Harry's POV

With his eyes closed, Harry breathed in the fresh air of the early evening. Stepping outside of the academy building, he tried to wrap his head around this day. In the last hour alone he has learned so much already. Mainly about guardians in general and the common enemy but also a lot about his future possibilities here. He was told that one day he might be able to transform into an actual wolf and really use his inner omega to his advantage. But even his beta side could apparently be used in a good way and that was something he didn't expect at all and he knew it was his father's fault for making them all believe only alphas mattered.

But mostly he had learned about his new team now. Their mission, their friendship, their bond and their connection. They all seemed to be pretty close and he wondered if he and Niall would ever fit in or if they would always feel left out. That thought alone brought him back to Louis, who was still not back and Zayn neither. Their whatever it was wasn't sitting right with Harry.

"Now that we're finally out of there let's all sit together and get to know you two" Maribel startled him out of his train of thought by throwing her arms around his and Niall's shoulders.

"And they can get to know us" Aria added hesitantly.

"Same difference" Maribel waved her off. "You're in, guys?".

"Why not?! We should know more about each other" Niall shrugged, way too calm for it to be normal.

"That's true because we're supposed to work together from now on, which means we need a certain level of trust at one point. And I don't know about you but I don't just trust anyone without knowing them and making sure they're trustworthy" Àmbar threw in tensely.

"She has a point" Liam sided with her neutrally.

"But she is also Louis' best friend and due to that, she is biased" Maribel pointed out matter-of-factly. Harry could feel how an uncomfortable sensation spread through him.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Liam didn't understand.

"Duh, are you really this stupid? Aren't you the smart one?".

"Maribel!" Aria gasped indignantly.

"What?" Maribel didn't look guilty at all.

"Give him a break," Aria told her sternly.

"Whatever" Maribel snorted for effect before turning back to Niall and Harry, pointing at them. "These two know Louis, obviously. We all got that, right? Even you, Lima?".

"Yes," Liam confirmed slowly.

"Good. And it was pretty obvious that there is a lot of tension between them, mostly between Harry and Louis" Maribel summed up and Harry didn't understand why. "But we were all shocked and surprised when Louis exploded. Both times. And why? Because we didn't know about them".

"Wait what?" Niall was a bit lost.

"Louis has never mentioned you. That's why your whole beef was a shock to us. Well, except for Àmbar and Zayn because they're the closest to Louis and probably knew" Maribel let them know.

"Knew what?" Liam asked bewildered.

"That's the big question, isn't it? I mean, Louis' words were pretty clear but I'm still confused. We knew his life in the pack had been shit. He told us as much but never in detail and he never mentioned any names apart from the pack alpha and was it Aidan? I'm not sure. It has been a while" Maribel went on like it was nothing while Harry felt more and more uncomfortable. "Oh, and we know Luke. Oh, we do".

"There was never a reason to tell you more. He told all of us the needed parts and that's it" Àmbar defended her friend strongly.

"And still, here we are and you know more than us. Or am I wrong?" Maribel looked challengingly at her.

"Only recently" Àmbar admitted truthfully. "And why does it matter? I'm not biased. Trust isn't easy for me and you know that".

"I know" Maribel replied a lot softer. "But I also know you're protective of your friends and overprotective when it comes to Louis or Aria. I only want you to give Harry a fair chance to get to know him, no matter what you know about him from Louis".

"Well, that's up to me, isn't it?" Àmbar crossed her arms over her chest pointedly.

"True but ...".

"Guys, can we just drop it?" Aria interrupted them. "How about we sit down and just talk? Get to know each other neutrally".

"Sounds like a good idea".

Dropping the subject much to Harry's relief, they all six sat down on the grass by a well outside of the academy in a sort of inner courtyard. The academy was built around it and the only way out was the wing-shaped gate in the distance. Harry already loved this place. It was peaceful and beautifully magnificent.

"Okay, let me start this because the rest is unable to interact with other beings" Maribel started the conversation. Harry had already noticed how straightforward she was. "You two are both betas, right? Which means, no alpha or omega or something?".

"Um ... yes?" Niall answered questioningly, rubbing circles into Harry's side to calm him down because he was obviously panicking right now due to a simple question.

