Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The stage lights are blinding tonight. Shining straight into an already pounding headache. The faces in the crowd all blur together as Louis walks towards B-stage. His head is pounding and his vision is clouding but he knows the consequences of leaving now. He knows the sacrifices it took just to be on this stage. He can’t let it all go now.

Zayn starts with intro to Ready To Run as Louis finally hits his mark on the stage. The words all blend together at this point. He decides to sit down on the edge of the stage. His head hurts far too bad to make out a face in the crowd but he can still smile like he can. His in-ears will tell him when to sing. No matter how bad the pain gets, at least he’ll always know the words to their songs. He did write them after all, not that anyone notices.

Louis sits with his feet dangling off the stage for the entire song until the security guards force him up and he’s off again. If he just keeps moving the crowd won’t notice the permanent purple rings under his eyes. They won’t notice the pale pallor of his skin or the tremors in his hands. With this is mind, Louis runs wild until the end of their set. He bounces through No Control, paces in circles during What Makes You Beautiful, and twirls his way through Little White Lies. He even dumps a bottle of water on Liam at some point. The alpha started to growl until he turned and saw the beaming expression on Louis’ face and decided to let it go.

Finally, finally, they make their way offstage. Zayn. Liam and Niall immediately by fall into each other. Zayn and Liam checking over every inch of Niall’s skin before relaxing. Louis watches all of it from across the room. Of course they want physical contact right now, they’re a pack. Of course the alphas check to make sure Niall wasn’t harmed, he’s their omega. Of course Louis watches from the sidelines, he’s just a beta.

Unless, of course, he wasn’t.

Unless someone made very very sure Louis took his little pink pill every morning. Unless someone used their alpha voice to ensure Louis couldn’t out himself. Unless Louis wasn’t carefully monitored to make sure he was the picture perfect Beta he was told to be.

Louis watches the alphas hold Niall as tenderly as possible. His vision may be spotty, but it’s clear enough to see Liam’s hand softly holding Niall’s cheek. To see Zayn nuzzle his nose into Niall’s neck. His vision is spotty but the jealousy burning through his veins is extremely clear.

He pinches the skin around his wrist to stop any feelings that may be surfacing. He’s a beta. He doesn’t need physical contact. He doesn’t need praise. He doesn’t need an alphas touch. His eyes close tightly, a weak attempt to escape the pain of seeing his fellow omega being pampered while he suffers alone.

Liam’s voice breaks through the static in his ears, “Lou! We smashed it. Please tell me you’ll stay in and celebrate with us tonight?”

Ah, will he stay in tonight? He hasn’t checked his phone to see if he’s needed anywhere else tonight but he almost certainly is. The pack likes their privacy and early nights. Especially after shows. So the bands PR works falls to Louis. Countless club appearances to promote a drink he’ll never even taste, endless articles claiming his prowess in the bedroom and a never ending line of beta/omega women on his arm. No one cares that he’s a virgin, gay male omega masquerading as a straight, playboy beta as long as the band gets the right press coverage.

“I’m not sure, Li. Alberto, can I have my phone?” Louis asks his personal security guard.

As soon as he’s handed his phone, he goes straight to his message thread with Amanda. One Direction’s management liaison and Louis’ personal handler.

“Sorry guys, looks like I won’t be able to hang out tonight.” Louis states as he looks up at his three bandmates. Liam, ever the understanding puppy looks disappointed but understanding. Zayn and Niall, however, look murderous.

“Right, of course you can’t hang out with us.” Niall starts, laughing maniacally, “I’m sure there’s a club that needs your attention far more, right? Drinks that need you far more than your best mates. There’s probably some omega waiting for you to snort coke off her tits, am I right” Niall’s voices rises with each statement.

Louis flinches at his words. As an omega, having an omega you care about upset at you is like a thousand knives in your skin. He looks back down at his phone, reading and rereading the message from Amanda

‘Club deal tonight. Must spend 40 minutes inside, girl waiting to leave with you. Don’t be late.’

He can’t get out of it. He has to go. As much as Niall’s words hurt, he’s locked into his commands. It’s for the good of the band. It’s for them, can’t they see that?
Zayn speaks next, “If you’re just going to abandon us again then don’t bother coming back to the bus. We won’t wait up for you.”

It takes everything in Louis not to collapse. His nest. His nest is on the bus and the only comfort he has after forced nights out. His head is pounding. He has to breathe. He can’t drop in front of so many people. He can feel the tips of his fingers tingling as his vision swims. Breathe.

“Lou, are you sure you don’t want to stay with us tonight? We have to fly out early for that award show tomorrow.” Liam voices. His voice is soft, everything Louis has ever wanted in an alpha. Everything Louis can’t have. Why can’t they understand he’s doing this for them?

“I’m sorry guys, I have-“ Louis is quickly cut off.

“You don’t have to do anything. You chose to be a coke whore for all those women. We’ll see you on the plan tomorrow if you manage to show up.” Niall yells before storming out. Zayn followed after him.

“Sorry Lou, they just worry about you is all.” Liam starts, reaching out for Louis but never actually touching him. A beta doesn’t like an alphas touch. “I’ll calm them down. We’ll see you on the plane tomororw. Please be safe tonight.” Liam pleads. He looks almost devastated. Like he can’t believe Louis would be anywhere else but with the pack he’ll never be allowed to be apart of. With one last pleading look from his soft brown eyes, he too walks out of the room.

Louis gives himself another minute to breathe. To calm the need to drop into omegaspace. He clenches his fists with one last deep breath, turns to the door and walks straight to the car waiting to take him to the club.

Chapter Text

Being a male omega in a record breakingly famous boy band wasn’t all it was hyped up to be Louis thinks as he opens his eyes the next morning. He’s in a crappy hotel less than mile from the buses where he’s supposed to be. He’s long past asking for a nice room where he doesn’t have to worry about bedbugs and asbestos.

He auditioned for the X-Factor as soon as he turned 18. His mother, Jackie, was his biggest cheerleader then after watching him in his school productions. He sang everywhere he went no matter how much it annoyed his younger siblings. He really thought he could be something. Just his luck that biology had to get in the way.

Almost everyone presents by the time they hit seventeen. It’s insanely rare to present after and even more rare to present that late as anything other than a beta. Louis presented after he made it through to boot camp. Even missing a whole day to recover from his first heat. Mostly, it was to process that he had finally presented at eighteen as an omega. A male omega. The most rare of secondary genders. He didn’t even make it to the elevator of the hotel the contestants were staying at before he was pushed back into his hotel room and handed a pill.

“Everyone already thinks you’re a beta. It would be best if they continue to think that. Omegas don’t make it in this industry.” He’d been told. He took the little pink pill not knowing he would never be himself again. A week later, he was put in a band with two alphas and another rare male omega. A week after that, he was commanded to sign a contract to hide his omega status. He never even got to appreciate his scent, not that he remembers it.

Simon Cowell, creator of X-Factor and owner of the record label and the one who put One Direction together, pulled Louis into his office a week after the band was formed to ‘ensure the longevity and success of the band’.

“Louis, as I’ve been told, you presented this week as an omega is that correct?” His eyes were completely black. Staring Louis down and pinning him to the deep brown leather chair he sat in.

“Um- Yes, sir.” Louis got out, barely stopping himself from stuttering. Simon Cowell was an alpha and he has no qualms about using that authority, Louis was quickly learning.

“Yes, I see. That just won’t do. Omegas rarely succeed in this business. They aren’t able to handle the constant pressure and expectations. I understand the band already has an omega as well as two alphas, yes?” Simon asked him.

“Yes, sir” Louis responded, voice shaking.

“Two omegas in one band in an industry they can’t succeed in just won’t work.” Louis felt his heart drop. He wanted his boys to succeed. “ We can fix that, Louis, if you agree to be a beta.”

“But…But I’m not a beta, sir.” Louis’ not sure why, but tears are threatening to spill from his eyes and his throat is tight. Did he fail as an omega less than a week after presenting as one?

“You are a beta, Louis” Simon declared, alpha voice bleeding into his words. Louis immediately dropped his head and offered his neck. As submissive as possible to appease the angry alpha. “You are a beta and you will be a beta as long as you want those boys to succeed.” This time it was a command. Louis thought of his week spent with the boys. Liam, the softest alpha he’d ever met who had auditioned for a second time with dreams to make it big. Zayn, an alpha of few words who didn’t even want to be there originally but gave it his all every day. Niall, an outspoken omega who was going to make it one way or another. He wanted his boys to achieve all of their dreams no matter what. With that, he was locked into Simon’s alpha command, he was officially Louis Tomlinson - beta.

Louis thinks back to that meeting as the sun crests the horizon and bleeds through the shitty hotel curtains. A pen and contract were pushed in front of him and Simon had commanded him to sign it before he could ask to have a lawyer read it. He’s been handed a little pink pill every morning since then. Been told where to go and who to be since then.

“Betas don’t need a pack. Louis. You shouldn’t be spending that much time with a courted pack.” He’d been told. Liam, Zayn and Niall had quickly become his best mates during x-factor. Even without them knowing his status, they loved him. It wasn’t until they were signed after coming in third that he was told to start pulling back. He refused to leave them most nights back then. He preferred to spend his night during the Up All Night tour on the bus with his boys, his pack. That’s when Amanda came in. A female alpha that worked for Modest Management! who could travel with them under the guise of a liaison while primarily keeping Louis in check. It all went downhill from there. She wasn’t too bad during the Take Me Home tour, allowed Louis more than enough nights to unwind with his boys after a show. During the Where We Are tour, Liam and Zayn had officially courted Niall and were planning on bonding. A beta has no reason to hang around a courted pack. When they met up at the airport to kick off their On The Road Again tour, Niall showed up with two large bondmarks on each side of his neck. Louis could no longer be allowed to spend time with a bonded pack.

He’s been scheduled even more club appearances and even more ‘partners’ this tour and it’s taking a toll on him. The supressants he’s forced to take every morning are meant to be taken for short periods of time, but he’s been on them for almost five years at this point. He has a vague memory of his scent from his first (an only) heat but nothing concrete. The migraines debilitate him most days. Even the dimmest of lights are too bright and the softest of sounds too loud. However, nothing is worse than the depri.

Touch deprivation happens to an omega when they go too long without an alphas touch. It can get dangerous when an omega goes too long without being put into omegaspace by a trusted alpha. It affects their nervous system which in turn effects their entire body. Louis has never been out in omega space. On top of that, since he’s a ‘beta’, every alpha close to him avoids any sort of touch. At this point, he’s sure his body can never recover.

Omegas are far more emotional than alphas or betas. To calm their bodies from the amount of emotions and endorphins, they can be dropped into omegaspace. With a trusted alpha to drop them and bring them back, omegaspace is a safe place for them to rest and relax within themselves. Without a trusted alpha, omegas can drop without reaching omegaspace. It’s exceedingly dangerous and it’s possible to drop and never wake up. Omegas who drop without an alpha fall into an endless pit in their minds. It’s cold and dark and empty. Louis has dropped twice by himself. The trauma of those drops bleeds into every waking minute of his life.

He’ll prance down the stage and suddenly feel the cold of that barren place in his mind. Unable to move until the crowd roars loud enough. He’ll sit at a stool of whatever random club he’s told to go to and feel the emptiness of that place until his body guard guides him out. He’ll do anything to not he tortured with that again.

As he lays in the itchy bedsheets of the shitty hotel Amanda allowed him to stay in, Louis questions leaving for the millionth time.

He wasn’t allowed to read the contract he signed but he knows he’ll owe a lot of money to a lot of people. He knows he’ll never be allowed to work in the industry again. He knows the fans will hate him for lying, he’s been told many times. Mostly, he knows his boys will suffer. How could they love him after finding out he’s lied about something so big for so long? How will the public react to two alphas and an omega neglecting their omega bandmates? No, he can never subject them to that.

Louis rolls over, finally facing the morning sun streaming into the room. He thinks of Niall and all the questions he would get about not protecting a fellow omega. He thinks about Zayn and how close they were before Louis wasn’t allowed to hang out with him anymore. How Zayn became the big brother he never had. He thinks about Liam. Sweet, beautiful Liam and how he’s the perfect Alpha. All of Louis’ dreams come true.

He thinks he can keep going for them. For his boys, for his pack that’s not his pack.

Louis sits up in the bed and looks at the clock. 6:32 am. Their flight for the award show isn’t until 9:00 am but Liam will be happy to see him early, he thinks.
He gets up, swallows his little pink pill and heads to the airport. No matter how bad his head hurts, no matter how much the shadows cloud his vision, he’ll be there for his boys. He’ll be early, his boys will be proud.

Chapter Text

“Well,well,well,” Niall’s voice wakes Louis from his light nap, “At least you made it to the airport on time.” He snaps.

Louis can hear the hostility in his voice. He’s not stupid, he knows his boys hate when he goes to the clubs. He hates it too, but Amanda promised him the band can’t succeed if he doesn’t. He knows Niall is mad, but he’s here. His boys are here. He can’t stop the giant smile taking over his face. Eyes crinkling and heart pounding knowing his pack is close.

That’s Louis’ least favorite thing about hiding himself. His mind is still as sharp as ever. Simon’s alpha voice may take away his free will but he’s still entirely capable of rational thought. He knows how much his boys loved him before Amanda separated them. He knows they hate the situation he’s in, an by extension, Louis himself. There’s just nothing he can fucking do about it.

Louis looks up through squinted eyes, giant grin firmly in place. Niall has his arms crossed and hip popped, obviously irritated. Zayn looks disinterested as alway but Liam. Liam. Liam stands facing Louis with the dopiest smile on his face. Looking at Louis like he’s the most precious creature he’s ever seen. and that, that look is enough to keep Louis going.

Smile still wide, Louis speaks, “Hi! The hotel wasn’t that horrible but I missed you.” Louis says, the suppressants can stop his omega instincts but they can’t stop his mouth. “I woke up before 7 to make sure I was here. I wanted to make you proud. You’re proud of me right?” He knows he needs to stop. His mind is screaming at him. Betas don’t need praise. Betas don’t need a pack. But Liam has that dopey smile and Zayn’s eyes are softening and Niall’s arms are dropping to his side and his pack is here. He didn’t get to have his nest last night, he needs some comfort. They’re here and he can’t stop. Louis stares up at his bandmates with a hopeful sparkle in his eyes.

“If you-“ Niall starts but Liam quickly cuts him off.

“We’re so proud, Lou.” He says, and ruffles Louis’ hair. The first alpha touch he’s had in ages. The constant migraine he’s been fighting dulls almost instantly. Liam drops into the chair next to Louis, throwing his arm over is shoulder. “We missed you a lot last night. We played fifa but it’s never the same without you.”

Louis preens at Liam’s words. His (not his) alpha is touching him. An alpha is touching him for the first time in months. He missed him. Louis was actually missed. Sometimes, he thinks people lie when they say that but Liam is looking at him so softly. He’s looking at him like he’s more than a PR stunt. Louis almost forgot what it’s like to be looked at like that. He cuddles closer to Liam.

“We also had a lot of sex last night.” Niall throws in abruptly, “Probably good you weren’t there.”

Louis can’t help but laugh. Deep belly laughs he hasn’t allowed himself in months. Louis is very very much a virgin. He’s never had more than a knotting dildo during his first and only heat. He knows Niall doesn’t know that. He knows Niall’s words are meant to hurt him. He knows his little sunshine is mad he has to stay away and misses him so much that he’s trying to push him away. All Louis can do is smile impossibly wider because he’s an omega too. He knows, without being able to show it, how another omega thinks. Niall misses him and those emotions are manifesting in anger. Louis may be a closeted omega but he’s not stupid. In fact, Louis excelled in his a/b/o and psychology classes. If only he didn’t have to deal with those pesky alpha commands. Niall’s feelings towards him may be complicated but they are inexplicably comforting to Louis.

“Sunshine!” Louis yells before throwing himself at Niall, wrapping his arms around his torso and picking him up. “Have I told you how radiant you are lately?” Louis asks, spinning him around and around.

“Are you high?” Niall asks. They ask this a lot. Sometimes Louis can’t control the omega inside of him and every time, the boys think something must be wrong with him. The truth is, Louis doesn’t drink or do drugs whatsoever. But he’s not allowed to tell them that without outing Simon and his lies. The alpha commands he’s been given can only be broken but a stronger alpha, but that can’t happen if he can’t tell anyone what’s happening.

He can’t blame anyone for thinking he’s on something. The way his hands shake most days or the way he squints his eyes at any lighting would usually indicate that. But he’s not and he can’t tell them that so he just laughs again. He twirls Niall across the room laughing so hard tears stream down his face.

“No, Sunshine.” Louis thinks as hard as he can to choose his words carefully to not go against his commands. He can tell them about the PR work he does but he can’t speak bad about Simon or Modest! or give away his status. They’ve asked so many times and all he can tell them is the club needs him. He finally settles on, “I only had to be at the club for forty minutes last night so I was in bed early. I knew you doubted if I’d be able to show up on time so I came early.” Louis says as he sets Niall down on his feet. It didn’t hurt to say so it didn’t go against his commands.

“What do you mean you had to go for forty minutes?” Zayn asks from across their private waiting room in the airport.

“Um..” This is the part where it hurts. He can’t say a lot without one of his commands stopping him. This is exactly why the boys don’t know why he does what he does at night. He tries hard to think of the words to say. “Um, the deal was only forty minutes.” Louis says.

His bandmates stare at him likes he crazy and he knows he can’t say more. Niall’s brows scrunch in confusion so Louis turns to Liam. Eyes pleading for help. He too looks confused but softens as soon as Louis catches his eye.

“No matter what, you woke up early. Come here and have a nap, I don’t mind being a pillow.” Louis scurries over and drops into the chair beside Liam. No way in hell is he refusing the offer to cuddle his most favorite alpha. He’s asleep almost as soon as his head rests on Liam’s chest.
Liam runs his hands through Louis’ soft fringe, smiling softly at his sleeping figure. He knows Louis is a beta and doesn’t need this but he’s always had a soft spot for him.

“What does he mean ‘the deal was only for forty minutes’?” Niall asks. Liam can’t pull his eyes away from Louis.

“I’m not sure,” He starts. trying to think beyond how tiny Louis is. “I think- I think there’s more going on than we know.” Liam finally decides on.

Twenty minutes later when their private plane to Vegas is ready, Liam doesn’t hesitate to scoop Louis up and carry him onto the plane. He does notice, however, that Louis is far too light for a beta, let alone an omega. He stares down at his face and for the first time, notices the deep circles under his eyes. Something is very very wrong with Louis.

Chapter Text

Louis stands at the center of the red carpet just trying to breathe. Liam’s touch at the airport fought back his depri symptoms for a short time, but a fourteen hour flight just to be whisked away immediately upon landing had him on edge. His ever present migraine is back with a vengeance, making him sway in the middle of the red carpet.

They were taken off the plane at the Las Vegas airstrip straight to a hotel to be styled. Usually, Louis would be forced into an uncomfortable outfit meant to perpetuate the ‘straight beta’ image. Tonight, he was pleasantly surprised to find a deep charcoal grey suit covered in sparkles. It almost made him cry to see.

The band rode to the venue in silence. Louis saw Liam’s concerned glances and Niall and Zayn’s side eyes but he ignored them. He was so stupid to drop his guard so much before their flight. Nonchalance now is key unless he wants them asking questions.

They stepped out of their van altogether until Zayn, Liam and Niall got pulled in by fans. So, here he stands. All alone in the middle of a red carpet waiting for some saving grace. He watches fans burst into tears as Zayn walks towards them and decides to wait inside. As he turns, he runs straight into something hard.

Louis stumbles back but he can feel large hand circle his waist and pull him back into the hard surface. His face is buried in it. The scent hits him. A forest right after rain and sharp electricity. Petrichor and Lightning he thinks. Before he can stop himself, he tries his best to burrow deeper into the intoxicating chest.

“Careful, Little One. Wouldn’t want you to fall over in front of all these cameras.” The voice is a deep timbre although the words are an ice bucket poured over his head.

Louis abruptly jumps back, pushing away from the comforting thunderstorm. As he looks up, he sees the most hypnotic smirk. A dimple carved into one cheek, deep red lips. As he looks higher, he’s suddenly stuck in a trance staring into the deepest green eyes he’s ever seen. He’s staring straight into the forest this stranger smells of and he can’t look away.

The stranger stares back for a moment, smirk never leaving his face before glancing around them and speaking again, “C’mon Little One, let’s get you inside.”

Louis mind is racing as the stranger lays his hand on his lower back and leads him into the venue. He’s supposed to be a beta. He doesn’t need physical contact from an alpha. He doesn’t need soft words and deep voices. Yet somehow, this stranger breaks through all the commands he was given and he can’t stop his reactions.

As they walk through the doors of the large concert hall of the award show, the stranger leans down and whispers in his ear once again.

“Jusqu’à la prochaine fois, Petit.” (Until next time, Little One) Louis barely suppressed a shiver. He’s a beta, one alphas voice shouldn’t affect him. He shifts his focus outside instead, the stranger silently slipping away.

From the safety of the venue, Louis watches Liam gives hugs, Zayn sign autographs and Niall bouncing from fan to fan taking selfies. He knows he should be out there. He knows the fans want to see him too, yet he can’t. Right now, he’s stuck in his spot picturing deep green eyes and a devilish smirk.

The one thing he’s always been able to control were his instincts. He doesn’t submit to alphas when they get mad. He doesn’t seek out physical contact. He doesn’t look to an alpha to guide him when he’s lost. Yet that alpha, that smells of trees in a thunderstorm, had him crumbing at the knees. He needs to get out of here. He needs to breathe.
__________________

Louis runs to the nearest bathroom and straight to the sink. As he looks into the mirror, he notices how heavy he’s breathing. His lungs are tight, his throat feels dry and sore. He’s like a panting dog at this point and he can’t stop it. He looks down to his hands gripping either side of the sink. His ever cloudy vision has shadows swimming in the corners and all he can smell is lightning and there’s lightning in his throat, his lungs, his veins.

Until there isn’t.

Until there’s another scent.

He’s still panting, but all of a sudden he tastes spice. His lungs fill with it and every breathe in is like tasting a candy cane on Christmas morning.

Louis looks up to the mirror again. The stranger. The stranger is there. But his hair is longer. Where it used to be short cropped waves is now long and curly and his smirk has morphed to a concerned frown.

“Breathe with me, Dove,” The curly stranger says. Louis is so confused but he tries to breathe with him. He fails. “C’mon, dove, look at me.” He says as he grabs Louis’ hips and turns him around.

Louis is looking into green eyes but they aren’t a forest. He’s looking directly into a mint field completely entranced. He’s breathing in straight spice in short spurts and his only thought is the warmth of large hands seeping through his shimmering suit. The new stranger grabs his hand and places it on his chest.

“Follow my breaths, little Dove. Breathe with me.” The stranger says. Louis registers the strong heartbeat under his palm and finally starts to calm down. He doesn’t think about the fact that yet another alpha has broken through his defenses. He doesn’t think about his bandmates waiting for him outside of this bathroom. All he thinks about is a mint field in the middle of a thunderstorm.

As the shadows at the edges of his vision recede and his lungs fill once again, Louis removes his hand from his saviors chest and takes one last deep breath. Three alphas have touched him in the last 24 hours. More than he’s felt in the last five years. He wants to panic but all he can feel is calm. He wants to savor this before Amanda finds him and rips him away from it again.

The last stranger spoke to him in french before he left, words Louis couldn’t even understand. It weakened his knees almost to the point of collapse. He can’t give this clone the chance to weaken him even more.

“Thank you.” Is all Louis rasps out before he’s hightailing it out of the bathroom. Away from yet another alpha designed to ruin him.

He moves into the concert hall where the award ceremony will be held and quickly finds his seat. To his surprise, the pack is already sat and waiting for him. Niall shoots him a glare that almost had him cowering until he sees Liam beaming at him. He returns the smile and sits.
_____________________

One Direction wins two awards that night. Louis feels on top of the world. He checked his phone towards the end and had no messages from Amanda, meaning he got to go straight to the hotel tonight and sleep away the jet lag. Even though they’ll be flying to Manila in less than 48 hours, the allowed rest is welcomed.

As the foursome walked out of the venue doors, cameras flashed almost violently. They know this would happen but nothing can really prepare you. Louis kept his head down, doing his best to make it to their car unscathed. They took the last stair and had less than twenty steps left when Louis ran straight into a solid chest for the second time that night.

Spring. Fresh cut grass and a brand new footie pitch hits Louis’ nose like a tidal wave.

For the third time that night, his walls are completely demolished in the face of a brand new scent. Except this time, Louis has to suppress himself even more not to do something embarrassing like whine for this alpha. Before he can even look up, his brain conjures images of little puppies with caramel hair and green eyes kicking about on a footie field. He takes a deep breath and looks into the eyes of the new stranger.

Unlike the other clones, this one has his hair completely slicked back. Thick black glasses frame his light green eyes. There’s no smirk or frown or dimple in sight. Just green eyes and an entire future Louis isn’t allowed to have. For the first time in his life, Louis has to stop himself from slicking up.

“Are you alright, Kitten?” The new stranger asks and that does it. Louis feels one single drop of slick release. He needs to get out of here, now, but he’s stuck.

Suddenly, Louis hears a loud growl behind and whirls around. Liam stands there, red in the face and panting

“Lou, we need to go.” He says through gritted teeth before he grabs Louis’ arm and pulls him towards the car.

Louis takes one last look at the new stranger, feeling like he’s leaving his heart and soul right there at his feet.

“We’ll meet again, Kitten.” The stranger says with a sympathetic tilt of his perfectly pink lips. Louis has no idea if he’ll ever see him again but he knows he’ll savor every second he had with the identical strangers for the rest of his life.

Liam finally manages to get them all in the car and to the hotel. If Louis fell asleep dreaming of candy canes during a thunderstorm in spring, well, no one needed to know.

Chapter Text

Liam paced back and forth in their hotel suite. His mates cuddling in the bed watching him. They got to the hotel ten minutes ago and he can’t calm down. All he can picture is Louis with those alphas. He saw the one that lead him into the building before the show. Louis doesn’t trust people easily, barely even lets the boys in. To watch him let an an alpha that wasn’t pack put a hand on his back and guide him was something Louis would usually never let happen. It infuriated him to no hens but he let it go in favor of the fans. Seeing yet another alpha entrance Louis had him practically foaming at the mouth. He knows how red his face is, can feel his cheeks burning. If he was a cartoon, smoke would be blowing out of his ears by now.

Niall is looking at him like an animal to be feared. He knows he should comfort his mate, can feel his anxiety through their bond, but he can’t. All he can see is Louis. Louis and those alphas that aren’t even pack. He supposes, Louis isn’t really pack either is he? That thought infuriates him even more. If Niall wasn’t in the room, he would’ve destroyed it by now.

“Li, come cuddle. It’ll calm you down.” Niall tries. It’s hopeless.

Liam lets out derisive snort. “I don’t think that’ll work right now.” He doesn’t mean for it to come. out mocking, but it does. He’s never been this protective over their beta before. He has no clue where it’s coming from. All he knows is that his alpha is thrashing inside his chest, screaming in his head to protect his friend.

“Babe, what is this even about? Louis saw an alpha he liked, so what?” Zayn asks. That.That stops Liam in his tracks. None of them like Louis’ ‘activities’ with the omegas and betas he sees, but he’s never once looked at another alpha. Not a single time has Louis showed any type of interest in them. He doesn’t know why, but that thought is significant enough to stop him in his tracks. Angering the alpha inside him even more.

“So what? So WHAt?” Liam replies, voice rising, fists clenched. “So what is that those alphas weren’t pack! Louis has never liked alphas before. He doesn’t even know those them and he..he-“ Liam stops short. Eyes wide trying to comprehend. Louis is a beta. He doesn’t usually have a scent. But Liam swears he smelled something when Louis ran into that nerdy alpha outside the venue. It was so sweet and it hit him like a blow to the chest. What was that?

“Li..Louis isn’t pack. We are in a band together, yes. He was our best friend once upon a time. But he’s not pack. Your pack is right here. In this bed waiting for you.” Niall says reaching out a hand.

Liam ignores it because what? When did Louis stop being their best friend? Sweet, tiny Louis was always their best friend..right? He thinks back. The first tour, Louis was there every night with video games and a cuppa for all of them ready to unwind. Their second tour, Louis went out a night or two but he was always there for them. When the nerves got the best of Zayn, when Liam was too uptight, when Niall just couldn’t calm down. Their third tour, well, when he thinks about it, all he thinks is courting Niall. Where was Louis? Did they even call him during the break? They bonded, yet Louis was less than an afterthought. Now, they’re fourth tour. Liam thinks of Louis’ hopeful smile at the airport. Just wanting to be on time for the boys.

He suddenly sees it all in stunning clarity. Amanda. Louis never went out until Amanda came. “The deal was only for forty minutes.” Louis was always a. homebody. Reading, writing all their songs, combing through their security. Amanda came and suddenly he went out every night.

Courting. He and Zayn courted Niall during their third tour. He can’t recall a single memory of Louis the entire time. Countless shows across countless cities and he can’t recall if Louis was even there.

The break in between. Bonding Niall. It was unbelievably magical, but did anyone tell Louis? Did they show up ready to set off on yet another tour without so much as a text?

Their fourth tour so far. Carrying Louis onto that plane and feeling how tiny he was. Has he eaten? Would he have noticed? Louis showed up at that airport hours early just to please them. When was the last time any of them gave him any credit? Louis writes all their songs. Louis hand picks all their security. Louis handles all the big picture paperwork. Louis got them ownership rights over their music. When was the last time any of them thanked him?

Liam has been standing in the middle of their hotel room in Vegas completely frozen. When was the last time anyone asked Louis how his day was?

“Liam, we all love Louis, but all he cares about these days is clubbing and girls. He hasn’t even congratulated us on our bonding.” Zayn speaks. Cool and collected as always.

“Did we tell him?” Liam asks. Zayn and Niall look at him confused. “That we bonded. Did anyone tell him? We had four months off in between tours. We bonded in the first two weeks. Did anyone tell him it happened? Did anyone send even a single text just to ask how he was doing? Or did we just show up, ready for another tour after four months of no communication, ready to sing all the songs HE wrote?” Liam snaps back. Zayn’s eyes widen. Niall’s face drops.

“Um, I don’t think we told him to be honest.” Niall replies, voice hesitant. “I think the first he knew of it was at Heathrow before we took off.”

“The deal was only for forty minutes.” Niall and Zayn snap their eyes to Liam. “Did Louis ever go out before Amanda started with us?”

“Li, what are you saying?” Zayn asks.

“What does our contract say in terms of PR?” Liam is still standing frozen, piecing together the puzzle.

“They have access to our accounts-“

“What does Louis’ contract say in terms of PR?” Liam cuts Zayn off. His mates stare back at him, dumbfounded. As head alpha of the pack, Liam knows every word of all of their contacts. Except Louis’. They always sit down to discuss changes and negotiations as a pack. Who does Louis have?

He can’t take this anymore. Liam takes one last look at his mates and sprints out of the room. All he can think is how very tiny Louis was in his arms. His blinding smile, the crinkles by his eyes.

He fumbled with his pockets at Louis’ door trying to find the master key he’s given for their rooms; a right as head alpha. As we walks in the door his mind snaps back to Louis and those alphas. That sweet scent he could’ve sworn he smelled. He sees a positively small Louis laying in the center of his hotel bed and can’t hold back the possessive growl building in his chest.

“Li?” Louis’ sleepy voice is like honey sliding down his spine. Liam doesn’t hesitate to crawl into bed behind him, wrapping his arms around his delicate waist and pulling him to his chest.

“Sleep, baby. I’m here now.” Liam strokes the hair off Louis’ forehead. Noticing how incredibly soft it is. “You do so much for us and we appreciate you. We wouldn’t be where we are without you. Rest, you deserve it.” Liam croons, still sifting though Louis’ hair.

He can feel the moment Louis let’s every last bit of tension in his body go. He can feel the moment Louis falls into a deep sleep. Here, with Louis on his arms, he has never felt more at home. Liam settles, still spooning Louis, and finally falls asleep.
___________________

Niall and Zayn lay in their hotel bed, still cuddled up, just as Liam left them. They stare at the spot Liam just vacated minutes ago completely puzzled.

“What was that about?” Niall finally breaks the silence. Rage building inside him.

“I have no idea,” Zayn answers. “Although he does have a point. Louis said the club was a deal. Is Amanda making him go? We had four months off, did any of us so much as text him?” Zayn replies.

Before Niall can answer, a deep feeling of content flows through their bond. Liam is usually so uptight, so high-strung. This feeling of total relaxation is entirely new for him. The rage building inside both of them seeps out from the overwhelming peace flowing through this bond.
They can’t even question it before they too, are falling into a deep sleep.

Chapter Text

Warm streams of sunlight slip through the flimsy hotel curtains. Louis wakes up slowly. The last 24 hours were a lot for him. His body feels lethargic after the overload of alpha touch the previous night. Eyes almost refusing to open as his mind starts to work.

He’s replaying the memories of the award show when he registers a heavy weight around him. He’s ripped out of his daydreams when the weight is accompanied by a very familiar scent. Bourbon and Cherries.

Liam.

Liam is in bed with him. Arm wrapped around his waist. What the fuck is Liam doing in his bed?

Louis flies out of the bed, surprisingly graceful even with the overwhelming panic taking over. Liam is still fast asleep, now completely sprawled out. What is he doing here? Louis needs to get him out of here before Niall and Zayn wake up. Fuck, he needs to take his suppressants. What if Liam catches his scent?

For once, he got to wake up without aches clawing at his bones and nausea swimming in his stomach. A small moment of peace after so many spent in his own personal hell. Like every other good thing he’s ever had, this too was ripped away from him. His brain is screaming his commands back at him. He can’t let any of the boys find out his secret.

He’ll take the time to mourn the loss later. There’s more pressing matters to take care of now. First, suppressants. He finds his toiletry bag on the bathroom counter and fishes the packet out of the inside pocket. As much as he hates the pills and what they do to his body, he feels better knowing there’s not a chance Liam will be able to smell him. Breathing gets just a little bit easier.

The shrill sound of his ringtone can be heard from the bedroom. He rushes over to answer it before it can wake the sleeping alpha. Dammit. Just when he thought his morning couldn’t get any worse, it’s Amanda calling.

“Hello?” Louis answers, voice hesitant. It’s barely 7 a.m. A call this early never means good news.

“Louis, why are pictures of you with multiple alphas splashed across the entire internet right now?” She’s not yelling, but it’s obvious she’s barely holding back. “A female we could work with, but two alpha males? That’s a serious problem. How many times have we told you to stay away from them? Christ, you can’t even do one thing right.”

“I—I wasn’t…” Louis is fumbling for words. He wasn’t near either of them for more than a couple seconds, yet cameras obviously captured them. On the bright side, no one knows there was a third alpha in the bathroom. A win is a win, he supposes. “I wasn’t with them. I ran into them and got away as fast as I could.” His voice is so small. He feels pathetic. All the calm his body and omega were feeling after waking up is rapidly disappearing.

“We’ll have to do damage control, obviously.” Louis can hear Amanda’s eye roll through the phone. “Your flight back to London is at 5 p.m. We will have a girl waiting for you when you land. I suggest you get some sleep, you’ll be going out with her straight from the plane.” Amanda informs him before hanging up.

Great. He’s already jet lagged from the flight to the U.S just to attend the BMA’s. Now, he’ll practically be dead on his feet. Back to back flights across the world is bad enough, add a pap walk to that and it’s practically a death sentence. They have a week off once they reach London before kicking off the European leg of the tour. If he can just be good and not mess up for once, hopefully Amanda will allow him that week to rest. God, he misses his family.

With PR work to do and a giant secret to keep, Louis hasn’t seen his family much since finishing X-Factor. Just sporadic days here and there over the last five years. His mum had him young, only nineteen. The alpha fucked off before Louis was even out of the hospital. Six years later, Jackie met a nice beta, Mike, who fathered his younger sisters Lizzie, Faith and the twins Dana and Penny. They divorced when Louis was fourteen. Right after he left for X-Factor, Jackie met and bonded Dave, a very respectable alpha, and had another set of twins Delilah and Ezra. The youngest are only two and Louis has only met them a handful of times. He fucking misses his family. He resolves to do is absolute best with whatever girl waiting for him just for the chance to see them again.

Louis is shocked out of his depressing thoughts by a movement on the bed. He’s still standing in the middle of the room staring at the black screen of his phone. Right, Liam is still here, now waking up. All at once, the energy he lost from his phone call comes surging back into his body. Fear of what Zayn and Niall would say about their alpha sleeping with him sends adrenaline saturating his blood stream. Usually, he’d leave and let Liam find his way back to his pack, but not today. The fear and adrenaline mixed with the longing for his family and disappointment in himself for being seen with two alphas is making him angry.

Not just angry. Pure, white hot rage is building up inside of him. The boys get to go home regularly. The boys get to sleep away their jet lag. Liam is laying in his bed waking up slowly, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes like he hasn’t flipped Louis’ world on its head. An omega would usually never yell at an alpha. But Louis isn’t an omega, is he? He is a beta with fresh suppressants killing him slowly and fury burning him from the inside out. Liam doesn’t get to come in here, sleep in his bed, cuddle him all night and wake up nicely. No, Liam is going to give Louis some fucking answers. The last thing he needs is Niall and Zayn barging in here calling him a whore for ‘stealing’ their mate.

Before he can stop himself, Louis is stomping to the bed and grabbing a pillow. He uses it to whack Liam in the face. Once, twice, three times.

“Wake the fuck up!” Louis yells at the startled alpha. Liam shoots up to his knees in the center of the bed, hands up as if to surrender. As adorable as he looks in the morning, there’s no stopping the rampage that is Louis right now. “What the fuck are you doing in here?!”

“Morning Lou,” Liam starts. His eyes are still half closed and his hair is sticking up everywhere. “I came back after I brought you to bed last night. You fell asleep in the car, remember?” His voice is gruff, sliding down Louis’ spine like molasses. Unfortunately, it does nothing to calm him. God dammit, what would Amanda make him do if she knew Liam slept here?

“Paul or Alberto could’ve easily carried me to my room. That does not explain why you, a mated alpha, are in my room. It doesn’t explain why the fuck I woke up with your sweaty ass wrapped around me.” Louis screeches. He drops the pillow in favor of putting his hands on his hips. He fights the urge to pop his hip too, a beta wouldn’t do that. “I don’t know why you’re here, but I need you to leave. Now. You don’t get to use me as an escape just because you had a fight.” He finishes, making his way to the door.

“Lou, please just let me talk to you for a second. I’m sorry you woke up like that, but I—“ Liam starts. Louis cuts him off.

“Thanks for the apology, but it really doesn’t matter to me right now. It’s your mates that will be breaking down the door with insults locked and loaded to throw at me when they wake up and realize you’re not there.” Louis reaches the door and pulls it open. “I’m jet lagged and tired and we have another flight later tonight. The last thing I need is to be called a whore and accused of seducing a mated man. I’d like you to leave.”

Liam stares at Louis, wounded, deflated and utterly shocked. Not once, in the five years they’ve been a band, has Louis ever yelled at any of them. He’s loud and his demeanor demands attention, but that’s just Louis. He walks into a room an all eyes are on him naturally. This anger is entirely new to see. “Louis they wouldn’t-“ He stops and shakes his head. Louis stands, holding the door wide open for him. “They know where I am. They wouldn’t do that to you.” His eyes turn desperate. He’s still on his knees in the center of the bed. His words add even more fuel to the already uncontrollable flames inside Louis.

He lets the door slam shut and pivots to face Liam again. His voice starts quiet, seething, “They wouldn’t do that to me? They, Zayn and Niall, wouldn’t barge in here accusing me of seducing you?” The fire engulfs him. His voices raises far too much for the quiet of the morning. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed Liam, but your mates jump at every opportunity to put me down. They’ve made it very damn clear i’m just a slutty drug addict they can barely even tolerate. Who cares if I write all our songs or spend hours handpicking security for every venue we play in. Something I do because you alphas can’t control yourselves for five seconds and stop worrying everyone around you is trying to harm your omega, might I add. Who cares if I schedule all my recording sessions at the ass crack of dawn just because Zayn hates waking up early. I’m probably still awake partying. Who cares if I go to all the meetings with management by myself. They probably have to reprimand me for something anyway. Who cares if I do all the promo for our albums. I don’t have anything better to do! Right? Who fucking cares if Liam sleeps in Louis’ bed because he shares it with a random girl every night anyways! I don’t know if you’ve missed it, Liam, but your mates don’t care about me. They’ve made it unbelievably clear that i’m not, and will never be, pack. They sure as hell won’t care that I had no idea you were here. All they’ll see if a useless whore stealing their alpha. Get. The. Fuck. Out.” Louis yells all in one breath. He grabs the door and flings it open once again.

Liam sits frozen for a second, staring at Louis’ heaving body. Louis is their happy go lucky, bubbly beta. They’ve seen him every mood. But never this. Never has Liam seen Louis nearly choking on his rage. It’s becoming very clear that his decision to sleep here was the wrong one. The fight drains out of him after a second and he stands to leave. He holds eye contact as he walks to the door. Louis doesn’t care what he has to say, his omega is clawing in his chest. As soon as Liam steps into the hallway, he slams the door and slides the deadbolt in place.

Louis loves his boys. Every single thing he’s done in the last five years has been so they can live their dreams. He’d do anything for them. Almost. He refuses to be an extra bed they use when they fight. His omega is beyond neglected at this point. Being held through the night was so nice and so healing. But it’s not worth it when he only got it because said alpha didn’t want to be with his mates. It’s insulting to his battered omega to be treated like a dirty mistress. He can’t protect his omega from much, but he can protect it from getting attached to something it can’t have.

In the quiet of the Vegas hotel room, Louis slides down the door and pulls his knees to his chest. The fire is extinguishing and all that’s left inside him is a barren wasteland. His omega is clawing at his chest, angry at him for yelling at Liam. His brain is getting foggy from the influx of emotions he just went through. His temples are throbbing and his hands are trembling where they grip his knees. The only thing left to do is cry. So that’s what he does.

They have to be on a plane to London by 5. He has a girl waiting for him to go clubbing when he lands. Articles of the alphas he met last night to read through. Songs to write and packets of applicants to go through for venue security. But right now, at 8 o’clock on a scorching Nevada morning, Louis drops his head to his knees and lets the tears fall. Trapping loud sobs in his hands.

Liam’s scent is still faint in the room. Bourbon and cherries swimming in the air. Yet all Louis can smell as he cries, is lightning, peppermint and sunlight. A flash of green, green, green passes through his minds eye. He’s dropping and he can’t stop it. As the green, green, green gives way to suffocating darkness, Louis latches on to the memory of large, ring clad hands gripping his waist. His last comfort before his world goes black.

Chapter Text

Marcel stares out the floor to ceiling windows of their high rise suite. Him and his brothers chose to stay in the city after attending Billboard Music Awards the previous night. They would usually fly back to London, but something kept them here the extra night. Or someone, rather.

The brothers, although only 27, had established themselves within Hollywood. They started Adore Inc. straight out of uni. A marketing and promotional conglomerate. What started in a small office in London had grown into a worldwide powerhouse in the last five years. Adore Inc. started as a marketing agency for small artists across the UK. It is now the parent company of multiple corporations managing actors, artists, hotels and production companies. The three of them give thousands the chance to follow their dreams. Although it’s very demanding work, it’s incredibly rewarding to watch their clients live their dreams. Luckily, they’ve hired the best people possible and delegate whenever they can. Being CEO of dozens of companies can be hard work though, even between three people.

Their work promoting and sponsoring artists and production companies brought them to Las Vegas, attending the BMA’s last night. Award shows at this point into their career have become almost redundant. Either their artists win or lose, they support them all the same. Edward, the oldest, usually pushes to skip them by now. This show, however, Edward said nothing. Simply accepted the invitation as soon it was received. Looking back, Marcel is sure Edward knew this one was going to be special.

Still looking out the window, Marcel overhears his brothers conversation. “He really wasn’t okay Eddie. He was having a panic attack when I found him. He was so small and looked like he hadn’t slept in days.” Harry, the middle triplet said. He sounds alarmingly close to begging.

“Har, we have no idea what was going on with him. Yeah, he looked exhausted, but they’re in the middle of a tour. No one would be able to sleep well when they’re playing shows every night. According to google, they flew in from Asia for the show so he’s definitely jet lagged. Besides, he didn’t have any scent when I ran into him. A beta might not like three alphas butting in his life.” Edward, ever the level headed leader, responded. Something about his last statement bugged Marcel’s consciousness though.

“Eddie-“ Harry was cut off.

“He had a scent.” Marcel turned away from the windows to speak to his brothers. Edward resting against the headboard, Harry on his stomach, head resting on Edward’s thighs. “When I ran into him, he didn’t have a scent at first. We didn’t really speak. He smelled like a normal beta at first, but I caught a scent before he was gone. I’m sure of it.”

The brothers were all alphas. Edward was born to be an alpha. Showed all the protective, possessive traits of one from birth. A leader through and through. He was calm and refined, loyal and possessive. The head alpha of their little pack. Harry could’ve gone alpha or omega. He showed traits of both gender extremes during childhood, but there was no doubt once he presented. He was an alpha through and through. He took to the changes in his body like a duck to water. Although, he was still the more romantic, head-in-the-clouds type compared to his counterparts. The characteristics many thought would make him an omega, now served to soften the edges of his alpha mentality.

Marcel didn’t show the same traits. He was withdrawn and quiet. Preferring to be alone reading or learning. Entirely independent. He was classed as a beta from a very young age without question. The brothers each presented within a week of their fourteenth birthday, but Marcel was last and the biggest shock. Not a single person expected him to be an alpha. Much like Harry though, there was no doubting his gender. He can still be independent and like his alone time, but he’s fiercely protective of his brothers. The time he spent independently studying now served him as an alpha. Alphas are meant to be the decision makers of their home. Marcel has more than enough practice in being logical and concise to do exactly that. The brothers were always a package deal, but presenting as alphas altogether brought them even closer. On top of that, they were damn strong alphas. Strong alphas individually made unstoppable as a unit. Edward, the protective and possessive leader. Harry, the soft and passionate middle ground. Marcel, the tranquil and analytical youngest. They were three parts of one whole.

It was decided without discussion that they would be bonding one omega together. Outside of a few omegas for their ruts over the years, none of them have been in a serious relationship or courted an omega. They had never discussed it, but it was clear they were looking for someone who captivated them instantly. It’s not as common these days, but they were waiting for their soulmate. Never had an omega captured the attention of all three brothers.

Until last night.

Until that little pop star ran into each of them separately on the same night. They were ecstatic.

Until they realized the tiny pop star, Louis Tomlinson, was a beta.

Harry was positive they were meant to be, status be damned. Romantic as always. Edward, sensible as ever, argued it was a mere coincidence Louis ran into all of them in one night and nothing more. Marcel, well Marcel didn’t know what to think. Usually, he would be the tie breaker. The voice of reason to his brothers. Edward relied on his senses and Harry followed his heart. Marcel was always able to take a step back and look at any situation objectively. This time, he wasn’t sure what to think.

He would’ve believed Louis was a beta at first glance. He was small, but even in a crowd of people he didn’t seem to seek out an alphas attention like most omegas. He didn’t make himself small. His presence turned every head in the room but he moved as if he didn’t care, or even notice. He simply kept to himself. He seemed entirely dependent on himself and himself alone, like most betas. Every step he took turned heads, but he paid no mind to it. Marcel had never met anyone that turned the head of every single secondary gender. On the red carpet last night, alphas, betas and omegas were distracted by his presence alone. Louis was an enigma on his own, secondary gender he damned. He was staggeringly beautiful, no doubt about it. But it was more than that.

Marcel would believe he was just a beta tired from touring. Exhausted yet persevering. He would, but he smelled it. After they locked eyes. He smelled something sweet, vanilla perhaps? Whatever it was, it wasn’t cologne or perfume. It was a scent and it came straight from Louis. It had to. He’s the weakest of the triplets in terms of senses. Most of the time, he can’t rely on his nose alone like Edward and Harry. But he’s positive whatever scent he caught came straight from that delectable little pop star. That, coupled with what he saw, Marcel is on the fence. He can’t trust that Louis is a beta just because he kept to himself. Marcel himself was the same way, is the same way, yet he’s still an alpha.

“Wait, Marcie, what do you mean?” Harry turned his big green eyes to him. Harry had waterfalls of deep brown curls framing his face. They made his full lips redder and his emerald eyes glow. Add to that his giant heart and he was simply the most endearing person to exist. ‘Thank god he’s not an omega’ Marcel thought ‘They’d take him away from me.’

Marcel looked back at him so softly, “I mean, Har, when I met Louis, he smelled neutral, like a beta. We barely said a word to each other, but we locked eyes for a second before his bandmate pulled him away from me. He had a scent when he was pulled away.” He responded. Edward could be right about Louis being a beta, but Marcel couldn’t bear to see Harry’s heart break. He chuckled to himself. As the youngest, his brothers are always overprotective of him. It feels good to return the favor. Almost poetic in a way.

“What did he smell like?” Harry asked, excitement showing through the words. Even Edward seemed suspiciously in tune to his words, almost…hopeful?

“It was so quick, I couldn’t pick up on the exact scent. One of the alphas in his band, Leroy? Lucas? Liam? Liam, that’s it. Liam came and dragged him to the car almost as soon as I could register it. I think I got a hint of vanilla?” Marcel got out. It sounded like a question. He’s so mad at himself for not being able to tell his brothers exactly what it was. “I don’t know for sure, but I do know that it smelled like waking up. He smelled like I just woke up. And my wolf agrees, judging by the way it’s been restless since that moment. He smelled like the reason I’m an alpha. That makes no sense but it’s the truth.” He finished.

“Let’s just think about this for a second,” Edward spoke. “If Louis is an omega, why would he be hiding his scent? Why would the whole world think he’s a beta? I mean, he’s twenty three. He would have presented by the time the band made it big. Also, why would Marcel be the only one to catch his scent when we both met him before, Har?”

Harry and Marcel both rolled their eyes. Marcel because his wolf was annoyed by Edward’s questions. He, himself, knew they were valid, but his wolf wasn’t having it. Almost like it knew something he didn’t. Harry because he was a hopeless romantic sap who looked into starry blue eyes and was hooked.

“Eddie,” Marcel said, “What did you feel when you met him? Yes, he smelled like a beta, but Harry and I both felt a connection to him. A connection that suggests omega. Unless we are destined to be with a beta. Speculation about it is useless though unless all three of us agree. Honestly, even if we agree all agree to a connection, speculation is useless until we meet him again. I could’ve caught a scent on his clothes or something. And if it was him, we could just be destined for a beta. We won’t know unless we can see him in person again.”

Edward, still resting against the headboard, looked down at him hands resting on his lap. He seemed to be warring with himself, choosing his next words as carefully as possible. After a long pause, he raised a hand to run through Harry’s long locks and looked up to Marcel.

“I felt it. He ran straight into my chest and I grabbed his waist to stop him from falling. My wolf almost growled, it didn’t want me to let him go. He looked so lost out there, in the middle of the red carpet with no where to go and no one to turn to. My only thought was to make sure he was safe. To make sure no one hurt him. I got away as quickly as I could once we were inside because I’ve never felt like that before.” He got out, voice hesitant. Before either of the brothers could respond, he continued.

“If you two felt what I felt, even without a scent, then I have no doubt that he’s ours. It does raise some concerns though.” Edward said, his face suddenly stern. Marcel’s eyebrows furrowed, listening intently. Harry already looked crestfallen. “We are all alphas, very dominate alphas. A beta with an alpha can be very difficult. We are dominates who need someone who can be submissive to us at times. I’ve never heard of beta/alpha soulmates. That and the fact that Marcie caught his scent, it’s very possible Louis could be an omega. If that’s true, why is he hiding it?” Edward finished. His hand was still running though Harry’s curls.

