Chapter Text
Harry smells the fleeting sweet scent before he can see anyone matching it perfectly. There are people filling the house, as a sturdy beat sounds above his head full of wavy brown hair. He scratches his jaw and adjusts the scarf on his head, as his skin prickles in arousal from the dissipating scent. The alphas nose sniffs the air, seeking the cinnamon scent again when the scent falls away.
The twenty one year old becomes disgruntled and slightly annoyed when he can’t find it again, so he moves through the tame party hoping to find a familiar friend and a drink to drown out his thoughts of the sweet scent.
After a couple of shared looks between appealing girls and guys both, and after a drink or five, Harry moves to a big room full of dancing college students and silently thanks to whoever is listening, that he’s finally in his last year of uni.
The man quickly finds himself being sucked into the dark crowd and before he can shift to make himself more comfortable with all the humans and wolves alike he’s grinded on, hard and fast. All embarrassment and finesse gone and girls surround him and offer themselves to him like food.
Harry smugly smiles, drinks fueling his movements, brain slowing down as blood flows to his cock. His hands find bony hips and sweaty skin and the girl who’s grinding on his front looks back at him with a coy smile, a smile that has seen everything.
The wolf inside of him, though, doesn’t like that though and Harry quiets that part of him, wanting to know what exactly this girl has seen. His cock is pressed right against her ass, the material of her dress is bunched up between his large fists, he rocking into her when he smells it for the second time. It’s stronger though. The sweet and spicy scent of cinnamon fills his senses, stronger than before and his wolf howls inside of him.
Seventeen and free. For the first time ever in Louis’ life he was free from his overbearingly protective moms hands. The promise of college is the main reason why Louis felt the need to succeed in school, now he’d made it. Already a month into college and Louis was happy.
Even though he wasn’t one for crowds Louis’ smile never faltered as he made his way through the sea of half drunk schoolmates. Louis arrived an hour or so after the party officially began. No one purposely bumped into him and only a few times did Louis have to apologize for tripping another over.
When he heard a chorus of ‘Louis’ reach him he stilled waiting for an arm to guide him over to them. Once he was settled in a corner he leaned back smiling, “Stan!” Louis cheered cupping the boys face, “God, you look awful."
“Says you, did you forget to use the mirror again?”
“Perfection doesn’t need a mirror,” Louis moves his hand down to Stan’s shoulder rubbing the shirt to feel the material, “This better not be that cheesy hawaiian shirt you bought right before school started back up.” Louis let the silence answer for him, “Honestly how in the world do you get laid?”
“Well, for starters they all went to the same school you went to before you grew up and joined the real world.”
Louis leaned forward punching Stan in the arm, “You are a proper ass.” They continued on for a while before Louis ventured off to find himself a drink while Stan was busy hitting on some poor girl.
*****
By now Harry’s wolf was too drawn in by the smell, his body too intoxicated to put up much of a fight, Harry goes in search of his mate. Quickly untangling the girls fingers and limbs from around him, he starts moving.
The twenty one year old pummels through people, moving them out of the way, swiftly and without a care if he hurts them. Barely hearing the groans and slurs that are thrown his way, all that he cared about was getting to that scent. To fuckmatebreed with it, whoever it is . His mind is a whirlwind, the wolf down in him just wants to make that scent his and only his.
He finally gets the the kitchen, a few people laugh a little too loudly around an island that’s packed full of liquor, red plastic cups and pills.
Harry sniffs the air, a long pull of the lungs and Harry almost breaks his neck when he snaps his it towards that potent scent. His eyes quickly roam over small feet clad in converse, dainty ankles, short legs and thick, strong thighs adorned in tight black trousers that are rolled up a bit, a tapered waist and a beautiful dip of the lower back in a loose red shirt, his eyes scanning up to skinny tan arms, a lean neck and to a head full of soft looking, scruffy caramel hair.
His hands itch to touch, and who’s he to deny himself the small pleasures to his wolf?
So Harry gets to the boy in a blur, large hands finding the bow of his small waist. Harry softly tugs the boy to him, hearing an intake of breath when his lips come into contact with exposed skin on his neck, ”I've been smelling you all night,” He murmurs.
“That’s just fucking weird mate.”
Harry chuckles, biting the boys soft neck. His wolf groans to already bite this boy. He shakes his head, ”‘S not weird…mate.“
“Maybe not for your culture,” Louis mumbled wanting to move away from him, but at the same time couldn't.
