A/N:

Hello! This author's note will be a bit long because I have things to say hehehe. Feel free to skip it, though! <3

First of all, I'm so so sorry for the late update, I feel so guilty ahhh! I was supposed to update last night but I fell asleep in the middle of editing. I'm terrible. But it's here now! So I can take some time off from worrying about this chapter and focus on starting my bachelor's degree! <3 It's still hard trying to get used to the new environment in my uni and all. I'm still not satisfied with this chapter, but I don't want to hold off updating much longer. So here you go.

I took some time to reply to the comments! Sorry if there are any that I missed. They don't come up in the chapter but some of them did appear in my email, so I don't really know what to do with that. :(

And oh my God, babies!! I can't believe we won the Stylinson award?!?!? askjgfasjdgfjas thank you so much to everyone that voted I love all of you so muchh thank you thank you thank you! Also, thank you to StylinsonAwards for the opportunity, and EMPRESSOLIVIA for nominating me!

Sometimes I feel like I take you for granted and I want to apologise. Thank you for all the support that you've shown me, no matter in what ways. For my silent readers, that never let me notice your presence, the active readers that love to leave comments and make my day, those who only vote but never commented, even those who added my story to your reading list, and even if you didn't do any of this but you are reading this,  I'd like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, thank you thank you so so much. I'm so sorry if I've never directly addressed you to thank you personally. I honestly wanted to send each of you a personal message as a thank, but there are so much of them and I could never really find the time to do it. So, I hope this would be sufficient. I know this thank is more generic but I just want you to know that I appreciate and love each and every one of you that read my story, thank you so much. ahhhh I love you guys so much!

And how could I forget?! Thank you so much for 50k?!?!? I'm literally crying as I type this I'm so touched and happy and I never thought I would get to this point and I can't thank you guys enough! Love love love for all of you! Have a lovely day ahead my babies!!! xxxxx

I feel like this chapter would somehow be an emotional roller-coaster. So get ready for it. And one of the reason this is super late is because I really wanted to reach 20k words. I'm the worst, sorry :p This chapter is almost 24k words long, so that's why it took me a while to proofread, and I'm sure there are still tons of mistakes.

I've never been to any session involving getting help when it comes to mental or emotional issues, so please don't come at me if I get anything wrong *cries

Warning! There are still mentions of miscarriage at the early part of the chapter. Proceed with caution my loves.

---

"How is he holding up?" Anne asks into the phone.

Jay sighs upon hearing the question, heavy with regret. "I'm not really sure how to say it, Anne. He's barely eating. He doesn't come out of his room. Daisy told me she heard him cry at night."

"That sounds bad." Anne chokes up with emotions, upset to think of Louis in that condition when he had always been the one to make people happy wherever he goes. "Has he said anything about his Alphas?"

"No. Not really." Jay replies, shaking her head. "He does talk about them in his sleep, though. But he doesn't know that. I went to check up on him the other night, and he kept saying their names. I don't know how to bring it up to him, if I even should. He's hurting so much."

Anne sniffs quietly from the other line. "Does he still think it's Edward's fault? That the babies...?"

"Yeah.."

"I know my sons are to blame for hurting him, abandoning him. But I sat and thought about it, and it's not their fault that Louis lost the babies, Jay.." Anne says. "I heard Edward's story of what happened too, and I felt horrible for even thinking that he's to blame."

Jay relaxes in relief, glad that Anne isn't going to point the finger to Edward anymore. Maybe she was emotional from knowing she lost her unborn grandchildren, and that's why she made the hasty decision to blame Edward for it at first. At least Jay won't have to talk her out of that one. "Yeah, you're right."

"How are we going to make Louis realise that?"

"We can't, Anne." Jay's eyes fleet to the door, checking if there's anyone awake and wandering about the house. She wouldn't want Louis to accidentally eavesdrop on their conversation. It'd make him more upset than he already is. "We have to let him heal first. I think he was really shocked about his miscarriage, and he was scared. That's the reason why he's blaming Edward, just to have someone else take the blame. Most mothers don't want to feel like it's their fault that they lost their babies."

Anne makes a sad sound. "But it's not Edward's fault, and it's not his fault. It's none of their faults. Things were just not meant to be."

"I believe it's going to be really hard to convince Louis that, love. His anger for his abandonment fuelled his anger for his miscarriage."

"I just hope he wouldn't want to break the bond." Anne says after a great deal of hesitation, not wanting to bring it up but they have to talk about it. She can't imagine how that situation would be like. She doesn't want to. "It'd destroy all of them."

Jay agrees. Jay knows that. She knows how much Louis loves them, and how much they love Louis. It's always been clear in their eyes, so transparent. She also knows that sometimes people hurt the ones they love most. "I don't.. I don't think it'd come to that. I hope it doesn't come to that." She breathes out. "God, please."

"I guess time will be the one to tell."

"We'll just have to wait."

---

It's been three weeks since Louis moved back to Jay's house, keeping himself in his room and not going out unless someone coaxes him to. And even then, it wouldn't be for too long. He'd stay out for fifteen minutes, and if he's not needed anymore, he'd disappear back into his room. It's three long weeks that allowed him to think, and at the end, it made him feel that maybe he should start considering to give in to the fact that his babies are gone and there's nothing else he can do. What happened had happened. And yet there is always that little part of him that wants to hold on to the grief a little longer.

He should. He should grieve a little longer. His babies deserve more than that. Three weeks is too soon. He can't move on so fast, he can't forget his babies just like that. Even if Louis had never met them, he will always love them, remember them. It's their lack of meeting that breaks Louis' heart over and over again when he thinks of how he'll never get to touch them, never hold them in his arms. He can never put them to sleep, kiss them goodnight, watch them grow. And he feels like he should give them his time to grieve, at least.

There are days when he would be hysterical, and Jay would have to come in and hold him. She'd always cry with him, but she'd still whisper soothing things to him, words that he'd never hear because he's too caught up with his emotions. She'd do that, until fatigue takes over his body, until he's limp in her arms after he gave up to sleep. The pain in his heart is beyond anything he had ever felt, and Louis could never imagine having to go through such a great loss like this.

He's barely getting any better. And it makes it worse that sometimes he'd forget that he's no longer pregnant and he'll put his hand on his lower belly whenever he takes the wrong step or lose his balance; his reflex to protect. But then he'd remember, and it would take him back to square one with his recovery. He's taking a step forward, then two steps backwards.

Louis can't express with words how grateful he is to have his mother around. She'll constantly remind him to eat and take his medicine. If she isn't around, Louis is pretty sure his ribs would take longer to heal. They're almost healed now, but his emotional wounds barely have progress. She's the only one who keeps him sane, though.

He doesn't really cry during the days anymore. He doesn't really want to, either. His family is extremely worried about him keeping too much to himself, he wouldn't want to give them any more reasons to be worried.

He only lets his tears fall at night, when the house is quiet, when everybody is asleep. Only in that time he would cry his heart out, clutching his hand to his chest.

He has nothing that could remind him of his babies. He's never taken the ultrasound scan yet, so he doesn't have any image to help him remember them. And he's bought no baby related things or products since he was still so early, and now Louis regrets not doing it.

The only things he has are his Alphas' jumpers Anne had brought along for him. Louis hugs them every night when he sleeps. It helps a little, or else he doesn't think he'll be able to have a good sleep. Somehow their scents put him at ease, even when they keep refreshing his hurt.

His Alphas keep calling him, texting him, leaving him voice messages that he never listens to.

Things are much more overwhelming for him since he has to deal with two things at once; losing his babies, and being apart from his Alphas. Maybe even losing them. But it's worse because he's missing the people who hurt him the most. He feels stupid for it.

Louis isn't exactly sure how he's missing them. Does he miss seeing them, talking to them, or having them by his side? Does he miss their voices, their touches, their sweet words, and affection? Or is he just missing them because there's a big vacancy in his days, a missing part that messes up the whole picture?

He has no idea, and he's not too keen to think about it.

  ---

The house doesn't show a single sign of life. But she knows they're inside.

She doesn't bother calling out to them. She doesn't bother phoning them. She knows where they'd be.

A Beta passing by flinches violently in surprise upon seeing her. And for a moment she feels bad. The Beta recomposes herself, holding a palm to her chest before she bowed slightly and left.

She watches the Beta leaving, then continues her way inside.

There is a slight hesitation in her footsteps as she heads towards her destination. Her hand pauses when she reaches for the door handle, but after a deep breath, her fingers curl around the handle.

The room feels solemn the moment she steps inside, barely a speckle of desire to live detected within. Her heart falls, and she is already overpowered by the need to cry when she sees them.

"Mum?" A hoarse voice whispers, one that probably hasn't been heard for a long time. "You're here."

The words said prompt the other two people to sit up, surprised.

Anne stares at the faces of her sons, wondering where the light in Harry's eyes went, wondering why Edward is thinner than he used to be, wondering if she's going to see Marcel smile again. "Oh, my babies."

Harry reaches for her first when she walks up to them, letting her wrap him up in a tight hug.

She kisses their foreheads one by one, making sure each one of them gets a tight hug she knows they desperately need.

"How long have you been like this?" Anne wonders when they're all properly seated. Harry has his head on her lap, her fingers tangled in his locks.

Edward stares at her, not looking like he's going to reply to her anytime soon.

"Edward hasn't been to work ever since he left." Marcel tells her, almost inaudible. It makes Edward scowl, but then the Alpha looks away.

Anne gasps.

Harry shuts his eyes. "He let someone else take over the project."

"Darling." She whispers, her heart sinking even more as she's touching Edward's arm. "Edward."

"What's the use, Mum?" He asks her bitterly, but his eyes won't meet hers. "Everything can crash and burn for all I care."

"Oh, honey." She sighs, pulling him close so she could hug him again. It's a bit lost to her, how to help them. How to help Louis.

"How is he, Mum?" Marcel wonders, distant.

She swallows the lump in her throat, then shrugs. She doesn't know what would be easier; pretending she doesn't know how Louis is doing, or tell them he's doing okay, when the truth is that he's not doing better at all.

---

Louis wakes up early on Saturday, then spends five minutes staring at himself in the mirror after he dragged himself to the bathroom. Louis doesn't recognise the man staring back at him from the reflection. His beard has gotten thick, yet he's gotten thinner. It makes him look older than he actually is. It's clear that he hasn't been taking care of himself. No wonder his Mum kept fussing over him. She deserves a better son, honestly.

The light in his eyes have dimmed, leaving a solemn look in his features.

Louis shifts his eyes down, not wanting to look at himself anymore. He does try carrying on with his activity, though. His hand grabs the razor and starts shaving his jaws to clean his skin off of the facial hair. Maybe he'll start to look alive again if he cleans up well, look more human.

By the time he's done, his face is smooth and clean. He's reverted back to his age. He just needs to start eating more and regain the light in his eyes again, then maybe he'll go back to his old self.

His shower is short, but he feels much fresher when he re-enters his room and starts getting dressed. It's the most productive he's been so far, and yet the day still feels empty, meaningless. He can't even feel proud of himself for getting out of bed earlier than usual.

Louis makes his way down the stairs, his footsteps soundless as he walks.

He finds his mother in the kitchen.

Since it's the weekend, his sisters are sleeping in. It's just them.

It's obvious how surprised she is to see him out of his room when the sun had just rose. Usually he won't consider getting out of bed even when it's past noon. "Morning, BooBear." She smiles at him, picking up where she left off with preparing breakfast. Clearly, she doesn't want to make it a big deal, knows he wouldn't like it. It makes him feel better when he sees her struggling to stop smiling.

"Morning, Mum." He whispers, staring at the scrambled eggs she's making. Louis turns around, his movements slow and hesitant as he takes a seat at the small kitchen table.

"Would you like a cuppa?" His mum asks after she's done with the eggs, staring attentively at him. She's been more concerned ever since he moved back, always ready to attend to him. It's mostly because of what he just went through, but then again she's always cared so much for him. Louis loves her to the moon and back, honestly.

He feels bad. She's been doing that for too long. "I'll make it." He says, already climbing to his feet. He can be useful, at least for himself.

She stares at him, then pays attention to the eggs again. "Alright, then."

Louis gets on with it, grabbing two mugs and the teabags after he puts the kettle on. Not long after, he finds himself at the table sitting opposite his Mum, each of them with a mug of tea in front of them. Breakfast is put aside for now.

He takes a small sip of his tea, then sighs after the warm liquid has flowed down his throat.

He's started taking tea without sugar again, leaving him with the harsh truth that he doesn't have a single pregnancy hormone running in his blood anymore.

The warmth of the tea helps, though. It halts whatever emotions playing within his chest to trigger his tears.

"Lou.." Jay speaks up after a while. "I was thinking..." She observes his reaction, and when it doesn't appear like he's not interested, she continues. "Maybe you should see a counsellor."

He doesn't reply straight away, sitting there and trying to digest what she's telling him.

"It might help." She adds, keeping a light tone so that he knows that it's just a suggestion. After all, she'd want the best for him.

Jay has to hold her breath as she eyes him. She only releases it when he nods. "Okay."

---

His counsellor is an Omega old enough to be his mother with the name Bertha. In fact, she's probably even older than his Mum. She looks friendly, comforting, and yet professional. Louis doesn't feel uncomfortable the first time he meets her.

His session starts with Bertha asking him to tell her about himself. He tells her his full name, his age, his hobbies, and his favourite songs. And then she digs even more, wanting to know how many siblings he has and which child he is. He doesn't even question it when she asks what he likes to eat.

Louis bursts into tears the moment she asks if he's mated.

"It's okay, you don't have to talk about it right now." She says, giving him a reassuring look to convince him that it's alright.

Bertha allows him to take his time calming down, and she even helps him with breathing exercise to ease him faster. "Are you feeling okay now?"

Louis nods, wiping at his cheeks.

"Would you be comfortable to tell me why you made the decision to come for counselling?"

"My Mum suggested it." He mumbles.

She hums a sound of affirmation, then gives him a small smile. "There must be a reason that you agreed, though, isn't it?"

"Because of her." Louis takes a longer breath. "I don't want to be such a burden to her anymore."

"So, you want to get better because of her? Not for yourself?"

Louis shrugs. "I won't exactly put it that way."

Bertha shifts in her seat, moving into a more relaxed position before she pays full attention to him. "Tell me, Louis. What happened? Why are you here?"

Louis stares at his hands, contemplating whether or not he's ready to open up about it. It's not easy, but eventually his mouth parts and he starts telling her about his loss. "I had a miscarriage." Fuck, saying that out loud already hurts. Hurts even more than it did when the doctor told him that his womb was empty of life.

Louis gathers the will to get himself together so he could proceed with his story.