Marcel has been thinking the same thing. Why would Louis hide his status? They all work in the industry. They know how nefarious it can be. They haven’t heard of an omega being suppressed for five whole years, but it wouldn’t be the worst secret the industry is hiding. It would be extremely detrimental to the omega though. All the brothers seem to have that thought at the same time. A deep rumble sounds from all three of their chests simultaneously.

“Whatever the reason, we all saw him last night. Beta or omega, Louis is not okay. As a beta, he’s fucking tired. If he’s an omega, he’s barely holding on.” Harry voices what they’re all thinking. The rumble in their chests grows to a guttural growl from each of them. That alone solidifies the idea of a soulmate for them. The only question now is if the gods above destined them for a beta or an omega.

Louis Tomlinson, global pop star, was destined for the Styles brothers. Nothing and nobody was going to stop them from getting to him.

“I think we need to see Louis again.” Edward says, a lot more confident that it was at the beginning of the conversation.

Marcel joined his brothers on the bed. Tonight, they would bask in the joy of finally finding their soulmate. Come morning, they would find a way to save him. Beta or omega doesn’t matter. They all saw the weariness and exhaustion exuding from his tiny frame. They saw the way his cheekbones protruded and his hands shook.

The triplets cuddle into each other on the king sized bed. Edward and Marcel sandwiching Harry between them. As they drifted off to sleep, they pictured enchanting eyes filled with deep blue seas.

Chapter Text

Liam stared at the closed hotel room door silently, eyes wide. What the fuck just happened? He went to Louis’ room last night out of concern and somehow ended up kicked out after a thorough tongue lashing this morning. He was barely even awake when it started. He’s barely even awake even now. What the actual fuck?

Rather than standing in the hallway like a dumbass any longer, he makes his way back to his own room. His mates are most likely still asleep. It’s not even eight o’clock yet, jeez. He’s still so confused and, quite frankly, baffled.

Louis typically lights up every single room he walks in to. People naturally gravitate towards his effervescent personality and larger than life attitude. Sometimes, he’ll get quiet. Sticking to the corner of the room and observing rather than participating like he usually would. On rare occasions, he dissociates completely. It doesn’t happen often, but Liam has noticed the way his eyes glaze over as he sits off to the side. Not a thought behind his eyes whatsoever until something snaps him out of it and he’s back to being the life of the party. He gets mildly irritated if the bus doesn’t have his beloved yorkshire tea or Alberto loses track of his skateboard. Every once in a while, if one of the boys mentions going home, Louis will get a longing look in his eyes with a shy little smile. At bars, he gets cocky. Knowing he could have his pick of all the women present. Smug but always respectful, like whoever he goes home with is the prize, not him, the famous pop star. Liam has seen all of Louis’ moods. He’s knows how to make him laugh and how to piss him off. What he just saw? That anger? That’s new.

His wolf is pacing with heavy stomps in his chest. It weighs him down as he unlocks his room door and walks in. Niall and Zayn are passed out on the bed, squished together. Liam let’s a lopsided smile take over his face. He goes to join them before Louis’ words come back to him. ‘your mates jump at every opportunity to put me down’.

That can’t be right, can it? Instead of crawling into bed with his alpha and omega, Liam makes his way to the balcony. There’s a small circular table with two metal chairs out there. He sits in the chair tucked into the corner and looks at the ground from the seventh floor. The relentless desert sun is beating down on him, drawing sweat as soon as he’s settled. The air is dry, but it helps clear his mind.

The puzzle pieces started falling together last night. Somehow, Liam realizes, he completely overlooked his pack’s involvement in whatever Louis is dealing with. He was so ready to blame Amanda for Louis’ elusive behavior, possibly Simon too. Clearly, he missed some very big components. While he was worried wether they bother to tell Louis they bonded, Louis was thinking about how Zayn and Niall treat him. Is it that bad?

His wolf gets impossibly angrier inside him. Thrashing back and forth. Liam and his wolf are usually so in sync. He’s usually centered and clear-headed. Right now, he feels completely discombobulated. All of Louis’ words rattling inside his head. He barely even knows where to start.

Would Zayn and Niall have accused him of something, even knowing where Liam was last night? It doesn’t take much thought to realize that, yes, they would have. Had either of them woken up before he left Louis’ room, they most definitely would’ve kicked the door down and hurled insults at Louis. It’s not just his wolf that’s angry now, Liam is too. His fists clench on top of the small table.

Louis hand picks their security? A memory flickers to life in his brain. Liam and Zayn yelling at Paul after security failed to stop a fan from jumping on the stage. The girl didn’t even go near Niall, just headed straight for Louis. While Liam and Zayn raged about it, Louis gave her a hug and calmly led her off the stage. He even signed her poster. The alphas threw a fit after that concert and demanded tighter security while also warning them not to hire anyone who could endanger Niall. He had no idea that responsibility fell to Louis. He just thought Paul handled it.

Louis does write all their songs. Most of them at least. Liam will meet with Julian for a writing or recording session and he’ll have stacks of paper filled with Louis’ handwriting. He’s added to a lot of them, but it’s always Louis’ ideas and concepts that start it. Essentially, One Direction would not have any music out if Louis wasn’t writing it.

It was a surprise to know Louis schedules recording sessions early. Liam has seen him stumble into breakfast, dark bags lining his eyes and steps unbalanced. He has always thought it was from drinking and clubbing. Zayn and Niall have made countless comments about it. Knowing now that he was probably coming from early meetings with Julian, he feels fucking awful. He does it for Zayn while Zayn sits there belittling him.

Remembering the look on Louis’ face, the flush to his cheeks and his gasping breath, after he finished yelling, makes Liam incredibly sad. Sad and overwhelmingly guilty. Louis was yelling about the way his bond mates treat him, but his anger suggests he was mad at Liam himself too. And Liam can’t blame him. He’s head alpha of this pack. Head alpha of this band, yet he’s sat back and allowed Louis to do all the work while also allowing his mates to treat him like shit. He goes to all the meetings alone? He does all the PR alone? That’s something any good head alpha should know. Gods, he’s beyond disappointed in himself.

He went to Louis’ room last night believing he was being forced into club appearances and feeling guilty for excluding him. While Louis confirmed forced club nights, he now realizes that excluding Louis is the least of his pack’s shortcomings. ‘They’ve made it unbelievably clear that i’m not, and will never be, pack’ Liam recalls Louis saying. His wolf stops thrashing at that. Instead, it recoils violently in shame. Obviously upset at the insinuation of not being pack. The words affect Liam himself too. A tear slides down his cheek as his nails dig into his palm. Louis is pack. Louis is pack. Louis is pack.

The balcony door slides open, a sleepy Niall poking his head out, “Alpha?” He asks. He makes his way to Liam. As he goes to sit in his lap, Liam scoots his chair in so there’s no room to sit. Niall is the love of his life, but he can’t ignore his treatment of Louis anymore. He can’t allow this to continue. What a shitty job he’s done as head alpha. “What’s wrong?” Niall asks as he slides into the only other chair, completely dejected.

“He’s forced to go to those clubs, Ni.” Liam grits out. He does his best to keep his anger from flowing through their bond to not overwhelm Niall, or wake up Zayn. With all of the anger and disappointment flowing through him, it’s a difficult task. “I was right. Amanda makes him go. It’s all promo to get the bands name out there. And what do we do? Take the piss out of him every chance we get.” Liam says, staring down at his clenched fists on the table.

“Li, they can’t force him to go out every night. He goes out to get his fix and to find a new hookup. I mean, he’s got girls in every single city we go to.” Niall reaches out to put his hands on Liam’s but he pulls them away.

Liam lifts his gaze from the table to look back at Niall. He looks startled at him pulling away. He’s used to Liam giving in when it comes to Louis. He’s not prepared for Liam to push back. The realization at just how bad he’s failed Louis has Liam angry enough that it bleeds into their bond. He watches as Niall flinches back, not used to such emotion coming from his docile alpha. There’s a coil of rage inside of Liam’s stomach. He takes a deep breath and does his best to calm down.

“Ni, baby, I’m serious. He’s not going out because he wants to. He’s our best friend. Can’t you just give him some grace?” He implores. Louis deserves that at the very least, just a little bit of grace.

“I don’t know what you’re implying Liam, but Louis is sure as hell not my best friend. He’s a dirty-“ The coil snaps.

“ZAYN!” Liam bellows, cutting off whatever bullshit Niall was about to say. Liam loves, loves, loves his mates. They are the light of his life. He’s overlooked so much for them, but he can’t allow this to continue. He loves his mates, but he loves Louis too. He can feel his wolf taking over, needing to protect their beta above all else at this moment.

__________________

Zayn shoots up in the bed when he hears his name called. He takes a quick glance around the room, empty. He’s alone. As he turns his head, he sees his mates on the balcony. There’s anger pumping heavily into their bond, so strong it’s impossible to tell who it’s coming from.

He runs to the balcony door and throws it open. Niall and Liam are sitting opposite each other at the small glass table. Niall is completely still, staring at a royally pissed of Liam. So, that’s where the anger is coming from.

Zayn takes a step toward Liam, arm outstretched trying to calm him down, “Li-“ He swallows his words as Liam pushes away from the table and stands.

“Sit.” Liam says. His voice is low, almost commanding. One look at his almost black eyes and Zayn knows. That’s not Liam, this is his wolf. What the fuck happened? He grabs Niall’s hand on top of the table, both staring, unblinking, at their wolfed out mate.

“Louis does not choose to go out every night. Amanda makes him.” Liam says through harsh breaths.

“Okay…maybe some nights-“ Niall starts.

“NO!” Liam slams a hand down on the table. Zayn follows the movement, very surprised the glass didn’t break under the force of his hit. “Louis only goes out when Amanda tells him to.”

“Babe, what the fuck are we talking about?” Zayn asks. He is completely useless this early in the morning. He was woken up to his very angry alpha yelling about Louis. Who cares about Louis? He remembers Liam talking about him last night, but he barely paid attention then. He’s even more lost now.

“Louis does all the PR work for our band. Amanda tells him when to go out and he does.” Liam says. His teeth are still clenched. Spit is flying out the corners of his mouth. Zayn shoots a glance to Niall. He’s staring at Liam just as confused as Zayn is. “You two treat him like shit and I’ve let you. Not anymore.”

“Babe, he’s an alcoholic, an addict. He goes out because he wants to.” Niall says slowly. It sounds like he’s talking to a scared animal. One more look at Liam and Zayn can’t to deny, that’s close to the truth. Niall’s words seem to send the wolfed out Liam into a frenzy.

“NO!” He yells before starting to pace back and forth on the small balcony. “When was the last time you saw Louis have a drink? When was the last time you saw Louis do any drugs? ‘The deal was only for forty minutes’ that’s what he said! He told me he does all the promo. Amanda tells him where to be and he goes.” Liam yells. His voice is so loud both Zayn and Niall are flinching.

Zayn thinks back as he watches Liam pace angrily. When was the last time he saw Louis drink? Honestly? Never. Liam, Niall and himself have a beer before they go on stage at every show. Not once has Louis joined them. When was the last time they saw Louis do drugs? Again, never. He wouldn’t believe it if it weren’t for the way Louis disappears every night.

Zayn and Louis hit it off on day one. They connected over their nerves of performing from the first day the band was formed. From there, they became the closest of friends. Brothers, even. Zayn followed Louis’ lead on everything and it did wonders to pull him out of his shell. They became partners in crime in the X-factor house. On stage, Louis had just enough confidence to silence Zayn’s stage fright. Louis was even the one to encourage him to pursue Liam and Niall.

They stayed close through the first two tours. Somewhere along the way, they just lost touch. If Zayn was still close to him like they used to be, he wouldn’t believe what Louis has become. His Louis would never be partying lothario he is now. But, Zayn doesn’t know Louis anymore. Zayn started courting Niall and Louis started going out and somewhere along the way, they lost each other.

If what Liam is saying is true, then Zayn allowed his best friend to be used by their label. That means Zayn has said horrible, unforgivable thing about his best friend over a few headlines. If Liam is right, that means they never lost touch. That means Zayn got too caught up in his own world to worry about Louis anymore. That means he never lost his best friend, he just stopped seeing him.

He stares down at his shoes, unable to face his mates. Liam has always been protective of the beta, but Zayn? Zayn and Louis were two peas in a pod. Louis is older but Zayn always felt responsible for him. A debilitating wave of guilt washes over him as Liam continues speaking.

“I do not care what either of you have to say about Louis. Whatever opinions you have, keep it to yourself. You have both reminded him, repeatedly, that he is not your pack. However, he is to me. I am head alpha of this pack and I am telling you that Louis Tomlinson is an integral part of my pack.” Liam says, full alpha voice, before slipping back into the hotel.

Zayn sits in the uncomfortable metal chair on the hotel balcony, hands firmly locked with Niall’s. There’s no arguing with Liam’s words. His alpha submitted to Liam’s before bonding Niall. Did they really not tell Louis? His eyes flick up to his omega. A look of understanding passes between them.

There may be more to Louis Tomlinson than they previously thought.

_____________________

Niall sits in the leather recliner of the Vegas airport VIP lounge. Liam and Zayn sit on either side of him, but none of them speak. It’s already past 4 o’clock and Louis has still not arrived.

Any other day, Niall would be pissed. Louis is frequently late for their flights. His arrival is usually followed by countless headlines of his various escapades. Most times still in the clothes from the previous night. Liam’s outburst earlier has him pausing from voicing any complaints at his late arrival today.

That and the fact that Louis was still in his hotel room when they left. Their hall security confirmed no one entered or left their floor besides them for their stay. Liam slept in Louis’ room (sigh) so he knows no one else was in there. It’s not out of the ordinary to take different cars to whatever airport they need to be at, but it’s weird that they did when Louis was alone in his room.

After wolfing our earlier, Liam finally calmed down and they spent most of their day discussing what he’d learned. Mostly, they spent the day with Liam berating them for how they treated the beta. Now, he sits in the luxurious VIP chair with a new command to treat Louis with respect.

He understands. Really, he does. Louis does do a whole lot of work for the band. It was a surprise to learn he was assigning security for Niall’s safety. It was a shock to find out he was tripping his way through breakfast out of respect for Zayn’s sleeping habits and not some girl from whatever club he was in that night. It was an even bigger surprise to learn how little he’s seen his family. They spent an hour going back through his social media and all the 1D update accounts to find out he’s only been to Doncaster seven times in five years. Niall, himself, has been back to Ireland close to thirty.

Louis was like a God to Niall in the beginning. The older boy was effortlessly funny and Niall likes to laugh. Louis exuded charisma and confidence everywhere they went. He loved it at first. Loved watching Louis in his element for a time. Somewhere during the X-factor tour, he realized he didn’t look up to Louis’ confidence, he envied it. He did his best to ignore it. That worked for a while, until Louis started partying. He wasn’t sure if he missed him at first or if he was happy he wasn’t there. Either way, resentment grew.

Every time they had to sit and wait for him because of a hangover, it grew. Every time he forgot lyrics on stage, it grew. Every time he skipped a band night, it grew. It grew until there was nothing but hate in his heart. Louis, once a god to him, was nothing big gum stuck to his shoe.

Knowing what he learned today, he feels awful. Zayn didn’t say much, as per usual, but he did drop the fact that Louis encouraged him to pursue him. Here he was, hating and envying Louis. And what was Louis doing? Giving one of his alphas the confidence to pursue him. Zayn is his quiet strength he can’t live without. Learning he wouldn’t have that without Louis was jarring.

Then there was everything Liam told him. Just how many of their songs Louis wrote (He didn’t even credit himself on some of them). Cherry-picking security for each individual venue just for his safety. Going to clubs to get the bands name in the press. Missing out on family time for that reason. That’s the craziest thing to Niall. Louis is the definition of a mama’s boy. He would’ve argued any of Liam’s points until he said that. Louis gave up time with his family, with his mum, just to promote the band.

He knows they owe him an apology, but something is still eating at him. Liam, his alpha, wolfed out for the first time ever over him. It took over an hour to bring him back. Zayn, his strong and mysterious alpha has been mute since their conversation hours earlier. He doesn’t know what the feeling in his chest is, but he knows he doesn’t like it. And he knows he doesn’t like what Louis does to his alphas.

A quiet snick if a door sounds from across the room. The pack is so quiet that Niall can hear it even with his inferior omega senses. He throws a quick glance over his shoulder.

Louis glides silently into the room. For the first time, Niall notices how small he is. Even through is black skinny jeans, he can tell his hipbones protrude. The bags under his eyes are so purple it looks like he’s been punched. They linger under his eyes like well acquainted friends. How has he never noticed this?

He watches as Louis walks silently to a chair clear across the room from them. It’s startling to realize this is normal. Louis does everything he can to stay out of their way, doesn’t he? He wants to say hi, but he knows even something as simple as that is out of the ordinary. Whatever feeling was swelling inside him is quashed by the sight of the beta.

Louis has always had an uncanny ability to turn heads. Walking into a room was enough, but his personality has always had people gravitating to him. Looking at the sullen, dejected beta now, Niall can’t even remember what that was like. As he looks at Louis’ sunken figure, he replays the memory of Louis twirling him across another airport across the world just a couple days ago. Is this the same Louis?

It’s with a startling clarity that Niall realizes, it is. The Louis who picked him up and swung him around the room a few days ago had bags under his eyes too. That Louis was unbelievably ecstatic to be the first to the airport. That’s really all he has to look forward to? Louis Tomlinson, the God Niall looked up to, is the same Louis Tomlinson here now. Only now, Louis Tomlinson lives in the shadows.

Niall watches Louis sink as deep as he can into the dark leather chair, seemingly trying to disappear. He takes in just how small he is. Just how overworked he is. Just how exhausted he is. He decides, then and there, Liam is right. Their pack will find their way to Louis no matter what it takes.

Chapter Text

A cold chill settles into Louis’ bones as he stares out the window of their private plane. They took off a couple hours ago without a single harsh word from the boys. That was definitely a very welcomed surprise. He should be getting as much sleep as he can, but he can’t shake off the lingering effects of his drop.

He fucking dropped. Again.

In all honesty, he has no idea how he woke up. There was no alpha present to help him through it. No warmth. No peace. Just the freezing abyss in the depths of his own mind. He came to on the scratchy hotel carpet to a very pissed off Paul banging on his door, yelling about missing his flight. A brief memory of lush rolling hills broke through the darkness as he woke up, but disappeared as soon as he reached for it. This is the third time he’s dropped alone and, although he made it out, there’s a profound certainty within him that knows he won’t survive another one.

Now, he sits on the opposite side of the luxury plane from the boys, watching the wings cut through clouds. Not only are his bones aching from the drop, but every muscle in his body is throbbing from being sprawled on the hard floor for over six hours. The migraine he can never seem to shake is turned up to ten and his breathing is labored. His stomach is a desolate wasteland, begging for food he wouldn’t be able to keep down anyway. Sleep, at this point, feels impossible. Last time he dropped, he had an entire day to recover enough to get on stage again. This time, he has to sit on this plane for another four hours and endure a night out with whatever girl Amanda has waiting for him. ‘I can do this’ his brain screams ‘just one more night and I can see my family’.

A soft snore pulls his head out of the clouds, literally. With a glance over his shoulder, he sees the boys intertwined on the couch to the side of the jet. All three are out cold, Zayn letting out snuffling snores every couple minutes. Gods, Louis is jealous. They get to sleep, unencumbered, every night and still manage to nap on during the day. Louis carries the burden of hiding his status, and everything that comes with it, on his shoulders day in and day out and sleep evades him. With a shake of his head, he turns back to the window.

Seeing Liam after his outburst early that morning is painful. Maybe he should’ve given the alpha a chance to explain, but overwhelming anger took the wheel and any possibility of a calm conversation flew out the window. He doesn’t regret it, unleashing at Liam. Zayn and Niall probably deserved it more, but yelling at them would mean they would have to spend more than three seconds in his presence without running their mouths. Hell would freeze over before either let that happen, so Liam it was. He’s just so sick of being the bigger person when it comes to them. No, he’s not a part of their pack. Yes, spends most nights out. Yes, he has to keep his distance from them whenever possible, but that doesn’t give them the right to treat him the way they do. He’s sacrificed too much for them to be verbally assaulted on a daily basis.

None of them bothered to greet him when he made it to the airport, dead on his feet and very late. Something in the air had shifted, though. Where there used to be vicious glares and biting words, there was not so subtle glances and silence. The tension that hangs in the air every time the band is in the same room seemed to have been missing in that lounge. No, not a single word was uttered, but their eyes stayed glued to him in a way they never have before. Assessing him instead of dismissing him.

Whatever it is that changed, Louis will deal with it later. There’s far more dire matters to worry about. First, he needs to get some food in his body. It’s not often he can keep anything down these days. The poison forced down his throat each day ensures that. Hopefully some shitty airplane crackers will sate the cramps in his abdomen enough to get some rest.

After a short walk to the back of the plane for some crackers and water, Louis settles in for the final stretch of the flight. Four more hours and he’ll meet a girl and head to a club. If he’s lucky, she won’t expect more from him than holding her hand for the cameras. The girls that understand they are just there to do a job are his favorite. Every once in a while, they’ll actually try to sleep with him or get him to drink with them, treating him as a commodity to parade around rather than an actual person. One girl, a C-list actress trying to get some publicity, kissed him when they walked out of the club. The paps went crazy for that photo, plastering it to every gossip site within minutes. Louis wanted to be mad at the time, but all he could do was burst out laughing. She was undeniably gorgeous, but that kiss solidified just how very very gay he is. Mostly, his dates understand they are there to be seen with him in front of the cameras and nothing more. What they do inside is none of his business. He’s even managed to make some good friends out of all of this. A lovely girl, a beta named Taylor, used the cringiest pick up lines on any alpha she could find just to make him smile. It was a good laugh and he even left with her number in his phone and a promise to keep in touch. He desperately hopes this night can be like that one.

Louis leans back in his seat and forces his eyes to close. He needs to rest so he can make it through the night without giving management a reason to make him go out again. He can almost smell his mother’s sweet lemon scent. He can do this. One more night and he can make it home.

___________________

Their plane lands just after 11 p.m. Two blacked out SUV’s are waiting on the tarmac to pick them up from the plane. Louis spent the last half hour in the air getting ready to go out. His clothing choices are as controlled as everything else. Even though he’d prefer some soft sweats, oversized jumpers and pastel colors, he now wears dark grey skinny jeans and a plain white tee. ‘Beta clothing’. His one comfort, and silent middle finger to his handlers, are the lacy lavender panties he hides under the denim. A secret reminder of who he is when all his choices are made for him.

The band steps off the plane lazily. The pack still drowsy from their nap and Louis still suffering side effects of his drop. Zayn gave him a questioning look when he stepped out of the bathroom dressed and ready. He simply shrugged and made his way to the door. He can feel three pairs of eyes on his back as they move towards the cars.

“We can share a car Lou. We all live in the same direction anyway.” Liam shouts as Louis makes his way to the second SUV. When he turns back to him, Liam is already staring back, confused. Zayn is staring at the ground, shifting on his feet while Niall looks anywhere but at him. All Louis can think is that he sold his house near them in favor of a smaller flat three years ago. Sharing a car would be counterproductive. He simply has no energy to argue that point.

“Not going home Li. I’ll see you guys in Cardiff in a week.” Louis responds, jumping into the car as fast as he can when he sees Liam open his mouth to speak again. He’s exhausted and fidgety and freezing. There’s no point trying to explain. Although, it does give him a sick sort of thrill to be the one dismissing them for once.

Sitting in the car, is a tall brunette with big brown eyes. Beta, judging by her lack of scent. She’s wearing a short black dress and her legs seem to go on forever. If he was straight (and a beta) he would definitely go for her. As it is, she’s a lovely partner for the evening. He just hopes her personality is as beautiful as she is.

“Hi, I’m Eleanor. Lovely to meet you.” She extends a hand. A bright smile taking over her face. The car starts moving then. One last look outside and Louis sees Liam and his mates standing right where he left them. Liam’s jaw is still dropped from Louis’ dismissal. He turns back to Eleanor. Right, time to suck it up and turn on the charm then.

“Louis. Nice to meet you as well.” He says, taking her hand in his and shaking it once. “You ready for this?” It’s a standard question he asks every beard he’s assigned. What he means is the blinding camera flashes and paparazzi yelling. It can be jarring to experience if you’re not ready for it. Some girls think it means he’s gearing up to live up to his reputation, but he always takes care to ask anyway.

“Of course. I mean, we only have to be there for like an hour.” Eleanor flicks her wrist dismissively. Louis rejoices inside, she understands what they are there to do. “I’ll be the best damn fake girlfriend you’ve ever had as long as you promise to dance with me.” She throws a wink at him. Gods, if it wasn’t for the lack of scent, Louis would think she’s an alpha. Her confidence and blasé attitude is beyond refreshing. It livens him up just a little bit, just enough.

“Can’t dance for shit, Love. Probably not the best partner.” Louis tells her. He really is hopeless on the dance floor. Throw a tall, handsome alpha male behind him and he can grind like there’s no tomorrow, but he wouldn’t have a clue where to start with Eleanor.

“Do you see these legs? They may be catwalk ready, but certainly not made for dancing. I just need someone to embarrass themselves right along with me.” She slaps the tops of her thighs, chuckling slightly. Louis laughs along with her. Somehow, he managed to end up with someone who understands the charade they’re playing into and also a good time on the night he needed it most. Despite his pulsing temples and the heaviness in his chest, he thinks he’ll enjoy the night.

________________

The two spend the rest of the car ride making small talk and cracking jokes. They get along extremely well. Louis resolves to get her number before the end of the night. Eleanor jumps out first when the car stops and grabs Louis’ arm with both hands, pressing her body against his. Her head turns down in a way that has to be practiced when the flashes start. As soon as they’re inside, Eleanor grabs his hand and leads him straight to the dance floor. The fact that she didn’t even attempt to get him a drink makes him like her even more.

They spend the next twenty minutes in a competition of who can dance the worst. It’s immature and far too childish in the sea a a lust filled crowd, yet it’s the most fun Louis has had in ages. It makes it easier to ignore the chill and pains plaguing him. Eleanor does a horrible moonwalk that sends Louis into a fit of giggles. The back of his hand raises to cover his mouth as his eyes crinkle.

His giggles halt abruptly when he catches a scent. Peppermint. Candy canes. He knows that scent. It’s the scent that pulled him out of a panic attack in a bathroom six thousand miles away. His head snaps up, searching the crowd frantically.

Everything in his body wants to run away and hide. Avoid the alpha altogether. After all, he can’t afford any fuck ups tonight. There’s a small part of him, instincts he thought he buried deep inside, that won’t allow him to, though. It ends up in him standing, frozen, in the middle of a crowd, head turning every which way, desperately trying to find one of the alphas he barely met but could never forget.

“Hello, Dove.” A deep, intoxicating voice whispers in his ear as a firm body presses up against him from behind.

Louis doesn’t know how to feel. On one hand, he’s terrified. He’s staring straight ahead at Eleanor. She knows she’s there as a stunt, but she doesn’t know what it is he’s hiding. The wink she gives him before sauntering off, though, tells him she knows more than she’s letting on. On the other hand, having this alpha near him again feels like finding shelter in a storm. His wolf, moody and volatile since is drop, preens inside of him. It pushes him to get closer. He can’t afford any fuck ups, but his wolf is making it startlingly clear that it’s not leaving this alpha.

“Um..hello” Louis stutters out. He cranes his neck up to look at the man behind him. Fuck, he’s breathtaking. Something in his eyes must give away the hesitance and panic he feels. The alpha furrows his brow for a second before grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the bathrooms. If he wasn’t freaking out right now, he’d laugh at the fact that he found the same man, on opposite sides of the world, in the loo.

They make it to the bathroom, but the alpha continues pulling him until they make it to the biggest stall at the end. He tugs Louis in and locks the stall door. All at once, he’s invading Louis space, cupping his cheeks with a worried look on his face.

“Are you alright, Dove?” He asks, panicked.

“Uh, who are you?” Louis asks. The clock is ticking to find Eleanor and put on a show for the paps outside. The alphas touch on his face is comforting the lingering effects of his drop, but the worry keeps him coherent enough to keep from melting into it. He’s a beta. Beta. Beta. Beta.

“My name is Harry, Dovie. It’s a pleasure to meet you again.” The only way to describe the look on his face is dopey. That mixed with the bright yellow top he has on, unbuttoned to his belly button, and his cascading curls has Louis wanting things he’s not allowed to have. He pulls himself together as best as he can to respond.

“Okay, Harry. Was there a reason you pulled me into the loo? My date is out there all alone now.” The mention of his date sends his wolf into a frenzy. His already weak knees are close to buckling. It seems to have the same effect on Harry as a deep growl sounds in the small space.

The alpha, Harry, looks pissed. His eyes are still soft as they look at Louis. But, the way his hands grip his face just a little tighter and his smile drops gives him away. Louis has no idea what’s going on, but he knows he’s powerless to stop it. He’d follow this alpha to the ends of the Earth if he asked.

“My brothers and I need to speak to you. I won’t take no for an answer.” Harry tells him, sounding mad but holding back. Brothers. Somehow, in all the time he spent thinking about the identical alpha strangers, he failed to connect those dots. They’re triplets, obviously. Gods, he needs to fucking sleep. The thought of saying no is debilitating, but he has to.

“I can’t. I mean…The cameras. I need to-“ He cuts himself off. The words just won’t come out. He looks up into green eyes pleadingly. Harry seems to understand. A small, lopsided smile drips onto his face as he stares down into Louis’ blue, blue, blue eyes.

“Do what you need to do, Dove. But it’s our car you’ll be getting into when you leave. We’ll be waiting for you.” Harry tells him, just enough alpha voice dripping into the words to leave no argument. With one last look, Harry leans down and presses a kiss to his cheek. The alpha slips out of the stall, leaving Louis alone once again.

Okay. So, he’s leaving the club with three alphas tonight? He has so many questions. All he knows is there’s three alphas, one named Harry, that need to talk to him? What in the fuck are the odds that the same three men he met randomly at an award show in America would show up at the same club he’s at in London a day later? Oh Gods, are they stalking him?

He could stand in this bathroom stall pondering what’s going on until the sun comes up, but he has an Eleanor to find, hungry paps to feed and a family to see. He’ll tackle those first and the rest later. He’ll apparently have a lot of time to when he gets into a car with three irresistible strangers at the end of the night, as Harry commanded him to do. He makes a mental note to be mad about that later too.

Louis does his best to shake off the craziness he just experienced. He needs to find Eleanor. A couple deep, centering breaths and he’s leaving the bathroom. One last act to put on and his questions will be answered.

Chapter Text

By the time Louis finds Eleanor, their contracted time is almost up. The security guard Amanda appoints on his nights out, Carl, is getting ready at the door for their exit and the car is probably pulling up. He finds Eleanor back on the dance floor with a petite blonde omega. He finds a spot directly in her eyeline and signals to her. When she finally looks up, apologizing to the omega, she’s making her way over to him right away.

“She’s really cute. Did you get her number?” Louis asks her about the omega she was dancing with.

She lets out a soft chuckle before responding. “Nah, definitely cute, but i’m based mostly out of Manchester. Not really looking for a London hookup at the moment. I would, however, love your number. You’re the best dance partner i’ve had in ages, even if Curly cut it short.” Her phone is already opened and waving in his face. Louis is once again stunned by how similar they think. He takes the phone eagerly and programs his number in before he remembers their current predicament and looks up at her with round, pleading eyes.

“So…we might have a problem.” He starts, “I might’ve promised that alpha that I would leave with them after we’re done here and I have no clue how i’m supposed to leave with you and them at the same time.” That sounds ridiculous but he’s praying she understands.

Of course, Eleanor throws her head back and let’s put a bright laugh. As if all of his worry and panic is completely unfounded. It helps to ease the ball of tension hidden behind his ribs. “I think we can solve that. What if instead of getting in the car, we just walk down the street a couple blocks? It’ll add to the story for the bloody thirsty piranhas out there and get us out of view by the end of the street. My hotel is only three blocks down anyway.”

Louis is in love with her. Without a second thought he throws his whole body into hers. Locking his arms around her neck and squeezing just shy of too tight. There’s a small sliver of doubt at going against the plans laid out for him, but the subtle command Harry gave him (against his will) is still swimming in his mind. He has to get in their car tonight and this seems to be the only way to do so.

“Besides, I’m not foolish enough to mess with whatever plans the Styles’ have.” Eleanor tosses out as Louis continues to hug her. Styles’?

His arms loosen before taking a small step back to look at her face. She’s still smiling, bold and beautiful, and her eyes are sparkling at him. He opens his mouth to ask who she’s talking about when a hand clamps down on his shoulder much too forcefully. Carl. Time to go, then. They give each other a nod before Eleanor grabs his hand and their led out of the building.

As usual, the camera flashes start before they even make it out of the door. The “couple” plays their part perfectly. Keeping their heads down while also clinging to each other. Eleanor even throws in a slight stumble to add the image of partying together all night. They wait for the perfect moment where the paps swarm around, cutting them off from their security, before ducking slightly and pushing their way through the small crowd and away from the car. The second they’re out of it, Louis throws his arm around her shoulders and they take off walking as fast as they can. The constant bursts of lights from the cameras follow them, but their security are too far behind to stop them now.

The two giggle all the way to the front of Eleanor’s hotel. By some stroke of luck, not a single paparazzi is waiting for them outside the building. They duck into the alley beside the towering building anyway. Laughter is spilling from both of them. Cheeks cherry red and grins blinding. Louis gives himself a moment to savor this carefree moment with his new friend. All too soon, a sleek black car pulls up directly in front of them. The windows are too dark to know for sure, but Louis knows that there are three intoxicating men waiting for him inside.

Eleanor must notice at the same moment he does. She throws a smirk his way while wiggling her eyebrows. “Promise you’ll actually stay in touch.” Louis begs. “I meet a thousand people every day but none of them are actually friends that stick around, you know?”

“Of course, LouLou.” The smirk on her face softens into a knowing little smile. Her eyes still sparkle, but a hint of concerns glints in them too. “I intend to use your number in my phone until you’re forced to change it.”

They hug, long and tight, in the darkness of the alleyway. Eventually, Eleanor pulls away and Louis watches her slip undetected into the hotel. He turns back to the car waiting for him, but doesn’t walk over yet. He has so many questions. So many doubts. So many reservations. It feels like his whole life is riding on whatever happens when he gets in that car. How did these men manage to find him on opposite sides of the world in a matter of days? Why is he so drawn to them? Why was Harry so adamant on speaking to him that he actually commanded him? How the hell did Harry know his alpha voice would work on him in the first place?

His omega is battling inside of him, begging him to make his way to the car. Make his way to the alphas. After a few more steadying moments, Louis let’s his omega win, stepping out of the shadows and into the harsh streetlight.

The second he makes it within two feet of the car, the door swings open revealing the first man he met. Rain, lighting, forests. Louis is hit with a wall of cedar and electricity as the alpha steps out to allow him inside. His face is blank, offering only a nod as a greeting. The suit he’s wearing is pitch black and hugs his toned body like a second skin. Louis nods back and ducks into the car.

The final two are waiting inside, sitting in the seats across from him. The one he knows as Harry, is looking at him like a kid in a candy store. Excitement practically vibrating off him. Louis gives him a soft smile and turns his eyes to the third man. Light green eyes are staring back at him and a small tilt of his plush lips to match. Whatever these three are doing to him, this one is the most dangerous. All three have cemented their place in his head, demanding to be remembered. But this last one, the one with the lightest of green eyes and black framed glasses, give Louis one thing he’s been conditioned not to have. Hope.

The stoic, dominating one shuffles back into the car beside him and slams the door. The second it’s closed, they start moving. Smelling all three of the scents that have been plaguing him for the last 48 hours sends his omega into a frenzy. For a second he even worries the suppressants and neutralizing soaps with fail him. The panic surges back into Louis at full force. As of being in a car with three strangers isn’t enough, Simon’s commands start flooding back into his head. He’s supposed to steer clear of alphas, supposed to protect his secrets at all costs. Harry managed to bypass all of them and get him into the car, but that one command didn’t cover all the ones he already has. He searches frantically for a way out. The partition is up, the driver won’t hear him ask to be let out. The car is moving, he can’t jump out. Three of the strongest alphas he’s ever met are inside with him, he can’t overpower them. He sees the third triplet open his mouth and jumps to speak first.

“Someone better tell me who the fuck you three are or I’ll jump out.” He can’t risk the injuries that would cause without a good explanation, so he’s counting on them not calling his bluff.

“I’m Marcel Styles,” The third one rushes to throw in. Just the sound of his voice makes Louis clench his thighs. “These are my brothers Edward and Harry. We’re sorry for scaring you, Kitten. We knew we needed to speak to you after meeting in Vegas, but didn’t know how to make that happen. Somehow, we found you tonight and couldn’t miss the opportunity. You’re safe with us, I promise.” He, Marcel, says. His hand moves to lay over his heart with his last words.

Louis swivels his head around the car. He was introduced to Harry already in the bathroom at the club. He now knows Marcel is the one he met last. That makes the straight-faced, beast of a man sitting next to him Edward. They are the Styles’. He adds how the fuck Eleanor knew them to his growing list of questions.

“Okay, it’s good to know your names. It would be even nicer to know why you needed to speak with me so badly.” He gets out, still panicking slightly.

“Our London house is only fifteen minutes away. Let’s save our conversation until then. For now, we would like to know who you were with tonight.” It’s Edward that speaks this time. His voice is the deepest of all of them. Slight anger and something else he can’t identify leave his words. Louis’ thighs clench just a little bit tighter.

“Although I don’t believe it’s any of your business, her name is Eleanor and she’s a very good friend.” That draws a laugh out of the triplets for some reason. Louis gives each of them a confused look, but none of them answer the questions written all over his face.

Marcel picks a piece of lint off his deep green slacks before telling him, “Trust us, Kitten, it’s definitely our business.” With that cryptic response, the remaining car ride is spent in silence.

____________

The triplets house is a large, red-bricked family home with a sprawling yard at the end of a private street. It screams privilege without coming across as bragging. After pulling into the driveway, the triplets each step out of the car, Harry pausing at outside the door to take Louis’ hand and help him out. They lead him up the steps and into their home, still, without a word. Their scents in the car were staggering, but it couldn’t prepare him for inside their house. Lightning, peppermint and sunlight hit him so hard upon entering he can almost taste it on his tongue. The small hints of Edward’s cedarwood, Harry’s dark chocolate and Marcel’s primrose flood his nose. The added definitions to their scents only serve to make them more attractive.

Their home is bright. Gleaming white tiled floors stretch upon entering and a dripping chandelier hangs above. Louis is led into a sitting room to the left with two navy loveseats framing a fireplace in the center. The massive white paned window overlooking the front lawn lets in the moonlight. Overall, it’s unthinkably cozy for housing three unmated alpha males.

“Would you like some tea? Or maybe coffee or water?” Harry asks in an elated tone. None of the excitement from the car has worn off at all.

“Tea, yorkshire if you have it. Black is fine.” Louis responds in a quiet voice as he lowers himself into the corner of one of the loveseats. Harry grins at him before running off. Marcel and Edward seat themselves on the sofa adjacent to him.

“We know this must be crazy to you. You must be scared. Three strange alphas pop up thousands of miles apart in a matter of days. Our driver is waiting outside any time you want to leave. But we ask that you hear us out before you run away.” Marcel tells him. Yes, Louis is terrified, but he hasn’t been able to say no to them so far. The odds he’ll get up and leave at this point are so slim. He’s barely slept in days, sat through a transatlantic flight and went to a club. At this point, the odds of disintegrating on the sofa are far more likely than getting into a car and leaving the most comforting scents he’s ever known.

“I’ll listen, but I’m warning you, I haven’t gotten any sleep so I’ll need you to be quick. This couch is far to comfy.” Honesty is the best policy, right? Besides, he’ll say anything to speed this up so he can sleep and see his family.

“Right, might as well jump into it then.” Edward starts. He moves so he’s sitting at the edge of the sofa, hands folded over his lap. “We each met you separately and randomly at that award show. None of us knew any of the others met you until we made it to our hotel room after. I think Harry brought it up first, but it doesn’t matter. Either way, meeting you left an impact on all of us. Harry and I were arguing about the possibility of pursuing you since you’re a beta when Marcel cut in. He told us that he caught a scent on you. However quick it was, he caught it.” He pauses, looking straight into Louis’ wide, scared eyes. Harry saunters back in with a tray and hands out everyone’s tea before falling onto the couch beside Louis. Thankfully, he leaves as much space as possible between them.

“Marcel has the worst senses of the three of us. Everyone in town was convinced he’d be a beta before he presented. While he caught up to Edward and I in most things, his sense of smell was always lacking compared to us. If he caught a scent on you, we can’t ignore that.” Harry says as he leans back sipping his tea.

Louis thinks back to that red carpet. Running into a brick wall of a chest. Looking into the green of Marcel’s eyes. The fantasy is mind conjured up. The drop of slick his body released. As fleeting as that moment was, Marcel picked up on his weakness. There’s so many voices inside his head pulling him in every direction. Most screeching to bolt out of the house. They’re too close to the truth. Too close to the secret he’s not allowed to tell. The only thing keeping him rooted on the plush cushion of this loveseat is the calm him omega is radiating through his body. Never has his omega felt like this. Whatever these alphas are doing to him, his omega is fighting the commands it’s been given, and winning.

“To make a long story short, we discussed what I thought I smelled and what they thought. Beta or omega or whether it mattered at all. We decided pretty quickly that it didn’t matter one bit. All roads led to the fact that you, Louis Tomlinson, are our soulmate. Wether you’re a beta or omega, you are ours” Marcel finishes.

Louis’ eyes fly to his. Soulmate? He wants to laugh at first. No omega as bad as him can have a soulmate. Let alone three! The longer he looks into Marcels eyes, he starts to understand. The future he sees with them. The reaction to their scents. His eyes go to Edward next. His usual scowl is replaced by deep green eyes and a downward tilt of his lips. The almost pout makes him look boyish, young. A whole new side to the domineering alpha Louis hasn’t been privy to yet. His eyes drift to Harry. The man is still giving him space on the small sofa, but his upper body is leaning towards him. Toothy grin splitting his face in two. His omega is still pulsing quiet peace into his bloodstream. Could it be real?

The possibility of soulmates does answer some of his questions, though. The universe brought them together in the States and then again in London without any of them searching for each other. Harry used his alpha voice in that club bathroom out of instinct for his mate, and prior speculation to his gender, not out of malice. He hasn’t been able to stop thinking about them because his omega and their alphas connected the moment he collided with each of them.

On top of all of that, a generational myth slowly bleeds into his mind. He remembers his grandmother telling him about when he was young. ‘Long before roads were paved and cities were erected, Alphas had to ensure their mates safety when hunting and fighting wars. So, they gave a piece of themselves to their omegas. An omega, after meeting their destined mate, takes some of their power and promises submission in return’. The idea of soulmates and being fated to one person died out in the last few centuries when arranged marriages in the east and the right to choose in the west took over. Louis remembers liking the idea of his grandmothers words as a small child, but never fully believing in them. After all, his mother raised him all by herself. Looking at the brothers now, he can’t deny a the possibility of it. It would explain how he woke up from his drop. From what he can tell, his omega has already submitted to them. It’s just Louis himself that’s late to the party.

“Hypothetically, if that’s true, if we’re soulmates,” Three loud grumbles sound from the triplets chests,” What is it exactly that you want from me?” Louis questions.

The brothers share looks between them. Each of them on the edge of their seats at this point. Not a word is uttered, but their eyes speak for themselves. Finally, Marcel and Harry turn towards Edward simultaneously. Whatever decision they were making, it’s decided now.

Edward turns his whole body to face Louis and reaches across the short distance to grab his hand. The touch ignites disastrous flames inside the hidden omegas chest. “We want the truth.” Edward demands.

The words he’s spoken, although few, hit Louis like a physical blow. The grumble in their chests, their overpowering scents swallowing the room and the undeniable alpha voice Edward used breaks every last one of Louis’ walls. That wasn’t just a hint, that was a full blown alpha command. He’s always know that only an alpha stronger than Simon could break Simon’s commands, and it seems he’s found him. His body sags back into the fluffy cushions. All of the triplets suspicions will be confirmed in seconds. With his hand and eyes still locked on Edward, the truth that was asked of him spills from his lips.

“I auditioned for the X-Factor when I was eighteen. I hadn’t presented yet. No one presents as an alpha or omega that late, so everyone just assumed I was a beta because I had no scent. I was always short for a guy and far too loud and outspoken. No one questioned it, least of all me. I made it to boot camp. We were only supposed to spend a few days there. I had to leave early one day because I felt sick. Turns out, it was my first heat. It only lasted seventeen hours but I had nothing and no one to help me through it so I took an extra day off to recover from it. When I was finally able to go back, a producer cornered me in the hallway and handed me a pill and told not to tell anyone. I took it without questioning much because I honestly had no clue what was going on. Within the next week, I was put in a band with three strangers and called into Simon Cowell’s office. At first, I was pumped. I thought Simon wanted to talk to me about band stuff. I was the oldest, the only one over 18. I have a lot of younger siblings so i’m used to being the big brother, you know? Whatever I thought was so, so wrong. Simon just started saying ‘you’re a beta, Louis’ and I told him I’m not. Of all the things I had no clue about, I spent my heat elbow deep in enough slick and no solution to know I wasn’t a fucking beta. Simon started asking me about the boys. Liam, Zayn and Niall. Asking if I wanted them to live their dreams and whatnot. I didn’t even know them at this point, but of course I wanted them to live their dreams. I wasn’t going to stand in the way of that. That was already the second time Liam had auditioned. I couldn’t take that away. So Simon said ‘As long as you want the boys to succeed, you’re a beta’. Another pill was handed to me and I took it without a single thought. A pen was put in my hand and I was forced to sign a contract without reading it. I didn’t realize until I made it to my hotel room again that he had locked me into in alpha command. I had barely experienced being an omega outside of that heat. I had no idea what he was doing until it was too late.” He stops to inhale a giant breath.

Harry’s teacup goes flying against the mantle above the fireplace. It shatters into a thousand tiny pieces. The crash draws Louis’ attention away from Edward’s deep eyes. His new focus is Harry pacing the room. He watches him pace, desperately wanting to comfort him, but the command was so very simple, but unequivocally effective. He had to tell the truth and he hadn’t finished. Eyes still locked on Harry’s moving body, he squeezes Edward’s hand and blindly reaches out the other. Based on the tenderness, Marcel is the one to grab it. Locked on to all three of HIS alphas, he continues.

“Every morning, a producer would knock on my door and hand me a little pink pill. Neutralizing soaps and sprays started showing up in my room. Commands were added when necessary, but most of it was covered in my contract. I wasn’t allowed to read it before I was forced to sign it, so they threw certain clauses in my face a lot. Mostly, the part about promotion. The first time they asked me to go out with a girl, I raised hell. I yelled at Simon in his office, but it was pointless against the legal document I signed. The first tour One Direction had was great because I wasn’t within arms reach anymore. The boys and I got close. Zayn became my rock at that time. I couldn’t tell him about what I was going through, but I could get out everything else and he helped. Niall laughed so hard at every joke I made just to ease whatever pressure was weighing on me and..Liam. Well, to be honest, I thought Liam was my soulmate for a couple years. I couldn’t act on it of course, but I was so sure. I was wrong, but there was something about him at the time. He stopped seeing me, just like the others though, and I had to learn to let him go too. Somewhere through all the tours, Simon didn’t like my freedom anymore. He assigned me a handler, Amanda. She runs my entire life now. She wasn’t too bad at first but once Zayn and Liam started courting Niall, all bets were off. They were a courting pack. Why would a beta be hanging around them? At the same time, I’m gay. I’m a closeted gay omega who would only bring bad press of anyone knew the truth. I had lied to so many people for so long. Plus, with the others in a relationship, they needed me to be available. Needed the fans to think they could get me. So I was called to Simon’s office and commanded to stay away from the boys if possible. Turns out, that was easier than expected because they just kinda forgot about me? Once they started courting Niall, they stopped caring what I was doing. Amanda took that opportunity to start making me go out. It was gradual at first, then damn near every night. I don’t think they boys even noticed I was gone. She has security guards hired specially just to keep me in check as well. Every single move I made was monitored and reported back to Amanda. Obviously, I couldn’t be with men, so it was woman after woman every night. I haven’t gotten to know some of them well enough to judge, but most of them are so lovely. I don’t regret meeting them, but I hate the circumstances. Anyway, the press started painting me as this party boy and it’s press, right? Good or bad, it gets the band’s name out there. I just had to endure it. So, the boys started avoiding me even more because I’m apparently a drug addict who cares about nothing but whatever girl I take home that night. I haven’t been allowed to see my family much. If you’re really my soulmates, then you need to know that no pain is worse than that for me. You wanted the truth. The truth is, i’ve smoked weed maybe twice and never enough to actually get high. I’ve had a couple sips of wine or champagne here and there but i’ve never been so much as tipsy. Zayn and I used to sneak off the bus at night to smoke a cigarette while we talked and that habit stuck around. They help take the edge off sometimes. The pills make me feel like shit so bad to the point that I don’t know what it’s like to live without pain and my contract lays most of the workload on me. I’m forced to go out to a bar with a lovely young woman and then immediately come back and do whatever the band needs done. Basically, I am an omega. I’ve never said it aloud before. That’s all the truth I can think of for now. Oh! I haven’t had a heat outside of my presenting one and I have no clue what my scent is.”. A great, heaving weight is lifted off of Louis as he finished his long rant.

There’s no energy left in his body after his monologue. He wants to worry about the shattered glass and worried alphas, but it’s too much. Breaking through years of commands and vomiting all his secrets depleted the last of his reserves. There’s also the fact that he dropped before his flight back to London. Just like then, he can feel his body failing him. His eyes roll painfully into his skull and his body locks, but the pain never comes.

____________

Edward is the first to notice what’s happening. The seconds after Louis stopped talking were filled with unbearable tension. Harry, who had been burning a hole in the floor with his placing, had dropped to the floor sobbing. The guilt of not finding his omega sooner to prevent the pain raging inside him. Marcel was different. He sat beside Edward’s through it all, holding Louis’ other hand. At the end, he was entirely frozen, tears dripping down his face without a word.

Edward was different. He’s always been the ‘scariest’ of the brothers. Always the one people avoid. It makes sense to him, too. He doesn’t care for small talk or getting to know someone he knows isn’t important. His senses are stronger than an average alpha. Stronger than most alphas, actually. With his brothers by his side, he’s invincible. Most people were already intimidated of his strength. Add to that the successful business and wealth to boot, he had no time for anyone who wasn’t going to stick around.

The second he met Louis, he knew. There was no way he was believing it until both his brothers agreed. Once they did, he was a man on a mission. Nothing was going to stop him from finding his mate. Edward is extremely traditional that way. The idea of finding and courting your soulmate is the only type of romance he craves. Louis was his soulmate, of that he was sure.

So, hearing Louis recount the bullet points of what he’s been coerced into hits him like a gods damn train. Sent rage to infest his body. Harry collapsed, Marcel sobbed. Edward would’ve given in to the hurt. Would’ve excused himself and beat up whatever wall he found to be far enough away from his omega and add a few holes. But he saw it.

Edward took one last look at Louis before festering in the fury and noticed the grey of his eyes. The trembling in his hand. The slack of his body. He knew, his omega was dropping. With his brothers incapacitated, there was only one option. He abandoned whatever anger he was dying to unleash and leapt to the space on the couch next to Louis. As if second nature, he grabbed the back of his omegas head and guided his nose to his scent gland.

