a comforting arm on Louis’s shoulder. “You were able to turn your eyes and stuff, which is basically the halfway point, which is really good. Took Liam ages to get that far. Don’t get mad.”
“I just-I remember what it feels like and I miss it, y’know? I just want it back.” Louis mumbles.
“I know, pup. You’ll get there, I promise. It just takes time.” Harry claps Louis on the back. “Now let’s take it from the top.”
♒
two weeks after
Louis is not completely sure on how he found himself on a “man-date” with one Liam Payne, but he can’t exactly say he minds. See, at first he thought Liam was an idiot jock like from old Disney movies, then he thought he was an uptight know-it-all, but now he has realized he’s really just a cautious, sweet, obedient puppy with the need to please. And an affinity for rap music.
It had all started when Harry plopped down in between them while they were slumped on the couch, re-watching some episodes of Parks and Rec.
“As the resident alpha, I mandate that you two go on a man-date.” Harry had announced randomly.
There was a moment of silence while they all stared at each other in disbelief, and then Harry burst into uncontrollable giggles at his pun. Dork.
Either way, Harry’s request had worked, because now Louis finds himself chasing Liam up an insanely long and steep hill on a bike.
With Zayn, Louis brainstorms pranks and admires edgy art. With Niall, Louis makes jokes that would have his pre-wolf-self laughing his ass off and watches slideshows. With Harry, Louis runs around doing stupid things, pretends to meditate, and practices being a wolf.
With Liam, apparently, Louis works out.
Maybe this is why they’ve failed to have some one-on-one hanging out so far.
To be fair, it’s actually pretty fun. Louis is crazy strong from the whole werewolf thing, and it feels good to be out moving and working and sweating. Liam loves it too, 20 yards ahead and whooping loudly. So it’s good. Some nice manly man bonding.
They finally reach the top, and collapse in a sweaty pile in the grassy lookout. Liam had brought him to the “best viewpoint in town”, and looking at it now, Louis can understand the title. The town stretches before them, quaint, grassy neighborhoods blending into bigger, commercial buildings, fringed with a forest, cut in half with a river. It’s a beauty Louis never really understood as a wolf, red shingled rooftops and ant-people meandering around on bikes. But right now, it feels him with a sweeping contentedness.
He rolls onto his back and admires the clouds in the sky, trying to appreciate everything. “This is sick, mate. Thanks for showing me.”
“’S no problem.” Liam rolls onto his back too. “I used to come here a ton after - well. After my ex broke up with me."
“Oooh. Harsh. Was she cheating?” Louis tries to sound like he has any clue what’s he talking about as far as relationships go.
“No. It’s was. It was a mutual break, but it hurt like a bitch, still. We had thought we were mates, and so even though we weren’t ready to get married, we figured we’d bond. Cuz we’d been dating for three years, we were ready. So we did, like bit each other and all, but when I woke up the next morning, the mark was gone. It hadn’t stuck. She wasn’t my mate.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah. And I look back on it now, and I just think I was so stupid, y’know? Because Zayn and Perrie hate being apart more than anything, that’s why Pez decided to stay here even when Tulisa’s pack and all her best friends moved on. The idea of being away from Zayn for an indefinite amount of time was unbearable. And like, Dani was in college, and I always missed her, like normal, but it wasn’t unbearable, y’know? And I had always just thought we were stronger or tougher than them or something? I never even realized. But I guess we used the distance as an excuse for not being as close or something, I dunno.”
“That’s sounds awful.”
“It was. And everyone was so pitying and I was so confused because the woman I had thought I would love for the rest of my life just, just wasn’t it. And it’s terrifying to think about being alone again after that. It’s awful. So I’d come here and think about everything. Away from all the sympathy and questions.”
“Wow.” There’s a silence that falls over the field after Liam’s story. Louis, at a loss of what to say, goes with humor. “Well, once a squirrel moved into the tree right above my den, and I thought things were getting pretty serious until she brought home another squirrel. It was pretty heartbreaking, let me tell you.”
Liam laughs, almost without meaning too. “Thanks, Lou. Glad you understand my pain.” He pauses and looks over the town. “I hope you stick around, y’know? You’re good company.”
