I Could, But Wouldn't Stay

III

Louis quickly learned that family was very important, almost too important, to the Horan clan. It's not that family wasn't important to Louis it was just that he didn't have a large extended family or any at all, so he wasn't really used to the new home atmosphere. Holidays and most traditionally family orientated events in the time before the Horans were spent with takeout and themed movies on their couch.

His mother's parents were dead, and she was an only child so they just spent the time alone and that's how Louis liked it.

He also found it odd that so many Horan 'family' members had designated rooms in the mansion, whether they used them or not, and that they were welcome at any time. He noticed people would come and go at all times of the day and night and when Louis would ask Niall, he'd say they were cousins or friends sparing any particular details.

The so-called family members were different races and ethnicities, but they all had one thing in common, a tattoo on their wrist. The tattoo was maybe an inch squared, it was a shield like a family crest with a lion rearing up and two right hands on either side. He even noticed one on Niall's right wrist but when he asked Niall, he was in one of his moods and replied, "Wouldn't you like to know, little brother?"

Tonight, they were having their first family dinner and Louis was nervous. He'd never been good at meeting new people, especially people whose opinions mattered so much. If family was so important, then perhaps if they didn't like Jay and Louis than they'd break their engagement.

Would Niall still 'ruin his life' if that happened?

Oddly enough, though, he felt at ease that at least Niall would be there with him, however crazy or deranged he could be he was usually on Louis' side these days. But on the other hand, he knew how intense Niall and Bobby could be so he could only imagine what it would be like with the whole family together. He couldn't even get out of it because the whole purpose of this meal was to introduce him and his mom to the closest family members.

So here he sat, waiting nervously outside the school for Niall to finish up whatever he was doing on the day of the dinner. He wanted to go home with his mom almost half an hour ago, but Niall told him to wait. Louis suspected Niall's absence had something to do with his terrible bullying habit he had but didn't want to speculate too much.

A white Lamborghini pulled into the parking lot and Louis rolled his eyes at the douchebag classmate that person was picking up, but he quickly came to realize he was that douchebag classmate. Liam stepped out of the driver's side looking around, he finally met Louis' eyes across the sidewalk and manicured lawn. He was dressed very spiffily in a blue finely tailored suit and dark aviators. He held up a hand beckoning the omega over while lifting his phone to his ear.

The fancy car only had two doors which opened vertically, and Louis couldn't figure out how to get into the back seat. His mom drove a 2012 Hyundai Elantra for crying out loud. When he looked up to Liam again, he'd pocketed his phone with a scowl on his face and made his way around the car impatiently pulling the seat forward for Louis to crawl in, "Where's Niall?"

"I don't know, sorry." Louis' voice sounded weak even to his own ears but as he was climbing in Liam's phone rang again. Louis was intimidated by Liam, who acted rather stoically the few times they've interacted already. It was also unsettling how easily he was able to control Niall, Louis honestly didn't even know that was possible.

"I'm here" pause, "Well finish up quickly than" pause "Yeah Louis' already here like a good omega." Pause "Don't you use that tone with me, Niall James." Pause, "get your ass out here now." Then he hung up the phone with a roll of his eyes.

The alpha sighed and finally made eye contact with Louis through the rearview mirror, "Did Niall get you that uniform?"

"Yeah, he got me it as a surprise welcome gift. I think." Louis twiddled his fingers nervously, embarrassingly he began to fill the car with the pungent scent of anxiety. If Liam noticed, he didn't say anything.