The session ends so fast, but Louis is crying again when his fifty minutes are up. He managed to tell her a lot, and Louis feels embarrassed for crying so much, but Bertha assures him that it's alright, that she's here to listen, to help.

Bertha also tells him that she'll see him again on the next two days. Louis thanks her, then leaves.

---

The house almost feels dead as Edward makes his way out of the lift. He was taking a shower when Marcel called for him to have dinner together. Edward made sure to rush, not wanting to miss dinner time with his brothers.

They've slowly improved themselves. They try to eat more now, get out of the room and try to function like a normal human being. Most of the time they succeed, but more often than not, they don't. Their attempts are mostly half-hearted, because it's hard to feel like they have any reason to try anymore.

He finds Marcel and Harry already halfway through their meal when he reaches the dining room. Well, Marcel is. He's quietly chewing on his food, staring into his plate and yet he's looking at nothing. But Harry, Harry is just pushing bits of his food around on the plate, but he's not eating any of it. He's been doing that an awful lot, lately.

Edward walks over to his seat, dropping down without greeting his brothers eventhough his eyes are glued to them. He starts putting some chicken onto his plate, still shifting his gaze back and forth from the table to Harry and Marcel.

"Harry, stop playing with your food." He finally says when Harry keeps pushing his fork forward and backward but bringing them nowhere near his mouth. Edward's tone is stern but kind. It stops Harry right away, and he sighs before giving Edward a sad look.

"Sorry."

"Finish it, please." Edward nods to his brother's plate, hoping Harry would indeed finish his food today. The middle triplet has been losing his appetite lately, and Edward can't stand seeing his brother getting thinner and thinner. It hasn't been that long, but he noticed how Harry is losing weight.

Harry nods, but somehow they know that there will be leftovers in his plate once they're done.

Marcel stares at the exchange, but he doesn't utter a word. He continues chewing in silence.

Dinner has been like this ever since Louis left, at least when they wanted to have dinner. Edward wonders if their life would continue to be this way as long as Louis is absent. He hopes not. It wouldn't just affect their relationship as brothers and lovers, it'd also be harder for them to get back on their feet.

"We should get out of the house and do something." Edward suggests after he takes his first bite. It makes Harry and Marcel pause, focusing on him. "Just, spend time together again."

Harry shrugs. "Okay, sounds like a good idea." He murmurs.

Marcel nods, hesitant. "Um, I'm alright with that."

"How does Riviera Maya sound?"

"We're leaving the country?" Marcel frowns.

Edward blinks, taken aback by the question. "Well, we don't have to."

"Let's just not." Harry says. "I want to be able to get to Louis if he ever changes his mind."

Marcel agrees with his brother. "Harry's right."

"Okay..." Edward trails off. "Let's just watch a movie, then."

---

Edward keeps his arm tightly around Harry, glad to see his brothers smiling again. He's thankful that Marcel chose a comedic film. It helped cheer all of them up, and Edward finally remembers how much he's missed his brothers' smiles.

"What do you want to do next?" Edward asks them, ready to go and do whatever his brothers would suggest.

"I don't know." Harry tells him, honest. "But.."

"Yeah?" Marcel prompts when Harry trails off instead of continuing with his request.

He sighs. "Can we spend the night somewhere else? I don't really feel like going home yet."

Edward smiles, kissing him on the lips, brief and gentle. "Okay, let's do whatever you want."

Harry gives him a tiny smile, and Edward promises to himself that they will have a good time today.

---

Edward stands on the balcony, looking out into the city. It doesn't necessarily offer him serenity or anything of that sort, but it does capture him in the moment; how the city continues to move even when various of other things are happening inside the buildings that hold so much story one can never find the time to tell.

After the movie, Marcel requested that they do a relaxing activity next, which made Edward rent a boat so they could ride it along the river. It helped put Marcel and Harry a bit at ease, so they went for dinner after that. And then Edward booked them a suite at one of the fancy hotels which is where they would be staying for the night since Harry wanted them to lengthen their outing.

A quiet shuffling causes him to turn around, and he finds himself looking at a half naked Harry. His brother is dripping wet, clearly had just finished his shower since he's still got his towel wrapped loosely around his waist. Edward wonders why he wouldn't dry himself up before leaving the bathroom. He doesn't complain though, appreciating his view in silence.

"You're dripping all over the place." He finally tells his brother after a moment, one side of his mouth tilting up in amusement.

Harry pouts when he hears the accusation, pulling up the pyjamas they just bought. Since their decision to stay overnight was made without any planning, they had to shop for clothes before they checked in at the hotel. "Marcel was pounding at the door for a shower."

His response makes Edward roll his eyes. "Of course he did." He leaves his spot at the balcony, walking over to Harry.

Harry grabs the shirt he's put out on the bed, but he doesn't move any further. He glances at Edward, then offers him a sweet curve of his lips. "Thank you for insisting that we go out today."

"Yeah." Edward nods, his eyes fleeting down to Harry's stretched lips. He shifts in slowly, watching Harry's face as he cups his brother's jaw. When Harry doesn't push him away or give any sign of rejection, Edward presses closer until their lips meet.

Harry kisses him back softly, gently. His lips move in slow motion as his hand goes up to cup the back of Edward's neck. His entire body relaxes, and he moulds himself to his brother's front.

Both of them are smiling when they pull back, and Harry is blushing. He doesn't drop his hand or step back, though, content to let Edward hold him longer.

"Been so long since I've kissed you." Edward murmurs, his thumb brushing across Harry's bottom lip. "I've missed you."

"I know." Harry's smile disappears. "I've missed you too."

Edward sighs, can do nothing but pulls Harry into a hug. "I'm sorry. I'll fix this soon."

"Okay." Harry nods against his shoulder.

Edward kisses his hair, then nudges him back. "Put on your clothes now."

Harry groans, preferring to stay in the nude much longer.

---

Edward: Can I come over?

Niall stares at the message, sighing heavily as he glances at Heather where she is on the carpet surrounded by her toys. "What do you say, babe? Should we let your uncle come over?"

Heather giggles at being addressed, but she makes no other sound, content to continue playing.

Sure.

It's been more than a month after Louis left. Niall hasn't seen him since. But they still talk sometimes, whenever Louis feels like replying to him. Mostly Louis just keeps to himself. Niall doesn't push him. He understands. Louis needs time.

For the most part, Niall's anger towards Edward has calmed to a simmer and he's not as angry anymore. But it's easier for him because he's not at the receiving end of what Edward did. Even as a spectator, Niall was so angry. He couldn't imagine how Louis must be feeling.

Niall doesn't try to help Edward contact Louis or anything. He doesn't bring up a single name of any of the Alphas whenever he talks to Louis. And Louis never bothers asking him about them.

Sometimes Edward comes over to play with Heather, it makes the Alpha calm and happy. But although Niall still holds a grudge over him, for Louis, he knows it's not his place to punish Edward. So he tries to help him resolve the conflicts within himself instead.

Niall isn't as angry anymore. Just disappointed. He can't say the same for Zayn, though.

Zayn leaves the room whenever Edward appears, disgusted and livid. He gets annoyed even hearing Edward's name.

Liam just wants to keep himself out of drama, so he doesn't pick a side. But of course he's on Louis' side even if he said that. It wasn't fair what the triplets did to him. But Liam doesn't show his contempt towards them, still as friendly and welcoming as ever.

Niall just hopes the four of them would get their shit together soon because he knows how much all of them are hurting. They hurt each other, but he knows it'd be themselves that would have to heal each other at the same time.

Niall looks up when he hears the front door closes. He's given Edward a copy of their key since he'd always get too lazy to open the door for him. That must be the Alpha, then.

Edward does appear a second later. He's not smiling, but he doesn't look like he's too sad either.

"Hi." Niall says, raising his eyebrows as he watches while Edward makes his way even further into the house.

"Hey." Edward greets him back, his eyes fleeting from Heather to Niall.

"You want something to drink?" Niall offers, not forsaking the courtesy of receiving a guest.

"No, it's fine." Edward shakes his head, moving to take a seat next to his friend. Niall scoots up a little to give him space.

"You okay?"

Edward shrugs. "I think so."

The Omega stares at him. "What about Harry and Marcel?" Niall asks, trying another approach. If Edward doesn't want to talk about himself, then he can talk about his brothers.

"They're okay, mostly." Edward shrugs. "Harry still waits for Louis to reply, all he does is stare at his phone. And I know Marcel has started reading again. He's mostly in the library. They're not themselves, but they're better now. So that's good enough, I think."

"That doesn't sound good, Edward."

The Alpha sighs. "It was worse. Harry didn't even want to speak."

"Has Harry started eating again?"

Edward nods. "I just, want one more chance to see Louis. I want to tell him how sorry I am." He exhales heavily, miserable. "The thing is, I don't care if he wants to punish me. I know I deserve it. But Harry and Marcel don't."

Niall frowns. "That's not fair, Edward. Harry and Marcel left him too."

"I know." Edward snaps. "But they didn't accuse him of sleeping with your husband, did they?"

The Omega rolls his eyes. Edward is just as dramatic as Louis is. "It's up to Louis to decide that, isn't it? The three of you hurt him, period. That's for sure. But how Louis wants to handle this is up to him." Niall crosses his arms. "Besides, it's unfair to Louis that you think he is punishing you when he's probably just trying to deal with things. He has the right to keep to himself while he heals."

Edward's mouth drops open like he's never thought of that, and for a moment he feels really stupid. "You're right." He murmurs. "He deserves that, at least."

"There's no use for you moping around, to be honest. What you need to do is pick your brothers and yourself up again, and work to be better Alphas if Louis ever decides to take you back again."

"What if he doesn't want to?" Edward whispers. "What if this is it? What if we've already lost him?"

Niall falls silent for a moment. Then he takes a deep breath. "You've made him very happy. But if the day comes that Louis feels like you can't do it anymore, even after how much you've fought for him. Just let him go, Edward."

Edward shuts his eyes. "You mean, break the bond?"

"If that's what he asks for."

"I can't. I can't lose him, Ni."

"Edward." Niall says sternly, grabbing the Alpha's face so they're eye to eye. "You've already lost him the day you decided work was more important, do you realise that?"

The Alpha clamps his lips together, and when Niall releases him, he presses his face at the Omega's neck.

Niall does well with his attempt not to cry, but it all goes to Hell the moment he feels Edward's tears on his skin.

---

"So let's talk about your Alphas." Bertha prompts, staring at him with her kind eyes he's starting to get familiar with.

"What about them?"

"You never really told me much." She shrugs. "All I know is their names, and that they're triplets. And you hate them."

Louis opens his mouth, but then he pauses his words, no sound coming out. Louis blinks, trying to put his thoughts better before saying them out loud. Then he tries again. "I don't hate them. Hate is a very strong word."

"Well, you act like you do."

Louis shrugs. "It's easy to pretend."

"Want to talk about them?"

"They left me." Louis whispers, his heart rate picking up as he recalls the memories, almost reliving them all over again as they flash in his mind. "It started a few months ago."

Louis tells her every single thing that happened, even what Edward said. When he finishes, he's crying so hard that he can't breathe, gasping his breaths in. Bertha has to get up from her seat to give him a hug.

It's probably not really professional for her to do that, but she feels the need to comfort him. A vulnerable child; that's what he is in her eyes.

"It's completely okay for you to feel what you feel for them because they left you." She starts once he's breathing normally again. "It wasn't fair."

Louis nods.

"But I can't help to notice that you are extremely angry at Edward, but it's not as much as that at the others when in fact, they left too. Why is that, Louis?"

Louis curls into himself, as if she's just threatened to hurt him. He looks so offended. "How could you ask me that? Edward took my children away from me!"

Bertha stares at him, a little confused. Then she understands. "You're blaming him for what happened to your babies."

"It was his fault!"

Bertha takes a deep breath. They still have a long way to go.

---

Time is indeed the best healer. Louis no longer mopes around, but he's still grieving. There are times when Jay would find him staring at nothing. Although Louis is more himself now, there are still parts of him he hasn't gained back. Jay wonders if he ever will.

There have always been time where he'd feel guilty and start crying the moment he notices he's not grieving enough about his children. But now, he's slowly eased into acceptance.

Louis knows he'll start seeing the speckle of light at the end of the tunnel soon enough.

He's started smiling again, laughing at Lottie's jokes and even making his own. Jay had to leave the dining room when Louis tickled Daisy during dinner and the house is filled with his laughter for the first time in a long while, she didn't want her son to see it when she cries.

He still calls his Alphas' names in his sleep. Jay doesn't think he knows about that.

And Louis, Louis himself knows that he's making progress. But sometimes, when he's alone at night, he feels like nothing's change. Everything still hurts the same way, and he's still so angry. But he finds it easier to fall asleep now.

He still can't let go. It's one of the hardest thing to do. But he's trying, and yet it doesn't feel like he's trying at all.

Bertha said it might help him if he gets closure for his loss. It can be in any form, a letter, a funeral. But Louis knows the latter would destroy him more than it'd help him let go.

He doesn't exactly have any idea of what his closure might be. He doesn't know how to let it go, when to do it. He doesn't even want to. And maybe that's the whole problem in itself. He's holding on tightly, because he felt like he hasn't mourned enough.

Louis is afraid of letting go, because only about five people knew that he was pregnant. And he has nothing to remind himself and others about his babies, and Louis is afraid that letting go would make him forget about his babies. And people would forget too. And he doesn't want that. He'd be a terrible mum if he let that happen.

"Letting go doesn't mean you have to forget, Louis. It just gives you the opportunity to move on, to open up space for something better to come."

Bertha's words keep playing in his head, but somehow he doesn't think it's that easy for him to take it into heart.

His mother finds him in the living room where he's currently seated, curled up into himself with a mug of tea that's gone cold. She's smiling, happy to see him as she takes a seat beside him. "Hi."

"Hi, Mum." He offers her a small smile in reply. Louis shifts closer, leaning his head against her shoulder.

She wraps her arm around him, then kisses his forehead. "Can I talk to you about something, honey?"

"Yeah, sure."

Jay clears her throat, and there is obvious hesitation on her part. "Remember when you told me about what Bertha said? About your closure?"

"Mmhm."

"Have you ever thought about telling them?"

Louis tenses up in her hold.

"They have the right to know." Jay says, gentle, not wanting to push him. "Maybe it'll help. Maybe it'll be the closure that you need."

Louis swallows, and it's evident that there's a huge lump in his throat. "I don't know..." He croaks, his hands trembling.

Jay is careful as she peels his fingers off the porcelain, then grabs the mug and puts it away before embracing him properly. "They might not feel it to the same decree, but they're the fathers."

Louis buries his face in his hands when the tears make their way through despite his best effort to stop them. "It's so hard. I don't know if I can say it out loud, to their faces."

"Then you don't have to say it."