"So, we got that right. Sorry, that's probably weird but we learn about all species of this world in human school for years. It's just ... it's all pretty superficial when it comes to werewolves or vampires or everything from the dwarf realm. That's why I'm probably gonna ask a lot of questions about werewolves" Maribel explained herself.

"That's fine and yes, we are both betas" Niall smiled at her. "And personally, I love to be a beta".

"Really? Why?" Àmbar checked curiously.

"Because I feel like as a beta you have a lot more freedom and power over yourself and your body and your mind. Of course, we're not as strong as alphas or as empathetic as omegas but we're equally as special and needed and for me, it's definitely the best that could have happened to me ... under different circumstances" Niall explained his statement.

"You mean in a different pack" Àmbar understood what he meant.

"Yeah, a pack with a better dynamic would have been nice but I had it pretty easy on me, unlike Louis or our other betas and omegas. I know that and I appreciate it. I just never understood what's supposed to be so bad about being a beta ...".

"Just to get that right" Maribel talked over him, lost in thoughts. "Betas are the ones who are the closest to humans, right?".

"Exactly. We're practically human apart from a few heightened senses and abilities" Niall nodded in confirmation.

"And alphas are the strong and dominant ones? Like, the leaders and male wolves, who protect the omegas? Who carry and take care of the pups or something" Maribel tried to remember.

"Well, yes and no" Niall looked amused while Harry felt weird. He knew what Niall was about to explain and how right it was but inside he still felt like it was wrong. Like he was wrong.

"Now I'm confused" Maribel blinked dumbly at him.

"You know, there are female alphas and male omegas, M" Àmbar nudged her side.

"And like this, a female alpha can marry a male omega, which reverses the cliché roles and ...".

"Wait a second" Maribel cut Aria off. "I know that's possible but how does that work?".

"What do you mean?" Liam couldn't quite follow.

"If the alpha is female and the omega is male, which is nice, how do they get babies? I heard that male omegas can get pregnant but I always assumed they'd be with a male alpha because that works, right? But a female alpha ... do they have a knot to get a male omega pregnant? Am I too dumb to get this?" Maribel voiced her thoughts out loud, sounding lost.

"Why does it matter? It works, M. Luke's parents are the best example of that" Àmbar reminded her casually.

"I completely forgot about them. And Luke is an omega too but doesn't want an alpha and he is with Louis, who is no wolf. God, my head is hurting" Maribel's eyes grew big.

"Don't worry. It's a justified question but not something I wanna talk about" Niall chuckled light-heartedly. "As a beta that's nothing I need to worry about. I'm just like you and have no biological urges taking over me every few months, clouding my mind and making me vulnerable. But I also can't bond with anyone. Only downside".

"Oh yeah, the werewolf bonding. That's something I adore. It's beautiful" Aria marvelled dreamily.

"Are they always soulmates or just simple mates?" Maribel hooked interested, making Harry stiffen at her words.

"Mostly just mates. It's not easy to find your soulmate, if we even actually have one and they're not always meant to be romantically involved anyway" Niall answered her quickly.

"You mean like Zayn and Louis?" Maribel giggled idiotically.

"Yes, like them" Àmbar rolled her eyes at her friend.

"What are you talking about? They're not s-soulmates, right?" Harry spoke up before he could stop himself.

"No, not like that. They're Animellas" Maribel told him casually.

"They're what now?" Niall stared at her in confusion.

"Animellas. An animella is someone you're connected to since birth. Someone you're supposed to meet and never let go again. It's Italian and technically means Soul Twin" Àmbar revealed to him. "These two were meant for each other in a platonic way".

"Sadly. They would be hot together" Maribel snickered dirtily.

"As much as I want to I can't deny that. Objectively, you're right" Aria had to agree with her, making Harry frown but Liam didn't seem to like that idea either.

"But they're not meant to be more than the closest friends on earth, attached by the hip and always connected. No romance, remember?" Liam reminded them tensely.

"Meh, meh. Let us dream" Àmbar winked exaggeratedly.

"Are animellas a common thing? Or are they as rare as actual soulmates?" Niall questioned nosily.