It took a minute or two, but Louis started to respond. His nose twitched at first before hungrily tracing Edward’s neck up and down. He abandoned his spot on the loveseat to throw himself astride Edward’s lap, continuing to scent him.

Edward never thought twice about being an alpha. To him, he just was one. Everything about being an alpha just made sense to him. At this moment, with his fated mate in his lap, he realized why. Why he was meant to be an alpha. Why he made the choices he did. Everything he has ever done, has culminated in this omega sitting in his lap scenting his neck. Never had he felt more powerful.

Harry is on his knees on the floor, staring at the pair. Marcel is still sitting on the edge of the couch, face buried in his palms. But Edward can see him sneaking sideways glances at them.

“Alpha..” Louis whimpers before letting out a full bodied whine.

All three of the triplets bodies tense before Edward is throwing his arms around Louis waist, Harry is launching himself on one side to cuddle him and Marcel is racing to his feet to hold him from behind. They got the truth, but more questions have risen and more problems to deal with. They can handle those later though. In real time, they are witnessing their omega become an omega, for the very first time. Everything else, can wait.

Chapter Text

The triplets stayed holding their little mate for a long while. Louis’ head would turn periodically to seek out Marcel and Harry’s scent glands as well. Nothing had ever felt more right than that. All four overcome with emotion and belonging. They were home.

Once Louis had calmed down enough and the possible drop had been successfully stopped, Edward spoke up.

“Pup, I have a few things to ask you, okay?” He gently placed his hands on Louis’ cheeks and led his face away from his neck.

“Sleepy, alpha.” Louis mumbled. His eyes were drooping where he sat in Edward’s lap. Marcel moved to sit on Edward’s other side. A tight squeeze for three grown alphas, but they made it work.

“I know you’re tired and we promise we’ll get you to bed soon. Just a few questions, alright?” Louis nodded. “First, do you have time off right now or is there somewhere you need to be in the morning?”

Louis yawned big before responding, “We have the week off until our show in Cardiff. I was going to drive to Doncaster in the morning to spend the week with my family.”

Marcel’s hand made it’s way to the omega’s back, rubbing up and down softly, as Edward continued. “Okay, Pup. I want you to see your family, and we will make it happen, I promise. Is there any way you’d be okay pushing it back for one more day?”

“What? But why? No no no. Please, alpha, please!” Tears started forming at the corners of Louis’ eyes. He’s been good. He did everything they asked! His hands push Edward’s chest, desperately trying to get away, but Marcel’s hand on his back holds him in place.

“Shh, Little One, it’s okay. If you still want to go tomorrow then you absolutely can. You’ve been so good for us.” Edward’s hand’s grip Louis waist as he speaks. The fight drains out of Louis. Good. He’s been good. The tears in his eyes stay, but don’t spill over. “We won’t keep you here against your will, Louis. Where you go and who you see is your choice. I was hoping, if you’d be okay waiting an extra day, we could spend tomorrow unraveling some of Cowell’s influence on you and maybe have a doctor see you. Everything you just told us is very concerning regarding your health. Also, I’m assuming your mum isn’t aware of what you’ve been going through. If we can work out the commands you’ve been given, then you can talk to her when you see her. Maybe tell her the truth?” The alpha’s deep green eyes stare into Louis’ ocean blue.

The tears spill finally as Louis leans over and buries his face in Harry’s neck. He desperately wants to get home. He needs his mum’s arms around him and his sisters chaos more than anything. But, maybe waiting a day would be worth it. He can’t deny, keeping his omega designation from his mum has been difficult. Before X-Factor, Louis told her everything. After presenting, every conversation became a carefully choreographed dance around the truth. Speaking to her uninhibited would be a dream come true. There’s also the added detail of three tall, dark and handsome soulmates he seems to have found himself with. Getting to know them better than what his instincts tell him before gushing to his mum about them sounds like a good idea. Mind made up, Louis lifts his head and sits up straight. Marcel immediately reaches to wipe the tears off his face.

“Okay…I can wait, but only one day. It’s been far too long already.” Louis almost whispers. A kiss is pressed to his cheek as soon as the words are out followed by a high pitched squeal. Harry, of course. The hand Marcel had on his back resumed it’s slow rubs, a giant smile on his face. Edward’s whole body sags in relief, Louis can feel the tension release underneath him. A soft smile takes over his face too.

“Oh thank the Gods.” Edward exhales. It forces a giggle out of Louis. “We’ll deal with the rest in the morning. Right now, our little omega needs sleep.” He nods to himself, still holding Louis’ waist.

“Where do you want to sleep, Dovie?” Harry asks, smile still taking over most of his face. “Obviously, you can sleep with us, but we would never rush you if you’re not comfortable with that. So, we have a few guest rooms you can choose from too. If you don’t want to be alone, just tell us who you want with you and we’ll make it happen. Even if you want to sleep on the couch, it’s up to you.” His excitement is contagious. Louis turns to him and gives him a wide grin.

He’s not used to having a choice anymore. Every decision he could have is made for him before he can blink most days. So, the triplets giving him the space to think for himself means so much. They know his secret, who he really is, and instead of throwing a million questions or accusations his way, they comforted him and gave him his voice back. Granted, it’s just choosing when to go home and where to sleep, but it’s monumental to Louis.

Sleeping with all three alphas sounds heavenly, but he knows he’s not ready for that yet. He’s been led away from alphas for years now. Waking up to three of the most dominant alphas he’s ever met after everything he’s been through might send his weathered body into shock. On top of that, soulmates or not, he barely knows these men. Baby steps are very. very necessary. This sofa is comfy as hell, but an actual bed in an actual home, not a hotel, sounds too good to pass up. As soon as that’s decided, the fear of being in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people tickles his spine. Nothing like that has ever phased him before now. However, his omega has never been so close to the surface. Louis is with the alphas that fate herself made just for him and they know his secret. If his omega feels the need for a little extra protection, he feels safe enough to allow it. Harry did say he could pick someone to sleep with him, right?

“Um, I think a guest room would be okay.” Even with his mind made up, Louis’ voice comes out soft, almost uncertain. He’s just waiting for someone to stop him and tell him he’s wrong and choose for him.

“Great! We have a couple you can pick from.” Harry exclaims. It’s hard to believe he was on his knees sobbing less than an hour ago. This alphas is something else, Louis thinks.

“Can- um.. would it be alright if Marcie sleeps with me tonight, please?” Louis asks, still looking at Harry. The grin he had in response to Harry before morphed into a bashful little twinkle with large pleading eyes. By his logic, Harry got his time in the bathroom with him and he’s currently sitting on Edward’s lap. Marcel deserves a little love too.

Harry’s blinding smile doesn’t falter one bit. “Of course! Although maybe you should Marcie himself, my love.” He tilts his head in the direction of his youngest brother. Louis cheeks ignite in embarrassment at having to ask the alpha himself.

Looking over to Marcel, Louis sees a playful smirk playing on Edward’s lips. That coupled with Harry’s excitement, any nerves of the triplets getting jealous of him picking one, dies immediately. Finally facing Marcel, he twists to grab the hand the alpha still has rubbing his back before turning his bright blue eyes to the youngest and pouting slightly (he finally gets to act like an omega. He’s going to milk it. sue him).

“Marcie,” Louis starts, shy and sweet, “Will you sleep with me tonight, please?” He ducks his head, hiding his flaming cheeks. Louis is the picture of innocent right now. No alpha could resist him, he’s sure of it.

A hand grabs his chin, forcing his head up and his eyes to stare into Marcels. “Of course, Kitten.” The alpha leans on and places a soft, barely there, kiss to the apple of Louis’ cheek. “Why don’t you say goodnight to your alphas while I grab some clothes for you to sleep in.” He’s up and walking out of the room as soon as the words are out. Harry and Edward let out a possessive growl. They are Louis’ alphas and, when the time is right, everyone will know it.

“Thank you so much for telling us some of what’s been done to you, Dove.” Harry tells him sincerely.

“You’re such a good boy, Little One.” Edward says, ruffling his hair. The words send his omega straight to the surface.

Omegas thrive off praise. No matter what alpha is saying it, being called good is a soothing balm to the multitude of emotions omegas feel daily. Louis, only known as a beta, has never been called good until tonight. Not a single alpha has been allowed close enough to say it. His omega takes over, blue eyes glowing, just for a second.

“Good, Alpha? I’m good?” His hands hold Edward’s jaw and he leans his body into him. Hearing him, Harry presses closer, wrapping an arm around his back.

“So good, Baby. Such a good boy.” Edward whispers before pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.

“The best, Dove. You’re alphas are so proud of you.” Harry’s words are laced with a slight rumble in his chest. Louis leans into both, soaking in the moment.

“Alright, ready Kitten?” Marcels voice is heard behind them.

Louis pulls away from the alphas wrapped around him, standing up right. He leans down and presses a kiss to each of there cheeks. “Goodnight, alphas.” He says before grabbing Marcel’s hand and allowing himself to be led out of the room.

____________

Louis lies in the snug queen sized bed. After leaving the sitting room, Marcel led him upstairs to the first guest room. The walls a pale grey with white crown molding. The bedsheets a soft lavender with a deep purple comforter on top. Once again, the home seemed abnormally cozy for three unmated alphas.

Marcel had handed him a stack of clothing and left to allow him to change. So, now he lies in an unfamiliar bed wearing an old band shirt of Harry’s and Edward’s boxers. Marcel himself is laying beside him. Not touching, but present. As tired as Louis is, he just can’t fall asleep. His eyes are burning with the need to close, but his mind is as awake as ever. He wants nothing more than to cuddle up to the alpha beside him, but he’s not sure if he can. Instead, Louis turns on his side, facing his alpha and brings his hands up to tuck under his chin.

“How did Eleanor know who you were tonight?” He decides to ask. A lot of questions were answered tonight, but that one has been knocking around in his head.

Marcel, on his back in a white t-shirt and light blue pajama pants, chuckles before answering. “My brothers and I are quite well known. We own and run a lot of businesses, but we’re most well known for marketing and advertising.” He shakes his head before turning in his side to face his omega. “Eleanor is actually one of our clients. We own the management company she employs. We were actually surprised you didn’t know who we are. We are very active in the music industry.” Marcel says, voice soft for the late hour.

Louis did not know that. It was obvious in their demeanor, clothing and choice of house that they came from money. He was entirely unaware of what they did, though. Even if they were, Louis isn’t surprised he doesn’t know them. Simon has done everything to discourage looking for help within the industry. He’s adopted a ‘keep your head down, it is what it is’ mentality for the most part.

Marcel speaks again before he can say anything else, “I do have a question for you, if that’s okay?”

“Of course, Marcie.” Louis throws caution to the wind and brings his hand up to rest on Marcels bicep. Holy shit. He might look nerdy, but his muscles are firm and bulging where Louis touches. He can’t resist a good squeeze.

“Liam..you, ah” The alpha pauses, choosing his words carefully. “You said you thought he was your soulmate for a while. If it’s alright, can I ask why you thought that and why you realized you were wrong?”

Louis swallows hard, looking down. Honestly? Thinking about Liam and how they were before still hurts, deeply. He takes a second to think over what he wants to say. It becomes apparent quickly that there’s no way to sum up his relationship with Liam in a few short words. It’s either the full story or nothing at all. The hand resting on Marcel’s bicep opens and closes. He breathes as deep as he can a few times. Finally, he speaks. Voice hesitant but measured under the 3 a.m moonlight.

“When we were put together as a band, Liam and I didn’t get along at all. Like I said before, it was already his second time auditioning. He was so determined to make something of himself while I was just there for the fun of it. We clashed at first because of that. He was stiff as a board while I was loud and alive. Pulling pranks on everyone in the X-Factor house or brushing off mistakes we made in practice were just lazy and immature to him. I even coined the nickname ‘Daddy Direction’ for him because that’s what he was. Another parent.” Louis stops to laugh breathlessly, reminiscing. Marcel senses the change in his demeanor right away. A large, soft hand lands on his cheek, squeezing slightly. Not interrupting, just letting Louis know he’s there. “It stayed like that for the X-Factor tour and through the first two singles. One night a ways into our first tour as a band, after our first album release, he found me on a balcony. We were at some party to promote our album with a bunch of old, rich guys. I got my first migraine from the suppressants that night. it came out of nowhere and it hurt so bad. I couldn’t tell anyone what was happening so I found this empty balcony and sat on the cement, willing it to go away.” Louis’ words pause, getting lost in his own head.

“What happened when Liam found you, Baby?” Marcel asks in a whisper. His hand moves down to clutch his omega’s side, pulling him closer. He releases calming pheromones into the air.

The influx of his alpha’s scent pulls Louis back to the present. The grip on Marcel’s bicep tightens, grounding himself before responding, “Yeah, Liam found me and sat down next to me without a second thought. They had him in a really nice Dior suit for the night so him sitting on the ground was huge. He’d usually be a stickler for keeping our clothes nice. He sat down and just started talking about how much he hates every big wig he had to talk to that night and how much he hated being a commodity rather than an artist. I had a lot to say to that, but he launched right into how jealous of me he was. I was so stunned, to this day I have no idea what he actually said. Jealous? Of me? Ridiculous. Obviously, he didn’t know what I was dealing with, but then he said something else. The only thing I remember him saying is ‘Lou, I’d give anything to be you just for one day. It’d be a lot, but I wouldn’t give a fuck about all of this like I do now’. It was so misguided yet so real. After all that time scolding me for making all of it fun instead of work, he finally admitted that I was right. Once I heard that, I literally threw myself at him. I’m pretty sure our heads knocked together really hard and I probably hurt him really bad because he wasn’t prepared to catch me. But, he saw me. For the first time, that day, he saw me. After that…” Louis trails off. Not sure how to keep talking about another alpha while his literal soulmate is holding him.

“I want to know, Kitten. You can tell me anything, I promise.” Marcel mutters. pulling Louis even closer. There’s barely any space between their bodies anymore. Marcel tilts his head down kiss the crown or Louis’ feathery hair. “He’s not only your bandmate, but you thought he was your soulmate. I want to know about the people close to you, Kitten. I want to know you.”

Louis chooses to believe Marcel’s words. If he means what he says, the alpha won’t fly into a possessive rage. “After that night, Liam came to the dark side. That’s what me and Zayn called it. He stopped being such a stickler and had more fun with us. That was how him and Niall connected actually. Once he came out of his shell, they connected so easily. He has quiet parts of himself, though. He used to to wake me up before the sun and drag me onto the roof of the bus to talk about how scared he was. He’d curl up like a child and spill his deepest fears to me. Or right before we went on stage, he’d grab my hand and just breathe. No words, just our connection and a deep breath. When we’d go out and crowds would show up, he’d grab my arm before walking out to make sure I didn’t get lost. He used to ask what my favorite movies were and make sure we had them on hand to watch anytime. When the migraines would get bad back then and I couldn’t sleep, he would crawl into my bunk with a deck of cards and we’d play go fish for hours. When I started having to go out before they were courting. he’d leave pajama’s folded on my bunk for me to change in to. Like I said, Zayn was my best friend, but Liam was so much more. We’d be on stage and I wouldn’t even question where he was because I just knew. I knew him to his very core and he saw me. That conversation on that balcony, when he told me he didn’t like being a commodity instead of an artist, is why I started writing our music. I wrote some for our second album and he helped me push back against management to release it. We wrote a lot of our third album together during the break then, but it all changed after that.” Louis gives in and nuzzles his nose into Marcel’s pecks, seeking comfort.

“What changed, Kitten? It sounds like you loved each other a lot.” Marcel’s hand slowly massages his side. Tears form in Louis’ eyes once again.

Reliving the downfall of his friendship with each of the boys is daggers to every important artery in his body. Zayn, his brother. Niall, his sunshine. Liam, his almost alpha. All together, his bandmates. Thinking about how he lost each one of them would be unbearable if it wasn’t for his alpha’s scent wafting through his nose and his hand soothing the anxiety.

“Zayn latched on to me at one point, out of no where. We were always so close, but this was weird. Like, if I went to the loo, he stood outside the door waiting. When I finally got him to talk, he told me how attracted to Niall he was. At that time, Liam and Niall were almost courting. Attached at the hip without a label, I guess. I talked Zayn through getting Liam’s permission to court him. Little did I know at the time, that conversation actually made them realize their love for each other. They started courting Niall soon after. I was forgotten immediately. It took a lot longer than normal because we were on tour, so there so no good time to actually bond, so that whole tour, they were going on dates and having fun. I didn’t fit into that equation. I was so sad at first. Zayn wasn’t waking me up for cigarettes and Liam was checking on Niall instead of me before going on stage. But, if you saw them together, you’d get it. The three of them, it was destiny. I’ve never seen three people so right for each other. Amanda had me going out a lot at that time so I didn’t even notice the distance at first. Once I did, I tried setting up band nights or get us together again, but courting takes precedence, ya know? It wasn’t until the start of this tour that it hit me. We met at the airport to fly out for the Asia leg. They showed up with bond marks on their necks. I hadn’t seen any of them for two months. Not a text, not a a call. Nothing. They bonded and didn’t even bother to let me know. Once that sunk in, I realized just how much they’d pushed me out. Just how much they didn’t need me.” Louis’ monologue is cut off by a soft sob.

Marcel pulls him close, wrapping both arms around him. The safety Louis feels is paralleled. “There’s nothing I can say to make that hurt go away, I know that. I can tell you, though, that my brothers and I would never do that to you. You’re ours, little omega. We won’t ever let you go.”

Marcel continues to whisper sweet nothings until Lous finally drifts to sleep in his arms. He can’t imagine going through what Louis has. The connection he described with Liam seemed so beautiful and pure. While Louis seemed to have at least an elementary understanding of why they lost it, Marcel can’t comprehend how it must’ve felt for his omega. Grieving a relationship, a person, while they are still in your daily life must be excruciating.

Marcel peers over his shoulder at the clock next to the bed. 3:24 a.m. Louis mentioned not getting a lot of sleep lately. He pulls Louis closer to him, enveloping him completely, and drifts to sleep as well.

_____________

Louis swatted at the annoying tentacle trying to wake him up. His dreams of the wide open ocean have no room for an octopus this early.

“C’mon, little Dove.” The octopus spoke. No, that can’t be right. Octopi can’t speak

The tentacle tousles him once again. Louis tries to swat it away again, but it latches on. “Let me swim, please. Go find a jellyfish.” He grumbles out. Very mad at that stupid octopus for interfering with his swim.

A loud, roaring laugh startles him out of him slumber. With a quick look around his he realized three things. 1) His Marcie is no longer in bed with him 2) He is not in the middle of the ocean and 3) The octopus is just Harry trying to wake him.

“Why would I find a jellyfish when you’re electric enough for me, Dovie?” Harry asks, still laughing loudly.

Louis sits up in the bed, still completely disoriented. “Harry? What do you want?” It comes out harsh, but what can he say? Louis Tomlinson is NOT a morning person.

“Come downstairs, Baby. We have a lot to do today.” Harry chuckles. He throws the blankets off of Louis’ body.

With a groan, Louis gets to be knees and crawls to his alpha. “Carry me.” He grumbles, throwing his arms up. Another loud laugh and he’s being carried downstairs.

The table is set for a feast, not a breakfast. Edward and Marcel are waiting for them. Harry sets him on his feet and he immediately runs to greet his other alphas with a kiss to their cheeks. Does he know them? No. Is he drawn to them? Yes. Is he going to milk this new found freedom to lavish them in love before he’s under Amanda’s thumb again? Another resounding, screaming YES. There’s a real chance he’ll lose these men once he has to leave again so he’s not going to waste a second. Also, he won’t waste a second to soak up every omega driven action he can get away with. It feels so liberating to be himself for once. They both send him a blinding smile. The second he’s sat down in his seat he fills his plate. Absently, he notices the absence of nausea swirling in his stomach this morning. It allows him to load is plate with everything he wants.

After stuffing his face with eggs, sausage and potatoes, Edward speaks, “Pup, we’ve arranged to have a doctor come over this morning. Long term suppressant usage can cause a lot of internal issues, so it’s best we get that checked out. He’ll be here in about an hour..”

Louis drops his fork. Staring at his plate, completely catatonic. Edward mentioned possibly seeing a doctor last night, but he brushed it off in the face if everything else. He’s not sure he’s ready for this.

Forced suppression of an omega is illegal in just about every single country. Daily suppressants are meant for working omegas. They act as both a birth control and scent neutralizer or to help newly presented omegas regulate their heats. Omega suppressants, the ones Louis takes, are meant to completely erase omega instincts, scent and heats. They are illegal everywhere. The list of damage they can cause is endless. Louis has always known this, but pushed it to the back of his head. Facing it now, after meeting his destined mates, is too much. There’s a large possibility that the damage done to his body is irreversible at this point.

Harry noticed Louis’ unresponsive state. Without a thought, he scoops his little mate up and carries him straight out of the room. He doesn’t stop until he reaches their sunroom at the back of the house. White bean bags are the only furniture and tall glass windows allow the sunlight to flow in. He flops down on the largest bean bag, arranging Louis sideways in his lap.

“Talk to me, baby Dove.” Harry murmurs into Louis’ hair. Loud, heart-wrenching sobs escape Louis’ mouth. Startled, Harry guides his mates face to his scent gland and holds him close

Louis let’s all inhibitions go and cries loudly. The complications to his health have always been in the back of his mind. With every little pink pill he swallowed, he’d think ‘is this the last one before my liver fails?’ or ‘is this the one that does irreversible damage to my kidneys?’. Every little pink pill made him stop to think, but he always pushed those thoughts aside for soundcheck or a concert or the boys needs. He’s thought about it, but it’s never been real until now. Now, when he found his mates. When he’s so close to telling his mum the truth. When he’s so close to freedom. It’s all become startling real and he doesn’t know how to deal with it.

His liver and kidneys and whatever else aren’t even the biggest concern for him. They don’t even blip his radar right now. He found his mates. He found them and he could ruin it so fast. With his face buried in Harry’s neck, he finds the strength to vocalize his top worry at the moment. “Puppies, Hazzy. Puppies.” More sobs rattle his body, cutting off his words.

Harry is momentarily confused, but understands quickly. He does his best to comfort his mate, but the truth is, this conversation is meant for all of them. With one hand on the back of Louis’ head, holding him to his scent gland, he uses the other to text his brothers. One ‘GET IN HERE’ text to their group chat and Edward and Marcel are practically breaking down the door.

Louis is sobbing into dark chocolate cookies when he’s suddenly enveloped in a thick forest. “Eddie!” He screams, turning out of Harry’s neck and launching himself towards the nearest body. Funnily, it’s not a thick rainforest that catches him. It’s a primrose buried in the middle of a grassy, rolling hill. The second his nose his buried in the scent, the image of a small girl with long dark curls and searing blue eyes running up the hill invades his mind. Every drop of oxygen in his lungs is sucked away at once. No sobs escape only because he can’t fucking breathe. All Louis can get out are sharp, wheezy puffs of air that burn his lungs. Thick tears fall from his eyes as his face turns red.

Marcel catches Louis’ flailing body and is concerned straight away. He was already crying, but something about Marcel’s scent sends him into a hyperventilating state.

When he made breakfast with Edward this morning, his brother made a comment. He had mentioned that he realized why he was an alpha when Louis was in his lap, needing his care. Marcel tucked that into the back of his head, but wasn’t sure what to think. He’s been an alpha for so long now, but he doesn’t acknowledge his wolf much. He was always independent and has never felt any romantic feelings for an omega before. The only protective instincts he’s had were for his brothers who protected him tenfold in return. He’s never needed to use his alpha nature before. Until now. In this moment, he knows why he’s an alpha.

He registers the gasping breaths coming out of his mate and his wolf surfaces. It’s a new experience for him, but he allows it to happen. “Calm, omega. Be still, alpha is here.” Marcel’s wolf grumbles. Louis’ whimpers echo through the sunroom, Marcel continues. “Tell me, omega, what has you so distressed? All of your alphas are here to listen.” His wolf is surfaced and speaking, but it doesn’t command. Simply rumbles to comfort his mate and let Louis’ omega know it’s safe and cared for. Marcel signals to his brothers to join their cuddle.

Although stunned by their brother’s wolfy display, Edward and Harry jump forward to join the cuddle. The whine Louis lets out suggests he doesn’t want to be suffocated. They retreat to sitting positions on either side of Marcel, who still holds Louis, allowing their brother to speak.

It takes a minute, but Louis finally catches his breath enough to speak. “Puppies, alpha. What if I can’t have puppies?”

That is perhaps the biggest reason omega suppressants are illegal in most of the world. Long-term use can cause severe damage to the reproductive organs. All three brothers heard Louis speak of how important his family was to him the previous night, but they are now realizing how important building his own family is to him as well.

Edward and Harry choose to place a hand on Louis’ back and neck and allow Marcel to continue speaking, wolf now calmed. “Kitten, if the doctor comes today and tells us you are not able to give us children, we will not be sad. There are many ways to have a family and all options are acceptable to us.” He wipes the tears out of Louis’ eyes as he speaks. “We will love a baby we adopt with 0% of our dna just as much as we’d love a baby born from you and made of us. However, if we find out you are unable to carry our puppies today, we will hold you and support you through that grief. You made it clear how important family is to you. Whatever the doctor says, and however you feel about it, we are here. We are not going anywhere.” He leans in to give Louis an eskimo kiss before pulling back and looking him in the eye.

Louis doesn’t know what to say. Fat tears roll down his cheeks. He was so scared his mates would reject him if he couldn’t give them babies. Everything Marcel said was everything he needed to hear. He decides that actions really do speak louder than words and throws his arms around Edward and Harry, pulling them in as close as possible, and kissing all three of his alphas noses.

So far, getting to know his alphas has gone amazingly well.

_____________

“Hello, Mr.Tomlinson. I am Dr. Collins, these are my nurses Bradley and Avery.” Dr. Collins introduces himself.

After a short debate, the triplets allowed Louis to be checked out without them in the room. Louis now sits in the same grey and purple guest room he slept in last night. Unsurprisingly, his unbelievably thoughtful mates found him the perfect doctor as well.

Dr. Collins is a male omega in his forties. Grey hairs pepper the sideburns of his slicked back brown locks. His deep brown eyes radiate nothing but warmth. The nurses he brought with him, Bradley and Avery, seem just as warm as him. Bradley is a slim but tall alpha with blonde curls who straight up bowed to Louis upon entering. An alpha bowed to him. The kid seems young and riddled with nerves. Avery is is lovely girl with deep red hair and green eyes, freckles covering her face. She obviously knew who Louis was the second she walked in the room. Instead of ignoring it or screaming like most would, she looked him dead in the eye and asked if she could hug him. Through the hug, he learned she was an omega as well and also one of the warmest people he’s ever met. As nervous as he was for this, the triplets did an amazing job choosing the doctors.

“Louis” He responded reaching out a hand to shake with Dr. Collins and Bradley from where he sits at the end of the bed. Not one to leave anyone out, he throws an elbow into Avery’s side. The girl let’s out a shrill squawk, sending Louis into a fit of giggles.

Once he calms down, Dr. Collins speaks again, this time with a large smile on his face. “Okay Louis, all your mates have told me is that you’ve been forced into suppression for some time now. Before we get any equipment out, may I ask you some questions?”

Louis nods. He’s nervous, but his mates promised him they’d give him space while also staying in range to hear him yell. He wouldn’t be surprised if they’re pacing just outside the door.

“Alright, first, I need to know how long you’ve been on suppressants.” Dr. Collins says, thick notebook poised in his lap.

“About five years, give or take.” Louis answers.

The doctor writes that down and looks to Louis again. “Do you know the name of pill you’re taking?” Dr. Collins asks. Louis goes to responds but the doctor quickly interrupts and reaches down to bag. “I’m sorry, Louis, would you be alright if this session is recorded?” He asks, holding up a rectangular black voice recorder.

“Yes, you may record this.” Louis responds. His alphas told him to allow this if asked. It goes against everything he’s been told in the last five years, but it’s such a small thing that he can’t care. “I don’t know what the pills are called, but they’re pink, circular and flat. Like, not a capsule, it’s a small, round, pink pill.”

“Ometivan.” Dr. Collins states, pulling a laminated photo out of his bag and presenting it to him. Louis confirms. “There is good news and bad news with this particular pill.” Dr. Collins face turns serious.

“Good news first. please.” Without a thought, Louis reaches out and grips Avery’s hand like a lifeline.

“The good news, this specific pill has only been known to cause reproductive harm in cases where omegas have taken it for ten years or more. Of course, we’ll do an ultrasound to check the state of your uterus.” Dr. Collins says. Louis stares at him, refusing to relax until he hears the rest. The doctor clears his throat before continuing. “The bad news,” Louis squeezed Avery’s hand harder, “Is that kidney damage is common. Now, most omegas who have taken Ometivan for less than seven years recover without surgery to remove a kidney or needing a transplant. Even if any damage is caused, it possible that you can recover all on your own.”

Still gripping Avery’s hand, Louis pipes in, more chipper than before, “That all sounds like good news, Doc. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

Dr. Collins allows a soft smile, “To be honest, Louis, ometivan is probably the most tame of all suppressants you could’ve been put on. As far as I’m aware, it’s the only one that doesn’t cause liver damage. Most cause ruptures to the esophagus within two years. You were especially lucky to be given what you were.” Dr. Collins pauses for a moment before becoming very stern, the grays in his hair standing out more than ever. “The last thing, I ask that you allow you alphas in the room to hear as well.” His head bows after his words.

Louis doesn’t hesitate. He squeezes Avery’s hand, looks up to scrawny Bradley across the room, fills his lungs and..”ALPHAS!”

Not even a second passes before Edward kicks the door down. It wasn’t locked, but it’s on the ground now, so who cares. The triplets run to Louis, who is sitting serenely at the end of the bed, still holding Avery’s hand.

“Pup, what’s wrong. What happened” Edward is tracing his hands down every inch of Louis’ body, looking for injuries. Harry and Marcel bury their faces in either side of his neck. He almost feels bad before quickly covering a laugh. He’s been in the room with the kindest doctor he’s ever met for less than ten minutes, yet these alphas came running in like he was about to die. With a giggle and a smirk, Louis presses his lips to the wrinkle between Edward’s eyebrows and turns back to the doctor.

“What was it you wanted to tell us, Doc?” Louis asks as he buries himself deep in Harry’s chest. Louis is very gay, but FUCK, Harry has some nice tits.

“Right..um..” Dr. Collins is staring at the door, now on the ground. His head slowly lifts, giving Louis and the triplets an incredulous looking before continuing. “Ometivan has seemed to have a very specific effect on omegas who have taken it regularly for over two years.”

“Bradley,” Louis pipes up. He feel on cloud nine right now and this nerdy little alpha has been far too quiet. “Will you tell us what Dr. Collins is talking about please.” He shoots a quick wink to Avery, who snickers behind the hand not holding Louis’.

“Um-uh.. What Dr. Collins is trying to say..” All three alphas lift their faces to stare at Bradley. Avery continues to snicker and Dr. Collins turns red in the face, seemingly holding in a laugh. “No omega that has taken Ometivan for two years or more has given birth to any gender but another omega.”

The four mates on the bed sit and stare at Bradley’s anxious form. They, all four, take a second to process that information. Louis’ first thought is ‘thank the Gods’. He is apparently not only able to give birth, but he is only able to give birth to children with an undeniable biological connection to him. His second thought is how ironic it is that his omega status has been hidden from everyone for so long, yet he’ll only omegas. He resolves to give them a better life than he’s been forced through. His third thought starts to form. The question of wether or not his alphas will accept only omegas. That thought is cut off abruptly by excited shrieks.

Louis looks over, expecting to find Harry at the center of the blaring squawks. It’s a shock to find it’s actually Edward. Edward, who has lifted Bradley and is dancing him across the room, shrieking like a mad man, giddy smile on his face. As expected, it doesn’t take long for Harry to join the fray. The two grab Bradley, placing him on their shoulders, continuing to dance around the room. Louis turns to Marcel, still seated beside him. His eyes are comically wide, staring at his brothers with a jaw dropped.

“Marcie…what’s happening?” Louis whispers to his alpha. Harry giggles project through the room. Avery’s hand in Louis’ goes slack. One look at her and Louis understands. Much like him and Marcel, Avery and Dr. Collins are also flabbergasted by the display his alphas are putting on.

“No clue, Lou. No clue.” Marcel finally responds through a disbelieving exhale.

“LOUIS! Did you hear that!” Harry yells as him and his brother continue to twirl the intern on their shoulders.

Finally, Edward and Harry lower a suspiciously green Bradley to the floor. Edward spin himself into Louis space, standing between his legs and bending in half to reach his level. Edward grips his face and plants a firm kiss on his lips. His very first kiss with an alpha, with one of his alphas.

“Omegas, Baby. We’re having omegas” Edward whispers, leaning his forehead against Louis’. Before he can utter a single syllable, Edward is closing in again and kissing him soundly. Fuck, Louis never wants to stop kissing this alpha.

Louis kisses back eagerly. Reaching up to grip the collar of Edward’s shirt. His alpha smells like lightning and kissing him feels like a million volts of electricity.

They pull away from each other slowly. Louis’ eyes stay closed until Edward is pressing his forehead into his once again. He looks into an unyielding forest of eyes and smiles bigger than ever before.

“Not fair!” Harry’s shout is heard through the room.

“No. No! Enough. Alphas out.” Dr. Collins finally wakes from his stupor to reprimand the alphas. “We have more tests to run and questions to ask. Alphas out! Now!” The shrill sound of the omegas voice has all three alphas bolting out of the hole where a door once stood. Even Bradley slowly starts to follow them. “Bradley, stay” Like a puppy, Bradley turns eagerly to Dr. Collins, awaiting further instruction.

Louis glances over to Avery once again. The redhead has been giggling to herself since the door came down. Whatever tests the doctor is about to run on him, at least he has a friend with him. Poor Bradley observes from the corner, still deathly pale.

________________

Harry prances through the kitchen as happy as ever. His brothers flank their mate on the tall kitchen stools. After the doctor left, Harry decided they need some lunch. Edward and he had worked up quite an appetite after leaping around with the scrawny nurse on their shoulders.

He just couldn’t believe it. Omegas. His earth shatteringly beautiful omega, was not only able to give birth after forced suppressant abuse, but he was most likely to give birth to omegas.

If he was being honest, the bulk of his excitement came from the fact that Louis was able to carry a child in the first place. It wouldn’t have mattered a single bit to him or his brothers if he couldn’t. But Louis made it very clear how badly he wanted it without saying the words.

So, omegas. Omegas tend to glue themselves to their most nurturing parent until they reach their teen years, when their own personality forms and they cling to whoever is most like minded. All of this is to say, Louis will not only get to have his own pups, but the pups will be most attached to him for years. Harry knows Edward was thinking the same exact thing.

While seeing his usually straight laced brother jumping and squealing was jarring, he knows Edward did if out of love and care for their mate. This hidden, romantic side of his oldest brother is so, so refreshing. So beautiful to see.

Louis has returned to the kitchen after the doctor and assistants left, glowing and radiant. From what Dr, Collins portable machines could tell, Louis was healthy as can be. Harry doesn’t know what he’s done to receive luck like that, but he’ll damn well take it.

Edward’s voice pulls his out of his stupor. Right, he’s supposed to be making lunch. It’s just sandwiches, but the bread toasting on the stove waits for no one. He rushes to flip them as he listens to his brother speak.

“Alright, Sauvons-toi, petit.” Even with his back turned. Harry knows Louis is swooning. No one can resist Edward speaking in french. (Let’s save you, little one).

Marcel takes over and Harry continues to make their lunch. “We were thinking, Kitten. How to undo your commands and where to go from here. Obviously, we want your opinion before we do anything.”

“I’m listening, alpha” Louis soft voices drifts through the kitchen.

“Such a good boy.” Marcel says in a low tone. “We don’t know when you want to come out, but what if we used this whole thing to bring the industry to the ground. Specifically Sony and every abusive brand they own.”

“Yes.” Louis responds without a moments hesitation. “If i’m going to go against everything I’ve ever known, it damn well better benefit someone else. Who better than any new up and coming artists that could potentially be roped into what I have.”

“Okay, omega. Me and Marce might’ve worked out a single command for you, alright?” Edward asks.

Harry can feel his nerves through the brothers connection. It’s an off feeling to get from Edward, but beautiful when it pertains to their mate.

“Yes, Alpha. Break my commands please, Eddie.” Louis let’s out in a soft voice.

“We need you to know, Kitten, we want to bring Syco and Sony down. If we want to do that, you might had to pretend your current commands are still in place. Edward will break them now either way, but you may need to pretend in the future.” Marcel chimes in.

“Yes, alpha Marcie. I can do that.” Harry turns to the trio just in time so see those gorgeous blue eyes crinkle. He abandons the sandwiches in favor of holding his mate from behind.

“He’s ready, Ed. Break them.” Harry voices, barely holding back a growl.

Edward glances between Harry and Marcel, both giving a nod, before returning to Louis.

“Little Omega, our baby, our soulmate,” He starts, eyes glued to Louis. A deep grumble builds in his chest before he speaks again. Alpha voice in full effect, “You will take orders from your alphas and your alphas alone.”

Chapter Text

The sun flared high in the sky, casting it’s rays into the navy sitting room. After eating lunch and working through the venom Simon had spewed through Louis’ head, the triplets had disappeared shortly, citing an urgent discussion that was ‘alphas only’. Upon their return, Marcel and Harry announced they’d be leaving to run an errand. No details were given to the confused omega before they were kissing his cheeks and rushing out of the home, giddy as can be.

Now, Louis sits on the small sofa he was on last night. Only this time, instead of three giant alphas surrounding him, only Edward remains.

Even in the short time they’d spent together, Louis feels as though he’s seen a million sides to Edward already. The cool, calm and collected gentleman that intercepted him on that damned red carpet. The silent and brooding man he’d been introduced to in the car. The strong and compassionate side that held him close and deterred an impending drop. Even the manic, giggling schoolgirl he’d turned into after the news from the doctor. Most recently, Louis had witnessed the intimidating and mighty alpha Edward could be when undoing Cowell’s mess. Yes, Louis has seen many sides to the oldest triplet.

All of that did not prepare Louis for the Edward he faces now. The alpha sits adjacent to him, just like last night. All the confidence he’s displayed so far seems to have vanished. He’s still stoic and emotionless as ever, but his eyes refuse to meet the omegas. Instead keeping his neck turned and eyes focused on a point across the room, seemingly nervous. An awkward silence has fallen over them in the stillness of the house. Gone are all traces of the domineering alpha that has kissed Louis with all the confidence in the world just a few hours earlier.

It becomes increasingly evident that Louis is going to have to break the silence. Honestly, he’s more than happy to. His body feels weightless without the shackles of oppression holding his true self hostage. All he wants is to spend time with soulmate and let his omega run free. Whatever has his Eddie wound up so tight, has gotta go.

“So, you’re a pretty good kisser.” Louis blurts out the words before his brain can stop them. Probably not a good ice breaker when the person you’re saying it to is drenched in nerves, but the silence is broken so he’ll count it as a win.

Edward’s neck nearly snaps as his head whips over to face Louis. Eyes comically wide and lips parted in awe. “Thank you, Louis.” The alpha forces out finally.

“Mhm.” Louis hums, searching for a way to keep the conversation alive.

“Actually,” Edward cuts in, shoulders dropping as he tilts his head to the floor. He pauses for a moment before continuing. “I wanted to apologize for that. Kissing you, I mean.”

“You regret it?” Louis asks. His heart sinks to his stomach. His first kiss with an alpha and the alpha regrets it?

“No, no not at all. I could never regret any form of intimacy with you, Omega.” Edward is quick to soothe. “It’s not that at all, trust me.”

“So what is it then?” Louis scoots his butt to the edge of the couch, resting his elbows on his knees.

“I do not and could not regret kissing you. I do apologize that I did so both without your permission first and without courting you.” Edward says. His nervousness has lessened. Replaced with the strong, dominant alpha once again.

Louis can tell from the grimace Edward is barely holding back, that being this openly vulnerable, even with the omega destined for him, is excruciating. After the childlike display he put on with Dr, Collins, especially. He decides to put the alpha out of his misery, lest he burst into flames upon voicing anymore feelings.

“Apology accepted, Alpha. Would I have preferred my first kiss with an alpha be with one that was courting me? Maybe, I’ve never thought to much about it.” A chuckle slips past his lips, “What I have thought about, is that I was kissed by not just an alpha and not just a man for the first time, but one of the alphas the gods made just for me. Let’s not ruin that with regrets and apologies.”

Edward’s deep green eyes meet Louis’ endless blue. The alpha gives a firm nod in response. The tension lining his shoulders falls away and the confidence Louis new Edward possessed his returned once again.

“Do you like footie?”

______

Twenty minutes and a short tour of the backyard later, Louis and Edward stand a short distance apart passing a ball between them. A goal is set up, but they don’t use it. Instead, they kick the ball back and forth, talking the whole time.

The yard is huge. Sprawling green grass backs up to a thin line of trees, purple wildflowers dotting the border between. The red brick of the house sparkles under the slowly setting sun. It’s hard to believe the amount of nature and privacy the triplets managed to find this close to the city. Although the home itself is modest, the property must’ve cost a fortune. The scent of the grass and the earth reminds Louis of Marcel. It comforts him immensely even in the alpha’s absence.

“You know,” Edward starts, passing the ball back before lifting the hem of his shirt to dab at the sweat building on his hairline. Louis is momentarily struck by glistening abs and a smattering of tattoos. The alpha’s voice pulls his back to focus, “You’re taking all of this a lot better than we expected you to. I’m quite shocked you’ve been this accepting of three grown alphas swooping in and changing so much.”

The words send his mind into overdrive. The last five years he spent in One Direction replaying in his head like a shitty greatest hits album from an artist no one wants to remember. Anxiety starts to claw its way through his body at the memories.

Louis turns away from Edward, dribbling the ball between his own feet as he speaks, “About three years ago is when I got the command to keep distance between me and the pack. No one besides Simon, Amanda, some other execs and security guards knew who I really was. The only comfort I had was Niall, Zayn and Liam. All of a sudden, I couldn’t be around them anymore. I was kept away from my family back home and my family on the road. I had already lost my omega, my family, and now my brothers. It didn’t take long before I started losing myself too.”

He dribbles the ball back and away from the goal as the words tumble out. Once he finds the perfect spot, he stops and looks up to the alpha, shoulders squared and chest puffed. Edward is still standing where he left him, hands now clasped behind his back and mouth set in a straight line. Louis continues to hold eye contact, the forest meeting the sea, as more words pass his lips.

“I have been neglected, starved, beaten down and forced into uncomfortable situations. I have been forcibly suppressed, looked down on and entirely lost. I have been hiding behind a mask for five years. All it took was some pretty little french words out of your mouth and a few seconds with your bothers to change that. Do you have any idea what it’s like to lose yourself like that? Any idea what it’s like for an omega to be abused like that? It’s like watching someone else fly the plane into a nosedive while you’re chained and shackled next to them, unable to do anything but watch it happen. I accepted you and your brothers because I feel it too. I feel the bond we all share, even if we just met. To deprive my omega of that, would mean I accept the hand i’ve been dealt— which I dont. And I accept the changes you’ve made gratefully because the life I was living before you, was not a fucking life at all.” Louis finishes his monologue, swings his leg and sends the ball soaring towards the goal.

Edward’s eyes follow the ball. Watching as it cuts through the air before finding the top left corner of the net. His eyes widen in surprise before looking back to him, obviously impressed. Louis doesn’t let him speak just yet, though. There’s more he needs say.

“I love footie. I’ve always been pretty good at it, but this is the first time i’ve had an opportunity to kick a ball around in a very long time. Even though I have a week off, I’d usually be glued to my phone waiting for Amanda to tell me where to go next.” Louis walks closer to Edward as he talks. Ending up just a step away. He looks up into the eyes of his soulmate, praying to the gods to just be seen, “You’ve given me so much in such a short time. I don’t even know where my phone is and for once, I don’t fucking care. I’m going to see my family tomorrow without worrying what consequences i’ll get for it. I have the opportunity to make choices for myself. I’ve known you for a few hours, but it feels like I’ve been missing you for centuries.” Somehow, his voice has remained steady, assured. With one last deep inhale, he finishes in a whisper, “I would rather die than lose the opportunity to know you, to know all three of you.”

Edward, the most apathetic of the brothers, has moisture shining in the corners of his eyes as he looks down at the omega. Louis holds the eye contact, just letting the alpha process everything he’s said.

Finally, he raises the hands previously held behind him and cups Louis’ cheeks. No tears actually form and his expression remains impassive, but it’s obvious how much hearing Louis’ thoughts effect him.

“You, little omega, are impossibly brave.” Edward’s voice is a hoarse timbre tickling down Louis’ spine. “I am not only proud of you, I am proud to be your alpha.”

The moment feels exceptionally fragile. Louis laid is soul bare. Voicing just how much knowing the triplets has meant to him, even if accepting them this quickly is asinine. Being free and being accepted has kick started the healing process on a part of himself that’s been neglected for far to long.

“For the record,” The alpha leans his head down, breath meeting Louis’ ear. He drops his voice to a low growl, possessive and protective all at one, “Je parle couramment, princesse. Vous pouvez avoir de jolis petits mots français quand vous le souhaitez.” (I’m fluent, Princess. You can have pretty little french words whenever you want)

A shiver ravages his whole body. Edward’s hands on his face the only thing holding him steady. Just before the drop of slick fighting it’s way out can escape, the back door of the house bangs open— revealing a very chipper Harry followed by Marcel, who wears a slight smirk.

“We’re home, lovers!” Harry yells, arms thrown in the air, head thrown back with a giant grin on his face.

The middle triplet skips over (looking like Bambi on his long legs) and throws his arms around his older brother and omega. After dropping a kiss on Louis’ forehead, he turns and pecks Edward’s lips.

Louis had his suspicions about the brothers being a bit more than brothers, but it wasn’t confirmed until this moment. It’s not that much of a surprise, with the way they describe their love for each other. It’s not even uncommon. It’s not unheard of for children born in multiples to grow up and bond together. Actually, alpha/omega twins have an extremely hard time bonding anyone else. Science has chalked that up to a built in soulmate and moved on. The only slight surprise is the small spike of jealously Louis feels watching his alphas kiss someone else.

The feeling lasts less than a second, but it was there. The absurdity of being jealous that his alphas love each other as much as they love him sends him into a laughing fit. Its, quite honestly, a dream come true. The triplets will not only bond the same omega (Louis), they’ll form a pack. An exceptionally loving pack. Everything he thought he lost, he’s gained right back with these three.

He doubles over in laughter, eventually falling to his knees. Edward and Harry, still wrapped around each other. stand frozen for a moment. Marcel, still standing in the doorway, rushes over and falls to his knees as well, wrapping his arms around his omega.

Laughing so hard he can barely breathe, Louis wraps his arms around Marcel’s neck, hiding his face in his scent gland. “Thank you for being my alphas.” Louis gets out through his giggles. Marcel’s arms tighten around him.

_______

Once Louis calmed down, Marcel saw his opportunity. He had scooped Louis up with ease, holding him to his chest with an arm under his bum and the omegas legs wrapped around him. With a reminder to Harry to start on dinner, he scurried into the house, bringing Louis back to the white sunroom Harry had shown him to before.

The triplets had a very special plan for the night. Nothing could go awry. To ensure that, Marcel needed peace of mind. He needed a few questions answered.

“Kitten,” He started after flopping onto the beanbag, laying flat, Louis straddling him, “What else did the doctor say?”

He watches Louis’ adam’s apple bob as he swallows. Looking at Louis’ face, he can sense the nerves. His brave little omega pushes through them anyway with a hopeful tone.

“Well, after you guys left the room he ran a couple tests. It’s okay to stop my suppressants cold turkey, but it could take a while for my scent to come through. My heat will most likely take around two months to come back, even with three alpha’s around me. He talked a lot about hormones and how they won’t be regular for a while. So, even if I stop taking the pills now, my hormones won’t balance enough to produce a scent or a heat for around eight weeks. Being around you alphas should regulate my slick production, but I may not have control over it for a while.” Louis tells him.

“Mhm.” His hands glide up Louis’ sides to finally cup the back of his head. Marcel pulls him down. He buries his nose in the omegas neck. Louis smells neutral, like nothing but laundry detergent and a faint trace of Edward. It’s intoxicatingly comforting, nonetheless.

A high pitched whimper falls from Louis pink lips before he speaks again, “Dr. Collins said he won’t know the levels of my liver, kidneys or pancreas until the blood tests come back, but he could tell from the internal ultrasound and preliminary checkup that I’m actually really healthy. I can carry our babies just fine.”

“You’re hiding something from your alpha, Kitten.” Marcel growls out. It’s not a command, and he has no idea where it comes from, but his alpha is sure there’s something Louis isn’t telling him. “Tell me, omega.”

Louis’ whole body falls limp. Head falling to Marcel’s collarbone, arms falling limply to the side. It wasn’t a command, but the soulmate bond means Louis’ omega has already submitted to the alphas. Just the hint of a growl in Marcels voice is enough to render him completely pliant. Although he would never take advantage of it, it’s fucking beautiful to watch.

“Dr, Collins said i’m malnourished, alpha.” Louis whispers. Before he can ask about it, Louis shoots up. His legs still straddling Marcels waist, but his hands shoot out as if to surrender. “It’s not my fault, alpha! Amanda says I have to be thin to look good for the paps so she—“

He can’t listen to one more word of whatever his precious omega was about to say. He cuts Louis off, happily.

“Lou, baby, was Amanda or anyone else controlling what you eat?” He asks, receiving a nod of confirmation. “They’re wrong, baby. You know that, right?”

All he receives in response is a shrug of Louis shoulders. That just won’t do. He will not have his omega questioning the very skin he lives in.

“My beautiful, amazing Kitten,” He noses up Louis jaw, kissing periodically. “You are so, so gorgeous. Everything about you is inebriating. I know I don’t care what you look like, it’s who you are that matters. My imbecile brothers would agree. We just happened to luck out that your looks are just as attractive as the rest of you. You’re divine, Kitten, made to be worshipped.” Louis giggles as he places a kiss behind the omegas ear.

“What’s your favorite color?” He hears Louis ask. The question is so benign yet so unexpected. His head raises from Louis neck leisurely, until his light green eyes are looking into clear blue.

“Gray.” He responds. “My favorite color is gray, Edward’s is red and Harry’s is pink.”

“Hmm. Mine is red, too” Louis says. “Gray is a weird favorite color.”

Marcel chuckles heartily, hands spreading over Louis’ waist and gripping tight. “Remember when Harry said everyone in our town thought I’d be a beta?” Louis nods “Even after presenting, I felt stuck. Not quite an alpha, not quite a beta. It felt like gray. Not quite white but not not quite black either.”

“Almost.” Louis whispers.

“Huh?”

“Almost. It felt like almost. Almost a beta, almost an alpha. Almost black, almost white.” Louis continues to whisper. “I feel like that a lot. I feel almost a lot. Almost a beta, almost an omega. Almost alive, almost lost. Very nearly one thing, but not quite. Almost is gray. You like gray because you lived almost.”

Marcel can do nothing but stare at his omega. His hands still grip his tiny waist as Louis looks down at him, biting his lip.

Even thirteen years later, not one person has been able to put into words how he felt after presenting. Until now, that is. It was a hard time. The whole town already believing you’re one thing and treating you accordingly, just to turn out something else. No one knew how to act around him, least of all himself.

In seconds, Louis understood it. Louis saw him the same way he sees the omega in his lap.

“Lou..” He gets out on a strangled breath, a single tear falling from his eye, “Can I please kiss you?”

Louis barely has time to nod before he closes the distance between them, claiming his lips. He keeps it light, gentle. Trying to convey just how much he appreciates him. Just how much he has changed as a man and as an alpha in the presence of the omega. He presses a strong, close-mouthed kiss to Louis plush lips, pouring all his gratitude into it.