"But I'm not ready to see them." Louis tries to reason.

Jay thinks for a moment, a little bit lost. "I just want you to be happy again. It's been months, Lou."

"I know." Louis' voice fades into a whisper. "I'll try."

That's good enough for her.

"Mum?"

"Hmm?"

"I want to start taking suppressants again."

Jay nods, unable to reply.

---

The house is quiet since his Mum is working and Lottie has taken his sisters out. It's already ten in the morning, but Louis has just started his day.

The breakfast his Mum left for him had already been finished. Right now he's seated in front of the TV with his tea on the table. There isn't really anything for him to watch, so Louis just settles on the most interesting programme he can find.

He is placing the remote down when he hears the bell ring.

Confused, Louis glances at the door. Who could it be? His Mum didn't say anything about anyone coming to visit.

Regardless, Louis lowers the volume before he climbs to his feet to head for the front door.

Blood drains from his face when he opens it up to see the person he hasn't been expecting, a person he even dreads to see. Louis reacts instantly, his movements quick and rushed as he attempts to close the door.

"No, Lou. Louis, please!" Edward pleads, using his hand to try and stop it from closing. Louis' strength obviously couldn't compare to Edward's but the Omega does put up quite the effort. "Lou, please."

Louis makes a miserable sound, but he does give in at the end. Edward couldn't describe how relieved he is as he's pushing the door open and stepping inside. The Omega has backed away even more, leaving a big distance between them. He looks scared, as if Edward is a random Alpha who came to hurt him. It takes Edward a little by surprise to see Louis reacting so strongly towards him.

"Leave! Get out!" Louis orders, hands shaking. How dare Edward shows up just like this! He absolutely has no right.

"Louis, please. Let's talk." Edward is gentle as he says his words of persuasion, hoping the Omega would calm down. He can see how much Louis is trying to put up a strong image, but it's betrayed by the vulnerability hiding within his eyes no matter how much he's trying to use his anger to mask his fear.

"There's nothing to talk about, Edward." Louis struggles to keep his voice steady, his eyes already prickling with tears. "There's no more room for us to talk."

"I'm sorry." Edward's voice is quiet as he is taking slow but sure steps towards Louis. Thankfully, Louis doesn't move away even when Edward stops in front of him. And then he reaches for his Omega. His sweet, beautiful, perfect Omega that he's missed so much. The person he should've treasured the most, yet the one he took the most for granted. He was stupid for never addressing the ache in his heart whenever he's away from Louis, how it clenches around him like a fist. And now he's not going to ignore it anymore, he can't, he won't.

"Get out!" Louis' eyes are already shedding the welled up tears when he starts yelling. He points at the door, glowering up at Edward. He can't help but be reminded of what happened, of the ones he's lost. Contempt is painted on his face without him having to express it. "Get out!!" Louis yells again, his voice loud and clear that he even shocks himself with its volume.

Edward shakes his head. "No." He says firmly, reaching out to place his palm on Louis' shoulder. "Louis, Louis, please."

"Don't touch me! Let go of me! Let go of me!" Louis thrashes around as Edward puts an insistent grip on him, dragging him across the distance until he's struggling against Edward's chest, the Alpha's scent filling Louis' head and he starts sobbing. He's still protesting, but his protests are getting weaker, overcame by his tears. "Don't touch me..." Louis' body heaves even when Edward holds him tightly, burying his face in the Omega's hair and kissing his forehead over and over again. Louis wails, shameless in the warm embrace he's missed the most, wet tears soaking the shirt Edward is wearing.

"I'm sorry." Is what Edward whispers, repeating it as Louis cries. He's holding Louis so tightly that it should be suffocating, but in this moment, it helps ground him down.

The house is quiet save for Louis' sobs that are slowly dying down, and he sniffs every now and then. His tears are drying, but his cheeks are still hot and damp. For a moment, being in Edward's arms makes Louis feel calm. Like everything is right in the world and he doesn't have to care about anything other than solely being here. But it's all a mirage the sly touch conjured up, and Louis won't fall to its victim.

Louis wipes his face, then gathers all his strength before he's placing his hands on Edward's chest and pushing him with all his might. The Alpha isn't expecting that, so he stumbles back, his arms dropping from around Louis. When Edward meets his eyes, Louis glares at him. "Are you satisfied now? I don't know what makes you think you have the right to come here and touch me as if I'm still yours, but you need to know that if I could, I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore."

"Louis.." Edward is sad as he calls out, wishing the Omega would hear what he wants to say. But truthfully, he doesn't know what to say. There is nothing that he could tell the Omega that could excuse what he did. Edward abandoned him when he needed Edward the most. And then he accused Louis of doing what Louis would never do. And he thinks those are some of the worst things an Alpha could do to an Omega that loves him with all their might.

"You should leave." He says, voice quiet now but Edward knows that Louis is beyond furious.

"Would you at least hear me out before I leave?" Edward asks.

Louis shakes his head, and Edward's body go lax with disappointment. "I can't, Edward." He replies, voice cracking again and a silent tear rolls down his face as he shuts his eyes. Somehow that strikes Edward much more than having Louis sobbing in his arms. "I can't listen to you right now. I can't even look at you. I feel so, so angry." Louis whispers, his low voice harsh.

Edward stares at the floor for a moment. His brain racks to work. It's hard to function when the person he loves so much just told him that he doesn't want to even look at him. He takes a deep breath. "I just need to do something first, may I? Please. Then I'll go."

Louis is scared for a moment, wondering what Edward is going to do? Is he going to kiss him? Is he going to hug him again, fool him again with his gentle touches?

Louis waits with bated breath as Edward steps forward when he doesn't say anything; and Louis doesn't know whether or not to say no. The Alpha's eyes are locked on his lips, and if Edward is going for a kiss, Louis definitely has to deny him. He can't afford to allow Edward to have that. He can't allow Edward to have anything, but Louis is rooted to his spot, still thinking, still wondering.

Edward finally stops in front of him, close enough for his scent to surround Louis. He looks up into his Alpha's eyes, trying to peek into the window of his thoughts. He doesn't know what he sees.

And then Edward is dropping onto his knees without another word. Confusion fills Louis' mind as his eyes follow the motion, quiet while Edward moves closer.

Edward spares him no glance as he brings his hands up, and very, very gently places them on Louis' belly.

The Omega's eyes prick with tears once again when Edward leans forward, pressing his lips lightly against him there. He almost doesn't feel the touch, but it's there. Edward kisses his belly again before nuzzling into it, and Louis' knees almost give out underneath him.

The situation almost felt pure, a bliss.

And then he remembers.

And it feels like his world shatters right in front of his eyes once again, tugging forcefully on his heart with its downfall. Louis' lower lip trembles in the grip of his teeth as he looks down and Edward is staring at his middle so fondly, so lovingly that for a moment he feels guilt overcome him that he is about to let Edward know that he is kissing nothing. Louis' womb is empty as ever.

But it's because of Edward that they are here in the first place.

A sob leaves his lips; the hands on his middle burn him all of a sudden. Louis wastes no time pushing at Edward's shoulders until the Alpha tumbles back onto his arse. "Get off me!" He yells, watching the way Edward's face contorts up in surprise.

"I'm so-"

"There's no baby!" There, Louis said it.

A defeaning silence takes over the house, and Louis could almost hear Edward's heartbeat with how quiet it is. Horror and shock stare at him from where they are plastered across the Alpha's face.

"Niall said, he said..." Edward stammers, not knowing what to say. He's confused, extremely confused.

Louis becomes hysterical, shaking his head repeatedly. His body is shaking so much that Edward's heart is in his throat with how much he wants to hold the Omega in his arms, calm him down.

"They were triplets." Louis sobs out. "I was carrying triplets."

Edward looks the same as he was when Louis slapped him, even worse. "W-Was."

Hearing that from his Alpha validates his loss even more. "I lost them, Edward. I lost my babies."

"Lou." Edward's voice cracks, and within seconds he's collecting Louis into his arms. Louis finds himself buried in Edward's chest again before he knows it, and the moment it registers in his head how tightly the Alpha is holding him, he loses it. His crying worsens, and his tiny hands start punching at Edward's chest.

"Let me go." It's weak even to Louis' own ears. He couldn't focus on releasing himself when Edward's presence just tore open the wounds he was trying to stitch up. But he continues his struggle until he's managed to push Edward back. It's not fair that Edward can take advantage of Louis like this, take advantage of his weakness like this.

Edward looks devastated, not knowing what to do.

"Get out!" Louis starts screaming again.

"Louis."

"You're the reason my babies are gone." He accuses without a second thought, pointing his finger at Edward and pressing a palm to his belly. "You took my babies away from me!"

Edward's face contorts up even more in pain. "Louis, I..."

"Leave, just fucking leave, Edward!" Louis dashes forward, gripping Edward's arm and trying to drag him out. Edward doesn't want to leave, he wants to stay and apologise. He'll beg on his knees, he'll do anything. But the news Louis dropped on him made everything disappear in his head. He stumbles along where Louis is tugging him. When they reach the door, Edward realises that Louis is really trying to throw him out. "Louis, please."

"I can't do this, Edward. I don't want to see you right now." Louis drops his hand, turning his wet face away. "It still hurts. You hurt me."

Edward falls silent.

"Please leave. Please." He whispers. "Please."

Louis doesn't look until he hears the soft click of the door shutting close.

---

Jay gasps when she walks past the door and Louis is curled up on the couch, crying his heart out. His face is red and flushed, drenched with salty tears. He has his knees pressed to his chest, too caught up with his crying that he doesn't notice his mother coming home.

"Darling.." Jay murmurs, reaching to touch him gently. Louis looks like he's been there for a long time. His eyes are red and swollen. It breaks her heart to see him like this when he's been getting better. He hasn't cried this hard for a long time. "What happened?"

Louis wipes his tears, but they keep coming down. "Edward." He chokes out, taking in a deep breath. "Edward was here."

Jay's eyes widen. "How did he get in?"

"I opened the door. I didn't know it was him."

"What happened then?" Jay asks, not wanting to push Louis but she needs to know what happened between them.

Louis cries harder. "He thought I was still pregnant. He kissed my belly."

The woman presses her lips together, the pain affecting her as well to imagine it. "Oh honey.." She pulls him into her arms. "I'm so sorry."

"Now he knows, Mum. Now he knows."

---

"Hello."

"Jay, please. Tell me it's not true. Please, tell me it's not true." Harry begs from the other end, shaky, his breaths harsh. His voice cracks at the end, and Jay feels the need to sit down. "Please."

She finds a stool, regulating her breathing. "Harry..." She says. "I'm sorry."

There's a tiny whimper, and then Harry is sobbing. "L-Louis, is he... Did he..?" He's crying too hard to be comprehendable, and somehow it brings tears to Jay's eyes too.

"It was bad." Jay's voice is thick with emotions, and she has to clear her throat. "He didn't want to eat, all he did was cry.."

That makes Harry cry harder. "This is our fault."

"No, Harry." She shakes her head. "It's no one's fault. Sometimes, things just don't go the way we feel we deserve."

"I should've just stayed."

"There's no use complaining for things out of our reach, Harry." Jay murmurs. "Things have already happened."

"Is he better now?" Harry asks, concerned about his Omega. He misses Louis, more than anything. If he could have it, he'd wish for Louis to be back in his arms.

Jay sighs. "Yeah, a bit. He's better."

The Alpha makes a miserable sound. "I don't know how to do this anymore, Jay. I miss him."

"He misses you too." She knows Louis won't exactly like it if she tells Harry that, but at least it'd put Harry a bit at ease.

"I don't know how to fix this. I don't know if we can."

"Time is the only healer right now, Harry." Jay breathes. "When it's time, then it'll be your turn to make it right."

"I just hope it'll come faster. I don't want to be without him."

"He didn't want to be without you, either."

---

Louis' phone is silent for one whole week, not a single message, not a call, neither a voicemail. Nothing.

He's quite content with the silence, for once a bit relieved not to have his phone light up every night.

By the second week after Edward came, Louis feels empty. He still laughs around his family, genuinely feels happy when he's with them. But when he sits by himself in his room, palm over his marks and alone, he'd feel nothing.

He doesn't even know if he still misses his Alphas. His phone is still silent, and in a way, Louis can say that he doesn't wish for it to light up.

So after he climbs into bed on Saturday, Louis picks up his phone. He hasn't tried to reach anyone lately. The last time he talked to Niall was weeks ago.

It's not like Louis is trying to cut off ties with him or anything; they just have nothing to talk about.

Liam and Zayn ask him how he's doing once in a while, and Louis would reply if he feels like it. But there has been nothing for the past two weeks.

He hasn't even tried contacting Alex or the girls.

Louis stares at the screen, then leans back against the headboard.

He thumbs up the contact for Edward's name, and then proceeds to send a message he'd never thought he'd ever think of.

I think we should end this. No more waiting. Let's break things off... the bond.

Barely five seconds passed after he sent that when his phone starts ringing.

Edward is calling him.

Louis stares at his name until the phone goes silent again.

His Alpha doesn't give up.

He sighs, deciding to answer when Edward calls him again.

"Lou."

"Just think about it." Louis mutters.

Edward grunts. "No. I don't need to think about it, and I don't want to. My answer is no."

"That's not fair, is it?"

"Louis, please. Give me another chance, please. I can't live without you."

"Don't lie to me, Edward."

The Alpha takes a deep breath, desperate. "I don't want to live without you. Please, give me a chance."

Louis sighs heavily, wrapping his arm around himself. He offers no reply.

"Would you.... Do you really want to break the bond?" Edward whispers. "Would you really not let us even try?"

"I don't know." Louis can't be more honest than he is right now.

The Alpha falls silent. "I love you, Louis. We love you. Do you not love us anymore?"

"I don't know."

And that just, that breaks Edward's heart. Because there was never a time that Edward doubted whether Louis loved him or not, and now he's in the place he'd never want to be. The place he'd never imagined exist, where it's dark no matter which direction he turns to.

"Oh."

"I just." Louis inhales, a sharp sound. "I feel nothing, Edward."

"Let me fix this, baby. I'll try. I'll do everything. Please, don't give up on us. I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry." Edward pleads, shameless to do so to his Omega. He would, he would do anything. He'll stick to his words this time, he'll work for Louis. He'll give eveything.

Louis sniffs. "Do you love me, Edward?" He asks, voice tiny and quiet.

"With everything that I am, that I have, Louis. I love you."

Louis stares at nothing, thinking. He doesn't know what exactly is going through his head, but his inner Omega is yearning for his Alphas. It's a tiny cry, something that he hasn't felt for a long time since he left home. He feels something to hear Edward confess his love again like this.

"Time."

"Time?"

"Time, I need more time."

"Okay."