"Very rare and mostly only found among fairies, actually. Their bond is special because none of them is a typical fairy. Zayn is a witch and Louis is only partly a fairy but the bond was still strong enough to make them meet and feel that pull towards each other. It's beautiful" Àmbar enlightened them. "Oh, and soulmates are technically a myth in the human world. They use that word when they're in love a lot but with a different meaning from its actual meaning. Sometimes human soulmates find each other but there is no way to actually know that. With magical beings it's different but still not a common thing. How is it with werewolves?".

"Just as rare. Most bonded mates are not soulmates. We don't have a special sense for that either. If you're lucky to know you have one you should cherish that, cherish them" Niall let them know truthfully, pinching Harry's hip at his last words.

"True words but we were actually talking about you loving to be a beta and how you talked about not having biological urges. Is it that bad to be an alpha or omega?" Aria came back to their former topic.

"No, not bad but sometimes I feel like it's horrible how controllable you are through this, especially as an omega. An alpha can use its alpha voice on you and you have no choice but to obey and give in because you can't fight it. Your inner wolf submits so easily and it makes you vulnerable and an easy target. Add to that heat and rut and no thanks. I don't want that. I wanna be in control of my own body" Niall justified himself and his view of things.

"But it's not all bad" Harry spoke up, mildly triggered. "There are good sides to that as well".

"I guess" Maribel sounded unconvinced.

"The bond between an alpha and his omega is so special and nothing compares to that" Harry huffed defensively.

"If you're lucky enough to have a good alpha I actually believe that" Aria backed him up, smiling understandingly at him.

"If you say so" Maribel shrugged. "What I wanted to ask is why you have a Spanish accent, Niall?".

"I'm from Spain. I was born there. In a different pack but that pack got killed and we had to flee and ended up here. We crossed ways with so many different packs but nothing felt right until we met the Styles' pack. My parents fit in immediately due to being a cliché werewolf family with an alpha son as their oldest child. Harrison treated my family special ever since and it didn't stop when it was clear I'm a beta. I'm the only dark spot on the family tree but yeah, that's why I sound Spanish" Niall let them in on his backstory.

"So, now we have two people who can speak Spanish in the team. That won't get annoying at all" Maribel joked to ease the sad tension in the air.

"I never talk Spanish around you" Àmbar huffed dramatically.

"But a weird mix between Spanish, Italian, Greek, German and English with Aria and Liam. Choose one language, girl" Maribel countered jokingly mad.

"It's not my fault you don't understand us" Àmbar shrugged smugly, gaining Harry's interest.

"Why do you speak so many languages?".

"That's a long story but I can try to sum it up shortly" Àmbar repositioned herself with everyone looking at her. "Originally, I'm from Germany just like Liam. I was born there and grew up in the North of Germany. I got my name through my biological father. His best friend was married to a Spanish woman and they named their daughter Àmbar and he thought why not do the same?! Stupid, I know. My whole life people thought I'm Spanish somehow but I'm not. Still, I love the country and the language. So, I learned it by myself for years. Then my mother got a new boyfriend and we all moved here out of nowhere. The entire family. I love England, so it's fine but still thoughtless because they broke up again and now I live here alone. My family went back but I didn't".

"Why?" Harry hooked spellbound.

"I always kinda knew there was something different about me and I always had the feeling my family wasn't my family but they swore I was part of the family and I am but I'm also not" Àmbar continued confusingly. "I am a fairy, fully and completely, but my family here on earth are humans. All of them. No ancestors somewhere who are not. I was brought here into this family as a baby. I'm a fairy changeling. My real family lives in a fairy world and sent me here for my own protection. At sixteen there was an incident with fire due to my powers and like this, Aurelio found me finally and was able to tell me the truth. Since then I know and I've been in training ever since because as a fairy I needed different training first before becoming a guardian. So, when my family moved back to Germany I stayed because my destiny is here. I was meant to come here and find out who I really am and join this team".

"Woah" Niall breathed out speechless.

"So, you're not from earth" Harry tried to understand.

"No, my real father is the king of the fire realm and my mother is an animal fairy. Their worlds were attacked and the kids were sent to earth to hide in plain sight, keeping us safe like this" Àmbar explained a bit more.

"I don't know what to say" Harry was shocked.

"You don't have to say anything. That's my story and now you know" Àmbar smiled at him.