“Feisty.” Harry runs his hands up from the boys hips to his chest, rubbing softly, his canines lengthened, nicking the boys lightly, enough that there was a slight indentation in the smaller boys tan skin.
Louis spun around placing his hand in the center of the boys chest narrowing his eyes at the boy, “Ignorant.”
Harry’s lips quirked, and he laughed softly finding the boys eyes trained where his hand was placed. Harry bit his lip and moved a little closer until his lips were pressed lightly against the others, ”Perfection “
Louis gave little push, though it had no effect on the other boy, “Damn straight I am.”
The older boy laughed loudly now, his head tilting upwards and when he looked back down he noticed a tattoo on the boy, right below his collarbones. His mouth watered, the boys spicy scent filling his nose, ”Tell me your name.“
Louis pursed his lips together fighting the urge to smile, “Like you said ‘Perfection’.” He turned his back to the other boy searching for his stick. With a frown Louis slowly moved towards the ground searching slowly. He found it under the counter pressed up along the bottom. He rose up with caution gripping the counter so he wouldn’t hit it. Turning back around half hoping the other boy got bored and left and the other half hoped he still there so he wouldn’t look like an idiot talking to air, “Well, I best be off.”
A hand gripped his forearm, but Louis shook it off heading back into the living room listening out for Stan’s drunken slur, “Louuu.” Ah, Louis thought, there it is. Smiling Louis made his way over to his intoxicated friend.
“Stan, mate how about we head back,” Louis heard the heavy sigh Stan sent his way, so he added, “I’m tired.”
“Alright, fine. Let’s get you to bed then I’ll go back out and party for the both of us.”
Louis smiled and agreed. He was actually tired this was his first party that didn't have parental vision, so the loud music, screaming, and overheated place filled with way too many people then it should be holding did take it’s toll on Louis. Stan on the other hand just had too much to drink and Louis knew it. He also knew that once they got into their dorm Stan wasn’t going anywhere.
Even though Louis was fairly sober he still had a hard time keeping himself and his deadweight friend on their feet and in a straight line. Getting back to their dorm was a miracle. Stan dropped his keys six times before he finally got it in and opened the door for them, “If this is how you perform, sex wise then I think you should have been going to my old school Stanny-boy.”
Louis laughed as Stan pushed him away, “Shut up you wanker. I’m going to bed,” Stan mumbled as he shuffled over to his bed flopping down on it.
Louis shut their door locking it before walking over to lay on top of Stan, “What!? I thought you were going to party for the both of us! Come on now, get up, go live our lives!”
Stan rolled over grabbing Louis waist tucking him in, “Shut up and go to sleep.”
“If you wanted to spoon me Stan all you have to do is ask and take off your bloody shoes.” They both sat up taking off their shoes, jeans, and socks leaving on their shirts and briefs before going back into a cuddling position, “Stan is it weird if some random guy came up to me tonight saying he’s been smelling me all night?”
He felt Stan go stiff, “Um, well. Didn’t they teach you about werewolves in school?”
Louis looked over at Stan with a glare on his face, “No. No fucking way. I refuse. Nope. Forget I said anything.” Louis laid there staring up at nothing as Stan snored by him. His thoughts traveled everywhere. His main thought went to his health teacher’s speech about mating with werewolves and likelihood of it ‘Only five percent of werewolves mates are human and they usually fall for the less…damaged humans. It’s nothing against people like yourselves just in the werewolves instinct.’ Louis gave a bitter chuckle, “Lucky fucking me,” Louis whispered to no one as he started drifting off to sleep.
******
The wolf inside him urges him to go after the boy, but all Harry could do is stay silent, down more alcohol and watch him. His wolf whines, against Harry’s hold, growling and making it hard stay in his human form.
His hands burned from where he touched the human, Harry ripped off his scarf and ran a rough hand through his hair, as he saw the boy interact with a drunk, stout young man.
Harry’s cheeks burn as he makes his way outside, trying to get the boy who’s already mated, out of his hazy mind. The boy uses his thin black shirt to wipe away any sweat on his face. He feels bile rise in his throat, the hair on the back of his neck standing on his neck because everything in him is telling him to not let his mate b walken away and taken by someone that’s not him. Harry wants to stake his claim and he can’t now that the boy has brushed him off.