"Okay." Louis echoes, then he cuts off the call.

---

Three months. Three months after the accident, after the heartbreak.

It's safe to say that Louis is slowly moving on. He still goes for his sessions with Bertha, and she's happy with his progress. He had grown back onto his feet, not quite yet who he was before everything happened. But he's happier now, more alive.

He had gotten a job. It's at one of the cafes near his mother's house. It doesn't exactly pay as much as it did back south, but Louis just wants something to do.

Besides, he can't keep lying around in the house moping all day long. At least he'll have something to distract him, and be a useful son again to help his Mum.

His colleagues are made up of six people including himself. He's gotten really close to another Omega named Jade, she's a really petite lady who's shy at first, but she's very lovely once he gets to know her.

Then there's Leigh-Anne, another waitress who intimidates Louis a bit but she's wonderful. She's really sassy and sarcastic, and Louis admires the way she'd sass out annoying customers without a care in the world. Somehow she always gets away with it.

Then there are two Betas and one Alpha. The Betas are Archie and Lucas who work in the kitchen while the Alpha is the manager who is called Matty.

Louis is comfortable with Matty, surprisingly. Maybe he's gotten used to being around Alphas so much that he no longer flinches if Matty stands close to him or makes any sudden move.

In fact, Louis has gotten really close to all of them. They've put him in a group chat so they could talk outside of work hours. Lucas and Jade are the loudest in the group. There's always something she's talking about and Lucas is the only one who's willing to pay attention to her. Secretly, Louis thinks Lucas likes her.

Being around people like them reminds Louis of Alex, and he realises how much people he shut out when he was grieving.

He can barely recall the last time he had a significant conversation with Perrie, or Eleanor, and even Alex.

Louis makes a mental note to send them a text later.

"Hey, Lou! Could you grab me a rag from the back? Table 2's kid dropped a glass."

"Sure." Louis replies, already walking towards the back.

Matty thanks him when he returns with the rag in hand, tossing it over to the Alpha. He attends another table after that, taking their orders before giving them to Archie.

It's hectic during breakfast and lunch, that's the only time the cafe is packed. It's actually quite vacant after three. Louis can even sit around and play on his phone.

"Hey, Lou!" His head snaps up at the sound of Leigh-Anne's voice calling him. He finds her by the cashier counter, staring at him with glee.

"Yeah?"

"We're going out this Friday night. Up for it?"

Louis raises his eyebrow. "Really? Who's we?"

She rolls her eyes, making him chuckle. "All of us. Do you know Benny's pub?"

"Of course!" Louis scoffs. "It's where everybody is on Friday night, isn't it?"

She grins. "Exactly. So?"

"I'll be there."

"Yeay!" Leigh-Anne cheers. She's been trying to get him to join them on Friday night, but he's always said no.

What could happen, anyway?

"Lou, someone's asked for you." Jade appears as she tells him with a smirk. "I think an Alpha has got the hots for you."

Louis frowns. That makes him uncomfortable. He's mated, bonded. But he can't blame her. He hasn't exactly been open with them about the status of his relationship. They know that he's mated, it's obvious by the marks on his throat. But since he never talks about his Alpha, or Alphas, it's understandable why they'd assume things.

"What do you mean they asked for me?"

"They won't order unless you're the one taking them." She shrugs. "Are you okay with that?"

Louis takes a deep breath. Although he's a little hesitant, Louis does wonder who it could be. How does the Alpha know about him, anyway? Well, only one way to find out. "It's alright, I got this."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, thank you."

"They're at table 5." Jade pats his arm before she continues to the back.

Louis nervously walks over to the table she mentioned, trying to sneak a peek at the waiting Alpha. He only gets to have a look once he arrives. "Hello, my name is Louis, and I'm your waiter for today. What can I get you?"

The tiny notepad in his hand drops the moment the Alpha lifts his head to look at him. Louis' heart skips a beat, and he gapes at his own Alpha.

"M-Marcel." He breathes, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Marcel gives him a small smile. Louis can see that the Alpha is nervous. "I came to see you, but Jay said you're working. She told me where you are."

Louis shakes his head, regaining his composure as he bends down to retrieve his fallen notepad. He clears his throat, straightening up and going back into his professional mode. "Are you ready to order, then?"

"Louis..."

"Then I'll give you more time to look at our menu." The Omega tells him, pocketing his notepad before walking away.

Louis goes straight to the back, making a beeline for the broom cupboard. He closes the door, then sits down on the floor before he rests his chin on his palms and lets out a heavy sigh.

He doesn't know what he really felt when he saw Marcel. To be honest, he's still in shock that he just saw his Alpha after weeks of not seeing him, the days of shutting out the thought of any of his Alphas.

He wraps his arms around himself, trying to calm his breathing.

There isn't much in his head other than the constant chant of Marcel's name as he gets his self together and climbs onto his feet before he goes to the front again.

Marcel is going through the menu once again when Louis returns, still hasn't noticed that Louis is approaching. The Omega takes the time to stare.

His Alpha looks like shit. That's what Louis can say. Marcel still looks good, but to compare with how he'd usually look, he looks like shit.

"You look like shit." Louis says when he stops by the table again.

Marcel pauses, then looks up. "Thank you?"

"Are you here alone?"

The Alpha nods. "They didn't know I was coming here."

Louis hums in acknowledgement. "Would you like to order now?"

Marcel stares at him. "Yeah."

Louis' little hand picks up the notepad from his pocket once again. "Well?" He prompts, impatient when Marcel says nothing after he's been staring at the Alpha in expectance.

"Oh." He snaps out of his trance with a blush, embarrassed to be caught staring. "Just tea. And maybe some chips."

Louis jots them down.

"Is that all?"

"Can we talk?" Marcel manages to gather the courage to ask. "Please."

"I'm working."

"What time do you get off?"

Louis doesn't reply just yet, assessing the desperate Alpha. He's not that angry anymore, not at Harry and Marcel at least. So Louis feels like it's not fair for them that he's shutting them out the same way he's doing to Edward. They're still bonded, whether Louis likes it or not.

The Omega places a hand on his hip, tilting it slightly to the side. "Why? Are you going to take me out on a date?" He raises his eyebrow. There's a slight teasing in his tone, too light it's barely noticeable.

Marcel's eyes widen, Louis' words having stunned him. For a moment, he looks ridiculous just sitting there and gaping like a fish. And then he has a grasp of what Louis is doing, and he quickly gets himself together again. "Um, yeah. If you want to."

"Do you want to take me out on a date, Marcel?" Louis presses.

"Yeah, I do."

Louis nods, satisfied. "I get off at eight." He murmurs, then leaves without giving Marcel a chance to say anything else.

When he gets back in the kitchen, Leigh-Anne crowds up against him with a suspicious look in her eyes. "Jade told me. So.... how did it go?"

"What do you mean how did it go? I took his order and he wants chips." Louis says, feigning an eye roll. He looks behind her at Archie. "Chips, Arch!"

Leigh-Anne narrows her eyes. "Did you get his number?"

Louis throws his hands up in desperation. "Why would I get his number? We're not supposed to flirt with our customer!"

"Nobody said that." She laughs, crossing her arms. "He looks like he's very into you."

The Omega feels a blush rising onto his face. "You have no idea."

"So he is into you?"

Louis shrugs. "Maybe, maybe not. I don't care."

"Really?" The sly expression has shown up on her face, and it makes Louis uneasy. "You wouldn't care if Jade goes and tries to get in his pants, then?"

The Omega falls silent, not knowing what to say. He doesn't care that Jade is his friend. He'd claw her eyes out if she dares lay a finger on his Alpha.

And..

That just says a lot, doesn't it? The fact that he still feels jealous at the thought of another Omega trying for his Alpha.

"Lou? Louis?" Leigh-Anne frowns, waving her hands in front of Louis.

He blinks. "What?"

"Where did you go?" She cries out in frustration. "What's wrong with you today?"

"Nothing." He shakes his head. "Nothing."

Nothing except the Alpha out there that still holds Louis' heart, no matter how angry he is at him.

---

Louis finds it extremely distracting to have a pair of eyes on him wherever he goes. It's been an hour since Marcel ordered and finished his tea and the chips, but the Alpha is still sitting there. All he does is stare at Louis, and it's starting to get on the Omega's nerves. If this is really one of Marcel's ways to woo someone, Louis wonders how he fell for the Alpha in the first place. Lame.

"Please stop staring at me." Louis sighs when he stops by Marcel's table to complain. "It's distracting, and annoying. I can feel you staring at my arse."

Marcel ducks his head. "Sorry."

"You're not going to stay here and wait until I get off, are you?"

The Alpha's reaction shows that that was his original plan.

"No." Marcel shakes his head, scoffing as if the idea sounds absurd. "Of course not."

Louis clearly doesn't believe him, but he has no time to point it out. Instead, he rolls his eyes. "Go take a walk or something. Wait for me at my Mum's, I don't know. Don't stay here."

"Should I pick you up later?" The Alpha asks, unsure.

"If you want to." Louis shrugs.

Marcel offers a small smile. "I'll see you then?"

"Okay."

Louis stares at him expectantly, and Marcel squirms uncomfortably in his seat.

"Well?"

"What?"

"Aren't you going to pay?"

"You want me to leave now?"

"Yeah, you're distracting me."

Marcel sighs, pulling his wallet out. Louis watches his movement as he pulls a few notes out, but something else catches his eyes.

"You keep a picture of me in your wallet." It's not a question.

Marcel looks down and blushes, realising that he's been caught. "Yeah, I, um. I missed you a lot when I went away."

Louis is a little taken aback. "You've had that since before?"

His Alpha nods, closing his wallet and tucking it back inside his pocket before he hands the notes to Louis.

He smiles at Louis as he stands up, ready to leave.

"Marcel..." Louis calls before he could turn away.

"Yes, darling?" He replies, then freezes when Louis does. "Sorry, force of habit."

Louis stares up at him, searching his face. "Tonight is your chance."

"I know. I won't let it go to waste." Marcel promises him, then he gives Louis a curt nod before he leaves. Louis doesn't let himself stare at Marcel's back.

He starts cleaning the table, getting his mind off it as he carries the dishes to the back before he goes to put the cash in the register. The Omega groans when he sees the amount of money in his hand. Why couldn't Marcel carry smaller notes?

Stupid, rich Alpha with his stupidly handsome face.

"Somebody's in loveeee." Jade sing song as she hip-checks him by the counter.

"Shut up."

"He's really cute. And rich, too." She notes, eyeing the money in his hand.

"Go away." Louis laughs.

"Did he ask you on a date?"

"Yes, he did."

Jade frowns. "But aren't you like, mated?"

Louis grins, shrugging just to be a little shit.

"Naughty." Jade narrows her eyes, amused. "But then again, he does look an awful lot like Harry Styles. So, I understand."

He doesn't cringe. He doesn't.

---

Louis exits the back door to see Marcel already waiting for him, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and looking like he just stepped out of a magazine. He lets the door fall shut behind him, coming to a stop in front of the Alpha.

"Hi." The Alpha greets him quietly, a smile already stretching his lips.

"Hi." Louis greets back, less enthusiastic.

It doesn't deter Marcel's smile. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah."

---

Louis falls asleep five minutes through the journey. And when he wakes up, they've already arrived at the destination for their date.... which is a hotel. Louis hasn't the slightest idea about where they are.

"What the fuck!" He exclaims as he sits up straight, eyes gawking at the ostentatious decorations shining at him from behind the front glass door.

"We're here." Marcel tells him, not giving Louis space to say anything else before he's climbing out of the car. Someone else opens the door for Louis, and he barely has enough time to wipe his face in worry of any spilled saliva while he slept.

"I'm underdressed!" Louis complains to his Alpha as they meet in the middle.

Marcel smiles at him, fond. "You're not. You look lovely as always."

And Louis just.,.. He just melts. His brain falls silent and his mouth clamps shut.

It's been months, and Louis forgot how it felt like to have his Alpha say things like that to him that make him feel good about himself.

He blushes, shifting his eyes down and making no sound. Marcel reaches for his hand, not without a great deal of hesitation, nudging Louis' pinky finger with his to see if Louis would let Marcel take his hand or not. When the Omega doesn't protest, Marcel tangles their fingers together.

They fit together like puzzle pieces, and Louis sighs in contentment. Marcel's hand is so big compared to his own, engulfing him in warmth that feels like home.

Marcel leads him away into the hotel, walking past the entrance and heading straight for the lift.

"You've already checked in?" He asks, staring at the reception counter that they're passing by.

Marcel nods, slowing down once they reach the lift. He presses the button to go up, then gives Louis a small smile.

The Omega is unable to resist replying with a smile of his own. He knows it's really up to him whether or not he wants to open up to Marcel or not, but it's quite hard to keep up the act of resistance when Marcel's presence itself has already done enough to deliver a big impact down Louis' walls he's worked too hard to put up. Another blow and they'd be destroyed.

As they stand in the lift, Louis allows his hand to squeeze Marcel's. It's a brief gesture, just for a split second. But it makes Marcel smile so wide that Louis feels like he just accomplished a life goal.

His heart starts hammering in his chest the moment the doors open and Marcel tugs him out.

Why is Marcel taking him here?

He gets the answer when Marcel opens the door and there's a fucking candlelight dinner waiting for them in the middle of the suite.

"What the fuck?" Louis repeats as he pauses in his step, stopping Marcel too. "Marcel!"

Marcel looks at the set table, then at the Omega. "What's wrong? You don't like it?"

"I'm wearing trackies!" He complains, gesturing down to his bottom.

Marcel frowns. "And?"

Louis rolls his eyes. "I give up with you."

The Alpha releases his hand, then brings his palms up to cup Louis' face. His eyes looks for something in the Omega's expression, and Louis doesn't know what he's hoping to find. But then he gets that expression on his face, one that's only reserved for Louis. A look that reassures Louis of how little words come to mean even if they come in the form of a love declaration, because he knows how Marcel feels about him when the Alpha has that look on his face.

"I'm sorry, Louis." He mutters, his thumbs stroking at Louis' skin. "I'm so sorry."

Louis shakes his head, leaning forward and pressing his forehead at Marcel's shoulder. "I know, Marcel." He murmurs, his arms slowly sliding around the Alpha's body.

"I'm sorry. Baby, please." He whispers, his lips brushing against Louis' cheek. "Let me make it up to you. Please."

Louis nods. "Okay."

Marcel nudges him back gently, then leans forward to kiss him. But Louis places a hand on his chest before their lips could touch, preventing him from doing so.

Marcel's face falls, and he blushes in embarrassment. "Forgive me."

"I'll decide if you deserve a kiss by the end of this date." Louis grins, trying to lighten up the situation.

Marcel brightens, and he nods. "Well, then, what are we waiting for?"

