Hello my three readers, I am back with a well crafted chapter that I'm actually incredibly proud of. Enjoy and comment!

3730 words

Louis had always believed that if he married, he would be wedded off to a suitor with as grand a house as The Dawson's, with the grand staircase that leads to countless number of bedrooms, a ballroom or two for the occasional socialite gathering with marvellous grand gestures that are made solely to flaunt off the vaults of cash that they have stashed in foreign bank accounts and invested in literal goldmines somewhere out west. Louis could picture himself awaking in a bed far too large, where it takes ten body rolls to cover the beds width, to stretch his limbs in the morning sunlight in front of a window that stretches from ceiling to floor, wall to wall.

There's no harm in fantasying, there's no harm in picturing a life beyond your expectations, beyond your limits, beyond what you're capable of living. There's no harm in fantasying a happy ending, placing yourself in the shoes of someone with freedom to walk into a green grocers and do their shopping without a blink of an eye, to walk into bars, clubs, parties without being stared at, whistled at, touched from lips to crotch due to a secondary gender.

But it can be dangerous, and Louis knows that. Louis knows the consequences of when imagining and believing takes that one step too far, where it leads to a rash and burn that leaves you with open wounds, scraped knees and blotchy cheeks. A child's only limit is their imagination, and Louis' childish imagination was long gone from the times he use to believe he could fly, and had now turned into a hope that his life won't be as bad as he suspects.

His mother disapproves of fantasising, imagining, believing and in one way or another, Louis can't blame her. It leads to over ambitious expectations, a goal that you can't reach, a shining star in the sky that just keeps getting further and further away no matter how many steps you take towards it. Louis believes, and isn't that ironic, that is mother use to fantasise, before Louis, or an Alpha; before she was as trapped as Louis will be.

"If we get caught-"

"And we won't, if you stand guard and shut up, Niall."Louis hisses as he plops himself down onto the desk chair, all glorious rich black leather and high backings that enclose the smaller omega. The chair spins in a slow motion as Louis takes in the study, long and narrow with high ceilings and an endless stream of bookcases that line the walls. It's marvellous and Louis want to run his finger over the spine of every single book and breathe in its dust.

The beta gives him a sceptical sort of look, full of concern, curiosity, wonder, a pinch of dread as Louis meets his eyes momentarily before spinning back to stare at the black rotary telephone that sits upon Mr Dawson's ridiculously large desk. Louis' fingers drum against the rich leather arm rests of the chair, bottom lip caught between his worrying lips, eyes darting at the phone, to the piece of paper and back to Niall who sighs, full body and head lulling.

"Do you think this is a good idea? You don't even know him, Louis."And it's not Niall being such a drag, trying to weigh him down to the ocean floor of a cycle of traditions and routines and being dragged to galas and kissed on the cheek and sniffed at the neck, it's Niall being concerned. And Louis knows that, just as much as he hates that he is.

"That's the point. I don't know him but I want to know him. He isn't like anyone I've ever met before, Niall, and as much as it fascinates me, it scares me too."Louis blows out a puff of air, his chest falling, the sheets of accountant papers rustling on the desk from the new wind."He's just like me, Niall, an omega! But he's so out of control and ambitious, striving to separate from his secondary gender and make a name of himself and I want to embrace that, I want to feel what that's like."

"You-"Niall sighs, taking a long look at the omega below him, with oceanic blue eyes and eyelashes that fan every so often, soft, innocent, vulnerable features of an omega that's been sheltered all his life. And Niall knows it's cruel, to be trapped, left to pace like an animal caught in a cage."If you get killed-"

"I won't, I promise."

"You can't promise that."

"I can try."Louis is determined, eyes holding a sort of desperation that Niall has never witnessed before."Just promise me, please, that you'll have my back. No matter what."

"Louis-"

"Don't give me this Louis business. You're Niall Horan! Outrageously boisterous and rebellious Niall Horan, who's not afraid of anything because they've witnessed everything. Or was that just a lie?"His eyes are narrowed in that sort of dangerous way that Niall has grown accustom to, just like all of Louis' facial expressions.

And truth be told, Louis once fantasied of being Niall Horan. He had once fantasied of what it was like to go to a normal school, to have friends that looked out for you, to be known for your intelligence rather than your secondary gender or your family name, to drive a car, to be like Niall who doesn't allow a thing to faze him.