After a couple seconds, Louis’ lips part, asking for more. Marcel doesn’t give it to him. Instead, he moves one hand up to rest his palm over Louis’ scent gland and pressing more kisses to his forehead, his cheek, his neck. Anywhere he can reach.

“Almost, Kitten. We lived the almost, but we can live whole now, together.” He whispers, confining to press his lips to any skin he finds.

“I pictures our babies.” Louis blurts, voice far too loud for the intimate moment. He pulls back, looking into Louis’s eyes, searching for an explanation. “When we met in Vegas. You caught a scent on me because I pictured our pups the moment I caught your scent. I slicked up for the first time in years.” The omega tells him, eyes wide like he’s not in control of the information he’s volunteering.

He looks back and forth in Louis’ eyes for a second. His omega, his soulmate, met him and immediately saw a future with him. Louis didn’t even know his name, but he knew what their babies would look like.

Just as he leans in to kiss Louis again, a knock sounds on the door. “Knock knock, dinners ready!” Harry yells.

He exhales against his omega’s lips. Louis stands before he’s ready to lose the weight on top of him. As he watches Louis plump ass sway out of the room, he closes his eyes to thank the gods. Not only did they send him the most beautiful omega to walk the earth, but they sent him the one person that understands exactly what he went through. That gets him. That saw a future with him immediately.

With one last thanks to the gods, Marcel stands and readies himself for the surprise tonight. Hopefully, Louis accepts.

________

Louis had entered to kitchen to muted, candle lighting. Harry and Edward prepared a beautiful spread of garlic tilapia, green beans and a side salad.Two bouquets of daffodils rested in the middle of the table.

Louis had sat at the table, thankful that the triplets had chosen the smaller five person table in the kitchen over the extended twelve seater in the dining room. Being able to be close to each of his alphas and share a meal they had prepared for him, is a level of intimacy Louis never expected to appreciate so much. Yet here they were, and nothing had ever meant more to him.

Upon finishing his meal, Harry cleared his throat, looking back and forth between his brothers. Harry had been oddly enthusiastic throughout the meal. The smile on his face hasn’t dimmed in the slightest, even during short silences. The other two hadn’t shown the same excitement, but Marcel definitely seemed on edge. Edward appeared stoic as expected, but he kept eyeing his brothers in a questioning way. Something was definitely going on.

“Hey princess?” Edward says, his voice sounds more strained than normal but Louis brushes it off, giving him his full attention. “Could you bring our dishes to sink, please?”

Louis narrows his eyes at the alpha, “Why? Because I’m an omega and it’s my duty?” He replies in a snarky tone

“No—I…what?” Edward stumbles over his words. He gapes at Louis from across the table.

With a giggle, Louis gathers all of their plates and saunters into the kitchen. If he added an extra seat ti hah hips, it’s no one’s business but his.

After he rinsing the plates and placing them i. the dishwasher, he makes his way back to the table. Instead of finding his alphas in their seats, he finds them knelt in a line on the floor. Harry on the left, Edward in the middle and Marcel on the right.

“Um, Hi?” Louis asks more than states. Harry still has a huge smile splitting his face in two. Edward’s lips are barely quirked and Marcel is smiling softly. From what he can tell, this is good news. It could also be an attack from below. He takes a step to grab a butter knife off the table and hide behind his back, just in case.

“Louis William Tomlinson,” Harry starts, his voice literally vibrating with elation. “You are our soulmate, fated just for us. And, man did we get lucky.”

Edward takes over, “Just like you said you’d rather die than miss the chance of knowing us, we would rather die than miss the honor of knowing you.”

Marcel speaks next, “Edward told me after meeting you that he knew you are the reason he’s an alpha. The first time I held you in my arms, I knew he was right. We are alphas just for you, Kitten.”

Tears are steadily falling down his face at this point. He slips to his knees carefully, shuffling closer to the triplets, not touching them but in arms reach.

Harry speaks again, “You are the most vibrant, delicious omega we have ever met. All three of our alphas have already accepted you as ours.” Harry throws a wink his way, as if he isn’t already there crumbling.

“We’re already falling for you, Princess. We want you forever.” As Edward finishes speaking, he fishes a little black box out of his pocket.

As it opens, Louis sees a shimmering gold band with golden knots on each side leading to one emerald and one turquoise stone in the middle. He tilts his head to the ceiling, closing his eyes. The sobs he he’s desperately holding back cause a hiccup in his chest.

“We don’t have to be gray anymore, Baby. We’re not almost anything anymore.” Louis opens his eyes and looks to Marcel, the other two alphas already looking at him inquisitively. “Would you do us the honor of courting you?”

Sobs ravage through him. Unlike normal, none of the alphas race to comfort him, still awaiting an answer. This is everything he’s ever dreamed of. Living his life as an omega with alphas that respect every piece of him. His sobs are born of disbelief. Simply not being able to comprehend the fact that three of the most amazing alphas he’s ever met want him. Before he can respond, Harry speaks again.

“We’re already halfway in love with you, Dove. We don’t want to love you quietly. When the time is right, we want to love you as loudly as we can.”

That does it. Louis throws himself at the alphas, not caring who catches him. It’s Harry, of course. No one has ever been more ready to catch him than the overgrown candy cane that is Harry Styles.

“Ye—Jesus, Yes. Yes, please.” He finally stutters out.

The triplets engulf him in a semi-suffocating grouo hug. He’s squeezed nearly unbearably tight, but it’s so worth it. Especially when Edward slides the ring onto his finger.

Louis has spent most of the last five years hating everything about himself. Nothing could’ve prepared him for the love he feels for his own skin in this moment. The emerald and turquoise reflect beautifully against the tan of his hands. It feels monumental, to feel beautiful against everything he’s ever been told. Gods, he can’t wait to tell him mom.

The alphas continue to pepper kisses across his cheeks, neck and collarbone. Louis is content to sit with his left hand outstretched, simply admiring his ring.

Louis Tomlinson, formerly oppressed, now an omega being courted. With a sigh, he sinks back into his alphas.

_______

It was decided shortly after the triplets proposal that a movie night was in order. Louis pretty sure it was just an excuse for the three of them to grope him, not that he’s complaining.

They had started with The Conjuring, Louis and Harry cuddled up with Edward and Marcel spooning each of them from behind. From there, there decided on Grease, Louis’ favorite movie. For that one, Edward and Harry were upright against the armrest of the couch with Louis between Edward’s legs and Marcel between Harry’s.

By the time both movies were over, it was nearing 10 p.m. Louis, not wanting to miss a second with his family, recruited Harry to sleep with him. With a small peck to the lips for each alpha from Harry and Louis, they were off to bed.

Louis is laying is the guest bed he had temporarily commandeered as his own in one of Edward’s soft grey tee’s and Marcels loose boxers. Harry lays beside him in nothing but teeny tiny, right black pants. Louis can’t even find it in him to be uncomfortable.

Sharing a bed with Harry is an experience for sure. The second Louis was in the bed, the aloha flopped on top of him, no holds barred. Just dead weight falling upon his small, omega body. Then, he octopus limbed Louis’ whole body. Quite literally suctioning every one his limbs to whatever part of Louis he was touching. All of that was followed by a million kisses pressed to his cheeks, neck and all the way down his spine.

Finally, Harry had settled, spooning him from behind. Neither were asleep yet, but the alpha let out content sighs, nuzzling his face into Louis’ skin every few minutes.

An experience for sure.

After a while, Louis felt the need to speak. For once, he didn’t question the words coming out of his mouth. He was simply comfortable enough to let them pass freely.

“Hey Hazzy,” He started. He turned over, snuggling up to Harry’s outstanding pecs. “You have some nice tits.”

A honking laugh bellows in the quiet room. Gods, this alpha is so gods damn adorable.

“Thank you.” Harry says, giggling. “That wasn’t you wanted to say though, was it?”

“No, it wasn’t. But gods damn…” Louis trails off. He sneaks a hand up to grip one of Harry’s pec. It’s unbelievably firm, yet still has a slight spring to it. He abandons the groping and buried his face deep in the alphas cleavage instead.

“That tickles!” Harry yells as Louis continues to burrow himself deeper. Light laughter flows from each of them.

With his face as deep in Harry’s glorious cleavage as he can get, Louis asks the question burning his tongue, “What did Eddie mean exactly when he said we can take the whole industry down?”

He has a good idea of what the alpha meant, don’t get him wrong. Without his commands, Louis is sitting on a gold mine of misconduct and illegal activities. He just need the reassurance of what’s expected if him. Even if he’s able to have a choice now, it’s nice to have his alphas opinion.

“Oh,” Harry says, then promptly falls into a fit of giggles. “He meant we can plant recording devices and cameras on you to get proof of their wrongdoing Plus, with our connections to the industry, we can get security footage from certain venues you’ve been in in the past and any you may go to. Marcie told us your scent won’t come for weeks, so we could do all this without anymore pills or special soaps.”

Harry says it all with small chortles and obvious satisfaction. After all the bad days Louis has had, Harry is a breath of fresh air.

He thinks back to his conversation with Marcel. The gray, the almost. He was unaware just how much that meant to Marcel as he was saying it, but he meant every word. Louis, of all people, knows what it’s like to live in the almost. He was almost a beta, but presented late. He was almost an omega, but was forced into suppression. He was almost Liam’s omega, but couldn’t tell him the truth. That last thought sends a stray sting to his heart, causing a whimper to fall from his lips. Nonetheless. Marcel is his gray.

Harry has been nothing but sunshine to him. The alpha can answer every question he’s asked with enthusiasm no one else could hold. He holds Louis like a treasure and looks at him like he’s the answer to the universe. One whiff of his scent and Louis is docile and cheery. Harry Styles is the first drop of sun after an eternity in darkness. If Marcel is Louis’s gray, Harry is his yellow.

Edward is more complicated. He’s dominating and protective, yet hates to show it. Edward is rage and dominance and protection. He’d sooner leave a conversation than admit to being emotional. Yet, somehow, he’s changed himself for Louis. He leapt across a room, squealing and squawking, just to show Louis how little an omega baby versus an alpha matters to him. He fidgeted on a sofa for endless minutes, working out how to apologize for a very welcomed kiss. Edward Styles, is Louis’ red. He’s adrenaline and danger all wrapped up in a beautiful, curly bow.

He decides quickly after that, altogether, the Styles triplets are purple. They’re the nights sky watching over a moonlit crowd. Fireflies and shooting stars and galaxies unexplored. They’re the ocean depths hosting a million life forms, unexplored and uninhabited. They’re the horizon at sunrise, harbingers of hope and new beginnings.

Louis snuggles impossible closer to Harry. “Let’s burn it to the ground, Haz.” He says, whispering loud enough to be heard.

“Let’s change the world, Dovie.” Harry whispers.

He lets out a soft snort. At this point, he’s somewhere between wake and sleep. Drifting in and out. They stay that way for a long while. He would’ve believed Harry to be sleeping too if it wasn’t for the consistent rise and fall of his chest, never changing enough to indicate sleep.

“I like that you give me nicknames.” Harry says in a low tone. It’s not a whisper, but it’s quiet.

“Yeah?” Louis asks, half asleep.

“Yeah, makes me feel important for once.”

That has Louis flying up. Fuck his R.E.M cycle, Harry Styles just said something less than happy. That alone takes precedence to everything else in the world.

The room is shrouded in darkness, even facing Harry, he can’t make out any of his facial features. Instead, Louis uses the pads of his fingertips to trace the alphas face, dragging feather-light touches around each of his features.

“You’re so important, Haz.” Louis whispers. Anything above that would disturb the atmosphere of the room.

Harry sighs deeply before responding, also in a whisper, “Edward and Marcel are better at the important stuff. I’m just kinda, ya know, there.”

Louis traces his fingers up to harry’s eyes, taking the opportunity to lean down and kiss each eyelid. “Remember how we met?” Louis asks, trailing his fingers up to Harrys’s hairline, “I was having a panic attack and you helped me. You stopped it. I wasn’t even aware you were triplets. You were just a hero in the bathroom. That was important to me without either of your brothers being involved.” He leans in to peck the alphas forehead before traipsing his fingers down to the alphas chin, softly stroking his strong jawline.

“You’re incredible.” Harry says on an exhale. Louis goes to drags his fingers back up to Harry’s lips, but it’s stopped when a large hand engulfs his.

Even in the darkness, he can see Harry’s piercing emerald eyes boring into his own. He nearly choked on a breath waiting for the alpha to speak.

“I’ve slept with and been with many omegas.” Harry tells him.

The pause after Harry’s words is enough for Louis to lose is breath, even if the words themselves had already done the job. He nearly chokes on it, desperately scrambling to find an anchor.

Louis spent his whole life saving himself. Intentionally or not, he did. Somewhere along the way, that became extremely important to him. He doesn’t need his alphas virtue, but he does require respect. From what Edward and Marcel have divulged, they haven’t sought out physical connection with an omega outside of their ruts and haven’t sought out a romantic connection, full stop. Knowing Harry had done both, is dagger to his delicate heart.

As much as he wishes to provide some leeway, fidelity and loyalty are far too important to him to pass up. Harry just admitted to seeking out omegas outside of a rut. That means, while Louis was suffering alone, one of his alphas was out there trying to pull.

Completely unnecessarily, if feels like a betrayal. Not just to Louis himself, but his omega as well. It curls up in his chest, desperately trying to force out a whine. Louis doesn’t let it out, but it’s a near miss. The feeling is nothing but frustrating. Harry didn’t cheat on him. Harry didn’t even know he existed. But, it makes him question how serious Harry actually his now. It makes him jealous it wasn’t him. It makes him angry he wasn’t able to be honest sooner. It makes his heart bleed for Edward and Marcel. Where were they while Harry was out with these omegas?

“Lou?” Harry’s voice breaks through the fog in his head.

“Sorry, i’m exhausted. What were you saying?” Louis shakes himself back into focus.

“Forget about it. Sleep, little dove. We have a long drive to Doncaster tomorrow.” Harry says, slipping his arm around Louis’ middle.

Louis lays along side the alpha for a while. He listens to him breathe and snuffle. All the while thinking about the amount of omegas Harry could’ve brought into this bed. Brought into this home.

As soon as he’s side Harry is asleep, Louis slips out of the bed. He barely spared a glance as he slips out the door and pads down the hallway. He’s not mad, per se. It’s just an obstacle he needs to wrap his pretty little mind around.

He finds the master bedroom easily. As he slips inside. two figures shoot up in the darkness.

“Princess?” Louis hears a tired, dark voice ask.

“Can I sleep in here, alphas?” He asks, twisting his fingers together.

“‘Course, Kitten.” Another sleepy voice gets out.

In the dark of the bedroom, Louis pads to the bed. He flops in the middle, immediately pulled into well defined arms.

“Sleep, babe. We gotta get you home tomorrow.” Is the last thing Louis hears before he’s out, sandwiched between two large bodies.

Chapter Text

The atmosphere in the Styles house the next morning is tense. Possibly slightly awkward. Harry had woken up at the crack of dawn in a panic, searching for the omega he fell asleep holding. Louis could see the confusion and slight hurt written on his face when he discovered him nestled between his brothers. Louis feels awful for it. Especially considering the conversation they were having before Louis shut down.

At no point does he want Harry to feel less than either of his brothers. The affection he holds for each of them is insurmountable but equal. It’s just that pesky doubt he had let consume him after Harry’s confession. He’s very aware of how ridiculous he had been to leave the bed he shared with the alpha. He knows Harry hadn’t actually betrayed him in any sense. He knows all of that. He just needed some time to process it.

The moment Harry had burst into the room, all three in the bed had shot up. Louis, knowing exactly what Harry was feeling, raced over to comfort the alpha, pushing the lingering hurt away for a moment. Despite any doubt or questions bouncing around in his head, it felt undeniably right to be held in those strong arms. That was enough to let the feelings go for the time being.

Harry hadn’t asked and neither did Edward or Marcel, so Louis hadn’t offered an explanation. He simply led Harry to the kitchen to get breakfast started ahead of their drive.

So, here he sits, watching Harry prepare a full fry up. The other two alphas are running around the house packing a few bags and loading the car for their days in Doncaster. The air in the kitchen is thick with unasked questions and hidden feelings.

Louis is saved from having to break the uncomfortable silence when Harry’s voice breaks it instead, “So…you weren’t in bed this morning.” His back is turned to the omega, eyes focused on the pan he’s scrambling their eggs in.

“No, I uh, I couldn’t sleep so I tried switching it up.” Louis replies dumbly. There’s no point in dancing around the topic. His omega is begging for reassurance and he really doesn’t want to sit in awkward silence for three hours while trapped in a car. He swallows thickly, formulating how to present his feelings to the man before him.

“Did I do something?” Harry asks, turning off the stove and turning to face Louis.

He really does look pitiful. His toned arms are wrapped around his middle and his broad shoulders are slumped. Big green eyes stare at Louis pleadingly. Louis groans, scrubbing his face with both hands. He feels like such a bad omega. They only just asked to court him last night. What a shame it would be to fuck it all up so soon.

“Ughhh. It’s so stupid and completely uncalled for, but I feel jealous. Or maybe betrayed. I’m not even sure.” Louis drops his hands to his lap and shrugs his shoulders.

“Is this about what I said last night? About being with other omegas?” Harry asks. His voice is so hesitant. Barely any of the usual happy-go-lucky attitude he’s known for in his words.

“Yeah.” Louis whispers. He jumps off the stool to approach the alpha, no longer able to watch him shrink in on himself. His omega is yearning to comfort it’s alpha almost as much as it’s yearning for reassurance. He stops a breath away, reaching out to rub Harry’s biceps as he continues. “You did nothing wrong, Haz. I have no right to feel any type of way about whoever you’ve shared your bed with before me. We didn’t even know the other existed a week ago. I guess I just wasn’t ready to hear that you had pursued other people while I was literally drowning in suppressants and legal clauses.”

“Baby..” Harry’s voice breaks. In a swift move, he has Louis completely engulfed in his arms, pushing out calming pheromones. Dark chocolate and peppermint swim in the air, comforting Louis and his omega in seconds.

“Baby, you have every right to feel any way you need to about that. No omega wants to hear something like that from the alpha that’s courting them. I am so sorry I threw that at you without considering your feelings.” The alpha whispers in his ear.

Louis lifts his head from where it was squished against Harry’s chest. “No, Haz. I was being greedy. It was selfish of me to expect you not to have sought out other omegas. You had every right to do so.” His omega doesn’t agree with his words, but he ignores it.

“Can I explain?” Harry asks.

Louis nods even though he’s not sure he wants to hear any more. The soft smile Harry gives him makes him happy he did. He’s led over to the stools again and lifted onto Harry’s lap after he’s sat down. His nose is quick to find the alphas scent gland, drinking in one of his favorite scents greedily.

“I’ve never been someone who does well being alone. It was one of the things that made a lot of people think I might’ve been an omega growing up.” Harry starts, rubbing Louis’ back to keep him calm, “Usually, I would have my brothers with me and they have always been more than enough. There have been times through the years, though, that spending time together was impossible. Uni, for example, but especially while we were getting the business up and running. We’d each be on opposite ends of the world securing connections or donations or clients. I would be left alone for long stretches of time and it would eat away at me. Occasionally, I’d find an omega to spend the night with or an omega to take on a few dates without sex. There weren’t as many as I’m sure it sounded like last night and none of them were anything serious, I promise. I’d never make a decision like that without Edward and Marcel. They knew what I was doing. Even if they didn’t like it too much, they understood why and did their best to come home to me when they could. It was mostly just companionship, a way to fill a void where my brothers should’ve been. I guess, to fill a void where you should’ve been as well.” Harry finishes with a kiss pressed to the crown of Louis’ head.

As scared as he was to hear it, that wasn’t nearly as bad as he’d expected. Honestly, he was preparing himself to hear his alpha had been horny and promiscuous, bedding omegas left and right with no rhyme or reason. The truth actually makes a lot of sense.

He hasn’t known Harry long, but it’s obvious to anyone with eyes that he wears his heart on his sleeve. Even saying he’s codependent with his brothers wouldn’t be a stretch. It’s not surprising in the least to think he wouldn’t do well by himself. Harry Styles is the poster boy of domestic bliss. He cooks like a god and cleans like it’s second nature. Everything in him was built to nurture his mate. To build and keep a home with his omega. Without his brothers and before meeting his soulmate, seeking solace in an omega here or there seems not only on par, but necessary for his well being. Shockingly, Louis is almost grateful to the omegas before him for keeping his alpha company. There’s still a slight stab of jealousy buried beneath his ribs, but the picture he had painted in his head of his alpha sleeping around while he spent his days controlled and isolated is disappearing.

In their own ways, each of them were doing what they had to do to survive. Edward was swallowing any emotion that dared rise within him. Marcel was ignoring the side of him no one expected him to be. Harry was seeking connection, if only for a night. Louis was following orders and swallowing pills that hid the real him. They were doing what they had to do to end up in the middle of a desert, surrounded by invasive cameras and flashy clothes, seconds away from destiny. That, dark as it may appear, is a much nicer thought than imagining the hoards of omegas he’d have to fight off his alpha.

“Thank you for explaining. That was a lot better than what my mind made up. I’m sorry for being so unreasonable.” Louis sniffs as he looks up into to dazzling emerald eyes.

“Nothing you were feeling was unreasonable, Little Dove. You are allowed to feeling anything and everything you need to. Honestly, I would’ve felt the exact same if you randomly blurted out you’d been with a lot of alphas before us.” Harry chuckles, slapping a loud, wet kiss to Louis forehead.

“You’re not mad at me?”

“Dovie, how on earth could I be mad that my heavily suppressed mate is acting like the omega he was never allowed to be?” He says it so sincerely, so reverently. Louis is struck by his words straight in the heart. “What I should’ve told you last night is that whoever may be in my past, you are my entire future. You, my brothers and I have a whole life waiting to be lived together and I wouldn’t give that up for anything. By the gods, it’s beautiful to see you embracing who you truly are. I wouldn’t do a single thing to miss a second of that.”

Yellow. All Louis can see through the hot tears brimming in his waterline is the the most vibrant, electric yellow. This alpha, is soulmate, is the radiant sunlight he’s been missing on his darkest days. He’s a towering sunflower in full bloom.

Louis has no choice but to tilt his head up and kiss him.

_______

They’ve been in the car a little over an hour now. After a very brief pit stop at Louis’ small flat in London to grab some clothes and souvenirs he’s gotten for his sisters, they were off. Marcel is driving and Harry is dutifully fulfilling his destined role of passenger princess. Louis is curled against Edward’s side in the backseat, eagerly soaking up musky pine and lightning. The oldest has one arm draped around his small frame, alternating between slow stokes to his sides and light squeezes to his waist, and one scrolling through is phone. According to the alpha, he has work emails to respond to, but Louis has seen him switch over to Monopoly Go! every few minutes. Speaking of phones…

“Alphas, where’s my phone?” Louis asks. He’s barely spared a thought for it since he arrived at the triplets house. There must be dozens, if not hundreds, of missed calls at this point. He can’t imagine the bitch fit Amanda must be throwing over the stunt Eleanor and he had pulled off after the club. It would ease his mind to have whatever consequences she has for him handled before they reach Doncaster. He really doesn’t want anything to disturb his time with his family.

“Right here.” Edward says, not looking up from his phone as he pulls Louis’ phone from the inside pocket of his jacket.

Louis takes the device from his hands with a peck to the alphas cheek as a thank you. For a moment, he forgets what he’s doing to wonder, for the millionth time that morning, why Edward felt the need to wear a suit. Marcel, Louis and Harry all opted for skinny jeans and a hoodie, but Edward refused to give up his usual attire, even if there’s no need for it. He really doesn’t understand the alphas need for it, but he sure as hell can appreciate it. As uncomfortable as it looks, the sleek navy material hugs Edward’s body like a second skin. A small drop of slick escapes him as he ogles his alpha before he can stop it.

A short silence.

Then

“Ah, that uncontrolled slick production you mentioned the doctor told you about.” Marcel quips, white knuckling the wheel.

All three alphas burst into laughter. Edward’s hand returns to its spot on his waist, squeezing tightly.

Harry turns in his seat, sniffing the air in deep inhales. “I can’t decipher a specific scent. I can tell it smells good, but I’m not sure what it is. Just smells like mine.”

Louis reaches forward to hit Harry’s shoulder. Edward abandons his ‘work emails’ to press his face into louis neck, sniffing him just as hard as Harry had.

“Mmm, no discernible scent, but Marce was right when he said it was like waking up. It’s like my alpha is smelling something my nose can’t pick up on yet. Definitely mine.” Edward announces.

Louis’ cheeks are burning red at this point. As much as it pleases his omega to hear his alphas compliment his non-scent, it’s terribly embarrassing to slick up like this all the time. He feels like a child who just had their first heat. That’s not very far from the truth, but he’s an adult for gods sake.

“I don’t know what it smells like either. Now shut up.” He grumbles.

He ignores their chuckling in favor of powering up his phone. The second it’s on, an endless barrage of notifications flood his lock screen. His stomach flips as he skims through them.

Two missed calls from his mum. Seven missed calls from Carl, one of Amanda’s henchman. Eighteen missed calls from Amanda herself. To his utter shock, there’s even a missed call from Zayn. It’s been almost two years since he’s seen that name in his calls logs.

He starts with his mum, texting her to let her know he’ll be to her in under two hours. Next he responds to the flurry of messages from Eleanor. It seems she had not lied about wearing out his number. the last message from her reads ‘Guess who got tickets to your Cardiff show!’. He types back a few exclamation points and happy emojis before checking for any messages from Zayn besides the call. When there are none, Louis assumes whatever it was couldn’t have been that important his missed call didn’t warrant a follow up text. Despite that, he still types out a ‘saw you called. everything good?’ just in case.

After all that, all that’s left is Amanda. Instead of reading her messages right away, he navigates to Google. It’s probably best to know what the headlines are saying before he tries to deal with whatever she has to say.

A quick search of his name reveals dozens of gossip sites, all with him and Eleanor splashed across the front page. The public seems to love the disappearing act they had pulled off. Countless shots of Louis giggling with an arm slung around Eleanor’s slim shoulders as they walk down the streets are plastered on the the internet already. Louis screenshots a picture of them taken from behind with the pair looking extremely close, almost intimate. He sends it off to Eleanor with ‘new it couple?’.

His phone vibrates with a new text before he can read anymore. It’s his mom letting him know she’ll be home with the youngest two, but his sisters are spending the day with their dad. He can’t wait to see his sisters, but he’s happy he and his mum will have some time alone. He really has a lot to tell her.

They had all decided that the triplets would be staying in a hotel not far from his mums home for the week. Not only did the triplets not want to intrude, but they want to start the courting process throughout the week. They’ll take turns taking him out while Louis soaks up as much family time as he can. Louis is beyond excited He can’t think of a more perfect way to spend a week.

All the happiness is sucked out of him when it’s time to face the music. He opens his message thread with Amanda. There’s dozens. Ranging from ‘where are you’ to ‘you’ll regret this’ to ‘you can kiss your career goodbye’. There’s a short moment of overwhelming anxiety. A moment of panic for what she can do to him. He grips the hand Edward still has resting on his waist.

“What is, Princess?” Edward questions quietly.

He can see Harry and Marcel perk their ears. They’re not looking, but their listening. Damn alphas and their superior hearing. With a sigh, Louis hands his phone to the oldest, Amanda’s messages still displayed on the screen.

“What is this?” He asks, hand clutching the phone tighter and tighter as he scrolls.

“Amanda” is all Louis can respond.

“Right.” Edward grits through clenched teeth. The hint of rain in his scent turns sour, more like wet dog. He’s angry.

Louis watches as the alpha screenshots all the messages and Amanda’s contact information before putting in his number and sending it to himself.

“If you wanted to give me your number, you could’ve just asked ya know?” Louis says, trying to ease the tension.

Edward is still stiff as a board against him but Harry bursts into delighted giggles. Even Marcel chuckles briefly. Even if he’s not smiling, the wet dog scent the oldest was giving off slowly turns back to a soothing rain. Louis counts it as a win.

“Just collecting evidence, Darling.” Edward replies. His arm falling back around him.

Once Edward’s done, he makes to hand the phone back to Louis. He takes it just to power it down and reach into Edward’s suit jacket to slip it back into the pocket. As he pulls his hand away, he stops to cop a squeeze of Edward’s pec. It’s definitely not as protruding as Harry’s, but it’s much firmer. The muscle has no give, only further demonstrating how strong this alpha is. Louis is very near delirious on the sheer power is soulmate possesses, more slick escaping him.

A sound of surprise squeaks out of Edward. “Need something, Princess?” He asks, low and husky.

“Nope!” Louis answers. He pulls his hand away with a flick to the alphas nipple. He relishes in the low groan each of his alphas let out.

“Behave back there. I’m trying to drive.” Marcel snaps, rolling the windows down.

Louis laughs, bright and happy. He spares a thought for all of Amanda’s messages that remain unanswered and Zayn’s mysterious call, but can’t be bothered. The momentary panic he felt was from years of conditioning to feel that way. He doesn’t need to worry about work right now. He’s snuggled up to Edward while Harry belts out Pocket Full Of Sunshine and Marcel nods along to the beat. He’ll be in his mums arms in no time at all and he has five whole days to spend amongst his siblings chaos.

He leans forward and plants a kiss to Harry and Marcel’s cheeks before burrowing back into Edwards side. This right here, and the promise of home, is all he needs.

________

Louis stands in front of his mum’s front door. The triplets dropped him off with a promise to be there in seconds if they need him before making their way to the hotel. He had lugged his bags up the front walk and rang the doorbell. Considering he bought the house for his family, ringing the doorbell wasn’t exactly necessary. But it added the dramatic flair Louis is prone to strive for. His whole body is buzzing with excitement. He’s about to jump right out of his skin.

As the door handle starts to turn, he starts squealing. His mum appears, as beautiful as she’s ever been and he wastes no time jumping into her arms. Lemon and fresh linen floods his nose. He still squealing.

“Oh my baby, you’re home!” His mum shouts. She hugs him closer, squeezing him far too tightly but he can’t find it in him to mind at all.

“I’m home, Mummy.” Louis whispers as he buries his nose in her neck.

They stand there gripping each other for a long while. Their moment is only broken by a babyish babble of ‘Achoo’ and soft pitter patters of tiny feet on hardwood. Louis pulls away from his mum and spots two tiny bodies toddling towards him as fast as their tiny bodies with take them.

“Dilly! Ezzie!” He shouts before scooping up the youngest twins and cradling them as close as he can.

The toddlers continue to babble at him. He only makes out a few words, but nods along enthusiastically like he can understand everything they say. Behind him, his mum is grabbing his bags and bringing them into the house.

“Come on in , Love. We have so much to talk about.” Jackie says softly. For a moment, Louis is sobered by the fact that he really does have a lot to tell her.

“You have no idea.” He says more to himself.

“These two are due for a nap. Why don’t you help me put them down and I’ll make us a cuppa.”

Nearly an hour later, Louis is sat at the kitchen table across from his mum. The twins took longer than normal to go down, too excited by his presence to sleep. When they were still awake after three bedtime stories, Louis took to singing lullabies while softly stroking their backs. They were asleep in seconds.

His mum had pulled him down the stairs and made them a pot of tea, yorkshire as always. She prattles on about his siblings and all the things they have going on. Lizzie had presented as an alpha a year ago, which Louis knew. She has been seeing an omega for a few weeks, which Louis did not know. He does his best to listen to what she’s saying, but the anxiety is slowly eating away at him.

He interrupts his mum in the middle of a story about Faith and her art fair. “I’m so sorry, Mum. I want to hear all about the girls and I have so so much to tell you. Is it alright if I just make a call quick?” He asks.

“Oh darling, is everything alright? You seem a little panicked.” Jackie asks, gripping his hand.

“Yeah, course. Just need to make a call.” Louis stands and kisses her cheek before making a beeline for the back door.

As soon as he’s outside, he pulls out his phone Edward had slipped back to him before leaving and dials one of the new numbers programmed in his phone.

“Louis, is everything alright?” Marcels answers on the second ring. The second he hears his alphas voice, all the air trapped in his lungs escapes.

“Yeah, just needed a little reassurance I guess. What if she rejects me?” Louis whispers.

“Kitten, from what you’ve told us about your mum, she adores you. There is not a single thing you could tell her that would change her mind on that. I think you know that too. Don’t let your head stop you from opening up to the one person you’ve hated keeping secrets from.”

Louis can’t respond before there’s a loud shout and muffled shuffling sounds on the other end. The next voice he hears is a very excited Harry.

“Louis! What’s going on?” I’m true Harry fashion, the alpha manages to sound worried without losing any of the sunshine in his voice.

“Nothing, Haz. Just scared to talk to me mum. Needed some reassurance, I guess.” He mumbles out.

“My mother in law would never be anything but supportive, babes. If she’s as fierce as you’ve told us, she might be on a warpath for Cowell and his minions, but she loves you more than anything. You know that, Dovie. You’ve got this.”

It’s impossible to hold on the laugh that bursts out of him. Somehow, Harry referring to his mum as his mother in law is a soothing balm to his anxiety. No matter what happens, he has three amazing alphas waiting for him.

Now beaming, Louis responds. “Yeah, Hazzie, I think you’re right. Now put Eddie on. Don’t want to leave him out.”

“Hellos, Princess.” A dark voice speaks after more muffled sounds.

“Hello, Eddie.”

“I truly hate that you call me that.”

“Too bad, alpha. You’re stuck with me.” Louis chuckles.

“Not stuck, Little One. The gods granted me the privilege to know you and I intend to take full advantage of it. Now, why are you calling?”

Louis is frozen for a moment. He soaks in Edward’s words like water. He truly feels so blessed. “I was feeling a little insecure, Alpha. I’m okay now.” Louis whispers out.

“You can do it, Princess. We can’t wait to hear all about it.”

A chorus off goodbye are shouted down the line as he hangs up. He closes his eyes and grips his phone to his chest, centering himself. He can do this. He can. He can. He can.

With a shaky breath, he makes his way back to the kitchen. His mum is sitting right where he left her, kettle still steaming. Here goes nothing.

“Right, so I haven’t been entirely honest.” Louis starts, collapsing into his chair and spilling his guts.

_______

Forty five minutes and nearly an entire pot of tea later, Jackie is filled in on almost everything Louis has experienced since auditioning for X-Factor. He had sobbed through most of it, having to backtrack and repeat a lot. His mum had started crying the moment he revealed his true gender. She listened to everything he had to say with tears flowing steadily. Louis spent most of it clutching her hand and pausing to breathe in her scent, but he made it. He told his mum everything. Well, almost.

“I’m so sorry, Baby.” Jackie whispers through her tears.

“No, Mum! Please don’t blame yourself. No one could’ve known. They made very sure of that.” He wrapped his arms around her neck, pulling her close.

“I just have one question.” She said as she pulled away. At Louis’ nod she continued. “How are you able to tell me now? You said there was alpha commands that wouldn’t allow it, but you’re telling me.”

Louis whole face goes red. He had told her every detail up to Vegas. This is the part he’s most scared of. His mum is very protective of her children, but him even more. He’s not only her first, but he’s also an omega. She had admitted during their conversation that something inside her knew. Something inside of her knew he needed more softness and protection than his siblings. Lizzie is an alpha and Faith had recently presented as a beta. According to Jackie, Dana and Penny are likely alpha and beta twins while the youngest are still too young to tell. Louis was always special to her seeing as she’s an omega herself. So admitting he has not only one but three alphas is mildly terrifying.

“Uh, so.. about that,” Louis chuckles nervously. She raises her eyebrow at him. He’ll just rip the bandaid off then. “I met my soulmates.” He says, steady and sure even if he’s trembling.

“Soulmates?” His mum questions, “As in more than one?” Her eyes are saucers, looking through him rather than at him.

“At the Billboard’s in Vegas a few days ago. There’s three. Triplets.”

“Triplets?” Her voice is nearly shrieking.

“Edward, Marcel and Harry. Alpha triplets. Very wealthy and successful alpha triplets.” He throws in, desperate for her approval.

“So they know about everything?” She asks, mum voice in full effect now that the initial shock as worn off.

“Yes. Edward is the one who broke the commands Cowell and Amanda had given me.” Jackie’s eyes soften at that, lopsided smile making it way onto her face. “They presented me with this ring and asked to court me. They also had a doctor check me out yesterday. So far, i’m totally healthy.”

“And what did the doctor say?” She asks.

“It’ll be a month or two before my hormones balance enough for my scent or heat to return. I’m malnourished from Amanda controlling my eating habits, but Harry is an amazing cook. He’s been making sure I eat enough. We did an ultrasound of my organs and everything looked perfectly fine, but he’ll call me in a few days to let me know the results of my blood test. The only thing was, uhm, well i guess the suppressants they had me on tend to cause anyone who takes it to only give birth to omegas? It’s a weird side effect, I know, but it is what it is.”

“Oh gods, I’m so happy you’re okay. And how did these alphas of yours react to that last bit? Most alphas want at least one alpha heir. I can’t imagine that was an easy pill to swallow.” Her pinched face almost makes Louis laugh. The reality is so much better than any scenario she’s cooking up.

Louis chuckles before responding. “Edward, the oldest, literally squealed like a pig and danced around the room while lifting one of the nurses in the air. Harry joined him. It was quite the show actually. They were just happy I could even have kids to begin with because I had told them how important starting a family was to me.”

Jackie chuckles to herself, squeezing Louis’ hand. “Well, I would like to meet these alphas. I would like to approve of any alphas courting my darling omega.” She says, cupping one side of Louis’ face in her palm.

He nuzzles his face into the touch. Meeting his mates and seeing his mum has seriously chased away the depri that usually ravaged his body. So much weight has dropped off his shoulders. All he’s wanted for so long, is to tell his mum. She knows the whole truth now and didn’t abandon him. With her support and that of his alphas, he can take on Simon Cowell, head first, without breaking a sweat.

Chapter Text

Zayn takes another puff of his cigarette as he stares down at his phone. The screen displays Louis’ contact. His thumb shakes as it hovers over the call button. Another puff and he pulls his gaze away from the bright screen.

The sun set a while ago, but the moon is still nearly full. The light it casts is enough to look out across the property he owns with his mates. The house itself is a white stone townhouse in the middle of Kensington. They were lucky enough to grab the biggest at the end of the street. It’s unattached with a brick wall around the backyard, but the one neighbor to their right is still just a stone’s throw away. From where he sits on the back patio, he can make out the glimmering pool, still lit even if he asked Niall to turn the lights off an hour ago, and the sweet briar bushes Liam had planted along the brick wall last summer. The property itself isn’t huge, but compared to his home back in Bradford, it’s the pinnacle of luxury.

He and his mates had landed in London just yesterday and already he can feel the stress of constant travel easing off his shoulders. The simplicity of lounging on his own patio to smoke a cig at his own leisure, without cameras or fans awaiting him, is one thing he’ll never take for granted. The one weight he can’t seem to shake, is Louis.

To be honest, Zayn had stopped thinking about Louis a while ago. Finding his mates and falling in love had taken precedence over their friendship. The disappearing acts and endless stream of women in his bed only pushed him to the back of Zayn’s mind. Besides, Louis is a beta which means he can handle himself. Sure, he’d step in if an alpha was giving Lou a hard time, but he can’t remember the last time he’d seen his band mate around an alpha. Louis has been too caught up in whatever beta or omega girls he can sweet talk to bat an eye at any alpha in his vicinity. That and whatever substances he has swimming through his system at any given time make it hard to hold a conversation (not that he’s tried). Honestly, the biggest thing that made him pull away from Louis was how many times he’d turned Niall down or just straight up ignored his offering of plans. Watching his omega get excited about a ‘band night’ just to miss Louis until he stumbled in from whatever bar he had holed up im for the night was excruciating. They’d tried three times and were disappointed three times. They gave up on him after that.

He knows all of this. He doesn’t even blink in the face of it, no matter how close he and Louis had been once upon a time (see: extremely close). He had been positive his mates were on the same page. That’s what makes Liam’s speech about their mistreatment of the beta the other night that much harder to wrap his head around.

There was a time, before either of them courted Niall and Louis went off the rails, that Zayn was sure Liam was going to ask Louis out. Before the drugs and parties and string of women, that Louis understood Liam like no one else could. His alpha used to be so uptight, so rigid in the rules. At the start of the band, Niall and Zayn had avoided getting close to Liam in fear of being looked down on for having a bit of fun. Louis didn’t have that fear. He would do the dumbest thing anyone could think of and immediately turn to Liam to see if he’d laughed. He’s throw out completely nonsensical answers in interviews and immediately pass the mic to Liam for a response. By the end of the X-Factor, they were two peas in a pod. Zayn knows he was Louis’ best friend and Niall was is little mini-me, but Liam was more than that. The way the two had looked at each other was like watching Jack and Rose in the Titanic, an utterly unlikely pair that just fit.

As sure as he’d been, it had turned out that Louis was working Liam out of his shell for Niall’s sake. It was during the time Liam was getting to know Niall that he’d realized that Louis wasn’t really an option at all. Liam was alpha through and through and he needed an omega. A beta just wouldn’t cut it. Zayn had felt kinda stupid for thinking Liam would steal his best friend after that. Once Liam dropped Louis and got closer to Niall, the alpha inside Zayn couldn’t deny his feelings any longer. He’s longed to be a part of it for so long. No one else caught his eye like the two of them had. It was an adjustment, being attracted to another alpha. He gave himself time to process and accept it before trying to figure out how to deal with it.

Turns out, all he had to do was latch onto Louis like a barnacle for a day. The beta had held him close and explained that all the looks Zayn had seen Liam and Niall giving each other, they were giving him the second he’d looked away. That they were pining for him as much as he was them. Within weeks, they were courting.

Looking back on all of it now, he can see how fucked up they were in their treatment of Louis. Zayn has truly never felt closer to anyone than he did the beta. They had connected the moment they met, latching at the hip and not letting go. They didn’t even need to speak out loud to know what the other was thinking. For the longest time, whoever you found Zayn, Louis wasn’t far behind. It was more than brotherhood. It was more than friendship. Louis was his twin flame in every sense of the word. Even bonded and happy with his mates now, there’s a Louis sized hole in his chest. It’s unbelievable how long he was able to ignore it until now.

Thinking back, the distance started at the end of the TMH tour, but was really obvious during WWA. When he thinks of the WWA tour, he can’t remember anything but Niall’s soft blue eyes and Liam’s strong hand in his. Was Louis even there?

That thought punches him straight in the chest. He genuinely has no recollection of Louis for a solid year, even if there’s millions of pictures both on and off stage to prove he was right alongside them all along. The even more debilitating punch, however, was learning Liam had never actually lost his connection to Louis like he’d thought. The connection they’d shared all those years ago is still burning like a quiet ember beneath the brush, waiting for it’s chance to ignite.

Zayn and Niall are Liam’s soulmates, that much is sure. But there’s something about Louis. Something Liam can’t let go of. The scariest part, there’s something inside of Zayn that says the same thing. He hasn’t voiced it out loud and probably never will, but there’s feelings he’s harbored for the beta that he never allowed himself to explore. Attraction to an alpha he was forming a pack with was one thing. Attraction to a beta he had no romantic relationship with has always been too much to handle. Add to that, Liam’s ravings about their mistreatment of their bandmate and Zayn is feeling awfully conflicted.

Maybe it was easier to write Louis off because of the headlines and bad press. Maybe it was easier to write Louis off because he didn’t want to deal with his unresolved feelings.

Gods, he hopes Niall and Liam made their way up to bed and away from the tall windows overlooking his smoke spot. The constant hum of calm through their bond tells him they are, at the very least, dozing off somewhere. He just hopes they aren’t watching him battle himself internally at the moment.

His eyes flick away from the sweet briar and back down to his phone, Louis’ contact still splashed across the screen. The contact photo is is of Zayn and Louis during the ‘One Thing’ music video. Zayn behind Louis while the beta belts out his line. Just seeing the picture, Louis’ voice sings in his head. It was always so beautiful. Always so unique and special. That voice alone deserves better than what it is was dealt.

In the picture, Louis is wearing a white button down with black suspenders. Even a year and a half older, he’s always been small. It’s obvious in the photo that Zayn would be towering over him if he was standing up right. But he’s not. He’s bent to the side, chin nearly resting on the beta’s shoulder, making a funny face.

He had originally come out here to try and make sense of what he’s been thinking. Nothing but guilt has flowed through him since Liam’s lecture in Vegas. How could he do this to his best friend? How could he let him take on so much on his own? That was the one thing the pair had clicked on right away. Insecurity. The need to belong. Zayn went and found himself a place and left Louis to the dogs. And boy did they bite. All the club nights? All those drug rumors? All those women? None of it was real. And that’s not even where it ends. Because while Zayn was off courting and bonding, Louis was doing all the work for him. Writing their songs. Picking their security. Taking their meetings. Even a call to Paul, their tour manager, had confirmed Louis had helped design their stage. Louis had written their rider’s to make sure Zayn and his mates had all their favorite things on their bus. All Louis asked in return, was a bed to come home to. And what did he get? His best friends kicking him out nearly daily.

Zayn had even found out on a call with Alberto, Louis’ personal security guard, that the beta had sprained an ankle in the middle of their last tour and got on stage every night without a wince of pain or a grimace of discomfort. Al had said Louis wouldn’t let his bandmates miss out just because he was hurt. The guard had spoken in a steely tone, contempt for Zayn showing through his word. Zayn couldn’t even blame him. He hated himself too.

So, he’s staring at Louis’ contact trying to summon the courage to call him. Nothing can be fixed in a phone call, but he’s desperate to hear his voice. Desperate for a semblance of the friendship they used to have, no matter how brief. His cigarette is gone and his whole body is shaking, but he can’t find it in him to care.

He’s an alpha. His role in society is to protect first and foremost. He’s done his best to protect his omega and his alpha. He protects his sisters. His mum. He has not protected his best friend (or whatever Louis is to him. Best friend is too small for the multitudes the petite beta makes him feel).

He presses his shaking thumb to the call button before he can second guess it, bringing the phone to his ear.

It rings

and rings

and rings.

Louis doesn’t answer.

The second the last rings fades out, his chest cracks, tears pouring down his face. He doesn’t take the phone away from his ear, though. He just needs to hear Louis’ voice. Just once.

‘The number you are trying to reach’

The automated voice starts playing and he loses it. Before he can fully rampage, his alpha forces him to place the phone back in his pocket, hopeful they’ll get a call back. After that, he takes it out on the yard.

The patio furniture Niall spent weeks picking out goes flying into the pool. The potted plant he’s picked out at the Camden Garden Center is smashed to smithereens. Even the sweet briar shrubs Liam so painstakingly planted are uprooted.

So many emotions rage through his chest at once. Guilt, nostalgia, anger, pain, sadness. They move too quickly to grab on to one, but they swim through his veins like lighter fluid to a bonfire.

When everything he can reach is destroyed, he collapses back on the patio, right where he started, and sobs. Memory after memory of LouisandZayn and ZaynandLouis devastate his mind. He’s always wondered why ‘Zouis’ was a fan favorite, even after their falling out. Watching it all play out now, he finally sees it. Louis really was his twin flame. As the dial tone from his unanswered phone call sets itself as background music to his and Louis greatest hits inside his head, he wonders if he can ever have that again. More than that, he prays to the gods to turn back time. To never leave his little Louis behind.

______

Zayn wakes abruptly the next morning, or maybe afternoon? The sun is already illumanting the entire room. Speaking of which, he’s in his bed. He wasn’t sure if he’d dreamed it or not, but Liam had found him, sobbing and snotty, and gotten him to bed. He barely remembers any of it. Just Niall’s soft hands gripping his waist and Liam’s hard body against his back.

His mates are the best. The very fucking best.

Even calmed down from last night, he still feels empty somehow. Like finally addressing the ache of missing Louis has turned the ache into marrow deep pain. He searches the bond for any contempt of his display the previous night, but finds none.

On a normal day, love, lust and peace flow through each of them. They bonded a months ago, but the hunger for each other hasn’t ebbed at all. It keeps the lust alive near constant. With bonding comes love and with the luxury of their lifestyle comes peace.

Today, all he can feel is love. His outburst hadn’t changed much apparently, but no one his at peace and no one wants sex. As insignificant as it may seem, it’s a sharp turn from their normal.

On the bright side, he’s managed to keep all of his melancholy feelings to himself. Nothing but devotion for his mates flowing through their bond.

He desperately wants Niall’s arms around him, but something inside him is screaming to check his phone. He turns it on and sees it’s already after noon. He has a burning need to check his texts.

He does. And his jaw drops.

Louis had texted him back. Nothing major or life changing. But even a simple acknowledgment that he’s still there, he’s still within reach, is enough to have his alpha pacing in his chest. He doesn’t bother texting back. Just calls. Desperate for a hint of that voice. The voice that understood him before he found the courage to let anyone in. The voice that harmonizes with his so ethereally. The voice. The voice. The voice.

He curls the quilt in his hands, burying himself under the thick white fabric as his phone dials. He’s an alpha. Dominant and powerful. But right now he feels like a nervous boy, too shy to make friends.

“Hey. Z?” That voice. that voice. that voice. He nearly chokes on it.

“Lou” He breathes out. He needs to get a grip.

All he wants is to know if there’s even a sliver of a chnace of having his friend back. Not in a million years did he imagine it would turn him into this ball of nerves. Maybe he should’ve had Niall supervise him, he’s never failed to calm him down.

“Yeah, Zayn,” Louis chuckles through the phone, light and airy in a way Zayn hasn’t heard in years. “Sorry I missed your call mate. Did Amanda need me somewhere? I’ve been trying to stay off my phone while i’m in Donny.”

Guilt consumes him. Not only because he’s interrupting the beta during his (apparently limited) family time, but also because Louis’ first thought was that Zayn called him to push Amanda’s agenda.

The emotions must’ve found their way into the bond because Niall is appearing in the doorway in seconds. Zayn reaches an arm out, begging for comfort. He can see Niall’s confusion. Zayn does not show his emotions like this. He does not beg for attention. This desperation is new to both of them. Nonetheless, his omega flips onto the bed next him. He puts the phone on speaker as he continues.

“No, Lou. I mean we haven’t heard from Amanda since Vegas, so I don’t know what she needs from you. Just ignore her, though. Your siblings are what? Two now? Enjoy your time with them. Fuck whatever she wants.” His voice is softer than he’s intending. Looking down, Niall seems to get it. A sad smile on his face.

“Dilly can you tell uncle Zaynie how old you are?” Louis can be heard, obviously talking to baby Delilah. ‘Uncle’. Another stab of guilt hits his rib cage.

“Zay!” Is all that follows. Zayn was with Louis when he found out his mum was pregnant again. And here one of those babies are, speaking.

“Clearly we need to work on our numbers, but he’s Delilah and Ezra are two now. You should see them. Z. They’re waking already! Last time I saw them they could barely hold their heads up.” Louis says excitedly. For once, Zayn isn’t questioning if he’s on drugs. He’s always known how much family has meant to Louis. It hurts him physically to know how long he had to go without them.

Niall glances up to lock eyes with Zayn. Silent understanding passing between them. All three of them had neglected the beta, but Niall and Zayn had taken it further. Regret and longing reflects from Niall’s baby blues to Zayn’s wolfish hazel.

“Hey babes, Niall is here too.” Zayn throws out. Niall didn’t have quite as close a connection with Louis as Zayn had and neither of them were even close to Liam’s level. But Louis had brought Niall under his wing early on. Extending his role as a big brother from his sisters to Niall as well. He knows losing that was emotionally rough on the omega.

“NI!” Louis shouts into the phone, surprising Zayn and Niall.

“Uhm..Hey Louis.” Niall squeaks back, more caught off guard than shy.