Louis bites his lip and looks away. “Yeah.” He croaks. “Yeah.”
♒
Louis’s first full moon as a human comes two and a half weeks after the change. He and the rest of the pack go out to the little clearing he now recognizes as their own around six. Harry brought dinner from the diner, Niall brought obnoxious music with speakers, Liam brought a blanket and spare clothes, and Zayn brought his beautiful self (and drinks).
They clump around the basket in the middle of the meadow and eat and chat happily. Everyone was more amped up then usual (except for Niall), and the boys’ eyes kept flashing to their wolf-color and then back. But that just made the dinner more entertaining, everyone yelling over each other and running around.
Back when Louis was a wolf, full moons were usually when Louis would curl up in his den and try not to move until sunrise. He always felt shaky and out of control and, most of all, lonely. He longed to have companionship, a pack, to howl to and play with while getting through the night. He’d never gotten that though.
Now, Louis was mostly just excited. Not only was this a perfect moment to finally change back into a wolf, he would also get to spend it with a pack, with friends who he loved and cared about.
When the sun dropped behind the trees, Niall got into his truck, carrying the speakers and basket, and bid adieu. The four remaining boys watched his trunk trundle into the distance, and then turned to each other.
“So where d’you wanna go?” Liam asks, digging his growing nails into the dirt.
“Dunno.” Harry mumbles, scratching the back of his neck. “I was thinking I would go try an’ meditate by the river? Y’know that spot? I always feel so cleansed after a full moon when I do that.”
“Hippie.” Zayn teases. “I wanna go to the abandoned cabin. It’s always so fun to freak out the people there. But Lou should go with you, Haz.”
“I should?” Louis looks around at the three other faces.
“Yes.” Liam and Zayn nod authoritatively, although the first is the one speaking. “First moons can be kinda crazy. Young Sensai over there is really good at helping people calm down and get through them. I would know from experience.”
“’S true!” Zayn chimes in.
“Crazy how?”
“Oh, you know.” Liam waves his hand nonchalantly. “Uncontrollably changing from wolf to human, attacking trees because you thought they were alive since there were shadows moving, accidentally falling off cliffs because you didn’t realize you needed to stop earlier, things like that. Full moons mean you’re a lot more powerful, but a lot less sensible. Kind of a dangerous mix.”
“And why exactly is this a good time to meditate?”
Harry perks up. “Because you aren’t functioning at full human-brain capacity, which means clearing your mind is a lot easier; you have heightened senses, so like you feel really in tune with everything around you; and, because it’s the time when your human side and wolf side are clashing the most, it’s the perfect time to try to control and harmonize both.”
“Damn. Okay.” Louis is slightly impressed with the laundry list. It’s obvious Harry is pretty damn passionate about this.
“And after the first two or three, you can come run around with us. Full moons are sick for playing tag and sh*t.” Zayn explains. He glances at Harry, and his ears, which have grown longer and covered in dark hair, twitch. “Not saying that meditating isn’t great. Because it is. It’s just not for everyone.”
Harry shrugs, looking mollified. “Zayn’s also never done the entire experience, with yoga and stuff, so he doesn’t know what he’s saying.”
“Geez, no one told me there’d be yoga. Sigh me up now!” Louis teases.
Harry can’t fight the goofy grin that breaks out across his face. Two sharp canines glint on either side of his mouth. “That’s the right attitude, Lou. If you do well today, I may even break out the candles next time.”
“Wow.” Louis nods and widens his eyes. “Candles. That sh*t’s real.” He’s pretty sure his eyes are glowing gold, the color of a beta, because the boys’ faces are much more grey and blurry then usual. “When are we leaving then?”
“Um.” Liam checks his watch. “Now?”
“Oh. So do we just, just go?”
“Yeah? I guess?”
Louis nods. “Cool.” If he’s being a hundred percent honest, he’s not really ready. He’s a little scared that he might turn into a wolf, but he’s even more scared he won’t. Standing around, eating dinner, joking, that all was fun and easy. But now it’s actually happening, he feels an apprehension settle in his bones, half nervous, half excited. Mostly he just wants to get it started, so he won’t have to stress anymore. “Let’s go then."
Harry smiles radiantly and grabs his hand. “You’ll love the riverbank, I promise. It’s breathtaking.”