The cool air stings as he reminds himself for the fifth time that night that things aren’t like they used to be, alphas can’t take anything they want. He drops to the ground and puke is already spilling from his mouth, and onto the fresh green grass. The last thing that hits him before he completely passes out next to the pile of vomit out, is the rancid smell of it.
He wakes to an unbearable heat, the glare of the relentless sun in his eyes, an annoying scent and unwelcome weight is pressed against him. He growls, rolling himself out from under an unconscious girl and waits a few moments before he picks himself off the itchy grass.
He shifts his cock in his tight jeans, relieving some pressure, his mind instantly remembering almost everything about last night and he groans again, ignoring whining that comes from the girl. Harry heads back to his small flat, trudging slowly into his shower.
The temperature is set to its highest setting, he undresses quickly and quietly and jumps into the waiting stall to wash all the grime and alcohol off of him. He hardly gives any attention to his cock, not wanting to give in to anything, he knows this boy won’t be his. Why feed his fantasies?
He steps out, dries and dresses himself and goes about his day. He checks his schedule, he has work in a few hours, but no classes for the day and he heads out to buy some headache medicine and cream for his itching skin.
He steps into the well air conditioned store and hears , “Go get us some snacks he says. You’ll be fine he says. Just get whatever looks good he says. Bastard.” Harry bites his lips from grinning, his fingers twitch to touch and he follows the scent that’s been ingrained into his mind since last night.
The alpha finds him quickly, the small boys back is turned to him again and he’s running agitated fingers over different items. Harry cants his head to the side, worry blossoming inside him and he goes to the boy quickly as if he had called him and unconsciously sets a hand on the boys waist and asks softly, “What are you looking for?”
Louis stiffens at the touch, exhaling, “My friend slash dorm mate sent me off to get junk food, so anything that seems promising really. It’s his money I’m spending. Also aleve for his headache and mine.”
Harry hums, grabbing a pack of cookies, “Do you like cookies?”
Louis snorts, “Does a bear shit in the woods?”
Harry scoffs and shakes his head, “Here then, smartass.”
Louis puffs his chest out and glaring in the general direction of the other boys voice. Harry rolls his eyes and trails a finger over the boys jaw. Louis flinches from his touch, “You’ve got a touching issues, mate.” Louis turns and walks down the aisle feeling for a certain type of bag. Ignoring the urge to run.
Harry growls, quickly pulling the boy to him, “Only around you.”
Louis reacts taking his stick hitting the boy in the thigh, “Well, I’m not some damn rag doll!” Louis moves back still swinging his stick, “so, if you would kindly fuck off.”
Harry loses his mind then, his wolf taking over. He moves quickly, knocking the stick from the boys fingers and quick, long fingers moving to the nape of the small boys neck. Harry unconsciously puts enough pressure in the spot, his wolf knowing exactly how to get his mate to submit. He noses along the column of the boys throat “Don’t tell me what to do.”
Louis feels as though his body has betrayed him, going limp at the touch. His mind is reeling and the only thing that’s clear in his mind is the boys command. A whine escapes his mouth.
Harry feels himself calm down from his high and kisses behind the boy’s ear, scenting him enough to smell the slight tinge of fear and he loosens his grip on the boys neck. “You don’t have to be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Louis jerks away forgetting about the food and his stick as he stumbles away from the other boy, “Stay the hell away from me!” and Harry watches him go. Feeling a lump form in his throat, fighting against his wolf to show his mate who’s his.
****
Louis stumbled his way back to his dorm opening the door that Stan neglected to lock. Louis sat on his bed head between knees rocking back and forth, “Oh, god. Oh, god. I’m so fucked.” Louis was rethinking his whole love for his new found freedom. He was starting to hate it.
At some point Louis fell asleep and right at one fifteen his alarm went off. Louis stretched and rolled out of bed. His hand instinctively went to his gap between his bed and the nightstand where his stick should of been, “Oh, shit the store.” Louis only had this one class today and debated on whether or not he should skip it to go and retrieve it. If it was still there that is. Shaking his head Louis stood up opening his door listening out for footsteps.
A minute later he heard a dorm door open and close, “Hello?”
“Louis?”
Smiling Louis stepped out of his room with his backpack in tow, “Yeah, hey could you help me to my class my stick has been nicked and I’m not exactly sure where my dog- I mean Stan is.”
“Yeah, no problem your class is right next to mine anyways. So, did you report your missing stick?” The boy, Andy asked.
