To Be Loved

Chapter 09

After that day, their dynamic shifted. Louis and Harry had yet to bond, but as Louis's heat drew nearer, the desperation to have the alpha close bit at him. It was an itch under his skin that he could not scratch and to his dismay, Harry had to leave to discuss some business with a neighbouring pack.

Louis felt his wolf attempting to take over as the itch grew. Maybe he was touch deprived. He reached for the phone Harry had given him as sweat gathered on his upper lip. With shaky hands he dialled Harry's number. It rang a few times before the alpha answered. "I'm in a meeting, pup. What's wrong?" Harry asked.

Harry knew something did not feel right when he left his house and Louis calling him did not settle his nerves. "Alpha," Louis breathed out. "Please, come back." Louis felt his voice break and a small whimper slipped past his lips. He knew he was not in heat. Louis knew, but his skin felt like it was burning.

"I will be there, pup," Harry said before the line went dead and Louis felt himself whining. He needed his alpha. He needed to smell his alpha. He stood on shaky legs and wobbled out of his room and walked towards Harry's room. They were friends, but Louis knew he needed Harry. He needed his alpha. Louis did not like being dependent. He had never been dependent on anyone, but in that moment, he felt like he was suffocating.

As he closed the door behind him, he was surrounded by Harry's scent and that made his body sag. His loose limbs carried him towards the alpha's bed. When Louis lay down and pressed his face against Harry's pillow, a tear rolled down his cheek followed by another. The itch was not as intense, but he felt like scratching his skin raw.

He did not know how long he lay there as traitorous tears rolled down his cheeks, but when the door opened and he smelled Harry, he started sobbing loudly. "It hurts so bad," he hiccupped.

Harry's heart sped up as he closed the distance between his omega and himself and kneeled down beside his bed. He could not find Louis in his room when he rushed home. The next option was his room and the sight in front of him made his chest ache. "What happened pup? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Harry rushed out as he scanned Louis from head to toe, inspecting him for any injuries.

"P-Please, I need you to touch me. It burns. M-My skin burns." Louis was shaking and he seemed uncomfortable in his own skin. Harry inhaled sharply. His omega was touch deprived. Fuck. How had he not noticed?

He removed his shoes and hesitated for a moment. "Is it okay if I come to you?" He asked, the last time he tried to comfort his omega running rampant in his mind.

"Please," Louis sobbed. Harry did not hesitate as he discarded his shirt and clumbed onto the bed behind Louis and pulled the omega against him. Louis's skin was hot to the touch and a blooming red colour. He pressed his nose against Louis's scent gland and scented his omega. He ran his tongue soothingly across Louis's scent gland as the omega cried in his arms. He moved away to roll Louis onto his back and the omega whined. He was in pain and Harry would be damned if he let Louis suffer.

He pressed his weight onto Louis. He knew Louis would be fine and he did not hold back as he scented him and touched him. "I'm going to take your t-shirt off okay?" He said and Louis nodded. With his top half bare, Harry could see the redness of his skin.

What felt like hours later, Harry heard Louis sigh as he relaxed completely under Harry's weight, but Harry did not stop his ministrations. "You are touch deprived," Harry stated.

"I did not know. I have never had this happen to me before." Louis sounded tired and his voice was hoarse.

Harry hummed. "You have not lived in close proximity with an alpha for an extended period of time, pup. Symptoms don't present then. You are however, now living with your mate and you don't get touched. It made your symptoms rise to the surface," Harry explained. He felt responsible for Louis's touch deprivation. He should have noticed. "I'm sorry I didn't notice."

Louis could not speak. He did not know what to say. He nodded sleepily. "My skin felt like it was on fire. All I knew was I needed you. I'm sorry if I messed up your meeting. I know it was important." Louis closed his eyes.

Harry rubbed up and down his bare arms soothingly. "My meetings will never come above you. You are my omega, pup. If you need me, I will be there." Harry's words were like a balm to his open wounds and he ate it up even if it might be temporary.

Harry had been so nice to him the last few days. He was still cold to people, but he was warmer with Louis or so he deluded himself into believing because Louis knew he was going to fall in love and he knew it was going to hurt. How could he not fall in love? Harry cared about his pack in his own cold way. He made time to take a walk and talk to his pack. He made sure they had everything they needed, but Harry was also a strict enforcer of laws. Crimes did not go unpunished.

Harry also cooked for Louis.

"I should probably tell you that I don't know how to cook," Louis said sheepishly as he fiddled with his fingers.

"I didn't know," Harry mused, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"I know I should. It's an omega's responsibility, but I don't know how to." Louis omitted the reason as to why he didn't know and why he never learned. If Harry knew he was leaving something out, the alpha never mentioned it.

"It's okay, pup. I enjoy cooking. You can eat what I make." His lips quirked upwards slightly. "Do we have a deal?" He asked, schooling his features into a serious expression that came easily to the alpha.

"Deal." Louis smiled as he shook Harry's too big hand that engulfed his smaller one completely.

Louis was a weak omega, but he was trying not to fall in love. He had inklings of feelings growing within him, but he was positive he did a good job of hiding them. He did not want to be ridiculed. He liked an alpha once before and look where that got him.

"I can't expect that from you, Harry," Louis said as he weakly wrapped his arms around Harry in a weak attempt to keep Harry from leaving. Harry kissed his neck where his bond mark would be one day. It felt like a promise and goosebumps rose on his skin.

"You can. You should. I will put my mark on you soon Louis. Even now, you should expect it from me. Once I give you my mark, I will be yours forever." Harry was so sure of his words that the question that had been plaguing his mind since he got there bubbled out of him before he could stop himself.

"Do you have a consort?" Louis squeezed his eyes shut as Harry tensed and pulled away. A whine bubbled up, but Louis suppressed it.

Harry's scent turned sour. Louis should not have asked. Harry was probably offended and disgusted that Louis even had to ask. He held his breath anticipating the familiar sting to burn his cheek, but it never came. Harry relaxed and pressed his weight onto Louis again. The alpha had his face pressed into Louis's scent gland as he spoke, sending vibrations and shivers down Louis's spine. "No. You are my omega. I don't need a consort. I have you." Louis felt the pressure build against his ribcage.

He bit his lip to calm himself down. "Sometimes I feel like I should tell you everything that happened. Sometimes I want to."

Harry pulled away and looked into his eyes. "And now?"

"Hm?"

"And now do you want to tell me?" Harry asked as he gazed intensely into Louis's eyes. Louis felt exposed and he felt himself trying to shut himself off, but Harry's eyes flashed red in the most beautiful way and the walls came crumbling down.

"Yeah," Louis breathed out.

"Tell me, pup. Tell me what happened."

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My inability to make them hate each other is unbelievable. Also obviously this means something is going to happen.