♒
Harry was right when he said the riverbank is stunning. If there’s one thing that Louis can remember from the night of the full moon, it’s that. Well, that and Harry’s eyes. At first it had hurt, not only physically, but also mentally, his brain switching from wolf to human too fast. But no matter what, Harry had been there. Holding Louis’s hands back, explaining different facts about meditating, assuring him that he would be okay.
So even though Louis woke up the next morning, half covered in dirt and sleeping next to Harry and a river, he does remember those two things.
Well, technically he remembers three.
Because no matter how hairy and ferocious Louis had gotten, or how much Harry cheered about connecting with his inner wolf, Louis hadn’t been able to shift all the way.
♒
three weeks after
That night, Zayn sleeps over, which means that Perrie sleeps over, which means that everyone comes over for a movie night. The nine-year-old part of Louis’s brain quietly screams with delight at staying up late on a Tuesday night. The part of his brain that has been tirelessly educated by Niall and Harry reminds him that it’s June 23rd, so there’s no school anyway. His eight-year old self is still excited to stay up past 9:30.
Everyone is sprawled out in Harry’s basem*nt, as the latter looks for a good movie On Demand. There’s popcorn being thrown, swear words being yelled, and Louis has never felt more at home on a sofa that smells of cat pee.
Harry, removed from the popcorn wars, hesitantly hovers over the movie title “The Notebook”. Immediately, the three other boys join together and start booing.
“Haz, we’ve already watched that like 15 times. Not exaggerating. Can we please watch Godzilla?” Liam pleads.
"But it’s my favorite! And we haven’t watched in ages!” Harry whines back.
Niall starts groaning loudly, yelling about Harry being an “incorrigible f*ckin’ sap, they romanticize a terrible disease anyway, which is not okay, honestly ruins the film!” while Zayn moans “Noooo, Haz” in the background, and Liam takes up booing again. It honestly sounds kinda good all together. Huh. They should make a band.
Perrie claps loudly, cutting through the noise. Everyone shuts up immediately. Incredible. “Let’s take a vote. How’s that?” Everyone murmurs in agreement. “Right. So who’s against The Notebook?”
Liam’s, Zayn’s, and Niall’s hands are thrust into the air. Perrie levels Zayn with an even stare. “Really? We already saw Godzilla on our date last week and we haven’t seen The Notebook in aaaages. I’d love to see it again.”
“Yeah but-” Perrie raises an eyebrow. “Peezz.” Zayn whines. The eyebrow gets higher. Finally, he sighs. “You have a point. Alright lads, I’m opinionless.”
Perrie smiles radiantly at Zayn, while all eyes turn to Louis (although Liam and Niall do boo quietly at the traitor).
“So, whaddaya say Lou?” Niall asks.
Louis bites his lip. On one hand, exciting, fiery action movie with monsters. On the other, getting to see Harry’s dimple consistently for the next two hours.
“The Notebook. Sorry mate, gotta go with the classic.”
“You’re just siding with Harry, f*ckin’ c*nt...” Niall mumbles, but it’s drown out by Harry whooping and hugging Louis tight.
“Thank you.” He whispers into Louis’s hair. “You won’t regret it, I promise.”
♒
Louis doesn’t regret it. He gets to cuddle up to a vibrating-with-happiness Harry, eat a lot of high quality pizza, spend time with his friends, and pet Harry’s head while he tries to hide his tears in Louis’s shoulder at the end.
It’s a good night.
It’s also a pretty average one, at least in the way of Louis’s sneaking into Harry’s room to sleep. It’s a habit he’s formed that’s hard to break, not when the reward is so immediate and pleasant. Louis is always courteous about it anyway, only taking up half the bed and (probably) never snoring. Harry should be grateful that someone is helping him keep his bed warm.
Regardless, Louis sneaks in at 2am on the dot and curls up against Harry. His back is broad and warm and it feels a little bit like home.
Louis is sound asleep in seconds.
♒
Of course, only to be woken a couple of hours later.
He can see the light on in the hallway and hear a murmur of voice. He’s about to roll over and fall back asleep when he hears Harry, realizing that he’s all alone in the bed.
f*ck.
