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The sun was dripping its honeyed gaze on the surface of the water allowing it to reflect the curtains of cloud behind it. The dotted clouds gently cursored through the skies, as the water cradled the vessel over it. Comfort came as a breathing relief, the sea was exceedingly kind today and the mood of most of the people aboard had uplifted after the storm which had occurred a fortnight prior. They were still easing out of the fear that a storm could inevitable was one of them away but now it seemed bearable.
Harry knew the journey from Trimetri to Vilkard would be exhausting, the men had spent almost nine months in expeditions and raids to bring back to their homeland and now when they were finally moving towards their homeland there had been unrest in the sea which caused the men on board to inherit the same feeling. But Harry was anything if not a good leader. He tried his best to keep their morale high and maintained his Omega's fears which were splattering all over the place.
His Omega on the other hand had settled down very comfortably. More so than he expected. He was prickly until people spoke to him and then he would melt into talking to them. His wolves, regardless of the asservations they held, were always polite to the person they spoke to but they warmed up to Louis almost instantly. As if they had known the Omega since forever.
It was pleasing except when Louis smelt like everyone and Harry couldn't discern the Omega's original flavoured scent. But he tried to keep those complaints to himself in an attempt to not come off as too overbearing. But he needed a few moments of reprieve as well so he settled in the tiny cabin to collect his thoughts.
His mind wavered to how intriguingly he had received Louis from fate. Being given away by his father to assure peace between the 'so-called' savages and Louis' father's territory, Louis was bartered off like cattle and Harry had indulged in this for the sole reason that his wolf had imprinted on the Omega.
Their wedding night had been the most peculiar. Harry wasn't going to force intimacy upon the Omega but neither did he expect Louis to ask him to vow to protect him but he did and he vowed to always stay by his side. It was the most variant thing he had noticed in his life.
"May I come in, Alpha?" Louis asked for permission and peeked through the door to which Harry absently nodded his head.
The Omega had a tray of things with him as he came in and the Alpha leaned on his hand. "What's all this, Omega?"
"I noticed that your beard is growing and I thought I could shave it for you," Louis proposed.
The silence which overtook them was eerily uneasy but also had a characteristic pleasing effect about it.
"I should've asked you before assuming that-"
"Louis, that is not my concern," Harry muttered leaning back upon his chair, "the vessel rocks against the waves."
"My hand is steady," Louis pouted and Harry's determination was sold.
Harry shrugged his shoulder as if he wanted to test Louis' assurity and for some reason, he felt he did. Although it was exceptionally hard for him to find an acceptable and comfortable position when Harry was seated, the Omega was too tall and when he sat down, he couldn't reach him appropriately.
Letting out a sigh of annoyance, he looked at the Alpha whose gaze was already on him noticing the plethora of expressions which ran through his face.
"Alpha, could you widen your legs, please?"
Harry rose an eyebrow but he spread his legs nevertheless and noticed that Louis with ease had moved onto his lap. "I am not too heavy, am I?"
The Alpha did not utter a word but kept his gaze upon the Omega, solid and unwavering until the Omega blushed, lowering his eyes to the floor.
"You can do your intended work, Omega," Harry permitted his eyes set upon Louis, as he continued scraping at the beard tenderly and for a very brief Harry wondered how had the Gods blessed him while he did nothing to appease them. He felt he had always known him, his mind did, his skin did, his heart did and he was assured his heart did as well.
"You are so beautiful," Harry murmured making Louis still down as he paused at the jaw but continued nevertheless, "I feel my life has been waiting for you to settle into it so it would become worth living."
"The moment my eyes caressed you, I felt the most profound connection in the subtlest manner possible, I will forever be at your knee for everything you would desire of me."
Louis paused to finally run his gaze upon Harry. In that instant, everything paused, the sun, her legion of clouds, time and the threads of destiny which it weaved.
"You must be cautious of the words you pledge," Louis warned him continuing to glide the blade down his jaw, "I grow resentful if the said promises aren't kept."
Harry did not respond, instead, he patiently waited for Louis to finish his job off and when he did, his arms wrapped themselves around his waist as he stood up and tossed him over the bed. The Alpha had thrown his leg around him, effectively straddling him as Louis smirked, his bottom lip being devastatingly chewed by his teeth.