It’s been an understanding between the mates for a while now that Louis had simply outgrown them. Had moved on. Niall was the first to feel it, seeing as he wasn’t quite as attached. Even so, as an omega, he felt it even more so than either of the alphas.

Louis’ elation towards Niall in that aiport before Vegas had caught them all off guard. After hearing what Liam has found out, it became crystal clear that Niall was the only one who didn’t feel as close. Louis had held the blonde omega just as previously as he’d held Zayn and Liam. Whatever had held Niall back is unclear, but Zayn knows guilt has been wasting away at his mate since the airport leaving Vegas. To hear how happy Louis is to hear from him now, it must be a blow to the gut. He pulls Niall closer, scenting the air.

“Oh gods. Ni. Dana has been going on and on about bad she wants to see you embrace the brunette you were meant to be. She hasn’t let up, but I told her I’d still love you bald, so I win.” That voice. that voice. that voice.

Zayn nearly shivers hearing Louis speak of his omega so highly. If it were any other beta, he’d be insanely jealous. But he just can’t when it’s Louis. Instead, his alphas purrs, vibrating his whole chest. Niall’s whole face is red, he likes the compliments from the beta. Interesting.

“You definitely win, Lou. You’ll always win.” Niall chokes out. He’s not crying, but it’s a near thing. Zayn brings him closer anyway.

Liam struts into the room sweaty and shirtless from working out. Zayn has no time to question why he’s working out so late when he usually works out in the early morning before he’s speaking.

“Should we just order in lunch?”

“Li!” Louis shouts in the phone.

All of Zayn’s suspicious are confirmed in the following moments. Liam’s whole body goes lax, arms dropping to sides as he chokes out a watery “Lou, that you?” and jumps on the bed, scooping the phone straight out of Zayn’s hands.

So, he was right. Liam and Louis had never actually lost whatever connection they had. They just weren’t the soulmates Zayn had believed them to be. Funnily, he had turned out to be the soulmate he thought Louis was. It makes a lot of sense. He and Louis has been two halves of one whole. Basically the same person. Maybe Liam needs both halves of the whole? He doesn’t question it further, just basks in hearing his alpha talk to someone he cares about. Surprisingly, both he and Niall show no traces of jealousy whatsoever. It’s been unspoken and unacknowledged for years, but Louis and Liam share and undefined yet undeniable connection.

“Yeah it’s me.” A few noises muffle any sound coming from Louis’ side. And then, “Achoo!”

“Achoo?” Niall asks

“Hey Ezzie Baby.” Louis says distantly before speaking into the phone again. “Yeah, Achoo. Sneeze once in front of some babies and they’ll never let you forget it. Can you say Hi to your uncles, Ezzie?”

“Hi uncies” the boys hear. All three are close to tears at this point.

“Hi baby Ezra! Uncles Liam Zayn and Niall love you so much!” Liam shouts into the phone. He sounds so happy but his eyes glisten with unshed tears.

“Lime” says a small voice. Louis laugh can be heard bright and beaming.

Niall goes to respond, but Louis beats him to it, “Hey guys, it’s been greet to hear from you. I really need to go though. Mum took the girls out and I promised I’d make dinner.”

“You? Make dinner? Are we sure that’s safe?” Niall asks sarcastically, large grin on his face.

Louis cackles before speaking, “No, we aren’t sure. Might need 999 at some point, but i’ll do my best. I’ll be in Donny until Cardiff if you guys want to call again. Otherwise, see you on stage. Say Love you Ezzie!”

“Luv oooo” Ezzie babbles.

“Love you Lou!” The boys chorus before the line cuts out.

“I miss him. A lot.” Zayn whispers into the quiet of their bedroom, still clutching Niall right to his side. He’s not one for emotional displays, but he chooses to drop his armour and let it out for once.

“Me too.” Niall whispers.

“I’ll be the only honest one here, I guess” Liam starts as he stands from the bed. “We, all three of us, have treated Louis horribly. Wether he wants to be in our lives or not is his choice. We can’t push him. He seemed happy on that phone call, but when has Louis not been happy when he’s with his family? Don’t push him.” With that, Liam saunters towards the bathroom to shower.

Zayn hears his words and he’s sure he’ll process later. But all he can think about is that fuckimg voice. something about the natural rasp in Louis’ voice is so addictive. How did he forget about that?

“Nap with me?” Niall whispers from where his head is laying on top of Zayn’s chest.

“Course, babes.” He responds because if there’s one thing Zayn can do, it’s sleep. Anytime, anyplace. He’s been awake for thirty minutes but a nap sounds nice.

He cuddles closer to Niall, picturing small, tan hands holding him as he spills his feelings. Small hands that held his entire world in their palms. He pictures blue eyes soaking in his every word. He pictures pink lips sucking on a cigarette beside him.

He drifts off to fire engulfing his mirage. Encompassing, hungry flames eating away at every memory of a too-small brunette beta he can recall. Every memory of his teenage self finding an ally.

Twin flames indeed.

Chapter Text

Louis sits on the edge of his childhood bed as Lizzie and Faith scurry around him. His sisters had arrived home along with their stepfather, Dave, earlier in the afternoon. His mum helped him deliver a watered down version of the same story he’d told her that morning. The youngest two, Dana and Penny, had accepted that their older brother was actually an omega easily. Lizzie and Faith hadn’t been as quick to let him off without question.

Lizzie was now sixteen and an alpha while Faith was fourteen and a beta. Each had presented around the times of their fourteenth birthdays without much fanfare. It was pretty obvious how they’d present by the time they’d left primary school so no one batted an eye when it actually happened.

Having already presented and being a bit older now, they whisked Louis away to get the full truth. Lizzie had not taken it well, growling lowly and clutching her brother as tight as she could. Faith sat in stunned silence for a while before joining their hug as well.

It felt so good to be that close to his sisters again. To feel like a part of the family again rather than an outsider that drops in every once in a while but never truly belongs. A little more of the weight he’s been carrying for years slid off his bony shoulders.

Even better, he had two people who knew his secret and also loved gossip. They grilled him for over an hour about the triplets, squealing in delight when Louis dropped that they’d be meeting them that night. Edward was taking him on their first date tonight, but because his mum asked to meet them, all three would be stopping over beforehand.

After the initial glee wore off, his sisters appointed themselves his personal stylists for the night. He was pushed into the shower in seconds and told to ‘be thorough’, whatever that means. It’s not like he’ll be dropping his panties on the first date.

He stood in the shower for a long while, turning the spray as hot as possible and letting it wash his nerves down the drain. Not only was he nervous for the date, but Zayn’s random phone call had thrown him off. Zayn hadn’t called him in years, nor did he provide an explanation. Louis had done his best to keep his voice as chipper as possible, lest he piss the alpha off and dig the divide between them even deeper. Once his fingers were pruny and his body was sufficiently scrubbed, he let the lingering confusion of that impromptu phone call slip down then drain as well.

He exited the bathroom after slathering cocoa butter body cream on every inch of skin he could find and brushing his teeth. Faith intercepted him immediately and forced him down onto the bed to ‘ let us do our job, Boo ’.

“I think your hair should be out of your face for the night. I found this jumper that will really show off your eyes. It would be best if your alpha could actually see them.” Faith decides, holding up a dark navy sweater Louis hadn’t seen since sixth form. “Where’s he taking you again?”

“No clue, honestly. He wouldn’t tell me anything other than not to worry about paps or fans spotting us.”

“Hmm, hair up is a good option no matter where you’re going. A little eyeliner and Edward won’t be able to keep his hands off of you.” Lizzie yells back excitedly.

“You’re putting makeup on me?” Louis croaks.

Louis doesn’t receive a response to that before the girls are rushing around again. It’s not that he’s against the idea of putting make up on. He really, really does. It just takes a moment to remember that a little eyeliner or a touch of lipgloss is something he can do now. Louis was always interested in things that were typically considered feminine, even more so after he presented. It was just never allowed. Not outside the privacy of a hotel room in the late hours of the night and definitely not where anyone else could see. The one small rebellion he allowed himself was a secret stash of lacy underwear that could be concealed beneath his clothes. The prospect of wearing makeup tonight fills him with an emotion he can’t quite name. Definitely positive, though.

He’s broken out of his reverie when the girls descend on him once again. Armed with hairbrushes, gel and an assortment of beauty products, he allows them to get to work. A speaker sits on the small desk beside his bed, Oasis playing softly in the background.

When they’re finally done, they hand him the stack of clothes they’d picked out for him and step out to allow him to change. The jumper still fits the same as it did when he was a teenager. It’s big enough that he can tuck his hands into the sleeves but not so big he swims in it. His sisters chose the tightest pair of black skinny jeans he owns. Before putting them on, he notices something else. The girls must’ve dug through the bag he’d brought with him. A small pair of black lace panties are folded neatly beneath the jeans. His cheeks burn as he steps into them.

Once dressed, Louis turns to the mirror to see the final product. He has to admit, the girls did an amazing job. His hair is styled in a quiff with a small twist at the front (it reminds him of a cinnamon roll) and light concealer hides the eternal circles under his eyes. Speaking of which, Faith was right about the navy. Paired with the short wings she’s given him with the eyeliner, even he can admit his eyes look stunning. His favorite part though, is the dusting of highlighter above his cheekbones. For once, he doesn’t look like an underfed Victorian child suffering from tuberculosis. He looks regal, almost like royalty.

It takes him a moment to catch his breath. Not even One Direction’s army of stylists have ever managed to make him feel like he does now. There’s a sense of comfort being in his own skin where insecurity and self-hatred used to live. Radiant is not a word he’s ever thought he’s use to describe himself, but if there was ever a time for it, it’s now.

He steps out of his bathroom to Lizzie, Faith, Dana and Penny waiting for him. All four of their jaws drop upon seeing him. His fingers fidget where they’re clasped together in front of him, feeling shy now that he has all their focus on him. He knows his face must be beat red.

“Well?” Louis gives them a slow twirl.

“Damn. We did good.” Lizzie comments, eyes still wide.

The twins give a shout of “So pretty, Boo!” before sprinting over to throw their arms around him. He hugs them to himself as close as he can, soaking in the familiarity of it to stave off the encroaching need to flee. You’d think he’d be more comfortable being the center of attention by now. Seeing as he’s a world famous pop star in one of the biggest boy bands to exist. As it stands, he can’t help but feel a bit bashful.

“Here,” Faith hands him a pair of high top white converse, “Wear these. You really do look so good, Lou.” She whispers. It almost sounds like she might cry.

His sister’s leave him to put the shoes on just as the doorbell rings. His omega perks up at the sound, sensing its alphas are close.

“So you’re the knotheads that are trying to steal my brother.” Louis can hear Lizzie’s voice say as she answers the door. He snorts to himself.

“Oh, be nice. Let them in.” Jackie scolds. Light chuckles float to where Louis stands in his bedroom upstairs. “Louis will be down in a moment, come on in.”

“It’s lovely to meet you Mrs.Deakin. Louis has told us so much about you, all of you.” That’s Edward, ever the gentleman.

“Please, call me Jackie.”

Louis decides it’s time to stop hiding before his siblings can start their line of question. Lizzie had warned him earlier that it’s my job to question them, Louis. Someone has to make sure they deserve you . He makes his way down the stairs to the sound of his sisters and stepfather introducing themselves and the babbles of the youngest twins.

Harry notices him first. The alpha does a double take from where he’s squatted down playing with Delilah, freezing the moment his eyes land on the omega. Edward and Marcel don’t take too long to notice their brother’s shocked look, flicking their eyes to the stairs. There’s a collective hitch of breath from all three as Louis reaches the bottom and stands before them.

“Wow.” is the only thing any of them can manage to get out as their eyes trace over every inch of his body. Louis ducks his head down and clasps his hands behind his back, a shy smile playing on his face.

“Aren’t you gonna tell him how good he looks?” Lizzie asks, hinting to the alphas that she hasn’t decided if she likes them or not yet.

“He does. You do. You’re stunning, Louis.” Harry is the first to react, now standing straight with a ginger toddler on his hip.

“The most gorgeous omega I’ve ever seen.” Marcel whispers reverently.

Edward steps forward and reaches a hand out for Louis to take. As soon as he does, the alpha places a soft kiss just above his knuckles, lingering just a moment longer than necessary.

“You look beautiful tonight, Princess. The prettiest date a man could ask for.” He whispers, looking straight into Louis’ eyes. Green meeting blue like a promise.

Jackie takes it upon herself to usher Louis and the triplets into the kitchen for a cuppa before they head out again. The brothers whisper more compliments in his ear while she gets the kettle on. The omega can do nothing but sit back and bask in their praise.

Once Jackie is seated alongside them, the triplets take turn introducing themselves. Lizzie and Faith peek into the kitchen, no doubt waiting for their turn to grill them. He ignores them. Instead choosing to focus on the soft smile his mum wears while Edward explains what they do for work.

“I’m quite impressed. Owning such a successful company even as young as you are is no easy task. I’m happy to know my Lou has such capable alphas.” Jackie tells them. The triplets puff out their chests, proud to have her approval.

She continues in a lower tone, “I do worry, though, how will this work when Louis leaves again to finish his tour. There’s still the Europe and South America leg to go. It’s not good for an omega to be away from their alpha that long, especially if the courting process has begun.”

“We’ve been working that out, actually.” Marcel jumps in. “We’ll be taking as much leave as we can while Louis finishes the tour. No matter what, at least one of us will be with him at all times.”

Louis’ head shoots up, wide eyes swinging between his alphas. They hadn’t discussed any of that. He had been readying himself to be without them while he’s traveling. Edward’s hand sneaks onto his thigh beneath the table. The alpha gives him a quick nod and a light grin. Louis nearly melts.

“Will your company be okay without you for so long?” Jackie asks. Louis hadn’t even thought of that. Edward speaks before he can deflate entirely.

“Our VP and board members are quite capable. They are prepared to step up in our absence and we can do a lot of our work on the road as well. At least while we’re still in Europe, we can make it back quickly in case of emergency. South America will be harder, but we’ll make it work. Louis is our priority.”

Jackie’s smile grows. Even Lizzie looks impressed from her spot in the doorway. She catches Louis eye, winking. He’ll take that as approval.

“I’m sorry to cut this short, but we need to leave now to drop these two off if we want to make our reservation on time.” Edward says apologetically.

Lizzie steps into the room and clears her throat. “Why don’t you two stay for dinner?” She directs the question to Marcel and Harry. “If you’re just going to sit in a hotel anyways, might as well spend some time with your in-laws.”

Louis giggles, she definitely approves. His mum ignores their protests of ‘we don’t want to intrude’ and finally gets them to agree. Louis steps forward to give each of them a kiss on the cheek before Edward is leading him out with a hand on the small of his back.

______

The restaraunt Edward chose for them is stunning. A high end steakhouse just on the edge of town. The alpha not only managed to get them a private table out of view of other patrons, but he got the staff to allow them entry through the back door as well. He wasn’t kidding when he said not to worry about being spotted.

Their waiter, a young beta man, didn’t seem to recognize either of them. He did well hiding it if he did. Being able to enjoy a meal in public as his true self is a luxury Louis never thought he’d experience. It feels surreal and exciting all at once. He’s almost happy to relive the trauma of the past five years all over again if he gets to have this moment now.

His company makes it even more worth it. Edward is dazzling in a crisp white button down tucked into dark maroon slacks. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbow, showing off the veins in his forearms. The fabric fits in such a way that the definition of his biceps are visible. His curls are loose, falling just over his forehead and coiling around his ears. The dim lighting only serves to highlight the flecks of gold around the alphas irises. He truly is a work of art. Louis has to stop himself from drooling every time he glances over.

“Do you know what you want?” Edward leans closer to ask. One of his giant hands has been resting on Louis’ thigh since they sat down.

Between admiring the atmosphere and admiring his alpha, Louis hasn’t had time to even open the menu. “Order for me?” He says instead.

“Course, Little One.” Edward chuckles. The hand resting on his high inches just a little bit higher.

The waiter appears to ask what they’d like to drink. Edward orders them a bottle of red wine to share and rattles off their food options before he disappears again.

“So, this is a date.” Louis rest an elbow on the table and props his chin on his hand. “You have have to tell me everything there is to know about you.”

“I’ll tell you whatever you want, omega.” A smirk takes over the man’s face. He knows what that title does to him.

Louis squirms in his seat. Slick threatens to escape but he holds it off. “Tell me about your childhood. What was my Eddie like as a baby?”

He rolls his eyes at the nickname but doesn’t protest this time. “I was a quiet kid, mostly. I think I knew I’d be an alpha from a young age, so I spent most of my time making sure Harry and Marcel stayed out of trouble.”

“What about your parents? I don’t think i’ve heard any of you mention them.”

“Our mum lives in Cheshire, where we grew up. She and my father split up when were still in primary, haven’t seen him since. We have a sister, Grace. She’s two years older than us. Lives in London with her alpha.”

The conversation pauses when the waiter returns with their wine. Edward waves off the beta’s offer to pour it for them, taking to bottle and filling their glasses himself.

“I’m sorry,” Louis says “About your dad, I mean. My biological father left just about the second I was born and my adoptive father, my sister’s dad, left after the divorce. So I know a thing or two about that.” He lifts his wine glass to his lips and takes a big gulp.

It’s taken a while, but the sting of rejection from the man who fathered him barely exists anymore. It had hurt growing up. Seeing his sister’s get to have their dad around all the time when he didn’t even know what his looked like was a hard pill to swallow. Mike was great, though. He adopted Louis shortly after Lizzie was born and gave him just as much love as his daughters.

So it was a shock when he hadn’t asked for custody of him in the divorce. His sister’s still see the man regularly, but Louis only sees him on holidays. It’s like Louis stopped being his son when his mum stopped being his wife. It hurt immensely, but at some point he accepted that he wasn’t meant to have a father. Thankfully, his mum showed him more than enough love to dwell on it too long.

“I can’t imagine how anyone could ever give up the chance to know you. I took one look at you and knew I needed more.” Edwards hand comes up to cradle Louis’ jaw, rubbing his cheek softly with his thumb.

Louis blushes, looking down to hid the color blooming on his face. Mercifully, the waiter chooses that moment to return with their meals. Edward had ordered a lemon roasted chicken with a side of greens and mash for Louis and a ribeye for himself. The omega nearly moans the second the food is in front of him. His alpha chose well.

They tuck into their meals, conversation flowing as they eat. Louis learned the alpha had been captain of his footie team in school, a fact that excited him greatly. He’s always loved footie. He also learned that the triplets went to different universities. Marcel studied at Oxford, Edward at Cambridge and Harry at Manchester. He can’t imagine how hard it must’ve been for them to be apart that long.

“I have to ask,” Louis starts towards the end of their meal. Their bottle of wine is nearly empty by now. The omega is feeling light and fuzzy. “What kind of relationship do you three have with each other exactly?”

The alpha laughs heartily. Throwing his head back with one arm clutching his stomach while the other is draped on the back of Louis’ chair.

“I’ve been wondering when you’d ask, Princess. I can tell by that twinkle in your eye that your mind is in the gutter. It’s not as nefarious as I’m sure you’re picturing.”

Louis giggles, the back of his hand covering his mouth. “Well, I’ve seen you kiss and you share a bed. Certain conclusions can be drawn.” He twirls the wine around in his glass as he waits for an answer.

“We do kiss and we do sleep in the same bed. We’ve shared omega’s during a rut before. We help each other get off although we’ve never had sex” He pauses and in a hushed murmur says, “No matter how much Harry has begged.”

Louis loses it. The combination of wine and freedom and Edward has him cackling far too loud for the setting they’re in. It’s a good thing they got a table away from anyone else.

Edward decides it’s time to go once Louis nearly falls off his chair. He pays the bill and leads the omega out through the back door they’d used earlier. Louis really doesn’t want this night to end. It can’t be later than 8 p.m. Too early to let such a handsome alpha go yet.

“Let’s go for a walk.” Louis suggests once they make it to the car. When Edward agrees, Louis directs him to a small park not too far from his mother’s home.

The moon is the only light they have as they stroll down the small trail that loops around a pond at the center of the park. The darkness provides them with enough privacy not to worry about any stray cameras that might find them.

They fall into step together. Edward’s hands are tucked into the pockets of his trousers and Louis is wrapped around his arm. Pressing his nose into the alphas bicep to breath in the soothing storm in Edward’s scent. He’s not even looking where they’re going, just blindly trusting his alpha to guide him. It’s calm and peaceful and everything Louis’ been missing for years.

“How did you guys know you wanted to be more than just brothers?” Louis turns his head out of the alphas arm to ask.

“Marcel, actually.”

“Really? I would’ve guessed Harry.”

The alpha snorts. “Maybe a little of both. There wasn’t a chance of us bonding without each other even if we weren’t all alphas. If Harry would’ve been an omega and Marcel a beta like we thought, Marcel and I would’ve just bonded Harry. It was pack or nothing. I’m not sure how much you know about alpha presentations, but the flood of hormones make us either horny or angry constantly for the first few months.”

“So Marcel got horny?” Louis asks, eyes locked intently on the alphas jaw as he speaks.

“Not exactly. Marcel and I were mostly okay. I had footie to take it out on and Marce internalized it. Harry just started picking fights with us over nothing. Like explosive screaming matches. We kinda let it go on for a week or two until this one day. I have no idea what started it, but Harry was on a rampage, cursing me and Marcel out for nearly an hour straight. At some point, Marce stood up, grabbed his face and kissed him. Even let him get off on him right there. Calmed him right down. I guess it just became a thing after that.” Edward finishes with a shrug.

“Wait,” Louis stops suddenly, moving to stand in front of the alpha. “How were you going to bond if Marcel was a beta?”

As far as Louis’ been told, betas aren’t able to form a bond with an alpha or omega. They can’t be a part of a pack. How would it have worked if two of them were bonded and the other was just there?

“What do you mean? He might not have been able to bite Harry, but I’d bond us all as the alpha.” Edward is looking down at Louis with his brow furrowed in confusion. Like Louis is stupid for not getting this.

“But betas can’t form bonds.” His voice sounds weaker than he’d intended.

Edward’s eyes soften as he brings his hands to grip Louis’ waist. “Who told you that, Little One? Was it Cowell? I’ll rip his throat out I swear.” His words cut off with a growl.

“No, Niall and Zayn have always said betas aren’t able to form bonds or packs with alphas and omegas. Right?”

He’s not sure why, but tears are threatening to spill in the corners of his eyes. Like he knows whatever Edward says next with fundamentally change the foundation he’s built on.

“No Lou, whatever they told you is wrong.” The very core of Louis’ world quakes. Edward grabs his wrist and brings it between them. “See this?” He asks, pointing to the scent gland in his wrist.

Louis nods shakily. The heat of Edward’s skin on his is the only thing tethering him to reality right now. So many times his bandmates would tell him he’d never be able to share that sacred connection with them, with anyone. Usually right before they’d kick him off the bus for ‘pack time’. Judging by the way Niall was always drenched in their scents later, ‘pack time’ was code for sex.

Even though Louis always knew it wasn’t true because he wasn’t actually a beta, he’d used that fact to rationalize why they’d never even attempted to include him. He’d thought they were showing him mercy somehow. It would’ve been worse to be a part of them watching them share the bond a bond he couldn’t have than to never be a part of them at all. It kept his anger and contempt directed at the heads of their label and management rather than his friends. It kept a small spark of hope alive that they’d rekindle the close friendship they’d once shared. Louis can taste the ash of that spark extinguishing in the back of his throat.

“The head alpha of every pack has the option to bite each member in this scent gland here.” Edward’s voice cuts through the static in Louis’ head. “It was used in the past, before we moved to cities and packs were large communities, like a tribe. The alpha would bite each member here to connect them as one. Alphas, omegas and betas. It’s different than a mating bond, not quite as deep, but strong and powerful nonetheless.”

Louis’ head is swimming. The realization that Liam could’ve bitten him this whole time makes his rib cage feel like shattered glass. Splinters shooting through his lungs, his heart, his throat. They weren’t showing him mercy. Suddenly, Louis is seeing every cutting remark, every insult, every eye roll, for what it really was.

He’s thought they treated him that way because of the narrative Syco and Modest! has curated about him. Because of the ‘party boy’ image they had slapped on him. But that wasn’t it at all. They just didn’t want him.

“Shhh Baby, don’t cry. You’ll ruin all that pretty makeup.” Edward shushes him as he pulls him into his chest. Louis turns his head to shove his nose into the alphas scent gland.

The alpha scents the air around them as he cradles the back of Louis’ head. Strong cedar and soothing petrichor fill the air. Louis manages to hold back the tears as he drinks in the scent of his alpha eagerly.

He can focus enough after a few minutes to be glad Liam never did bite him. The isolation allowed him to embrace his soulmates without a second thought. That doesn’t erase the debilitating spear of rejection and abandonment impaling him, however. Looking back on his relationship with his bandmates now is like he’s been walking around wearing those drunk goggles used to teach kids not to drink and drive and he’s finally taking them off. Even the sidewalk in this park in his hometown feels shaky, unstable. How long before that crumbles beneath is feet too?

After a few more minutes, Edward gently pries Louis’ face away from his neck, holding his face is both his large palms. He bends forward slightly to look deep into the omegas eyes, trying to gauge if he’s okay or not.

“I’m okay, alpha. I’m okay. A lot to take in I guess.”

The alpha exhales a deep sigh and lets his forehead fall to meet Louis’. “I don’t know why they told you that. Every alpha is taught about it in a/b/o health classes.” His head lifts again, meeting Louis’ eyes in an intense gaze. “I know you must be feeling a lot of things right now, but I need you to understand something for me. My brother’s and I, we adore every single thing about you. Have done since the moment we laid eyes on you. None of that, none of those feelings, would go away even if you were a beta. Hell, even if you were an alpha. That was already decided before we ran into you again in London. We would’ve asked to court you regardless of your secondary gender. You are ours . And you are so good . Such a good boy, baby.”

Gods, these alphas really are going to be the death of him. A moment ago, he was sure his entire being would fall away to dust. He could already feel the leeching tendrils of touch deprivation creeping back into his bones. The muscle aches and stomach cramps from not enough sleep and not enough to eat. But he doesn’t have to worry about that anymore. His alpha is here, holding him like a sacred jewel and looking at him like he’s plated in gold. He doesn’t just feel loved, he feels coveted, cherished.

Despite himself, his lips quirk in the corners. The hurt the night’s revelations have caused doesn’t disappear completely, but he doesn’t have to bury it or shoulder it alone anymore. He has a support system now.

“Thank you alpha.” Louis whispers, smile quirking just a little higher.

Edward opens his mouth to respond, but Louis doesn’t give him the chance. The omega snakes his arms around Edward’s neck and pulls him into a kiss. Edward doesn’t miss a beat, taking control of it immediately and pulling Louis closer with the hand on the back of his head. They move together for a while before Edward licks along Louis’ bottom lip, asking for entrance. He can taste the wine they shared on the alphas tongue, sweet and strong just like Edward.

Louis is breathless by the time they pull apart and Edward isn’t faring much better. But they’re looking at each other with the widest grins and Louis feels weightless. He feels liberated.

“Cmon Princess. Let’s get you home.” Edward chuckles out. He grabs Louis hand, lacing their fingers together, and leads him back to the car.

______

The scene they walk into at his mum’s house makes his heart double in size. Everyone is gathered in the living room watching a movie. Marcel and Harry are resting against the sofa on a mound of blankets and pillows with Dana and Penny curled between them. Lizzie and Faith share the couch behind like while his mum is curled up on Dave’s lap in the recliner in the corner. It’s a sight Louis wants to witness for the rest of his life.

“Hey you two. How was it?” Dave asks, drawing the attention of everyone else as well.

Louis sighs dreamily, still holding Edward’s hand. “Absolutely perfect.” His mum and sisters giggle in response. He tugs Edward to the makeshift bed on the floor and plops himself down in Marcel’s lap. “What are we watching?”

“ Mary Poppins !” Dana informs him.

“Missed you, Kitten.” Marcel whispers in his ear, lowly enough to not be heard by anyone else. “Have fun?”

“So much fun. Missed you too, Marcie.”

“Good. Hopefully I can live up to it tomorrow.”

Louis meets Marcel’s eyes, smiling wide. “You’re taking me out tomorrow?”

The alpha smiles back and presses a kiss to his forehead. “If you’ll have me?”

He nods eagerly. Marcel huffs a laugh as he wraps his arms around his waist for a snuggle. Louis reaches one arm out to play with Harry’s long curls as he melts back into Marcel and grips Edwards hand. His eyes meet his mum’s across the room. She sends him a wink before turning back to the t.v.

When the movie ends and his family make they’re way to bed, Louis walks the alphas to the door. He shares a kiss with each of them and sends them off with a promise to be ready at noon for Marcel. The smile on his face doesn’t falter a single time as he gets ready for bed. Sleep comes easier than it has in a long while.

Chapter Text

As promised, Louis is ready and waiting by noon the following day. Just like his brother, Marcel promised total privacy and assured him not to worry about being spotted. Louis can’t remember the last time he was able to go out without at least a dozen cameras following his every move. The freedom the triplets are allowing him is something he could never take for granted.

The alpha had texted him earlier in the morning to dress casually with a pair of comfortable shoes. His sisters, once again, helped him get ready. They had dressed him in a pair of black leggings and an oversized green hoodie with baby pink trainers Lizzie allowed him to borrow. The kept his hair down, choosing to let it fall naturally and the only makeup he’s wearing is a light coat of mascara and some strawberry lip gloss.

Louis is out the door the second he sees Marcel’s car pull into the drive. He calls out a goodbye to his family but the door is closed behind him before he can hear a response.

Getting in the car, he’s immediately struck by more images of his future. He’s momentarily frozen halfway into the car, just staring at his stunning soulmate. Flashes of small heads full of curls and chubby fingers gripping his. A family him and the triplets could have.

The way Louis has come to understand their soulmate bond, each of the triplets hold a piece of him. Edward helps him understand and move on from his past, Harry grounds him in the present and Marcel is the promise of a future.

“Lou?” Marcel’s voice breaks him out of his thoughts. “You alright, Kitten?”

“Yes, alpha!” He hauls the rest of his body into the car and leans over to give his alpha a quick peck. “Where are we going?”

The alpha chuckles lightly as pulls out and starts driving.

“Well, I thought it’d be nice to get some fresh air. There’s a nature reserve not too far from here. Up for a picnic with me?”

“I’d go anywhere with you, Marcie. But a picnic sounds wonderful.”

Louis takes the opportunity to grab the alphas hand. They turn the radio up and sing along as they drive.

A short while later, they are pulling into the parking lot of the nature reserve. Thankfully, there’s only two other cars in the lot and no people around. Marcel jumps out of the car and runs around to open Louis’ door before he can do it himself.

Louis gives him a shy smile as he too jumps out. He takes a moment to take in their surroundings while his alpha grabs a backpack from the backseat. The weather is surprisingly nice for the UK. The sun is even peeking through just enough to keep the chill in the air at bay. There’s green, green, green everywhere, a nice change of pace from city after city for so long.

“Ready?” Marcel asks, holding a hand out for Louis to take. He clasps the alpha’s hand with a wide smile as they set off.

After traveling non-stop for years, the scenery in the UK isn’t anything too spectacular. However, it’s home and that alone makes their hike the most special. Various wildflowers dot their path that remind the omega of the triplets London home. He feels safe and secure even in such a public place.

Marcel doesn’t let go of his hand a single time as he point out certain specials of plants that he knows. Louis has never had any particular interest in botany, but he thinks he could listen to this alpha talk about it for eternity. His meadow green eyes light up every time he recognizes a plant along their way. His hand squeezes Louis’ just a little tighter when he’s able to share a fact. Louis is impossibly endeared.

Eventually, they stumble upon a small pond with a wooden dock leading into it. Marcel turns to Louis with a raised eyebrow and the omega nods. The alpha opens his pack and pulls out a pastel pink blanket and food containers for their picnic.

Louis is pleased to find all homemade food for their lunch. Courting isn’t what it once was, but cooking for your mate is one tradition he’s happy to see his alpha followed. There’s fancy sandwiches on a baguette, cut up fruit, cheese and crackers with salami slices and caramel brownies for dessert. He can’t wait to dig in.

“This looks so good, Marcie!” Louis squeals.

The alpha’s cheeks turn pink. He takes a sandwich out of it’s container to offer to the omega.

“Harry helped a bit. We weren’t sure exactly what you’d like so we googled you…” Marcel trails off, embarrassed.

“You googled me?” Louis gets out through a honking laugh.

“Good thing we did too! Harry wanted to make avocado BLT’s. Google made it very apparent that you hate avocado.”

Louis fake gags. “Gross. I utterly despise avocado.”

The alpha gives him a look as it to say exactly as he too digs into his food. It’s quiet for a minute or two until Marcel speaks again.

“We found something else on google too.” Louis looks up with a questioning look, but Marcel avoids eye contact. “Hey There Delilah was a good choice, you sang it beautifully.”

Louis’ whole face heats up, “You. Did. Not.” He grits out. Gods, he has no fucking clue how he made it past that audition. If he had a choice, he’d have the whole thing scrubbed from the internet and forgotten completely.

Marcel breaks out into a fit of giggles. Louis just stares, absolutely stunned. He’d hoped his alphas would never discover his audition tapes.

“Edward really liked the tie. He had some, hm naughty ideas for it.” Marcel gets out with a wink.

Louis is sure his face is so red it could be used to direct planes at this point. He rearranges himself to try and hold in the slick, but it’s a useless attempt. A drop leaks out, making Marcel’s nostrils flare and laughter halt immediately.

Louis throws his hands in the air, put out. “Oh cmon! You had to see that coming. I could get wet from a single whiff of your scent, let alone comments like that.”

“Speaking of, how are you doing being off the suppressants? I noticed we never really asked your opinion on it.” The alpha looks down sheepishly.

Although it’s true, the triplets didn’t give him much of a chance to stay on them, he doesn’t regret it at all. He waited over five years to have this freedom, he won’t give it up. However, it feels good to be asked his opinion, to be able to speak his mind freely. He shuffles over on the blanket to cuddle into Marcel’s side.

“Besides producing more slick than ever, it’s actually been okay. Sleep is a lot easier and the migraines are almost completely gone. All of that means I can eat a lot easier. The touch deprivation still lingers a bit though. I get a bit shaky when you aren’t with me, but it’s not nearly as bad as it was.” Louis explains quietly.

There’s no one around, but the atmosphere is so peaceful that he doesn’t want to ruin it. The only sounds are the ripples in the water and the soft fluttering of wings on the butterflies surrounding them. He feels a need to preserve the calm.

Marcel doesn’t reply, just squeezes Louis closer to him and brings a cube of cheese to the omega’s lips.

They finish their meal while sticking to happier topics. Louis talks about his love for psychology and Marcel gushes about his passion for literature. They even find out both of them have a love of comic books as superheros.

By the time they’re done eating, Louis is seated between Marcel’s legs, leaning back into the alpha with both their legs stretched out in front of them. They’re both laughing at a story Louis told about his history teacher telling him he’d never amount to anything. All Louis can see is miles of green, green, green and all he can smell is spring time and primrose. He’s totally relaxed with a full tummy and even fuller heart.

When the laughter dies out, Louis tilts his head back to look up at his alpha. This close, he can make out a ring of amber around Marcel’s pupils and the crater of a dimple on his left cheek. His throat goes dry and another drop of slick leaks out.

Marcel’s head whips down at break-neck speed, pupils blown and chest heaving. They make eye contact half a second before the alpha bends down to connect their lips.

It’s hungry from the start as they devour each other. The alpha’s hand slowly trails up Louis’ stomach, his chest, until it lands on his neck. Louis whines, high and needy, pressing up further into the alpha’s touch. The hand on his neck making slick pour out of him like never before.

At Louis’ whine, the hand on his neck tightens slightly, drawling a moan out of the omega. Louis turns around, straddling the alphas waist with his arms around his neck. Their lips move in tandem, tongues twirling together messily. It’s the longest Louis has ever kissed someone and, at this point, he’s addicted. His omega begs for more, releasing more slick to entice it’s alpha.

Thankfully, Marcel stops them before it can go any further. He grips Louis’ hips and pries them apart, chest heaving and pupils so blown there’s almost no color left. Louis stares deep into his alphas eyes, too out of it to care about the dampness in his pants at the moment.

“Kitten, we need to stop. If an alpha came anywhere near us, I’d have to fight them.”

Louis just nods, not really hearing what Marcel said. Instead of responding, he buries his nose in the alphas scent gland and curls his body closer, closing his eyes and breathing in springtime and flowers.

Marcel packs up with Louis plastered against his body. When it’s time to go, he puts the backpack around his shoulders and stands with Louis still in his arms.

It’s a quiet walks back to the car, nothing but the nature singing around them. Louis soaks it in from his perch in his alpha’s arms. In a couple days, he’ll be on the road again. More hotels and more traveling. Quiet like this won’t come as easy anymore. He does his best to appreciate it while he can.

Just before the parking lot, the voices of other visitors float through the air towards them. Marcel doesn’t hesitate to flip Louis’ good over his head and turn his face further into his neck, concealing his identity. The strangers pass with a quick wave and friendly ‘alright?’. A surge of affection courses through Louis’ body. Marcel had told him he didn’t connect with his alpha nature until he met him, but he has taken to it as if he always had. He had jumped to protect him and his identity before Louis even registered that they weren’t alone.

He slides down his alphas torso, grabbing his hand and walking beside him. They swing their arms between their bodies for the last few feet of the walk.

“Thank you,” Louis says as they get in the car, “For hiding my face from the people walking past us.”

“Of course, Louis.” Marcel whispers back, lips tilted up in the corner. “We haven’t discussed how or when you’re going to come out, but when you do, it’ll be completely on your terms.”

Louis blushes, looking down at his fingers fidgeting him his lap. He doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t need to. All three of his alphas know just how much he appreciates what they’ve done for him.

“Anyway, in exchange for helping make our lunch…” Louis looks up at the alpha as he trails off, “I am supposed to ask if you would like to accompany Harry on a date this evening?”

Louis giggles at the look on Marcel’s face. The alpha looks hopeful yet shy, as if it was him he was really asking for— not his brother.

“As if I could ever say no to any of you.” Louis rolls his eyes. “Next time, tell him to ask me himself.” Louis chastises.

Marcel promises to let his brother know as the car starts moving. They drive with their fingers interlocked over the center console, belting out the lyrics to whatever songs are playing on the radio.

It was a lovely day with his youngest alpha. As he gets out of the car with one last kiss, Louis sends out a prayer that he’ll be allowed to keep this, to keep them— that nothing will get in the way of this newfound happiness.

_______

Wear clothes you can sweat in! Pick you up at 7 Little Dove

That was all Harry’s text said. Clothes he can sweat in? Was the alpha going to make him run laps?

Faith is standing in front of his closet, darting her eyes between his clothes. She’d promised to find the cutest outfit for him after he’d told his family about his third date that night. The plans was all well and good until he read the message from Harry.

”How does anyone look cute while they’re sweating?!” Faith screeched.

Louis just shrugged. He wasn’t a fashion expert on his best of days, he had no clue how he could be of any help now.

Faith called Lizzie into the room. His oldest sister shook her head and said, “Best we could do is to turn you into a middle aged pilates mom. Take it or leave it.”

Louis took the offer, obviously. Any help he could get would be much appreciated.

Faith had turned to his closet, staring down every item of clothing he owned, trying to find a suitable outfit for him. After what felt like an eternity, she grabbed Lizzie’s arm and yanked her out of the room.

Louis stood in the middle of his room, unsure if he was meant to follow them or not. Thankfully, his sisters return quickly, a pile of clothes in their arms.

“Try these on.” Lizzie demands, throwing a pair of light blue leggings at him. “And no underwear unless you’ve got a thong.”

“Underwear lines are a bitch.” Faith nods along.

Louis, beat red and embarrassed, sulks off to the bathroom to change. The leggings carry a faint hint of Lizzie’s scent, clearly belonging to her, but they fit like a glove. They appear painted on to his buddy where they hug his curves and accentuate his..assets (no underwear needed).

A knock on the door reveals faith holding up what seems to be a black sports bra and a light grey tanks top. She shoves the items in his hands and pulls the door closed without a word.

He’s not at all sure why a bra would he necessary, but he figures that if anyone would want to see him in one, it’s Harry.

When he’s completely dressed and his sister’s have wrestled an elastic headband into his hair, he really does look like a pilates mom. He feels like he should have a yoga mat at the ready. Regardless, this is what his alpha had asked for.

“Not at all our best work,” Lizzie says, “But it’ll have to do.”

Louis sprints down to stairs to answer the door when the bells rings. Throwing it open, he sees Harry on his doorstep dressed in the smallest red shorts he’s ever seen on an alpha and a light grey hoodie. His long curls are held back in a tight bun, american flag bandana tied around his head.

“Dovie! You look amazing!” Harry exclaims, enthusiastic as ever.

Louis stands, one hand on the door, eyes glued to Harry’s toned and tanned thighs. He wants to lick them. His mouth waters.

“Lou?” His eyes snap up to Harry’s, sheepish look on his face. He coughs to clear the sudden dryness in his throat. The alpha just smirks, a know long flint in his eye.

“Right. Let’s go!”

Harry starts driving as soon as Louis is buckled in. The radio plays softly, but all Louis can hear is Harry’s voice crooning along.

“You have a lovely voice, Haz.” Louis says, reaching out to stroke his alphas jaw as he drives.

Harry leans into the touch with a smile, singing a little louder now. His voice would sound great with Zayn’s Louis thinks.

It’s not long before they’re pulling into a parking lot. Suddenly, the attire the alpha requested starts to make sense. Harry, his excitable and energetic alpha, brought him to a trampoline park.

“Don’t worry, I rented it out for the night. The staff even signed NDA’s.” The alpha assures him.

Louis is speechless. A romantic dinner, a picnic and a trampoline park. His alpha’s picked the most perfect first dates.

“I bet I can jump higher than you.” Louis blurts suddenly.

For a moment, Harry just stares at him, caught off guard. In an unspoken agreement, they both scramble out of the car and race into the building, cackling the whole way.

The front desk employee, a small omega girl who clearly recognizes Louis, shyly hands over a waiver for each of them to sign. Louis worries momentarily that she’ll know what he really is when he’s not ready for anyone outside his circle to know that yet. Then he remembers that not only did she sign an nda, but he doesn’t have a scent yet— even though he’s been off his suppressants for a few days now.

Once their waivers are signed and the grippy socks they’re provided are on, Louis and Harry race towards the trampolines. Harry trips twice before they reach them, but he still manages to beat Louis (damn those alpha legs).

They bounce around for a long while. Harry jumps as close as he can to Louis a few times, launching his smaller omega body high into the air. Louis gets so distracted watching the alphas perky butt in his tiny red shorts that he flops straight onto his face—twice.

“Those shorts are sinful, Haz. They should come with a warning label for virginal omega’s like me.” Louis pouts after the second time he face plants.

Harry cackles, shaking his ass in his face before bouncing away from Louis towards the high jump. Louis hauls himself up and follows along.

They climb the ladder to the top ledge overlooking a foam pit. The alpha, who climbed up with the enthusiasm of a kid on Christmas morning, now wore a nervous expression, adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.

Louis walks closer, throwing his arms around the alpha’s shoulders, “Hey, why the long face?”

“Just didn’t seem quite this high up from down there.” Harry mumbles, rubbing his hands up and down Louis’ arms.

“Nothing to be scared of, alpha. Want me to go first?”

Harry nods, kissing Louis’ forehead then pressing a quick peck to his lips. As soon as the alpha clears the way, Louis gives himself a running start and cannonballs straight into the foam cubes below. His stomach drops on the way down, but the feeling gives way to a rush of adrenaline once he reaches the bottom.

“Cmon Haz!” He yells up to the alpha.

Harry gives him a determined nod, takes a few steps back and launches himself down. A high pitch shriek echos through the building as he drops. Louis cackles.

“We have to do that again!” Harry screeches once he emerges amidst the foam.

They jump three more times before they move back to the trampolines. They bounce around slower now that their energy is waning.

“Thank you for bringing me here, alpha. I think I really needed this, to feel like a kid again for a night.” Louis tells the alpha sincerely.

Harry stops bouncing to take Louis into his arms, “Of course, baby. It’s so nice to see you let loose for once. You’ve held in so much for so long. You deserve to just be free.”

“You gave that to me. All of you actually.” Louis circles his arms around Harry’s torso, “I honestly forgot what it was like to be in public without eyes watching my every move. You guys gave that freedom back to me.”

Harry leans down to kiss him but pulls away before it can turn into more. “How does some ice cream sound?” Harry asks.

They make their way off out of the building, sweaty and fatigued from their hours bouncing around. Louis stops at the front desk to sign an autograph and take a picture with the omega employee (she promises not to post the picture) before they’re walking hand in hand to the car.

As it turns out, there’s not many options for ice cream in Doncaster past 9 pm, so they settle on Harry running into Tesco for a few pints and spoons.

The alpha returns in less than ten minutes with mint chocolate chip for Louis and strawberry cheesecake for himself. Harry drives them back towards his mum’s house, parking in front of the house and cutting the lights as they tuck into their treat.

“Eddie told me you want to have sex with them.” Louis throws out nonchalantly, not even looking up from his ice cream.

Harry chokes with his spoon in his mouth. “Why would he tell you that?” The alpha sputters out.

Louis shrugs, “I asked about your relationship. He says you beg for it.” He puts the lid on his pint and sets it in the cupholder, looking up and locking eyes with a shocked Harry.

“I do not beg!” Harry yells in a shrill voice.

The omega smirks as he climbs over the center console to straddle the alpha. He leans down to nose at the alphas neck, dark chocolate and peppermint making for a heady combination.

“Would you beg for me?” He whispers in the alphas ear as he grinds down on the alphas lap.

“Dovie, what are you doing?” His large hands come up to clutch his waist tight.

Louis continues his work on the alpha’s neck, pressing biting kisses across his throat. Moving up, he sucks the alpha’s earlobe between his teeth before releasing it, drawing a low groan from the alphas lips.

“I asked you a question, Hazzie.” He chastises. The rush of power he has over his alpha at the moment is going straight to his crotch. His cock is already hard, slick leaking steadily. He grinds down again to find Harry is hard as well.

“Yeah— yes baby. I’d beg for you.” Harry moans, bucking his hips up to meet Louis’. Louis can feel without even seeing it, his alpha is fucking hung.

Their lips finally connect in a biting kiss. Harry’s hands slip down to grasp the omega’s ass in both hands, pulling him closer. Louis let’s out a needy whine as more slick pours out of him (maybe underwear would’ve been a good choice). He relaxes his body, allowing the alpha to dominate his mouth and his hands to guide his hips.

“Fuck, Haz” Louis moans breathlessly.

They grind together, slow and teasing. Harry moved to Louis’ neck, sucking kisses over his scent gland. He grips the alphas curls, eliciting another low groan.

“That’s it, Baby. You’re so good,” Harry mumbles into his neck before gripping the back of his head and crashing their mouth back together.

Just when Louis feels close, a harsh knock bangs against the window. They fly apart, Louis backing straight into the car horn.

Lizzie stands outside the car, arms crossed and furious. She shakes her head and takes a few steps back, clearly waiting for her brother to get out.

Louis looks back at Harry sheepishly. “Sorry, Haz. I had a great time tonight.” He says, leaving a quick kiss on the alphas cheek and opening the door.

“Wait, Dovie,” Harry stops him before he can get out of the car, “Your mum invited us to dinner tomorrow, is that okay?”

Louis’ whole face lights up, “Of course! Thank you for the date. See you tomorrow!” He plants one last kiss on the alphas lips before he’s out of the car.

Lizzie throws an arm over his shoulder the second he’s out and leads him up the drive.

“Right in front of the house? Seriously, Boo?”

“Shut up” Louis giggles as he wraps an arm around her waist.

_______

The days in Doncaster seem to fly by. The triplets spend most of their time at his mum’s house after their initial dates. His family welcomes them into the fold with open arms.

Harry and Jackie take turns cooking dinner each night and Dana and Penny have a blast playing ‘salon’ with him. They make sure he leaves with a fresh coat of nail polish and a new hairstyle every night.

Marcel and Faith connect over their love of books and he even helps her look into fashion design programs to aim for.

Edward, surprisingly, latches onto the youngest twins. Ezra and Delilah stay attached to the oldest triplet’s hip the moment he steps into their home. Louis can’t lie, the sight of the most powerful alpha he’s ever known going soft for two ginger toddlers is one of his favorite things.

Louis, for his part, soaks in every moment of family time that he possibly can. He even spends hours with Lizzie, telling her everything he’s been through since he left home at eighteen. The gaping hole he felt inside of him from being away from them for so long fills once again. He’s left feeling more whole than he ever remembers feelings before.

Tonight is the last night he has with his family before he’s expected in Cardiff. He still hasn’t responded to Amanda and there hasn’t been anymore strange phone calls from Zayn or his other bandmates. All in all, he’s terrified. Not only because of what Amanda could potentially have planned for him, but also to face his friends again after knowing what he knows now.

They hadn’t wanted him. They had pushed him away, repeatedly kicked him off the bus, insulted him and tore him down. Louis knows now that he was looking at them with rose colored glasses on before.

Now, without the commands swimming through his head and the knowledge that he could’ve been pack all along, he’s not even sure he can call them friends anymore. At this point they just feel like coworkers to him. When he thinks of his relationship with Niall, with Zayn, with Liam, it feel cold— detached.

Edward had assured him that all three of his alphas would be traveling with him through the UK, Scotland and Ireland shows. The alpha even went to far as to arrange for a separate bus, just for him. ‘They won’t be able to kick you out of this one, Princess’ he’d said. As for hotel nights, the triplets had booked a private suite at every hotel until the end of the tour.

He isn’t quite sure how they are going to manage keeping their presence a secret from Amanda and her entourage of security personnel, but Marcel had told him they had it covered and not to worry about it.

So that’s what he does.

He lets the worries go for one more night. One final movie night with all his favorite people before he’s out on the road again.

His mum and Dave are cuddled up in their recliner, Marcel and Harry are snuggled up on the sofa while Edward is laying back on the love seat with the little twins strewn across his chest.

Louis is on the floor in a puddle of blankets and throw pillows. Faith, Lizzie, Dana and Penny circle around him like an ornate centerpiece while Inside Out plays on the tv.

The whole room is shrouded in the scent of home and belonging and he’s not sure he’s ready to give it up. He sinks into his sister’s arms, trying to savor this feeling like he’ll be able to pack it up and take it with him.

He’s not sure what’s waiting for him once he leaves this house— especially once he reaches Cardiff tomorrow. All he can do is pray to the Gods that no matter what happens, he’ll have his family and his alphas to come home to.

Chapter Text

The ride from Doncaster to Cardiff may be only four hours, but it feels like fucking days. Louis and his alpha’s had only been driving for thirty minutes bur Louis’ nerves made time slow to a stop and the road before them stretched on and on…and on.

The triplets had given Louis space to say goodbye to his family but it still felt like a he left with a hole in his chest. He spent so long wearing a mask in front of them that he’d begun to feel ostracized. Now that his mum and siblings had the chance to know him, the real him, leaving was the last thing he wanted to do.

Jackie had sobbed into his shoulder for what felt like hours as the morning sun cast glowing rays over the horizon. The same process repeated with Dana and Penny, the girls begged him to stay longer but he promised them he’d be home as soon as he could. His goodbyes with Lizzie and Faith weren’t quite as tearful, but they still clung onto him with no inclination of letting go. They had each made him swear to call if anyone dared to mistreat him. Apparently they’ll ‘handle’ it for him. Ezra and Delilah wailed and wailed until Louis started singing in a soft voice. It calmed their sobs to slow rolling tears, but he knew his absence would affect them. Dave had even surprised him with a suffocating bear hug and a promise to watch over his family for him.

