Tear.

011

     She was sad.

     Well, sad and homesick.

     There was nothing wrong with Harry's pack and nothing wrong with living here either. Ilara was great company and now Mick had warmed up to her since they played Mario Kart together he too was great company. Giovanni and Alessandro were quite busy so she never saw them too often and Luca still seemed to hate her presence.

     Harry was. . . Harry. Calm, collected and cold as always. Not a flicker of emotion in his eyes or his actions, he oozed strength and calm. It was fine. But Lotus was so affectionate and she was missing and craving it.

      Although nothing was wrong here, she missed her family, Sephy and the general warmth of Lotus. She clutched the Polaroid picture that she'd found in her things, it was a picture of her and Sephy on Aurora's eighth birthday party. They both had large cheesy grins and mouths smothered in chocolate, one arm flopped around the other.

     She remembered this day as if it were yesterday, this moment when the smell of chocolate cake was surrounding her, her cheeks hurting from laughter and smiles and the music from pass the parcel still ringing in her mind. She could almost hear her dad telling her and Sephy to 'Say cheese!'

     It was sometime in the evening and she expected Harry would be home soon. Him, Giovanni and Alessandro had gone out today to deal with some shipments arriving or something along those lines.

     She sighed heavily rubbing a thumb over the photograph, the waves of nostalgia making her nose burn with the tell tale sign of tears.

     She was so busy reminiscing and lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the door to the room open nor smelt the unforgettable scent that invaded it soon after.

     "Aurora."

     She jumped, whirling around to see her mate stood in the bedroom, already shrugging off his suit jacket as he regarded her face closely.

     "You didn't hear me come in." He noted, his gaze calculating as it scanned her face intently, now beginning to unbutton his shirt too.

     "I was just lost in thought," She murmured casting her eyes away from his growing nakedness.

     She heard footsteps before she felt her chin being tilted up by his finger, forcing her to meet his intense eyes. She gazed at his cold green eyes wondering how something so beautiful could be so cold.

     "Sit down." He ordered nodding towards the bed. She frowned slightly but automatically obeyed and took a seat, placing the picture neatly in her lap.

     She couldn't help but gawk in shock as Harry knelt in front of her so they were the same height and eye level. His tattooed and muscular chest on full display making her blush from head to toe.

     "Now tell me what's wrong." He told her. He didn't ask, he told. There was no question in his voice or doubt that there was something wrong and he was a natural commander, easily ordering her to tell him. He hadn't really used his strength against her the whole time she'd been here so it was unlikely he would do if she refused to tell him. But she found herself wanting to share the burden on her heart with him.

     "I miss my family." She whispered nervously, expecting him to become angry that she missed her old pack now that she was here. It couldn't be particularly pleasant to hear from someone that they missed a time before you existed. Although not meaning it like that, she knew what Alphas were like.

     When nothing happened she glanced back up to him to find his face still that blank slate it always was. It was unsettling. But he indicated for her to go on anyway.

     "I miss them and I'm not sure if I'll ever fit in here or make a place for myself," She whispered, not even realising this was part of her sadness until she said it. "It's scary, and new, and I think I'm just a little overwhelmed."

     Her lip quivered and she felt the sudden onslaught of tears and before she knew it she had collapsed against Harry's chest unwillingly. Her tears became full fledged sobs as she cried into his neck, seeking the comfort, the only comfort she had all the way out here.

      Harry didn't say anything but pressed a hand softly to the back of her head allowing her to cry into his chest for as a long as she needed. Sitting down properly on the floor from his previous kneeling position he adjusted himself and therefore Aurora so they were both more comfortable.

     After a few minutes when her sobs had calmed to just sniffles she realised what she had just done and felt like dying from complete embarrassment. Harry must be cursing the day he was bonded to this emotional wreck in comparison to his perpetually calm self.

     "Before I became Alpha, I was in exile along-with my cousins Gio, Alesso, Mick and Luca. We stayed on the run for years, away from family, away from comfort and stability." Harry spoke, his voice controlled as he absentmindedly stroked her hair, her head still resting on his chest.

     "They missed home desperately, especially the twins being pretty much babies. They used to cry for their parents for days."

    Aurora listened intently, the first time Harry had gone into a little more depth about his time before Alpha. She felt a pang of sympathy for the twins, no kids deserved that.

     "Eventually they realised, sacrificing comfort and stability is a small price to pay when the outcome is deserved and well worth the wait. We adapted and did the best we could and now look at us." He told her, the pride in his voice for his family and his achievements unmistakable.

     She peered up at him with big, still wet eyes absorbing what he was putting down.

     "I know this is hard for you Aurora, but nothing worthwhile is easy." He told her, their eyes meeting in a clash of blue and green. Although his words lacking emotion, did prove to be comforting. If Luca and Mick as babies could handle being away from their families and living a horrible life in exile, surely Aurora could be a little brave too. And life here wasn't bad at all.

     She nodded, sitting up slightly her cheeks burning as she sniffled.

     "I'm sorry," She whispered with embarrassment thick in her voice, avoiding his gaze as she eyed his chest tattoos.

     "Regret is wasted time. Plus, you have nothing to apologise for Aurora. I'm not going to punish you for crying." He told her with a raised brow.

     She smiled shyly tucking some hair behind her ear.

     "I'm not scared of you, you make me nervous but never afraid." She whispered with a small smile, her heart skipping a beat as his lips twitched at her words and she swore she saw his eyes soften slightly.

     "Good. Now cmon, I think it's dinner time and if we don't hurry Luca will eat everything." Harry proposed as he stood up and helped her up too. She was grateful that he was brushing off her crying fit and not being awfully careful around her after. She liked it, a lot actually. Nobody would ever believe her if they ever found out that the ominous Alpha of Feroce Lupus comforted her.

She watched his tattooed muscles contract and stretch deliciously as he pulled on a t-shirt before he indicated for her to come. Giving him a gentle smile she tucked her Polaroid away safely and followed behind him feeling a lot better than before.

She still felt humiliated for crying like that and breaking down in front of Harry Styles the renowned warrior but what was she meant to do. The tears just came.

Her stomach did flips and her heart raced as she thought about how he had comforted her and allowed her to rest against him and cry against him like that. She could barely keep the smile off her face.

Teeny tiny chapter I'm sorry I started working full time and well :/ I had this already written with the intention of making it longer but it's been ages so I figured you guys can have it 😭😭😭