"But that doesn't explain why you speak Italian and Greek" Harry remembered suddenly.

"That's my fault" Aria grinned blushingly. "I'm half Italian, half Greek and she learned both languages by now".

"Yeah, because she always wanted to learn Italian anyway and now she had a reason" Maribel snorted weirdly endeared.

"True. I've always joked about marrying an Italian person to have a reason to learn the language. Never thought that might happen to me for real" Àmbar admitted without a problem, making Aria blush even deeper.

"And just like Àmbar's family, my family moved here but not because of a new partner. No, for a job. It's destiny" Aria added more information to the story.

"Same here. I'm from Germany and my parents moved here ages ago for a job" Liam noted informatively.

"I'm the only British person" Maribel clicked with her tongue.

"No, Harry is British and Zayn and Louis" Liam pointed out.

"Technically, Zouis are not British. They're magical, they're from different realms" Maribel contradicted him factually.

"But both grew up here and have thick British accents. It's not about where you were born but where you feel at home or where you grew up" Aria countered smartly.

"I hate you" Maribel grumbled poutily.

"I have a pretty smart girlfriend" Àmbar stated proudly.

"Please, spare me" Maribel wailed dramatically.

"Tell us more about you then. Totally British but what else? What makes you, you?" Niall stirred the conversation in a different direction, drawing everyone's attention to him.

"My big mouth? My intrusive persona? My annoying comments?" Maribel made fun of herself.

"All that and her big heart and soft side when she feels safe" Aria added unbothered.

"Don't know what you're talking about. I'm never soft ...".

"Just like Zayn and Louis are not literally the same" Àmbar snorted unimpressed.

"Not completely" Maribel tried desperately.

"But up to ninety per cent. The rest is complementary" Aria pointed out, making Harry wonder what exactly she meant.

"This was about me" Maribel huffed childishly.

"How about we talk about Liam next?" Àmbar suggested, completely ignoring Maribel's wailing.

"Good idea. Tell us about you" Niall focused on Liam now.

"Um ... I'm quite boring, to be honest" Liam blushed under all the attention.

"That's not true" Aria contradicted him. "He's so smart. It makes you feel dumb but not on purpose. When it comes to human knowledge ask him. He is also loyal and kind and protective and can be funny if you give him time".

"Just like Aria can be loud and crazy if you give her time" Liam gave the compliment back.

"True, apart from me they all need time to be loud and open. So, don't be surprised when you see what's inside their shell. It's lovely" Maribel told both of them proudly.

"Aww" her three friends cooed at the same time.

A shadow on the roof of the academy caught Harry's attention. Glancing back at the same spot, he spotted a second shadow. If he wasn't mistaken it was Louis. Louis with wings. Accompanied by Zayn, probably. Looked like they were back but didn't want to be noticed. Harry wondered what they were up to, which kept him from paying attention to the others around him. What was Louis doing on the roof and why was he hiding in the shadows? What were they up to at this time of the day?

Louis' POV

"Come in, Louis" Aurelio called out to him before Louis could even knock on the door.

Shaking his head to himself at Aurelio always knowing everything in advance, Louis opened the door to his office and stepped into the room. Aurelio was sitting at his desk with a soft smile on his face. That made Louis relax immediately although he hadn't noticed how tense he has been before. With a tilt to his head, Aurelio motioned toward the big chair in front of his desk and Louis sat down without another word, too eager but scared to find out about his prophecy and what it could mean.

"What can I do for you?" Aurelio asked formally.

"Cut the crap" Louis threw him an all-saying look. "I know you know why I'm here. You always know".

"Still asking. I could be wrong" Aurelio shrugged nonchalantly.

"Not this time, V. I need to know. I have the strong feeling that I should know. That it will change something. That it will make me understand a detail that I've missed or ignored or ... I don't know" Louis wrestled for the right words lost. "Please, tell me".

"Okay. Everything for you, Louis" Aurelio smiled calmly at him, taking a deep breath before finally telling him about his very own prophecy. "You're meant to become very powerful and make a change before you turn twenty-five due to your special core. You're said to see through the shadows and find enlightenment in the form of your werewolf soulmate".

"My what?" Louis squeaked shocked, totally frozen to the seat.

