Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

George was fifteen when, one by one, the young omegas around him began to have their first heat.

Between the four of them—George, Charles, Max, and Lance—Max was the one who got it first. Most likely because he was the oldest. George heard from his papa, who heard it from Aunt Susie, that Max had it rough. He didn’t even go to school for two weeks straight. But again, the first heat could be very painful for an omega, especially the unmated ones. George and Nico had the chance to visit Max during the last few days of his first heat, and he was very surprised to see Max, who was usually always so energetic, just lying there weakly inside his nest.

“It was fucking horrible, man.” Max complained a week after he recovered when the four of them gathered in the school’s cafeteria for lunch and gossip. “Worst days of my life, even worse than when my vader told me I was a worthless piece of shit.” He said before he let out a weird yelp of pain.

“Max!” Charles said reproachfully. “What have I said?”

Max looked chastened. “Be good for today. No trauma dumping for today.”

Charles nodded his head firmly. “That’s right.”

George looked at them, amused, while Lance, on the other hand, looked horrified. “Was it that bad?”

“Yeah!” Max grimaced. “I don’t even remember half of it, it was all dizzy and confusing. The worst part is that I was craving something I couldn’t fucking explain. I feel like a slut, really. Ready to spread my legs for every alpha coming my way.”

Both George and Lance cackled at that, while Charles began yelling something about decency at Max.

Then someone suddenly approached George from behind and enveloped him in a warm hug, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek. George smiled warmly at the unexpected display of affection; he knew right away who it was from the scent—it was Nicky.

“Hey baby,” Nicky greeted a beaming George. “Hey guys, what’s up?”

“We were just talking about Max’s first heat,” Lance explained to his cousin.

“Right,” Nicky blinked, turning to Max. “How are you today?”

Max grinned at him in return. “I’m good, actually. Feeling like a whor-” He paused himself and glanced at Charles, who glared back at him. “Horse. Like a horse.” He said instead and everyone at the table laughed.

A lot has transpired between them since last year, from Lando starting primary school to George meeting his mate, Nicky, who came to England for the exchange. It was a bit weird at first to have a mate. George didn’t really know what to do and it wasn’t like there was a handbook about ‘how to fall in love with your destined alpha after loving someone else for almost your whole life’. But Nicky was a total gentleman. He was pleasant and kind to him, if a little shy, and never pushed George for anything. They went on their first date a few months after meeting each other. Nicky even bought George flowers (thank God they weren’t roses), which he plucked himself from Uncle Fernando’s own garden. It was a simple yet sweet gesture that earned him a nod of approval from Nico and a pat on the back from Lewis.

It was a good life, George thought. There was a feeling of safety about having to finally meet your mate—a feeling of contentment. Sometimes, when George looked at Nicky, it felt like everything in his life had just made sense. Like they’ve known each other since forever.

And for Alex...

“Where are Estie and Alex, by the way?” Lance asked his cousin, craning his neck, trying to find the two missing boys. “Isn’t Estie in your alpha class too?”

Well, George’s poor heart still flipped sickeningly in his chest whenever he heard Alex’s name.

“Oh yeah, he is. But he said something about wanting to help Alex with his resume.” Nicky said nonchalantly as he plucked a handful of French fries from George’s lunch box.

“What resume?”

Nicky stopped munching for a second to take a great look at Lance. “Wait, you don’t know? Alex had decided where to go for his exchange. I think it was... Thailand?”

George’s fingers felt numb for a second and he dropped his cutlery to the ground, causing a loud clattering sound.

Everyone at the table looked at him curiously.

“Babe, you good?” Nicky asked in concern.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” said George hastily. He cursed silently as he bent down to retrieve his cutlery from the floor. He knew his hands were shaking. His heart raced. Oh God. Alex was going to Thailand. For his exchange. He hoped he heard that wrong. Part of his mind screamed that it was just for Alex to expand his knowledge about other packs, to broaden his horizons about other werewolves from different cultures, while the other part cried just as loudly that it was also to increase Alex's chance to find someone outside their pack.

‘Don’t be silly,’ he silently reminded himself.  ‘You have Nicky now; don’t be silly, George. If Alex finally finds someone else to love, it’s none of your business.’

“That’s pretty far.” Charles said, his voice barely above a whisper. George glanced at him instinctively, and the moment their eyes met, they both quickly turned away. Things had been weird between them since last year. Charles had come to apologise, but George never thought there was anything to apologise for. It wasn’t Charles’s fault if Alex fancied him. And it certainly wasn’t Charles’s fault as well that George had made the mistake of being stupid and desperate.

“I think Alex said something about one of his grandmothers being from there,” Max said, oblivious to the whole situation. “He’s very excited about it, though, it’s kinda cute.”

“Did he say for how long?” George tried to keep his tone as neutral as possible.

Max shrugged. “Uncle Toto wants him to stay there at least for four years, I reckon.”

“FOUR YEARS?!” George couldn’t help himself, but his voice caught the attention of many people in the school’s cafeteria. Feeling ashamed, he cleared his throat and lowered his voice. “Four years?! What is he gonna do there for that long? Built a whole new pack?”

Nicky shook his head fondly. “That’s not possible, babe. Toto wouldn’t let him, Alex is his son, the heir to the pack.”

“That’s true.” Lance nodded his head. “I mean, come on! Alex will come back. It’ll be just four years abroad in Thailand. It’s not like he’d leave England for good, what’d his parents think?”

Indeed. Four years without Alex? That sounded like hell for George.

“Anyway, what about you guys? Where do you want to go for the exchange?”

“Probably Australia,” Max said with spirit, and George silently thanked him for the change in subject. “It’s a bit far, sure, but I heard the wildlife there is wonderful.”

Charles raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “Really, now? You know you’re going there to actually immerse yourself in the community of werewolves, right? Not with the wildlife.”

Max rolled his eyes at him. “I know that. But or maybe, Belgium? My mum’s from there, and I always wanted to visit her old pack.”

Lance nodded in approval. “Belgium is a nice place. My cousin Stoffel said his pack is very welcoming to visitors. If you want, I could talk to him. Or if you really want to go to Australia, maybe my dad’s old pack could help.”

“Really? That’d be great, thanks!”

“What about you, then, Lance?” It was George's turn to ask the question. “Heard Esteban’s going back to France next year, will you go with him?”

Lance blushed a deeper shade of red. He was one of the luckiest werewolves who had met his mate when he was young, and ever since then, he and Esteban were basically inseparable. Where he went, Esteban would follow, and vice versa. On good days, they could be very cute together, but on most days, they could be very disgusting with the PDA.

“Estie wants to visit Spain first before coming back to France,” Lance said. “I don’t mind following him everywhere. Besides, papá said it’s a good thing if I go to Spain. I could visit his old pack there and meet my Spanish cousins!”

“Good for you, man.” Max said, clasping his hand on Lance’s shoulder. “What about you, Charles? Antonio went to Italy, no? Will you go there too?”

Charles looked thoughtful for a moment. “No. I really want to go to Monaco, actually. My fathers always spoke fondly of the country, that’s why I’m curious.“ He said slowly. “Or France, whichever. But I’m open to visiting Germany or Finland too.”

“Monaco is nice,” George said lightly, playing with his lunch without looking at Charles. “I visit my oma and opa almost every summer there. I like it.”

Lance, however, this time shook his head in disapproval. “Don’t go to France, Charles, it’s better for you to go to Monaco instead. Daniil said some of the packs in France can be a bit unwelcoming to an outsider.”

George frowned at Lance confusedly. “Who’s this Daniil bloke again?”

“He’s my Russian cousin!”

“How big is your family actually, mate?” Max demanded. “Why do you have so many cousins from different parts of the world?!”

Nicky cackled loudly at that, and George smiled at him. He always loved watching Nicky laugh.

“It’s not that big.” Lance said, pouting.

Max made a face. “Say, if I want to go to South Africa for the exchange, do you know someone there that could help me?”

Lance glowered at that, but his cheeks went a bit red. “Well, I’ve got my Great Uncle Jody there–”

“See what I’m talking about?! What about somewhere in South America? Venezuela maybe? Or Colombia? Brazil? Do you know someone there?”

“Um… Maybe Cousin Pastor in Venezuela could help.”

Max raised one sceptical eyebrow at Lance. “Just him?”

Lance shrugged, but he didn’t meet Max’s eyes.

“Or Uncle Rubens in Brazil.” Nicky added helpfully. “And Uncle Juan Pablo, too, in Colombia.”

Lance’s whole face had now turned crimson red, so red that George thought he could explode at any moment. “Yes, yes. They could also help if you want.”

The whole table exploded in fits of laughter.

George had to admit, though silently, that he was a bit jealous of his friends. He wanted to join the exchange program too. But since he had already met Nicky, he was advised not to participate. Lance had been given the same advice, though he was still allowed to go to France because his mate was from there. George could’ve gone to Canada if he wanted, but Nicky was set to stay in England for at least three more years, meaning they’d have to wait another year before going abroad. According to his teacher, they had to step aside so other unmated werewolves their age could have the chance to find their mates. George had rolled his eyes at that. Even his fathers found it hard to believe.

“What a bullshit!” Nico sneered, earning himself a glare from Lewis, who had just walked past the kitchen. “I mean, what a nonsense! When I was your age, everyone, mated or not, could take part in the exchange! That’s how I met your dad! Who changed the rules, really?”