---

Louis truly enjoys their dinner date. It's so simple, and yet wonderful at the same time.

Marcel tries really hard to win him back, and Louis embraces how defenceless he is against the Alpha's charming smile. And it's hard not to be flustered with the way he looks at Louis.

Louis doesn't need Marcel to say it. It's clear on Marcel's face for the rest of the night. The Alpha might as well have a huge signage on his forehead saying I LOVE LOUIS TOMLINSON.

The Alpha also keeps touching his hand as they talk over dinner. Louis lets him do it, lets him stroke his fingers over his skin. They chat as if it's their first date all over again.

Louis doesn't know if he's choosing the right thing to do, but he can't deny that Marcel is making him really happy tonight. Call him an idiot; maybe he is.

After they finish their meal, Marcel invites him out to the balcony where there is a deck for them to sit on.

Somehow Louis finds himself leaning against Marcel's chest while they look at the stars. His strong arm is curled around Louis' waist, and the Omega cherishes the moment to its fullest.

And then Marcel's hand slides down to press at Louis' belly, and he freezes.

He feels Marcel burying his face at Louis' neck, his other arm holding him tightly. "I'm sorry."

Louis doesn't want to cry. But he knows he will, and he'll probably do it again when he sees Harry. So he straightens up, leaving Marcel's arms.

He turns around, eyes already brimming with tears. It's blurry, but he can see how regretful Marcel is. "They were triplets." He murmurs, voice cracking. "It was so short, but I told them about you. About your brothers. About us."

Marcel stares at him, his own eyes starting to shine.

"I loved them so much, so so much." Louis' releases a shaky breath. "It was so hard for me to get over it."

The Alpha couldn't stand being so far from him, so he pulls Louis close again.

"It was Hell." He starts sobbing. "I lost my babies, and I lost my Alphas. And it was the worst moments of my life."

Marcel hugs him tightly, kissing the side of his head over and over again. "You don't have to lose both."

Louis takes a deep breath, then he stares up at Marcel. "I'm angry at you. I hate you for leaving me. I needed you."

"I know." Marcel doesn't dare shut his eyes despite the remorse filling his chest. "And I failed to fulfil my duty as your Alpha."

"I hate what you did to me." Louis says. "I hate you."

"I know, baby, I know." Marcel is miserable, exasperated, desperate. "Let us fix this, baby. Let us fix it. Give us another chance."

Louis kisses him. Just a touch of their lips for less than a second that Marcel doesn't even have the time to comprehend the touch, let alone the chance to kiss him back.

Louis ducks his head. "You. Just you." He pauses. "For now."

Marcel nods, and pecks the edge of his mouth. "I want to kiss you again."

The Omega leans forward to connect their lips, his arms wrapping tightly around Marcel's neck as he presses close until there's no space between them.

"I love you." Marcel murmurs against his lips.

"I know."

---

"Thank you for tonight." Marcel says once the car stops in front of Jay's house.

"Thank you for taking me out." Louis replies, glancing down at their clasped hands.

"I'm sorry I came over without any warning." Marcel apologises, squeezing his hand.

Louis shrugs.

"Harry wants to see you. He misses you a lot. He's really sorry." Marcel tells him.

Louis blinks at him. "Tell him to say that to my face."

Marcel nods, bringing Louis' hand up to kiss the back of it. He knows Louis is still a little wary of opening up to him, which is why the Omega keeps up the indifference pretense. But he also slips up a lot, and Marcel knows that that is where his chance makes appearance. He'll take it and he won't let it go to waste again.

"You'll be okay with that? If he comes to see you?"

"You came to see me." Louis shrugs again.

"I'm glad I did."

Louis looks out the window, and the house is already dark. "I haven't forgiven you yet." He makes sure Marcel knows, not looking at him. He doesn't want to see the way Marcel's eyes lose their light.

"Take your time." Marcel uses his free hand to press at the back of Louis'. "I deserve your anger."

Louis retracts his hand, opening the door. "I'll see you soon."

Marcel lets him go.

---

Jade is being weird. Louis is sure of it.

Leigh-Anne too.

They keep glancing at him, and then an excited expression would take over their faces, but then it'd just disappear and they'd pretend they never saw him in the first place.

Louis knows something is up.

He just can't put a finger on what it could be.

He gets his answer after lunch hour is over when Jade and Leigh-Anne finally come running to him and squealing and screaming at his face. They're talking over each other about how excited they are for him and they're so happy but Louis doesn't have a clue about what's going on.

"What?" He asks, confused once they've quieted down. He didn't register a single thing they said.

"Harry Styles!" Jade says, struggling to keep her voice down.

Louis' heart skips a beat, and he blinks while he hopes his face is not doing anything stupid. "What?" He repeats.

Leigh-Anne deadpans, and she grabs his arm before proceeding to drag him to the back.

"What is going on with you two!?" Louis complains as Jade takes a hold on his shirt to help Leigh-Anne escort him past the door. Archie looks at them, then decides that they're not worth his time before he turns to his phone again.

"Okay." Leigh-Anne says, pushing him down onto a stool before they loom over him with their arms crossed as if they're trying to interrogate him. Louis won't be surprised if they are after they mentioned Harry's name. "How did you know Harry Styles?"

Louis rolls his eyes, then glares up at his friends. "Why?"

"Just answer the question." Jade urges.

The male Omega shrugs. "We met at the restaurant I was working in." Not a lie.

"Okay...." Jade trails off, sharing a look with Leigh-Anne before tilting her head. "Did you two shag?"

Louis almost wants to scoff. What should he answer? Yes? He fucked me so many times I can still feel his cock up my lungs? "Maybe."

"He's looking for you." Leigh-Anne tells him. "He looks desperate."

"Clearly someone is attached." Jade teases.

He can't focus on what Jade said when Leigh-Anne just told him that Harry is looking for him. "Wait, he was here?"

Jade bites her lip and nods vigorously, looking like she wants to jump and down on her spot. "Yes! He's so gorgeous, Louis. And he clearly likes you, how could you not want to climb him up like a tree?!"

Because he hurt me.

Louis huffs, distressed. It was Marcel on Monday, and now it's Harry.

They're starting to pursue him again. It's clear that they are determined to try and fix things between them.

Louis doesn't know if he should let himself see Harry today. It's already tiring for him to deal with the emotional burden he had to go through after he saw Marcel. But at the same time he has to admit that meeting the Alpha had helped him fix a little bit of himself.

And maybe his Mum was right. Maybe he needs to grieve with them about his loss. Maybe he needs to open up to them again before he can stitch up the wounds they've caused him, and maybe they can help him with it, if he lets them.

"Lou? Are you okay?"

Louis snaps out of it, shaking his head. "What?" He blinks, then nods. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

They look concerned, but Jade is willing to let it go.

"He wants to see you."

Louis shakes his head again. "When exactly did he tell you this?"

"He was here during breakfast." Jade replies.

"He talked to you?" Louis asks.

They nod. "Said that you looked busy and he didn't want to disturb you then, so he told us to tell you about it."

Louis' heart skips a beat. All of a sudden, his blood starts to race at the thought of seeing Harry again.

"Are you going to see him?" Jade wonders, taking a seat next to him and nudging at his shoulder.

He makes a face. "I don't know."

"Are you crazy?" Leigh-Anne shrieks in disbelief. "We're talking about Harry Styles!"

Louis wants to laugh at her reaction. If only she knows that Harry is actually his Alpha.

"Go and see him, Lou." Jade whines. "I want to get a picture with him."

In a flash, Louis' amused expression is gone to be replaced with a scowl. "No."

"Oooh, someone's jealous!" Leigh-Anne points out.

Louis is going to get a headache with the amount of times he's rolled his eyes.

"Are you really sure you don't want to see him?"

He's starting to get tired of being interrogated like this. "Fine, I'll see him."

"Great! He's waiting for you at the back door." Leigh-Anne chirps.

"What?!"

---

Louis is going to murder the two of them. How dare they set him up like this? They better sleep with one eye opened from now on, because Louis is going to plot his revenge.

He's standing by the back entrance, hand on the door knob and trying to calm his breathing. Jade and Leigh-Anne are clearly attempting to be subtle as they watch him to see if he would open the door or not, but they're failing at it quite horribly since Louis can see the top of their heads over the counter. What a bunch of idiots.

With one final deep breath, Louis twists the door handle and pushes the door open.

Within beats, the damp smell of the back alley enters his nose. And Louis' face scrunches up, but then he detects the faint scent of the person he's expecting.

Harry stands there gazing at him, and Louis is hit with the sudden emotional epiphany of how much he's actually missed his Alpha.

Harry is here. Harry is actually here, and he has a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"Hi." He greets Louis shyly, his eyes shifting down.

Louis lets the door swing back to its frame behind him, but he doesn't hear the sound of it shutting.

Nosy twats.

"Hi." He focus on his Alpha, taking in the sight of him.

Harry is not Harry. He's not the happy, bubbly Harry that Louis knows. This Harry is unrecognisable. This Harry is a sad, quiet Harry that is uncomfortable with himself because he's not him.

Louis feels his feet carry him across the distance until he's standing in front of the Alpha, and he doesn't stop himself when his arms gently pull Harry into his embrace.

Harry bursts into tears the moment their skins make contact, burying his face at Louis' neck and dropping the flowers in favour of clutching onto his Omega. "I'm sorry." He sobs into Louis' skin, his broken voice bringing tears to Louis' eyes. "Baby, I'm so sorry."

It's so easy to hate his Alphas when they're not in front of him. It's easy to blame them when he doesn't have to look at their sad and regretful faces. But it's so hard to keep his walls up when Harry does this, when he's crying in Louis' arms. Marcel had shaken up his walls when he came, and Harry is here to knock all of them tumbling down.

Harry pulls back, cupping Louis' cheeks and searching his face. Both of them are crying, and Louis can feel how much Harry missed him, can feel how Harry's Alpha is begging for Louis' Omega through their bond, begging him for forgiveness, begging for him.

"Lou." Harry whispers, biting on his lower lip. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Louis. I'll never leave again. Never again. I'm so sorry, baby. Please, forgive me, please."

Louis lets Harry wipe his tears away. He closes his eyes, and sniffs. "Never again?" He asks quietly.

"Never." Harry promises. "Never."

His heart is doing things in his chest Louis can't register. He's feeling too many things. There's still a little grudge he holds over Harry, but at the same time he accepts Harry's apology and he wants to forgive him.

"If I tell you to beg for me, for my forgiveness, would you?"

Harry doesn't say a word, his hands fall from Louis' face. And then he's lowering down onto his knees, placing his hands on his thighs and keeping his head bowed.

He hears Jade and Leigh-Anne gasping.

Louis starts laughing at the sight of the Alpha before him, kneeling for him, for his forgiveness. It's funny, because Louis didn't actually want Harry to do it. He's not yet ready to forgive the Alpha. But he won't need Harry to do it to forgive him, yet the Alpha would still do it, to prove how sincere he is.

"Get up and kiss me, you fool." He reaches down to grip a handful of Harry's shirt and tugs him up onto his feet.

Harry's eyes widen, but he follows where Louis pulls him and before he knows it, their lips meet and Louis is being surrounded by Harry.

Harry is kissing him with everything that he has, conveying his emotions through the passionate motion of their lips. His arms are tight around Louis, afraid to let him go.

"I love you. Please don't leave me." Harry begs once they've pulled back, still holding onto him.

"Only if you won't leave me again." Louis replies, his hands touching Harry's cheeks, gentle and loving. His eyes search Harry's green ones and he knows he won't find anything else but love, regret, sincerity, and hope.

"I won't. I promise."

"Good." Louis nods.

"I love you." Harry repeats as he presses their foreheads together.

"I know."

Louis lets them stay like that, wrapped up in each other's embrace for a while. But he knows Jade and Leigh-Anne are probably watching, and he still has work to get back to, so with a heavy heart, he starts pulling back.

"I need to work." He tells Harry.

The Alpha's face falls, but he doesn't stop Louis from releasing him. "When will you come home?"

"I don't know yet." Louis replies, honest.

"Oh." Harry doesn't hide his disappointment.

"Give me more time. I'll be home soon."

Harry nods, taking a step back before he bends down to retrieve the fallen bouquet he dropped. "It's ruined." He pouts down at the flowers. Louis feels fond spreading inside his chest.

"The thought counts." Louis murmurs, expectantly staring at the bouquet.

Harry notices, and he holds it out towards the Omega. "For you."

Louis smiles at him as he takes it. "Thank you, Harry."

"I've missed you." Harry says as Louis fixes the flowers that have gone out of place from the fall. "I almost forgot how you smell."

Louis understands how he feels. The jumpers Anne brought for him are also losing the triplets' scents they used to hold. "I'll be back soon, I promise."

"Okay."

They slip into silence, just staring at each other, drinking each other in, enjoying the time they have left before Harry has to leave.

But then someone clears their throat, and Louis swears he is going to kill Jade and Leigh-Anne later. He swears.

"Um." He starts when Harry's eyes widen upon glancing behind Louis. He turns around and Jade and Leigh-Anne have their heads peeking out between the slit of the door. Louis wants to bash their fucking heads in, he swears on his Mum.

"Hi?" Harry waves timidly, unsurely.

"They're fans. And my friends." Louis rolls his eyes. "Insufferable."

Harry brightens. "Oh. Hi! I'm Harry."

"Leave." Louis shoos at him. "Don't encourage them, you tit." His friends make sad sounds behind him.

"But I want to get to know your friends." Harry protests.

"They're not my friends, I take it back. Go. We have work to do."

Of course they're bickering at a back alley about something like this.

Harry gives in to his request, although he looks dejected and sad that Louis won't introduce him to his friends. "You'll call?"

"I will." Louis nods, his face softening.

"Can I kiss you again before I go?" Harry requests, looking all cute when he's hopeful like this. Louis had missed him so much.

"Just do it, Curly."

Jade and Leigh-Anne coo when Harry steps forward to circle his arms around Louis' waist before he drops a short, sweet kiss on Louis' lips.

"I love you." He whispers, kissing him again.

"Mmmhmm, go home." Louis replies, grinning.

Harry giggles as they kiss again, but he finally takes a step back again. He waves at the girls as he starts walking away, but it's Louis who gets the flying kiss and a wink.

Louis waits until Harry has gone from view before he spins on his heels. Jade and Leigh-Anne shriek in fear upon seeing his face, and they quickly run for escape when Louis starts dashing for the door.

"Come here you imbeciles!"

---

"So... how long have you been sneaking around your Alpha's back to shag Harry Styles?" Leigh-Anne asks, a little bit bitterly.

They're currently closing down. Matty and the Betas have already left since it's the Omegas' turn today.

Jade is at the back, cleaning the kitchen while Louis and Leigh-Anne clear the front.