"Your werewolf soulmate" Aurelio repeated slowly.

Swallowing heavily, Louis tried to wrap his head around this new piece of information. He should have seen this one coming but of course, he didn't. Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought about this possibility. It was simply bizarre and impossible. Well, apparently not because a prophecy never lied. Which meant, in this screwed-up life his soulmate was a freaking werewolf. Of course, it was the one creature he didn't want in his life anymore. Of course, he would get told he had a soulmate he never wanted.

"Fuck" Louis swore under his breath but then his head snapped up and he stared at Aurelio in realisation. "My mother knew. She knew and that's why she wanted me to grow up in the pack. She wanted me to live with the werewolves because my soulmate is one. That's why I got saved, right?".

"Yes, Louis. That was the plan. Your mother wanted you to end up with the wolves so you could find your soulmate in the long run" Aurelio confirmed calmly. "Which didn't mean they were sure who it is but, like this, the chances were higher than in the human world".

"So, they didn't know who it is?" Louis checked sceptically.

"No, not for certain. It could have been everyone, even a wolf from a different pack but it was still the best way to ...".

"To what?" Louis cut him off riled up. "Ruin my life? Living with them really wasn't a piece of cake. It was horrible and I didn't meet my soulmate ... Soulmate. Damn it! Why is that even important enough to be in the prophecy? I thought people don't need to ... It's not like other people know about soulmates or ever meet them? Why was I supposed to meet them?".

"Because normally a soulmate isn't mentioned in a prophecy. This hasn't happened in a long time, Louis. You were the first one with a prophecy like this in decades. So, it seems to be important" Aurelio revealed to him way too calm and collected.

"So, my so-called soulmate doesn't have a prophecy like that?" Louis cocked an eyebrow at him in suspicion.

"That's not what I said. Around the time of your birth, you were the only one, which only means your soulmate wasn't born yet" Aurelio corrected his assumption.

"Oh, great" Louis snorted sarcastically. "Wait, do you know who it is? You do, right?".

"I have a suspicion, yeah" Aurelionodded hesitantly.

"But you won't tell me" Louis rolled his eyes knowingly. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner? Did you not think it would have been smart to mention this when you told me about my mother and how I ended up with the wolves? Everything would have made sense because until now it didn't!".

"I'm sorry, Louis. But this is a heavy piece of information and you didn't seem ready to even think about a relationship, let alone a soulmate. You had enough on your plate. And soulmate doesn't necessarily mean a romantic partner, which many people don't understand at first and assume something else" Aurelio sounded so guilty that it made Louis feel bad.

"So, I don't have to marry that person, yeah? I mean, just because we're soulmates" Louis hooked a bit calmer.

"No, only if you love them and want that" Aurelio smiled amused.

"Not gonna happen" Louis wasn't planning on ever marrying anyone. The pack has ruined his ability to love. "How do I even know I found my soulmate? Is there a way?".

"There is. For humans, it's nearly impossible but for wolves, it can be easy if they're an alpha or omega. For betas, it's a bit more complicated. For witches and fairies, it depends. In your case, I think it will hit you. It will be undeniable" Aurelio got a bit distracted by something that Louis didn't catch. "Anyway, you two will be drawn to each other like magnets. Not always knowingly, mostly on instinct. A gut feeling. Something that pulls you to where they are".

That made Louis' blood run cold and he froze up again, gripping the armrest of the chair tightly, almost painfully. Not unnoticed by Aurelio, who looked like he had been expecting this reaction. So, Aurelio's suspicion has been him. A warning would've been nice.

"No" Louis brought out petrified. "No, no, no, no. This can't be. He is not my soulmate. We hate each other. I hate him more than anyone. Isn't a soulmate supposed to treat you right and not ...?".

"Not always, Louis" Aurelio interrupted his panicking. "Sometimes soulmates hate each other and all they do is hurt one another".

"Fantastic. So, I'm not only unlucky to have a fucked up childhood. No, I'm also blessed with a sworn mortal enemy. My very own only created for me. Oh, how lucky I am. It's great to be me" Louis rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Cut the drama, Louis. You don't know what kind of soulmates you are. You barely talk" Aurelio bit back an amused smile.