George shrugged. “Probably Uncle Toto?”

“Nah, not Toto. Probably one of the elders, they can be a bit conservative.” Lewis said and ruffled George’s hair violently. “Stop dyeing your hair every month! Last time it was red, today it's blonde, what’s next? Green?”

George groaned and shoved his dad’s hand off his hair. “What’s wrong with it? It’s cool. I like the colour.”

Nico wrinkled his nose. “I know you’re in your teenage rebellion phase, liebe , but please... Please don’t dye your hair green, George. I don’t want any of my sons to look like walking trees.”

“I won’t look like a walking tree, papa!”

Nico shrugged. “I’m just saying.”

“Stop bickering,” Lewis sighed tiredly before George could even reply to Nico. "Anyway, George, I need you and Lando to be on your best behaviour tomorrow night because the pack is having a guest.”

George frowned and asked, “What guest?”

“The Sainz family from Spain. They’re the leaders of Fernando’s old pack.” Lewis said, then he paused a bit. “I reckon the alpha was married to one of Fernando’s sisters.”

“Oh, so another bunch of Lance’s cousins, then?” George had to roll his eyes at that.

“Don’t be like that, liebe . You’ll be related to them someday.” Nico gently scolded him, then he turned to his husband. “But why are they coming here?”

“Strengthening the alliances was what Toto told me. But I think they’d want to discuss all the ruckus that has been happening in Belgium right now.”

George blinked. He had heard about the ruckus before from his friends at school. “What is actually happening there, dad?”

Lewis tapped his fingers at the kitchen countertops, looking at both George and Nico with worried eyes. “I heard they’ve got a young berserker there.”

“A what?” Both George and Nico furrowed their eyebrows in confusion.

Lewis laughed at that. “You two look so much alike, it’s funny.”

“He’s my son, of course we look alike.” Nico frowned at his husband. “But what did you say earlier? A berserker? That creature still exists?” 

George tilted his head. “What is that?”

Both Lewis and Nico exchanged uneasy glances.

“Dad! Papa! Tell me!” George whined.

“Well, George, you know how important it is for us werewolves to keep our emotions in check.” Lewis began slowly and George nodded his head. “Especially during the full moon, it’s when our hormones can be rather unstable. A berserker is a werewolf who went out of control during one of those times.”

“So... they go... mad?”

“Not just mad, buddy. They go completely berserk, destroying everything in their path. Some witnesses say it’s as if they’re in a trance-like fury. They don’t recognise anything around them, which makes them incredibly dangerous to be near, even for alphas.”

“Sounds terrifying.” George shuddered. “So, what happens to them after?”

“That’s the worrying bit,” Lewis sighed. “Once a werewolf becomes a berserker, there’s no turning back. They don’t need a pack to survive. Heck, they don’t even need a mate. No alpha can control them because they won’t submit to anyone. Lucky for some, they could find salvation, but for some others…” He trailed off, giving Nico a side glance.

Nico sighed, but he picked up where Lewis had left off. “There’s a reason why people shun them off, George. If a berserker had succumbed to the madness, well… the last time it happened, a war broke out.”

Lewis nodded. “They’d become too dangerous and very hostile to deal with. That’s the reason why the Uprising happened in the first place.”

“What uprising?”

Nico shook his head in disappointment. “Did you not pay any attention to your history lesson in school, liebe? Ich bin enttäuscht von dir. ”

“Hold on! You mean the Uprising, as in the war between us and the rogues?”

“Yeah,” Lewis said wistfully. “They won’t teach you this at school but a berserker was the one who caused and led the Uprising.”

“Those were the darkest of dark days,” Nico said, rubbing his face with his own hand. “I remember my dad telling me about it. Your opa fought in that war with his friends—remember Great Uncle Alain and Great Uncle Nigel?—and he said he still gets nightmares from it sometimes.”

“Thankfully now, some of the packs have started accepting berserkers as part of their communities,” said Lewis. “Some of the more progressive packs even allowed berserkers to be their alpha. The current alpha of Fernando’s old pack is one. That’s also why Toto invited them in the first place. They know how to handle berserkers.”

“But we’re in England and the berserker is in Belgium. Surely they won’t come here, right?”

“If I’ve learnt anything from Keke’s stories, it’s that berserkers are unpredictable.” Lewis ran his hand through his braids. He seemed agitated for some unknown reason. “The Uprising started on the continent but spread all the way to the UK because the alphas here were underestimating the rogues. Better safe than sorry, buddy. One spark can start a fire.”

Berserker.

“Do you know anything about the Sainz family?” George asked Nicky when they were both walking to school the next day, shoulder to shoulder. “I heard the head of the family is a berserker.”

“How do you know about that?” Nicky arched his brows.

While kicking small pebbles with his shoes, George shrugged. “My dad told me about it, said they’re coming to visit our pack.”

“Oh yeah, they arrived yesterday, actually.” Nicky said. “We’re having a party tonight to welcome them, you know that, don’t you?”

“I know.”

“Should I come to your house?” Nicky grinned and wrapped his arm around George to pull him closer. “Escort you to the party like Prince Charming?”

George pulled away from Nicky, blushing furiously and stammering, but obviously delighted. “No need, I’ll meet you there. I’m going with my family because I need to keep an eye on Lando.” He rolled his eyes. “Dad thinks he, Oscar, and Mick are plotting to sabotage the party or something. Apparently, Oscar, that little rascal, cannot stand his Spanish cousins.”

“Mick?” said Nicky incredulously. “Sweet Mick?”

“My brother can be very persuasive.” George said diplomatically.

“My God,” Nicky let out a breathless chuckle. “I don’t know anything about sabotage, though, but I can assure you, Oscar doesn’t hate Carlos.”

“Why’d he hate his own uncle?” George asked, puzzled.

“No, not him. The other Carlos.”

“The other Carlos? What- Blimey. How many Carloses do you lots actually have?”

“They’ve got the same name. Father and son.” Nicky explained laughingly. As they walked side by side, the backs of their hands brushed, sending shivers down George’s spine. “You know, Carlos Sainz senior and junior, that kind of thing?”

“Oh, that.”

Nicky laughed again. “Yes, that.”

“How delightful. Can’t wait to meet them.”

“I think you’re gonna enjoy their company,” Nicky shrugged. “Carlos is your age and can be a bit too shy at times for an alpha. You can show him around if you want.”

George raised a questioning eyebrow at him. “If I want?”

Nicky, much to George’s surprise, suddenly blushed an alarming shade of red. “Yeah, I mean... Carlos is my cousin too, and you’re my mate, the one I’m gonna spend the rest of my life with. I just hope... Well, maybe you could introduce him to everyone here and see if you too could be friends with him?”

George had never smiled lovingly at him.

Later that night, when the whole Hamilton family was getting ready for the welcoming party, George made sure to dress for the occasion. Nico could be very fussy about what his family had to wear, so George usually just let his papa decide what was appropriate enough for him.

George would never have admitted it out loud, but he was actually nervous about the party. This would be his first ever ball. What if he accidentally spilt his drink? What if he stepped on Nicky’s toes while dancing? The weather outside hadn’t been the best all day but that was expected in England. Nico had come to his room to do his hair for tonight; his papa had styled it neatly using a few near-invisible pins to hold it in place. George felt very fancy and conspicuous.

After Nico left, George spent more than ten minutes struggling with his suit. Nico’s instruction was very clear: wear the black with thin blue stripes jacket and silk waistcoat, also in radiant shades of blue. In the end, George had to admit that the clothes fit his body perfectly. He still remembered when his papa and Uncle Seb took him and Charles to their tailor, an ancient man named Jean Todt, who apparently had been making clothes since Nico and Sebastian were mere pups.

George was halfway to his door when he caught sight of himself in the mirror. He stopped to make sure everything was in place once again; for his family’s sake, he had to look his best. He smoothed down his coat, fixed the collar of his shirt, and tried to pinch his cheeks a bit to bring out the colour. He was fussing nervously with his silver bracelet—a gift from Nicky to celebrate their one-year anniversary together last month—when suddenly there was a knock on his door. George opened it to find Lando, in his own formal attire, grinning wickedly up at him.

“Come now, George. What took you so long? Who are you trying to impress anyway? Is it Alex?”

George growled at his younger brother. “I’m gonna fucking murder you-”

But before he could finish his sentence, a voice suddenly stopped him. “George! Lando! Do stop threatening each other!” It was their dad. “Come down the stairs right now or we’re going to be late!”

“He began it!” Lando said while running towards the stairs. George rolled his eyes but he followed his brother nonetheless. The two brothers were racing each other down the stairs, giggling and pushing each other, and stopped only when they saw their dad standing at the foot of the stairs, hands in his pockets of his jacket—which matched Lando’s—while glaring daggers at them.

“Boys,” Lewis said disapprovingly. “What did I tell you about behaving yourself tonight?”

Both George and Lando only grinned sheepishly at him.

Nico showed up not long after, wearing a simple black and white evening dress with blue stripes that matched George’s. Lewis whistled scandalously, ignoring George and Lando, who looked exasperated at the sight of their parents shamelessly flirting with each other.