After Harry left, Louis was about to attack his friends when Matty scolded all of them for slacking off. So they've had to put off their discussion.

"Why is your tone like that?" Louis asks, a bit amused.

She huffs, annoyed that Louis has the nerves to ask. "You're cheating on your Alpha."

Louis bursts out laughing, dropping the rag he's using to wipe the tables. His hands clutch at his stomach as he laughs louder at the look on Leigh-Anne's face.

"Stop laughing! It's not funny!" She hissed, glaring at him from where she's standing across the room.

"Bloody Hell, it is!" He chokes out, pretending to wipe his tears. "He is my Alpha, for fuck's sake."

Leigh-Anne widens her eyes, shocked. "What?!"

"Yeah.." His laughter slowly fades. "He's my Alpha."

She stares at him, still in disbelief. "You have Harry Styles for an Alpha." Her eyes widen even more, her voice rising. "YOU HAVE HARRY STYLES FOR AN ALPHA! OH MY GOD!"

Louis sputters even more, making his run towards the back.

"Louis! You have Harry Styles for an Alpha!!!"

"Stop yelling at me, I know!"

---

"What do you mean he's not home yet?" Edward asks with his eyebrows furrowed together.

"He went out to the pub with his friends after work." She tells him, shrugging. "Maybe you can find him there."

Edward nods, already pulling his phone out. "Where is it?"

"He said that they're going to Benny's, so maybe you should try and look for him there. But if he's not there, then they'd probably be at the club three blocks away." Jay frowns a bit. "I tried calling him, but it went straight to voicemail."

"It's alright. I'll call you when I find him."

"Okay." Jay nods, reaching out to grab his shoulders before kissing his cheek. "Take care."

Edward smiles, pecking her cheek too before he makes his way out of the door.

It doesn't take long for him to find the pub Jay mentioned. It's got "Benny's" written as big as it could get on the building with multicoloured lights tracing the letters. It's not difficult for him to get a parking, so Edward doesn't linger once he's got the car parked.

Although finding a parking was easy, the pub is indeed packed since it's a Friday night, but there doesn't seem to be any sign of Louis. Edward doesn't want to be such a pessimist, so he rounds the pub twice before he finally comes to a definite conclusion that Louis is not here.

He goes back to his car, starting the engine and revving away to find the club Jay mentioned. It takes him little time before he's parked again.

The bouncer holds a hand out to stop him when Edward skips the line, but the Alpha merely places a few notes in his palm and walks inside.

Bodies are grinding where the music is the loudest at the dance floor. There is barely any space to move and breathe but drunken minds pay attention to that as much as they do to a fly on the wall. Edward has a hard time trying to look at their faces since there are so many figures blurred together.

He doesn't let it deter him, taking a deep breath before starting to push through the ocean of alcoholic breaths and sweat. He spends fifteen minutes trying not to fall whenever someone accidentally elbows him or bumps against him before he escapes the crowd to breathe again. And yet he's still not one step closer to finding Louis.

Edward goes to the bar, unsure if he should have a drink. He hasn't had a drink for a long time. It probably won't be good to start again tonight.

He decides that Coke will do, and voices his thoughts to the bartender.

A hand gently lands on his shoulder, and Edward smirks in amusement at the sweet smell of an unmated Omega surrounding him.

"Hello, handsome." The girl greets, giving him a sultry smile when he turns around.

Edward chuckles, grabbing the coke the bartender puts forward and sliding a tenner across the counter. "I'm mated." He tells her, still smiling.

She eyes over his shoulders, then raises her eyebrows as she steps closer. "I don't see your mate anywhere."

Edward chuckles again, shrugging. "Doesn't erase the fact that I'm taken." The can hisses as he pops it open, then proceeds with taking small sips. He can see the Omega eyeing his throat as he drinks.

"Well, can I at least get one dance?" She offers, a hand already touching his chest.

Edward finishes the drink, then places the empty can back on the counter. He wonders what Louis would do if he was to see this. He'd probably flip the bar upside down. Or would he even care at all? It makes Edward a little sad that the possibility exists where Louis might not bat an eyelash at seeing Edward with another Omega. "I don't think so." He smiles at her, wishing he could be apologetic that he has to make the rejection. "I don't think my Omega would like that."

She sighs. "You're very loyal." Then she calls the bartender over and asks for a pen. Once she's acquired it, she grabs Edward's arm, ignoring the confused look he sends her as she starts writing her number on his skin.

Edward is already thinking of ways to erase them.

"Just in case you change your mind." She winks, then tosses the pen before she disappears into the crowd.

He looks down at the numbers, then shakes his head. She's gorgeous, beautiful body and a lovely smile. But he'd rather have a certain feisty and curvy Omega in his arms.

Edward continues his search in the sea of warm bodies, getting more and more desperate when he can't find Louis. Should he call Jay and ask her if there's another place Louis would possibly go?

But then his eyes catch the movement. It's like the crowd has parted for him to see, giving him way. He sees Louis.

And his blood boils.

Louis is dancing. He's clearly drunk, if the way he's giggling and how flushed his face is are any sign. But what makes Edward furious is the Alpha draped over his back, shamelessly grinding against Louis with his hands on the Omega's hips.

And Louis is clearly enjoying it.

For a moment Edward's heartbeat falters, wondering if he should just leave instead. But he knows Louis would never do that to him, to his brothers; he won't. Besides, what if the Alpha is just taking advantage of Louis? After all, the Omega looks pissed.

Edward feels his anger fully take over, and before he knows it, he's standing by the dancing couple. His hands clench into fists, but Edward takes a deep breath so he can hold himself back from doing something stupid like punch the Alpha, or kill him.

Thankfully, he doesn't do any of the violent things he's got going on in his head. Instead, he grips the Alpha's shoulder, quite tight to hurt but not too much that it'll break his bone. A low growl resonates in his chest, and it's loud enough for people around him to hear over the sound of the music. The crowd suffocating them slowly backs away in fear of an angry, dominant Alpha trying to stake his claim.

Edward tries not to say anything, because he's sure he'd just make sure his words are the last thing the other Alpha would hear before he'd burst and murder the bloke right there and then if he opens his mouth. So he glares down at unknown Alpha and hopes he would take the sign and leave.

Louis' company gets the message once he sees the expression on Edward's face, his hands dropping from Louis' hips in a flash and before Edward knows it, the Alpha is gone. It is clear how much the Alpha fears Edward. At times like this, Edward's thankful for the scary vibes he carries around everywhere.

The absence of warmth makes Louis turn around, and instead of the shocked face Edward is expecting from his Omega upon seeing him, he gets a delighted one instead.

"Edward!" Louis cheers, as if seeing his Alpha here is the best surprise he's gotten.

And then the Omega is all over him.

Wait, what?

"Lou?" His eyes are wide open as he stares down at the drunk Omega clinging onto him with dazed eyes and a huge grin.

"Baby..." Louis slurs, his arms moving in lazy motions as he wraps them around Edward's neck. "I'm drunk."

Every ounce of anger and jealousy within his blood dissipates at his Omega's pout. "I can see that." He replies, hesitant to touch the Omega.

"Are you drunk too?" Louis wonders, pressing his chin at Edward's chest. His eyes are a bit hooded, and Edward can smell the trace of alcohol in his breath. "You smell so nice."

Edward chuckles. "No, I'm not." He shakes his head, his hands moving to rest on Louis' waist. "Let's go home, darling."

"But I want to dance!" Louis protests, pulling back and jutting his lip out even more. Edward desperately wants to kiss him.

He doesn't. "I'm taking you home, baby. You're pissed."

"We'll dance at home?" Louis' excitement makes his voice go higher in pitch, eyes widening. His question pulls a laughter out of Edward.

"We'll dance at home if that's what you want." Edward agrees, his arm holding Louis up as he struggles to drag him out towards the exit.

The Omega whimpers. "Can't walk. Carry me, Alpha." He complains even though he's not even trying to move his legs. He's limp by Edward's side, letting him do all the work.

"Come here." Edward is ready to carry him bridal style, but Louis jumps up to cling onto his torso like a koala before he could even pull back.

"Move." Louis mumbles, his lips latching onto Edward's neck and starting to suck on his skin.

"How pissed are you?" Edward asks, continuing their journey out of the building as if he doesn't have an Omega stuck on him.

"I took a few shots." Louis says without straightening his back, holding up three fingers.

Edward laughs. "Oh, Lou."

He unlocks the car the moment they reach it, and Louis starts protesting when Edward tries to deposit him into the passenger seat.

"No!!!" He wails, refusing to let go of his Alpha.

"Louis, I need to drive home."

"Okay."

No movement.

"Louis, I can't drive if you're attached to me like this."

Louis doesn't budge. "No!" He reaffirms.

Edward sighs, peeling Louis' limbs off despite the Omega's screech and wrestling him into the seat. He manages to buckle him up, and the Omega is too drunk to take off the seat belt himself. Edward takes the opportunity to close the door and jogs around the car to get to the driver's side.

"Alpha..." Louis whines when he climbs in, his hands making grabby actions towards him.

Edward ignores him for a moment, focusing on starting the engine and only turning to him once it's done. "What is it?"

"Let's fuck." Louis says with so much need that Edward almost chokes on his own spit.

"Excuse me?"

"Fuck me." Louis pleads, his hands reaching out to roam over Edward's body.

The Alpha throws his head back and howls with laughter. "You're a horny drunk." He shakes his head at the realisation, shifting the gear into drive and trying to ignore Louis' insistent hands peeling his buttons off.

"Edward." Louis moans, a desperate sound. The air is starting to get heavy, engulfed by the smell of Louis' arousal. It makes the Alpha's cock twitches in his trousers.

"Louis." Edward reprimands when he feels a small hand palming at his bulge.

Louis ignores him, making tiny whimpers that contribute greatly to the rush of blood towards Edward's traitorous cock.

He takes a deep breath, using one hand to grip at Louis' wrist and removing his arm from anywhere near his crotch. "Behave, Omega." He warns, trying to be stern.

"Alpha, please." Louis begs.

Edward is thankful that the club is near, so it doesn't take long before they reach Jay's. It's quite a task to be driving with one hand and the other making sure Louis doesn't try to touch him again. He releases Louis' wrist when they arrive, cutting off the engine and climbing out.

Louis is still pouting when Edward goes to fetch him. Edward places his hands on his hips, shaking his head at how obvious Louis' scent is. His Omega is so horny that Edward almost feel the need to give him whatever he wants.

But he can't. Louis is not in his proper state, and Edward would not give in to his needs in his unsound mind.

"Let's change you and tuck you in, yeah?" He asks as he unbuckles the seat belt, scooping Louis up into his arms afterwards.

"No. Want to fuck." Louis continues with his action of giving his Alpha as many love bites as he can place on the Alpha's throat.

Edward struggles a bit to open the door with Louis humping against him, but he manages to make it inside safely, almost tumbling over. He makes sure to lock the door behind him before trudging up the stairs.

"You're so fucking hot." Louis moans. "Miss your cock. Want it inside me."

Edward sighs. His cock is so hard that it's painful, and Louis' sweet smell is overpowering him that Edward almost falls over with how worked up he is.

It's taking him everything to not give in as he brings Louis to his room, approaching the bed to put him down.

Louis cheers as Edward starts tugging at his trousers, freeing his hard cock. "Fuck, yes!"

Edward's breath hitches and his mouth waters at the sight of Louis' wet entrance. No, Edward. No.

He goes to grab a pair of trackies, ignoring Louis' disappointed mewls when he starts pulling it up Louis' legs.

"You don't love me anymore." Louis cries as Edward fits the band around his waist.

"Baby, don't say that. Of course I love you." Edward hushes him, brushing his hair back.

"But you won't fuck me." He sobs, like it's a horrible realisation. "Why won't you fuck me? I'm your Omega! Do you have someone else?"

Louis sounds so horrified that Edward can't help but laugh. "No, darling. I don't have someone else." He kisses Louis' cheek. "You'd regret it in the morning."

"It's been months, Edward!!" He complains, his hand cupping himself. Always so dramatic.

Edward bites his lips, his eyes glued to Louis' tiny hand touching himself through the fabric. "Go to sleep, Lou."

"Can't. 'M horny."

"You'll be the death of me."

Edward sighs, leaving the bed to search for a t-shirt Louis can wear to sleep. He helps Louis out of the one he's currently wearing, but when he tries to put the clean one on, Louis protests.

"No shirt!"

Edward rolls his eyes, but he complies. He abandons Louis on the bed, going to put the shirt back in the cupboard. "Go to sleep, baby."

Louis yawns, rubbing at his eye. All of a sudden he has zero interest in fucking. "Sleep with me."

"You wouldn't want that." Edward shakes his head, leaning down to kiss his cheek again, unable to stop himself.

"Please. Stay."

And how the fuck would Edward be able to say no to that? He's left too many times.

He'll deal with it in the morning.

Edward sheds his clothes, finding a pair of shorts in Louis' drawer and grabbing one of the big jumpers that he suspects is his before he climbs in beside the Omega. His heart is already beating faster at the thought of sleeping in the same bed with Louis again, and it's more overwhelming to be surrounded with so much of his scent.

Louis is all over him in seconds, crowding up into his space and curling his arms around Edward. It's making it even worse, and Edward has the strong feeling to wrap Louis up in his embrace and never let him go ever again. "Mmmm, love your smell." Louis mumbles. Of course he's oblivious to the emotions going crazy inside Edward's chest right now.

Edward presses his face to Louis' hair as he holds Louis tight, loving the feeling of having Louis' leg draped over his waist again. "I've missed you so much. You have no idea." He murmurs, kissing the Omega's dark strands and feeling his chest tightening.

"Mmm." Louis mumbles back, sleepy.

"I love you so much." Edward adds. "I was an idiot."

But Louis' breaths are already even.

---

Louis mumbles softly to himself as he rouses awake, his eyelids fluttering open. He yawns into the back of his hand, then freezes when he notices something is off.

One, there's an Alpha in bed with him, if the heavy arm around him is any indication. Two, Louis can't remember what happened last night. Three, Louis fucking took an Alpha home?!

In reflex, he's jumping off the bed and backing up against the wall to see who the fuck he's decided to take home. Why was he so stupid? Was it Matty? Fuck.

He's plastered against the wall with his arms stretched out at his sides, and his alarmed face changes into confusion when instead of seeing Matty or a random Alpha he took home, he sees Edward - out of all people - sprawled out on the bed and staring at him in bewilderment.

"What are you doing?" Edward asks awkwardly, scratching his head.

"What happened?" Louis blurts out, but last night's events start flashing through his mind the moment the question leaves his mouth.