"Because we can't stand each other" Louis crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly.

"Maybe if you give this a fair chance you could ...".

"A fair chance? Pfft, yeah sure. Like he treated me fairly my entire life? Of course. Why not? Oh yeah, because it's madness! I don't want him in my life. I'm better off without him" Louis wasn't up for this debate. He didn't like Harry one bit. Not anymore. No.

"Fate begs to differ" Aurelio only looked pointedly at him.

"Fate can kindly fuck off. I don't care about this soulmate crap" Louis decided enough was enough.

"Louis, how about we calm ...?".

"No!".

And just like that, Louis disappeared from the room without actually meaning to do so. He has never teletransported himself to anywhere. He wasn't there yet. His powers weren't strong enough. Well, looked like they were now because the one second he was trying to ignore Aurelio and in the next second, he found himself standing at the beach. How he had ended up here he didn't know but it has been a place to calm his nerves since he had arrived here eighteen months ago. And just like back then, Àmbar was right there, walking up to him with a worried frown on her face.

"Louis? Did you just beam yourself here?".

"I think so" Louis could feel his voice trembling.

"What's wrong?" Àmbar placed her hands on his shoulders gently.

"Everything" Louis felt tears behind his eyes, close to falling.

Wrapping her arm around his shoulders, Àmbar led him wordlessly towards her home. Her flat was right at the beach where the main street towards the park started. Inside, he was met with her shaggy dog Alexa and it made him feel immediately better. All together, they walked out onto her balcony and sat down on her bench, facing the view over the ocean. It was calming his nerves.

"He's my soulmate" Louis breathed out shakily.

"What are you gonna do about it?" Àmbar asked tentatively.

"I don't know" Louis buried his face in his hands. "Why does it have to be him? Why do I even have a soulmate and why is it important enough for a stupid prophecy? Why was that reason enough to dump me in the wolf pack? I could have grown up in the academy with Zayn, who is my soul twin. Isn't that more important? I could have been happy. Without him in my life".

"I see where you're coming from and I totally understand but it's not his fault. He didn't choose to be your soulmate. If this was your sacrifice to meet him, what was his? Ever thought about that?" Àmbar titled her head aside with a smile.

"No, because I just got to know about it. Had no time to think about him or his 'sacrifice'. This is about me first, not him. Why did I have to sacrifice my happiness for eighteen years only to meet him? We don't get along, end of story. It wasn't worth it" Louis was lost somewhere in his own thoughts, pitying himself big time.

"Oh, come on, Louis. Stop this now" Àmbar had enough of this. "I know your life was horrible but you're being dramatic, as always. You're a drama queen and you know it. We love it but sometimes you need to give it a rest. I know how he treated you and I'm still mad at him but I just talked to him ten or fifteen minutes ago. He is struggling, a lot. And there is something on his mind. Maybe you".

"Definitely not me. Probably his pack, which is understandable but not my problem" Louis just shrugged and immediately was slapped against the back of his head by Àmbar. "What?!".

"This arrogance doesn't suit you, Will. You care. I know it. Even if it's only a tiny bit. Not about him but about justice and innocent people being in danger. That's why you're a guardian. You're a natural protector and defender of the helpless people" Àmbar looked at him and it felt like she was looking right into his soul.

"I hate you sometimes" Louis huffed poutily.

"I love you, too" Àmbar winked at him smugly.

"You're right. I'm being a bit dramatic but it's how I feel. He left a huge mark on my soul together with his pack in a different way than his asshole father or Aidan and his abusive alpha friends. Maybe his mark is worse because it hurt more and now I know why it always hurt so much more. He was supposed to treat me right but he did the opposite and that left a totally different mark. Now we're enemies, who have to work together. Not fate's plan. I'm sure of it" Louis opened up to his friend, needing to let his emotions out.

"I'm here for you, always. You don't need to become friends but tolerate each other and work together. For now. For a start. There has to be a reason you're soulmates" Àmbar assured him softly.

"A mistake, not more" Louis wiped a single tear away, seeing how Àmbar wanted to protest. "And I don't care. I will tolerate him but I won't tell him. We're nothing more but enemies by now".    

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Louis knows now and isn't happy. Why are their prophecies so different?

Any questions about the other guardians?