Harry is awake. Harry is awake and Harry knows.
This is a disaster.
What should he do? Should he leave now and pretend like it never happened? Or fake-asleep and avoid the issue? Or go out in the hall now and confront him about it?
And now he thinks about it, who is he talking to in the hall? Louis touches his inner wolf, opens his ears a bit, and listens closely, trying to pick out the other voice.
He hears Harry’s distinctive laugh, throaty and light, and someone else murmur of agreement. And then he can hear Harry says, “But how did you know Perrie was your mate, no questions?”
Ahhh. It must be Zayn. Louis listens in again.
“Honestly? It was kind of love at first sight. Like, when I saw her, all I could see was her eyes, and how gorgeous they were. And then we just got attached; we just clicked, like that. It felt so right, y’know? Dunno how well I can describe it besides that. I just knew that she was the only one for me.”
“Awwwwwww.” Harry teases back. “True love. Beautiful.”
There’s a thud of fist on shoulder, and Zayn muttering “Dick.” After a couple of moments of silence, he then whispers “Why d’ya wanna know anyway, Haz?”
“I dunno. ‘S just nice, y’know? I just - I want to know so I’ll be prepared?”
“Harry,” Zayn sounds hesitant, “Is this about Louis?”
Louis’s body jolts at the sound of his name, his heartbeat picking up. Why would they be talking about him?
“I-” Harry pauses. Louis strains closer. “We should go back to bed. G’night Zee. Sleep tight.”
“Wait, Hazza!” Zayn calls. But the bedroom door is being swung open and light from the hallway is dousing the room. Too late now.
Louis quickly tries to look asleep, crushing his eyes shut, as Harry enters. The boy fails to notice, and gently closes the door, before clambering over to the bed. He gets in next to Louis and hesitates, (he can probably hear how loud Louis’s heart is pounding, oh god oh god) before cuddling around him. Which is.
What.
Louis tries to keep his body relaxed as Harry flings an arm over him and tangles their legs together, tries not to react, but inside his mind is screaming at him
So. This is happening. They are spooning.
Honestly, he would be an ugly liar if he said he didn’t like it.
♒
The next morning Louis decides that he is going to confront Harry about it. He doesn’t know how, exactly, because why didn’t you tell me you knew I was sneaking into your bed? just sounds weird, but he’s never been a quitter.
He’s contemplating this dilemma as he sits at the bar of the diner, eating a (delicious) breakfast sandwich and waiting for Harry to get his 15-minute mid-morning break. Louis had surprised Harry here this morning by walking over, instead of hitching a ride with someone. The look on Harry’s face and the free breakfast had totally been worth the taxing two-mile walk.
He notices Harry walking around the barrier between the floor of the diner and the kitchen, and straightens up.
“Hey Chef-Boy!"
“Hey, Pup. Glad to see you didn’t bolt.”
“I would never!” Louis cries dramatically. (That’s not true. He runs away from Harry at least once a day, sometimes just to be a sh*t, sometimes because Harry is trying to get him to do yoga, and sometimes because being a human gets to be a bit much. Harry always finds him though.)
Harry just snorts, and sets down two mugs of hot chocolate. He grabs a container of whipped cream for beneath the bar, and fills both cups to the top with it, before sliding one to Louis. “Either way. Is there any reason you decided to bless me with your presence this morning?
“Well.” Louis fiddles with his hair nervously. Last week, after the boys had gone through their closets and found clothes that could work for Louis, Zayn and Perrie had tried to style his hair. They had ended up with this weird fringey-swoopy style that took way too long to make, but Louis has kept using it, out of convenience. (And a little personal gain. He looks good, okay?). “So, um. D’you remember the first night I stayed with you?”
“Yeah, of course! You were awesome, honestly. I would have died if I were you.”
Louis smiles a bit at the compliment, but keeps talking. “You flatter me so, darling. Anyway, that night I kinda-”
The doors to the diner are ripped open, effectively cutting Louis off, and a girl with big eyes and long violet hair falls through them. “Harry! Harry, oh thank god you’re here. f*ck, we’re. We need help.”