"This is different. This is your life, not mine, and I care a lot more about your life than I do my own."The beta wouldn't be able to live with himself if something happened to Louis because of Niall, and he doesn't reckon he'll be alive long either.

"Promise me."Louis has grabbed a hold of Nialls hands, his grip hard, his eyes determined, his voice gritted through his clenched teeth and filled with desperation and longing and hope of a promise that Niall will commit to.

"I-fine, fine, I promise."It's defeat, if only for a little bit, but he's rewarded with a grin that streaks from cheek to cheek, his eyes lifting, crinkling at the corner and it's worth it, if only for that smile. Louis spins the chair is success, unfolding the piece of paper with Brendon Urie and his phone number scrawled upon it.

"Right, okay, phew. Now get out and keep guard."He shoos, hands moving and fingers pointing for the beta to get out and keep guard. He complies, hesitantly, and it's only when the door is closed behind Niall that Louis lets out a shaky sort of breath that leaves his whole body quaking in an underlining sense of fear.

But he doesn't dwell on it because he doesn't have the time to, and instead, almost carefully in fear of dialling Brendon's number wrong, and a little bit because he's never used a phone before but he's too proud to ask for help, he lifts the phone and dials. He's holding his breath, his heart hammering in his chest of fear, anxiety, excitement, he isn't exactly sure and he fears that there will be no answer as the dialling continues and continues and continues...

"-I said shut up, don't make me come over there because I will, and you know it and I know it and it won't be fucking pretty- hello?"And it's only words, laced with playful banter and from a sharp tongue but it makes Louis' stomach do all sorts of backflips and summersaults  and his heart to hammer so hard against his rib cage that he's in fear of it breaking out and Louis is lost for words because wow- oh god, he answered, it's a real phone number, it's not fake, it's real and what does he do next-

"Hi, hello, it's me, and in me I mean it's Louis, and Louis who was that omega from last night that you saved from that alpha in the club and I think I'm over talking now because of course you should know who I am, unless you also happened to meet another Louis last night after you walked me home, which would've been weird but just in case-"And he's rambling, he's flustered, his cheeks are a roaring red with flustered blush and his scent so strong of embarrassment-

"Princess, of course I know who you are."And Louis can picture that smile, he can see it in the way he says princess, of how it slides off of his tongue and Louis ducks his head, tucks in his chin, his cheeks so warm with blush. There's a shuffling on the line, some wearing, a close of a door before Brendon continues."Took awhile for you to call, thinking of backing out?"

"I don't exactly have common access to a phone."

"Oh yes, traditional Puritan family and all that."Louis can picture that way that Brendon waves his hand, brushing it off as a joke, poking fun but not really offending."So tell me, are you being incredibly naughty and sneaking around just dying to be caught red handed?"

"Actually,"And that blush is back at full force, pulsing at his heated cheeks and he feels so goddamn bad, so submissive and so compliant as he drawls lazily,"I'm stuck at some tedious luncheon with a potential suitor that I've embarrassed more than once in the last hour or so."

"Sounds fun, I hope he's hideous."

"He has a hideous personality, I'll tell you that, but he's an alpha and a hideous personality is often swept over by a handsome face, strong genes and underworld connections."Louis sighs, twiddling the cord around his index finger, his eyes casting over what remains on the desk. There's no family portraits or knickknacks.

"Your dreadful luncheon shall be over soon, love, and then you can prepare yourself for tonight, and I'm not taking no for an answer, sweetheart. I'll have my bodyguard pick you up for 7 and not a second later, the set starts at 8 but if you want the full upfront experience, we'll squeeze you in."Brendon leaves no room for arguments, plowing forward with details and anecdotes.

"I-yeah, okay."Louis swallows thickly, agreeing, nodding along as if he has any idea what full upfront experience actually intends or what a set is."But I will have to meet him down the street, I have tremendously nosey neighbours and just as nosey younger siblings."

"I'll let him know,"Brendon hums, noting it down somewhere at the back of his mind to tell Zack when he's leaving to accompany the driver to pick Louis up. He'll comply without question, or with grumbling questions and curiosities on this wild adventure into the guarded community of power and statue to pick up an omega with little meaning or knowledge of.

"And will I see you? Tonight?"Louis stinks of wonder and curiosity and flushed blush.

"Babe, the whole point of inviting you is to count this as a date."

"A date?"Louis questions, not entirely sure what a date is exactly. He'll be sure to ask Niall as soon as he can.