By the time the Hamiltons arrived at the ballroom, a good number of guests had already arrived. Several familiar faces were there—some of the aunts and uncles, though George hadn’t seen many of his friends yet. Max, looking red-faced, was there at the doorway with Uncle Toto and Aunt Susie, greeting all the arriving partygoers, but Alex was nowhere to be seen. Uncle Guenther was lecturing Uncle Andrea about the melting ice sculpture, and the Hulkenbergs were admiring the humongous cocktail tower in the middle of the room, along with Uncle Mika and Uncle Michael. Uncle Valtteri had arrived wearing a white and red striped suit and a matching fedora hat, which oddly reminded George a bit of Dick van Dyke in Mary Poppins. Uncle Mark and Uncle Fernando were there as well, laughing and trading jokes with a bunch of very good-looking, dark-haired people.

“Welcome!” Aunt Susie, in a lacy dark purple dress with bellflowers in her hair, smiled warmly and beckoned them to walk inside. She looked very pretty with her hair up like that and smelled so good. “I’m glad you guys are all here. Nico! You look amazing, as usual. Tell me which genius designed your clothes; is it Jean Todt?”

“Of course,” Nico said proudly. “You look fabulous as well, Susie. Look at your dress! Let me guess, is it Sorbier?”

Aunt Susie laughed. “It’s Margiela, actually. Now,” she smiled at the rest of the Hamiltons. “I’ll make the introductions with the Sainz family, if you don’t mind.”

“They’re here already?”

“Yes, they’re over there with Mark and Fernando.”

"Smile, Max,” George playfully nudged Max, who, while still frowning, stood dutifully beside Uncle Toto. “You’ll scare the guests away if you keep frowning like that.”

“Shut up, George.” Max growled under his breath; his face was unmoving.

Aunt Susie then led them further into the ballroom and George couldn’t help but gasp. The wall was lined with white and gold ornaments with silver-and-black-striped curtains. The floor had been cleared for dancing, but there was a sideboard laden with pitchers for iced lemonade. There were tables as well, filled with cakes and biscuits. Aunt Susie steered them to one of the tables, which was full of canapes and tarta de santiago, where Uncle Mark and Uncle Fernando stood with the dark-haired bunch. A boy, the same age as George, was leaning against the edge of the table, arms folded, smiling.

“Good evening,” Aunt Susie began. “This is the Hamilton family.”

A dark-headed man with dark eyes and a huge smile stepped forward to shake Lewis’s hand. His presence alone was intimidating enough that it made George’s wolf whimper in submission. “Carlos Sainz, and you must be Lewis Hamilton. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

The berserker.

George gulped down in fear.

Lewis shot up his eyebrows and said, "Only good things, I hope.”

“Absolutely! I mean, who doesn’t know about you?” Mr. Sainz said laughingly. “You were the one who stirred up all that chaos with the werewolves in Hungary a few years back by convincing them to start a cult that believes in the existence of vampires!”

“You did what?” Nico glared at his husband.

“So it was you,” Mark said in amusement.

“It was a misunderstanding!” Lewis protested. “I was drunk, and I was just joking. Ask Seb! He was there as well.”

“You two would joke around about establishing a cult?” Fernando asked ridiculously.

“To be honest, we would joke about anything when we were younger.”

George stared at his dad in disbelief.

“Nevertheless, allow me to introduce you to my family.” Lewis said in an attempt to alter the topic of conversation. “This is my mate, Nico.”

“Rosberg, right? I know your dad very well.” Mr. Sainz said while shaking Nico’s hand enthusiastically. “Our families fought together during the Uprising. Terrible days!”

“Sí. Mi padre me contó cuando era niño.” Nico said it in perfect Spanish, and the whole Sainz family gasped delightfully at him.

“This is my eldest son, George,” Lewis then said while clasping his hand on George’s shoulder. “He’s fifteen and an omega.”

Mr. Sainz’s eyes were sparkling widely at him. "Ah, yes, Nicky’s mate, right?”

“Um… ja, I mean, sí.” George’s head was spinning as he tried to remember any Spanish his papa used to teach him. “ Mucho… ah… gusto en c-conocerle, Señor Sainz.”

Mr. Sainz laughed loudly; he seemed to be very impressed by George’s poor attempt at speaking Spanish. But the older man suddenly said something in quick Spanish that sent George into a panicked state of mind. He then gave his papa a pleading look.

Nico let out a small chuckle. “Lo siento pero mi hijo no habla bien español.”

“It’s alright. But you must speak good German, don’t you, boy? Or French? Italian? Finnish, too, maybe?”

George felt like he couldn’t breathe, almost.

Lewis then coughed loudly, directing the attention back to him. “My youngest son, actually, speaks really good Spanish.” He said before turning back to reach out for Lando. “Lando, dear, would you come forward and greet Mr. Sainz-”

Lewis stopped on his track with a pale face, and George, who was curious, turned back to see what was stopping his dad, then his eyes widened in realisation. 

There was no Lando. They had lost Lando.

“Lo siento,” Nico, for the second time that night, apologising to the Sainz family. “He probably went off to find his friends,” he let out a chuckle, but the corner of his eyes twitched a bit. “You know, boys.”

“Boys have their moment,” Mr. Sainz said, waving a hand. “You should have seen my boy Carlos when he was a pup. Absolute madness!”

The boy, who was leaning against the table, laughed. He then caught George’s curious gaze and smiled politely. Mr. Sainz caught on to this scene and quickly made the introduction.

“This is my son, Carlos.” He patted his son’s back proudly. “My daughters, Blanca and Ana, and of course, my wife, Reyes.”

“Nice to meet you,” the boy, whose name was Carlos, said. He looked extremely similar to his father; it was almost uncanny.

“Nice to meet you as well,” said George. “So… We’re the same age, huh?”

“I’m almost sixteen, actually.” Carlos said it with a small smile. “In September.”

“Like Charles and Max, then.”

Puzzled, Carlos stared at George blankly. “Who-”

“George, why don’t you take Carlos around and introduce him to everyone?” Uncle Mark suddenly said. “I remember seeing Lance and Esteban huddled up near the staircase, you can bring Carlos there if you wish to introduce him to the rest of your friends.”

George exchanged a glance with Carlos, who looked nervous.

“Well, go on then, before they go off to somewhere else.”

Uncle Mark was right. When the two of them were walking towards the staircase, even from this distance, George could see there were two boys huddled up together as if they were discussing a secret. As they were getting closer, George realised Nicky had joined Lance and Esteban. Feeling giddy all of a sudden, George seized Carlos’s hand and pulled him forward while running lightly. 

“Nicky!” He said breathlessly, with a big smile on his face.

Nicky, who was dressed in all grey, turned around, and when he spotted George, his confused glance immediately turned into a pleased grin. George’s heart warmed when he spotted that Nicky was wearing the necklace he gave the boy for their anniversary. It nestled comfortably underneath his shirt. “Baby! Wow… You look… Wow…“

George blushed pink. He was really glad he could turn his mate into a speechless mess.

“It’s a crime to look this beautiful and not spend the rest of your night dancing with me.” Nicky said as he bent to kiss George’s wrist, right above the silver bracelet he gave him. “Do you want to dance right now?”

“Not yet,” George said before planting a kiss on his mate’s cheek. “I’ve got a duty to show your dear cousin here around.”

“I see you and Carlos are getting along just fine,” Nicky said and it earned him a playful shove from Carlos. “Don’t monopolise my mate for too long, man. He owes me a dance or two.” He winked at George, who turned red in an instant.

“Estie! Why won’t you take me to the dance floor?!” Lance suddenly whined.

Poor Estie looked flabbergasted. “How many times do I have to tell you, mon ange? I can’t dance!”

“I don’t care! I want to dance! Everyone is dancing but me!”

“Go,” Nicky gently nudged both George and Carlos away from the bickering lovebirds. “Before their fight turns into an angry make-out session. Believe me, man,” he stared at Carlos with a serious face. “You don’t want to see it.”

George then whisked Carlos from group to group like an expert host. The introductions were made, and the small talks began. Everyone seemed delighted to meet Carlos and the boy was a total gentleman, which reminded him of the time when he first met Nicky. George thought it must run in the family.

After a few minutes talking about the differences between English and Spanish weather with the Hulkenbergs and another few minutes chatting about cycling with Uncle Valtteri, George then took Carlos to another group, where his Uncle Seb and Uncle Kimi stood beside an ice cream table. The Räikkönens showed up in their usual red attire, it seemed. Charles, who stood next to his parents and brother, beamed when he saw George approaching him. He wore a black jacket with a red velvet collar, and oddly enough, the red made his eyes look brighter than ever. “George!”

“Hey Charles,” he said, greeting the boy back. Trying not to smell the rose scent oozing out of Charles. “You look very... red.”

Charles gave him a crooked smile. “Thanks, and you look very blue.”

George pouted.

“Who is this handsome fellow, George?” Uncle Seb smiled kindly at Carlos.

“Right! Sorry. Uncles, this is Carlos. Carlos, this is my Uncle Seb and Uncle Kimi,” he gestured at the adults, who quickly shook hands with Carlos. “And their sons, Antonio and Charles.”

“Ah, Fernando’s nephew!” Uncle Seb leaned forward with a wide grin. “I can see the family resemblance.”

Carlos’s whole face flushed red.