Louis remembers taking as much shots as he can before the room flipped upside down and he's fully pissed. He remembers laughing so much because apparently he thought that dancing was funny. Well, everything was funny. Then he remembers Edward coming and claiming him from Matty, remembers being all over Edward, remembers himself beggi-

"Oh fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck." Louis groans in embarrassment, cupping his face while Edward stifles an amused sound from the bed when he figures Louis has recalled what happened. "Shut up." Louis warns, glaring at him.

"I didn't say anything." Edward widens his eyes to feign his innocence, holding his hands up. Louis wants to punch him in the face. "I think Harry told me once about you being a horny drunk. Didn't think I'd forget."

The Omega makes an annoyed sound, rolling his eyes as he starts walking to the cupboard to pull out the clothes he'd be wearing for today. He ignores the sound of Edward's laughter filling his room.

"Don't be embarrassed." Edward says, unable to stop his eyes from running down Louis' tanned back.

"Whatever."

"Who was he?" Edward wonders, curious as well as a bit jealous. He must have been a close friend if Louis was willing to dance with him even in his drunken state.

"A colleague." Louis replies without turning around. It sounds dismissive.

Edward hums. "You two close?"

"He's not trying to shag me if that's what you're going for." Louis kills whatever thought is in his mind.

"You couldn't know that. He looked like he's very into you."

Louis huffs, slamming the drawer close. "Well, I'm not into him. I'm into the people I'm in a relationship with."

Edward falls silent.

"Maybe I would have fucked him if you didn't come. Maybe I should have." Louis says just to rile him up as he finally spins on his heel to look at Edward. "So what? It'd prove your point that maybe I'm a whore after all, fucking another Alpha when my own are not with me. That's the kind of Omega I am, right?"

Edward sighs, guilt heavy in his eyes. "Lou, I'm sorry. I never meant that."

"But you did. Or you wouldn't have said it in the first place." Louis shakes his head. "I saw your face when you said it, Edward. You genuinely thought I'd have slept with Zayn."

Well, Edward can't say anything in reply to that. Because it's true. At that moment, it crossed his mind. And that's already enough to prove that he really thought Louis would do something like that, would sleep with his own best friend.

"I'm going to take a shower." Louis announces, grabbing his towel and leaving Edward sitting up on the bed. It's not exactly the end of their talk, but he isn't willing to let Edward argue, because he's already slammed the door shut before Edward could take a breath.

When Louis re-enters the bedroom, Edward is still on the bed. He's on his back, staring at the ceiling.

He ignores the Alpha, proceeding to put on his clothes as if Edward isn't there. The Alpha doesn't dare take a peek even when Louis drops his towel. Once Louis is dressed, he dries his hair. Then he hangs it up before he turns to give Edward his attention.

"Tell me what you're going to do."

Edward sits up. "About what?"

"About us. About me and you." Louis uses his pointer finger to motion between them.

"I had an idea of it when I was driving here. But now, I'm not so sure anymore." Edward shrugs weakly. "I mean, I still love you. I don't think I'll ever stop."

Louis is affected hearing Edward saying such a confession so easily, but he'll be damned before he would let Edward know.

"But do you still love me? Because if you don't, I wouldn't want to waste your time."

Louis grits his teeth at the question, not liking it. He doesn't want to answer that. "Let's say I don't. What would you do, then?"

He feels Edward's hurt through their bond and immediately feels bad. But Edward does a good job pretending it doesn't affect him. "I'm..." He frowns to himself, then silence continues.

That makes Louis so fucking angry, that he just grabs the nearest thing to him which is a pillow that's fallen down when Louis was jumping like a ninja out of bed earlier. He uses the fluffy object and starts hitting his Alpha with it. It's pointless to do any damage, but Louis doesn't really intend for it to hurt in the first place. He just wants to beat the shit out of Edward. God, he's so angry. "How fucking dare you?!" He yells with every smack. Edward appears very confused, but his attempt to block Louis' hits is barely half-hearted, so maybe he understands. "You. Fucking. Idiot!" Louis cries out every word with each hit.

Louis drops the pillow, then he curls his fingers around Edward's shirt. "Am I that unworthy of an Omega that you wouldn't fight for me? You said you'd do anything! Where's your promise, Edward?"

"I'm..."

"Fuck you." Louis slams him back, tears gathering in his eyes. "I'm tired. Whatever. Do whatever you want, Edward."

"Louis.."

But the Omega has already stepped out.

---

"Have you two made up?"

"No."

Jay looks up at him, and he can see her thinking. "But I thought I heard you last night? You were quite.... insistent."

Louis blushes. "I was drunk. That's all."

"You were desperate." Lottie corrects him.

Jay nods, completely agreeing. "Yeah. But nothing happened?"

"No!" Louis groans. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Just curious. No need to get snappy." Jay laughs.

"Your Alpha has really good self-control." Lottie notes. "I mean, I didn't have to look to know how desperate you were. Keep him."

Louis rolls his eyes.

"Where is he, anyway?" Jay wonders, stretching her neck to peek out of the doorway.

Louis shrugs. "Taking a shower, probably."

His sister stares him down. "You're so stubborn."

"Shut up."

"I mean.." Lottie ignores him. "I understand he hurt you. But it feels like you're not even giving him a chance to make it up to you. If you don't want to get back with him, tell him. Don't keep him on his toes."

"Lottie." Jay says in a warning tone.

The girl puts her hands up. "Just saying." She mutters before leaving, but not without casting a look at her brother, silently telling him to mull it over.

"She's right, in a way." Jay doesn't look at him when she says that.

Louis sighs.

"Good morning."

The topic is dropped the moment Edward enters the kitchen, halting their attempt to talk about it. His hair is drying, and he's wearing his clothes from last night but he looks fresher. Louis lets himself appreciate the view.

"Morning, Edward." Jay smiles at him. "Did you sleep well?"

Louis glares down at his phone when Edward looks at him, angry at himself for letting his guard down. Who cares if Edward is attractive as fuck? Not Louis.

The Alpha turns back to Jay and gives her a small smile. "Yeah, thank you."

"You got down just in time for breakfast." She tells him, then addresses Louis. "Go and call your sisters down."

Edward raises his eyebrows and holds up a hand. "I'll do it."

Before Louis could protest, he is already leaving, smiling at Louis in reassurement.

"Such a lovely lad." Jay comments.

"I hate him."

"Of course."

Louis glares at nothing, crossing his arms. "He's always so fucking kind and sometimes it makes me so angry that it just seems unbelievable that he'd do what he did, hurt me. But he did!"

"Nobody said he didn't, Lou." Jay walks over to kiss the top of his head. "He has so much room to change, to improve. And I know you see that, and that's why you're angry."

Louis releases a loud sigh. "Sometimes I wish he's a right dickhead, would make it easier to really hate him."

She smiles. "You have the right to hate him, but I know your big heart will always make the most room for love."

"You raised me like that, so this is all your fault." Louis glares at her.

It makes his mother laugh, and she kisses his hair again. "My lovely Louis." Jay gives him a proper hug, then. "The best thing to ever happen to me."

Louis grins upon hearing that, hugging her tightly.

---

Edward helps washing the dishes while Louis cleans the table. It's tensed every time Louis steps into the kitchen to deliver more dirty dishes, especially so that they're the only ones around. It was Lottie who set the whole thing up, shooing their sisters out of the dining room the moment they finish eating, and then dragging their mother out before yelling at the couple to clean up. At least she said 'please' and 'thank you', but Louis is going to kill her anyway.

The Alpha nods when Louis sends another batch to him, not flinching even if Louis purposely knocks the dishware together just to be annoying.

Edward dries his hand once he's done with his task, then he turns around and leans against the counter. Louis is opposite him, hanging up the rags. "You're worth it." He says.

The Omega pauses his motion, then continues as if Edward has said nothing.

"I promised I'll do anything. I'll be a man of my words. And I'll do it, not because it's a promise. I'll do it because I love you."

Louis clears his throat in response. It's not clear how exactly he's taking it, but at least Edward knows that he acknowledged it.

Edward pushes away from the counter as Louis makes to leave, following him into the living room. They find Jay sitting on the floor in front of the TV with Daisy in between her legs, the woman's fingers are working with the girl's strands of hair into a braid. Jay takes her attention off of Daisy's locks to smile at them when they enter.

Louis drops down next to his mother, making it clear with his body language that Edward can sit anywhere but beside him. The Alpha pauses, then eyes the empty space beside Fizzy on the couch. She notices him looking, brightening and patting the spot. He gives her a smile, one that she returns as he goes to sit down.

It's a very calm and quiet morning, but Louis is sure it'd get loud when everyone's more awake. It's a Saturday morning, after all.

Lottie enters the living room and scowls at Louis for taking her seat. It didn't matter that he didn't know she was sitting there, she's still offended. Though, as immatured as she could come off whenever she's being playful with her siblings, Lottie isn't going to start picking fights because of it. She turns around, trying to see if there's any spot for her.

Phoebe perks up, but she doesn't move from where she is.

Lottie huffs, walking over to the sofa and landing on Edward's lap. The Alpha lets out a quiet laugh but he doesn't stop her from sitting there.

She sees Louis glancing at them and tensing up, but when he glares at her, Lottie flips her hair back and pretends she's watching the TV.

Fizzy notices the exchange and snickers, nudging her sister before they share a sly smile.

"What's this?" Lottie asks when her eyes catch the numbers on Edward's arm. She grabs his wrist to hold it closer as she inspects the ink.

"Oh. Nothing." Edward shakes his head, but he doesn't try to pull away. "A girl asked me to dance. Wasn't interested, so she gave me her number."

Lottie obnoxiously turns over to her brother. "Huh."

"What." Louis hisses.

"Did you hear that, Lou?" Lottie teases. "Another Omega was trying to snatch up your Alpha. Aren't you jealous?"

Edward frowns. "Lottie."

Louis rolls his eyes, climbing to his feet and leaving the scene.

"Why did you do that?" Edward groans, already trying to get up.

"Sorry." Lottie apologises, moving off of him in a flash.

Edward finds Louis in his room, clearly upset. He walks up to him, grabbing his arm. "Hey, Lou. Louis, nothing happened." He says, making the frustrated Omega face him. "I wasn't even thinking about doing anything with her."

"I don't care, Edward! You can do what you want. Fuck other Omegas. Marry them, impregnate them. I don't fucking care."

Edward takes a deep breath, his hands cupping Louis' face and he forces the Omega to meet his eye. "Listen." He orders, voice authoritative. "I've only ever loved a few Omegas in my life."

Louis glares at him.

"You. My mum. My sister. Yours." Edward tells him. "I would never ever touch another Omega, or want them. I would only want you." He presses forward, wishing he could kiss him. "So please, tell me you care. Tell me you care, because you're the only Omega that I want, the only one I would be in love with."

Louis stares at him, trying to find any untruthful hints in his eyes. When he doesn't, he relaxes. Then he tugs off Edward's hold on him and turns around. "I want to go home."

"You do?" Edward can't keep the hopeful element out of his tone, happy to hear that Louis is coming back.

"But not for you." Louis tells him, honest. He can't bear to look at Edward's face, though. "Not for you."

Edward slumps behind him, but he doesn't see. "You'll be back. It's good enough for me."

---

Louis told Edward that he'll be ready to go home the next week, since he still has a lot of things he'd need to settle before he can leave. He had given Edward the choice to leave and come back later, but the Alpha wanted to stay. Louis can't really decide what he feels about that.

For now, his Mum had sent him and Edward out to take Daisy and Phoebe shopping since they have been pestering her for new dresses lately. The twins are growing so fast!

He wasn't really certain about taking Edward along, but his Mum literally pushed him out of the door and slammed it shut behind him.

He's currently seated next to Edward with the twins in front of him in an expensive restaurant that Edward insisted they go to since they still haven't had lunch. Louis still has an uninterested expression on his face even as he orders.

"So, have you girls thought about what kind of dresses you'd want?" Edward asks, leaning onto his arms where they are resting on the table.

Daisy shrugs. "Just something we could wear to school. The principal said we were showing too much arms."

That makes Edward frown, and he glances at Louis to find him with a disapproving scowl on his face.

"Too much arms?" Louis says. "You only have two arms!" It makes the twins giggle, and Louis narrows his eyes. "Unless you have another pair that you're hiding!"

"That's not what she means, Lou!" Phoebe tells him.

"I know what she meant, darling." Louis turns soft. "Tell your principal that unless you have four, two arms are not too much."

"That doesn't even make sense!!" The twins point out, causing him to huff.

"What's your principal's name?" Edward asks, tilting his head.

Louis turns to him with a glare. "Edward, don't you dare."

"What? I just want to know his name." Edward says, too quickly to not be suspicious. Louis doesn't trust him, he's got that fake innocence painted all over his face.

"Really? And what would you do with his name?"

"Store it for future use." Edward waves his hand, trying to dismiss the topic.

Daisy has this thoughtful look on her face as she tries to recall what her principal is called. "His name is something about a cow."

"What?"

"Yeah, he's got cow in his name. Simon. Simon Cow!" Daisy recalls with glee, proud with herself that she remembers.

Phoebe deadpans, then slaps her twin's arm with a shake of her head. "His name is Simon Cowell."

Edward and Louis share a look before bursting out laughing.

"Simon Cow!" Louis sputters between laughter.

Edward is even slapping the table as the two clutch at their stomachs.

It takes a minute before they are able to get themselves together, taking deep breaths and straightening up in their seats.

"Listen." Edward clears his throat. "If your principal pulls that dress code thing again, tell him to give me a call."

The twins widen their eyes. "Really? What should we say?"

"Edward." Louis scolds.

The Omega is ignored. "Just tell him to call me."

"You're misusing the power you have as a person of big influence." Louis scoffs before rolling his eyes.

"I haven't done anything yet." The Alpha reasons. And yeah, he's right, in a way.

Louis turns to his sisters. "Don't listen to him."

---

"Louis, help me!" Daisy calls from her fitting room. "I'm stuck!"

Louis groans, but he does get up from his seat to assist her. She only managed to get one arm out while the other one is still stuck in the shirt along with her head. "How did you even get stuck?!" He asks in exasperation as he helps pull the cloth off. Daisy is finally able to breathe and she throws the shirt a dirty look.

"Thank you." She says, shooing him out to try the other shirts and dresses.

Edward is back on the waiting couch when Louis walks out. He left the store a few minutes ago to get them something to drink since they've been shopping for quite a while and the girls were getting thirsty. Louis can see a plastic bag by his feet. He's watching Louis in amusement, but Louis ignores him.

"Louis!" Phoebe calls out just as he is about to land his arse down.

Edward chuckles, but he grows to his feet as he holds out a hand to Louis to signal that he stays down. "I'll help her."

Louis sighs, nodding. "Thanks."