"You sinful thing, do you really have so little faith in me?" He inquired, his thumb trailing the bitten red lip, his eyes etched to Louis', as they discarded thought after thought of the Omega's body writhing underneath his own.
"The sun would bleed before I would break a promise vowed."
Louis' lips twisted into a grin and leaned forward, "The sun does bleed, that's why the skies are red during summers."
Harry regarded this with a raise of his eyebrows, "You love providing me with resistance."
"I do have a certain weakness towards doing that," Louis continued smiling, as he daringly rose an eyebrow.
"So that's the way it is."
"Aye," Louis agreed in a coquettish manner causing Harry to lean forward while his nose nudged into his neck, tracing them up to his ear and then remained there for a moment, inhaling his scent.
"Harry?" The bashedly shy voice made a return and Harry withdrew to look at the beet-red face of his Omega whose plump lips seem to be the highlight of everything he was conspiring about.
When Harry seemed to lean inside, Liam shot open the door calling for the Alpha and on noticing the position they were in quickly retreated. Harry moved away from his position on his lap awkwardly. "I'll meet you in a while, Louis."
"Of course, Alpha."
* * *
Louis twisted in the confined compartment of his bed. Harry volunteered to sleep in the hammock and give him the bed and most of the Omegas pleas against it seemed akin to water falling down a cliff, it would happen regardless of what he desired because of its nature of how preordained it was. Louis was appeased initially but after being nearly three months in Harry's orbit it seemed and at sea, he just wanted the Alpha beside him within an arm-length distance.
And now even the little time they indulged in was cast away due to the incident in the morning. If Liam had not graced his presence into the cabin, things would be, well, different and maybe he could've been closer to his Alpha and now he did not know what had occurred but Harry was ignoring him and everything down to his bone made him feel overwhelmingly upset about the situation. Deciding that he was done moping around, he raised from his bed and put on a flimsy robe for the sake of it and moved out of the cabin.
The moon was at the crescent stage of its monthly cycle. The quiet reminded him of the fact that it was too late in the night for anybody but the sea and the sky to be in their confirmed consciousness. Harry was at the wheel and the mild breeze gave attestation to the reason for it as well. When he climbed the steps to reach the Alpha, his eye observed without effort that Harry tensed up by a bit.
"It is late, Louis," Harry admitted as he turned the wheel, hardly looking at him, "any specific reason as to why you are unable to procure slumber?"
"May I handle the wheel?" Louis inquired.
Harry raised a brow and cocked his head to the side, "You know how to handle it?"
Louis quickly took control of it and shot him a smile, "I have you for it, Alpha."
Harry gave an endeared yet dismissive nod and placed his hands over Louis', directing the wheel like someone would direct a child to hold their things appropriately. As the wind breezed through them, the temperature continued to fall continually while the moon briefly excused herself to meet with the stars under cloud cover and then Louis' eyes absently shifted to the man towering behind him.
Harry was considerably taller in comparison to his short stature but everything about him seemed unnaturally divine. It felt as if he had exited from a dream, sculpted from the wishes which were never fulfilled, almost an idealised version of their lives. His jaw now clear but his head was pointed in the forward direction, his eyes unwavering.
He was such an unusual Alpha. The kind of authority he carried sharply contrasted with the honesty of his personality. Harry wasn't in any manner a mild person nor was he a person who would try to grab anybody's attention, he was like a flame, on a candle it would be a source of illumination and if ignited it could burn everything in it. Harry did not need attention, it was freely given to him. There was something so alluring about his existence that glancing at it required ferocity and being around it needed courage.
Louis was still unaware of how did fate so easily partner him with the person who contrasted his personality the most but ironically Louis also knew he needed the Alpha the most.
"Any specific reason as to why you think the underside of my face is the most pleasing view available?" Harry snapped him out of his thought trail.
"Any specific reason as to why you have been stealthily avoiding my company?" Louis retorted back, "Am I truly that repulsive?"
Harry's fists clenched and Louis felt the tremors on his hand. The quiet had suddenly transitioned from pleasing to overwhelming and the awkwardness was felt by both the parties but guilt just by Harry.
"Petal, you are the furthest from the word repulsive," Harry addressed and then uncomfortably let out a sigh of upset and then added, "I was under the impression that you were upset with my behaviour, I can get carried away when I am subjected to your beauty and I should not have been-"
"Did I verbally voice out my dissent?"