“You’re a bit shy, aren’t you, boy?” Uncle Kimi suddenly said, and only then George had just noticed that his uncle’s hands were full of ice cream and canapes. “I met your father once, he was very… loud…”

Antonio, who had just arrived from Italy yesterday for a short visit back home, snorted at his father. “Really, dad?”

Uncle Kimi shrugged. “It was during a party in Ibiza, many, many years ago, though I couldn’t remember most of it.” Then he took a big bite of the canapes.

“Yeah, because you got shitfaced that night, hübscher.” Uncle Seb pointed out grimly. “Remember? When you tried to swim across the Balearic Sea butt naked? No?”

Uncle Kimi made a face while Antonio laughed. “Ah, fond family memories.”

“Uncles,” George sighed when he and Charles took Carlos away from Sebastian and Kimi. “Well, now that you’ve met them, you may find the rest of my pack has something in common with both of them.”

Carlos smiled at George in amusement. “Which is?”

“They can be a bit maddening, really.” George snorted. “Now come, off we go to the next group!”

George then took Carlos to meet Uncle Mika and Uncle Michael. Mick was there with them, but not Lando and Oscar, which was highly suspicious.

“Mick!” George hissed at the pup while Carlos and Charles were engaged in small talks with the uncles. “Where’s Lando?”

Mick, sweet Mick, who started to sputter, glancing up at George but not quite meeting his eyes. “He- He’s… Um… I don’t know!”

George squinted at him. “Is he somewhere, plotting God knows what with Oscar?” He pushed. “Mick, I know you better than this! Don’t lie to me.”

“You must be the future alpha of the Sainz pack.” George whipped his head and found Carlos being introduced to Uncle Guenther. Oh no. “You look so much like your dad.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that a lot.” Carlos grimaced.

“Your dad's a berserker, eh? Tell me, lad, how does that work in your pack? Is he still dangerous? I’ve heard berserkers are often away from their packs—some even abandon them entirely!”

“I grew up with my dad, who’s always been present in my entire life,” said Carlos. “He’s a good dad and alpha. He'd never abandoned his family, let alone his pack.” He gave him a dark look.

“Did I hear it right? You have a present and involved dad growing up?” Said Max, who had ditched his post near the entrance and appeared suddenly at George’s side. “You lucky son of a bitch!” He smacked Carlos’s back so hard that it made the boy jump in surprise.

Charles coughed loudly.

Uncle Guenther frowned. “Of course only the son of Jos Verstappen would say something like that-”

But Max ignored him. “You're thirsty, aren't you, Carlos? Of course you do. Let's get yourself some iced lemonade over there, man.”

Without tossing another look at Uncle Guenther, Max pushed them away.

“That was…” Carlos began as soon as they’d gone. “Wow…”

“Horrifying?” George required helpfully. “Unique? One of a kind?”

“I want to say peculiar, but horrifying works better.” Carlos grinned at them before turning to Max. “Thanks for that, man. I don’t think I could stand another minute with him. Has he always been like that?”

“Most of the time, yeah,” Max said with a wide grin. From the look of it, George thought the two of them must have already been introduced by either Uncle Toto or Aunt Susie. “Where are the others, really?”

“I have no idea,” George said, looking out across the room. “I met Nicky, Esteban, and Lance earlier, but it seems like they have disappeared somewhere.”

“How odd. I haven’t seen Alex either.” Charles suddenly said, and George’s heart stopped beating for a second. “Where is he, Max?”

As if on cue, the door of the ballroom suddenly opened, and a boy just spilled inside. At first, the boy was craning his neck, trying to look around the room as if he were in search of something. Only when he finally turned his body in the direction of George and his friends did George realise who it was.

It was Alex.

He wasn’t the tallest boy in the room, but there was something about his smile that made his presence brighten the room regardless. Alex was dressed in a black suit with gold and silver lines, representing his lineage as the pack alpha’s son and heir. His beautiful dark hair was disorderly, as it always was, and there was a faint glow in those pairs of brown eyes. He was beautiful— so beautiful that George had to tear his gaze away from him for a moment. Alex was indeed beautiful, but he was not George’s to admire.

George suddenly felt hot under his collar.

“There you are,” Max said, looking delighted. “Thank God you’re here, Alex. I’d rather die than have to greet any more guests at the doorstep with Uncle Toto.”

“Sorry,” Alex said apologetically. “Two omega women had a fight at the front gate because they were accidentally matching for the ball. I had to step in.” He then darted his eyes away from Max and landed on George, who felt as if he might be floating. “Hi, George.”

“Hi, Alex,” he faltered, having no idea what he was saying. “You look... good tonight.”

“Thank you.” Alex looked pleased. “You look amazing too. The blue really suits you. It’s odd that the colour would make your eyes look even brighter, but it does. I like your hair as well, it’s pretty. I bet Uncle Nico did that.”

And just like that, all the fireworks inside him started to blast. Weirdly enough, George could feel his scent glands tingling for some unknown reason. He clasped his own hand atop his neck, trying to get rid of the itching feeling under the pretence of massaging his muscle. But the gesture only made his body feel even more like it was burning.

“Oh dear,” Charles murmured as the music began once more. “It’s Waltz.”

“So,” Carlos suddenly began. “How does it work here in England? Are unmated werewolves allowed to dance with whoever they want, or...?”

“You can dance with whoever you want,” Alex explained. “Just enjoy yourself. We’re not that strict.”

Carlos’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “I thought you Brits had that stiff upper lip-” But he was cut by someone else’s scream.

“Max!” It was Antonio who had come up to them. “Max, you must dance with me.”

Max groaned. “Hell no, I just spent almost an hour standing and smiling till my face hurt at all those annoying guests. I’m not in the mood, Antonio. Ask Charles to dance with you instead.”

Charles gave Max a weird look.

“I cannot ask my own brother for a dance, and you know that, Max.” Antonio looked woebegone. “I need you to dance with me before those omega parents start pushing their daughters or sons on me again. Just one dance,” he wheedled. “And I promise Uncle Toto won’t make you greet the guests anymore.”

“What about George?”

Antonio waved a hand. “He's too lanky.”

“Hey!”

Max looked long-suffering but let himself be whirled out onto the dance floor. Meanwhile, Uncle Toto came across the room to take Aunt Susie’s hand and whisk her onto the floor. Lewis and Nico were already in each other’s arms, as well as Mr. Sainz and his wife.

“It’s just us left.” Charles said with a grin.

“Indeed,” Alex replied, then he said, “would you like to dance, then?”

George’s breath hitched and he fought the urge to throw up in the middle of the ballroom, in front of his whole pack and guests. Just when he saw Charles being led away onto the floor, he closed his eyes and began to count to ten. It hurt so bad. His body felt like it was burning up. The pain was real and so physical and George couldn’t understand why. He had Nicky. Nicky was his mate, his alpha. So why did he still feel this way about another boy?

“Dance with me, George.”

George opened his eyes to stare at a smiling Carlos.

“Me?”

“Yes.” Carlos nodded to the dance floor, where George could see Nicky was already dancing with one of Carlos’ sisters. “Nicky looks quite busy with Blanca, and you’ve been so kind to me all night, so the least I could do is to ask you for a dance.”

Blinking his eyes in surprise, George nodded. “Okay.”

It felt weird, at first, to be this close with a boy other than Nicky. But Carlos was an excellent dancer and he made it easy to follow him. George did his best to follow the lead but he kept getting distracted by Alex and Charles, who danced not far from them—Charles was giggling as Alex spun him in a twirl that left George speechless.

“They look good together, aren’t they?”

George looked up to see Carlos staring back at him. With them dancing so close like this, George could now see his appearance more clearly. Tangled black hair and eyes as dark as a moonless night. High cheekbones, a full mouth, and long, thick lashes. He even smelled like citrus.

“Uh… Yeah, I guess.”

Carlos only hummed softly as they executed a complicated turn. After a moment, the alpha suddenly spoke again. “Nicky always speaks of you fondly every time we’re talking on the phone.”

“Really? What does he say about me?”

The corner of the alpha’s lips curled up. “He said that you’re perfect,” said Carlos. “He adores you so much and always says how lucky he is to have you as his mate. I almost think he’s been possessed or something, because the Nicky I know would never say anything that cheesy. He’s changed, George. You changed him. I suppose being in love has its own effects.”

“I changed him,” George echoed. He was beginning to feel dizzy all of a sudden. His body temperature was skyrocketing. Something was indeed wrong with him tonight. Was it because of his dance with another alpha beside his mate? Was it because of Alex? George quickly shook his head at the last one, because why would it matter? “For better, I hope.”

Carlos shrugged. “Maybe.” There was something about his tone that confused George. “It’d be better if it’s reciprocal, though.”

George’s grip on Carlos’s hand tightened. Suddenly, he could feel the weight of the silver bracelet on his wrist. God, he wanted to scratch his scent glands so badly. What the hell was wrong with him tonight? “What do you mean?”

But Carlos only smiled at him in return.

The rest of the party went on as a blur and the next thing he knew, George was standing near the doorway with his fathers laughing at something Uncle Toto said. Aunt Susie was there as well, smiling again and again as guests departed. The pack omega thanked them for coming, beaming at people who complimented her taste in decoration, and promised to host another ball as grand as this again in the future. He could see Uncle Mark and Uncle Fernando out of the corner of his eye, ushering the Sainz family towards where the Hamiltons and the Wolffs stood.