”I may be with your mum now, but you were the man of the house first. I’ll keep them safe until you can make it home again.” Dave had told him with a clap to his shoulder. His eyes glistened with unshed tears but Louis didn’t comment on it.

“You’re a good man, Dave.” Louis replied tearfully before engulfing the man in another hug.

When the triplets showed up to collect him, the tears started all over again. Jackie, Faith and Lizzie took turns hugging each alpha. Lizzie had used her best alpha voice to threaten them should they ever hurt her Boo. The youngest twins cling to Edward with all the strength their little bodies possessed and Dana and Penny held back tears sayinf goodbye to Harry. Faith played it off well, but she was reluctant to let Marcel go.

Louis watched all of their goodbyes with wet eyes and a heart close to bursting. He had found his family, old and new, and reveled in every second he got to watch them interact. Climbing into the car and leaving it behind felt like cutting off a vital limb as he watched his parents and siblings grow smaller and smaller in the back window.

“We should probably discuss a few things while we have the time, Little One.” Edward speaks from the drivers seat.

Louis scoots closer to Marcel in the backseat. He knows there’s a ton of logistical things they need to work out if their plan to keep pretending Louis is still under Cowell’s thumb, but the whole topic makes his belly turn. All he can do is soak in the fresh cut grass of Marcel’s scent and nod, hoping Edward can see it in the rear view mirror.

“As we’ve already told you, we were able to arrange another bus to travel with the rest of your team. We worked that out with the the stage hands and tour assistants so not even tour tour manager is aware of it yet. Our hope is that it will go under the radar for as long as possible.” Edward speaks again, business voice in full effect.

“What do I say if someone asks?”

“You tell them you were told to switch buses to allow the pack alone time. Play dumb as much as you can. We sent an email to all the stage hands and crew about nefarious business dealings at Syco and Modest! and promised all them employment with Adore Inc. or a generous payout if they sign an nda and corroborate the story. Every single one of them signed and we were able to poach abour 90% for further employment so they’ll back up that story.” The seriousness of Harry’s voice as he speaks is startling.

Louis turns the words over in his head. The lie is an easy one considering he’s used it a million times as to why he has to get hotel rooms last minute rather than stay on the bus. He’s also so thankful that his alpha’s work in the same industry he works in. No amount of money could accomplish what they’ve done so far without insider knowledge and connections.

“How are you guys going to travel with me without Amanda or her henchmen finding out?” Louis asks.

Marcel tilts his chin up so he’s looking straight into dazzling green eyes, “The security team was our next worry but we need your help with that one, Kitten. We have the roster of guards, but we need to know which ones to look out for.”

“Carl and Frank. Alberto is my personal security but Carl and Frank are the ones that tag along when I have to go out and were hired by Amanda personally from a different company. Preston, Alberto, Preston, Joni, Mark and Patty would never do anything to harm me.” Louis says. “Especially Alberto.” He throws in.

Being the only member of a band that’s not a part of the pack means that he travels separately a lot of the time. A different car. A later flight. Most of the time, the only company he has is the security guard assigned to him— Alberto. The man has become a close friend to him. To be fair, most of their security has, but Alberto is with him more and thus, a closer bond. He’s also the one to side eye Carl or Frank every time they show up to collect him.

“Okay,” Harry starts, pulling out his phone and beginning to type, “We’ll send an email to the security guards you mentioned and offer the same to them. If they all sign, we’ll be able to travel with you pretty easily considering the only people we have to worry about is two guard and your band.”

Louis doesn’t think before he says, “I don’t care if the band knows about you.”

All three of their heads whip to face him (Edward turning back to the road swiftly), eyebrows furrier. It’s Marcel that speaks first, “You mean you want to tell them you’re an omega?”

Louis nearly chokes. “Gods, no! I meant I don’t care if they find out you three are traveling with us or that I’m gay. I am absolutely not ready for them to know I’m an omega yet.” He yells far too loud for the confines of the Range Rover they’re sitting in. All three alphas release exhale simultaneously, relaxing once again.

The conversation brings Louis’ mind back to what Edward told him just a few days ago. Betas can be a part of a pack. Louis could’ve been a part of the One Direction pack this whole time. Granted, the boys would’ve found out pretty quick that he wasn’t actually a beta, but it’s the fact that they lied to him that sets a fire blazing on his bloodstream.

Niall and Zayn gaslit him into believing betas couldn’t ever have that kind of connection with alphas and omegas. His best fucking friend lied to his face over and over again. Thinking back on it, Liam may not have ever said it, but he was present multiple times when his mates had and hadn’t said a word. The man he so readily believed to be his soulmate had sat back and allowed his mates to lie to Louis’ face.

The sting of betrayal runs rampant through his body. No, Liam isn’t his soulmate, but they had a connection that transcended ‘just friends’ and Liam had sullied it with his silence. The memory of waking up in Liam’s arms bakc in Vegas makes bile rise in Louis’ throat now. The memory of his pure elation at seeing Niall as he swung him through an airport lounge makes him want to die. Every single second he spent believing Zayn was his best friend his a bullet to his heart.

Any semblance of trust he had with the boys was broken the second Louis realized they didn’t want him. Niall and Zayn told kicked him off the bus the first time before Amanda started making him go out with beards. Initially, Louis believed his bandmates treated him based on what they saw in the tabloid. It was crystal clear now that they’d mistreated him without any prompting from outside sources much earlier than he’d allowed himself to remember. He couldn’t trust them to be his inner circle, his village. They’d find out his omega status when the rest of the world did.

“Lou?” Marcel said in a worried tone as he snapped his fingers infront of Louis’ face.

“Sorry, was just thinking about the pack.” Louis rushed out, shaking himself out of his stupor. “We’ll get them to sign an nda about your presence on the road, tell them you’re there on behalf of other client to investigate Syco’s treatment of his artists. They can infer what they want about our relationship, but my identity as an omega will not be mentioned for now.” He finishes in a tone so harsh even he’s surprised by it.

Suddenly, the car is pulling over to the side of the road. Louis makes a questioning noise that goes unanswered.

“Harry,” Edward says, alpha voice bleeding through, “Drive.” He demands before rushing out and around the car.

Harry, driven by his older brother’s command, scrambles into the driver’s seat. The back door is thrown open and Edward throws himself in, crushing Louis between him and Marcel. The little omega has never felt so protected.

“Not fair!” Harry wails but pulls back onto the road anyway.

_______

The rest of the ride goes much the same way as the start. The triplet’s discuss the logistics of sneaking three alpha males onto a worldwide tour while asking Louis questions.

Thankfully, the countless meeting and commands means that Louis has intimate knowledge of Syco and Modest!’s inner workings. The idea of having his soulmates accompany him seems more and more possible by the minute.

Slowly, the signed nda’s from the security guards trickle in as they drive. Louis guesses that the possibility of their employer dealing in illegal activities is enough of an incentive to jump ship.

Even Paul, One Direction’s tour manager and resident ‘Dad’ on the road has sent back a signed nda and resume for future employment with Adore Inc.

By the time they’re about an hour out, three things are clear: 1) The triplets managed to poach almost every single stage hand, sound technician, backstage crew, intern and security guard. 2) Louis’s alphas will be able to go undetected through the rest of the tour pretty easily and 3) Louis is scared shitless to see his bandmates again.

“You’re shaking, Princess. What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” Edward’s deep voice reverberates in his ear.

And Louis really is shaking. He hasn’t noticed but his whole body is trembling. The closer they get to the venue, the more anxious Louis becomes. The long hidden omega traits he’s buried begin to resurface with the safety of his soulmates around him.

“Nervous, alpha. Don’t want to see Liam.” Louis whines, high and worrisome. He bites his face into Marcel’s shoulder and reaches behind him to lace his fingers in Edward’s.

The triplets have come to understand in their short time with their omega that Liam is of vital importance to Louis. Whatever bond the pair shared before they came into the picture was deep enough to cause daily turmoil within their omega. What’s odd is that none of them feel any sort of jealousy at the thought of Liam holding a piece of Louis’ heart. Of anything, all they feel is a cold rage at Liam for not protecting Louis from both their label and Liam’s own mates.

“You don’t have to speak to any of them, baby.” Marcel soothes, “There’s no obligation to keep a relationship with the people that treated you so horribly. Your contract ends when this tour does.”

And Louis hadn’t thought of that. His contract does end at the end of this tour. He has spent so long believing he has to look, act, be a certain for the band’s sake that he never stopped to think about the after. Does he want to go solo? Does he want to stay home with his soulmates and start a family? Does he want to keep write and composing? For the first time in his life, he has more than the predetermined future Amanda had laid out for him.

“What about my contract?” Louis asks out of the blue. Of all the things they’d discussed, his elusive, unread contract had not come up.

“Ah, I have it here.” Edward hums. The alpha pulls a thick packet out of his briefcase. The document is full of red pen markings. “I had our personal lawyers look this over. Let’s just say, Cowell relied on those commands he gave you pretty heavily.”

“What do you mean?” Louis asked. As far as he knew, that contract was ironclad.

“First of all Princess, the clauses about promotional press and bearding relationships was worded in an ‘as long as the client agrees’ sort of way. The commands they’d given you forced you into that, but they can’t hold it over your head anymore. Second of all, we were able to get a hold of Liam, Zayn and Niall’s contracts as well. Not only were you getting paid significantly less, but Niall was as well at first. It seems Liam stepped in for him at some point, but you have been taking a hefty pay cut for years. All the money that should’ve been going into your pocket was being redirected into an shell company owned by Simon Cowell. Other than that, there isn’t a single clause in your contract stopping your involvement with Syco after this tour. In fact, the contract is so generic, it has multiple loopholes to have gotten you out of it earlier. It seems Cowell and his team believed his alpha voice alone would keep you beholden to them.” Edward explains cheerily.

The oldest alpha’s chipper tone through his explanation is the only thing that keeps Louis from spiraling. He had a way out this whole time? Rage coils deep within his gut.

“Don’t get mad, Dove,” Harry pipes up from the driver’s seat, “I hate everything those filthy scumbags did to you, don’t get me wrong. But it let you straight to us. We can destroy them while also acknowledging that they created the perfect storm for us to find out soulmates.”

“Stop the car!” Louis screeches.

Once again, the car is pulled over to the side of the road. Edward and Marcel’s arms squeezed Louis into a protective grip after he yelled whereas Harry was turned around with wide eyes.

“Marcie, you drive for a little while.” Louis says sheepishly. He didn’t mean to cause such a panic. He just wanted to be able to praise Barry’s sensible thinking without disturbing his driving.

Harry seemed to get the hint right away— Marcel, not to much. Harry was throwing open Marcel’s door in seconds and pulling his older brother out, climbing into the now vacant seat and slamming the door closed behind him.

“Hello my love!” Harry throws his arms around Louis’ neck, pulling the omega into his body.

A noise of protest sounds from Edward as Louis is ripped away from him, but they ignore it. Louis wraps his arms around Harry’s waist and squeezed closer to him. For no other reason than to praise the alpha for his positive thinking and staving off the panic attack that had built within his lungs.

“Thank you, Haz.” Louis whispers into the alphas chest. “You’re right, I am mad about what I was put through but I’m so grateful it let me to you.”

Harry folds over to press a kiss to the crown of Louis’ head. Edward, not one to be left out, leans over Louis from behind.

“You’re ours Princess. Who cares how we got here. All that matters is where we go now.”

_____

Arriving in Cardiff feels like time travel. Everywhere he looks is a memory of a past he doesn’t have to live anymore. Thankfully, their first stop upon arrival is to the new bus Louis will share with his alphas.

Harry had insisted they stop just before arriving at the venue to grab decorations and various knick knacks for the new bus. Louis had picked out three different blankets in green, pink and yellow for his alphas to scent and the fluffiest pillows he could find. Harry picked out and assortment of kitchen appliances and decorations he insisted they couldn’t live without. Marcel and Edward followed behind, happy to allow their omega and alpha to load their arms with their picks.

Louis has a strange feelings seeing the new bus. It’s his, he knows that, but there’s a part of him that’s screaming to be cautious. A part of him that still thinks he’ll be kicked off on a whim— just like before.

“You guys go first.” Louis says decidedly.

“Kitten, this is your space. Are you sure?” MEcel asks worriedly, his brothers wearing a matching. pout.

“Go scent it as much as you can. Make it mine. Please alphas?” Louis turns to the triplets with his own pout.

It works. They scurry off, battling their way through the door to do as Louis asked. It’s intoxicating, having three alphas falling over their feel to please him. He could never take advantage of it, but it feels good nonetheless.

Figuring he has at least a few minutes, Louis wanders off to find Alberto. He hasn’t seen the guard since before the last show. The guard wouldn’t usually show up until sound check, which was in three hours, but Louis scoured the crowd regardless.

As he’s walking past one of the crew busses. )3 stood to say hi to Noah, one of the stage crew and someone Louis has gotten to know pretty well. z his head swivels as they converse, keeping an eye out for the burly man he’s looking for. In the end, he does find Alberto, but he did accidentally lock eyes with Zayn. Their eyes meeting from a distance.

Louis is so used to his bandmates scowling at him that he is struck frozen when he sees Zayn’s blinding smile. It barely registers to him that all three of them are bounding over to him until it’s too late to escape.

The most confusing part is that all three of them look utterly elated to see him. They’re running towards him with massive grins on their faces. Louis can do nothing hit stand and stare, lips pulled into a straight line and eyes wide.

“Louis! You’re here!” Niall shouts and is rhe first to throw his arms around Louis.

Zayn isn’t a man of many words on a good day, so it’s not unusual that he doesn’t yell anything. What is unusual is the fact that he as well throws his body into Louis, curling into him like a a piglet to their mama. As warm as the omega and alpha’s arms are around him, he stays entirely still.

He hopes for a reprieve from their touch as the two clutch him close. He’s thankful for the lack of scent even if his omega instincts want to cuddle into Niall’s touch. Omegas don’t require another omegas touch, but they’re known to hold friendships far deeper than an alpha could ever dream to. Louis has never had that connection, thus making Niall’s arms around him that much harder to ignore.

It’s a short reprieve when Niall and Zayn pull away because Liam is swallowing him into a full body embrace the second they pull away.

“Missed you so much, Bear.” The alpha whispers as he pulls him impossibly closer.

Louis tries to fight it, the pulls toward Liam he’s always felt. It proves futile, though, as he wraps his arms around the alpha and allows his body to sink into his. The nickname Liam had always used for him breaks through whatever defenses he had bull up.

When they first started getting close, Liam overheard a phone call Louis had with his mom. One where she has called him Boobear. Soon after, Liam referred to Louis only had his ‘little bear’. He had stopped once he started courting Niall. Hearing it now is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

“Never left you, Liam. You left me.” Louis whispers.

He decides pretty quickly that he can’t stay here. He’s not ready for a conversation with the people that denied his very existence.

With the goal of not drawling attention, Louis waits until the pack is completely distracted by each other. Lucky for him, it’s pretty easy. Even if they randomly is phone now or use forgotten nicknames, they still have an incredibly easy time forgetting Louis.

As soon as their backs are turned, the little omega scurries off towards his new home in the road. A new home that’s all his. Scented by his alphas and filled with promised of a better future.

It’s shockingly easy to leave the boys behind. Zayn and Niall made it clear they didn’t want him. Louis decides it’s his turn not to want them either.

Chapter Text

After running away from his bandmates, Louis bumps into one of their road crew, Noah, who helps him find the new tour bus. Louis greets every member of the crew they pass along the way warmly. He has grown quite close to most of them during after show hangouts and constant travel together for years. They were a family— even if he was the only member of the band that cared enough to get to know them.

Surprisingly, not a single one of them ask any questions about his new living arrangements or the cryptic documents they received from the CEO’s of a rival label. He guesses that working with and around celebrities has dulled their curiosity a bit. At the end of the day, they’ll all still have a job no matter what.

Just before he reaches the tour bus, Alberto appears in front of him. The alpha is his personal security guard and they’ve gotten to know each other pretty well over the years. At this point, the stocky guard is considered a close friend.

“Tommo! Was wondering when you’d arrive.” Alberto throws his arms around Louis, lifting him in the air and spinning him around.

The omega’s loud giggles echo around the lot as he’s spun in circles, “Good to see you, Al. Miss me?”

“Of course. I barely know how to survive without my favorite beta around.” The guard chuckles as he places Louis back on his feet.

It used to sting hearing those words. Any time his identity as a beta was mentioned, he’d feel a searing cold spread through his veins. Now, with all that’s happened this past week, the only things he feels is slightly mischievous. It’s not a secret that needs to rip him in two anymore. It’s a well protected piece of information that only a few privileged people are privy to. He can be an actor putting on a show rather than a depressed lump wearing a mask.

Louis just pats Alberto’s arm with a playful glint in his eye and turns to his new home, the tour bus his alpha’s managed to add to the fleet of buses that already follow One Direction on the road.

It’s magnificent is the thing. A sleek black color with tinted windows and enough space for a small army. Stepping inside, Louis is even more impressed. Red leather covers the seats and couches and the counters are all black marble. A full size bathroom replaced the space where bunks would normally be, allowing for a full bathtub rather than a single shower.

The best part, Louis thinks, is the way it already smells like his alphas. They had made a beeline straight for bus upon their arrival and had already started unpacking. Cedar and peppermint and primrose waft through the space. The scents serve to make this bus, unlike the one he shared with his friends, feel like home.

“Did you get to say hi to everybody, Kitten?” Marcel asks as he walks out of the bedroom at the back. Through the door, the omega can see Edward and Harry cuddling on the massive bed.

“Yeah. Liam stopped me but I slipped away as soon as I could.” Louis presses a kiss to Marcel’s lips on his way past the alpha.

The bedroom doesn’t have much apart from a king size bed, a night stand and built in closets but still manages to feel quite spacious.

Upon entering, Louis feels a sudden wave of need crash over him. For what, he’s not quite sure but something is missing. His fingertips tingle and his head swivels in every direction, eyes never quite landing on one thing but searching frantically for whatever it is. The random anxiety he’s experiencing must be obvious as Harry and Edward are at his side in seconds.

“What’s wrong, Dovie? Do you not like it?” Harry asks worriedly. Louis can only shake his head, still trying to figure out what it is.

“Princess,” Edward starts sternly after checking his body for any injuries. “Talk to us. Is something wrong?”

The anxiety running through him sets his omega off inside of him. It thrashes around in his chest before taking over completely. Louis’ eyes glow a brighter blue than ever before and, in a haze, shoves all three of the alphas out of the room and locks the door behind them.

He starts moving in a frenzy, locked into a trance as he tears through the clothes his alphas had already unpacked. Once he gets what he needs from the closets, their suitcases are next. He rifles through every article of clothing, sniffing each of them before either adding to the pile in his arms or tossing them away carelessly.

Not a single thought passes through his head as the clothes he gathered are meticulously placed on the bed. Each item is laid with care and precision until his masterpiece finally starts to come together.

What could’ve been minutes or hours later, Louis comes back to himself, standing at the end of the bed and taking in his work. It’s a nest. It’s his very first actual nest complete with the scents of his soulmates.

In the past, the omega had tried (and failed) to build one in secret. None of the nests he’d ever put together had felt quite right. Of course, being disconnected from his inner omega made the process feel like a chore rather than a biological need. Also, he could never get the scents quite right either. He’s always felt alone and empty as a result.

Looking at his nest now, Louis feels a surge of pride. It’s beautiful is the thing. The sheets from the bed frame the outside and are layered with items of clothing from each of his alphas. He even added small items from his siblings and mum that he carries with him at all times. At the very center, surrounded by pillows, is the blanket from the triplet’s bed back home that Louis insisted on bringing with them. It’s cozy and warm and his. The only thing that could make it better is three green eyed alpha’s laying in it.

The pride gives way to a buzzing nervousness as Louis makes his way to the door. No doubt the brother’s are freaking out on the other side. He can distantly recall frantic knocks and yelling while he worked, but he wasn’t quite paying attention. The omega prays his very first nest is good enough for his alphas.

Louis opens the door just a crack and peers through the small opening. Edward is pacing up and down the narrow corridor while Marcel and Harry sit on the floor just outside. All three of their heads whip to Louis at the sound of the doorknob. He doesn’t speak yet, too nervous to form words, just waits until all three alpha’s stand in the doorway and opens the door wider to allow them in.

He stands with his head bowed and hands fidgeting nervously as he waits for a response. Silence dominates the small room until, finally, Harry breaks it.

“Louis” Harry’s voice comes out strangled, like he’s holding back a sob.

“It’s….Your nest is so-“ Marcel starts but his words cut off abruptly when tears starts flowing down his cheeks. The alpha turns to throw his arms around Louis, bringing the omega as close to him as he can. “It’s perfect, Kitten.”

Harry joins their hug whispering, “You did so good, Little Dove.”

The three hold each other for a few moments until Louis remembers that there’s one more alpha he hasn’t heard from yet. He pulls away from Harry and Marcel and turns to Edward. The alpha is standing next to the bed, eyes locked on the nest.

“Eddie?” Louis asks on a high pitched voice, making his nerves obvious.

Edward holds one arm out as an invitation that Louis doesn’t hesitate to accept. He and his omega are restless without approval from all three of their alphas. Edward’s arm wrapped tightly around him is a small comfort even if he hasn’t spoken yet.

“When we met you, even just two weeks ago, you were so scared. So hidden.” Edward starts softly, “We were so worried about the damage that had been caused to your omega and your instincts even after seeing Dr. Collins.”

Louis sniffs trying to hold back tears. The alphas put on brave faces for him, and he’s so thankful for that, but it’s nice not to be alone in his worry. He feels less alone in knowing he isn’t the only one with fears.

“This nest..” Edward continues, “It’s proof that you’re going to be okay. It’s proof that you and your omega are safe. And it is so, so beautiful, Little One.”

Louis whines, squeezing around Edward’s torso like letting go would bring catastrophe upon the world. He truly does feel safe and maybe he’s even starting to believe that he might be okay, too.

Stepping back from Edward, Louis faces all three alphas and says, “Would you like to get in it?”

Edward, being the closest, is the first to climb in. He’s extremely cautious not to shift anything as he settles on the farthest edge and reaches out for Harry. Harry, too, maneuvers into the nest with more grace than his legs usually possess. Louis is both surprised at his sudden agility and grateful he didn’t mess up his hard work. Marcel climbs in after them, just as carefully as his brothers and looks up to Louis with a raised brow.

“Care to join us, Kitten?” He asks playfully.

Louis doesn’t hesitate. He slithers his body between Harry and Marcel and breathes in deep. All of his favorite scents hit his nose and his favorite arms are holding him. He built his very own nest with the help of his (formerly) suppressed omega and he’s laying in it with his soulmates.

Getting through the rest of this tour seems a whole lot less daunting than it had before.

____

“Not to ruin the moment..” Harry says after thirty minutes of silence. Everyone has been drifting in and out of sleep since they entered Louis’ nest.

“Then don’t.” Edward grumbles from behind him.

That’s fair, Harry thinks. He has never been more comfortable in his life than he is lying in a nest made by his omega and cuddling his mates. The alpha inside of him feels entirely settled for probably the first time since Marcel first kissed him. To ruin this moment would be inviting chaos into the peace they’ve created— but it must be done.

“Sorry Ed, but Louis has been on the premises for a little over an hour and no one has come looking for him. Anyone else find that strange?”

The triplets had been preparing for Louis’ management to be overbearing and demanding. From what the omega has told them, prolonged moments of solitude like this were few and far between. So why hasn’t Amanda or any of her cronies come looking for him yet? Louis had run off with Eleanor then shut his phone off for a week. Surely, Amanda can’t be happy and would be seeking Louis out.

Louis, apparently, has the same thought because he scrambles out of the bed as fast as his tiny body can carry him. Harry watches in confusion as his little mate starts tearing the room apart after until it finally clicks.

“Your phone is in Marcel’s bag, Dovie.”

Both his brothers are as alert as he is now. They stay in the nest— too worried about messing it up to get up— but all of their eyes track Louis as he moves about the room.

Harry watches the color drain out of Louis’ face once he finds his phone and powers it on. He can’t stand to watch his soulmate deal with that on his own so he (carefully) crawls off the bed and wraps his arms around the omega from behind.

One glimpse at the phone in Louis’ hands and he’s ready to make heads roll. Besides messages from his family and one from someone named Oli, there is a single message from Amanda.

‘You are to report to my office inside the arena within the hour. Carl will escort you. You better have a damn good excuse, Louis.’

Harry growls slightly as he takes the phone out of Louis’ hands and passes it over to Marcel. Edward’s chest rumbles in anger, reading over their younger brother’s shoulder, as Marcel’s eyes flash a dangerous red. Harry would spare a moment to admire the alpha inside his baby brother making an appearance if he wasn’t so pissed off.

“Okay, we were prepared for this.” Edward says deceptively calm, making eye contact with each of his brothers. “The message was sent fifteen minutes ago. We need to get our Princess ready.”

Harry can feel how badly Louis’ body is trembling. All he can do right now is pray to the Gods that their plan will work. He leans down to kiss along his omega’s neck in an effort to calm him. No matter how much progress they’ve made, Louis will have to face his abusers again. As necessary as it is, it feels wrong to put him in that position. Louis’ body sagging back into his eases some of the guilt— if only by a fraction.

The triplet’s had worked tirelessly during their week in Doncaster to have every possible scenario that could arise on this tour covered. The employment contracts and nda’s for the road crew, stage hands and security had been written up as soon as they’d dropped Louis off. They had decided to wait to send them until they were headed to Cardiff to minimize gossip and chatter before they arrived. Boundaries were put in place amongst the crew stating that no one was allowed inside their tour bus besides them and the driver to avoid any questions of their scents in Louis’ space. Every venue One Direction would be playing at was briefed on possible illegal activity on the grounds so they would be ready to hand over any and all CCTV footage for an active investigation. Marcel had made them study floor plans for each arena so they knew how to stay in the shadows and spend time with Louis out of sight. Most importantly, Edward and Harry had positioned some of their own employees as double agents within One Direction’s road crew. That on top of a thousand other things meant they would have eyes and ears wherever Louis was told to go.

The only issue they still needed to take care of was how to protect Louis while he was trapped in a room with the same people that had put him in this position. If Harry and his brother’s were trying to stay hidden, they were unable to stand outside the door and wait for him or go into the meetings with him. Even if they had access to live camera’s, Amanda and her guards still had the power to hurt him before any of them could reach their little omega.

Harry lifts his head from Louis’ neck just enough to raise a brow at his brother’s. Thankfully, they nod in understanding at what he’s trying to silently communicate.

“Louis, we don’t have a lot of time so we need you to listen and decide quickly, okay?” Edward says sternly.

Louis nods with wide eyes, still trembling. All Harry can do is hold him tighter and push out soothing pheromones to keep him calm.

“We aren’t able to be in that room with you and if we want to keep our presence concealed, we can’t be waiting outside either.” Marcel stated blandly. “We would feel better if you allowed one or two members of your own security to know what’s going on so they can be ready to step in if Amanda does anything more than talk.” His baby brother makes the whole situation sound like they are living out the plot of a James Bond movie but he’s right either way.

Harry can feel Louis shake harder. The ribs protruding out of the small omega rattle so hard Harry is scared they’ll crack in half. His blue, blue, blue eyes are stuck wide open in disbelief— or maybe fear, Harry can’t be sure. All he knows is that this should’ve been discussed much sooner than now. That had been their plan before Louis kicked them out of the room to build his stunning nest. He wouldn’t change that for the world even if it would mean less pressure now.

“Al and Paul.” Louis’ shaky voice breathes out.

Harry is honestly shocked that Louis agreed that easily but he won’t question it. Alberto and Paul it is. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Edward typing on his phone, no doubt calling the the men to their bus.

“So brave, Dovie. Such a good boy.” Harry whispers directly into Louis’ ear. The omega shivers in his arms but the trembling subsides.

“They’ll be here in a minute.” Edward informs the room. “Would you like to the front of the bus to speak to them, Princess?”

“Don’t want anyone to see my nest.” Louis mumbles.

The alphas don’t question the request. Nests are sacred. A safe space for omega’s and their alpha’s. If Louis doesn’t want anyone to see it, then no one will fucking see it.

They lead Louis out of the bedroom and close it up just as a knock is heard on the door from outside. For all his shaking earlier, Louis actually looks pretty okay. Harry peers down at him as they make their way to the front couches but can’t find a single hint of hesitation. He almost wants to puff his chest out in pride at just how brave his mate is.

Harry and Edward sit on the small couch and pull Louis between them as Marcel goes to open the door. In seconds, two strong alpha’s are bursting into the bus with red faces.

“What in the hell is going on and why did we need to get to Louis’ bus right away?” The shorter one, Paul, booms.

“Let’s back up actually. Why in the hell does Louis have his own bus and where did it come from?” Alberto nearly screams. Whatever message Edward sent them must’ve sent them into panic mode.

As Harry and his brothers hold back a growl at the alphas for acting so irrationally in front of their omega, Louis giggles. He giggles. All five alphas in the room stop what they’re doing and look down at the small brunette.

“Sit down and listen, idiots.” Louis says, still giggling with the back of his hand over his mouth.

Gods, he’s so fucking beautiful. Harry forgets about the time-sensitive situation they’re in for a moment. Louis is simply the sweetest creature he has ever laid eyes on. Somewhere between admiring the crinkles by his omega’s eyes and the sharpness of his canines, he’s brought back to the moment by Louis’ voice.

“Long story short, I am an omega.” Louis says matter of factly. Harry looks up to see Paul and Alberto have sat down and are now staring at Louis blankly. “We can go into the nitty gritty later, but hiding my status was not my choice and we are trying to rectify that. We need your help.”

“Right.” Alberto says, still not blinking. “Who is ‘we’ exactly?”

Harry can’t help but laugh at that. Of all the questions this alpha could’ve had and that’s the one he chooses to ask. He can see why Louis is so fond of him.

“Hi, I’m Harry Styles. One third of Adore Inc. CEO’s and Louis’ soulmate.” He says excitedly, shaking hands with each of them. Paul and Alberto just stare at him with furrowed brows.

“Marcel Styles. Also Adore Inc. CEO and Louis’ soulmate.” Marcel says next. He shakes the guard’s hands as well.

Paul and Edward turn to Edward then, who doesn’t speak. He stares the guards down with a clenched jaw and tight grip around Louis’ waist.

“This is my Edward. Apparently he’s being brooding and possessive right now.” Louis says as he nudges Edward with his elbow. Edward doesn’t flinch.

“We know you have a lot of questions but we don’t have time for that right now.” Marcel interjects. “What you need to know is that Simon Cowell employed Amanda and a few other people to keep Louis’ status hidden through alpha commands, illegal suppressants, contracts and threats.”

Paul and Alberto both let out loud growls at that. As much as Harry wants to be angry about other alpha’s having such strong feelings towards his omega, he can’t. He’s can only be happy that Louis has people to help keep him safe.

“We are doing our best to collect evidence of their wrongdoings to hopefully get them behind bars. At this moment, Amanda cannot know that Louis has met his soulmates, gone off his suppressants and is no longer under the spell of commands they’d given him. For that reason, we aren’t able to go to the meetings with him. We need you two to be in the vicinity of the room to be able to step in if need be.”

“Who knows about this?” Paul asks. His hands clenching into fists before releasing continuously.

“No one.” Edward pipes up. “Besides the six of us in this room, Louis’ family are the only people that know of both his status and our plan. Louis deserves the opportunity to share this information when he’s ready so we’d appreciate that it stayed between us.”

“Of course. What do you need us to do?” Alberto asks.

The triplets spring into action. Harry is sure the guards are bursting at the seams with questions but there’s no time for that. Carl could come knocking on the door at any minute and they need to be ready. Best case scenario is they get Louis out of bus and on his way to Amanda before Carl can come looking for him.

The venue has already been warned to have their security cameras up and running, but to be safe, they fit a hidden camera into Louis outfit. It’s small enough that it can be fit into the pocket of his jacket without being noticeable. On top of that, Marcel slips a voice recorder into Louis’ pocket.

“I feel like I’m working for MI6 right now. Are you going to give me new glasses with a camera in them too?” Louis jokes. All the alphas present chuckle along with him.

“Wait—You wear glasses?” Marcel asks with red cheeks.

Harry can’t help but snort. One of the reasons they hadn’t ever looked for an omega seriously is because they couldn’t agree on what to look for. Edward wanted one who could stay at home and keep house (i.e obey), Harry wanted someone fun and spontaneous and Marcel wanted someone who could nerd out as much as him. The funny thing about Louis is that he meets all those requirements, but he also changed each of their expectations. Edward had softened around the edges, Harry was more open to settling down and Marcel had finally unleashed the alpha power within him. He was already beyond perfect for every version of the triplets. Add glasses on to all of that? Harry can see the fourteen year old, freshly presented alpha inside Marcel swooning.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Louis winks

“Alright, alright. The last thing we need right now if Marcel to pop a boner that one of us has to take care of. We need to focus.” Edward snaps, shifting them all back to their tasks after a moment of laughter.

While his brothers get Louis ready, Harry briefs the guards. It says a lot about their training that they simply nod and ask clarifying questions while he fills them in. Their plan is a simple one, but it requires everyone be alert at all times. Once Louis enters the room with Amanda, Paul and Alberto will linger outside the room with ear pieces so they can listen in on both Louis and the triplets— who will be watching the footage live from the tour bus.

“You guys do know that Amanda doesn’t usually get physical with me, right?” Louis asks. “She’ll probably be mean, but all this spy shit and extra security is most likely pointless. “

“We know that, Princess. But none of this pointless. For one, the cameras and recorder is to collect evidence. And two, Paul and Alberto are there so that your our alpha’s don’t go ballistic and break the door down to get to you. Even if she’s just mean with words, that’s enough to set off the killer instinct inside of us.” Edward responds.

Harry can’t even argue with that. Every thing they’re doing is definitely over the top, but it’s worth it if their omega is safe. Alpha’s have a natural instinct to protect their mates. It can turn deadly in certain situations if someone’s inner alpha feels their mate is threatened enough to warrant death. There’s even laws to protect alpha’s if it comes to that. Considering Amanda has been playing God in Louis’ life, put his health in jeopardy and denied him the chance to be himself for years, Harry is already dangerously close to flipping the kill switch and he knows Edward and Marcel feel the same. Paul and Alberto, at the very least, will be there to hold them back if it comes to that. In that case, the camera’s and recorder will be to protect him and his brother’s from jail time.

“Trust us Kitten, it’s all very necessary.” Marcel tells their omega with a kiss to his sharp cheekbone.

The triplets take turns trading kisses with Louis and reminding him to stay strong but play the part. They have one last group hug that makes Harry feel like they’re sending Louis off to war rather than a meeting with his manager before passing him off to the security.

“Protect him with your life.” Harry rumbles out, slight alpha voice bleeding though. Thankfully, it’s not enough to affect Louis, but it gets his point across.

As soon as Louis is led out, Harry and his brothers settle on the couch with Marcel’s laptop. They pull up the security cams to the venue and wait.

“Hey Ed?” Harry asks, “Did you ever think it would be Marce that’s most likely to lose control of his alpha first?”

Edward shakes his head with a smirk on his face. “No, can’t say that I did.” He ruffles Marcel’s short curls. “Think of what mum would say if she found out her baby is full blown alpha now.”

Marcel’s cheeks are bright red from the teasing but he leans into Edwards touch anyway. Harry, not one to be left out, throws one arm around his shoulder and pulls him in. Hopefully, the solace they find in each others arms is enough to keep their inner alphas at bay.
_____

“I need to find Carl.” Louis informs his guards outside the bus.

“Fucking Carl. Always knew something was off about him.” Alberto gets out through gritted teeth. “I always wondered why they called him instead of me when you went out at night. Now i know.”

Louis feels bad for the man, he really does. A few times in the last couple years, Alberto would catch Louis heading out for the night and give him a questioning look or ask if he was needed. Louis always had to shrug or dismiss him in some way. He trusted Alberto with his life and in turn Alberto protected him with his own. If it hurt him to do, he can’t imagine how Alberto felt being on the receiving end.

“A lot of things around here are starting to make sense now.” Paul speaks. “Can’t believe I didn’t put it together sooner. I feel like I failed you, Tommo.”

That right there is what Louis never wanted to happen. The only person at fault for everything that’s happened is Simon fucking Cowell. Paul as been more of a father figure to him than any of the fathers he’s had before and it’s painful to see him blame himself for something he couldn’t have known.

“No, you couldn’t have known. I did everything I could to make sure no one found out, Simon made sure of that. I won’t be able to forgive myself if you blame yourself for any of this.” Louis rushes out, throwing his arms around his tour manger.

Paul hold him tightly and it feels so good. When the triplets first told him they might need to tell people, he was too caught up in the panic of Amanda’s text to fully comprehend what they were saying. When the fog cleared in his head and he replayed their words, all he could feel was overwhelming comfort. Paul and Alberto were two of the only people he let get close to him. Telling them the truth was more freeing than it was scary and he was eager to tell them once the opportunity presented itself. He knew they’d be the most understanding about it. With Paul’s arms wrapped around him, he knows he was right.

“I might need a quick favor from you two, though.” Louis says as he steps back.

“Anything you need, Louis, all you have to do is ask.” Alberto says.

“You guys might have to scent me.” Both alphas look at him absolutely scandalized. “Listen, I was just cuddling with my alphas. I know i smell like them. Amanda will know it too.” He tells them seriously.

“Right.” Alberto clears his throat, “Cmon then.” He says as he pulls Louis between two trucks. None of them want this, especially after they just met Louis’ alphas, but it’s necessary.

Al leans down so he’s eye level with the camera hidden among Louis’ clothes. “Gentlemen, please don’t kill us for this.” He says

Louis flips the camera towards his face and smiles big. “Don’t worry, alphas. Think of how much fun you’ll have getting their scents off me later.” He finishes his statement with a wink and blows a kiss into the camera.

Paul and Alberto sandwich Louis between them and push their scents out. It’s not the most efficient scenting technique, but it works. All Louis can smell around him is Paul’s cloves and Alberto’s cypress.

Much to their chagrin, Carl is walking towards them when they emerge from their spot between the trucks. Louis heads toward him with his own guards following behind at a close distance.

“Louis, Amanda is waiting.” Carl says gruffly.

Louis follows behind the man growing more and more anxious. He hasn’t thought of a single good excuse as to why he went radio silent for a week. Never, not once, in the years of Amanda controlling him has he gone that long without answering her messages. On top of that, that last thing he did before the silence was disobey orders. He shone how has to take whatever lecture she throws at him as well as play his part as a beta. He’s been so preoccupied with his mates that he hasn’t quite figured out how to navigate this situation.

In all honesty, having to go back to Amanda is giving him a pretty clear idea of what he wants moving forward. His contract is up after this tour and he’s been wishy washy on if he wants to sign again or not. He knows Liam, Niall and Zayn are planning on it and because of that, he was as well. Now, he’s not so sure. Even if he could renegotiate some of the terms of his contract, this life isn’t what he wants. Maybe he’s not ready to give up music entirely just yet. But given a choice between handlers, contracts, long stints on the road and bandmates that don’t appreciate him vs. a peaceful life with his soulmates, he’d take the latter without hesitation.

With that thought in mind, he walks into the temporary office Amanda has set up inside the arena with his head held high. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel he reminds himself. This meeting with Amanda and all the rest to come will soon be a dark spot in his past, not a certainty in his future.

“Louis.” Amanda’s shrill voice snaps as he walks into the room. Just before Carl closes the door behind him, Louis spots Paul and Alberto taking up residence in the hall outside. Carl doesn’t appear to have noticed them, the absolute moron that he is.

“Amanda.” Louis says steadily even if he’s falling apart inside.

Amanda stares him down with a sharp look, just like she always does. Something has shifted now, though. Her long black hair still poses as a stark contrast to her pale white skin and her tight blood red pencil skirt is still tight enough to scream corporate. The sharp edge of her false nails still look like they could draw blood with a single slice. All of those things used to intimidate him, used to make him fall in line. Not anymore, however.

He’s not sure if it’s the taste of freedom or she’s just having a bad week, but none of those things give him the pause it used to. Her stick straight hair looks fried from heat damage and her pencil skirt appears cheap. Even her razor sharp nails are disorderly and in need of a fill. Wow, Louis thinks, a week with Lizzie and Faith and he has enough knowledge in the world of beauty and self care to recognize that Amanda is not nearly as put together as he always thought she was. His confidence grows.

“I hope you know that your punishment for the stunts you’ve pulled in the last week will be severe.” She barks, alpha voice slipping in. “Dirty little omegas like you don’t get to have the fame and fortune we’ve given you. Filthy panty slickers like you are only good for one thing and that’s obeying orders. We’re my orders obeyed, Louis?” Faux sweetness drips from her words like honey.

“No, they were not obeyed.” He stands with his back straight and hands folded in front of him, just like Amanda likes.

“Exactly.” Amanda’s tone shifts back to angry and domineering. She stands from the desk and walks towards Louis in her pointed black heels (Knock off Louboutin’s, Louis notices). “I’m thinking we need to up the dose of your suppressants and the amount of sluts you’re seen with. Perhaps a club every night. That’ll get people talking, won’t it Louis?” She standing nose to nose with him by the time she’s done.

As much as he doesn’t want them to, her words start to get to him. He’s heard them a thousand times before but it’s like a barbed wire. They lodge so deeply within him and pulling them out onlt causes more damage. He feels his confidence waning just for a second until he feels something else— pure, white hot fucking rage.

Just before it can consume him, he reminds himself of two things: 1) He still has to play the part of dutiful beta. He can’t unleash fully and 2) The old myth about soulmates his grandmother told him. A brief moment of clarity and he realizes, this rage is not his own. He submitted to his alphas and their strength prevented a drop. Now that he’s accepted their courtship and built a nest for them, they can lend him emotions that all three of them feel strongly enough to reach him without a bond mark as well. He lets the fire burn just enough to keep his confidence alive while also playing his part.

“What about Niall?” Louis throws out. Much of his life as an omega in One Direction has been taking the brunt of abuse and neglect from Modest! and Syco purely in an effort to shield Niall from it. He has no proof they would, but the fear they would treat the little blonde omega the same way has always kept him going. In the five years of these lectures, that question has never passed his lips. What’s more, it was always protective instincts towards the other omega that held it back, not commands.

Amanda staggers back to look him in the eye more clearly. She certainly didn’t expect that and Louis knows it. As close as he was to Zayn and Liam, he was 100% more protective of Niall than any of them. From day one of being put in a band together, Louis felt the same ‘big brother’ instinct over Niall that he did with all of his siblings. If he hadn’t have met the triplets, he would’ve let Niall berate and insult him to his hearts content simply because all he wants is to see the other omega happy. The words feel foreign and wrong coming out of his mouth, but he stands by them. Niall isn’t a child anymore. He is a fully grown, bonded adult that has treated Louis with nothing but contempt and resentment. Louis allows himself, finally, to ask the forbidden question: If Louis is a ‘filthy panty slicker’, then what is Niall?

“Niall?” Amanda asks dumbfounded. For the first time, she actually seems speechless.

“Yes, if I am a ‘filthy panty slicker’,” Louis says the forbidden words aloud, complete with air quotes, “Then what is Niall?”

“We aren’t talking about Niall, Louis.” Amanda bites, fists clenching at her sides, “We are talking about you. Niall is bonded and happy. What are you my poor, little Louis?” Condescension bleeds from her lips.

“I am a severely neglected omega.” Louis responds thoughtlessly. The words tumble out before he can stop them.

Amanda’s face flares red in anger before she speaks, “No, Louis. You are a beta.” She says in an alpha command, “A gross little beta that can’t do anything fucking right. Your dose of suppressants will be adjusted and you can—“

Amanda is interrupted by a knock on the door. Louis, although her voice no longer effects him, was beginning to feel uncomfortable. She had gotten dangerously close to hitting him from what he can tell. On top of that, she was about to try and lock him into a command he would have to play along with. The interruption couldn’t have come at a better time.

To Louis’ delight, it’s Paul that knocked. The alpha steps into the room after Carl opens the door, “Excuse me, I need to get Louis ready for soundcheck.”

Amanda doesn’t question Paul’s arrival or excuse. She simply waves a dismissing hand and allows the omega to follow Paul out of the room. Louis doesn’t want to dwell on whatever command she was about to give him and he’s beyond grateful that he has a few more weeks without his pills before his scent starts to come back.

“Thanks for the save, Pauly. Perfect timing too.” Louis says as he cuddles into Paul’s side. They walk outside of the arena again, Alberto close behind.

“Yeah well, had some angry alphas in my ear, didn’t I?” The guard says in a thick irish accent.

Louis giggles like a fucking schoolgirl at that. He feels like he did when his sisters first learned about the triplets. He was happy then to have people to gossip about the triplets with. Now on the road, he has people as well.

“They’re pretty fucking great aren’t they?” Louis asks, stopping to bum a cigarette from Alberto. “Thinking about quitting music and becoming a full time sugar-baby.” He says after his cigarette is lit. Gods, it’s been almost two weeks since he’s had one. It feel like utter bliss.

Alberto scoff through a puff of his own cig, “Ah, so that’s why you settled for them. Their wallets are as deep as their curls are long, eh?”

Louis cackles and not because Alberto is funny, but because he couldn’t be further from the truth. “Settled? You think I settled for them?” He asks, takinf another puff. “There is no settling involved here, boys. Those alphas were hand crafted by the moon goddess herself just for me.”

“I’m not so sure, Tommo.” Paul says, teasing.

“Dimples, Pauly. They’ve got fucking dimples. And on top of that, they gave me this.” Louis thrusts his hand in front of Paul’s face to show how his ring. The stones shimmer beautifully in the early afternoon sun.

“Fuck, Lou! You’re letting them court you? You’re actually going to bond them?” Alberto screeches, grabbing Louis’ hand and inspecting the ring.

Paul gives the ring a scrutinizing look before saying, “Are you sure, Lou? You’re ready to bond them? There’s a lot of alphas out there and you haven’t ever actually gotten to be an omega.”

Louis laughs, bright and airy. All the tension of his meeting with Amanda completely gone and it’s all thanks to his alphas.

“If we were playing a game of fuck, bond, kill,” Louis looks straight into Paul’s eyes,” I would rather kill myself and fuck the world than bond anyone but the three curly ass, green eyed bombshells waiting for me. In the brand new tour bus they got just for me and my comfort, might I add.”

As Al and Paul dissolve into hysterics, Louis can’t help but feel lighter. This conversation is the most he’s felt like himself in over five years. He’s always been funny as hell, but he spent most days so worn out from everything to even try to crack a joke or pull a prank. A piece of himself clicks back into place seeing Al wipe tears away because of something he said. He takes a deep drag of his cig, irs it’s like a reward.

“Hey Kid,” Paul wheezed between loud belly laughs, “Remind me to bring that up at your bonding ceremony.”

Louis guffaws, “You’ll be walking me down the aisle. It better be in your speech. That was the most romantic thing i’ve ever said.” He says it jokingly, but there’s a lot of truth behind it. Paul is the only father figure in his life and will be walking him down the aisle without a doubt.

“Oi! Just forgetting about me then?” Alberto fake argues.

“Don’t worry, Al. I’ll still need a flower girl.”

Once again, Paul and Al lose themselves to their laughter. Pride surges through Louis’ veins. The more they laugh, the closer to himself he feels. He doesn’t have to hide in the shadows anymore. Not only that, this is the longest conversation he’s had with anyone outside of his alphas or his family is a long, long while.

He’s grinning wit at the sight of two muscular bodyguards doubled over in laughter when a thin arm drops over his shoulders and pulls him in.

Oranges and tobacco flood his nose. Without turning around, he knows it’s Zayn.

Alberto and Paul give him a pitying look, Alberto turning his head to send Zayn a death glare. Louis can’t be sure if he’s always done that or if it’s a new development but Zayn seems to take it on the chin like it’s not the first time. Alberto, the great friend that he is, drops his pack of cigarettes and lighter in Louis’ hand before the guards take their leave.

Louis takes a second to center himself before turning to Zayn. He recalls the thousands of times they were alone together with nothing but. a pack of cigs, just like this, and it all feel alien. Like another Louis and another Zayn. Nothing about the alphas arm around his shoulders right now feels natural like it used to. That Zayn, the one from before, wanted him. This Zayn rejected him over and over again.

For a split second, that random phone call he’d gotten from the alpha pings through his head. Zayn had called him the afternoon he’d gotten to Donny. The call was weird, too friendly for the distance the alpha had put between them. At the end of the call, Louis invited them to call again. Of course, they didn’t. That only served to make the whole thing more peculiar. Why open those floodgates just to close them again? Was it another manipulation tactic? We’re they making fun of his eagerness to be close to them?

“Hey babes.” Zayn greets him casually, using the same nickname he’d always used in the past. “Mind if I bum one?”

Louis doesn’t speak, just thrusts the hand containing the pack and lighter towards his bandmate. Zayn removes two from the pack, bring them both to his lips to light them before handing one of them to Louis. He takes it.

It all feels…normal. Well, it feels normal if this was three or four years ago. As it stands now, he can’t rule out he hasn’t either a) entered the twilight zone or b) found himself in an entirely new reality.

“How was Donny, Babes?” Zayn asks as he blows out smoke.

Louis takes a second to stare into chocolate eyes before responding. “It was great. Haven’t had more than a day or two up there in a long time. A whole week felt like luxury.” No point in lying. Liam had told his mates everything without a doubt.

Zayn lights up at his response at first before looking completely put out. Louis isn’t sure if his voice is boring or he just didn’t say what the alpha wanted to hear. Instead of dwelling on it, he raised the cigarette to his lips and takes a long drag.

“Talked to Amanda lately?” Zayn asks.

Louis pauses. Is Zayn spying on him for her? He scrutinized his friends face. As long as it’s been, Louis has not lost the ability to read Zayn. Whatever his motive is, it’s not for Amanda. Honesty is the bet policy then.

“Yeah actually. Just got out of a meeting with her.” Zayn’s head snaps to Louis’, brown eyes staring deep into blue. “Apparently, taking a week to see my family means i’m a whore who needs to have more sluts in my bed? I think that’s what she said.” Louis shrugs.

Zayn fishmouths as his face flushes deep red in anger. Interesting. Louis cuts in again because the alpha can speak.

“Not that any of the women that agree to be photographed with me are sluts. I mean, I don’t get all their information in a thirty second walk to the car, but most of them are lovely so I’m not sure what Amanda was talking about.”

Zayn looks him up and down with an intense gaze. Louis feels like he’s being studied and honestly, whatever Zayn is doing isn’t far from it.

“How many of them have you slept with, Babes?” Zayn blurts during an upward scan of his body. The words appear involuntary as the alphas eyes widen in shock.

Louis chuckles nervously. “Um, none Z? I’m a virgin.” He states as seriously as possible.

The alpha chokes on his smoke, coughing so hard it sounds like his entire lung might come out. Louis pats his back in an effort to be helpful even if it does nothing for him.

“Virgin?” Zayn says in a strangled voice, still coughing.

Louis decides right then to do something reckless. Zayn, before he started courting Niall and Liam, knew all about Louis’ inexperience. Even after the first articles of his supposed prowess dropped, Zayn had teased him for ‘not knowing what to do’. He can’t imagine in what world Zayn would think he lost his virginity and didn’t tell him about it. He’s not ready to drop the whole truth on his old friend, but he can trickle it down a bit.

“I’m gay, Z. How am I supposed to be having sex with all these beautiful women if I’m not attracted to them?”

