the eclipse [sequel] ☾ l.s.

twenty - through the dark

Louis woke up sore, his muscles stiff from sitting up against the wall all night. He groaned, and it took him a moment to remember where he was. As soon as he felt the cold concrete against his skin, his eyes shot open, and his grip on Harry's waist tightened.

He exhaled a relieved breath. At least they were together.

Harry whined softly, nudging his nose deeper into the crook of Louis's neck, trying to pull the alpha impossibly closer. With their bond renewed, his own heartbeat quickened with echoes of Louis's stress. He frowned in his sleep.

Slowly, with Louis's hands still stroking slowly through his hair, Harry started to wake. His nose scrunched, his eyelashes fluttering. He still didn't open his eyes, but he moved to wrap both arms around Louis's neck, hugging him properly.

"How long have you been awake?" he murmured, brushing his lips over the alpha's warm skin.

"Not long."

"You're worried. Thinking. What's wrong?"

"We're in a prison cell, Harry. What isn't wrong?"

"You're here," Harry replied. He still hadn't opened his eyes, still basking in the comfort of his mate's body beneath him. "You're here with me."

Louis sighed, hating how he felt the same way; hating himself, because a part of him was willing to accept Harry being trapped and tortured just to have the omega by his side. He thumbed over the fresh mark on Harry's neck.

He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve Harry.

Harry deserved someone who believed in him, who never doubted him even for a second. Harry was the moon and the stars -- constant. Every time Louis lost himself, Harry was there to guide him home. How could he ask for that when he couldn't even take care of Harry in return?

"Louis." Harry shifted in the alpha's lap, anxious. He finally sat back, releasing their embrace enough to look his mate in the eye. "You're upset. Like, even more upset than you should be, all things considered. What's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry."

"What? Don't apologize. This isn't your fault."

"No, not just this situation. I'm sorry that I ever agreed to go back to the Sons. I'm sorry that I pushed you away when you were only trying to understand what I was thinking. I'm sorry that I ever believed you would leave without talking to me, that I trusted that forged goodbye note over my own instincts . . ."

Harry's eyes widened. Everything had happened so fast that day. He hadn't even thought about the half-written note left on the table.

"I'm just so, so sorry. For everything." Lightly, Louis brushed his fingers over the patchwork of bruises on one of Harry's arms. "What happened here?"

"It'll just make you angry. You don't want to know."

"Tell me. Please."

"She told me her plan, and after I refused to help her . . ." Harry shuddered, shrinking further into Louis's arms for comfort. "She tried to persuade me, uh . . . physically. Some of the soldiers kept beating me, and she said she'd only tell them to stop if I agreed."

Louis bit back his instinctive threat on this entire pack's existence. As much as he didn't want to scare Harry, further, he couldn't help it: anyone who touched his mate deserved everything they had coming for them.

Absentmindedly, Harry fitted a hand over his flat stomach. "I couldn't let them keep going," he said quietly, more to reassure himself than Louis. He glanced up at his alpha when he added, "I told her I would try. I haven't had to do anything yet, but it won't be long."