“Aunt Reyes and my cousins will take their leave first.” Lance said with a tired sigh. “Uncle Carlos will stay here to discuss something with our fathers.”

“Discuss about what?” George asked as he and Carlos exchanged a nod before the alpha led his mother and sisters out of the ballroom. “Is there anything more to discuss between them?”

“Apparently, the berserker they were concerned about had a rampage tonight,” he said as he leaned closer to speak quietly in George’s ear, “in France.”

George took a sharp breath. He internally fought the urge to rip his shirt’s buttons off because of the way his body was burning right now. “So he's on the move, then?”

Lance nodded gloomily. “If he somehow manages to swim his way across the English Channel, I believe we’re done for.”

When only a few guests remained in the ballroom, George spotted his Uncle Kimi and Uncle Seb emerging from the crowd. They headed in opposite directions—Sebastian joined Susie, Fernando, and Nico, while Kimi walked his way towards Lewis, Toto, Mark, and Mr. Sainz.

"Oh, look,” Lance said suddenly. “I think Max and Alex are trying to smuggle some cakes and biscuits into their pockets. You want some?”

“Nope,” George said. There was no way he could go anywhere near Alex, not after tonight. His poor heart could never handle it. “I won’t tarnish my reputation by nicking cakes and biscuits. Max and Alex, on the other hand, their parents hosted this ball, so those delicacies are theirs for the taking. Hell, they could take the ice sculpture home if they wanted. Besides, I still have to find Lando, that little rascal.”

Lance huffed a small laugh. “Speaking of ice sculpture, do you know that Estie caught Lando and Oscar trying to light some fireworks underneath the ice sculpture table?”

“He what?!”

“They were stopped, of course. All thanks to them ordering Mick, who couldn’t lie for shit, to stand as a guard. He had this guilty look when Estie found him, that poor boy.” The omega giggled. “Worry not, they’ll be here soon, I think.”

Lance was right. A few minutes later, Lando indeed showed up pouting with his hair dishevelled and his shirt rumpled, and Oscar was walking beside him, looking no better. Lance immediately grabbed his brother by the ear and dragged him towards Uncle Fernando, who looked vexed at the sight of his youngest son. Nico, thank God, was too busy engaging in a conversation with Aunt Susie to realise that Lando was there.

“We will be very careful.” George could hear Uncle Toto talk to the other alphas. “We will warn other packs in the southern to raise their guards.”

“But most of them are a bunch of ignorant and useless pieces of shit. They know absolutely nothing about berserkers,” Uncle Kimi pointed out. “We need to think about the what if situation as well, Toto.”

“If I may make a suggestion,” Mr. Sainz said, nodding at Lewis, who looked serious. “You could assign Hamilton here as the chief defender if the berserker manages to breach your territory. After all, he’s your best fighter and has almost become one himself.”

George’s jaw dropped. “What… Is it true, dad? When? How?”

Lewis felt caught and had to grin. “When I was rescuing your papa, of course.” He then smiled oh so lovingly at Nico. “But it didn’t happen, all thanks to this man who foolishly sweet-talked me to snap me out of the trance before I had the chance to fully transform.”

Almost everyone there rolled their eyes fondly in unison while someone—George strongly suspected it was Uncle Seb—shouted, “Get a room!” From the back.

“Yuck,” Lando said suddenly while crunching his nose in disgust. “You smell weird.”

George was beyond furious now. “Really? You went missing the whole party and the first thing you said to me was that ?”

But his brother ignored him. “You smell something like citrus, it’s weird, ew.” Lando gagged. “You need to take a long bath after this, George.”

“Oh, you’re one to talk!”

A smell of familiar roses suddenly invaded George’s nose, but what made him alarmed was the mix of distress and discomfort in it. George turned to his side quickly and found Charles, looking weirdly pale, standing with his shoulders down.

“Charles? Are you okay?” George asked in concern. No matter what had transpired between them in the past year, Charles was first and foremost his best friend. So, of course, George was worried as hell when he saw his best friend looking like this. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” Charles groaned an answer, but the way he leaned his body against George's gave it away. “I think I’m just tired.”

“Are you sure? You’re sweating so much. Charles-”

“I’ll be fine,” the older boy sighed. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll be gone on Monday. Don’t worry.”

But it didn’t. Because the next Monday, when Charles came to school looking even paler than before, George thought something must be seriously wrong with his friend. Charles had insisted he was fine, but no one believed him one bit.

“Do you think something happened during the party?” Lance asked as he and George walked towards the locker room to change. They had just finished their gym class.

“Maybe. I don’t know.” George admitted. But deep down inside, he thought there was indeed something wrong with the party because his scent glands had never stopped itching since then. During the night, the temperature of his body always went up a few degrees, and during the day, his mood went up and down like he was riding a roller coaster every day. George was contemplating seeing Uncle Mark about it, but with the Sainz family coming back to Spain today, he really hadn’t gotten the chance.

“I saw Lando pinching his nose and running around like a headless chicken when you guys were leaving the party,” Lance said as they both stood in front of their lockers. “Has something happened?”

George rolled his eyes. “It’s only Lando being Lando. He told me I smelled bad and weird! Too citrusy, he said. Had to pinch his nose all the way back home. Honestly, that boy!”

Lance looked at him confusedly as they finished changing and started walking towards the exit. “Didn’t you just dance with Carlos that night?”

George blinked his eyes rapidly. “I did… Did I?”

But before Lance could reply, suddenly they were stopped by a running and panicked Max, who barreled towards them and threw himself into George’s arms.

George staggered backward at the impact. “Max? What–”

“Charles!” He cried. “It’s Charles! You know how he was looking all pale this whole day, but he suddenly fainted during chemistry. I was so scared! The whole class was scared as well! He wasn’t responding at all when I tried to wake him up. But then there was this weird smell and it drove some of the kids crazy, one of them even tried to attack us, but I managed to slap some senses the fuck out of him. The teacher then took Charles to the infirmary, and-” Max suddenly broke off for no reason and it drove George half mad.

“No need for the theatrical pause, Max! And what?!”

The boy took several shaky breaths and gulped them down before continuing. “He… Fuck… He’s having his first heat.”

“Now?!” George shrieked.

Max nodded and that was all it took for George and Lance to run straight towards the infirmary. George’s mind was clouded with worry. If Charles was really having his first heat at school, that could end up bad. The infirmary won’t be enough to contain the pheromones. The last time it happened, they had to evacuate the whole school before all the alphas went mad. 

They finally reached the infirmary after a long run, and George found Alex, Esteban, and Nicky standing guard in front of the door. Lance immediately jumped right into his mate’s arms while George and Max were trying to catch their breath.

“How is Charles?” Lance asked anxiously.

“There’s not been much change, sadly,” Esteban replied wearily, though George had guessed much. If there had been a change, they wouldn’t have been here. “But they’ve called his parents, the uncles are on their way here.”

George let out a distressed sigh; his wolf inside was lamenting for his best friend. Nicky took one look at his mate and then embraced him, smelling of leather and dry wood, which made George relax a little.

“You two must go,” Alex said to both Esteban and Nicky. George looked at him. There were shadows under his brown eyes, he saw, and his fingers were playing with the material of his uniform thoughtlessly, as if he weren’t aware he was doing it. “It’s very dangerous for unmated alphas to be anywhere near omegas in heat.”

“He’s right.” Nicky smiled uneasily at George, then nodded at Esteban, who nodded back. “The teachers are evacuating all the alphas right now, we should go with them.”

“Be safe,” George said in a low voice.

“I will.” Nicky bent down to give his mate a peck on the cheek. “I love you, Georgie.”

George smiled at him, but he did not say it back. He never said it back. No. Not when he was still confused with his own feelings, like an idiot. Nicky, bless his soul, was always so understanding about it. He really deserved someone better.

From the corner of his eyes, George thought he could see Alex staring, but when he turned fully at the said boy, Alex had his back on them and was busy talking to Max. George’s stomach dropped. So it was just his imagination running wild.

After the two alphas left, the rest of them waited restlessly in front of the infirmary. Max was pacing back and forth like a caged animal, while Lance leaned by the wall, his arms crossed, tension clear in every line of his body. No one was speaking and the silence was deafening. George couldn’t take it anymore so he sank down dejectedly onto a chair near the door.

“He’ll be alright.” George looked up to find Alex standing before him with a reassuring smile. “Charles will be fine, George.”

“I know.” George said as he brought his hands together, they were cold. “But the first heat could be very painful for the unmated ones. I just couldn’t imagine- I wish I could help…” He trailed off.

Alex hurriedly sank down beside him, and as he did, their bodies touched, and somehow it made George’s scent glands itchy again. “You being here is helpful enough for him. Charles would be well chuffed,” he said. “You are enough, George.”

But not for you. “I hope so,” George allowed himself to let out a big sigh. “After seeing Max struggle with his heat, I really can’t imagine what it’ll be like for me when my time comes.”

“Max’s heat was dreadful,” Alex admitted. “No one in the house could sleep for days. One minute he was crying, the next he was shouting profanities about alphas and biology, swearing he’d never get married or mated.”

George chuckled at that. Months, he thought. It had been months since they’d been alone together for more than a few minutes. Ever since he met Nicky and the whole fiasco with Charles and their nests, George had tried his best to limit his interactions with Alex. Yes, they’d still see each other at school or family gatherings, but that was it. They never hung out together, just the two of them anymore. It was too painful for George, and it was also somewhat unfair to Nicky.