The alpha abruptly straightens his posture and looks deep into Louis’ eyes. Louis looks back. It honestly baffles him that Zayn didn’t know that. Back in the day, he made his sexuality an open secret. In his head, if he couldn’t be the omega he was, then he would be the gayest gay to ever gay. His whole wardrobe consisted of the tightest pants he could find to show off his ass, suspenders and bow ties and anything he could find to show it off. He even got a triangle tattoed on his ankle, an international symbol of GAY. An interviewer asked them one word to describe themselves and Louis proudly answered ‘flamboyant’. Amanda stepped in and put a stop to all of that right away. He and Zayn were so close then that he didn’t think he had to spell it out for him. Apparently, he very much did.

“Gay? As in no women ever kinda gay?”

Louis laughs, hard. “Gay, Zayn. As in no women ever. Amanda, as shitty as she is, had a great eye for women though. Everyone she sets me up with is so beautiful that I sometimes wish I was bi. I’m very much not, but I appreciate my ‘harem’ nonetheless.” Louis jokes, recalling the countless articles written about his countless dates and non-existent prowess.

“I think we have to get to soundcheck.” Zayn says then.

“Course. Lead the way, Zaynie.” Louis chuckles.

Chapter Text

The stage was once a place Louis adored. A place he’d yearned to be long before he was a household name and strangers cried at the sight of him. Even as a fumbling kid during his audition to the X-factor, he felt safe and comfortable under the harsh lighting.

The stage is not a safe place for him anymore.

The stadium is empty as the band runs through their set list, but Louis can’t seem to find the same comfort in being on stage that he once did. It all feels off now— performative in a way that isn’t just from hiding himself away anymore. He has no idea when the electric excitement gave way to a contrived sense of duty, but the shift happened. Being on stage now, even singing his own lyrics, is little else but work.

A break is called after they run through Don’t Forget Where You Belong to grab water and reset before Little Things. Louis is grateful for it. Choosing to spill the beans on his sexuality and body count (or lack thereof) to Zayn directly before soundcheck was a mistake. The alpha has barely taken his eyes off of Louis since they made their way to the stage, his gaze burning a hole into Louis’ back as soon as the omega turns away.

Louis pushes the alpha to the back of his head as he plops down on the edge of the stage in front of Alberto to grab a water. Whatever Zayn may be feeling, it’s his problem to work through— not Louis’.

“Gotta be honest, Tommo,” Alberto’s voice pulls him back to the moment, “Whatever you did in the last week, your voice is better for it.”

“What do you mean?” Louis asks, face scrunched in confusion.

“Don’t take this the wrong way.” Al starts again as he rests one arm by Louis’ legs and leans towards him, “You’ve always sounded great, but there’s more to it now. You’re louder and more steady, more in control. You’ve been holding out on us, Kid.” He nudged Louis’ leg with a fond chuckle.

“He’s right, you know?” Louis hears another voice say. Basil, Liam’s personal guard, joins their conversation, clearly having eavesdropped. “You’re like a whole new person up there and there’s not even anyone here to impress.”

Louis’ cheeks burn. It hadn’t occurred to him before, but they’re right. As displaced as he feels on the stage now, there is more confidence to draw from as he sings. He doesn’t have to worry about Amanda or Niall or Zayn or Simon getting angry at him for messing up a lyric or missing a mark and it shows in his whole demeanor. Although, Basil may be wrong about not having anyone to impress.

His eyes fall to the pocket of his jacket where the camera was hidden before meeting Amanda. He had completely forgotten about it once Zayn approached him. There was no time to slip back to his bus to remove it before he needed to be at soundcheck and he doubts Zayn would’ve let him go without a few questions. Louis had been performing for his alphas the whole time without even knowing it. His face glows a brighter red at the thought of the triplets having heard what he said to Paul and Alberto about them. How embarassing.

“Um t-thanks.” Louis stutters out before getting up and retreating to his mark for the next song.

The rest of soundcheck goes as well as he could hope. Louis pays attention to the changes in his voice and has to agree with the guards, he’s definitely not holding back anymore. Every solo he has is projected out of him at a volume he can’t remember reaching before and he punches every chorus harder than he thought he’d be able to. All the natural rasp he has used to sound whiny to his ears, but now it sounds like the raps of a seasoned professional.

One downside, though, is that Zayn’s eyes aren’t the only ones locked onto him anymore. By the end of soundcheck, Liam is sending sideways glances his way every so often and Niall is just flat out staring at him with twisted lips and a crease between his brows. Louis contemplates sticking around to hear what they might have to say, but ultimately decides he’d much rather get back to his alphas.

Alberto escorts him back to his trailer as soon as the final notes of Best Song Ever fade out. The alpha spends the walk raving about how much the fans will love hearing what he can do. Louis doesn’t say much, but he can’t wait either. The fans have been a saving grace for him, they deserve to have the best experience they can— even if he couldn’t give it to them before.

The second Louis closes the trailer door behind him, he’s slammed right back against it. A rock hard body looms over him and a plush lips are slammed into his own hungrily. In that instant, he feels so alive that he can’t tell if the scent of scorching lightning is coming from the body against his or the tingling in his veins.

The next thing he can make out is thunderous rain and he knows— Edward.

The alpha is devouring him so completely, one would think he hasn’t even in weeks. Sharp teeth nip at his bottom lip as Louis does his best to keep up, losing himself in the scent wrapped around him and impossible need of the alpha. He brings his hands up to grip onto the hair around Edward’s neck as his pants begin to dampen.

A large hand comes down to grip his bum roughly, lifting him from the ground and forcing his legs to wrap around his alpha’s torso. He whimpers as slick pours out of him steadily. Once Edward has him in his arms against the wall, the alpha buried his nose into his neck, drinking in a scent that only the alpha inside of him can detect.

“Fuck the world, right Omega?” Edward gets out through a growl. “No one but me and my brothers for you, right?” He asks, sucking Louis’ earlobe into his mouth.

“Yes, Alpha.” Louis moans. “Yours. Only yours.”

He’s lost to every sensation Edward is giving him. The alphas hands don’t stop moving, caressing every inch of Louis he can reach. His lips trace along Louis’ neck and collarbones, breathing deep and nipping occasionally. All the omega can do is take it.

Out of nowhere, Harry appears in a frantic state. He yells for Marcel as he does his best to pry Edward away. Marcel races out of the back bedroom to help Harry. Louis, unlike Edward, snaps out of the trance the alpha had him in as soon as he hears the shouts.

“Ed, you have to let him go!” Harry is yelling. “He has to be on stage in a few hours. The way you’re scenting him, he’ll smell like you for days.”

A low snarl sounds from Edward as the alphas arms tighten around him. Louis looks to Harry panicked. He feels awful. The rage he’d felt during his meeting with Amanda was pure and potent. All three of them were likely close to succumbing to their alpha’s. Edward, more so than Marcel and Harry, seemed to stew in it. Allowing it to consume him more and more the longer Louis was away. If only he’d come back to the bus to make sure they were okay before going to soundcheck.

“You have to sooth him, Kitten.” Marcel is telling him. “Calm your alpha down.”

Louis has no idea how to do that seeing as he’s been an omega for all of a week. Not to mention, words are failing him in the face of all the stress. All he can think to do is to gently run his fingers through Edwards hair, humming a song he started writing a while ago.

“Pour mercy mercy on me, set fire to history…” Louis mumbles out, forcing his voice to stay steady and soothing.

Edward doesn’t let him go yet, but his arms loosen slightly and his breathing slows to a calm rhythm. Louis continues to run is fingers over the alpha’s scalp as he sings.

“I’m breaking my own rules, I’m cryin like a fool.
Tall stories on the page, short glories on the fade.
I’ve been close enough to touch, but I’ve never cared for love.”

He closes his eyes as Edward presses his nose to Louis cheek. The alphas breaths in deep and exhales slowly, calming down significantly. The scent in the room shifts from an electrical storm to a soft grassy rain. As he continues singing, distinct notes of peppermint and springtime flood around him, serving to calm the atmosphere even further.

“It’s a church of burnt romances and I’m too far gone to pray.
It’s a solo song and it’s only for the brave.” Louis voice tapers off with the last line.

As he opens his eyes, Louis looks straight into dark green eyes burning fiercely into his. Edward’s lips are parted but his body stays stiff even as he lowers Louis back to his feet. Behind him, Marcel and Harry stand completely frozen, staring wide eyed back at him. He can’t help but fidget uncomfortably with all the eyes on him. Singing his own words in front of thousands of strangers every night is much less nerve wracking than belting out unfinished lyrics in front of his soulmates.

“Stop staring at me.” He mumbles, looking away from the alpha’s with flushed cheeks.

“Sorry, Princess.” Edward grabs his chin gently, turning his head back towards the brothers. “Did you write that? It’s beautiful. Hauntingly so.”

“Uh…yeah. It’s not finished yet, but yes I wrote it.” He replies nervously.

“Have you written anything else we haven’t heard yet?” Harry calls out.

All Louis can do is nod, throat suddenly too dry to speak. One thing everyone on the road with him knows, is that Louis carries his thick black journal with him everywhere he goes. The thick black journal that’s stuffed full of both finished and unfinished songs and music sheets with scribbled compositions stapled to the pages. Everyone on the road knows that journal because they’ve all seen most of One Ditection’s biggest hits come from it. Some of them have seen other artists fight like bloodthirsty demons to get a single word out of it. All Louis can do is nod because the easy answer is yes, he’s written songs the triplets haven’t heard yet. The harder, more complicated answer, is that he’s written songs the triplets have probably heard but not known were his.

If anyone who to ask Louis who he is, at his very core, the first answer he would give is that he’s a songwriter. No matter how many stages he conquers with his voice and a microphone, he is a songwriter first. His biggest and most important passion, even more than singing, is writing.

Louis has always used his pen to release the emotions he had to keep hidden. As much as Simon and Amanda wanted to police every detail of his life, they had no right to any of his art that wasn’t used for One Direction. Because of that, Louis started writing and selling both lyrics and instrumental compositions for other artists under a pen name- Ted Williams. His alter ego is huge within the music industry. Everyone chomping at the bit for whatever he creates. No one, outside of trusted members of their road crew, know the true identity of his pseudonym or just how many major hits he’s responsible for. From Taylor Swift to The Lumineers to Kevin Gates, Louis has either sold songs, melodie’s or ghost written for them all. Considering his alphas are high on the industry food chain, they know all about him.

Harry’s question is a simple one, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. It scratches the surface of the only major secret Louis holds completely on his own. It wasn’t forced upon him and it doesn’t threaten the lives of those around him. It’s the one thing Louis has held near and dear to his heart. A giant piece of himself he’s never let a single other soul near.

As much as it pains him to withhold something so important from his mates, he’s not ready to share quite yet. They may be intertwined for the rest of their lives, but Louis is not ready to spill all of that after a week or two of knowing them. As much as he’s falling in love with them, he can’t give that piece up yet. He can’t pull out his black journal of hidden identities and repressed emotions just yet. After years of neglect and abuse, the cards he’s still holding are too protected to give away so easily.

So he nods. If he had a scent detectable to anyone other than the alpha wolves inside each of the brothers, it would be sour with the anxiety of withholding something so big from his mates. Since that isn’t the case and all he smells of is Edward and the cigarettes he smoked earlier, all he has to do is keep is face as neutral as possible to avoid detection of his slight deception.

“Could you sing something for us?” Marcel asks then. “Something no one else has heard yet?”

The alpha is far too endearing for his own good. Louis looks into the mesmerizing green of his eyes and melts entirely.

There is songs he’d written while in Doncaster that don’t require breaking out his thick black journal and exposing himself. Songs he’d written on the back of his mum’s water bill and shoved into his suitcase. Melodies he’d hummed to get Delilah and Ezra to go down for their naps. He can do it, give a piece of a piece of himself up for the men he cares for so deeply.

“I do. But they would be better if I had a piano or something. My guitar is on the crew bus, I think, so maybe later—“

“I’ll get it!” Harry shouts and promptly sprints out the bus door.

Louis can barely blink before the alpha is gone. A crooked smile blooms on his face at the eagerness. Edward is still standing before him grinning like an idiot and Marcel stands just behind with a fond look.

“Could listen to you sing all day, Omega.” Edward whispers.

“Okay!” Louis shouts before the head alpha can lose himself to his wolf again. “Let me grab something and I’ll be right back.”

He slips away from Marcel and Edward, towards the bedroom to grab the song he’d started writing after his date with Marcel. He’s beyond giddy as he riffles through his belongings to find the scrap of paper he’s looking for.

Objectively, Louis must be a good singer if he’s a part of the most popular band in the world. Personally, Louis has come to fear picking up a microphone. Too many people had told him how undeserving he is to have any real confidence in his voice. Simon and Amanda made sure he knew he was there just to put the work in for the others. Gods, how many times had Niall told him he’s better off just leaving? Too many too count, honestly.

But now, he has people on his side telling him differently, replacing the negative voices in his head. Alberto and Basil had praised him earlier. His own alphas are tripping over their feet to hear more. Even if the confidence he’s gained on stage comes from self-assuredness in his own identity rather than any real confidence in his voice, he thinks it doesn’t really matter. The fans have always loved him the most anyway and he’d clung to that in the past. Now, he has millions of strangers plus his own trusted circle to cheer him on while his abusers become background noise.

By the time he returns to the front lounge, Harry is back and strumming his guitar softly while Edward and Marcel lay back on the couch.

“I didn’t know you played.” He says as he takes a seat at the table across from Harry.

“Oh.” The alphas cheeks redden slightly. Louis loves it. “I do. Marcel plays piano and Edward is the best drummer I’ve ever met. We started representing artists because we love music. We just do better on the administrative side.”

“Doubt it. Hand it over.” Louis reaches across the small table to grab the guitar. “Now that I know you guys are actually musically inclined, maybe you can help me finish this song.” He chides.

Louis strums the melody that’s been in his head for days before any words escape his lips. Marcel leans into Edward’s recliner body on the couch, both their heads away along with eyes closed. Harry watches Louis fingers strum in a trance, startled when Louis actuallt starts to sing.

“I come runnin to you like a moth into a flame.
You tell me take it easy but it’s easier to say, wish I didn’t need so much of you
I hate to say but I do.
We’re sleepin on our problems like we’ll solve them in our dreams.
We wake up early mornin and they’re still under the sheets.
I’m lost in my head, i’m spinnin again
Tryna find what to say to you.”

Louis goes into the chorus he’s written with ease. His voice echoing loudly in the closed space. Edward’s head is thrown back on the sofa, but Louis can see the way his hands are white knuckling Matcel’s biceps. Marcel himself is staring at Louis while his fingers tap the rhythm out on his thigh. Harry is still watching Louis fingers strum, but his mouth is moving like he’s trying to memorize every word out of Louis’ mouth.

“Okay, this is the part I haven’t quite worked out yet.” Louis says, still strumming the cords. “I usually love writing bridges, but this one is giving me some grief.”

“But I’ve never been so defenseless” Harry starts singing loudly.

As if it was practiced, Edward and Marcel harmonize with their brother, singing the ‘ooh, ooh,ooh’s’. Louis is stunned by the beauty of their voices for a moment, but also that they all seem to have memorized the chorus already.

“You just keep on buildin up your fences” Harry sings, the other two still building up the harmony. “Whatever your gut tells you, Dovie. Belt it out.” Harry looks him dead in the eye to say.

Louis had no idea what that means, but he doesn’t get a chance to question. Harry throws out the last line before his unwritten bridge and Louis goes into autopilot.

“I hope that I’m not asking too much.
Just wanna be loved.
I’m too tired to be tough,
Just wanna be loved
By you”

The four of them finish the song seamlessly. Louis pushing out one last chorus while Edward and Marcel harmonize with Harry on background vocals and adlibs. By the time his fingers stop moving across the strings, the song is not only complete, but it’s one of the most raw songs he’s ever written. His chest feels like it’s been torn open to lay his heart bare.

“Fuck, Princess.” Edward is the first to speak.

Louis can do nothing else but stare at his hands, then his alphas, then his hands again. His mouth his gaping, but he can’t close it. He has written countless songs about every struggle he’s been through, but none of them felt nearly as personal as this one did. The bridge he improvised literallt begged his alphas to live him. He’s never felt needier but he’s also never felt more honest.

“We do” Harry whispers. “Just so you know.”

Louis’ head shoots up the look at the alpha across from him. Harry is looking down at his hands as they fidget nervously in his lap. When he looks to the other two on the couch, Marcel’s head is buried in Edwards chest as they hold hands tightly.

“You do…what?” Louis asks, still in a state of shock.

It’s quiet for a second, two, three. Longer until the seconds starts to feel like it’s been a minute. For Louis, the seconds feel like they’ve been years.

“Love you.” Edwards says from across the room. “We do love you.”

Louis spares half a second to be surprised. Granted, he is, because that was not the response he was expecting. But if he’s being honest, his brain is too fried from running into Liam, building a nest, telling Paul and Alberto who he is, meeting with Amanda, spilling secrets with Zayn, avoiding probing eyes at soundcheck and writing a song begging for love from his alphas with his alphas to be shocked about a confession like that. It feels like the icing on the cake to a very emotionally charged day.

It feels like heaven.

He can’t be shocked, but he lets the words wash over him before saying, “Again.”

“We love you.” It’s Marcel that says it this time.

It feels like bliss.

“Again.” Louis demands.

“We fucking love you, Louis.” Harry’s voice deadpans in a serious tone, but the alpha’s face is sparkling in glee.

It feels like fucking ecstasy.

Louis stands and walks to the bedroom, shedding his clothes as he goes. He doesn’t bother to look back, but he can hear the stomps of heavy feel following behind. Fighting past each other in the narrow hallway. By the time he reaches the bed, he’s clad in only his silk lavender panties. He may not be ready to hand over certain business related pieces of himself and he may not be ready for sex, but he can hand over something else.

One thing he came to terms with over late night discussions with Lizzie, is that his body was literally hand crafted by the gods to meet every single one of the alphas requirements. He was built to love and be loved by them. His body, that’s been bruised and beaten, starved and overworked, is a piece of himself he’ll gladly hand to his alphas. If nothing else, he knows they’ll keep him safe. If he can trust these three alphas with anything, it’s the very skin he lives in.

When the triplets finally enter the room, they freeze simultaneously. Louis giggles at the fact that they’re so in sync, even at their big age.

“Fuck.” Is the only thing that any of that are able to articulate, and it’s Harry that says it through a gasping breath.

“Gawk all you want.” Louis throws out sassily, hands on his hips. “I’m going to lay down in my nest for the last two hours before the concert. I can only hope my alphas will give me food and cuddles.” He says with a bright glint in his eye.

The alphas don’t move yet, but their body’s all tick as if they aren’t sure where to go. To the kitchen or to the bed. Louis smirks mischievously as he catches their slight movement. He loves this, being playful like he once was, but mostly just being playful with people who love him.

“My alpha’s love me.” Louis crawls into his nest, laying face down with a slight arch in his back. He’s well aware of the gift that is his bum and he’s even more aware of just how amazing the view of it is for his alphas. “And I love them.” He sighs happily.

That seems to kick all three of them into action. Marcel and Harry throw themselves into the nest with Louis, running their hands over his exposed skin. Edward runs off towards the kitchen, presumably to fetch snacks for him.

“Not fair, you two.” Louis giggles as long fingers trails up both of his thighs. “Eddie doesn’t know his way around the kitchen at all.”

“Sucks for him.” Harry whispers. The alpha slaps Louis’ bum, not enough to sting but enough to make it jiggle. “He didn’t move fast enough.”

“Yeah, should’ve fought harder.” Marcel groans as his fingers trail Louis’ shoulder blade.

All the touches have Louis nearly melting into the bed. He feels completely boneless, weightless. But his stomach is beyond empty and his head won’t be able to relax until all three of the alpha’s present are in the nest with him.

“Just to let you know, none of you are touching me at all if Edward comes back with shitty food.”

Marcel and Harry are out of the nest and sprinting towards the front of the bus in record time.

Five minutes later, Louis is reclined back into Marcel’s chest as Harry and Edward feed him bites of cheese and grapes. All of them stripped down to nothing but their underwear.

Harry places another grape in his mouth and he closes his eyes to chew, savoring the moment. The omega inside of him feels so content, so connected, so loved. Louis himself feels cherished, worshiped. The skin on skin contact doing wonders to alleviate the stress that’s already built up through the day.

There was a time, just days ago, when touch like this was impossible. When the depri symptoms gripped him so tight, he wouldn’t be able to breathe. Just a few days ago, migraines plagued him to the point of drops. Just a few days ago, Louis was on the brink of death.

Maybe that’s not the case anymore. Maybe Louis is finally starting to recognize himself again. Maybe he can be playful and make those around him laugh again. Maybe he can sing without holding back. Maybe he can choose the secrets he shares now. Maybe he can hold his own during meetings.

But there was a time.

A time, literally days ago, that he dropped on a dirty hotel floor. A time when he had to drag himself up, malnourished, dehydrated and utterly broken. A time when the nicest thing anyone could do for him was not kick him out of the room as soon as he walked in. A time when the endless hours of work he put it meant nothing.

He lays here now, toned bodies surrounding him, with no migraines and food in his belly. Not a single depri symptom in sight. A concert just around the corner. And all he can think ‘thank the gods I went through that. and ‘Thank the gods I was strong enough to endure it long enough to make it out, to make it to them.’

For the first time in a long time, the thought of getting up on stage tonight doesn’t make him apprehensive. Doesn’t make him dread the harsh lights and deafening screams. No, he’s just damn proud of himself and what he’s gone through. He’s damn thankful that the fans stuck around. And most of all, he can’t wait to blow the minds of every fan in that fucking audience tonight.

_____

Zayn has been pacing up and down the narrow hallway of their tour bus for what feels like forever at this point.

After soundcheck, Niall felt sleepy so Liam and Zayn agreed that a nap was in order for their little mate. Zayn had told Liam before they’d even left the stage that he needed to talk to him asap. In his head, they’d walk back to the bus, send Niall to bed and then have privacy to talk.

That’s not what happened.

No. They’d walked to the bus. Liam insisted on seeing Niall to bed like he was a child rather than a 21 year old adult, and had been in the bedroom with him ever since. Zayn has been growing increasingly anxious as he’s watched the clock for 15, 30, 45 minutes and now an entire hour has passed and he feels like he’s going mental.

Have they always given in to Niall’s whims like this? Have they seriously always been this protective?

Thinking about it, Zayn can’t picture a single person he would spent an hour putting to sleep besides his sisters when they were toddlers. Why the fuck would Liam need an hour to put Niall to sleep?

Eventually, after another ten minutes pass, he can’t take it anymore. He twists the knob on the bedroom door and peers in, staying as quiet as possible even with the storm raging inside of him.

On the bed, Niall is snoring with his mouth wide while Liam sits beside him. His alpha isn’t doing anything besides watching the omega sleep. The storm rages harder.

Rationally, Zayn gets it. Niall is fucking adorable. It feels like a privledge to watch over him while he sleeps. He knows that. But, he’d told Liam he needed to talk. He’d even stressed the importance by sending some of the anxiety he’s been feeling through their bond.

Now, Liam is entirely disregarding his feelings just to sit, unmoving, by Niall’s side while the omega is completely passed out.

It’s times like these that make Zayn question if they did the right thing. Don’t get him wrong, he loves his mates more than anything. They’re soulmates in every definition of the word. They were meant to share a bond, to be a pack. At least he thinks, most of the time.

He had never questioned it before, but it’s been nagging at him lately. Liam’s resurgence of protectiveness over Louis had woken up a part of him that’d been dormant without his beta next to him. He taken off his rose colored glasses, so to speak.

Frustrated, Zayn closes the bedroom door again and goes back to pacing. He needs to sort his thoughts out, lest he start a full on brawl with his own head alpha.

The crux of their issues is Louis. The beta has been occupying all of their minds lately and the feelings are so overwhelming that none of them know how to act.

Liam hasn’t admitted to it, but after his rampage in their backyard a week ago, Zayn’s come to the conclusion that Liam was in love with the beta. Their connection was obvious to everyone and feelings that strong are the only explanation as to why Liam is still so hung up on him.

Niall has been snippy and short since the airport in Vegas. All he’s said is that he finally saw Louis for who he is, but didn’t elaborate. At first, Liam and Zayn had bristled, ready to jump to the beta’s defense. But it quickly became clear that that was Niall’s way of admitting fault. What the omega had meant was, he saw just how worn down Louis had been.

Zayn, well he’s still trying to work it out. What he knows for sure is that he feels guilt. Which, to be honest, is the biggest emotion all of them are feeling. They left their best friend behind and don’t know how to handle it. It’s more than that, though. Liam, in love with the beta or not, can barely function in the face of Louis’ rejection. Niall has been acting out in a way that suggests there’s more going on than what’s on the surface. And Zayn is just stuck.

He’d called Louis because he needed to hear is voice. Fuck, that voice. As soon as he heard it, it felt like his lungs finally inflated after years of gasping breaths. Then, they collapsed completely.

Louis had been his best fucking friend. He’s never been closer to anyone in his entire life than he was to Louis. Even after destroying lawn furniture and potted plants, he can’t understand why he would just cut him out. Why the fuck would he kick him out of the bus? Why the fuck would he spit those lies about bonding at him like venom?

Looking back on all of it, he feels like he was in some sort of fugue state. Unable to remember anything besides Niall and Liam for years. Was his family there? He doesn’t even know. He’s neglected everyone in his life for so long. But especially Louis.

And now the glasses are off. Everything he’d ignored in his love fueled haze for the last three and a half years is hitting him all at once. For example, his feelings for both Niall and Liam that he had worked through with Louis was the driving force in joining their courtship. When the fuck did it become LiamandNiall and ZaynandNiall? When did Liam and he stop being a couple too? Were they ever?

Also, when did Niall start deciding everything for them? The most guilt he feels is from telling Louis they’d never be able to bond with him as a pack. It’s not true and he had always known that. But Niall asked him to do it so he did. Liam never said it, but he’d allowed them to because Niall wanted it. Niall is gentle and docile, follows their lead. Why the fuck did they allow that? Niall has always kissed the ground Louis walked on. Even after Liam and Zayn distanced themselves, Niall fought to keep including him. Why did Niall want him to lie?

For a while, Zayn excused it because Louis was obviously happier with his various girlfriends and one night stands. Or so he’d thought.

Because Louis is a virgin.

Because Louis is gay.

Because Louis had never once been happier with any of the women he’d been photographed with. Let alone even known then besides how well they can act in front of a camera.

Which, duh. How the fuck could he forget that? Louis told him back in the X-Factor house, about a boy he’d had a crush on before the boy had presented as an omega and flocked towards alphas. He’d known. Zayn had known Louis’ interest in men. The whole time.

Now he’s looking back at every time he’s had to remind Louis they couldn’t bond him. Had the beta been asking? Did he believe it? No fucking wonder Alberto has looked seconds away from killing him for years. How alone has Louis felt?

Gods, Zayn has nearly paced a hole into the floor of their bus at this point and Liam still hasn’t come out. The frustration he was feeling before is quickly morphing into red hot anger. Even if him and Liam aren’t as connected as he’d thought, Liam is still his head alpha. His head alpha should set time aside for him. A spike of anger flares so heavily inside of him that he can’t help sending it through their bond. He can’t even care that Niall is sleeping. As long as Liam gets his ass out here, he doesn’t fucking care.

A minute passes. Two. Three. His anger starts flaring towards rage, all bleeding through their bond. Still no Liam. Still no anyone. Which only serves to piss him off more. He’s feeling this bad, sending it through their bond, and no one even thinks to check on him?

After a deep, burning flare of fury passes through their bond from Zayn, the bedroom door finally turns. Much to his surprise and dismay, it’s Niall’s blond head that pokes out the door.

Zayn is vibrating in his anger at this point. Seeing Niall flinch at the irritation flowing through their bond doesn’t phase him in the slightest, where in the past he’d be dropping everything to comfort him. Niall’s lips move but he’s not listening. He doesn’t hear a word his omega says, vision tunneling onto dyed blond hair rather than close cropped brunet.

He had been waiting for Liam. He had told Liam he needed to speak with him. Niall heard him tell Liam he needed to talk. Liam sent Niall out. Zayn, at this point, is on the verge of wolfing out completely in front of his mates.

The fact that his own head alpha and his own omega have disrespected so completely is mind boggling. He has always done everything they’ve asked. What he needs right now, is a cigarette with Louis. But he doesn’t have that option anymore. He doesn’t have Louis anymore for them. And they disrespect him?

He doesn’t let his wolf take over, but he does let the rage swallow him. At this point, what the fuck is the point of sparing anyone’s feelings? Liam can put him in his place later, but he won’t have Zayn’s consent to put a single finger in his body. The head alpha can, instead, focus on their omega. Apparently, that’s all he cared about anyway.

Still staring at Niall, he lets the storm inside of him take over.

“Get the fuck bakc in bed.” His alpha voice rings out.

To his delight, Niall goes immediately. To his dismay, he doesn’t feel even the slightest bit guilty. There’s a spark inside of him that flares with a giddy arrogance. At first, he thinks it’s just his inner alpha’s ego. Upon a further glance, it’s just himself. He, himself, has been so passive for so long that a simple command to his very own omega makes him feel like Alexander the fucking Great. Pathetic.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?” He hears next. Liam.

Liam, finally, steps into the narrow space between the bunks. It takes far too long to talk his wolf down from fighting the alpha. He settles for sending every ounce of anger through the bond he can.

“I was fucking waiting for you.” He snarls out as Liam falls to his knees in the face of his anger.

The head alpha gasps desperately. “Was just putting Niall to bed, Z. Would’ve been out here in a minute.” Liam says, gripping the bond mark on his neck.

He’s not stupid. He waited for Liam for over an hour. Niall was dead asleep. Liam definitely wasn’t coming out because he sent Niall out before him.

As much as he despises his mates right now, he doesn’t want to cause them pain. If Liam fell to his knees, Niall is most likely writhing in pain. He can not like them at the moment, but none of that debates the fact that he loves them. He stops any feelings he was sending.

“You idiot!” Liam yells, standing up. “Niall is probably in so much pain—“

“Did you know Louis is gay?”

Liam stares at him, fishmouthing. Whatever the alpha is feeling, he’s doing a good job holding it back. Zayn decides to twist the knife.

“Did you know Louis is a virgin?”

This time, Liam snaps his head to Zayn’s, pupils dilating. He knows that is information Liam didn’t know. Now he knows it’s information Liam is happy to hear. Zayn can’t detect any emotions from Liam, but the alpha’s eyes say it all. He’s relieved.

“Better yet, did you know Louis had a meeting with Amanda today?”

A menacing growl echos through the room. Liam is mad. Good. Maybe he’ll finally admit his feelings. Zayn isn’t sure if he had ever felt more than a brotherly bond with the beta, but he does know whatever they shared, it was profound. The addiction he has to Louis’ voice is born out of comfort because Louis talked him through everything he’d ever felt. Louis shaped him into the alpha he is now. Zayn loves Louis, deeply. wether he’s in love or not. But Liam… Well, Liam is just plain in love with trh beta. It doesn’t change the dynamics of their pack, but it does change the way Liam interacts with them. Zayn and Niall deserve the truth.

“Yep. He told me, and I quote, ‘I’m a whore who needs more sluts in my bed’ after he got out of his meeting with her.”

“Z…Stop.” Another snarl rips deep from Liam. The alpha himself doesn’t seem to be ready for it as he shrinks away with a surprised look.

“Where is Louis, Liam? Because we’ve been here all day and Louis hasn’t so much as stopped by to leave his suitcase.” The knife he’s thrown into Liam’s chest is just borrowing deeper at this point. He can practically see the blood on his hands. “You wanted commanded Niall to treat him with respect but haven’t even questioned the fact that he’s not in the bus with us?”

The last thing Zayn expects is full bodied sobs from his alpha. He watches as Liam falls back to his kneees, wailing. It wasn’t the exact reaction that he wanted, but he’ll take it.

More than anything, Zayn cannot take whatever limbo they’ve been living in. He destroyed their yard but no one said anything. He’d cried at hearing Louis voice during an impromptu phone call and no one said anything. Niall has been acting out, begging for punishment at realizing out much they’d neglected the beta. The alphas handed our punishments without question. Liam ripped the phone out of Zayn’s hands on that phone call but no one talked about it. It’s time they did.

“I love him a lot, Li.” He finally speaks during a lull in Liam’s sobs. “I can’t figure out if i’m in love with him, but I know that I do love him. I also know that you’re head over heels in love with him and won’t admit it.”

Liam nods sadly, tears still falling. Its a confirmation, finally.

“You’re in love with him, and that’s okay.” Zayn says, still standing in place at the end of the hall. “What we need to address that Niall used me as a puppet to deny him a bond and we both let it happen. We need to address that I asked to speak to you and you ignored me. We especially need to address that you feel the anger in the bond and send Niall out here instead.”

“I forgot you needed to talk. I sent Niall out because I thought he’d calm you down.” Liam whimpers out, still on the ground. “Knowing now what you needed to talk about, I understand your anger and I understand sending Niall away.”

Zayn only has a second to relax before Liam speaks again.

“Just, please, Z. I’ve been as angry at him about the same things you’ve been. Every single time has replayed in my hind so many times. But we have to be on stage in less than an hour. Can we please go make sure he’s okay and punish him tonight?”

The decision is easy. Zayn will do anything for his mates. He grabs Liam off the floor to make their way to comfort Niall.

It’s understandable, somewhat. One of Niall’s alphas was in love with a beta and the other was so deeply connected to him that it was hard to tell the difference. Jealousy in omegas is all consuming. Niall can’t be blamed.

Liam and Zayn, however, hold all the power in their relationship. Each of them knew how much Louis meant to them. Yet, each of them chose to ignore the beta completely.

For the first time in a week, Zayn has a full and coherent thought. No questions asked. Niall maybe have caused trouble due to entirely founded jealousy, but he still did his best to include Louis where he could. He looked out for the beta every chance he got.

Liam and Zayn downright neglected their best friend. They can blame Niall all they want, but it was their decision in the end.

At least, Niall’s actions and words had been vile enough to warrant a through, multi-day punishment. Hopefully, that’s enough to quell some of the guilt they’re all feelings.

______

Louis sprints down the ramp towards b stage. They had just finished Alive and Zayn’s riff is leading them straight into Diana. The arena is pulsing with adoration from the crowd, more profound than he’s felt in years. The fans are more vibrant than he can ever remember them being and he’s feeding off of it.

The whole show, Louis has been bouncing around, having time time or his life. He’s put on every lei, every giant pair of sunglasses and every hat the fans have thrown. When he found bra on the stage, he held it up with.a stern look on his face, sending the crowd into hysterics. He’s completely miffed his solo in Kiss You, but that was okay because he had carried so hard during Spaces that the other boys had stopped singing entirely and urged him to finish. He’d sung over half the song completely on his own and fucking nailed it. He only found it slightly ironic that he’d written that song about growing apart from his bandmates only to sing it alone on the Cardiff stage.

Now, and they harmonize the opening to Diana, Louis can’t help but yell “Sing it for us, Cardiff!” into his mic.

The crowd doesn’t miss a fucking beat. On top of that, they sound incredible. The boys harmonize with the crowd and it feels so good. It feels carefree in the way it was always supposed to.

The irony of singing Spaces alone isnt even the most ironic part of the whole night. Zayn, Liam and Niall showed up backstage and could barely look at each other, much like Louis used to not be able to look at the’. By the time their queue hit and thy were running into the stage, Louis was more lively than any of them. It seems the pack and Louis had switched roles.

Louis so desperately wanted to dig deeper, pull Liam aside as ask if he’s okay, but there wasn’t any time. In a blink, the opening notes to Clouds was playing and there wasn’t time anymore.

As the final notes of Diana play out, Louis readies himself for his his turn to speak at the center of the b stage, right in the middle of the crowd. His eyes first flicker towards the darkened VIP booths at the top of the stadium, his mates somewhere along the darkness. Next, his eyes flicker towards the VIP tent in the middle of the floor. Eleanor’s beaming face meets his and Louis can’t hold in his excited wave. The crowd goes nuts.

It feels less than good that the fans support his relationship with a beta female so much, but he can’t blame them. After all, he did do his best in the last few years to hide everything about himself that made him, well, him. There’s blogs and dan accounts dedicated to the beliefs that he’s either a) an omega or b) attracted to alphas. Anyone brave enough to voice those opinions is hated on in droves. Maybe his next task will be to rectify that.

Louis’ eyes flick back up to the darkened box overhead, locking onto the darkened figures that occupy it. He keeps his eyes focused on his mates as he starts speaking.

“Cardiff, have you ever been in love?” He asks directly into the microphone, pointedly keeping his eyes away from Eleanor.

The stadium erupts. One a quick downward scan of the audience, his eyes catch on a fans sign. It’s simple in design and all it says is ‘Louis, If you need a dog I can bark’.

He can’t hold in the laugh at seeing it and decides to throw all caution to the wind for a moment.

He points to the sign and says, “Thanks Love, but I prefer to do the barking.”

If he thought the stadium erupted before, it full on explodes at that. They scream so loud that ir’s hard to calm them down so he can finish introducing the next song. After shushing then for a solid minute, they calm to a manageable level.

“Like I was saying ,” Louis says as he struts across the stage, microphone pressed to his lips. “If you’ve ever been in love, then you know what we mean with this next song. There’s a million different things to love about a person, or persons, and all of it is…what’s the word?”

His eyes drift back up the the top of the stadium. The silhouettes of three dark figures holding each other are more captivating than any of the thousands of fans before him. He keeps his eyes locked on them.

“Ni, can you help me out? What is it?”

“Beautiful?” Niall plays along, saying the word in the most confused tone he can muster.

“Right! That’s what makes you beautiful!”

The notes starts playing as the bands jumps around the stage. The fans love it. They go wild everytime Louis even hints at lifting the mic to his mouth.

By the time they finish their final song, Louis is drunk on the attention the crowd payed to him. They see him, he thinks. They see how hard he works, if nothing else.

As the band makes their way backstage, he resolved to change their perception of his sexuality as calmly as he possibly can.

He sang, his real voice, in front of them. He can only hope they accept his true self as well.

Chapter Text

To nobody’s surprise, Eleanor is waiting for Louis when the band finally makes it off the stage. With the buzz of adrenaline still flowing through the omega’s veins, Louis launches himself towards Eleanor, twirling her around as her legs wrap around his waist. He’s not had this before, someone to greet him when they finish a show. Someone to wind down with. It’s nice, Louis thinks, to not be alone anymore.

He also can’t help the flashes of deja vu that hit him as he spins. The last time he spun someone around like this was Niall back in Vegas. It’s only been a couple of weeks, but oh how things change. Never would he have thought a beta he met once would mean so much more than an omega he spent years protecting.

“Lou! You were fucking amazing!” Eleanor squeals when her feet hit solid ground again. “I think that might’ve been the best concert I’ve ever been to.”

“You think?” Louis sasses, arms crossed with his hip popped out. “I sang my arse off for you just for an ‘I think’?” He scoffs with a shake of his head.

Eleanor responds with a shrug. Her lips pressed in a thin line to hold back her smile. Louis smirks back at her. It was definitely the best concert she’s been to.

“Who’s your friend, Lou?”

The question makes Louis nearly jump out of his skin. He’d completely forgotten there was anyone else in the room. He spins around with a jerk to see Liam, Zayn and Niall looking between him and Eleanor with furrowed brows. Louis can’t help but notice the tentative space the three men keep between their bodies. It’s a stark contrast to the way they’re usually pressed against one another, but he doesn’t linger on the thought too long.

“Boys, this is Eleanor, my current conquest.” He introduces, looking back at the girl to wiggle his eyebrows. “El, these are my bandmates.”

“Lovely to meet you guys, loved the show.” Eleanor’s smile is tight as she shakes their hands. Not for the first time, Louis thinks she might know more than she’s let on.

“Likewise.” Liam smiles politely at the beta before turning back to Louis. “Anyway Lou, we were going to have a Marvel movie marathon tonight if you want to join?”

The way he asks is timid, almost afraid. Like Louis saying no will shatter the alpha irreparably. It gives Louis pause for half a second before his brain catches up. Whatever is making the pack act this way, both with Louis and each other, is not something he feels needs to be added to his plate. They’re grown, they can figure it out on their own.

“Sorry boys, can’t tonight.” The rejection slips off his tongue easily. He offers no further explanation before he’s turning and grabbing Eleanor’s hand, leading her out of the room.

Rejecting his bandmates for the second time since they landed in London the previous week adds even more adrenaline to his bloodstream. The omega bounces down the corridor towards the busses, unable to still his body to a steady walk. Eleanor follows behind dutifully, giggling at his antics as they go.

“What are your plans for the night?” Louis asks as soon as they make it out of the venue.

“No plans, really.” Eleanor tells him. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be able to hang out after the show so I got a hotel room and an omega waiting for me.” She winks exaggeratedly at the mention of her omega.

Louis tilts his head towards the sky for a moment. It would be a waste to have Eleanor here and not spend some time together. Who knows when they’ll be able to see each other next. On top of that, his alphas are most likely waiting at the bus for him. He desperately wants Eleanor to meet them. He made a friend, a real friend, all on his own and he wants to share it with his alphas.

Mind made up, Louis looks back to Eleanor, “How about this— Call your omega and have her come here. You and I can go get some pizza’s while we wait and you guys can hang out on the bus with me for a bit.”

Eleanor agree as easily, taking her phone out to call her friend. Louis makes a stop at his tour bus to quickly tell Marcel his plan before texting Alberto and heading out for pizzas.

“Paul is waiting at the gate for your friend. She shouldn’t have a problem getting in.” Alberto informs them as they drive.

Eleanor thanks him. Louis hopes they make it back before she arrives. The thought of another omega being in his bus with his alphas alone makes his organs feel like they’re burning. To distract himself, he pulls out his phone.

A text from Amanda is waiting for him upon unlocking it. The usual rush of panic he gets when he sees her name doesn’t come. This time, all he does is roll his eyes as hard as he can before opening the message.

‘There’s a pub down the street you need to be seen at. Ask the Calder girl to go with you. Carl will be waiting for you at the car.’

Louis let’s out a honking laugh upon reading it. First, he will not be going to a pub tonight (sorry, Amanda). Secondly, Amanda referring to Eleanor as ‘the Calder girl’ as if she didn’t hand pick and vet the beta herself before sending Louis out with her is preposterous. He figures it’s a way to convey dominance over each of them, but it only serves to make Amanda appear smaller in his eyes. No truly dominant alpha would need to posture in such ways to prove themselves.

‘No pub tonight. The Calder girl and I will be getting food and heading back to a hotel. Will try to get pics of us at the shop.’ Louis types back.

He goes to power his phone down but stops when another notification catches his eyes. A text from Oli.

Oli is is best friend from back home. A lovable ginger beta and one of Louis’ favorite people in the world. The text is just asking him how he’s doing, but it stirs heavy guilt within him that sits heavy in his gut.

It was easy to ignore his friends and family before. It was easy when keeping his eyes open was a constant struggle and looking at a phone screen made pressure build behind his eyelids like tiny hammers thrashing in his skull. It was easy when sleep was a foreign term to him and touch deprivation leveled him to near drops completely. With all of that out of the way, he can’t ignore the fact that he’s neglected his relationships with the people closest to him.

Louis resolves to fix those relationships along with the internet’s perception of his sexuality. He responds to Oli quickly just as they pull up to the pizza parlor.

He and Eleanor enter with Alberto following closely behind. As they order, Louis’ eyes scan the small crowd inside, hoping for at least one fan that can take pictures to appease Amanda.

Luckily, or unluckily, the shop is full of fans who just left their concert. The upside is that more than enough pictures of him and El will make it online. The downside is that they only have one security guard and, as capable as Alberto is, thirty rabid fans fresh out of a concert might be to much.

“LOUIS” A small omega girl shouts from the wooden booth closest to where they stand at the counter.

Within seconds, every head in the place jolts up, sniffing him out like bloodhounds and rising to get to him. Louis only has a split second to think before chaos can descend upon them, so he does the only thing he can think of— shoving Alberto in front of him and climbing on his back.

“A hand here, Al?” Louis asks the guard from his perch, motioning towards his shoulders. It takes a moment and probably a few bruises to the alpha, but Louis manages to shimmy onto Alberto’s shoulders so he can look over the crowd.

“Hello!” Louis yells. The fans halted a few respectful feet away once he deployed Alberto to the front lines. Their eyes glisten up at him now, rabid for a chance to get closer. “I’m Louis,” The crowd rolls their eyes collectively as if to say duh, “I’ll gladly take pictures with everyone as long as there’s not a mob. Fall in soldiers! I want a nice straight line!” He claps to kick the crowd into action.

To everyone’s shock (and awe), his fans don’t hesitate to form a line and wait patiently. Louis is even surprised by his influence over them. His eyes sting with the threat of tears at just how amazing his fans are.

“Thank you.” Louis chokes out in a wobbly voice. It doesn’t go unnoticed. “I don’t want anyone getting hurt, so please be respectful. Also, everyone this is my darling guard Alberto and my very good friend Eleanor. Please treat them kindly, I’ll be upset if you don’t.”

With that, Louis climbs down and moves away from the counter for pictures. Every single person he meets is nothing but kind and polite. Outside of a few silly poses, the pictures go smoothly. One fan even asks for Al and El to join to ‘capture the full memory’. By the time the line is nearing it’s end, Louis is on the verge of sobbing. Not in a bad way, but because his fans are lovely and he’s not sure how much time he has left with moments like this. If he chooses to leave the band at the end of this tour, there may never be another pizza shop full of strangers waiting for him.

The last person in the line is a small male omega in a motorized wheelchair along with an older woman who Louis assumes is the boys mother. The boy can’t be more than twelve or thirteen, not yet presented but close. A screen is attached to the arm rest of his chair with an eye-reading camera above it for communication. His face is unable to move, but his green eyes sparkle as Louis locks onto them.

“You know,” Louis starts, grabbing the boys hand and squatting down as his wheelchair slides in beside him. “Green eyes are my favorite, and yours might be the best I’ve seen.” He says it loudly, allowing every person in the shop to hear.

It’s not even a lie, is the thing. Green eyes are his favorite. He has three green eyed alphas back at the bus that prove that. When the time is right, his alphas will be revealed to the world and the fans will have this moment to look back on. But something about this boy, something about his eyes, makes Louis so overjoyed to be in his presence. The way the peridot shade of his irises contrasts with the deep brown of his skin tone is entrancing. All encompassing.

“Thank you, Mr. Tomlinson.” The robotic voice of the boy’s computer reads out.

Louis throws his head back on a laugh, squeezing the boys hand in his own. “Please, call me Louis. Or Lou. Anything but Mr. Tomlinson. You’ll make me feel old.” He wheezes the words out through another laugh, his other hand wrapped tightly across his stomach.

“My apologies, Grandpa.” The robotic voice sounds again. This time, the boy with glowing brown skin and hypnotic green eyes squeezes Louis’ hand and manages a small smirk on his otherwise paralyzed face.

Louis loses it. The omega falls forward on his knees, laughing so hard his abs tense and his lungs burn. Fair is fair, he supposes. He must be a decade older than this boy. Grandpa, however, is most definitely a stretch. Nonetheless, it feels so good to laugh with his fans again. Without the pain and worry and looking over his shoulder. He feels alight with freedom, feeding off the energy of those around him. Everyone cackles along with him until Louis finally has enough breath to speak again.

“What’s your name, Darling?” He asks, staying on his knees for now.

“Malachi”

“Well Malachi, that’s the hardest I’ve laughed in years. Just for that, I’ll give you anything you want.” He looks to the boys mother quickly with a subtle wink. “What’ll it be? A silly picture? My phone? I’ll warn you, If you want my trousers, I did go commando tonight.”

He didn’t, he’s just wearing a very skimpy pink thong he’d rather not allow the public to see. The fans still gathered whoop and cheer anyway.

“Ha Ha Ha” Malachi laughs, the mechanic voice sounding like it’s moving in warped speed to articulate it. “Keep your pants on, Old Man.”

Louis can’t decide if the insults are funnier or harsher coming from an eye-reading computer. He doesn’t get time to ponder it before Malachi is gripping his hand tightly once more, gorgeous green eyes flicking to his own before looking to the camera above the screen once again. Louis steadies himself, letting the humor slip of his shoulders so he can listen intently.

“All I want, is for kids like me to have the ability to speak.” The computer says. Malachi’s eyes looks to Louis pleadingly.

Louis knows what he means. The chair itself must cost a fortune. The cost of a camera and screen to have the ability to speak along with it would bankrupt most middle class-families. Let alone those below the poverty line. Malachi’s request, although pricy, isn’t a huge ask. It’s selfless. It’s humanity at its very core. It’s a request that makes everything Louis has gone through seem small in comparison.

He looks to Malachi’s mother. “How much does one chair and screen cost?” Louis asks. His voice is quiet, but serious.

“£6,000 for the chair, £3,500 for the camera and computer.” The woman replies, flustered as if she didn’t really expect Louis to adhere to the request.

“Done. If either of you has a preferred charity or hospital, I’d love to donate.” He smiles at the mother once more before turning his eyes back to Malachi. “Anything else, Kid?”

“A picture.” Louis goes to nod but the voice speaks again, “With the pretty lady, please.”

This time, Eleanor laughs the loudest. She doesn’t hesitate to live to the boys other side, throwing her arm around the back of his chair and smiling as big as she can. Louis hands his phone to Alberto as well, wanting a picture of this moment for himself. He’s spent so long feeling sorry for himself that meeting someone like Malachi and witnessing how optimistic the boy manages to be, puts a whole lot into perspective. It helps Louis see everything from a new angle, one that doesn’t make him feel as hopeless as he had before.

By the time they leave the shop, Louis’ face hurts from smiling and he holds a list from Malachi’s mother of charities and hospitals to donate to. The list also contains Malachi’s social media handles and his mothers phone number. Louis firmly believes it is unethical to hoard wealth so he does his best to donate as much as he can every year. This time though, he’s more excited than ever to give his money away. Malachi is a very special boy and Louis couldn’t be more grateful to have met him. Their interaction gave Louis another piece of himself back and helped form more of an idea of what he wants moving forward.

Eleanor and Alberto spend the short ride back to the lot praising Louis’ ability to handle his fans. He can barely listen to them. As they near the venue, Louis realizes just how much time they spent getting pizza. The omega Eleanor invited must’ve arrived already. She must already be in his bus with his alphas.

Louis does his best to quell the emotions raging inside of him. Trying his best to get excited to tell Eleanor the truth and introduce her to his mates. Reminding himself that going off his suppressants is the cause of his current state because of the mood swings and erratic behavior that’ll cause. It’s futile, mostly, as jealousy ravages his system. It rises like bile as Alberto parks the car.

He’s barely able to hold back a growl as he throws the car door open and stomps towards his bus, not bothering to wait for Eleanor or Alberto with the pizzas. The only thought in his head is that his alphas are alone with an omega in a space meant for him.

Louis doesn’t waste a second once he reaches the door of the bus. He throws it open violently, reveling in the sound of the door banging against the wall. As he steps inside, he allows his eyes to take in the scene in front of him.

Marcel and Edward stand with their backs leaning against the small kitchen counter, as far back as they can. Harry is sitting on the floor, cross legged, in front of his brother’s feet, talking to someone. Louis follows his eyeline until it lands on probably the prettiest omega he’s ever seen sitting clear across the room in the front most chair. Good, his alphas kept their distance.

Still reeling with a torrent of emotions, Louis continues his tirade until he standing with his feet planted on either side of Harry’s legs where the alpha sits on the floor. He grips the front of Edwards shirt and pulls until the alpha collapses forward and their lips meet. Louis kissed Edward, roughly, until the alpha’s tongue attempts to pry his lips apart. He shoves Edward back with the hand gripping his shirt and pulls Marcel in with his other hand. Marcel kisses his back softly, too softly. Louis brings his hand up to grip the alpha’s curls and pull him closer, biting Marcel’s lips in the process. When he’s gotten what he wanted, he shoves Marcel back as well and collapses into Harry’s lap, pulling his last alpha into a dirty kiss to match his brother’s.