"Trust me, it's a positive thing."The boisterous omega has a fond smile tugging at the corner of his lips, tracing pictures on the bathroom stall door. There's a bang, some shouts coming from the hallway of the arena that they're currently doing sound checks at and Brendon knows the commotion is due to is absence.

"Louis, hurry the fuck up-"Nialls voice is coming through the heavy study door, sounding paranoid and anxious because there's only so long that an excuse can stretch.

"Right, okay okay!"Louis sounds agitated, annoyed that he has to hang up the phone so quickly, blubbering apologies down the line as he says goodbye, waiting a few moments after Brendon has hung up the call, butterflies swooping in his stomach and bouncy tickling his cheeks, jumping in shock as Niall harshly bangs the study door."You're so bloody impatient!"He hisses as soon as he's stormed out of the study and into the winding hallway.

"I told you to hurry up, they're going to be suspicious now."

"Just be quiet and follow my lead."Louis is taking a quick look at himself in the nearby mirror, running a hand through his hair, fanning down his flushed cheeks just a tad before turning the corner back into the dining area, a thick tension of forced chatter across the table as Louis enters with Niall tagging a long behind him.

"Louis,"It's his mother who addresses his appearance first, a glass of wine in front of her in exchange for the water she had during the beginning of their luncheon."What took you so long?"It's not an innocent question, it's full of harshness, like a dog ready to bite.

"I was having problems."Louis excuses innocently, careful with his actions as he crosses the room, moving with a sort of delicate grace as he sits down in his empty chair, positioning his napkin over his lap.

"And what type of problems takes 30 minutes to figure out."It's Mark this time who speaks up, his tone holds no nonsense, he cares nothing more than this luncheon going smoothly which, unfortunately so for the alpha, it is not.

"Well if you truly must know, Mark, I was having omega problems."His tone is soft, a hint of sharpness and he makes himself stink of embarrassment which floods the entire room.
The Alphas turn their chins away, not meeting Louis' eye, Niall takes a sip of his water, the omegas look on in knowing."I'll gladly go into detail if that's what you wish for me to do-"

"You will do no such thing."And that's that, because no Alpha wants to know the business of omegas, especially omega problems and whatever it is that they exactly are. Louis feels no need to be embarrassed when the Alphas in the room are embarrassed for him, mumbling their words, cheeks flushed, as Niall watches on and Louis' mother narrows her eyes.

~
~
~

Lottie sits by the desk, a pencil tucked behind her ear, her hair tied up in a high ponytail and face fitted with a scowl as she watches, analyses, judges as Louis fixes his sweater, brushes down his trousers, tucks in his shirt, pouts his lips, plucks his eyebrows, fusses. He's nervous, fidgeting, cramming last minute adjustments to an outfit that he's changed 4 times now, applying make up, wiping it off the next second and Lottie is bewildered that such a person, such an omega, has left such an impression on her brother.

"No, stop that."She waves her pencil over where Louis' hands hover over his head, fingers tempting to run through fluffy, freshly washed and smelling like forest fruits hair."You'll make your hair greasy if you continue you that."

"Do I look okay?"

"Louis, you've been looking okay since your first outfit. I'm getting sick of telling you that you look okay, you look better than okay, actually, which I think is incredibly dangerous."The expression of pure thunder is back, her brows frowned and lips pursed as she roams her eyes across Louis.

"Well I'm not changing, I don't have enough time."He frets over himself one last time in the mirror, stopping himself from running his fingers through his hair, picking off a piece of fluff from his forest green sweater."Is the sweater okay? It's the only thing Niall could lend me in such a short amount of time."

"Look, I seriously don't know nor do I care. What I do care about is the plan."

"The plan,"Louis starts, swiping his tongue over his bottom lip, fidgeting with the sleeves of the sweater before he starts again, voice more confident and reassuring."The plan is that I'm studying, proper traditional omega duties after my shameful exposure and display at the luncheon with the Dawson's."He motions his hand to the pile of books on the desk behind Lottie, thick spines and hard covers."I don't want to be disturbed, it's very important business."

"And your dinner?"

"I've talked to the Chef, a tray is going to be sent up here and set in front of my door. It's your job to dispose of it, make it look at least half eaten, which is a push, throw it out, flush it down the loo, I don't know."He flaps his hands dismissively, finally looking over at his younger sister who looks so poised but overly concerned as she sits at the desk, all sorts of emotion running through her eyes."I'm going to be fine, Lottie."

"You don't know that."