“No, happened off campus.” They didn’t talk the rest of they way which Louis didn’t mind honestly his mind was too preoccupied to carry on a conversation. When they stopped Louis gave an award winning smile, “Thank you,” Andy nodded walking away. Louis rolled his eyes figuring he nodded in reply. Heaving a sigh Louis walked into his classroom sitting down next to whoever was pulling him down next to them.
Turns out it was Stan. When class ended and they were all filing out of the class Louis turns to Stan who’s holding his forearm, “You bastard! Sending me off to get food. I didn’t get food because I lost my stick to that guy that says I smell or whatever.”
“Wait you didn’t get food!?” Stan cried in mock horror.
“You absolute bastard! I lost my bloody stick. You know if I had it right now I would beat the living pulp out of you. I hate you.”
“Alright, let’s go to the store get food and hope they have your stick, alright?”
“Yeah, fine whatever. Just don’t leave me alone anymore. That crazy bastard could be lurking around anywhere.”
*******
Harry never lets that stick go. It had the boys scent all over it and maybe it was taking things a little too far, but his wolf whined at his mates rejection and Harry wanted to absolutely throttle his animal.
Sometimes he really wished the human part of his mind overruled his wolf, that part of him the strikes first and asks questions later.
He keeps it at his house, and since he’s brought it home, its sat on his living room table. The man tries to keep his mind off of the boy, with his last semester of school and working enough to keep his father happy, he hardly has time to be more stupid.
He smells a familiar omega squirm into the seat next to him. A smile bloomed on his face even before turning his head, “Zayn.”
The omega smiled back, cheeks blushing faintly and he ran his hand through his black fringed hair. “Hey Harry.”
Harry hauled the boy into his arms, giving him a bear hug. Harry would never admit it but he was a little emotional, the events that had happened over the past weeks had him on edge. He heard a growl a little ways away from them and rolled his eyes, and reluctantly let Zayn go, shuffling his arms back into himself as Liam and Niall made there way to them and turned his curly head to let his eyes rest on a Liam who had his arms crossed and Niall who was right behind him and who was also rolling his eyes.
"Come on Li, let ‘em be. Harry won’t do anything to your mate, you know that." Niall sat down and pulled Zayn in for a kiss on his cheek. The alpha came eventually, he sat shaking his head in defeat and kissed his omega on the other cheek while Zayn was rubbing soothing circles into Liam’s leg.
"Where’ve you be-" Harry interrupts Liam, running a hand down his face and telling them what happened starting from the party.
"When’s the last time you ran, Harry?" Zayn quietly asked.
Harry looked at his best friends, and shook his head, shrugging his shoulders, “My mate is out there, why should I-“
"You have his fucking stuff Harry." Niall snaps, his annoyance building up, "you’re too caught up. Your wolf needs the release."
Harry knew his friends words weren’t making any sense, but Niall knew what he needed, and that’s how Harry found himself heading straight into the woods after that class, he stripped quickly the September heat on his bare shoulders felt perfect, and he left his clothes under a bush.
The relief can soon enough, fur rippled from his pores and his muscles stretched, bent and grew, Harry had to stifle his moan of pleasure. Finally, he felt the freedom he yearned for and he went down on all fours
He ran for hours, he eventually let up when he was tired enough. slowing down his heartbeat, he lapped up some water in a near by stream. The wolf spent the whole afternoon just being free, it’s what he craved and he was left to think and decide, to go over what’s happened.
Harry wants to fix the mess he’s made but he doesn’t know how.
*******
It had been an entire week since Louis lost his stick and he had yet to tell his mom. He also didn’t mention the creep from the party or about the store incident leading to his loss of his stick. Instead he and Stan lied through their teeth about how wonderful everything was going and that nothing was to be worried over. Louis didn’t want to worry his mom or lie to her, but he was most definitely giving her a reason to come down or worse pull him out of college.
He just ended his call as the his dorm door opened, “By mum, love you,” Louis let out quickly before hanging up as she said ‘I love you’ back.
“Louis!”
“Niall,” Louis smiled even though he did try not to, “have you ever heard of knocking?”
“I will knock when Stan learns how to lock,” Niall said before laughing at his own words.