While Edward attends to Phoebe, Louis reaches for the plastic and pulls out a bottle of water Edward bought. It feels refreshing to drink after an hour of walking through stores.

The twins finally come out ten minutes later, and they look happy despite the incidents.

"So?" Louis prompts. "Got the ones you like?"

They nod.

"Okay, come on." He stands up, already reaching to his back pocket for his wallet.

"I'll get it." Edward has already got his wallet out.

Louis scowls. "They're my sisters. I have money."

"I didn't say you don't." Edward responds calmly. "I just want to."

"It's fine." Louis urges, grabbing his sisters and nudging them towards the cashier counter so that Edward won't get the chance to have another say.

The Alpha watches him quietly, sighing when he notices how Daisy and Phoebe are pouting. It makes him a little divided that the twins are upset, mostly because Louis and Edward are not on the same wavelength. No kids like it when the adults are arguing.

He follows the three a second later, keeping his wallet before shoving his hands into his pockets. Daisy and Phoebe are quiet, grabbing the paper bags that the cashier holds out towards them. They look sullen, but Louis doesn't notice, too caught up with pulling the notes out of his wallet and handing them over to pay.

"Come on." Louis prompts once he's done, holding one hand out to Daisy. She looks at him, then takes it.

Phoebe sighs as she walks up to Edward and takes his hand before they start following where Louis leads. She slows them down a little, tugging at Edward's hand so both of them linger at the back. "Are you and Lou breaking up?" She asks, sad.

Edward shrugs. "I don't know, Phoebe. I hope not."

"Please don't." She pleads. "I'll miss you."

He smiles, fond but sad. "I'll try to fix this problem between us. I don't want to lose him, and you, all of you."

She seems to accept his answer, even if he doesn't promise that things would be like how it was.

Edward hopes he can achieve that.

---

Bertha blinks up at Louis in surprise when she sees an unknown Alpha beside him. "Oh, who's this, then?"

Edward glances at his Omega, then clears his throat before holding out a hand towards her. "Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Edward Styles."

"Oh." Recognition fills her eyes, and then Edward sees a flash of anger within her gaze before it slowly morphs into empathy.

"I hope you don't mind that I brought him along?" Louis asks, tilting his head. For a moment, he's anxious if Bertha would be uncomfortable or anything.

She smiles, gesturing towards the three-seaters couch that had been Louis' seat for the past weeks. "I'm alright if you are, Louis."

"Thank you." Louis breathes, glancing at Edward before he proceeds to take a seat. Edward follows suit, slow and uncertain, but he lands beside Louis nonetheless.

Edward is interested in the session right from the start. He's quiet from the moment Louis and Bertha start talking. There isn't any sign that he is uneasy with the fact that Louis dragged him along to his last counselling session. He hangs to every single word Louis and Bertha said, not even taking any breath to interrupt.

"Do you think you're making the right decision to go back?" Bertha asks when Louis tells her why he's stopping the sessions.

Louis shrugs, side-eyeing his Alpha. "Maybe. Maybe not. I guess we'll have to see."

Bertha stares at him. "There has to be a reason why you have brought Edward along with you today. And I think you want me to know as much as you want him to know."

The Omega's breath hitches, like she's hit the jackpot with her guess.

"Would you share, Louis?" She prompts, leaning back in her seat and keeping her eye on Edward when Louis starts squirming as he always does whenever her questions make him feel uncomfortable in the sense that he's needed to open up. "What do you feel?"

Edward reaches a hand out to place on the Omega's knee, keeping a light touch to notify him that Edward's there. It's just a small gesture, just to let Louis know that he doesn't have to if he doesn't want to.

All of a sudden Louis is grabbing his wrist and shoving his hand off. "I'm angry. I'm so angry." Louis breathes out, releasing Edward and keeping his fists resting on his thighs. Louis looks up at Bertha. "I don't think words will do justice to my feelings, I can't even say how angry I am, Bertha. I'm angry."

"Why are you angry?"

"Because he left me. And he hurt me. He hurt me so much." Louis forces through gritted teeth, his body starting to shake. "He's the reason my babies are gone."

Edward freezes beside him, and all of a sudden the room is heavy with the palpable tension.

"I don't know how to deal with my anger, because I've never felt it this much. And I'm scared of how intense it is."

Bertha stays calm where she is. "Do you think he knows? How much he hurt you?"

Louis' body sags. "I don't know."

"How do you want him to fix this? Do you even want him to fix this?"

He shakes his head. "I want it as much as I don't want it."

"You said you're angry." Bertha repeats. "If you want things to work out between the two of you, you need to channel that anger out, channel it in a healthy way. You can't keep it pent up inside you, because it'll be the toxic poison that would ruin you as a person, and might affect the relationship you have with people around you." She studies his reaction. "You can't hold on to too many things at once, they would cancel each other out. You need to learn to let go of things that don't benefit you, and hold on to ones that really matter. If you make the wrong choice, then you'd have to learn to live with your loss."

Louis goes quiet.

"I think that would be all for today."

---

"I know."

Louis pauses his strides, feeling Edward slowing to a stop beside him too. He takes a deep breath, then offers Edward his confused expression.

"I know." Edward says it again. "I know how much I hurt you."

He stares at his Alpha.

There is so much tension between them, so strong, so tangible that Louis can taste it on his tongue with how insistent it is. The only tension that used to occur between them only existed in the form of sexual elements, prickling their skin with the needs to be all over each other, to touch and kiss and hold and love, to have each other destroy the idea of personal space and get inside each other's heads and feel the other beneath their skin. But now... Now, the tension drains them of the yearning of affection Louis was growing familiar with. Instead the air is filled with an uneasiness that seeps into their bones, forcing them to walk on thin ice and weighed by the need to rethink the words they want to say in case it'd be the wrong thing. It had never felt right since the very start for Louis to be throwing Edward accusations that he'd purposely say just to get at him, and yet at the same time there's this part inside him that would be the loudest whisper in his ear to do it. That part is the only one within his being that loves the tension, soaks it up.

Louis hates this tension. He knows Edward does too. It makes him feel so alien to stand here and not feel the love he'd want to wrap Edward up with. It's so strange that the strongest feeling in his chest is anger, dusted with a bit of hatred, so strong that it'd drown out the desperate screams of his true feelings to coax himself to grant Edward forgiveness and love again.

"Okay." Louis replies.

"I hope one day, I'll make you happy more than I hurt you."

He breathes out through his mouth. "Okay." Then he moves to walk away.

But Edward grabs his arm, gentle. "I know you brought me along to let me know, to rub it in that I wronged you." He doesn't force Louis to look at him, continues talking even when Louis avoids his eyes. "You didn't have to. I know. And I'm sorry." He steps closer, hesitantly brushing Louis' hair to the side; Louis is still not looking at him. "I know you're giving my brothers another chance, because you're coming back, and I'm not getting that same chance. At least I hope not yet. But I'll try, I promise I'll try."

Louis shrugs him off.

---

"What?!"

Louis flinches as Leigh-Anne's shrill voice screams at him in disbelief. He gives her a lopsided smile. "Yeah...."

"What do you mean you're quitting?!"

"Well.." He trails off, hand rubbing awkwardly at the back of his neck. "I'm going back south."

Jade pouts from beside Leigh-Anne, huffing. "But why?"

Louis moves to take a seat. He pats another stool beside him. "Sit down."

Jade leaps forward into motion, slamming herself down on the seat. "Okay, spill."

Leigh-Anne stands in front of them, still glaring at Louis. "What's going on?"

"Okay." Louis takes a deep breath. "Do you know who that Alpha out there is?" He asks, referring to Edward waiting for him outside.

Jade and Leigh-Anne try to peek at the Alpha, then turn back to him. "That's Harry Styles." Then Jade does a double take. "He cut his hair?"

Louis chuckles, shaking his head. "No, it's not. It's Edward Styles."

"Edward Styles?" Jade tilts her head in confusion.

"Who?" Leigh-Anne blinks at him.

He almost wants to cackle. "Edward Styles. He's Harry's triplet brother."

"Ahh..." Jade nods, recalling the information she supposedly already knows. "Right, he's one of the triplets."

Louis nods. "Yeah... And they're all my Alphas."

Leigh-Anne chokes on her spit.

"Shit!" Jade gasps, patting her back to help her breathe again.

"Say that again?" Leigh-Anne coughs, her eyes widening at Louis.

Louis blushes at her reaction, bashful. "Yeah.. They're my Alphas."

"All three of them?!"

He grins.

Leigh-Anne holds up a finger, walking away to grab a mug and filling it with water. She takes a few sips before returning to her spot. "Three. Three Alphas."

"Yes."

Jade stares at him in awe and wonder. "Must be nice."

Louis scoffs, rolling his eyes. "It's Hell."

"Boy, you get two extra cocks. Be grateful."

Louis sends Leigh-Anne a threatening look and the girls burst into giggles. "Extra drama too."

"What happened, exactly? If they're your Alphas, why are you staying with your Mum?" Jade wonders, curious.

He shrugs, half-hearted. "We had some problems, so I needed to be away from them for a while."

"But they've come to win your heart again?" Leigh-Anne asks, excited at the mere thought of a sweet love story involving her friend.

Louis huffs, but he shrugs again. "If you want to call it that."

"So, you're quitting because you're going back home with them?"

"Yeah."

Jade takes another peek at Edward. He's now in a guarded stance where he's standing by the counter, glaring at Matty. The other Alpha is trying very hard to pretend as if Edward is not there. "Well, you sure are lucky, Lou. I mean, he's so fit!"

"And the hot Alpha that took you out on that date was the other brother?" Leigh-Anne looks like she has just gotten an epiphany. "Dear God, Lou. You've mated with sex Gods."

So dramatic. Louis feels like telling them all the troubles he went through from being their Omega. "Oh, please."

Jade hums. "I think there should be no problem for you to quit. We're not exactly in much need of someone, so there's no rush to start hiring after you leave."

"So that means I can leave by Monday?"

"Uh... Maybe you should discuss with Matty about that." Jade says. "It's up to him, really."

"Right." Louis agrees. Matty is the manager, after all. He grows onto his feet, brushing off the dust from his arse as Leigh-Anne and Jade stand up too. They start walking back to the front where Edward and Matty are.

The tension is instantly felt the moment they reach the scene. Edward looks like he's struggling not to start attacking Matty.

"Hey, Matty." Louis greets him, pretending that Edward is not ready to kill the Alpha at one wrong move.

Matty gives him a small, nervous smile. "Hey, Lou. What's up?"

Edward growls, a low sound, barely audible. Louis internally rolls his eyes, and he does it again when he feels a possessive arm curling around his waist before he's pulled to Edward's side. What a caveman. Louis is fine having to talk to his manager from where he is.

"I'll have to quit by this Monday. Is that okay or do you still need me for a few more days?" Louis asks, ignoring the tingling in his skin at the way Edward is gripping him.

Surprise fills Matty's expression. "Oh?" He blinks to regain himself. "Um, you're leaving?"

"I'm going back south."

Matty looks a little dejected, but he nods. "Right. Well, you don't have to come in on Monday. It's fine."

"Thank you!" Louis nudges Edward off and skips forward to give Matty a tight hug.

Edward glares at the sight, then he sighs and shuts his eyes. Maybe he should start getting used to Louis being this passive agressive little fucker on a mission to make Edward feel shitty.

The hug lasts for three seconds before Louis pulls back, but Edward still feels jealousy beating inside him.

"I guess this is it, then." Louis murmurs, looking at his friends. He's got a pout on his lips. "Who knows when we'll see each other again."

"Louis." Jade starts wailing, running straight into him so she could wrap her limbs around his figure. "I'm going to miss you so much."

He chuckles, but Edward can see him tearing up too.

Leigh-Anne sighs, but she joins Jade and Louis, forming a group hug. One that Matty doesn't dare be a part of.

---

"Are you sure this would be a good idea? Are you ready?"

Louis shakes his head, solemn. "I don't know, Mum. I hope so."

"You don't have to rush this." She tells him, touching his cheek. "It's okay if you're not ready yet."

He shrugs. "I don't know when I'm going to be ready, honestly. But I want to do this now."

"Okay, darling." She stretches up to kiss his forehead. "I hope things would turn out alright for you soon."

"Thank you, Mum." He smiles, hugging her tightly. "For taking care of me, for being so patient. I love you."

She chuckles. "Of course, Lou. You're my son, silly!" The woman pulls back and pinches his nose. "I love you too."

Each of his sister hugs him tightly after that, taking their time in his embrace. None of them are willing to let him go, yet. But they understand.

Daisy and Phoebe start crying as they say their goodbyes, making Louis tear up too.

"I'm sorry, Jay." Edward murmurs as he walks up to her, yet his eyes are glued to the siblings. "Things should've never got to this."

She shakes her head once he looks at her. "Everything happens for a reason, Edward. Maybe your relationship is going to get stronger once you get past this. Have faith in it."

"Thank you." He sighs. "For not shutting me out."

"You used to make my son very happy. I hope you will again."

"I'll try. I promise."

---

The silence in the car is undeniably awkward. Edward can see how tensed Louis is in the passenger seat, but he doesn't blame the Omega. He himself is having a hard time trying to focus on his driving. After all, they're not fighting, but they're not talking. They can't. Not after what happened. It won't take a snap of fingers to dive back into what they used to be. Things are bound to get awkward.

Though, something tells him that Louis is simply tensed because he's probably thinking about how things would go when they get home.

How would Harry and Marcel react?

It can't be easy for Louis to go through this. There's only one him, and there are three of them. It's going to be more overwhelming on Louis' part.

"Hey." Edward murmurs, making Louis flinch in surprise. "Sorry." He turns back to the road. "You okay?"

Louis looks at him, hesitant. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Do you need anything?" Edward offers. He'll stop by anywhere, Louis just has to say the word.

The Omega shakes his head. "No, it's okay. I think I'll just go to sleep."

"Alright. Just tell me if there's anything you'd like."

"Okay." That's the only thing Edward gets before Louis tilts his seat back and lies down facing away from him.

Edward knows a dismissal when he comes across one. If Louis doesn't feel like talking, Edward won't push him.

Only the radio makes a sound for the rest of the ride. But Edward knows Louis hasn't slept a blink when the car rolls to a stop in the parking lot of the garage to their home.

---

A/N: 

Things are a mess for now but I swear it's going to start getting better soon.

And this chapter is really far from how I would like it to be, so I'm definitely going to come back and do a lot of editing. Feel free to point out any mistakes!

I made a Twitter account so if you're willing, do follow me and send hate, or love, or complain. Though let me tell you, I suck at being active. But I'll reply to you! Find me at @anosutesto!

Thank you so much for reading!! Leave me a comment and a vote if you haven't! And if you did, thank you!!! Love you lots! ♥️♥️