“So,” George said into the silence. “Thailand, huh?”

Alex, despite everything, grinned widely. “Yeah, unexpected, isn’t it?”

George shrugged. “You’ve always wanted to go there.”

“True,” Alex nodded. “But I’m not sure about the language, though.”

“Come on, you’re the best when it comes to learning new languages, Alex, you know that. Look at me.” George gestured to himself. “Part English, part German, and part Finnish, but struggle with German and know absolutely nothing about Finnish. How terrible.”

“Learning European languages is one thing,” Alex said. “Learning Thai, however...”

“You’ll do fine, Alex.” George said encouragingly. He hated to see Alex being insecure about himself. “Don’t worry.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.” George nodded firmly. “Hey, remember when you convinced me to speak German the whole week, and the first one who spoke English had to pay for lunch?”

“Yeah,” Alex said with a laugh, making George’s heart skip a beat. “How could I forget? You were cheating, man.”

“I was not!”

“Really,” Alex said, amused. “You didn’t speak a single word for the whole week, that’s called cheating, George.”

“I did what I had to do to win,” George replied with dignity. “That’s called finding a loophole, Alex.”

Then they both burst out laughing. George had missed this. He had missed messing around with Alex, the jokes he told him spontaneously, the casual banter, and the flashes of laughter in his gaze. But good God, he couldn’t do that to himself, or worse, he couldn’t do that to Nicky. Not when the alpha had been nothing but kind and understanding this whole time. Nicky didn’t need to know about his silly little crush on Alex. No. What good would that do, and what benefit would it be to anyone if George told him about it? This feeling was the sin that George needed to carry the burden alone.

“I heard you’re staying there for four years.”

“Yeah.” Alex grimaced. “Dad wanted more, but of course, mum wouldn’t allow it. Five years would be the limit for her. If I stay more than that, she would personally come to Thailand and drag me back home herself, I’m afraid.”

“Oh,” George said mildly, but inside, his heart pounded harder than the thunder that split the sky in halves during the storms. “What about Charles, then?”

Alex looked at him confusedly. “What about him?”

Before he could reply, the infirmary door opened. It was Mrs. Williams, looking drained and exhausted. Both George and Alex shot up from their seats quickly.

“How is Charles?” George asked.

“He is awake, but still a bit delirious and in pain,” said Mrs. Williams. Max cursed softly under his breath while Lance whimpered, not far from them. “But that’s expected. Very normal for an omega during their first heat. But…”

“But?”

“There’s a way to ease the pain a bit with the help of others, and you guys know it,” Mrs. Williams explained, looking at the omegas with an understanding look. “In fact, he has requested it.”

George took a sharp breath.

“He asked for you, Alex.”

Alex looked startled. He darted a glance at George. “Me? I don’t understand-”

“You’re a beta. Your wolf will calm his down.”

‘Please don’t. Please say you don’t want to do it.’ George begged silently. His stomach turned and his heart clenched painfully inside his chest.

The way Alex’s startled expression morphed into determination sent a pang to George’s heart for some pathetic reason, but nothing could ever prepare him for the boy’s answer. “Of course I’ll do anything to help Charles.” Every word was a knife to his heart. “Please, show me the way.”

George gulped the lump that forms in his throats, pursing his lips as he fell silent while he watched Mrs. Williams beckon Alex to follow her into the infirmary. And when the door slammed shut, his knees almost buckled. All he could hear was the pounding of his blood in his ears as his vision blurred with tears.

“George.” Both Max and Lance suddenly stood in front of him, looking at him with pity. “George? Are you okay?”

No. George wanted to say that he was not okay. He hated it. Hated that his friends were now looking at him with pity in their eyes. He did not deserve their pity. Something stung inside his chest and George knew it was guilt. He was wronging Nicky and there was no forgiveness for that. Would Nicky ever find it in his heart to forgive George if he knew the truth about his true feelings?

Not a thing about this whole situation was normal. George was supposed to love Nicky unconditionally. Nicky was his mate, his alpha, the one who was destined to be with him. But why would he feel strongly for Alex like this while the other boy was a mere beta?

Suddenly, his feet were moving, almost without his volition. The itching on his scent glands was back but George ignored it, like the way he ignored Max and Lance’s shouts of his name. George was darting into the exit, pushing past other students who were in the midst of evacuation as he nearly tripped over their feet or knocked into them with his elbows. He didn’t care. He was running flat out across the hall, skidding to a halt at the very end of it, where a series of narrow stairs led down to the wet grass and mud of the school’s backyard.

He took them two at a time, almost slipping. He panted for air. His hands trembled as he wiped away the tears streaming down his face. His wolf howled in agony and urged him to transform, but he couldn’t. Instead, George ran into the forest. The fresh air and rustling leaves usually calmed him, but today was different. His thoughts were a jumbled mess, and he couldn’t shake the overwhelming feeling of unease that had been gnawing at him all day since the party. So he ran, and ran, and ran until he couldn’t breathe anymore.

George halted when he felt like he was almost dying. Blood was rushing from his brains through his loins at such a brutal speed that George felt he was about to pass out. His body was burning and by the time he realised he was actually outside the pack’s territory right now, his clothes were already soaked with sweat.

“Shit.” His heart rate was spiking, maybe because of the run or whatever happened to his body right now. His skin crawled. It felt like an itch that he would never be able to scratch.

George’s vision was starting to blur as his body went limp and he staggered down to his knees. His one hand rose to feel the scent glands on his neck, but he withdrew it immediately with a hiss. It was burning. Then, with great horror, he realised what was actually happening to him.

He was having his first heat.

Of course. George should’ve known better. The itch, the change in body temperature, the mood swings. Those were some of the symptoms of the first heat. But how was he supposed to know that it was coming on sooner than expected? Something, or someone, must’ve triggered it. Was it Nicky? Was it Alex? Was it because Alex danced with Charles that night? Was it because Alex chose to help Charles with his heat?

Oh God. He thought in agony. I’m going to die. I’m going to die here in the forest alone and no one will be able to find my body.

Suddenly, he heard a long, mighty howl.

George knew from his instinct that there were two adult wolves not far from where he was. They must’ve picked up his scent and were closing in. He could hear the leaves rustling beneath their footsteps, and he could also smell their awful scents in the wind as they got closer. George wanted to cry; he wanted to transform, to call for his fathers, but he couldn’t. It was almost like his body and wolf wouldn’t even listen to his commands anymore. Like the heat had shut them down entirely.

Another howl could be heard. This time, it was louder, clearer...

Nearer.

It was with great effort that George lifted his head up to find himself face to face with two wolves. He almost threw up when the waves of their scent washed over him. They smelled really awful. One of them was a beta and the other was an alpha, as was obvious from their scents.

Fuck.

One of them was a fucking alpha .

George groaned as a full-blown wave of heat crashed over him. He instantly went rigid in his place when he felt slick leaking from his back. He stared at the two wolves in horror. They must be able to tell that he was in heat because one of them—the alpha—let out another frightening howl. George felt the same dread he had several years ago when he was faced with a similar situation. Only this time, there was no Alex to protect him.

‘Fucking hell, why won’t you come out?!’ George shouted miserably at his wolf. ‘Out. Now. Transform.’

Another howl. The alpha was restless now, because George was quite sure his scent overwhelmed both of them. No alpha could ever resist an omega in heat. Especially the unmated ones.

A pitiful whimper left his lips as more slick dirtied his pants. The wolves in front of him snarled, ready to pounce at him anytime now. But George, with the last strength left in his body, drew himself up. 

He was a Hamilton, the son of Lewis and Nico, one of a long line of werewolves. He would not fall apart in front of the enemy. He would never submit himself. His fathers had taught him better.

‘Deep breath. Calm yourself down. Remember who you are.’

The two wolves stopped right in front of him and stared.

‘Remember who you are.’

With a loud cry, George forced himself to transform.

Every inch of his skin was ripped apart as the world seemed to shift beneath his paws. The sky looked bluer, the wind was colder, and the smell of damp forest invaded his nose a thousand times stronger, but so did the scents of the two wolves. George forced himself to not gag as he ignored the pain that shot up his stomach. He thought he could hear someone calling out his name at the back of his head; perhaps his fathers or Nicky could feel his agony now. But it didn’t matter. He had a fight waiting for him.

A rustling leaf could be heard, and the next thing he knew, the two wolves suddenly sprang at him.

They struck first, which was expected. But Lewis had told him that launching the first attack didn’t always guarantee victory; in a wolf fight, it was about how well you could withstand the onslaught. George might be an omega and a pup, but Lewis insisted those two things were never a disadvantage. He was the fastest runner among the boys—yes, even faster than the alpha boys—and in a fight, every small advantage matters.

But when one was fighting while having their first heat, one could only do so much.

George knew it was useless to fight. He was weak, in heat, and outnumbered. He tried to claw on them, but they were quick to dodge. He tried to bite them, but again, they could read his attack. Suddenly, one of them, the beta, sank his teeth around the shin of his back leg, causing him pain like no other, and he howled in agony. George limped forward, but his bleeding and wounded leg made him unable to strike another attack.

Then another wave of heat struck him again, and his wolf whimpered. Seeing that he was caught off guard, the alpha pounced on him and clawed him across the neck, forcing him to submit.