Once Harry’s hands fall down towards his ass, he pushes the alpha’s chest so he can turn around and situate himself in Harry’s lap. He leans his back against Harry’s chest with his arms crossed, staring at the omega across the room. He’s not sure if he’s breathless from the kisses or breathless at the sheer beauty of the girl before him.

“Who are you?” He asks harshly, too harshly.

“Um…Aarya.” The omega responds shyly, hands folded in her lap.

Louis is well aware he is acting like a jealous puppy. The thing is, Aarya is stunning. Her bronze skin glistens even in the dim lighting of the bus. Black hair cascading over her thin shoulders and jawline so defined it could cut diamonds. If he’s being honest, he’s not sure if he’s more jealous of Aarya for being alone with his alphas, his alphas for getting more time to admire Aarya, or Eleanor for getting to take Aarya home tonight.

“You’re so fucking pretty.” His what his mouth says before his brain even gets a chance to process the words.

Aarya’s dark cheeks glow with a pink blush as Eleanor and Alberto finally catch up, stepping on the bus with pizzas in hand.

“Alright, Lou. Lay off her. She’s mine, ya know?” Eleanor teases.

“Better hold on to her or I might steal her from you.”

His words are meant as a joke but three growls sound behind him and Harry’s arms tighten around him. Louis rolls his eyes, possessive alphas always ruining his fun.

Alberto sets the pizzas down on the small table, turning to Louis and saying, “Let me know if you need anything else. I’ll head off to the crew bus for now.”

Louis’ heart plummets at that. It’s his first night back on tour without suppressants or commands holding him down. His first night with his road family as himself. He wants his circle with him.

“Wait, Al don’t go.” He shouts in desperation. “Why don’t you grab Paul and come hang out?”

“You sure, Tommo?” Alberto looks sceptical, unbelieving that Louis would want to spend time with him. The look in the guards eyes pierces the omega’s heart.

“Of course, Al.” His voice trembles. “I want my family with me and that includes you and Paul. Besides, I’m about to fill Eleanor and her goddess in on my ‘not-so-beta’ life and that’s something you guys should hear too.”

Alberto agrees without question, lifting th weight off of Louis’ chest. He plops down on the sofa to text Paul as Edward grabs plates for the pizza.

By the time Paul is walking through the door, the atmosphere in the bus is light-hearted and fun. Aarya, having revealed she’s a fan of One Direction, doesn’t bat an eye at the prospect of keeping a secret for Louis, even if she doesn’t know what it is yet. The omega even going so far as to offer to either sign an nda or take a blood oath with Louis not to leak any information.

“El, I am going to get a kiss from Aarya before you leave tonight. I’m not asking, I’m telling you it’s going to happen.” Louis announces before panicking and looking to the omega herself. “As long as you’re okay with it, obviously.”

Aarya giggles as a blush rises to her cheeks once more, darkening her cheeks and accentuating the glint of her rich russet eyes. “Trust me Louis, I’d let you do more than kiss me.”

This time, the triplets aren’t the only ones to display their jealousy. Eleanor growls softly, as menacingly as a beta can manage. She cuts her eyes to Louis, displaying disapproval at the idea of them doing more than simply kissing.

“What about us?” Harry asks. “Don’t we get a say in what our mate does with who?”

“Yeah!” Eleanor shouts. “I feel like we should have more say in this.”

“Nope.” Louis and Aarya say simultaneously. Louis grins at her mischievously, receiving an identical wide grin in response.

“Oi! Whatever you kids get up to in your free time is up to you, but Al and I would rather hear about how our resident beta turned out to be this sweet little omega we have here now.” Paul shouts over them.

Louis cheeks flame. As much as he wants Aarya’s lips on his, this is the first time his true secondary gender has been put into words in front of her. He glances up towards her swiftly, attempting to gauge her reaction, as his body curls into Harry’s. His arms reach out, making grabby hands towards Edward and Marcel. The alphas fall to the floor beside him immediately, arms wrapping around his middle and holding him close.

Aarya has an obvious look of shock at first, not ready to hear the words so bluntly, but hiding it well. In the next second, her eyes meet Louis’ with a well of emotion behind them. Where he fears he’ll find pity, he finds nothing but empathy and compassion. Golden brown eyes reflecting into his with nothing but understanding that only another omega could hold.

After flashing a grin to Aarya (i.e; Eleanor’s omega/Louis’ soon-to-be girlfriend), Louis glances towards Eleanor. The beta sits with an arm slung around the dark toned girl’s shoulders without a hint of surprise. Again, Louis thinks she knows more than she’s said. Either way, she’s become incredibly important to him and wants her to know the truth.

“Sorry, Pauly.” Louis pauses to breathe. Attempting to center himself.

Still sitting in Harry’s lap, Louis feels around until his hand grips Marcel’s. He laces their fingers together and squeezes his eyes shut, gripping the alpha’s hand as well. He’s told the story enough times by now— to his alphas, his mum, his sisters. It’s gotten easier, but not easy.

With his eyes closed tight, Marcel’s hand in his and sitting in Harry’s lap, he turns his head to the right searching out Edwards scent. Edward, in protection mode, smells like pure lightning. Raw energy with hints of rain and endless forests slipping through. Louis draws on the power of Edward’s scent to get him through this.

Eyes wide open, glowing blue in connection with his inner omega, Louis turns to Paul once more.

“Should I start at the very beginning, Higgins?”

_______

His alphas are pissed. Niall is well aware of that right now. The second Louis dashed away with Eleanor, Liam and Zayn had informed him he was being punished, thoroughly, tonight. Neither of them have explained why yet, but he can guess.

Louis.

The beta is the answer to just about every question when it comes to friction in his relationship with his alphas. The difference this time though, is that he’s being punished for it.

If Niall is being honest with himself, he very much deserves it. Whatever his alphas have planned for him, he deserves it. More than his alphas even realize.

He knows what he did, what he made them do, to push the beta way. He knows his alphas have concluded his involvement by now. What they don’t know, hopefully, is that Niall did it all on purpose.

Every single time he’d asked Zayn to remind Louis they couldn’t bond, every time he’d asked his alpha’s to ignore Louis, every time he’s driven the wedge between his alphas and the beta, he knew what he was doing.

He knew how it would make everyone, himself, his alphas and Louis, feel and he still did it. And now it’s catching up to him. It’s caught up to him.

And he feels fucking guilty.

He knew, at the time, what he was doing because he thought Louis didn’t care that much. It hurt him to be the catalyst of the end of a friendship, but he genuinely didn’t think Louis would bat an eye.

At the time, his reasons for it all seemed sound. Niall hated that Liam held himself back because of his infatuation with Louis. He hated that Zayn couldn’t open up because of his comfort with Louis. He couldn’t properly mate and bond his alpha’s with the betas influence looming over them.

At some point, he’d crossed the line of healthy boundaries into full blown hate and resentment. He’d gone too far. Made his mates go too far. And it took him way too long to realize that.

Seeing the beta so broken, so desolate, in that airport broke Niall, himself, in ways he wasn’t even sure he understood completely. It shattered him to learn that Louis not only cared, but the beta carried the weight of the pack turning their backs on him like Sisyphus with the boulder.

Now, Niall feels broken, too. He feels dirty and tainted. Even worse, he feels like a bad omega because he knows he hurt his mates, deliberately.

If Louis looked that depleted, Liam and Zayn must’ve felt just as bad.

He’d carried the weight of that guilt the whole week they were home. Until Zayn went mental. It was the first confirmation he’d had of either of them carrying the same weight Louis did.

And then Zayn had called the beta. Had looked to blissed out with just a drop of Louis’ honey dipped voice. Liam had bounded into the room with childlike joy, giddy at the prospect of speaking to Louis freely.

And Niall knew. Whatever reasons he had at the time, whatever good he thought he was doing, it wasn’t good at all.

Louis, to Niall, was a fucking god. The funniest person he’d ever met. The most selfless, most giving. Louis was the sun the world revolved around. Niall looked up to him. Niall grew into the confident omega he is because of Louis’ easy acceptance.

Through it all, Louis called him his Sunshine. Louis took care of him. Louis treated him like every hair on his head was special.

And Niall fed off of all of it while suffocating the beta’s closest relationships.

So yes, he knows why he’s being punished. But anxiety tears through him the longer Zayn and Liam stay silent. He’s never dropped, but he was close to it after feeling the anger within Zayn earlier in the day. He’s never dropped, but the dull freeze he’d felt in his bones before his alphas came to his side was enough to scare him. He doesn’t want the anxiety eating away at him now to cause it to happen. He doesn’t want his alphas to stay silent in the face of his actions anymore. He deserves to be punished. His omega needs to be punished.

“I know why I’m being punished.” He speaks, not demanding but steady. “I need it, so let’s get on with it.”

“You don’t get to make demands.” It’s not just words that startle him, but the fact that Liam is the one who says them.

“You claim to know why you’re being punished.” Zayn grumbles, looking Niall in the eye emotionlessly. “So tell us.”

He swallows heavily, “I demanded unfair boundaries between all of us and Louis. I kept each of you from your best friend. I made you lie.” He recites, fighting to keep his voice from wobbling.

“What else?” Liam asks. Both alphas step closer to where he sits on the sofa. Looking down on him.

“I insulted another member of our band repeatedly without reason and preyed on his weaknesss to put him down further. I took advantage of my alphas devotion to me to ensure his exile from both our pack and our band.”

The alphas don’t move at first, just bleed deep rooted anger through the bond. It’s not enough to cripple him like Zayn had earlier, but it’s enough to root him to his spot.

“Seems to me like we let you run around, calling the shots, for too long. I think it’s time we not only rectify that, but punish you for the rest of it.” Zayn grumbles. A roar building in the alphas throat.

“Do you know why you’re being punished, Omega?” Liam asks lowly.

Niall does. He understands. He needs it. Even so, he can’t comprehend just how bad this punishment will be. Years worth of torture of all of them wont be easy to rectify. He’s going to be miserable for a while, and he only has himself to blame.

“Yes, Alpha.” Niall answers, more submissive than he’s ever been.

And it feels good. To allow his alphas to have control over him is something he’s never done. They were right, to say he’s been calling the shots. They’ve punished him with a few light spankings through the years, but nothing on this scale. It’s all putting into perspective for him, Niall has never truly submitted to his alphas. He was unaware of just how much he’d craved it until now.

“For insulting our beta and preying on his weaknesses, you’ll be writing lines. Everyday for the next week, you’ll write ‘I, Niall Horan, am above no one.’ 200 times. Numbered and neat.” Zayn tells him.

“For demanding unreasonable things of your alphas and taking advantage of us, you’ll receive twenty spankings a day from each of us. We will allow you to choose if they are together or separated, morning or night. Along with that, you will be in a chastity cage.”

Not too bad, Niall thinks. His hand is already twinging just at the thought of writing all those lines, but he can do it. As for the spankings, if he does one in the morning and one at night, he can get through it well enough to get on stage. A cage sucks, but he can do it.

“As for making demands that your alphas lie for you…” Zayn trails off, voice dark.

Niall’s stomach drops. Whatever punishment they’re about to dole out, it won’t be pretty. He wants to run, far way from his alphas and their dark gazes. With a start, he realizes he wants to run to Louis.

And it all becomes startlingly clear.

He was jealous of Louis. Because for Liam, Louis got him out of his head. Because for Zayn, Louis allowed him to speak when he’d otherwise be silent. And for Niall, Louis gave him the space to be an omega society frowned upon.

Louis was, is, their backbone. And Niall cruelly took that away. Even if he adored Louis with his whole heart. Even if Louis is the most beautiful person he’d ever met.

He’d let jealousy consume him.

“You will not be sleeping in bed with us for the week.” Liam finishes.

Niall flounders. It’s sounds tame and it’s objectively fair, but Niall hasn’t slept without at least one alpha beside him in almost four years. How in the hell is he supposed to sleep alone?

“We’re not cruel.” Liam says. “You may sleep in the room with us, but it will be on the floor beside the bed. Choose your spankings carefully, you will not receive the comfort of your mates at night.”

With that, Liam and Zayn shuffle towards the bedroom. Niall sits alone on the sofa, trying to wrap his head around what they’d told him.

He can tell by the love and lust still of constant in their bond that they still want him. If he didn’t have that reassurance, he would think they didn’t want him anymore.

He wouldn’t blame them, but he’s happy to know that’s not the case. He spares a few more seconds to collect himself before sprinting off behind them.

If he only has one more night in bed with his alphas before a week of chastity, spankings and semi-isolation, he’s going to make the most of it.

_______

The air is stifling as Louis finishes his tale of woes. He didn’t hold back, telling them everything from his first heat to his fights with the pack to Edward undoing his commands. Not a single eye in the room remains dry. Even the triplets, who have heard the story before. Paul and Alberto, the strongest men he’s ever met, weep openly. Their natural scents of cloves and cypress, respectively, smell burnt and bitter now.

Eleanor, a beta and therefore more levelheaded, allows the tears to drip down her face but doesn’t allow her emotions to overcome her.

Aarya, the only other omega in the room, sits stone cold and straight faced. Anger radiating off of her in waves. The neutralizing soap the omega used to hide her scent was doing nothing for her now. Char-broiled sugar cookies emanated from the omega steadily.

Louis had shifted during is talk. Going from Harry’s lap to Edward’s until he landed back in the space between Harry’s legs. The alpha’s legs now sprawled out with Louis’ bum on the floor between them, leaning back into him with Marcel and Edward pressing as close as possible on either side of him.

“Questions?” Louis throws out. He knows their are many. But honestly, he can’t handle the silence.

He summoned all the strength he could manage through his anxiety from Edward. It wasn’t a lot, much less than he possibly could’ve, but it was enough to get through it. Without that energy, he’s tired and worn down from the concert and meeting the fans. If the air around them stays as stagnant as it has, Louis will fall asleep before he has the chance to kiss the most beautiful omega he’s ever seen.

All seven people in the room with him start speaking at the same time. Yelling out questions for him and expletives towards his handlers. Pain blooms in Louis’ right temple like a greeting from an old friend. Not wanting to experience a migraine after so long without them, Louis calms the voices the only way he knows how. Being louder and bolder than the rest.

“I think I’m still gay!” He yells, nearly screeching.

It works. The voices stop, if only from confusion. Aarya laughs, almost like she might understand what he meant, but her face morphs into a look of confusion quickly enough to convey she never had any clue at all.

“What do you mean, Kitten? Of course, you’re gay?” Marcel asks more than tells. Obviously not understanding at all.

Alberto opens his mouth to speak but Louis cuts him off. He’s always been good at shoving his foot in his mouth, he’s found it’s best to provide explanation before anyone can make one up themselves.

“I meant,” Louis sighs dramatically, acting put out at their lack of understanding, “I’ve always been gay, but Aarya is so alluring that I might be pan, or maybe bi. Or maybe I’m just StyRya sexual.” He shrugs in an over the top manner.

“StyRya?” Eleanor sounds out. “Like Styles and Aarya?” She levels Louis with a glare, not amused in the slightest.

He nods gleefully back at the beta. Aarya’s bashful look spurring him on.

“Anyway, questions. One at a time. Raise your hands, ducklings.” Louis coos.

Unsurprisingly, multiple hands go up. Louis points to Paul first.

“I’ve been handing you folders of applicants for security guards for every venue you’ve played for years. I assumed it was because Liam called for it, but it wasn’t it, was it?”

“No.” Louis answers honestly. “I kept doing it for two reasons: 1) Liam and Zayn went nuts on you for the one incident of a fan getting on stage and I didn’t want you to have to go through it again. 2) Niall would be more secure with cherry picked security.”

Alberto asks his question next after Louis points to him. “Did Carl ever allow anything to happen to you while you were out? I know you don’t drink much, but suppressants can make omegas drowsy or out of their mind. I need to know he at least kept you safe.”

There’s that self doubt in the alpha again. Louis, in an effort to quash the doubts once and for all, gets up on his knees and shuffles directly in front of the guard. He clasps Alberto’s hands tightly in his.

“Al, I need you to listen to me.” Louis demands sternly. He waits until the alpha locks eyes to continue. “Carl is a piece of shit who never did anything but wait at the door. No alphas ever tried anything with me, thank the gods, but I would’ve been safe anyway. You taught me enough self defense to make sure of that. Even if you weren’t there, I was safe because of you.”

Al nods, grabbing Louis around his waist and squeezing him close. The alpha does his best to stifle the tears, but the wetness on Louis’ neck suggest he failed.

Eleanor raises her hand next, “If you and I are seen together in public, and I’m their client…” She points to the triplets, eyebrow cocked, “Couldn’t we all go out, should Amanda ask, and be seen together under the pretense of me being signed to them?”

“Glad you brought that up Eleanor.” Marcel responds before Louis can. “We’ve come to the same conclusion. Obviously, any jobs you get you’re free to do, but consider yourself Louis’ last, and favorite, PR relationship. Anytime you’re free and willing to travel along with us, you’re welcomed under that exact pretense.” The alpha finishes smugly.

Louis hadn’t even considered that. Continued dates with Eleanor could definitely help hide him for the time being, at least until he can come out on his own.

“Damn, Lou.” El whistles. “Any requests from your girlfriend?”

She’s teasing, obviously. Attempting to rub their public relationship in his face, but he takes the request seriously.

His eyes flicker to Aarya. The omega sitting dutifully beside Eleanor. From what Louis has learned of her, the omega is also gay, only attracted to other females. However, she’s shared the same interest in Louis that Louis has shared in her all night. Their eyes meet subtly and she gives him a barely perceptible nod.

“Hmm,” Louis hums as Aarya slips out of her seat onto the floor. Her blood red mini dress accentuating her curves as she sits back on her heels. “All I ask is that you keep this omega, my omega, around for me.”

With those words, Louis crawls forward to meet Aarya’s lips with his own. He’s never kissed another omega before, never had any desire to, but this is special. The desire isn’t as tangible and electric as it is with the triplets, but it’s there. No, they aren’t meant to be, but this kiss definitely was.

They kiss slowly, moving against one another’s lips like they have all the time world. Aarya’s tongue meets his and he leans into it. Her lips are smooth as velvet and tongue as soft as silk. Louis has never been attracted to women or other omegas, but he enjoys this.

He pulls away from the other omega when a hand lands on his shoulder. “Okay! I think it’s time for bed.” Harry yells.

No one fights him on it. Eleanor gives each of them a hug, agreeing to be Louis’ public relationship whenever her job allows. Paul and Alberto shake the triplet’s hands before tugging Louis into a hug. They agree to get El and Aarya back to their hotel in one piece.

Aarya hugs each of Louis’ alpha’s individually with s thank you for allowing the kiss. She looks Edward dead in the eye, promising it wasn’t romantic, just necessary. The alpha sputters a reply but doesn’t have time to formulate words before she grabs Louis cheeks and pulls him into another kiss.

Just like the first one, it’s soft and slow and meaningful. Building a connection between omegas that Louis has never experienced before.

When everyone is gone, and only Louis and the triplets remain, Louis scurries off to his nest before any questions can be asked. He wouldn’t know how to articulate it anyway.

“Omega.” Edward’s dark voice rings out in the stillness of the bedroom.

Louis is stripped down to the pink thong he’d been wearing all night, relaxing on his stomach in his nest.

“Yes, Alpha?” Louis responds innocently. As if he didn’t put on a show with another omega. As if the very sight of his mostly naked body isn’t a show in itself.

Louis feels the bed dip beside him, Harry cuddling close in a tiny pair of black boxers. Even if the boxers don’t hide anything, Louis feel’s Harry’s arousal pressed hard and long against his thigh.

Looking over, Edward and Marcel are in the same state. Both dressed down to their boxers, both impossibly hard. Louis can’t help the flood of slick that escapes him, soaking the thin string of his panties and dripping down his thighs.

“Fuck, Dove.” Harry groans beside him. The alpha’s hand slides up his leg until his fingers reach the slick between them.

Louis doesn’t have time to think before his legs are pushed apart and Harry is between them, licking up the slick thay continues to escape him. He moans as the alpha’s breath lands right over his hole before pulling away. It’s teasing and hot but his most private part remains untouched.

Louis whines, the neediest sound, unable to hold back anymore.

“Mark me, alphas.” He moans the words out, even if no one is touching him anymore. “I’m yours.”

In the blink of an eye, all three alphas are behind him. Hands roam over every inch of his back, down his spine to his ass, ghosting over his hole and running down his legs.

Louis doesn’t look back, but the sudden grunts and pants make it obvious what’s going on. The triplets are getting themselves off— or each other off. He can’t be sure, his face is buried in the pillow.

To help them along, Louis rises up on his knees, exposing his hole to them, covered only by the thin pink string of his thong. In the heat of the moment, he brings one hand back to touch himself.

He knew he was wet, but he didn’t realize he was dripping until his finger grazes between his cheeks. Encouraged by his own body, Louis allows his middle finger to dip into his entrance, slipping in easily with the help of his slick.

The stretch, after so long, is intense, but he yearns for more. He fits a second finger in, working them into himself. His fingers barely reach his prostate, but they graze it enough to send a slight jolt through him on every thrust of his wrist.

The alphas behind him groan loudly, appreciating the view Louis is giving them. It spurs the omega on to move his hand faster, adding a third finger. He trembles through a moan as his body accommodates it.

“All yours, alphas.” Louis grounds out, barely coherent in his pleasure.

“Yeah, Princess?” Edwards gravelly voice goes straight to his neglected cock. “Gonna come for your alphas?”

Louis cries out, ready to come but needing just a little bit more. His breath is short and choppy as he fucks his fingers into himself.

“Yes, Daddy.” The words tumble out of a whimper. “Gonna come, please Daddy.”

Warm wetness splashes across his lower back, his ass, his thighs and that does it. Louis comes into his panties with the loudest moan yet. Three growls ring behind him.

He’s so worn out, he can barely register his own fingers slipping out of his hole. He barely responds to Marcel cleaning him up with a damp wash cloth.

He finally responds coherently once they’re tucked into his nest, safe and sound, with nothing but, “I love you, Alphas.”

Chapter Text

Tour starts moving both faster and slower after that first night. Louis does his best to stay in the moment and enjoy every second of what he’s finally decided is his last tour, but every moment is fleeting. It slips through his fingers like sand and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t hold on to it.

The decision to finally be done came to him shortly after their second show in Cardiff. The concert that night had been phenomenal. The fans gave it their all and in turn, Louis did as well. Liam, Zayn and Niall had been off once again. On stage, it felt like Louis was the only one putting any sort of effort in and that really sunk in when Liam went for a bathroom break during Night Changes. The alpha had taken way longer than allowed and missed his solo. Without missing a beat, Louis jumped in for him and fucking smashed it. The fans went ballistic, screaming louder than Louis had ever heard them. Somewhere amidst the noise, something inside of Louis just clicked. He wasn’t signing that contract again.

He’d walked off that stage on night two of Cardiff and just knew— Louis Tomlinson will be leaving One Direction after this tour. And air finally returned to his lungs, easy, like water returning to wastelands.

Of course, because nothing in Louis’ life is easy, that’s when the side effects of long term suppressant use really started to kick in.

They’d driven overnight to their show in Glasglow and the ride was anything but easy. Louis slept fitfully, waking up from night terrors every hour. His whole body had been riddled in sweat and goosebumps. The blankets twisted around his body from all his tossing and turning. The omega had barely contained a scream everytime his eyes popped open after a nightmare and he’d felt his limbs held down. His alphas calmed him down each time, but no amount of cuddling and scenting could calm him enough to give him a break from his own mind.

Every time his eyes closed, he was kicked off of buses and torn to shred with words designed to cut. He was left alone over and over again by people he’s always thought would have his back. It started with the pack and slowly morphed until it was his own soulmates slamming doors in his face, leaving him in the cold with nothing but the clothes on his back. Had they just been nightmares he could’ve dealt with it. But nothing could stop the flood of distorted memories. No matter how tightly the triplets held him, they couldn’t combat the flashbacks Louis was plagued with reliving in his sleep.

Louis pulled himself together well enough to give one hell of a performance in Glasglow. The bright lights and roaring crowd got him out of his head enough to belt each lyric out like his life depended on it. Thank the gods he was able to because his bandmates were somehow worse in Glasglow than they’d been in Cardiff.

Zayn nailed his high notes like usual, but his harmonies were subpar at best. Liam, having the most solos, struggled to remember the words to just about every song. Niall made it through their set list without any serious complications, but there was no real emotion behind his voice. Every note came out flat, uncaring. Louis would’ve stolen the show anyways with his new confidence, but it was easier that it would’ve been due to the absolute blunders from the pack. But Louis was fucking tired. Exhausted. And after the strain his body has already been through, this was too much.

After that show, Edward put his foot down. For one, his omega was clearly suffering mentally. No matter how much each of them reassured him and Louis reassured himself, the omega was dealing with something that simple reassurance couldn’t fix. Second of all, the alphas were only able to travel with Louis because they could work on the road. They would not be able to work if they weren’t getting any sleep.

“Omega.” Edward grumbles in his alpha voice. They’ve only been in bed for two hours at this point. “This is the third time you’ve woken up tonight. Come here.”

Louis wants to protest, scream that he’s okay. But that’s not the truth. And he doesn’t need to do that anymore. The truth is, he’s not fucking okay. Every time he falls asleep, he dreams of the drops he’d suffered alone and the emptiness he’d felt without any allies on his side for so long. He wakes violently, sobs wracking his body, and the lifeless chill of his own mind plaguing him time after time. Any protest dies on his tongue before it can escape because, honestly, he’d do anything to make it stop.

Louis maneuvers out of his spot between Marcel and Harry to lie fully on top of Edward. Before he can worry about his weight and how heavy he may be for the alpha, Edward is kissing the top of his head and grasping the back of his neck.

“I’m here, Omega. Your alpha is here for you. Let go.” The alpha gets out, still using his alpha voice.

Louis has no idea what’s happening at first. He wants to scream at Edward about all the things his dreams show him, but Alpha said to let go. The omega inside of him pleads for him to listen. So he does.

And once he lets go, once he allows his alpha to carry the stress and terror ravaging him rather than hold onto it himself, he feels weightless. Stunned into complete relaxation. His body slumps heavily onto Edward’s and for once, all his worry is gone.

The weight of Edward’s arms around him and the buzz of anxiety from his nightmare falls away like ashes in the wind. The freeze he felt in his bones dissipates until he feels nothing but warm and cozy. His whole life shrinks to nothing but the cloud he’s floating on and the scents around him. A forest after heavy rain, rolling grassy hills and peppermint. Spring and Winter. Yellow, grey and red swirling behind his eyes as he drifts away from whatever was holding him down before.

Amidst the swirling colors behind his eyes, Louis relives more moments from his past. Memories, like his nightmares, but he’s untouchable here. They play in his mind’s eye like a nostalgic film reel rather than a a traumatic retelling here.

First, he sees himself after his first heat. Presenting late but still nothing but a child. Innocence shines in his eyes before the setting changes and he sees a younger version of himself sitting in an office. Simon Cowell sitting opposite. He watches his younger self sign a contract with trembling hands and a bowed head. As much as he wants to scream, to step in and stop himself, his body is entirely immobile.

And so the memories play.

His first time meeting Amanda. The first date he’d been forced on. Long nights at a club he never wanted to remember. The girl who kissed him unconsesually. The endless meetings with label executives. Punishments Amanda had given him that he still hasn’t found the courage to speak of. Alberto’s betrayed looks when he’d left with Carl. The glint in Niall’s eye every time he’s been told to leave. Liam and Zayn’s abrupt departure from his life. His own body losing weight and curves faster than he can blink until there’s nothing less but jutting cheekbones and baggy clothes.

And then…

He sees himself on a red carpet, lost and disoriented, only to be intercepted by a striking alpha. His panic attack in a fancy bathroom with flowing curls and a rumbling voice calming him. Camera flashes and green eyes showing him his future as he’s whisked away. A navy sofa and a fresh start. A no-nonsense alpha dancing across the room during a doctor’s visit. An independent bookworm holding his malnourished body like a prize and promising protection with red glowing eyes. A carefree, cupcake of a man sharing his pain and vulnerability with endless trust in a kitchen at dawn. Three alphas on their knees vowing to love him forever if he only says yes.

As relaxed as he’s felt until now, those images remove the last of his reservations. Louis let’s go completely, breathing in cedar and primrose and chocolate. Living solely among the most vibrant yellows and greys and reds. His omega settling in his chest as his body floats away.

Then the memories shift one last time.

LED lights flickering in an old pizza shop. Fans lining wooden booths wearing t-shirts with his face on them. Alberto holding Louis’ weight upon his shoulders. A line of fans full of hope and mutual respect. And finally, a motorized wheelchair carrying green eyes and infectious optimism.

And another decision is made.

Fleetingly, before Louis loses himself to the calm and the colors, he has one final thought. Whatever he does outside of One Direction, whoever he becomes, he wants to help people. He wants to make a difference in the lives of those like him. People who weren’t allowed to have a say in the life they lead. People like Malachi that were dealt a less than desirable hand. He tucks the thought away and drifts into peaceful sleep.

It’s not until a long while later that Louis finally realizes what happened.

“Come back to me, Princess.” A deep voice calls for him, tethering him back to his body. “I’m here Louis, time to get up.”

Slowly, Louis comes back to himself. His whole body feels like a helium balloon, ready to fly away any second. After more encouraging words from his alpha, he finally blinks his eyes open.

“Mornin’” Louis coughs out. His throat is more dry than it’s ever been and his muscles are complete goo. The darkness in the room is jarring compared to the vibrance of his dreams.

“Hey Kitten.” Another voice says. Louis turns his head to Marcel. “It’s so nice to see your eyes again, you were out a long time.” The alpha runs his fingers through Louis’ hair, scratching along his scalp.

Louis is confused about what that means for longer than he’d like to admit. It clicks, eventually, that he’d fallen into omegaspace. It took even longer to wrap his mind around that fact.

He dropped. Healthily. Safely. In the presence of trusted alphas. Alphas who brought him back. It wasn’t a frozen desert. It wasn’t an empty dystopia. Instead, he was warm, loved. The juxtaposition of his previous drops alone to this one transcends words. It wasn’t just night and day, it was near death and unimaginable life.

Then there’s the decision he’d made while under. His future is clear now. Charity. That’s what he wants. This huge question mark that’s been hanging over his head since London has become nothing but a blip on his radar. All of the anxiety over what he’ll do next is gone. He’ll continue to write for other artists, record music if he feels the need, and use the mass amounts of wealth both he and his mates have amassed for good.

And all he can do now is cry. His brain is still foggy at first, but he soon recalls his time in omegaspcace with dazzling clarity. All those memories he’d relived. Every instance in his life that he’d felt powerless, he watched from an outside perspective. Where he used to look back and see his weaknesses, he can now only see strength. Where he used to reprimand himself and his omega for allowing others to have control over them, he can only rejoice that he made it through their abuse as well as he did. It’s empowering and amazing, but overwhelming all at once. And so the tears flow.

The omega sobs, fingers gripping Harry and Edward’s shirts. He’s not sad. In fact, he feels more stable than he has since leaving London. All he can do is cry because he experienced omegaspace. It wasn’t exactly a goal, but he’d told himself that he’d never be a true omega until he experienced a healthy drop. And now he has. And he wants to cry. Because he met his goal. Because he’s an omega. Because nothing and nobody can take this away from him. Because he’s so strong. Because not only does he have people that see him now, but he can see himself, something he hadn’t even registered as an issue before. Because he has a plan, a future, outside of being a cash cow for wealthy white men that couldn’t care less about him.

_______

After that, time moved even faster. Every moment was something Louis wanted to hang on to because everything was a last. Every time he made Alberto chase him on his skateboard or made Basil hunt him down. Every time he sat in Lou’s chair or Caroline dressed him. Every soundcheck. Every interview. Every everything was starting to become a last time. A goodbye.

Since dropping for the first time, the stress and nightmares had subsided. However, Louis knew there would be a downside. Maybe not regret of his decision to leave, but the pain of losing everything he’d worked so hard for. The decision to leave One Direction was easy to make in the end, freeing even, but it came with the burden of losing the only life Louis has known for the last five years. The only life he’s known outside of his bubble back in Doncaster. It was bound to catch up to him.

Luckily for him, the drop came without the hysterics he was expecting. It came as he sat on the roof of the bus after their first of three shows in Belfast. He’d wanted a moment to himself to write, to get whatever was constricting his lungs onto the paper in hopes of easing it. An influx of hormones have been raging in his body without his little pink pills, but it hasn’t caused any meltdown or physical emotional response.

Instead, the imbalance in his system presented their negative side effects silently. As if they were speaking exclusively to him, the shift in his body’s chemistry caused Louis to experience a wide range of emotions in such a short time span that he could barely work out what he was feeling at any given time. All it served to do was to force the omega to recede back into himself, lose himself in his own head. Eventually, even Louis was sick of it and retreated to the roof of the bus to write. Hoping that the moon and the stars and the scratch of his pen would snap him out of whatever vertigo he’s been stuck in.

The words came easy at first, spilling onto a sheet in his thick black journal almost robotically. Quelling the emotional outrage he’s been dealing with previously. Before he knew it, Louis filled four whole pages with lyrics to fit his ever-changing moods. Upon rereading, he realized that he’d written the lyrics to his own goodbye. His goodbye to the industry that nearly broke him and his goodbye to the band that never wanted him.

And that’s when the dam burst.

Louis dropped his thick black journal to his side, not caring if the pages were damaged in his haste, and pulled his knees to his chest. And he cried. Sobbed. Bawled. Screamed. Cursed the moon and all her followers. For giving him this life, this burden. For making him pay countless dues just to live half the dream teenage Louis had thought he wanted. He cursed the moon, the sun, the stars. He cursed himself, his bandmates, his handlers. He cursed the universe itself. All while his eyes poured tears down his face and his lungs heaved with the burden of his pain.

He cried so hard that all he could hear was the blood flowing through his veins like he was holding a seashell to his ear at the beach. That’s probably why he didn’t hear Harry making his way to the roof, or settling beside him. It’s why Louis didn’t notice Harry was flipping through his black journal until the alpha broke him out of the panic.

“Oh my little Dove, did you write these?” Harry asked softly. The alpha kept his eyes on the journal, flipping through the pages with intense focus.

Louis halted his cursing hearing another voice. His head snapped up to ask the intruder to be left alone, but he was left speechless at the sight of Harry not only ignoring his obvious despair, but also at the fact that Harry was reading his journal with awe. Louis had never allowed a single other person to read his lyrics. And yet, he can’t be mad at his alpha for breaking a rule he never informed him of. Rather than be mad, Louis is content to watch Harry’s obvious interest in his writing. Like a surrendering soldier, he drops his weapons and lowers his walls in the face of his beautiful mate appreciating his art.

“This is the song we wrote together! Defenceless. A bit on the nose for a title, but very fitting. I approve.” The exclamation jolts Louis once again. Here he sits, tears staining his face and yet, his alpha is so invested in his work that he doesn’t seem to notice.

Harry flips the page and continues reading. Louis is floundering. On one hand, he wants to stop his alpha. Draw his attention away and hide his secret identity away. On the other hand, everything Harry has read is good enough that the alpha has completely ignored his omega’s obvious sadness. Louis can barely admit it to himself, but he’s desperate for approval, for praise. He can’t make himself take the journal away. As the tears dry into messy streaks on his face, Louis can only appreciate Harry’s interest in his work— even as he begs his mind to be angry, he simply can’t.

Harry’s arm lands heavily around Louis’ shoulders as he starts to sing, “I was tame,I was gentle
Til the circus life made me mean
Don’t worry folks we took out all his teeth
Who’s afraid of little old me?”

The alpha is wildly off key and off beat for what Louis had is his mind for the song, but his voice is oh so pretty. Louis’ brain fog clears enough to sing the chorus of the song in the key and on the beat he’d intended.

“So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street
Crash the party like a record scratch as I scream:
I was tame, I was gentle
Til the circus life made me mean
Don’t worry folks we took out all his teeth
So who’s afraid of little old me?”

Louis’ voice projects more than he intended it to, but a flick of his eyes towards the pack’s trailer reveals all lights are off. No one is awake to hear him. Even so, his body curls closer towards Harry’s as if embarrassed.

“Louis, did you write this?” The alpha asks, flipping through the pages.

“Yeah, every single word in that journal is a lyric I wore entirely myself.” He responds.

Not that there was a point in lying, but Harry had flipped back towards the front by the time Louis could formulate any words. The omega has let a lot of things slide in the past, but he’ll be damned before anyone else takes credit for his writing. He knew he’d have to tell his alphas about his alter ego eventually and it seems like now is the time.

“Wait…” Harry fishmouths as he goes through the pages. “I know these songs. This one! You didn’t write a name on top, but it’s Sleep On The Floor by the Lumineers. I love that song.”

Harry pauses his reading to look deep into Louis’ eyes, bewildered. Just as Louis had thought they would, his alphas know a lot of the songs in his book.

“You’ll probably find a lot of songs you know in there.” Louis says quietly, shying away. “I kinda…I sell songs I’ve written under a pseudonym?” He says, or questions rather. How does one explain this?

“A pseudonym?” Harry’s forehead scrunches in confusion. “What’s your name then?”

Louis coughs before, “Ted Williams.”

“Sorry Dovie, I couldn’t hear you.”

“Ted Williams.”

Harry freezes for just a second. Then he’s griping Louis shoulders and forcing eye contact. The alpha’s face is wild. Eyes bulging in disbelief and cheeks rosy.

“Did you just say Ted Williams?” Harry yells, the words echo in the night.

Louis stares at the alpha, stricken at the sheer volume Harry had spoken. Well damn, he was barely ready to open up to his soulmate. He may as well get used to everyone and their mother knowing if his mate is going to continue screaming.

“Will you keep it down.” Louis chastises. To make it clear, he reaches over and twists Harry’s nipple. Hard. Gods, he loves Harry’s tits.

“Ow!” Harry yelps. Louis would feel bad if the alpha didn’t have it coming. “I hardly think that was necessary.”

Louis levels the man with an annoyed side eye, killing any arguments before they can form. He doesn’t speak yet, rather waits for Harry to ask. Nerves build inside him until Harry finally speaks again.

“Ask anyone who knows me, Ted Williams is my favorite artist. Not just songwriter but artist. I keep an eye out for any song he has writing credits on because everything he writes is so beautiful.”

Louis coughs, trying to shy away in the face of the alpha’s compliments. He’d wanted the praise, but to learn his own alpha loves his art so much without even knowing it’s his is almost too much. Louis knows his face must look like a tomato at this point.

“Yeah well…” Louis clears his throat, hoping for some semblance of confidence, “It’s me. I hope that doesn’t disappoint you.”

The second the words leave his mouth, Louis is scooped up and maneuvered until he’s straddling the alpha’s lap. Harry’s large hand cups his cheek, thumb brushing back and forth over his cheekbone.

“Oh, my Dovie.” Harry whispers. The alphas eyes pinning Louis to his spot. “Don’t you see? I was in love with you before I even met you. Obsessed with your brain and ability to put words on a page. We were always meant to be.”

Louis rolls his eyes as he blushes, “We already knew we were meant to be you frog.” He meant it to be sassy, but only managed to come out fond.

“Soulmates or not, I have immense faith in your talent and in your art.” The alpha declares.

Louis wants to cry, or maybe scream. To be honest, the emotions he came to the roof to escape are building up again. He loves his alpha and Harry’s blind faith in him gives him hope, but his thoughts are tunneling towards anger. Anger aimed at all the people that brushed him off before. All the people that told him he’s a beta, he’s meant to conjur headlines, he has no real talent to bring to the band. His mind becomes a minefield of rage and resentment and affection and awe and it’s too much. Too many emotions to handle.

“Can I have your phone?” Louis asks, batting his eyelashes in hopes of deflecting the feelings eating away at him.

“‘Course, Babe.” Harry reaches into his back pockets and pulls his phone out without question. When Louis asks, he provides his passcode as well (Louis was less than surprised to find the passcode was his own birthday. Harry is a sap).

After finding the piece of paper Malachi’s mum gave to him from his back pocket, Louis dials one of the number’s on Harry’s phone.

“Hello, you’ve reached the Motor Neuron Disease Association, how can I help you?” A warm voice answers.

“Hello, I’d like to make a donation. Would you be able to assist me?” Louis asks into the phone. Harry, bless his heart, stares at the omega in his lap like a he’s bowing at an alter. Louis can’t help but lean down and kiss his nose.

“Of course, Dear! I can take all of your information down myself. Would you like to make your donation on behalf of anyone or business or personally?” The woman asks. Her voice reminds Louis of his own mum. The cracks in his heart after the last few days of nightmares and mood swings zip shut at the sound of it.

“A personal donation on behalf of my friend Malachi Ahmad.” Louis responds to the woman. He quickly buries the phone in his shoulder to address Harry. “Credit card please, Alpha.” he demands, hand out in front of him, palm flat and facing upward to get the man moving.

Louis has never had the option of bossing alpha’s around before, but he takes great pleasure in watching Harry scramble for his wallet from his simple demand. He brings the phone back to his ear as the alpha pulls the card out and hands it to him.

“Oh my dear! You know Malachi? Oh my gods, he will be so thrilled to hear about this!”

Louis gets misty eyed as the woman on the phone continues to narrate Malachi’s involvement with the charity and how ‘his optimism breeds hope’ among his peers. He’d known the boy was special upon meeting him, but hearing how much good he’s done even without the ability to speak, is nothing short of inspiring.

When the woman, Margaret, asks Louis the amount and he responds, “Two million pounds.” They both cry.

Margaret because, as she was able to explain on the phone, her own nephew has been waiting for a computer and that amount will help him and so many others. Louis because he’s not only doing good, but doing something.

Five years of his life have gone down the drain because he lived the entire time essentially in a fugue state. He had no say in what was happening, was so out of it on illegal suppressants and alpha commands that he had little to no comprehension of what was going on. Coming to terms with that is one of the big feelings that drove him to the roof of this bus in the first place.

Crying with Margaret does not add to those big feelings. It, in fact, quiets them. Much like writing them in songs did, donating to a charity he cares a lot about makes his mind feel like static on an old box tv. It’s a small kickstart to what he wants to do in the future. It’s a taste of what’s to come, and fuck, is it delicious.

Harry, the alpha that’s courting him and that he’ll soon be soulbonded to, not even wincing at the amount as Louis rattled off the numbers on the alphas credit card feel like a promise too. His eyes lock onto the alpha’s as the call ends, Margaret hanging up as Louis sets the phone aside.

Harry loved him through is lyrics before the alpha even met him. Harry loves him now, knowing the baggage and trauma he carries. And Harry vowed to love him for the rest of forever when he presented Louis with the courting ring.

Louis already knows they share the soulmate bond and are meant to be. He’s already submitted to the triplets and agreed to be courted by them. The universe decided for them long ago.

But here, on top of a tour bus in Belfast— under the moon and the stars, Louis chooses for himself.

“Harry Styles,” He says, both hands coming up to grasp the alphas cheeks. “I choose you.”

“Uhm, I would hope you do.” Harry says, unsure. Adorably confused by Louis’ declaration.

“Well, I do.” Louis says before standing. He backs until he can look down at his alpha and throws his arms out wide, “I, Louis Tomlinson, choose Edward, Marcel and Harry Styles as my alphas.”

He’s finished his dramatic statement with his head thrown back and eyes closed, so he doesn’t see Harry’s face. But he heard the giggles and he heard the alpha say, “I knew you were small Lou, but you’re so tiny even when you’re standing and i’m on the ground.” The alpha finishes that with another giggle.

Louis huffs, crossing his arms and popping his hip, “I take it back. I choose Edward and Marcel, I’m just stuck with you.”

Harry’s roaring laughter becomes the soundtrack to their night as Louis settles into the alpha’s lap once again. The point out constellations as Louis tells the alpha all about his songs. All about the meanings behind them. And none of those big feelings matter anymore. The steep low he’d been expecting happened and all he really needed was an extra set of hands to help lift him up. Lucky for him, Louis has three extra sets of hands. As he turns the page in his journal and shows Harry is goodbye to the band, Peter, he knows those hands will always be there to lift him up.

________

As always, the real downside he should’ve been expecting comes in the form of Amanda.

They make it through Cardiff and Glasgow and Belfast with relatively no issues. It’s the show in Newcastle that sets off her wrath.

Their plan for this tour was a little backwards compared to the other. They did North America and Asia first before taking a break and coming back for Europe and South America and finishing with three nights at the O2. It truly made no sense on paper, but Louis couldn’t be more thankful for it.

Having met the triplets when he did and being at this stage on the tour, means all three of them are still able to travel with him through Newcastle and Sheffield before only Marcel accompanies him to Paris.

Which means, all three of Louis’ alphas are present when Amanda truly loses her shit.

They drive through the night after they last show in Belfast and arrive in Newcastle early in the morning. It’s barely dawn when Louis’ phone starts ringing. At first, the four of them ignore it in hopes of whoever is calling realizing that 6 a.m is way too early to be contacting someone. By the third time the phone rings, Louis springs out of bed to answer it. Since Amanda has been radio silent since Cardiff, his only thought is that his family must’ve had an emergency.

He leo’s from the bed, kicking Edward in the balls in his haste, and answers with a frantic, “Is everyone okay?!”

To his horror, it’s not his mum or sisters on the other end. It’s an hysterical Amanda who is apparently incapable of pleasantries. The female alpha skips straight to yelling before Louis can wake up enough to listen properly.

“Why did I receive an email from Liam asking for the pack to take over their share of promotional duties? Why the hell would Liam be thinking shout that? Huh, Louis?” She yells down the line.

Louis looks down at himself, seeing an expanse of tan skin, Edwards boxers and one of Harry and Marcel’s socks on each foot before looking to the bed. Edward is gripping Marcel with us face buried between his shoulder blades while Harry is curled into a fetal position with a pillow over his head. All his sleepy brain can think is ‘why did I wear socks to bed?’

“Apparently they’ve been reading over their contracts and realized that their promotional duties haven’t been met outside of scheduled interviews.” Amanda continues. “What the hell did you tell them, Louis? Do I need to remind you of the consequences of filthy whores like you disobeying me?”

Thanks to superior alpha hearing, that threat has all three alphas rising like the dead, ready to tear their enemies limb from limb. It kicks Louis into gear enough to respond to Amanda’s line of questions.

“Nothing in my contract or commands prohibits me from telling any of my bandmates about my club appearances. Maybe they want a few paid nights out?” Louis says without thinking.

“Oh they want some paid nights out, do they?” The alpha says ominously, words coming out in a near growl. Louis want to laugh because her growl is weak even compared to Eleanor’s, a beta, but he holds himself back. “How about you have some nights out that pay me. There’s a nice club in Newcastle full of alphas that would love to get their hands on a dirty whore like you.”

It’s not a laughing matter anymore with a threat like that. Nothing is funny aboht an abusive alpha threading to hand a neglected/suppressed omega to a den full of alphas. Three sets of bleeding red eyes stare back at him as he stands, stunned, next to the bed. All Louis can do is hang up the phone, he’ll call Amanda back later. Right now, he has murderous mates to calm down.

“Where is she, Louis?” Is the first thing said and it’s Marcel, the one with the least amount of control at the moment. His question is a simple one, but his tone is laced with homicidal intent. The killer instinct speaking for him.

Louis can’t quite tell if he hates himself or not for the fact that he gets incredibly wet hearing it. Not that he has much say over what turns him on these days, but an alpha created solely for him ready to kill for him does the trick pretty well. Louis realizes quickly that he’ll have to placate the alpha while his own slick soaks Edward’s boxers and drips down his thighs.

“Alpha…” Louis starts walking back towards the bed with his hands up, “She’s in London, remember? She stayed with us thriugh Glasgow then headed back. She’s no where near me.”

Harry’s eyes flicker back towards green while he speaks, but Marcel and Edward stay murderous. The combination of flickering green and burning red staring back at him makes the arousal coursing through the omega blaze hotter.

“Where is she, Omega?” Edward demands.

So clearly, as hot as it is, these alphas have lost their minds. Not even the slick rolling out of him in steady waves is affecting them. Words won’t appease them, obviously. If the reminder of Amanda being no where near him is enough, then it’s clear they won’t stop until they know her exact location.

Well, Louis is tired and adrenaline is the only thing keeping him upright by now. Drastic times call for drastic measures.

Without taking the time to think it through, Louis reaches down to scoop some slick off his legs. He’s so turned on at this point that a few drops have made it nearly to the backs of his knees. He wets his fingers with ease. As soon as his fingers are wet, he reaches forward and placed his palm on Marcel’s cheek, smearing his slick across the alpha’s cheek.

He spares half a second to watch Marcel’s pupils blow until his eyes are nearly black before reaching down again and doing the same to Edward.

In the end, his ill-thought plan has the desired effect of squashing their murder spree. But it also creates an entirely new problem…

The wolves within the alphas had completely taken over in their anger and are still present even if arousal had won out. Louis is snatched where heMs standing and thrown onto the bed roughly. Regrettably, the manhandling turns him on even more.

“Present, Omega.” To Louis’ utter shock, it’s Harry who delivers the alpha command.

All he can do is obey. So he flips onto his knees, dropping to his elbows and burning his head into the pillows. He arches his back and pushes his ass out.

They’ve spoken about this, sex is not on the table for Louis until they bond. After denying his nature for so long, Louis has held onto the tradition of purity until bonding. It’s not common these days, but it means more to Louis than he’s willing to admit. Even if his mates know this, he’s scared that none of that will matter to their wolves right now.

“You have such a lovely bum, Kitten.” Is what he hears next. And…what?

“Such a good omega. Listen to your alphas so well.” Edwards deep voice compliments as his hand massages Louis’ back.

Louis preens at the praise, cuddling deeper into the mattress. But he’s still a little…confused? His mates just went from alpha kill switch to uncontrollable horniness to level-headed praise way too fast.

He flips back down onto his back. “Are you guys okay?” He asks reluctantly, quirking an eyebrow and the three figures huddled above him.

“We’re okay, Little one.” Edward says before flopping between Louis’ legs and nuzzling his face into Louis’ little tummy. “It was smart move, but dangerous too. We love you too much to ever hurt you, but do not ever do that if you’re in danger.” The oldest alpha lifts his head to say.

“Why would I ever be in danger with another alpha if I have you guys to protect me?” Is his immediate response.

Harry falls heavily at his side, arm coming around his waist and pulling him close. “Gods, you’re fucking perfect.” A flurry of kisses is placed all across his face.

Still confused, Louis does his best to catch Marcel’s eye as Harry continues to press kisses anywhere he can reach. If anyone is will to explain, it’s his Marcie.

As expected, the alpha clears his throat before saying, “All alphas thrive off their ability to care for their omegas. Since we’re soulmates, our need to protect you is even stronger. Your default response of knowing you’d never be in danger with us in your life affirms our existence, essentially.” He falls to Louis’ other side to muzzle into the omegas neck as soon as his explanation is through.

Louis giggles because duh? They were quite literally about to hunt down a far weaker alpha for degrading him through the phone. He feels untouchable with his big strong alphas at his side. He also invincible knowing his alphas need him to fulfill their purpose.

For a long time, with Simon’s words in his head, Louis was terrified that he’d find an alpha that would just boss him around all the time. Then, watching Liam, Zayn and Niall, he was worried he would have too much power over his alpha like Niall always has.

This, as Marcel explained it, feel very much like equality. It feels like a give and take. He can’t be sure if it’s due to their soulmate status or because his alphas are simply perfect or if he’s only been subjected to unhealthy relationships his whole life. But fuck, he couldn’t be happier.

With Marcel tucked into his neck, Harry wrapped around him and Edward buried in his tummy, Louis feels so at peace.

If only he didn’t have to call Amanda back.