Louis moved closer to Niall lightly caressing his face. His fingertips following the smile lines on his face. To Louis, Niall was the best person to be around, the colors Louis saw with him around reminded him of what he thought a sunset would be like, bright, colorful and just all around beautiful. Niall gave Louis the greatest thing of all. Louis knew the world was his canvas and his fingertips were the paintbrush, but for seventeen years of his life he only held black and white paint on his palette, now with Niall he had color, maybe not all of them, but it was a start and it was one Louis was grateful for. Louis rolled his eyes keeping his hands on NIall’s face, “Idiot. Anyways how was your week?"
Niall shrugged, “Shrug worthy.”
“Oh, good so nothing important. So, I guess by now someone has bound to tell you a crazy, creepy bastard stole my stick. The same crazy, creepy bastard from this party. He just comes up out of nowhere and touches me and says something about me smelling! And I really would just like my stick back. I can’t live on some else’s arm all my life.” Louis felt Niall’s mouth go from a smile to a straight line, the stretch of his skin tightening around his temples and skin wrinkling at his forehead down to his brows, “What?”
“Um, yeah about that,” Niall stepped back from Louis making sure it was an arms length, “I’m kind of friends with uh, the creepy bastard.” Niall watched as Louis’ face did a dance of emotions before his face went as still and dead as his eyes. The silence stretched.
“Crazy, creepy bastard,” Louis finally managed to spit out.
“Are you mad at me?”
“No, Niall I’m not mad at you for being friends with the crazy, creepy bastard. You’ve been here longer than me and have probably been friends with him longer than you have me. But since you know him maybe you should get him to return my bloody stick back.”
“I’ll set up a meeting then. As long as you promise not to beat him with your stick once you get it back.”
Louis nodded, “Fine, I won’t beat him with my stick.”
“Good-”
“I’ll just shove it up his ass instead.”
*****
Long hallways stretched out before him, his bag was slung over a shoulder and his mind was thinking of ways he could get the handicap stick back to its owner without scaring him off again.
Loud footsteps thumped down the hall and Harry looked to see Niall running to meet him, the curly hair man perked up immediately, rushing out a quick, ”I think I should give his stick back to him.“
Niall gave him a funny look, his lips turned up slightly, his brow knitted together in confusion almost, ”Now how’d you come up with this?”
Harry took a deep breath, ready to let it all out; about how the run really cleared his mind and he’d try to put the best interests of his mate ahead of himself- but the little Irish man put up a hand.
”I don’t really care, Harry, just glad you got there.” Niall claps his hand on the taller boys shoulder, Bringing him in to lead him down the hallway.
Harry laughed but Niall said , ”So me and Louis are crazy good mates and he might be a little pissed at you.”
Harry stopped laughing and turned to look at his blond friend in his blue eyes. ”Louis? My ma- “
”Harry you’ve been going on and on and on about the mate thing. I love you. I’ve known you since you were in diapers but if you don’t shut up about the ’mate’ thing I will sock you one good time.”
Harry shook his head, ignoring his friends words ”How do you- when will I- his name is Louis?“
The alpha thought it was such a pretty name, delicate yet strong and held power. He liked it.Niall rolls his eyes, pulling the man in by his neck to ruffle his hair and gives him a one armed hug.
”We should head over right now. I don’t think he has any classes and it would be in your best interest to catch him off guard… I think. ” Niall said, laughter in his eyes, ”but only for you to give him that’s his. Not what you personally want him to have…“ Harry snorts, pulling away and hearing a small , ”I definitely know something he wants to give you.”
But Harry decides that it would be better if Louis came over to his, the alpha wants to win this boy and he doesn’t know if Louis’ boyfriend is with him so he looks at his watch in mock interest and tells Niall it would be better if they come to his house. Niall stops and gives him a skeptical look before nodding and telling his friend that he’s staying.
Harry feels a tug on his heart and they say his face is an open book because, ”Harry, I know you’re not a creep, but when you want something your persistence is a bit frightening. Just let him come to you, yea? Louis is a great lad, don’t press him.” Niall finishes and pushes Harry in the direction of his flat.
”Go, I’ll bring him over in thirty,” And with that, Niall leaves him with his own thoughts and he walks to his house taking in the advice.
It’s been an hour and Harry knows something’s wrong, Niall hasn’t texted him, his heart doesn’t feel right and the red and white striped stick is glaring at him from its place on the kitchen counter. A couple painful seconds later there’s a light knock and Harry only has to breathe a little to get that beautiful scent into his system again and his wolf is instantly calmed.