Harry straightens up and runs around the bar, helping the girl up. “Jade. Jade! What happened? Are you okay? Where is everyone?” Louis’s stomach churns when he realizes the girl’s clothes are spattered with blood, and twists when he sees Harry hug her.
“The car. In the car. Where’s Pezza? I need to talk to her.” She whispers back.
“Louis!” Harry barks. “Call Perrie. Call everyone else too. Tell them Jade is here.” He tosses his phone to Louis and gently leads Jade outside, mumbling soothing things to her.
The thwack of the closing door leaves a buzzing silence over the entire dinner. Louis looks around and realizes everyone is staring at him in shock and terror.
“Nothing to see here!” He announces, “She just has a very excitable cat! Gets outta control sometimes. Don’t worry. Enjoy your bacon!"
He then flees outside too, phone already ringing for Perrie.
♒
As it turns out, Niall’s house is also a mini doctors office. And a weapons storage facility. And probably a club on his nights off.
By the time Louis had gotten outside of the diner, Harry had disappeared with Jade. But Perrie had swung by approximately 45 seconds after the phone call, and broken several speeding laws getting to Niall’s.
As soon as they were there, she had rushed to Harry, asking for an explanation. Harry had said nothing, just led her to a sterile room in the basem*nt, Louis, Zayn, Liam, and Niall following.
Inside the room there were two girls, seemingly unconscious on hospital beds, and Jade, curled up in a chair in the corner, holding a cloth to her side. Perrie had burst into tears and ran to her side as soon as she saw her. “What happened? Where’s Tulisa? Why are you bleeding?”
Jade shook her head. “Tulisa- She. She’s gone, Pez.”
Perrie sobs harder and Zayn quietly approaches, rests a comforting hand on her back.
“It was-we were ambushed. We were in northern Oregon, around the Mt. Hood area. We could smell another pack, wanted to get permission to stay in their forest for a couple of days. So we were following the scent, but when we got to their den, the pack was gone. Instead-” She takes in a shaky breath. “They were there. The T-Tom-” She starts crying then, huge gasping sobs, and Zayn rubs her leg comfortingly.
“It’s okay.” Harry murmurs. “We know who it is. Just keep going.”
“Well, we were completely off guard. They started shooting, bullets with wolfsbane, and my bow was still in the car. Jesy and Tulisa went after them, and Leigh-Anne was trying to protect me, but they were so powerful we couldn’t-I couldn’t fight them. And Tulisa realized this, she must have, because she threw Jesy back, and just went after them. Tackle three of them, stopped trying to dodge bullets and just straight up kill them. Jesy had to drag Leigh-Anne away, and they both carried me on their backs. We got back into the car, and I gunned it until we were two, three hours away. I tried to treat the girls as best I could for wolfsbane, but they were so injured. I came straight here, because I knew if anyone could help, it’d be you guys. And if-and if Tulisa made it out, she’d know to come he-here too.” Jade’s voice cracked painfully, and she leaned over to hide her tears.
Everyone surrounded her, even Louis, and hugged her tightly. She shook under the touches, but it seemed to help.
“Perrie, could you get Jade and yourself set up in some rooms down here?” Harry asked, once the hug had broken up. Zayn coughed loudly from the corner, and he added, “Zayn too, I guess. And Li, could you go order some Chipotle or something? Everyone’s order is on that one Google Doc. Zayn, you should help him. And Niall, will you keep watching their vitals? Make sure they’re healing.”
Everyone sounds their agreement and disperses. Louis is left standing uncomfortably next to Harry, feeling useless. He points it out to Harry, asking “What about me? Am I just suppose to stand here and look pretty?”
“Nah. Although, you are very good at that.” Harry wiggles his eyebrows. Louis rolls his eyes in response. “D’you wanna come sit on the porch with me?”
“Sure.” Louis follows Harry as he walks but upstairs and to the back of the house. There’s a pretty, polished porch there, complete with a swinging bench and soft couch. By an unspoken agreement, Louis and Harry both sit on the bench, curling up against the mild chill.
It’s a quiet for a couple of minutes, save the creak of the bench and the chorus of frogs from the nearby forest. Finally Louis asks, “So who was Tulisa?”
