the eclipse [sequel] ☾ l.s.

five - the threat

"Harry, honestly. Seriously. Could you move any slower?" Louis grumbled, impatient as ever. He leaned against a thick tree trunk, one eyebrow quirked as he watched his omega stop yet again to inspect a patch of herbs.

Harry had intended to take Louis out for a relaxing walk to settle his nerves, but it wasn't going well so far. Louis was impatient as ever (even the reservoir of patience he normally reserved for Harry seemed to have dried up) and Harry just couldn't help stopping to examine the unfamiliar herbs growing along the path.

Point being, neither of them were feeling particularly relaxed.

"It's not a race, Louis," Harry responded calmly. "We're enjoying nature."

"We live in a cave, Harold. We enjoy nature all the time."

Harry huffed, but he stood from his crouching position and hurried to catch up with Louis, who had already started walking without him. As soon as he was close enough, the alpha reached back for his hand, interlacing their fingers together and squeezing in a sort of silent apology.

They didn't speak for a few minutes. The air felt heavy and warm with the sort of afternoon heat that came just before real springtime, and the sunshine made Harry's skin prickle in the best way.

He smiled to himself.

Louis tugged them off the path and into a small clearing, a smile appearing on his face to mirror Harry's own. It was like he knew that Harry would find this spot beautiful: tiny blue and purple flowers twisted up through the tall grass, poking their little petals up through the thick green stems. Harry gasped in surprise when Louis tugged him to his chest, grinning at him.

"Hi, baby."

Harry's smile widened. "Hi."

With two fingers under his chin, Louis tilted Harry's head to connect their lips. Harry sighed softly, wrapping his arms around the older boy's neck as their mouths moved together in time. He could spend hours with Louis like this, just tasting him and feeling him. The sensation was truly indescribable, a mix of so many different emotions: passion and heat, but also safety and tranquility. A sort of quietness, too, like the whole world just faded into the background.

Peace.

And somehow, in a matter of mere hours, the perfect bubble of peace that they had spent the past year crafting for themselves just popped.

The sudden growl that punched out from Louis's throat sent Harry shrinking back into himself, shoulders hunching as every hair on his body stood on end in response to his alpha's outburst. Before he could even process what was happening, Louis had shoved him back against a tree, slamming him against the trunk with the softest oomph. The alpha was shielding Harry's body with his own, pinning him securely against the solid wood so that no one could sneak up on them from behind.

"Lou," Harry whispered, not yet understanding. The clearing in front of them seemed empty, but Louis's nose was much more sensitive than his own. He clung to the hem of the older boy's shirt with trembling fingers, his body responding to the alpha's aggressive pheromones before his mind could catch up. "Alpha, what's wrong? What's going on?"

Louis growled again, and his protective grip on Harry's hip tightened. Harry whimpered when the older boy's fingers dug painfully into his flesh, but Louis still didn't release his hold.

"Louis, please. We're only here to talk," a familiar voice pierced through the peaceful silence of the forest. "It's very important, or we wouldn't have sought you out."

Harry's knees buckled, and his vision blurred as the small group of wolves broke through the treeline and entered the clearing. He would have fallen if Louis had left him even an inch to breathe. He whined low in his throat, hiding his face against Louis's warm back to somewhat muffle the pathetic whimpers that kept escaping his lips.