George once wondered how he died. Would it be from old age? Or illness? Who would be by his side when the time came? His mate? His children? Whatever it was, George never expected he would meet his end like this. So young. Unmated. Just got his heart broken by the boy he had loved for almost his entire life. What would his fathers think of him? What would Nicky-

God. Nicky.

Why didn’t he come to rescue George? Nico always said he never felt the slightest fear when he was kidnapped because, deep down inside, he knew Lewis would always find him. But right now, George could feel nothing but pure fear. Why couldn't Nicky find him?

George fought to stay conscious as he lay on the forest floor, his body giving in to the heat. The world around him was a haze of shadows and distant sounds. He could hear the snarls and growls of the two wolves who were now circling and sniffing him. The beta almost pounced at him again, but the alpha growled angrily and shoved him aside before charging at a weakened George and pinning him down. His teeth were bared, and his eyes were flaring red. George braced himself for the worst.

Somewhere, from the back of his head, he could hear a voice. Soft and silent, cool as water.

‘Georgie, I promised I’d protect you, didn’t I?’

‘Alex,” George thought desperately.

Just as he was about to succumb to the darkness, he heard a terrifying cry from behind the trees.

Through his fading vision, he saw a shadowy figure rampaging through the two wolves, mercilessly ripping their heads off. The sight was both horrifying and oddly reassuring. George’s mind clung to the hope that Nicky had come to save him. He must be. Who else could locate him so easily like this, if not his mate?

But George couldn’t smell anything from Nicky, perhaps because of the heat. There was something wrong and terrifying with Nicky’s presence as well—like he was almost a stranger to him, so odd. George could feel it in his stomach. It was the same feeling when he was faced with Mr. Sainz some nights ago.

For some time, all he could hear was the sound of three wolves fighting. Terrifying howls, painful groans, and angry snarls were thrown here and there. Until suddenly, George heard a loud crack, followed by an utter silence.

Was it over?

One of the wolves trotted across the field to him. It must be Nicky, because George couldn’t smell the awful stench on him. He really wanted to see who it was but there were bloods all over his face, forcing his eyes shut. Suddenly, a hand touched his face gently. It was a human hand. So Nicky must have been shifted back to human form then.

“Oh God…” Nicky’s voice was so quiet that George barely heard it. But he had no energy left to respond. Another surge of heat washed over him for the nth time and George could feel his body shudder. He was close to losing his consciousness when he felt Nicky’s lips press against his forehead. “George?”

‘Nicky.’ His mind was screaming into the abyss. George couldn’t move his body; every inch of his muscle was screaming out pain. But there was something beautiful about the pain and his mate’s presence. ‘Nicky, is that you?’

“George,” the voice called out again, this time filled with anguish. Nicky’s hand was hot against the bare skin of his paw. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, George…”

George wanted to ask why Nicky was apologising, but instead, he closed his eyes and let the darkness claim him, knowing that he was finally safe in his mate’s hands.

When he awoke, the first thing he noticed was the worried face of his papa hovering over him. Sunlight was streaming through the windows high above. It felt like waking up from a deep, dreamless slumber. George blinked at his familiar surroundings; somehow he had been tucked into his own bed at home and his body was pinned down by heavy sheets and blankets. George tried to sit up, but he couldn’t and he groaned painfully. On the right side of the bed, his papa hurriedly reacted to his movement. Nico’s eyes were red and puffy and filled with concern as he prevented his son from sitting up.

“George? Georgie! Mein Gott! Are you okay?”

“I’m okay, papa.” George nodded his head weakly as Nico hugged him furiously. For a moment, he let himself enjoy being surrounded by his papa’s scents and attention, even as he could hear Nico scolding him in not only German but French and even Spanish as well. “What happened to me?”

“You… don’t remember?” There was a strain in Nico’s voice.

“I remember running into the forest,” George said numbly. “Then I got into my first heat, then there were two werewolves attacking me, then someone saved me.”

Nico shook his head. “We almost couldn’t locate you. Those werewolves did something to their scents, I think. It overwhelmed everything and made you untrackable.” Ah, so that explained why they smelt so awful then. “George, ich war so besorgt um dich. I was half mad when they finally brought you home, all bloody and injured. Lewis almost declared war on Zak Brown’s pack right away, but thank God he didn’t.”

“Thank God.” George mumbled, closing his eyes again as dizziness washed through him. “How long was I out? And where’s dad anyway?”

“Just a couple of days. Your first heat was interrupted because of your injuries.” Nico sighed as he stroked George’s hair tenderly. “And your dad, well, he’s with your Uncle Toto right now, visiting Zak Brown’s pack.”

“Why?”

“Because the werewolves who attacked you were from his pack.” Nico explained with a tight-lipped smile. “Again.”

“Why do they always target me, papa?” George asked softly. “What do they want from me?”

“Revenge. That’s what they want,” Nico said as he stood up hastily, refusing to elaborate more. “Now, stay here. I’ll have Mark come over immediately.”

“Papa,” George’s weak plea put a stop on Nico’s movement. “Can you- Can I see Nicky?”

Something shifted in Nico’s expression, but George couldn’t tell what. “Liebe, can’t this wait? You just woke up, and I don’t think it’s very wise to-”

“I need to see him,” George cut breathlessly. “Papa, bitte, I have to see him.”

For a moment, Nico just stood there, watching him carefully with his blue eyes. George didn’t understand why his papa was so hesitant to send Nicky up here to see him. Nicky had saved his life. There was absolutely no reason why Nicky couldn’t see him, unless...

George’s heart fell. “Papa, he’s not... injured, isn’t he? Is Nicky okay?”

“He’s more than just fine,” Nico said. “Nicky is unharmed.”

“Then I want to see him now.”

“George-”

“Papa, please, he’s my mate. I need to see my mate right now.”

“Okay…” Nico finally relented. “Okay… I’ll call him. But you can meet him only after you see Uncle Mark.”

George let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, papa.”

Uncle Mark came in ten minutes later, looking relieved at the sight of a smiling George. He asked how George was feeling, checking every inch of his body, and then declared that George was well enough now. His heat cycle was finished, but the injuries, especially the one in his leg, would need another week to fully heal. 

“Werewolves usually heal faster than humans,” Uncle Mark explained as he swung the stethoscope around his neck. “We might be immune to most humankind's diseases, but not to our own venom, ironically. So, no school for another week.”

George rubbed on his arms mindlessly. “How’s Charles and his heat?”

“His first heat was over a few days ago, thankfully. It wasn’t as bad as Max’s.” His uncle said. “But I have a slight concern that your next heat cycle might be coming sooner than we’re expecting because your first was interrupted.”

George turned to face Nico, who looked worried beyond comprehension. “Papa, have you asked Nicky to come? It’d be better if he’s here, right?”

“We’ll talk about it later, okay, liebe?”

Mark stared at Nico with a meaningful look, but the omega ignored him. So he turned back to George. “Well, you’re fine for the most part, it seems. Give me a call if something happens, alright.”

“Where’s Nicky, Uncle Mark?” George asked. “Is he well? Can he come?”

“He’s alright,” Uncle Mark said, frowning heavily. “You can see him when you’re completely healed.”

“Why not now? He’s my mate, I need him-”

“The thing you need the most right now isn’t him, George. He might be your mate, but you two are not yet bonded. You need your fathers more now for your wolf’s sake, and lots, lots of nesting time.”

“But- but…” George sputtered.

“Doctor’s order,” said Uncle Mark firmly.

George pouted when suddenly, a crowd surged through the door. It was Uncle Fernando, Lance, and Oscar.

“Is he alive?!” Lance screamed, wildly scanning the room.

“Lance!” Both of his fathers exclaimed exasperatedly.

George rolled his eyes, not without affection, at his friend. “Of course I’m alive, you idiot.”

“You’ve got us worried for a second there, George.” Uncle Fernando said as Lance engulfed George with a hug. “I’m really glad you’re fine.”

George gave his uncle a small smile.

Eventually, the Räikkönens, the Hulkenbergs, the Schumacher-Hakkinen family, and even Uncle Guenther came to visit.

Everyone showed up, but not the Wolffs and Nicky.

One week was all George needed to fully recover from his injuries before he was allowed to go back to school. It was a week of staying home, being pampered by his family, and enduring awful medication. Both his fathers seemed to avoid the conversation about what happened that day and Nicky's whereabouts, though, insisting that George wasn’t well enough. The Wolffs also went missing, which was odd because they were always the first to visit if anything happened to anyone in the pack.

But George couldn’t stop thinking about Nicky the whole week.

Nicky, his mate, had found him when no one else could. Nicky had saved him from the attack. All this time, George thought he was unsure about his own feelings for Nicky. But all the pain and guilt he had undergone for a year were replaced by something so euphoric and calming when he realised how far Nicky would go for him. 

George would rather kill himself than hurt Nicky anymore after this. He would declare his love for the alpha. He would make sure to always say ‘I love you’ back to Nicky after this. He would beg for his forgiveness, even. Everything has become so clear now. How could he not be in love with Nicky after what he had done?

There was giddiness inside his belly, his palms were sticky with sweat, and his heart was beating in excitement when George entered the school. He didn’t go straight to the classroom like he usually does, but instead, he followed Nicky’s scent, which led him to the boy’s locker. Even from afar, George could already spot Nicky with his back towards him, towering above almost everyone else, save Esteban. Lance was there as well, looking oddly concerned while talking to his cousin. His eyes widened when he saw George, but George ignored him. All he could see was Nicky.