“She was the alpha of Jade’s pack. It used to be Tulisa as the alpha, Jesy and Leigh-Anne as her betas, Jade as the Druid Emissary, and Perrie as the token banshee. She was older, in her early thirties, and so much wiser than all of us. She was kinda a mother figure, always teaching us and doting on us. And now, I guess, she’s dead.” His voice shakes for the last part.
“So what’ll happen now they don’t have an alpha?”
“Sometime in the next couple of days, one of the girls with wake up with red eyes. It’ll be a tiny pack, but every pack must have an alpha.”
“Just like that? How?”
“It’s the natural course. I dunno. ‘S happened before, but-” Harry cuts off. “But that’s not important right now.”
Louis wants to press, but everything feels raw and precarious right now. One misstep and it could come crashing down. Instead, he asks, “But who would kill her?”
“Hunters.” Harry’s face is grim. “Not all of them are bad. Most of them are dedicated to keeping the peace, like violent Druid Emissaries, who seek out wolves instead of vice versa. They try to help the benign wolves, educated and hide them. And the killers… Well. You don’t want to murder someone while in wolf form, that’s all.”
“But the bad ones?”
“They kill for no reason. Anything with a little ‘were’ in it is fair game. To them, we’re not people, we’re an evil breed that needs to be extinguished. Killing us is a simple duty. They’re merciless and cruel and inhuman and violent and hunt us down like it’s a game. And then Thomson’s, they’re the worst. They’ll kill Druid Emissaries, Banshees, unlucky humans, anyone. They’re just side effects. They don’t matter. And that’s who got to Tulisa’s.” Harry spits their name like it’s poison, with equal parts disgust and fear. “Fighting the Thomson’s is almost useless. The best hope you have is to hide and never be found.”
Louis whistles quietly (Liam had been in charge of teaching him that during week two). “So what’re we gonna do now?”
“Well.” Harry sighs. “Live. Try to help the girls recover. Try to help the new alpha adjust. Send them on their way in due time. The Thomson’s will find us eventually, I have no doubt. But we can’t just hide, y’know? What’s the point of trying to not die if you aren’t even living?”
“Here, here. Beautiful phrasing.”
Harry glows a little, but the lines of his mouth are still troubled. “I’m sorry you got dragged into this. You’d be better off wolf, honestly.”
Louis’s reply gets stuck in his throat. A piece of him still burns to return to the woods, live out the rest of his life as an animal. But the more time he spends human, the more he loves it. Sure, he still can’t write most words longer than seven letter, and the boys always have to tie any of his shoelaces for him; but he cares this pack fiercely. He cares about every member, about their quirks and hobbies and beauties. He loves how they’ve taken him in, taught him, watched after him. And he feels those ties acutely when he tries to turn wolf with Harry. They ground him; rope him down in a way he’s never felt before. They keep a piece of him human.
But even when they’re all sitting around a table in the diner, laughing and yelling and chatting, and Louis feels his heart swell a couple of sizes, he’s still got the niggling reminder that he has no future. That he hasn’t attended school for eight years, has no identification, and has barely talked to anyone who doesn’t spend most of their time with supernatural creatures.
So he finds himself at a crossroads with Harry, part of him screaming to hug Harry, comfort him, assure him that he’s stuck here for good, so he might as well get used to it. But part of him reminds him of the cold, hard truth: that Louis doesn’t belong here, that he hasn’t since the night he was a scared nine year old accidentally transforming into a wolf.
He goes with the noncommittal grunt, and curls up closer to Harry. “Well, either way, I’m here, so. And, um,” It feels almost stupid to talk about it now, in light of recent events, but the sooner Louis mentions it, the better. “Are you okay with me sleeping in your bed? Because it helps me, for some reason. And like-I know you know I have been because I woke up last night and you were gone and you came back and were fine so.”
Harry chuckles. “I don’t mind. If it helps you, yeah? ‘S my Alpha duty.”
“Alpha Duty.” Louis imitates, in a low voice. “Hello, I am Harry Styles. This is my Alpha Duty.”
“Don’t be rude. I could use my Alpha Powers against you.”
Normally, Louis would screech and run away, make Harry chase him. But now is obviously not the time or the place. Instead, he gives him a wet willie, but curls closer, wailing “Not the Alpha Powers too!” while Harry pet his hair.
♒