"You're as paranoid as Niall."He rolls his eyes, putting on a last minute watch, checking for the correct time.

"I have damn right to be! You're an omega, Louis! You're not a Beta, you're not an Alpha and you shouldn't be prancing about as if you're such. It's dangerous, it gives off the wrong impression and you're going against nature."

"Not all Omegas are like us."It surprises Louis just how much venom is put into the word us, it's bitter tasting on his tongue and leaves behind an aftertaste in his mouth as a sort of undertone of fury bubbles inside of him.

"Don't start this, not now, not when I'm about to go. You promised me, you promised that you will cover for me."

"I didn't say I wasn't, but that doesn't mean I can't still protest."

"Well protest when I'm gone, I need to get going."One last glance, a smile on his lips because he looks good, in a way that doesn't scream omega but it's soft, gentle, almost neutral and it feels so good. Lottie remains with her frown, scenting of concern and worry and jumping nerves and Louis is bound to smell the same, because as much as he's ready, he's nervous and fearful and full of concerns too.

"Be safe,"She whispers desperately.

"I'll try,"He reassures in the same tone, pressing a quick kiss to his sisters forehead, much to the protest, before he's making his way out of the window.

He takes the same route as he came in and out of last night, through the broken fence behind the overgrown hedge at the back of the garden. He's quick and gentle with his movements, not to draw attention but to keep a good appearance and stop dirt smearing on his shoes. He's stumbling out onto the darkening pavement, early nights in some time in January.

There's a car, stretched, slick black that stands out like a sore thumb on the remarkable old fashioned constructed street that Louis lives upon. What startles him most, however, is not of the car but the person that stands - or leans - along side of it, 6 feet tall, large, bearded and Alpha. There's a cigarette dangling by their fingers, a phone pressed against his ear, eyes roaming the street in search for something, someone, Louis.

"-if I don't leave in the next 2 minutes there's no chance that we'll make it back in time. Are you sure he's going to turn up?"There's a question of disbelief in his voice, questioning, dancing around the subject as if it'll catch alight. Whoever is on the phone has said something that makes the large, intimidating Alpha roll their eyes in annoyance."Don't give me that type of bullshit Brendon-"

Louis' eyes widen at the name, stopping in his rushed tracks to bypass the Alpha as fast as he can to find Brendon's bodyguard when the Alpha is Brendon's bodyguard. There's a shift in the wind, and the Alpha seems the stop in his rant to Brendon, scenting the air, picking up the scent of omega, of soft, innocent, vulnerability but twisted with ambition and rebellion. His eyes shift, they land on Louis.

"Wait, give me a second I think this is him- Hey, you, are you Louis?"The Alpha asks, the phone pressed to his shoulder to muffle the sound, eyes directing at Louis who stands a good couple of feet away from the Alpha, wanting to sink into the darkness.

"I am, yes."He tries to square his shoulders in the same way that he saw Brendon do, tries to make himself seem so much bigger than what he is, more confident and it seems to amuse the Alpha who cracks a smile at the action.

"You're a bit late, aren't you? 7 o'clock and not a minute later is what I was told."He scowls but it's not in anger, it's teasing, poking fun but Louis tenses a little, maybe in fear, unknowing, he isn't sure. He seems to notice because his shoulders slouch, making himself smaller, more submissive for the Omegas sake."Don't worry, I'm Brendon's bodyguard, Zack."

"Why shouldn't I worry?"Louis frowns and it isn't a good look on him.

"Because trust me, Brendon Urie is the biggest egotistic, paranoid prat in the world and he doesn't trust easily. If he didn't trust me, he wouldn't have sent me here to safely transport you to him."Zack rolls his eyes before waving the phone in his hand."And I have him on the phone."He's waving it at Louis to take, the omega inching close enough to snatch it out of Zack's hands.

"Louis, Zack may be the biggest asshole in the world but he would lay down his life for me, and he's been in his fair share of fights on my behalf and along side me. Trust me."And Brendon's voice is so soft, like melting caramel and gentle, running over the bumps and lumps of Louis' nerves and fears like a steamroller.

"I trust you, Brendon."

I kind of rushed the end of this chapter but that's only because I'm so fucking excited for the next couple of chapters ahhhhh I'm sooooo jittery and jumpy damn

Please tell me your opinions on than chapter!

How smitten is Louis?

What's your opinion on Lottie and Niall being so protective?

What all do you reckon is going to happen?

Votecommentfollow

Peace✌🏼