‘Nicky, Nicky, Nicky,’ his wolf sang happily as he broke into a slow jog to Nicky’s locker. His heart almost felt like it could burst that instant when he could see a glimpse of his mate’s face.

God. George wanted him so badly. He didn’t remember when was the last time he wanted anything more.

He understood everything his papa said about his dad now. No matter how much Jenson meant to Nico, in the end, Lewis would always win. No matter how much Alex meant to George, in the end, Nicky would always win. Because Nicky was his mate, the love of his life. The one who was destined to be with George. Not Alex. Not anyone else.

This was it. Maybe, George thought, maybe this was the time to finally move on—

“Nicky!” George yelled as he pounced on Nicky from behind, pulling him into a merciless hug.

“Whoa- George…” Nicky looked surprised when he saw George, but he wrapped his arms around his mate’s body nonetheless.

Tightening his arms around Nicky’s body, George took a shaky breath before saying, “I want to say something to you.”

“Yeah? What is it?”

George grinned widely as he drew back and grabbed the sides of Nicky’s face, looking at the boy right in the eyes lovingly. “I love you, Nicky.”

Nicky stood there motionless and, to George’s surprise, a look of horror passed his face. “Wh… What?”

“I said, I love you.”

Nicky pulled his hands away from George’s waist and George was feeling cold all of a sudden. Why was Nicky acting like this to his confession? Did he not like it?

“George… I-” Nicky said nervously, licking his lips as he looked back to Lance and Esteban, who could only stand there and watch them helplessly. “We need to talk.”

“Why?” George asked lifelessly. “I just said I love you, Nicky. I… I thought-”

“Please,” desperation had found its way to Nicky’s voice. “Please, George. I have to talk to you about something, but not here.”

George couldn’t find himself to let any words come out of his mouth so he just nodded and let Nicky drag him to the nearest empty classroom. When Nicky strode to close the door shut, George looked around him and realised they were inside the Language Class—a place he hated so much but Alex loved.

“George,” Nicky’s voice was a bare whisper, but it snapped George out of his mind right away. “I- I want to ask…”

George waited numbly as he watched Nicky stumble for words.

“Why did you say it?” Nicky asked quietly. “Why did you say I love you?”

George’s jaw tightened. “Because you’re my mate. You saved me from the attack-”

Nicky shook his head. “I knew it. You said it only because you thought it was me-”

“What are you talking about?”

“In the forest,” Nicky began. “When you were attacked-”

George heard his own voice as if from very far away. “You saved me.” He whispered. “You came to find me.”

Nicky didn’t say a thing.

“Nicky,” George had begun to tremble. “Nicky, it was you, right?”

But the boy only closed his eyes. He seemed to crumple inside, like paper. For a moment, they just stood there: Nicky with his eyes closed and George with his heart dropped to his stomach. He couldn’t understand what was happening here and why Nicky was acting like this. George couldn’t even smell the usual dry wood and leather from Nicky. All he could smell was guilt, shame, heartbreak.

“George,” Nicky suddenly said, having opened his eyes and now staring at George with a hint of helplessness in his gaze. “I’m sorry, but I didn't—it wasn’t me who saved you.”

“What?”

“I said that it wasn’t me who saved you,” he whispered. “It was Alex.”

The warmth was going out of George like the sea drawing back from the land; he felt cold and dizzy, despite the summer air. “It was… Alex?” It sounded a little too raspy than intended, but George could barely breathe at the moment.

Nicky nodded his head.

“How?”

“I don’t even know how, but he was the only one who could find you.”

“He was the one who could find me.” George echoed.

Nicky nodded again.

“You couldn’t find me.”

“No,” Nicky said. “I couldn’t.”

Alex found him. George’s ears were ringing. Alex, who had gone inside the infirmary to help Charles with his first heat, had found him in the middle of nowhere. That could only mean Alex had ditched Charles to come and rescue him. Alex found him when Nicky, his mate, couldn’t. Alex saved him from his attackers. Alex saved his life once again.

“But you’re my mate,” George said. His throat burned. His legs were about to give in. “You’re supposed to be able to find me whenever I am. We have the bond, Nicky. Why couldn’t you-”

“I don’t fucking know! Okay?” Nicky half-shouted, and then, as if registering the shocked look on George’s face, he said in a more subdued voice. “I don’t know George, this is strange for me as well. I… Fuck… I don’t even know what to think.”

“Nicky…” George whimpered in a trembling breath as the tears finally began to sting his eyes.

“We’re supposed to be mates,” Nicky muttered lifelessly, as though he did not believe it himself. “But what you and Alex have... It’s something different. I don’t know what it is. No one knows what it is. It frustrates the hell out of me to not understand-” He stopped suddenly with a rugged breath. “George… I think… I think this is wrong.”

George’s hands flew up to reach Nicky’s and gripped them tightly. They were icy cold. “W-What is wrong?”

“Us.”

“What do you mean, us?”

“We might not be mates. I- I might not be your mate.”

“What are you talking about? Of course you’re my mate-”

Nicky pulled away from him, and in his heart, George felt a stabbing pain.

“I’m not a fool, you know.” Nicky said slowly, his eyes were far away. “All this time, I always noticed how you looked at him. I could just see it in your eyes when you’re around Alex. Whenever he entered the room, you lit up like a Christmas tree. You called out for Alex sometimes when you passed out after the attack. You don’t know that. Of course you don’t.”

“No. No.” George shook his head and felt his tears now flowing through his cheeks; he had never heard anyone, looking from the outside, describe to him what his love for Alex was like. “He’s not my mate-”

“But you love him.”

“I don’t-”

“George, please…” Nicky begged. “If you ever care about me at all, spare me the lies and just be true to yourself.”

George unknowingly touched his silver bracelet, like he always did whenever he was nervous. He really didn’t know what to do or what to think. His nightmare had come true; Nicky knew about his feeling for Alex. His mate knew how much he loved another boy. All this time, George thought he had done a great job hiding it, but no, it wasn’t enough. He was so used to being in love with Alex he couldn’t even hide it anymore.

“It doesn’t matter how I feel about him,” George whispered, too cowardly to say Alex’s name out loud. “He doesn’t love me back. Never. He only has his eyes on Charles.”

Nicky took a great look at him for a long time before he spoke again. “Do you know that the chance of a beta to transform into a berserker is almost none?”

George’s whole body frozen. “What- What do you mean?”

“There were only a couple of betas in history who could turn into berserkers. Even omegas had a higher chance to turn into one than them. They said it’d take them great agony and pain to transform, and that’s exactly what Alex felt that day when he realised you were in danger.”

Dreadfulness washed over George. His heart rate quickened almost inhumanely, and he couldn’t believe his ears. Surely Nicky wasn’t trying to imply that-

“Yes,” Nicky said. “Alex is a berserker now.”

His chest heaves. It became increasingly difficult for George to breathe with every word Nicky said.

“No…”

“He is. He changed right in front of our eyes after he heard that you went missing. He left Charles to look out for you, George. I very much doubt Alex is in love with Charles when he literally transformed into a berserker because of you.”

Somehow, George found himself collapsed on the floor. His tears had stopped flowing, and his blue eyes stared blankly at the spot where Nicky stood. His breath was ragged, his eyes sore from crying. The loud noise of people in the hallway blurred in his ears. His mind was still struggling to process everything. Alex saved him. Alex left Charles for him. Alex turned into a berserker because of him. All this information filled George’s head, making him dizzy and overwhelmed.

Nicky’s hands were trembling when he reached for George. The older alpha rushed to him and squatted in front of him, clearly distraught about his condition right now. “George… Oh God. Are you okay?”

“Where is he now?” George pleaded. “Nicky, tell me... Why couldn’t I smell his scents? Is he not in school? Is he okay? Where is he?”

“George,” Nicky said with great sadness. “I’m so sorry, but Alex... He’s not here anymore. Uncle Toto had taken him to Thailand a few days after the incident. It was too dangerous to keep him here and they said his grandma’s old pack there knows a great deal about handling a young berserker, it’s safer for him and everyone else like that. That’s why you couldn’t sense his presence. I’m sorry, George.”

That was the last straw for George. For a moment, he felt absolutely numb. Then, as if from a distance, he heard his own voice cry out. The tears he thought had dried up began to flow once more, spilling from his blue eyes and cascading down his cheeks. His body trembled violently, a deep chill settling in his bones, making him feel sick to his stomach.

Reality struck him hard. Alex was gone, leaving George behind to live a life without him.

The weight of that truth was unbearable, and he tried to release the suffocating tightness in his chest with heart-wrenching screams. His cries echoed through the empty classroom as Nicky rushed forward to hold him, desperately trying to offer comfort. He knew his screams had drawn attention; students were now flooding into the room, asking what had happened. He could sense the presence of his friends as well—Max, Charles, Lance, and even Esteban, all filled with concern—but George didn’t care.

For the first time in his life, George didn’t care if everyone saw him this vulnerable. Right now, all he could think about was Alex. Alex and the promises he had made. George cried, cried, and cried; his fingers clenched the shirt he was wearing, right over his heart, as if Alex had ripped out his heart and taken it away with him.