"Louis, dissent isn't voiced out only verbally," Harry corrected him, "and besides, you would not voice out anything, discomfort is a longshot."
"I voiced out my desire for us to share the bed."
The Alpha was looking down at him glaringly and his gaze almost seemed accusatory causing Louis to retrieve his hands but turn towards Harry instead.
"I know you want to be cautious around me, Alpha," Louis addressed, "but I want you to be with me the way you are, unhinged, liberated and honest."
"I like our conversations, I love listening to you and I love your teasing and the way you shower me with your compliments," he rapidly spoke to his chest, refusing to look up and continued equally quickly, "I like your scent and I realise we haven't mated but it is very calming to me so unless you want your clothes to disappear one by one, just stay around with me and maybe kiss me while you're at it."
The waves rustled like leaves upon autumnal floor against the ship.
Louis spoke too many intricacies in the span of one breath. And now Harry would take time in dissecting each confirmation which was uttered and every declaration made by the Omega. Harry was clearly misguided in his assumptions regarding his intended and for the very first time, he was oddly satisfied by it.
Harry gently lowered his head and placed his lips on top of the Omega's. The Alpha was tender in his advent of kissing him, devouring his plump lips, taking a taste of what he possessed in his arms. Louis tasted divine and there was a rumble of satisfaction from his throat. Harry grabbed the Omega's waist and pulled him closer, holding him firmly, as Louis hardly showed any resistance but instead shyly placed his hand on the Alpha's jaw and returned it with a passion which was growing steadily. His actions seemed hesitant but with Harry's lead, it was seeming easier.
When they did part, the Alpha's chest found the weight of Louis' head placed on top of it and his arms wrapped around his torso.
"Please, tell me that's not the last time we are doing that," Louis mumbled into his chest.
"As long as you will have me, I will venture to meet your lips at every available moment I receive," Harry promised as he ran his hand down his back.
"Can we also share our bed?"
"How can I have it in me to deny you, heart?"
They spent some more time on the deck, talking, stirring the ship as he continued to talk about miscellaneous experiences they had shared. Eventually, Triton rose to allow Harry to relax for the remainder of the night enabling them to retire peacefully.
On reaching their cabin, Harry slid onto the bed and Louis smiled at his presence.
"Go to sleep, Omega," he chided with his eyes closed, "daybreak is in a few hours."
"How do you know I am looking at you when you have your eyes closed?" Louis inquired curiously.
"One of my underrated abilities," he humoured the Omega but was treated with a dose of silence. On opening his eyes, he saw Louis smiling gleefully in his direction.
"Tell me a story," Louis demanded, his eyes gleaming.
Harry rose an eyebrow and evaluated his request and decided to indulge in the Omega's request. His mind squirmed through stories and then began, "Once a ship had come across the shores of a specific island, the ship carried travellers and Rebekah was one amongst those travellers."
"She had come to the island to leave her mainland life behind," Harry elaborated which made Louis feel an intense amount of attention to be given, "she bought a tiny house and was content with her life there until she met Bill."
"Now, Bill here was a very renowned wolf, he wasn't pack leader but he was extremely wealthy because of his family business," Harry told him, his hand running through his hair.
"They fell in love?"
Harry nodded his head, "They did and they married one another, the entire island was surprised how a divorcee made Bill fall in love with her."
Louis' eyes drifted immediately and Harry knew his concentration was averted. The Alpha paused his story and looked into the Omega's eyes, cupping his cheek. "What is wrong?"
"Do you think your pack will accept me?" Louis questioned.
Harry sighed and gestured him to come closer and Louis instantly made his way into the Alpha's arms.
"I realise this is going to be hard for you, petal," Harry told him and kissed his cheek, "but I have this unnatural feeling that you will do exceptionally well in our pack."
"Everyone would find your nature endearing, our wolves are very enthusiastic and are filled with sarcasm and someone with your disposition will be cherished," Harry informed him, "Zayn might be a bit prickly at first but I have a feeling you will get along to everyone's surprise."
"That isn't relaxing, Alpha."
"Louis, you will be accepted, it will take time, in the same manner, all good things do but you will assuredly be accepted," Harry repeated.
Louis considered his words and then left a reluctant sigh, pivoting his head in the direction of the Alpha, "You won't leave me, right?"
"Even if the Lord of the skies offers me all the stars, I will not leave your side."
"Nor I yours."